Latest from Horse & Hound in Hunters-us

Riders hand in their cell phones before walking Winter Equestrian Festival Equitation Championship course

Sarah Eakin — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 16:23:45 +0000

Luke Jensen, 18, of Denton, Texas, in his last junior year, took home the win in the WEF Equitation Championship, performing on center stage yesterday in the international ring at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).

“I’m so grateful to Stephex and North Run for the ride on Jamaica,” said Luke of the horse he started riding at the beginning of the season. “Jamaica really thrives in a big ring. Actually, Jamaica always thrives. I just wanted to build on what we have been working on through all of WEF.”

Riders for Thursday evening’s championship class qualified by winning an equitation class during the 2022 WEF season, the 2021 Holiday and Horses Horse Show, or the 2021 Holiday Finale show. USA’s Andy Christiansen and Ken Krome designed the 12-fence first course that was taken on by 46 athletes.

Added to the challenge was the rule that riders had to walk the course without assistance of trainer or staff – and to ensure that was the case, riders handed in their cell phones at the start and were only permitted help from one groom in the warm-up ring.

“I was most nervous about the schooling, just because I didn’t want to jump too much since Taco is a quiet horse,” said Atlanta’s Ellie Aronson, who made the biggest jump up the leaderboard with Wolfstone Stables & Sales Inc.’s Conthacco, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Conthargos, going from eighth to fourth in round two, and ultimately finishing in second.

As the final four completed the work-off in reverse order, Ellie, 16 and in her rookie year in the WEF Equitation Championship, was first to test.

“I had my groom, Amber, helping me,” she said. “And she was amazing. I just tried to do as I felt like I needed to and tried not to stress about it too much.”

The eldest rider of the top four was California’s Augusta Iwasaki, 18, who was competing for the fifth time in class, but on a mount recently transformed from a jumper to an equitation horse. Augusta was comfortable working on her own and landed third place.

“I usually kind of do my own thing anyway. My trainers always get mad at me, because I’m kind of in my own world,” she said.

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McLain Ward’s Noche De Ronda is feeling ‘quite well’ as she bounces back to winning ways after injury

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A fresh horse at the end of the Winter Equestrian Festival works well for Irish rider

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Photogenic ponies bought via Horse & Hound shine at Winter Equestrian Festival

Sarah Eakin — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 14:54:22 +0000

Donald and Cara Cheska train ponies for the Winter Equestrian Festival hunter ring – an American way of showing that is foreign to the UK. But across the pond is where many of their past success stories have come from. Pouring through the classifieds in Horse & Hound has found many a pony that would fit the mold to show in the pony hunter classes in Florida and beyond.

“In our sport, they have to move like the show ponies, but jump like a ‘hunter’,” said Cara. Eighteen years ago, the Cheskas were pioneers in looking across the pond for said ponies, and it was a time when shipping to the USA was considerably cheaper.

“We still import ponies but 18 or so years ago, we used to buy them based on the postage stamp picture in Horse & Hound,” said Cara. “They had photos of them moving like this,” she said, stretching her arms out straight and scissoring them back and forth.

The majority of ponies were bought purely with a leap of faith based on the small classified photo. “Most of them we would call the number on the ad up and work out a deal,” said Cara. “And the ponies would come right away. It was very easy to get them here.”

A few were tried out at horse shows in Scotland and Ireland. “We got known as the crazy Americans with the measuring stick,” she said. “Because they had to measure to our standards – to be top of the line 12.2hh, 13.2hh or 14.2hh. In between is hard because then their stride doesn’t usually match what we have to do here.”

They also needed to jump. “I would ask people if I could jump their ponies and they would look at me like I had four heads,” Cara said.

At the time pony breeding in the USA was popular and the Cheska’s decision to import was unusual. But shipping a horse to the USA cost $5,000 and the Cheskas would pay somewhere between £2,00o and £3,000 for a pony. By the time they had trained them for the show worlds of the Winter Equestrian Festival and the like, the asking price could be between $40,000 to $50,000.

Many of the ponies they imported blazed a trail of ribbons across the showgrounds. All of them had the word ‘home’ in their name. Home Court from Edinburgh and Home At Last from Dublin were two of the top imports.

Cara and Donald still look in Europe for prospects – Welsh section B being one of the preferred breeds. “Now because of the internet and cellphones, it’s so much faster [to review the ponies],” Cara said. “But now it’s $12,000 to get them here. It’s still profitable, but the ponies are for children so the small ones have to be so far along, in order to make a profit on them. There are no chances to be taken anymore.”

Grooms take the stage to compete for $5000 prize at the Winter Equestrian Festival

Sarah Eakin — Sat, 19 Mar 2022 18:30:52 +0000

Hunter groom Cristian Neri Garcia arrives at the ring at the Winter Equestrian Festival with a small ladder and more additional equipment in hand than a painter/decorator. He’s here for the Double H Farm $5000 Groom’s Class and there are more spectators than usual lining the outside fence as owners, trainers and fellow grooms cheer on their barn mates.

Cristian is awarded second place for the quality of the turnout of Kelly Sims’ James Bond Van’t Roosakker in the hunter section of the class. “It means a lot,” he said. “Because this is the Winter Equestrian Festival.”

