FTI WEF Horse Show Wrap-Up
Jumpers – Week 6
Beezie Madden and Cortes ‘C’ Victorious in $125,000 FEI World Cup™ Qualifier Grand Prix, Presented by Spy Coast Farm
Two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist Beezie Madden and Abigail Wexner’s Cortes ‘C’ were victorious on Saturday night in the $125,000 FEI World Cup™ Qualifier Grand Prix, CSI 3*-W presented by Spy Coast Farm, during week six of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) in Wellington, FL. Madden beat out an impressive roster of top riders and finished in first place over Katie Dinan (USA) and Nougat du Vallet and Shane Sweetnam (IRL) aboard Amaretto d’Arco, who finished second and third respectively.
Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge set the track for 46 entries in Saturday night’s grand prix with nine jumping clear to advance to the jump-off. Four were able to complete the short course without fault and the fastest time of 41.50 seconds belonging to Beezie Madden and Cortes ‘C’ took top prize.
Margie Engle (USA) and Elm Rock, LLC’s Royce were first to clear the jump-off course in 45.69 seconds and eventually placed fourth. Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm, LLC’s Amaretto d’Arco cleared the jump-off track in 42.56 seconds to place third. Up next, Katie Dinan and Grant Road Partners, LLC’s Nougat du Vallet upped the ante with their time of 41.84 seconds to place second. They were immediately followed by an even faster clear round from Beezie Madden and Cortes ‘C’ in the winning 41.50 seconds. Week four grand prix winners Ben Maher and Jane Clark’s Cella had the fastest time of the night in 40.46 seconds, but had one rail down in the short course to place fifth.
Spy Coast Farm owners Robert and Lisa Lourie were thrilled with the success of the evening and the great class along with a third place finish for their horse and rider. Lisa Lourie commented, “I think it was an extremely exciting grand prix. It was very competitive and you could not have asked for a better lineup for the jump-off. It was a world-class event and we were happy to be a part of that jump-off. As they say, anytime you lose to Beezie when she is riding at her best that is not a bad thing. We are very pleased with how it went and very happy to do it.”
Madden’s winning mount for the evening, Cortes ‘C’, is an eleven-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Randel Z x Darco that Madden has now had for three years. Madden describes Cortes as a horse with fantastic ability. “HHHe can jump the moon,” Madden stated. “He’s a bit of an internal worrier and I think he is just starting to come into his own. If he can relax like he did tonight under the lights in a big atmosphere I think he’s going to be fantastic.”
This was the first big grand prix of the year for Cortes and Madden was happy with his performance. “He felt fantastic,” she smiled. “Last year he was a little inexperienced under the lights and he was very tense when he came up here each time. This time he started out very relaxed and he felt terrific.”
“He felt very relaxed in the first round; very rideable and jumping well,” Madden continued. “I saw Katie go right before me. I was lucky to go right behind her so I could see how fast she went, so the strategy became try to pull out all the shots you can and it worked.”
“I’d just like to thank Spy Coast and the Louries,” Madden said. “They are great enthusiasts of the sport and without people like them we wouldn’t be here.”
Second place finisher, nineteen-year-old Katie Dinan, has grown up with Beezie Madden as a riding idol and was excited to finish in the top of the class with her. Dinan’s horse, Nougat du Vallet, jumped two great rounds as well.
“He felt great,” Dinan smiled. “He jumped so well in the first round and we had a good school before the jump-off. I knew he wasn’t going to try to touch any of the jumps. It was just up to me to go fast. He can do most things for me, but I have to tell him when we need to go fast. He felt really good.”
Shane Sweetnam was pleased to finish in the top three for Spy Coast Farm with their top stallion Amaretto d’Arco, and had a great night.
“I was very happy with my horse tonight,” Sweetnam stated. “Obviously, the Spy Coast Grand Prix, I would have liked to have won it, but I was very happy. It is his first grand prix of the year and I’m just happy to be here.”
“Guilherme did a good job with the course,” Sweetnam said. “I think nine is a good number for clear rounds. No one got hung up anywhere, so for the young riders it was good experience for them as well as a good class for the public.”
