Wellington, FL – February 2, 2017 – Laura Chapot (USA) and Quointreau un Prince were victorious in the $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 on Thursday at the 2017 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL.
The fourth week of WEF competition, sponsored by Ariat®, runs February 1-5, 2017. Week highlights include the $25,000 Hollow Creek Farm U25 Grand Prix Team Event, sponsored by Equiline, on Friday, the $35,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic and the Great Charity Challenge, presented by Fidelity Investments®, on Saturday, and the $216,000 Ariat® Grand Prix CSI 4* on Sunday. At Equestrian Village at PBIEC (AGDF show grounds), the $100,000 Land Rover Wellington Eventing Showcase will take place on February 3-4. Live streaming of major events during the week can be seen HERE. The 12-week WEF circuit continues through April 2, 2017, awarding over $9 million in prize money.
Steve Stephens (USA) set the course for 47 competitors in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), with four horse and rider combinations qualifying for the jump-off. Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Robert Castro’s Caliber 9 placed fourth after withdrawing from the second round.
Laura Chapot and Quointreau un Prince
Chapot and Quointreau un Prince were first to go in the tiebreaker and jumped the only double clear round in a time of 38.67 seconds to take the win. Kent Farrington (USA) and his own and Robin Parsky’s Gazelle were faster, but knocked one rail along the way to place second in 38.49 seconds. Hardin Towell (USA) and Evergate Stable’s Emilie de Diamant AS dropped one rail as well, finishing third with their time of 39.07.
“I am just thrilled with him,” Chapot said of the 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Diamant de Semilly x Rosire) that she owns in partnership with McLain Ward. “Going first is always a little difficult, but I felt like I had a good plan with him. He just really rose to the occasion and jumped super today.”
First to go in the jump-off with two very fast riders to follow, Chapot knew that she needed to set a big challenge. She used her experience from last week’s grand prix, in which she finished fourth riding ISHD Dual Star, as motivation.
“I felt like Saturday night my horse was jumping great, and maybe I just did not do the best round I could,” Chapot stated. “I played it a bit too safe, so today I was really ready to go in there and try to win the class. I did not want to leave the door open again.”
Chapot has ridden Quointreau un Prince since the gelding was five years old and spoke further of the horse that she now knows so well.
“He has been a super horse for me his whole life,” she described. “He has won a ton of grand prixs. He won the first grand prix of the circuit down here last winter. He is just a horse that really enjoys his job. He is funny because he is really just a show horse. He does not care too much to go out and exercise or do flat work. He is very quiet at home, but when he enters the show ring, he is a totally different horse.”
Laura Chapot and Quointreau un Prince receiving the Barry Louise Lane Perpetual Memorial Trophy, presented by Debbie Lane, with ringmaster Steve Rector.
Also competing in the International Arena on Thursday, Molly Ashe (USA) and Louisburg Farm’s d’Arnita won the $8,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m jump-off class. The $2,500 High Amateur-Owner Jumper speed, sponsored by Engel & Völkers, saw a win for Sarah Bagworth (CAN) riding Goldfinger vd Hengstenpoel.
Kim Buzby and Last Dance Continue Success in Bainbridge Green Hunter 3’ Division
Also taking place on Thursday, the Bainbridge Green Hunter 3’ division concluded with Kim Buzby of Chester Springs, PA, and Last Dance besting a field 34 for champion honors. Buzby and Last Dance were also champions of the division at WEF during week two and reserve champions during week one. This week, the pair won two over fences classes and earned a fourth-place ribbon in another.
Kim Buzby and Last Chance
Last Dance, owned by Elizabeth Frankel, is a coming six-year-old Westphalian gelding by Last Man Standing. Frankel purchased the gelding in July of 2015 and soon encountered some bad luck.
“He got hurt a week after we bought him,” Frankel detailed. “He just pulled a shoe and injured himself, so we gave him time off. Then, when he came down to Florida last year a freak accident happened to his rider and it scared him.
“He came back in the spring of last year, and we started to get him going,” Buzby added. “I showed him in the Baby Greens a little bit. This year, we brought him out in the 3’ Green Hunters, and he’s been amazing. We call him the freak because he jumps like one.”
Kim Buzby in her championship presentation with Last Chance, daughter Paige, and owner Elizabeth Frankel.
Elizabeth Boyd of Camden, SC, and Freedom, owned Katie Barnette, captured the reserve title in the Green Hunter 3’ division. The pair also won two over fences classes and earned eighth place under saddle. Freedom is a 2010 Dutch Warmblood gelding by Wizzard WV that also shows in the Children’s Hunter division.
The fourth week of WEF continues on Friday featuring the FEI $35,000 Illustrated Properties 1.45m in the International Arena. Also on Friday, the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search will decide a winner. For full results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.
Final Results: $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4
1. QUOINTREAU UN PRINCE: 2004 Selle Francais gelding by Diamant de Semilly x Rosire
LAURA CHAPOT (USA), Laura Chapot & McLain Ward: 0/0/38.67
2. GAZELLE: 2006 Belgian Warmblood mare by Kashmir van Schuttershof x Indoctro
KENT FARRINGTON (USA), Kent Farrington & Robin Parsky: 0/4/38.49
3. EMILIE DE DIAMANT AS: 2004 Belgian Warmblood mare by Diamant de Semilly x Flipper D Elle
HARDIN TOWELL (USA), Evergate Stable LLC: 0/4/39.07
4. CALIBER 9: 2007 KWPN gelding by Quasimodo Z x Colman
DARRAGH KENNY (IRL), Robert Castro: 0/WD
5. CROWN 5: 2005 Holsteiner gelding by Cassini I x Lord
GEORGINA BLOOMBERG (USA), Gotham Enterprizes LLC: 1/74.20
6. PUMPED UP KICKS: 2003 Brandenburg gelding by Levisto x San Juan
JENNIFER GATES (USA), Evergate Stable LLC: 1/74.54
7. CHACOTE: 2007 Oldenburg gelding by Chacco-Blue x Quick Star
PEDRO MUYLAERT (BRA), Pedro Muylaert: 1/75.49
8. VENENO: 2008 Oldenburg gelding by Chacco-Blue x Balou du Rouet
LIUBOV KOCHETOVA (RUS), Liubov Kochetova: 1/76.52
9. CONDOR C: 2005 Holsteiner stallion by Cassini I x Caretino
DEBBIE STEPHENS (USA), Centennial Farm Inc: 1/76.91
10. BABALOU 41: 2005 Oldenburg mare by Balou du Rouet x Silvio I
TODD MINIKUS (USA), Two Swans Farm: 4/68.61
11. CHIARA BLUE DIAMOND: 2007 Oldenburg mare by Chacco-Blue x Andiamo Z
JIMMY TORANO (USA), Missy Clark: 4/68.90
12. STANLEY STONE: 2005 KWPN gelding by Karandasj x Ekstein
LORCAN GALLAGHER (IRL), Sher-Al Farm Inc: 4/69.80
Photo Credit: Photos © Sportfot, Official Photographer of the Winter Equestrian Festival. These photos may be used only in relation to this press release and must include photo credit.