Jumper grooms show off their turnout skills at WEF (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Michael Britt-Leon of Winter Stables trains Kelly and her impressive-looking hunter. “There’s an emphasis on how the horses are turned out and we couldn’t do it without these guys,” Michael said. “It’s great that they have a class where they get to show off a little bit of their work.”

More than 30 WEF grooms turned out for the class, featuring a mixture of hunters and jumpers. Cheryl Scott’s groom Tyler Johnstone brought in her jumper Gina Bella. “It was all his idea to compete,” she said. “He has worked very hard. He takes time with his braids. He is meticulous.”

While the jumper grooms may take pride in their horses’ appearance, for the hunter grooms turnout is critical. “He’s got four white stockings so he requires a lot to be cleaned,” said Michael of James Bond Van’t Roosakker. “He [Cristian] has chosen a difficult one, but he’s confident, he loves that animal and he spends a lot of time grooming him.”

Even when the weather turns bad, as it often can do as Florida winter storms come through, there is no respite for a hunter groom. “They still come to the ring looking beautiful,” said Michael. “The horses have to wear socks so they can at least walk in to the ring with white socks when it’s raining – they might come out dirty…

“First impressions mean a lot and when you walk in the ring with a well-polished horse and a well-polished rider – a horse that looks muscular and fit and well-fed and shiny and clean – they’re showing. It’s a horse ‘show’ so it’s like a dog show or any other show. Appearance is extremely important.

“The work that we do behind the scenes for the weeks and months leading up to the horse show is crucial. It’s not just a bath – and the horse is clean and shiny. They have to have all the pieces – and it takes months to get them there.”

Lady approaching 70th birthday who is back after 12-year break competes at Winter Equestrian Festival

Sarah Eakin — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 15:01:20 +0000

Johnatha Gorin is approaching her 70th birthday as she competes at the Winter Equestrian Festival and she’s not the only member of her generation still in the saddle. “They’re all lovely ladies,” she said of her fellow competitors in the crossrail classes. “We laugh and talk. We’re very encouraging of each other.”

The south ring mixes Baby Boomers with Generation Alpa as they compete in equitation and crossrails, short stirrups, and rusty stirrups – that both say what they are on the tin. It is a phenomenon that you might not expect at the USA’s showcase horse show, but it is a welcome addition to the grounds since it was launched in 2018.

Age is irrelevant at the Winter Equestrian Festival South ring where young and old can compete (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“The south ring is a safe environment for all of us,” said Karen Lucian, a lady of a certain age. “It’s apart from the main show and they make sure that the warm-up ring is not used by other riders. That’s why I like coming to WEF. They don’t have a setup like this at other shows [in the US].”

Karen has been off for a year due to injury, but is looking for a horse to start up again: “As soon as I get a horse, I will be back competing.”

Karen’s commitment to the sport of riding is illustrated by her weekly commute from California to Florida in order to compete. “I usually take a red-eye after work on Wednesday,” said Karen, who has had a longstanding career as a financial advisor in Newport Beach.

Johnatha sat out for 12-and-a-half years, before taking up the reins again just over three years ago. “My daughter was showing and it was more important for her to have all the horses,” she explained.

Now that she’s back showing, Johnatha is partnered with a well-known, nationally successful hunter who she acquired in June, Touchdown – who was on the cover of the Hampton Classic last year.

“We’re doing cross rails, and we’re very happy,” she said. “I’ve shown four times. I won some ribbons, second-week reserve, eighth-week champion. It was good.”

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Johnatha Gorin)

Like a spider spinning a web – professional braider is keeping up appearances at the Winter Equestrian Festival

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Perfect ponies prepare to take center stage at Winter Equestrian Festival

Sarah Eakin — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 19:42:08 +0000

Budding future grand prix riders are warming up at Pony Island, hair ribbons flying, ponies cantering perfectly – the images are chocolate box material and the photo opportunities are endless. Because the Winter Equestrian Festival doesn’t just cater for FEI stars, one of the strongest components of the 12-week show are the pony hunter classes and tomorrow 64 young riders move on from Pony Island at the WEF showgrounds to take center stage in the $5000 USHJA Pony Derby in the Stadium Derby Field.

Pony Hunter classes are a proven training ground for grand prix riders. Among others Lucy Deslauriers – daughter of grand prix riders Mario and Lisa Deslauriers – began her riding career in the pony classes as did the US’s Lillie Keenan. Shane Sweetnam’s daughter, Olivia, is currently showing signs of following in her father’s footsteps, as a noteworthy competitor in the pony ring. Tomorrow’s Derby is a highlight for the riders and especially their ponies who get to trade a relatively small sand arena for a sizeable grass jump field.

“The Derby throws its own challenges, because sometimes you can’t even see the jump it’s so far away, the kids get lost and the ponies get a little excited coming towards home,” said trainer Kyla Makhloghi of Rosemont Farm, who for the past two years has trained 10-year-old Ella and Luca Endzweig – twins who are regular competitors in the pony ring. “We have a chance to familiarise the ponies with the area next to the arena today, so that does help.”

Kyla Makhloghi keeps pony hunter classes fun with Luca Endzweig. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Tomorrow the twins ride six ponies between them but aren’t likely to tire. “They’re energizer bunnies!’ said Kyla, adding that “they are fortunate that they get to do that, but they love every second of it.” Ella and Luca were not yet cantering when Kyla started working with them, but they are now seen confidently flying around the hunter courses at Pony Island, not withstanding the odd tumble that comes with riding horses. “They are so into it,” said Kyla. “I have to tell the parents to drag them out of the barn. They love the animals, riding and competing. They really love it for all the right reasons and you can’t teach that.”

