Standings and Awards

Wef Week 8

LEADING LADY JUMPER RIDER, sponsored by Martha Jolicoeur of Douglas Elliman Real Estate, in memory of Dale Lawler (after 18 qualifying events)

1. Margie Engle (USA): 563

2. Tiffany Foster (CAN): 560.5

3. Erynn Ballard (CAN): 459

4. Zoe Conter (BEL): 437

5. Petronella Andersson (SWE): 436

Herm S Under 25 Grand Prix Series

(after 7 qualifying events)

1. Richard Vogel (GER): 310.5

2. Francis Derwin (IRL): 297.5

3. Ashley Vogel (USA): 297

4. Charlise Casas (USA): 274.5

5. McKayla Langmeier (USA): 246.5

WEF 9 JUMPER WRAP-UP

The Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) week 8, presented by Premier Equestrian, got underway Wednesday, March 2, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBEIC) in Wellington, FL, with the daytime $5,000 Premier Equestrian Welcome CSIO4*.

Fitting for Nations Cup week, riders from 20 nations contested the speed track set by Nick Granat (USA) and Steve Stephens (USA), with foreign athletes making up 75% of the 80 combinations in the starting order. Roberto Teran Tafur (COL) and Susan van Lammers’s Gabrovo stepped right on the gas, claiming the first win of the week.

A starting field of 46 horse-and-rider combinations made their way to the International Arena for the second $5,000 Premier Equestrian Welcome CSI04* class of Wednesday, which ran under the lights. Contenders from 12 nations rode their way across the single-round speed track but Venezuela’s Antonio Martinez, Jr. produced the winning effort aboard Forman De Virton.

Thursday morning kicked off with a win for Belgium’s Jos Verlooy in the $37,000 Adequan WEF Challenge Cup Round VIII CSIO4* with Luciano Van Het Geinsteinde.

CHAMPION EQUINE INSURANCE HUNTER STYLE AWARD: Given, ridden and owned by Sheila Motley

CHAMPION EQUINE INSURANCE JUMPER STYLE AWARD: Contara 15, ridden and owned by Eva Fisherman

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CAPTIVEONE ADVISORS 1.50M CHAMPIONSHIP JUMPER CLASSIC SERIES (after 9 qualifying events)

1. Shane Sweetnam (IRL): 314

2. Emily Moffitt (GBR): 199

3. Lillie Keenan (USA): 184 McLain Ward (USA): 184 Matthew Boddy (GBR): 184

6. Laura Kraut (USA): 182

Wef 8 Weekly Sponsor Awards

The afternoon brought forth wins for the up-and-coming generation of show jumpers with the $10,000 Hermès Under 25 Welcome and the $1,000 Hermès Under 25 1.40m class. It was victory for the Irish in the $10,000 Hermès Under 25 Welcome as Max Wachman bested a 66-horse field with Coolmore Show Jumping’s 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding Quintini (Quintender 2 x Cassini II). Out of the 13 pairs in the final class of the day, Summer Hill (USA) and her own solid partner La Belle SCF put forth the best effort in the $1,000 Hermès Under 25 1.40m class. She and the 11-year-old BWP mare (Diktator Van De Boslandhoeve x Baldini) crossed the timers in 63.04 seconds to secure the top honors.

Daytime competition on Friday in the International Arena highlighted the $37,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m CSIO4*. Of the 19 nations represented in the field, it was Great Britain’s anthem that was played as young talent Grace Debney (GBR) and her long-time partner Zarina De Vidau rose as the victors of the event. The 18-year-old athlete and Temple Equestrian LLC’s 12-year-old CDE mare (Diamant De Semilly) stopped the clock in a blazing 56.10 seconds.

Forty-three horse-and-rider pairs tackled a course of 16 obstacles on Saturday in the $50,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m National Grand Prix. Riding second to last in the jump-off, Karl Cook (USA) and Ircos IV, a 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Helen Signe Ostby. Cook and Ircos IV finished their jump-off round in a time of 33.234 seconds, edging out second-place rider Shane Sweetnam (IRL) with Indra Van De Oude Heihoef, owned by The Blue Buckle Group, who clocked in at 33.339 seconds.

Pristine and private perfectly describe this equestrian paradise located in Palm Beach Point East. This property features 20 stalls over two stables, a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom owner’s residence, as well as a 2-bedroom secondary residence. Newly constructed 6 horse covered walker, 8 covered grooming/ wash stalls, and an approx. 2,000 ft. bridle path. Located less than 2 miles, the property is golf cart and hacking distance to the showgrounds.

The Adult Amateur Hunter Older (Section A) division awarded the championship title on Thursday in the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter Arena. Carolyn Anderson, who represents Canada, came away with the overall victory aboard CH Farm LLC’s Playbook. They bookended their performance with blue ribbons, picking up wins in the under saddle on Wednesday and over fences on Thursday with a score of 87. Anderson and Playbook now sit in second place for the circuit standings for the division. Reserve champion of the division went to Mary Canner on her own Gus Gus. Canner and the eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Celestial were first and second over fences on the first day of competition with scores of 87 and 84.95.

John French and Milagro lead the way in the High Performance Hunter division, sponsored by Antares Sellier France. Milagro, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Kent Farrington LLC, had almost a clean sweep of the division, only missing out on the top spot in the handy round. They had great scores of 84, 85, and an 86 in the stake on their way to the championship. Michael Britt-Leon piloted Private I to the reserve championship after picking up the win in the handy with an impressive score of 90. That puts them firmly into the lead in the circuit standings. The 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Corrado also showed for his owner Kelly Sims this week in the NetJets 3’3” Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3” 36+ division where they earned a win together over fences with a score of 87. The Green Medium Pony Hunter division also took place over the weekend on “Pony Island” in Ring 12. Amira Kettaneh partnered with Bibby Farmer Hill’s Speaking Terms, a seven-year-old German Riding Pony by Neckar. On Saturday they landed a win over fences with a score of 84, and then on Sunday’s second day of competition, they really shined to score an 83 and 84 over fences for two more blue ribbons. That boosted Kettaneh to the championship. Just a few division points behind was EMC Valentijn, ridden by Aundrea Hillyard and owned by Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright. Hillyard and the six-year-old Welsh Pony gelding by Nilantshoeve’s Zippo were consistently towards the top of the class, highlighted by a win over fences on Saturday with a score of 85. They now sit in first place for the circuit standings as they continue their successful season. Sunday’s South Ring highlight this week was the Walk Trot division, which saw a California split resulting in two champions and two reserve champions. Up-and-coming super stars Robert and Saoirse Cournane look to be following in their father, Captain Brian Cournane’s, footsteps. Captain Brian Cournane, who has represented Ireland internationally on numerous occasions, will have to make room in his trophy case for not just one, but two championship ribbons this week. Robert rode Loafers Lodge Onyx, a 17-year-old small Half Welsh mare by Rosmel’s Dressed in Scarlet, owned by Emily Watson, while Saoirse rode Vanilla Twilight, a medium 19-year-young Arabian/Welsh cross mare by BF Oliver Twist, owned by Cumberland Acres LLC. Robert earned three blue ribbons in the division, and Saoirse notched two, with both Cournanes topping the jumping class. Reserve champions were Tyrellspass Fairytale, ridden by Penelope Eichenberg and owned by AKA Showstoppers, and Empire’s Paris, ridden by Harper Clark and owned by Artemis Equestrian Farm LLC, who also own Olympic champion Rodrigo Pessoa’s (BRA) grand prix mounts. The race for the circuit standings are extremely close with all top four finishers this week sitting in the top six in the overall points and Eichenberg leading the charge.