Also showing in the International Arena on Saturday, Jessica Springsteen and Stone Hill Farm’s Vindicat W won the $15,000 RCG Farm SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Lucas Porter and Mill’s Georgia, owned by John Roche, won in the Hollow Creek Farm Medium Junior Jumpers. Alvaro Tejada Arriola and Isabel Tejada’s Velinta Palo Blanco won in the Animo USA Medium Amateur-Owner Jumpers, and Diederique Van Der Knaap and G&C Con Air won in the Griffis Residential High Junior Jumpers.
Jumper Results: Wednesday through Sunday
The sixth week of competition at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) began on Wednesday, February 13, with a full schedule of world-class jumper competition in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). In the highlight class of the day, an impressive roster of top riders vied for Longines FEI world ranking points in the $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumper Classic with a win for Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, FL, and Quality Girl.
Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge set the speed track for 48 entries in Wednesday’s 1.45m class. Ten entries completed successful rounds without fault in the race against the clock, and Minikus and Quality Girl came out on top with their time of 54.51 seconds.
Shane Sweetnam and Sweet Oak Farm’s Solerina finished second in 56.05 seconds. Peter Wylde and Zidane, owned by Windward Farm and Jessica Suida, were third in 56.68 seconds. Conor Swail and Landsdowne, owned by Ariel and Susan Grange, placed fourth in 57.58 seconds.
Also showing on Wednesday, the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class was split into two with its booming list of entries. In section A of the class, Wilton Porter and Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Paloubet were the winners. In section B, Laura Kraut and Joan Kalman/Freedom Group’s Woodstock O came out on top. The day continued with the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm speed class and a win for Jeffery Welles aboard Merlin, owned by Noel Love Gross.
On Thursday, Beezie Madden and Trelawny Farm’s Valdato won the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m jump-off class. Alise Oken and Hi Hopes Farm, LLC’s Marcus Quintus won in the $2,500 RCG High Amateur-Owner Jumper speed class.
Nineteen-year-old Katie Dinan and her brand new horse Glory Days were victorious in Friday night’s $15,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix, presented by Dutta Corporation in association with Guido Klatte, during week six of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). In a nine-horse jump-off, Dinan and Glory Days won over Wilton Porter aboard Radio City and Adam Prudent riding Jack Daniels.
Forty-eight entries showed over the first round course and nine jumped clear to advance to the jump-off. With the fastest time of 29.474 seconds, Katie Dinan and Grant Road Partners, LLC’s Glory Days came out on top for an exciting victory under the lights.
Wilton Porter and Radio City, owned by Gotham Enterprizes, LLC, finished second with a clear round in 31.085 seconds. Adam Prudent and Plain Bay Sales’ Jack Daniels were third in 31.366 seconds, also without fault over the short course. The fastest four-fault jump-off round belonged to Chloe Reid and Damascus with one rail down in a time of 29.874 seconds to place fourth.
Also showing in the International Arena on Friday, McLain Ward and Tequestrian Farms, LLC’s Coco 135 topped the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class and Darragh Kenny and Derbypie LLC’s Delilah won the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off. Meagan Nusz and Amalaya Investments’ Vesuvius were victorious in the RCG Farm High Amateur-Owner Jumpers and Lauren Tyree and Audi’s Top Secret, owned by Missy Clark, won in the Griffis Residential High Junior Jumpers, both competing in their power and speed classes.
Eugenio Garza of Mexico won the “Best Turnout Award” at the jog for this week’s Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix.
Week six of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival concluded on Sunday with a win for McLain Ward (USA) and Sagamore Farm’s Rothchild in the $33,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic, a Longines FEI world ranking class.
Fifty-eight entries showed over the 1.50m track, set by Brazilian course designer Guilherme Jorge. Seventeen went clear in round one to qualify for a tie-breaking jump-off, and McLain Ward and Rothchild had the fastest of eight double clear rounds in 35.33 seconds for the win.
Tim Gredley (GBR) and Unex Competition Yards’ Unex Omega Star placed second in 36.27 seconds. Alise Oken (USA) and Hi Hopes Farm, LLC’s Teirra finished third with their time of 36.36 seconds, and Schuyler Riley (USA) guided Michael Meller’s Waterloo to fourth place honors with their time of 36.52 seconds.
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