For Immediate Release
Summer Grace and Jennifer Wood for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Wellington, FL – March 8, 2019 – Hunter and jumper competition spanned two venues of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Friday, March 8 at the 2019 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). On the grass derby field at Equestrian Village, the smallest WEF competitors went head-to-head in the $5,000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby, presented by NickerDoodles. Cecelia Perry and Pokerface took home the win. In the main WEF International Arena, Rodrigo Lambre (BRA) and Chapilot won the $36,000 Bainbridge 1.45m Classic CSI 5*, while Laura Chapot (USA) rode Chandon Blue to victory in the $36,000 Griffis Residential 1.45m Classic CSI 2*. Week 9 of WEF continues through Sunday, March 10, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
Week 9 of WEF will host a variety of two-star and five-star events all leading up to Saturday night’s $391,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate Grand Prix CSI 5*. Top national competition in the hunters, jumpers, and equitation will also be offered throughout the week. The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center will see competition from the world’s best riders through March 31.
Cecelia Perry and Pokerface Lead in the $5,000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby, Presented by NickerDoodles
Fifty-three young riders on perfectly-braided ponies ventured to the Derby Field at Equestrian Village on Friday, March 8, for the $5,000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby, presented by NickerDoodles. The class was part of several highlight national hunter events during Week 9 of the 2019 WEF. Of the 53 combinations, 18 entries consisted of large ponies, 22 were mediums, and another 13 were in the small pony category. When all rounds were completed, Cecelia Perry and Pokerface led the round of honor with the top score of 167.00 total points.
Cecelia Perry and Pokerface. Photo © Sportfot.
After a first-round cut-off score of 76.00 points, the top 14 ponies were combined from all three sections and invited to jog to determine who would return for round two.
Of the 14 to jog, 12 pairs were asked to learn Danny Moore’s handy course which consisted of a trot fence and several rollbacks where riders could display their pony’s handiness. Of the 12, only Carolyn Colter and So Enchanted returned to represent the small pony category. Colter and Ticket To Ride LLC’s nine-year-old Welsh Pony Cross (Maple Side Mr. Magic x Sophisticated lady) earned 78.00 points in their second effort and finished third overall with 157.5 points.
The second place award went to Mae Mannis with Ashland Farm’s Mind Your Step on a total of 161.75 points with scores of 77.75 and 84.00 being combined. Mannis and the 19-year-old Dutch Riding Pony were one of only four medium pony combinations asked to return for the handy portion.
Cecelia Perry and Winter Teitjen’s Pokerface were one of the final teams to go as the large pony division was last to return. She and the 10-year-old Dutch Riding Pony (The Braes My Mobility x Rieke) shot to the top of the leaderboard after securing the highest-scoring second round of 87.00 points.
Perry only began working with the gelding several months ago before the start of the 2019 winter season and said that her main goal for the derby was just to make sure they both had a positive experience.
“I hoped it would be a learning experience for both of us,” Perry explained. “This is only my second time in this class, and it was his first time competing on the grass field.”
Cecelia Perry and Pokerface in their winning presentation with their NickerDoodles treats. Photo © Sportfot
She added, “When I went into the ring, my main goal was just to make sure that he was happy and that we both were able to have fun.”
Perry said that while her main focus was making sure he willingly went over all of the fences, especially the second fence in the handy which several ponies had trouble with, she had full faith in Pokerface because he has always stepped up to the plate.
“I wanted us to end with a great experience, but I never imagined that we were going to win so this is incredibly exciting,” said Perry. “He will definitely get to celebrate this afternoon by eating all of his NickerDoodles treats; he loves food!”
Final Results: $5,000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby, presented by NickerDoodles
Horse, Rider, Owner
Round 1 Score, Round 2 Score | Total
1 Pokerface, Cecelia Perry, Winter Teitjen
80.00, 87.00 | 167.00
2 Mind Your Step, Mae Mannis, Ashland Farm
77.75, 84.00 | 161.75
3 So Enchanted, Carolyn Colter, Ticket To Ride LLC
79.50, 78.00 |157.50
4 Kudos, Amira Kettaneh, Lakeview Inc
83.00, 71.00 | 154.00
5 Storyteller, Caroline Signorino, Temple Equestrian LLC
86.00, 67.00 | 153.00
6 Frosted, Georgia Jacob, Kathryn McCarthy
77.50, 72.00 |149.50
7 News Day, Clara Propp, Aquitaine Equine
84.00, 62.00 | 146.00
8 Sterling, Sterling Malnik, Sterling Malnik
78.50, 65.00 | 143.50
9 Hidden Springs Waltz, Vivian Golden, Renaud Farm LLC
87.00, 55.00 | 142.00
10 Brighton, Kat Fuqua, Kat Fuqua
79.00, 54.00 | 133.00
11 Benetton, Georgia Jacob, Pretty Penny Farm
77.00, 30.00 | 107.00
12 Casino De Luxe, Sterling Malnik, Sterling Malnik
78.00, 28.00 | 106.00
Lambre and Chapilot Come Back for Five-Star Win
For the second day in a row, the Brazilian national anthem played and the flag was raised at WEF. While Eduardo Menezes captured Thursday’s five-star win, it was his countryman Rodrigo Lambre who sped to victory on Friday. Lambre and Chapilot, owned by Mario Onate, topped a field of 55 competitors in the speed format of the $36,000 Bainbridge 1.45m Classic CSI 5*.
Rodrigo Lambre and Chapilot. Photo © Sportfot
There were 15 clear rounds in the class, all competing over a course designed by Alan Wade of Ireland. The early leader, going third in the order, was Carlos Hank Guerreiro (MEX) riding H5 Stables’s H5 Market Irminka. They were quick in 60.90 seconds, which would hold up for 12 rounds until Lambre entered the ring and brought the winning time down to 60.34 seconds. Third place went to another early ride (sixth in the order), Daniel Bluman (ISR) riding Over the Top Stables LLC’s Entano, who stopped the timers in 62.42 seconds.