Training young children requires a special approach and Kyla takes a pragmatic, but fun stance with the twins.

“Keeping them safe when they are very, very little and teaching them to be tough without scaring them,” are some of the challenges, she said. “You have to keep them laughing too. I think you hit a point where the hard part is keeping it fun, but at the same time pushing them to improve.”

Like a spider spinning a web – professional braider is keeping up appearances at the Winter Equestrian Festival

Sarah Eakin — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 20:00:34 +0000

Seven am at a Hunter barn in Wellington and the grooms have just started their day, but in one stall, Elizabeth Swann is about to finish hers. As a professional braider, Elizabeth has been up all night perfecting the appearance of horses whose turnout is everything.

“The hallmark of an American show hunter is how it’s turned out,” said Elizabeth, 51, who has been braiding for some 22 years. “So that all that we see when we watch them go is their lines and their conformation and how they are built.”

Her hands move so quickly, weaving in the specialised rug yarn that keeps the braids tightly in place, that it is reminiscent of a spider spinning a web. Flower Dance is a horse that Elizabeth has braided many times, a schoolmaster, who won the Section A Low Childrens Hunter class in week 8. “This horse has a beautiful physique,” said Elizabeth. “So all I try to do with this one, is not interrupt it.”

Braiding is an art and Elizabeth Swann is one of the best artisans, pictured here with Flower Dance (Image credit: creditUnknown)

After dark at the Winter Equestrian Festival many braiders work through the night – Elizabeth, who has a team working with her, can have as many as 85 to 90 clients on her list prior to a busy Saturday show day. For Elizabeth, a braid takes approximately 45 minutes and a tail, just 12. The price per horse is $120, which seems attainable until you consider how many times on average a hunter horse is showing during the course of the 12-week festival.

Elizabeth realises that hiring a professional is not within everyone’s budget and she is happy to pass on her craft to those that want to be self-sufficient. “I have an Instagram page and I’m trying to transfer the art to other girls – like me – who can’t afford to have a full-time braider,” she said.

Flower Dance is going semi-casual today. “I’m not going to braid her tail, we’re going to go with a little more casual look today and tie in her fake tail,” said Elizabeth. “So she’ll have a nice fluffy tail without a braid.” At other times braiders let loose creatively, adding hearts for Valentine’s Day and festive ornaments at Christmas. “It’s the one thing that we can control in this discipline is how our horses are turned out,” said Elizabeth.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Meet Amanda Steege: the rider who bagged top honours in one of the biggest hunter jumper competitions

Alex Robinson — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 12:24:03 +0000

Amanda Steege hit the headlines when she was championed in the $50,000 World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular at the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Her ride was Cheryl Olsten’s scopey 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood Lafitte De Muze.

This was the fourth time Amanda and the Darco gelding have contested the class, but this was the first time they have won the prestigious accolade.

Amanda is a leading show hunter producer, trainer and rider who is based at Ashmeadow Farm in Califon, New Jersey and in Ocala, Florida.

Amanda grew up in Massachusetts and hails from a horsey family; both her parents were instructors in the hunter/jumper industry and worked in Sterling at Saddle River Farm for Hank and Marion Hulick.

As a junior rider, Amanda was successful in the pony hunter, junior hunter and equitation classes. Her most famed small junior hunter was One In A Million. Amanda won the 1991 Massachusetts Medal Finals and competed in the Medal and Maclay Finals.

Amanda took a break from horses and graduated from Boston College with a degree in psychology. It was after her studies that she decided to become a professional horsewoman and founded her business Ashmeadow Farm, which now has two bases. Amanda spends half of her year in Ocala and the other half in Califon.

She trains both professional and amateur hunter riders, and her clients have clinched titles up and down the East Coast. Amanda is also known for her production of young horses and she is currently supported by ProElitePro horse feeds.

In the hunter jumper ring, Amanda has racked up an enviable tally. She has had tremendous success in international derbies and has also been the World Champion Hunter Rider for the northeast region several times in a row.

Article continues below…

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(Image credit: SPORTFOT)

Lafitte De Muze has been a big winner for Amanda. In 2019, he was champion of the $50,000 National Horse Show Hunter Classic and in 2018 netted the $50,000 WCHR Professional Challenge at the Capital Challenge Horse Show. He was also awarded the 2019 WCHR Hunter of the Year, earning the Peter Wetherill Cup.

Other top horses Amanda has piloted include Kingpin, Mirror Image and Majestic, both previous winners of the Devon Horse Show, among others.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Amanda Steege jumps to win $50,000 hunter spectacular at WEF

Alex Robinson — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 13:19:50 +0000

Hunter rider Amanda Steege rode Cheryl Olsten’s Lafitte De Muze to scoop the $50,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular during Saturday Night Lights at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).

33 hunter riders took their turn over the 12-element track designed by Andy Christiansen.

Six judges split into three panels oversaw the class; the first panel comprised Mary Lisa Leffler and Chris Wynne, panel two Rachel Kennedy and Sissy Wickes, and the final panel was Tom Brennan and Mark Jungherr.

