Tag Archives: World Championship Hunter Rider Week

Bertram Allen and Emmylou Storm to Victory in KASK CSI3* Grand Prix

Bertram Allen & Emmylou. Photo © Sportfot.

The Winter Equestrian Festival’s (WEF) Week 6, sponsored by KASK, came to a close on Sunday with the final classics of World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Week in the International Ring and the KASK CHF140,000 CSI3* Grand Prix on the grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village. Irish Olympian Bertram Allen and the speedy Emmylou topped a 10-horse jump-off in the day’s featured international class.

Coming off a win earlier in the season in the Wellington Equestrian Realty CSI4* 1.45m with Emmylou, a 10-year-old Irish-bred mare (Cabachon x San Patrignano Mister) owned by Ballywalter Stables, Allen bested runner-up Cathleen Driscoll (USA) by nearly two seconds on Sunday. She rode Arome for owner Plain Bay Farm, and Canada’s Amy Millar rounded out the top three riding Truman for Millar Brooke Farm & Overlund.

“The jump-off went to plan,” said Allen of his blistering pace. “My horse is naturally very fast so I just tried to keep it as smooth as I could. Obviously, the jump-off was still big and there were quite a few faults in it, so I tried to get the right medium between going fast enough and keeping all the jumps up.”

Tom Wachman Takes Birthday Week Win in Hermès U25 Grand Prix

The final morning of WEF 6 kicked off with just over 70 of the sport’s top up-and-coming young riders taking to the grass derby field at Equestrian Village. The CHF25,000 Hermès U25 Grand Prix launched a full day of top sport to cap the week with Ireland’s Tom Wachman claiming a win just two days after his 18th birthday.

Riding Coolmore Showjumping‘s 10-year-old KWPN mare I’m Here (Carambole x Numero Uno), Wachman produced two fault-free efforts throughout the first round and eleven-horse jump-off. The short-course contenders represented six individual countries.

Coming off a win in the Wellington Equestrian Realty CSI3* 1.45m earlier in the week aboard Lazzaro Delle Schiave, Wachman was at it again with a new mount. “I just started riding her at the beginning of WEF, but she’s had a great start to the season and won two classes here during WEF 4,” said Wachman.

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French Dazzles in $100k WCHR Peter Weatherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular

John French & Milagro. Photo © Sportfot.

World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Week, sponsored by KASK, at the 2023 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) came to a peak on Saturday night. The country’s best hunter combinations went head-to-head in the $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular. For John French, it was a night of firsts as he finally captured the Spectacular win, one that has been eluding him throughout his career.

From a 42-horse field at 3’6”, 3’9”, and 4’ heights, 12 returned for a handy round. French guided Milagro, a 2015 Hanoverian gelding owned by Kent Farrington, LLC, to a high score of 94 in the opening round and returned for the handy with a few points in his pocket. They impressed the judges again and scored 93.5, finishing with a score of 187.5 and the victory.

“I think riding in this kind of atmosphere brings out the best in all horses,” said French of the impressive International Ring environment at WEF. “They were all jumping so well tonight, and I think the lights, the crowds, and the jumps really showcased the hunters. There aren’t a lot of these classes left, so we get excited for nights like this and so do our horses.”

Kenny Comes Back in CaptiveOne Advisors CIS3* 1.50m Classic

After a win in the CSi3* 1.45m slipped from his grasp on the opening day of WEF 6, Darragh Kenny (IRL) was determined to check the win column in Saturday’s CHF37,000 CaptiveOne Advisors CSI3* 1.50m Classic. He and Vancouver Dreams did just that from a stacked 15-horse jump-off over courses designed by Ana Catalina Cruz Harris (MEX) on the grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village.

Kenny is making quick work of finding success with a new partnership after recently acquiring Vancouver Dreams from Austria’s Max Kühner.

“I’ve actually never done a jump-off on her before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect,” said Kenny of the 13-year-old Hanoverian mare (Valentino 240 x Stakkato). “She’s unbelievably careful, so I knew I could take a bit of a risk at the double, and I did and it paid off and she was brilliant.”

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Haness and Stewart Dominate Rein Family 3’6″ Performance Hunter Division at WEF

Nick Haness & Queen Celeste. Photo © Sportfot.

From across North America, the top horses and riders in the hunter discipline flocked to Wellington, FL this week for World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Week at the Winter Equestrian Festival. The sixth week of competition shines a spotlight on all divisions of the discipline and gives amateurs, juniors, and professionals alike the chance to qualify for Saturday night’s $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular.

Over one hundred of the country’s best performance hunter horses took center stage in Wellington International’s International Ring. Two champions were crowned in the California Split Rein Family 3’6” Performance Hunter division. The two tricolor awards were presented to Scott Stewart of Wellington, FL and Nick Haness of Temecula, CA for their top placings.

Mitchell and Stewart Claim Tricolors in Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” Green Hunter Division

Canada’s Brady Mitchell riding Epic Style and Scott Stewart aboard Spirit D’Intro Z shared the Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” Green Hunter title in the International Ring. Thirty-six entries stepped into the ring, but it was Mitchell and Epic Style, a Warmblood gelding by Cloney owned by Rein Family LLC, as well as Stewart and Spirit D’Intro Z, a Zangersheide gelding by Stakkato owned by Gochman Sporthorses, who were crowned champions of the division.

Mitchell was thrilled after his winning round and said, “My horse was very good yesterday; he was Section A winner of the jumping class yesterday and he won the hack. In one way the pressure was off because I knew I would probably have the tricolor, but of course you want him to keep winning. He’s a horse that really seems to rise to the occasion, so I feel really lucky to be able to ride him.”

With consistent top ribbons, Stewart was similarly pleased after taking home the tricolor with Spirit D’Intro Z. “Spirit is actually a new ride for me. He’s a really talented jumper, and before circuit we decided to play with him in the hunters because he’s a lovely mover,” said Stewart. “We are all very pleased. It’s always great riding in the International Arena here at WEF. He was brave and it rode great out there today.”

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