Teen Show Jumping Champion Emanuel Andrade Raises Awareness with Every Win at Winter Equestrian Festival

Wellington, Florida – March 6, 2012 – Fifteen-year-old Emanuel Andrade, who champions the charity Step by Step Foundation in competition, continued to excel at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, winning Low, Medium and High Junior Jumper classes all on the same day.

On Friday, March 2, Andrade topped a field of 58 entries to win the Low Junior Jumper class with Casanova Junior, claimed victory in the Medium Junior Jumper class with Oxford, and won the High Junior Jumper class with Tiny Tim.

At the end of week eight, Andrade rode away with the Medium Junior Jumper Championship title with Oxford and the Reserve Championship title with Mississippi L.S.  He also claimed the Reserve Championship title in the Low Junior Jumper division with Casanova Junior, a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding.

Of his success with Oxford, Andrade said, “I really like his scope, and that he is brave and careful.”

Andrade has only been riding Oxford for the past three months.  He selected the 10-year-old black Selle Francais gelding by himself in Venezuela, where he also actively competes.  Balancing school with a demanding show jumping competition schedule and riding to raise both funds and awareness for the non-profit Step by Step, Andrade will competes for two more weekends in Wellington, Florida  before returning to Venezuela to focus on his studies.

Andrade trains with Hollow Creek Farm’s Andrea King and Angel Karolyi, who was a member of the Venezuelan team for the $75,000 G&C Nations’ Cup on Friday, March 2.  During week eight of the Winter Equestrian Festival, Andrade enjoyed top ten finishes with seven different horses in the Junior Jumper divisions.

“When you have ridden a lot of different horses from a young age, like I have had the opportunity to, it becomes like second nature to switch from one horse to another,” explained Andrade.  “When you get on, you immediately start thinking about what each horse needs.”

When asked which one was his favorite horse, Andrade laughed and said, “This week, it is Tiny Tim.  He jumped beautifully both days.  Andrea King picked him out for me, and he is a careful horse.  He is like Oxford, and has very similar characteristics.”

With Tiny Tim, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Andrade won Friday’s High Junior Jumper class before earning a top 10 finish in Sunday morning’s $10,000 Griffis Group High Junior Jumper Classic in the International Arena.

At the half-way point of the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, Andrade was named the Future Champions Leading Junior Jumper Rider.  During the first six weeks of competition at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, Andrade won five championship and five reserve championship titles in the junior jumper divisions.  During weeks two, five and six of competition at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, Andrade rode Costa to the High Junior Jumper Championship title.  During weeks five and six, Andrade claimed back-to-back Low Junior Jumper Championship titles with P.S. I Love You.

For more information on please visit www.stepbystepfoundation.com and/or www.hollowcreekfarms.com.