Lafitte De Muze — a 10-year-old by Darco — was in third place going into the second round with a score of 88.91. The top 12 riders who returned for the second round comprised 10 professionals and two junior riders.

Tenth to come back in the ring, Amanda and the Belgian warmblood scored 88.83, which put the pair at the top of the leaderboard with an overall total of 177.74.

“My plan for round one was to just go as smoothly as I could and show off some galloping,” said Amanda. “I can trust that he’s going to jump with style so I was just trying to do my job the best way that I could.

“For the second round, I rode a different plan than the one we had decided when we walked it. Liza [Boyd] and I walked together with a few others, and we were not planning on doing some of the inside slices that we did.

“As we were watching, and people started doing tighter turns and judges seemed to reward that, I actually phoned a friend. I called Tom Wright who was sitting in the stands, literally as I was at the gate, and he helped me formulate a plan that he thought would be the best for Lafitte. I was happy that I was able to make it work.”

Elizabeth Towell-Boyd and Gigi Manigault’s Walk-Off finished the first round in 10th place and then received the highest second round score of 91 to finish in second overall.

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(Image credit: Sportfot)

From toilet roll to Power Rangers: WEF’s Charity Challenge takes fancy dress to the next level

Riders taking part in the Great Charity Challenge at the Winter Equestrian Festival took fancy dress to the next level

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Florida rider scores perfect 100 in High Performance Hunter Stake

(Image credit: Sportfot)

“My horse is honoured to be second to a horse like Laffite,” said Elizabeth. “During the second round I was in 10th place, and I thought, ‘We’ll just go for it,’ and he really stepped up to the plate. He really proved to me that he’s a derby horse in the making.”

Third place went to Geoffrey Hesslink and Shadowfax Equestrian LLC’s Bond, while taking fourth spot was Grace Debney aboard Temple Equestrian LLC’s Quimby.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Meet Victoria Colvin: the leading US show hunter rider with record-breaking form

Alex Robinson — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 08:24:33 +0000

Victoria ‘Tori’ Colvin began riding and showing ponies at a young age and has since gone onto be one of the most accomplished hunter riders in the USA. Victoria is a six-time winner of the prestigious $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular, held at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).

We find out a little more about the leading show rider…

Victoria Colvin runs her own business specialising in hunter/jumpers just outside of Wellington, Florida. As well as coaching and training, she focuses her time on producing young show horses.

Her first big triumphs came during her junior career at the USEF pony finals where she took numerous championships over the years. She also won five best child rider accolades at the Devon Horse Show and County Fair as well as various titles in equitation and junior hunter classes at shows across the country.

In recent years she has turned her attention to the hunter ring. She has championed numerous $50,000 international hunter derbies and is a six-time winner of the $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular. Her most recent Spectacular champion (2019 and 2020) was Brad Wolf’s Holsteiner gelding Private Practice.

In August 2017, Victoria was top of the $268,550 USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship with Cuba. She has since made history by winnng the championship twice more, making her the first rider to have won the event three times on three different horses.

At the 2018 and 2019 WEF, Victoria earned the overall hunter rider circuit championship. She was awarded the 2019 Emerson Burr trophy at the US Equestrian Pegasus awards for her excellence in competition.

Other shows she has triumphed at include the Hampton Classic, Kentucky National Horse Show, Great Lakes Equestrian Festival, Capital Challenge, Pennsylvania National Horse Show, Washington International Horse Show, and the National Horse Show.

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She was named National Show Hunter Hall of Fame rider of the year in 2020.

Victoria is also an accomplished show jumper, making her debut apperance in grand prix aged 13 when she won the $25,000 ESP Spring 6 grand prix. During the 2018 WEF, she led the field of the $25,000 Hermes under-25 grand prix team event aboard I Love Lucy, and later won the $25,000 CP national grand prix riding Clochard.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Meet the 12-year-old junior hunter champion with very big ambitions

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 21:55:53 +0000

The rising star of Sunday’s final day of hunter competition in the second week of the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) was 12-year-old Rylynn Conway, who rode Perseus YC to champion in the Junior Hunter 3’3″ 15 and under division.

The talented young rider of Fair Haven, NJ, and Mountain King Ranch LLC’s 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding were awarded top honors after earning two firsts, two thirds and a seventh place.

A competitive field of 25 came forward for the division and the pair remained at the top of the class throughout both days of competition, winning under saddle as well as an over fences class with a score of 86.

Rylynn only paired up with Perseus YC two months ago so is still forming a parternship with the son of Paparazzo, but the ribbons have been accumulating already.

“He loves all people and his treats, which he gets a lot of since he’s perfect,” said Rylynn, who is trained by Beacon Hill Show Stables. “I love his jump and how he moves as well.”

When assessing what gave her the advantage, Rylynn explained: “I think I stood out in the handy because I tried to make super tight turns.”

This is her first time showing at the Winter Equestrian Festival, so she is thrilled to kick things off with a winning start. Her hopes for the rest of WEF are to stay consistent and continue earning championships with Perseus YC in the Junior Hunter 3’3″ 15 and under division.

“Everyone is so nice, and I really enjoy the competitive atmosphere,” said Rylynn, summing up her first impressions.

The reserve champion title went to Clara Propp riding Aquitaine Equine’s Inquisitive. The New York, NY, rider took home two firsts and a fourth place.

Competitions for hunter, jumper and equitation continue on Wednesday, January 27, for the third week of the Winter Equestrian Festival.

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Florida rider scores perfect 100 in High Performance Hunter Stake

Jennifer Donald — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 21:35:02 +0000

On Thursday, January 21, at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), Scott Stewart partnered Gochman Sport Horses LLC’s Catch Me to score a perfect 100 and the championship ribbon in the High Performance Hunters, sponsored by Antarès Sellier France.

Achieving a perfect score is an accomplishment only a handful of hunter riders have ever managed and Scott was delighted to join the roll of honor.

“I’ve always dreamed of being able to do it, and I was a little nervous that I was running out of time on this particular horse, especially because I don’t show him too much anymore since he is primarily Becky Gochman’s amateur horse,” explained Scott.

“There’s not too many horses like him that can get that score so I feel lucky to be able to ride that type of horse. When he goes like that, he does everything pretty much on his own. It’s a great feeling.”

Scott and the 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Casiro I have earned many top ribbons, including winning the $100,000 WCHR/USHJA Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular in both 2016 and 2017 at WEF.

“That horse has really come close to getting a 100 a lot of times,” explained Scott of the gelding, who was named USEF’s National Horse of the Year in 2016.

“We have gotten a lot of high 90s before. I think today’s course really suited him and suited the possibility to get that score. Getting a 100 was always in the back of my mind with him, certainly after he went really well in the first class. He can go around with a loop in the rein and let you gallop around the course.

“I’ve had a lot of really nice rounds, and lots of nice rounds on him that I thought maybe could have been close,” said Scott of Wellington, FL. “Certainly when I left the ring I thought maybe it could happen, but I was in shock when it actually happened! I think that horse really deserves it. He tries 100% every time he goes in.”

On Thursday, Scott also joined 11 other horse-and-rider combinations bidding for the tricolor ribbon in the Green Hunter 3’9”, sponsored by Equine Tack & Nutritionals, riding Richared Prant’s Love Note.

After two competitive days of showing, the pair earned the championship title having received a first, two seconds, plus third and fourth place ribbons. The pair’s rhythmic pace earned them a score of 85 on the second day to win an over fences class.

Scott has had the ride on the eight-year-old Westphalian gelding by Kalaska De Semilly for three years and the pair have maintained a 100% strike rate this season, taking home the championship ribbon every time they’ve shown.

“I showed him as a first year horse pretty regularly, and last year we showed a couple times and he was very good,” explained Scott, who is gearing up for the World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Week 6 while Love Note will mainly be focused on showing with his owner Nancy Hooker. “He primarily does the Amateur-Owner Hunters with her.”

Reserve champion was Penny Lombardo, of Loxahatchee, FL, with Charismo, earning a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth places in the Green Hunter 3’9” division.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The perfect birthday gift

Israel’s Sydney Shulman received the perfect 26th birthday gift when winning Thursday’s two-phase on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village. She rode Azilis Du Mesnil to victory as CSI3* competition got underway at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

“This is definitely one of the better birthdays,” she said. “You can’t do better than this, first class of the day, winning, on your birthday.

“I absolutely love jumping on the grass and this field. The course was great, especially for my horse. She has a massive stride, especially off the left lead, and the two places to leave out were off the left so I was thrilled with it. She jumped beautifully.”

The 11-year-old Selle Francais mare is owned by Jill Shulman and put forth a clear effort, stopping the clock in 30.76sec. Adrienne Sternlicht (USA), a team gold medalist from the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018, and Cadans Z, owned by Starlight Farms 1, LLC, took home second place in 30.80sec, while U.S. Olympian Laura Kraut and St. Bride’s Farm’s 12-year-old mare Fleurette rounded out the top three, clear in 31.23sec.

Sydney earned a third place finish in the $137,000 Wellington Regional Medical Center Grand Prix CSI3* on Saturday night but has been on the sidelines since.

“I have to say thank you to my team at Back Country Farm because I have an injury, and I haven’t ridden since Saturday night,” she said. “They have been riding my horses every day. It really goes to show that it’s a team effort. They prepared her, they’ve been riding her all week, they brought her to the ring, and I’m really grateful for them.”

Olympic eventer ditches ‘the day job’ to win WEC $20,000 Hunter Derby

Jennifer Donald — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 21:26:04 +0000

Olympic eventer Will Coleman won his first hunter derby on Saturday, January 9, at the World Equestrian Center — Ocala Winter Spectacular aboard Jill Grant’s Tropics, just two weeks after competing in his very first hunter class.

The 37-year-old, who represented the United States at the 2012 Olympics, won the prestigious $20,000 WEC Hunter Derby 3’6” – 3’9” at this new venue with a pair of scores reaching into the 90s.

“I’m very new at this,” he said. “My day job is eventing, and my second day job is show jumping. It’s pretty new for both Tropics and me, but he was great. He’s a good boy and he wants to please.”

Stunning courses for all the day’s hunter derbies were designed by Thomas Hern, Jr. of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Each class featured two-stride lines, plenty of opportunities for handy turns and a pair of trot jumps angled next to one another that allowed entries to choose their own path through the course.

Coleman and Tropics took to the course for the evening’s $20,000 WEC Hunter Derby 3’6″ – 3’9″ early in the order, setting the bar high by laying down a flawless course and taking all four high options for a total score of 91. Coleman and the 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding were last to return in the handy round and held nothing back, taking inside turns to fences 1, 2, 4, and 6. With an option to turn right or left to a final line after fence 6, the pair chose to turn left, demonstrating a brilliant effort over the final fence for a score of 93, bringing their overall score to 184 for the win.

Coleman bought Tropics from France as a four-year-old.

“We thought that he might make a good event horse, but he just developed into a different horse,” he said. “He was always a good jumper. He did some small grands prix and even won a couple of them. The owner of this horse, Jill Grant, wanted him to do hunter derbies. She recently purchased him from us and I train her, and she wanted me to show him in some derbies. He’s a chameleon, he can blend in anywhere.”

Coleman is from Virginia but spends about half of the year in Ocala.

“We have some wonderful sponsors that purchased a beautiful farm on the other side of town for us to base out of and we absolutely adore Ocala,” he explained. “We are really lucky to be here. Now, with World Equestrian Center here, it’s like a dream come true. I don’t think there’s anything like it anywhere else in the world.”

Several other entries had impressive rounds including Melissa Donnelly and Elizabeth Becker’s Corlando 49 (Cartani x Olanda I). Donnelly piloted the 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding through two beautiful courses for scores of 79 and 86 and a 2nd place finish. Just behind Donnelly were Carly Campbell-Cooper and John Jamieson’s Capriati (Glock’s London x Granette) who earned scores of 83 and 80 for the yellow ribbon.

$20,000 WEC Hunter Derby 3’6″ – 3’9″ Results

Tropics, William Coleman – 91 | 93 | 184
Corlando 49, Melissa Donnelly – 79 | 86 | 165
Capriati, Carly Campbell-Cooper – 83 | 80 | 163
Cypress, Morgan Ward – 70 | 92 | 162
Clarity ES, Hanley Morrison – 77 | 80 | 157
Ferndale, Mickie Sage – 69 | 87 | 156
Chatham, Jake Parker Wymard – 67 | 85 | 152
Emelia, Lauren Underhill – 68 | 72.5 | 140.5
Checkpoint Charlie, Sam Berry – 60 | 78 | 138
Chacco Ricco EGV, Sierra Smallwood – 49 | 76 | 125

Aaron Vale and Elusive in the $75,000 WEC Grand Prix 1.50m (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Inaugural grand prix one-two for Aaron Vale

The World Equestrian Center — Ocala Winter Spectacular kicked off with a full week of hunter and jumper competition along with eight exciting feature classes. Exhibitors and visitors enjoyed delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks at our four on-site restaurants. Live music filled the Grand Plaza both Friday and Saturday evenings, adding to the excitement of the show. Feature classes ranged from 2’6″ derbies to a 1.50m grand prix, offering fun classes with prize money for exhibitors of every level.

More than 50 entries took to the WEC Grand Arena for Sunday’s $75,000 WEC Grand Prix 1.50m over tracks designed by Bobby Murphy of Lexington, Kentucky. Aaron Vale claimed the top two spots aboard Thinkslikeahorse’s Elusive (Rodrigoo x Alouette) and Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Major (Carmargue x Pinot), while Christina Kelly and her own Kingdom (Lux Z) took the blue in the $7,500 Futures Prix 1.40m.

“The rides were very good,” said Vale. “There were a few very fast riders in the class. Elusive is very competitive and has won quite a few grands prix in the last year. My plan was to just go as fast as he could go, and same with Major. When the order came out yesterday and Elusive was first, I was a little disappointed because he is my best horse. In spite of that, it all worked out. Being a local to Ocala, I was thinking that it would be a little extra special for me to win the first grand prix at World Equestrian Center — Ocala. No matter the success I have in the future, I can always say that I won the first grand prix at World Equestrian Center — Ocala.”

Vale described both of his mounts: “Elusive is like a pet. My wife and I have both shown him. I bought him early in his six-year-old year, so we’ve had him for six years now. He’s won a bunch with both of us. I hope for my daughter to inherit him one day. He’s a special horse in our family. Major is a horse of Don Stewart’s and is for sale. I’ve had a lot of success on him over the past few years. He seems to like this arena, so I hope to ride him a bit longer.”

Vale is originally from Texas but has shown in Ocala for more than 30 years and has been a permanent resident there for 15 years.

“I can’t believe that this has been built here for us to show our horses,” he said. “I’m 52 years old and I’ve never dreamed about a horse show in my life, but every day that I go home from World Equestrian Center — Ocala, I dream about it all night. I smile all day when I’m at the show, too. It’s unbelievable; it has got to be the premier facility in the world.”

$75,000 WEC Grand Prix 1.50m

Elusive, Aaron Vale – 0 | 0 | 40.570
Major, Aaron Vale – 0 | 0 | 42.520
Quincy Too, Fernando Cardenas – 0 | 0 | 42.642
Tycoon Dargences, Jenna Friedman – 0 | 0 | 46.382
Esmee, Sharn Wordley – 0 | 4 | 41.943
Casper, Sharn Wordley – 0 | 4 | 43.239
Dingeman, Santiago Lambre – 0 | 8 | 43.004
Stonehenge, Kama Godek – 0 | 8 | 45.083
Mick Jagger, Santiago Lambre – 4 | 79.623
Cinven CR, Bryn Sadler – 4 | 80.285

Feature class action began on Thursday in the WEC Grand Arena with 26 entries in the $20,000 Welcome Prix 1.45m. Four entries managed double clear rounds, but it was Dorrie Douglas and MTM Farm’s MTM Chelsea 98 (Cristallo x Lacanau) that sped to the win. Douglas and the 11-year-old Westphalian mare took their time in the first round, jumping clear in 83.000 seconds, one second under the time allowed. The pair picked up the pace on the short course, mirroring Lambre’s inside track and blazing through the timers. They stopped the clock at 42.084 seconds, taking the win.

Susannah Morrell and Sunset’s Sparkle eared top honors in the $2,500 WEC Pony Hunter Derby. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

The week also featured two additional derbies including the $2,500 WEC Pony Hunter Derby and the $2,500 Non Pro Hunter Derby 2’6″. Susannah Morrell and Sunset Ponies LLC’s Sunset’s Sparkle (Rocky Creek’s Wendy Adonis x Let It Be) stole the show in the $2,500 WEC Pony Hunter Derby. The pair had a fantastic week, also taking Champion in the Pony Equitation. Bradley Federico and Hope Farm LLC’s Zamundo (Zambesi) took home the blue ribbon in the $2,500 Non Pro Hunter Derby 2’6″ out of 23 entries. The duo laid down two beautiful rounds to top the class.

‘He’s a complete goofball’ — striking gelding wins at the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival

Jennifer Donald — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 20:40:59 +0000

Catching the eye in Friday’s $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival was the striking combination of Hannah Isop and Believe.

Taking place in Rings 11 and 12 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) showgrounds, 43 riders competed for the blue ribbon and Isop, of Pawling, NY, moved up five places in the handy round to secure victory with Victoria Hart’s Believe.

Hunter riders were first tested over a classic round, designed by Danny Moore, which consisted of 12 elements and offered four high option fences. The top 12 horse-and-rider combinations returned to show off in the handy round, which included a trot fence.

Isop said of “Luca”, a 15-year-old Hanoverian by Stolzenberg: “He is a complete goofball and total love in the barn. He is really one of a kind to ride; I’m quite lucky. Luca is owned by an incredible family, the Harts, and their two daughters ride him as well.”

She and Believe received a score of 90 in the classic round, choosing all four high option fences, which put the pair in sixth place. Kelley Farmer, of Wellington, FL, rode Good Choice, owned by Glefke and Oakland Ventures, LLC, to a high score of 96 in the classic round.

“We are all a little rusty coming off of a long break, but I was really quite happy with the horse and my first round,” explained Isop. “He went in there confident. It was a course that was very open, so it was well built for his big stride and I could really show off in a couple places.”

The duo came back seventh in the order for the handy round, where they showed off their neat turns and rideability to impress the judges. Isop piloted Believe to an unbeatable second-round high score of 96 to climb to the top of the class with an overall score of 186.

“My plan going into the handy was just to have some fun. The handy was the icing on top for me,” Isop commented. “Once he went in and jumped fence one, which was only about three strides off the fence line from the in-gate, I just knew that he was on it. He is able to gallop down to the four-foot oxer and at the same time float back to the trot jump with ease.”

Taking home second place honors was Kristy Herrera, of Wellington, FL, aboard Carousel Group’s Carousel. The duo received a score of 91 in the first round and a 92 in the handy round, for a total score of 183. Loxahatchee, FL, resident Victoria Colvin rode Harris Equestrian LLC’s Diacando to a third-place finish. Colvin and Diacando earned an 89.5 in the classic round and a 93 in the second round to end with a total score of 182.5.

Over in the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring, Ali Sirota Kelman of Irvington, NY, piloted Listen To Me to the championship in the Karina Brez Jewelry Adult Amateur Hunter Middle Section A. They placed first, second, and third over fences and won the under saddle. The reserve championship went to Bridget Hallman of Oyster Bay, NY, on Halston. They won two over fences classes and were second under saddle.

Final Results: $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby

1 Believe / Hannah Isop / Victoria Hart

90.00 / 96.00 | 186.00

2 Carousel / Kristy Herrera / Carousel Group

91.00 / 92.00 | 183.00

3 Diacando / Victoria Colvin / Harris Equestrian LLC

89.50 / 93 | 182.50

4 Good Choice / Kelley Farmer / Glefke & Oakland Ventures, LLC

96.00 / 86.25 | 182.25

5 Carento / Elizabeth Towell Boyd / Sherri Crawford

94.00 / 87.50 | 181.50

6 True Blue / Caitlin Venezia / Jennifer Combs

92.00 / 89.00 | 181.00

7 Poker Face / Jennifer Bliss / Harris Hill Farm, LLC

86.50 / 92.50 | 178.50

8 Face The Music / Jennifer Bliss / Harris Hill Farm, LLC

90.00 / 87.00 | 177.00

9 Bacchus / Michael Britt-Leon / Kelly Sims

87.50 / 84.00 | 171.50

10 Commentary / Julie Curtin / Amy Perez

89.75 / 79.00 | 168.75

11 SVF On My Own / Maria Rasmussen / Sunset View Farm LLC

89.00 / 69.00 | 158.00

12 Rainer / Brianne Goutal-Marteau / Aquitaine Equine

88.00 / 49.00 | 137.00

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Winning horse bought untried from France

In the International Arena, Natalie Dean of Palo Alto, CA, rode Dotcom d’Authuit, owned by Marigold Sporthorses LLC, to victory in the $2,500 Lugano Diamonds High Amateur-Owner Jumpers.

The first class to start out International Arena competition on Friday, January 8, attracted 29 entries to contest a power and speed course format designed by Eric Hasbrouck (USA). Ten finished the course with no faults.

The fastest over the speed portion of the course was Dean and Dotcom d’Authuit, an eight-year-old Selle Francais mare by Diamant de Semilly x Quidam de Revel. They finished the course in 30.354 seconds, almost 1.5 seconds faster than the second-place finisher.

Second place went to Maria Brugal of Wellington, FL, on her own Aragorn van Schuttershof, who stopped the timers in 31.722 seconds. Tori Corts of Wellington, FL, and Falkirk Farm LLC’s Bon Jovi were third in 32.314 seconds, while Carlie Fairty of Markham, Ontario, Canada, rode Leal, owned by Fairgreen Sod Farms, to fourth place in 32.567 seconds. Rounding out the top five was Stephanie Valdes of Langley, British Columbia, Canada, on Cyber Lady Z, owned by Wendy Valdes, in 33.263 seconds.

Dean’s partnership with the “super fast and careful” Dotcom d’Authuit began in September last year, after the mare was competing successfully in the seven-year-old young horse classes with Axel van Colen (FRA). Dean did not get to try the mare before deciding to bring her to the U.S.

“My trainer Ilan [Ferder] found her and said she was the perfect horse for me,” recalled Dean. “I really trust his opinion and he picks the best horses, so it all works out.

“Hopefully she will do some of the 1.45m FEI classes this summer, and next year she’ll do some of the bigger FEI classes. She is so amazing.”

Coming into today’s class, Dean was not worried about having to push for speed.

“For her, any speed class I know I’m always going to be competitive,” she said. “I don’t necessarily have to think about going fast. I just try to be smooth, and she’s just naturally very quick. She’s really sweet in the barn. It’s kind of funny because she’s lazy at home, but once she gets in the ring, she’s all game.”

While Dean rides as an amateur, she is also a consistent performer at the top levels of show jumping. Her goals for 2021 include more consistency in the four- and five-star CSI classes, and she would “love to be on some senior Nations Cup teams this year.”

The Winter Equestrian Festival gives her the opportunity to learn and improve over 13 weeks of competition this year, while also providing a way to keep her fantastic string of horses comfortable and happy.

“I love WEF,” said Dean. “It’s one of my favorite places to show. It feels like home here. It’s nice for the horses; they get to go home and go out in the paddock, then they come to the show. They all really like it here. I’m really lucky to have so many great horses. I’ll try to be as consistent as I can and see what we can do this year.”

In the $1,500 Griffis Residential High Junior Jumper class, Zayna Rizvi of Greenwich, CT, rode Nektarina B, owned by Windsor Show Stables, to victory. Laura Chapot and Thornhill Kate, owned by Laura and Mary Chapot, were fastest in the $6,000 Bainbridge 1.40m Jumpers.

Final Results: $2,500 Lugano Diamonds High Amateur-Owner Jumpers

1 DOTCOM D’AUTHUIT: 2013 Selle Francais mare by Diamant de Semilly x Quidam de Revel

NATALIE DEAN, Marigold Sport Horses LLC: 0/55.925

2 ARAGORN VAN SCHUTTERSHOF: 2006 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Quintero x Nistria VH Schuttershof

MARIA BRUGAL, Maria Brugal: 0/0/31.722

3 BON JOVI: 2006 Dutch Warmblood gelding by Verdi x Whoopy C

TORI CORTS, Falkirk Farm LLC: 0/32.314

4 LEAL: 2011 Westphalian gelding by Lancer III x Cornet Obolensky

CARLIE FAIRTY, Fairgreen Sod Farms: 0/32.567

5 CYBER LADY Z: 2009 Zangersheide mare by Douglas x Babduchka Van De Smis

STEPHANIE VALDES, Wendy Valdes: 0/33.263

6 BUCKLE UP: 2006 KWPN gelding by Colandro x Carentina

NED CUNNIFFE, Whipstick Farm LTD: 0/43.27

7 EL BERLIN BOGIBO: 2009 Dutch Warmblood stallion

TATIANA ANDUJAR IGLESIAS, Tatiana Andujar Iglesias: 0/63.324

8 H&M CARAT DESIRE: 2008 Holsteiner gelding by Carinjo x Moderne II

ANNABEL REVERS, Beechwood Stables LLC: 0/37.442

9 ILIAS: 2008 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Unique Li Drum V/H Juxschot

ANNABEL REVERS, Beechwood Stables LLC: 0/37.643

10 PRADO K: 2003 Westphalian Gelding by Prado x Daylight

BLISS HEERS, Bridgeside Farms LLC: 0/38.151

11 ZANDORA Z: 2011 Zangersheide mare by Zandor Z x Lucinda Jo

ASHLEY VOGEL, Ashley Vogel: 0/30.965

12 COPAIN Z: 2006 Zangersheide Calvino Z x Jordi G

STELLA STINNETT, Heathman Farms LLC: 4/31.54

The WEF Premiere week continues through Sunday, January 10, and is sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies. It features national-level competition for hunters, jumpers, and equitation. International jumper classes will begin at WEF 1 on January 13-17 with a CSI3*.

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