Bainbridge Chairman and CEO Richard Schechter, Ringmaster Steve Rector, and Rodrigo Lambre. Photo © Sportfot
After a less than ideal performance in Thursday’s WEF Challenge Cup, Lambre decided to take Chapilot into the 1.45m. “It didn’t go so well yesterday, so I put him in the comfort zone [today],” he explained. “This is his class, but he can sometimes jump more.
“I was trying to win this class,” he continued. “Carlos put in a really fast time and made everybody work hard since the beginning [of the class]. [Chapilot] has a big step though. It’s amazing [to win] because you know how hard it is to win here, especially with all of the riders that come after you. I’m really proud.”
Lambre has ridden the 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding since it was seven years old. The pair won the three-star grand prix and another ranking class at the CSI4*-W in Guadalajara, Mexico this past January. They have had 33 FEI ranking class top-three finishes in their five years together.
“He’s my winner horse,” Lambre confirmed. “Everywhere he goes, he always tries so hard. He’s my buddy.”
Final Results: $36,000 Bainbridge 1.45m Classic CSI 5*
1 CHAPILOT: 2007 Hanoverian gelding by Chacco Blue x Pilot
RODRIGO LAMBRE (BRA), Mario Onate: 0/60.34
2 H5 MARKET IRMINKA: 2006 AES mare by Irco Mena x Tinka’s Boy
EDUARDO MENEZES (BRA), H5 Stables: 0/60.90
3 ENTANO: 2009 KWPN gelding by Namelus R x Numero Uno
DANIEL BLUMAN (ISR), Over the Top Stables LLC: 0/62.42
4 RMF CHACCO TOP: 2009 Hanoverian stallion by Chacco Blue x Graf Top
WILLIAM WHITAKER (GBR), Rushy Marsh Farm LLC: 0/62.92
5 JIVA: 2009 BWP mare by Concorde (84.4140) x Nonstop
BEEZIE MADDEN (USA), Abigail Wexner: 0/63.77
6 FINALLY Z: 2010 Zangersheide mare by Figaro C x Darco
PETRONELLA ANDERSSON (SWE), Stephex Stables: 0/65.08
7 DENA-SIENNE: 2008 KWPN mare by Van Gogh x Animo
ROBERTO TERAN TAFUR (COL), Roberto Teran Tafur: 0/65.48
8 ENNEBEL VAN HET POSTHUIJS: 2009 KWPN mare by Numero Uno x Argentinus
EDUARDO MENEZES (BRA), Eduardo Menezes: 0/67.14
9 TAPATIA: 2008 CCDM mare
ENRIQUE GONZALEZ (MEX), Enrique Gonzalez: 0/67.15
10 PALINA DE L’ESCAUT: 2009 Hanoverian mare by Perigueux x Gottard
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), Sweet Oak Farm, Spy Coast Farm, and Paul Tracy: 0/67.69
11 KAREL VDB: 2010 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Darco x Corland
MARTIN FUCHS (SUI), SPCS: 0/68.11
12 DELEYN: 2011 Holsteiner mare by Larimar 7 x Dobel’s Cento
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), Sweet Oak Farm and Spy Coast Farm: 0/69.60
Laura Chapot and Chandon Blue Top $36,000 Griffis Residential 1.45m Classic CSI 2*
While Laura Chapot always has a shot at winning when it comes to speed, she had an even bigger advantage when she and Mary Chapot’s Chandon Blue returned as the final pair for the jump-off in the $36,000 Griffis Residential 1.45m Classic CSI 2*. They sped around the shortened course to take the win in a time of 35.37 seconds, two seconds faster than second place finishers Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and Hillside Farm Inc.’s Farrero, who went first in the jump-off and almost had the wire-to-wire win.
Ian, Haley, and Georgia Griffis of Griffis Residential, Ringmaster Steve Rector, and Laura Chapot. Photo © Sportfot
“It’s always nice to be last in the jump-off,” said Chapot. “The main question in my mind was whether there were eight strides to the last jump and after a few went, it seemed like that was a possibility if you got the right fence in. I know my horse is naturally very fast, so I don’t want to get too caught up in the numbers around the turn and just try to ride it as smoothly as possible. I caught a really good one coming to that last line so the eight was even just nice and easy for him.”
Third place went to Nicole Bellissimo (USA) and Charlie & Nicole LLC’s Jersey V.D. Hunters, who finished clear in 37.81 seconds. There were 14 clear in the first round and six of those went double clear.
It was another victory this season for Chandon Blue, who won the two-star grand prix in WEF 7 and have also recorded three second place finishes in two-star and three-star competition at WEF.
Laura Chapot and Chandon Blue. Photo © Sportfot
Chapot has ridden the 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Chacco Blue for a year since Olympic bronze medalist Cian O’Connor recommended the horse to her. “He had the horse for a number of years, and he thought it would be a good match and it’s turned out,” Chapot explained. “He’s really exceeded my expectations. We didn’t really know where he would go, what ability he would end up with, but he jumps it easily and I’m just so pleased. He’s got a lot of spirit and a lot of engine, and that’s the kind of horse I like.”
Final Results: $36,000 Griffis Residential 1.45m Classic CSI 2*
1 CHANDON BLUE: 2005 Oldenburg gelding by Chacco Blue x Landcapitol
LAURA CHAPOT (USA), Mary Chapot: 0/0/35.37
2 FARRERO: 2010 Dutch Warmblood gelding by Boss x Indorado
RODRIGO PESSOA (BRA), Hillside Farm Inc.: 0/0/37.39
3 JERSEY V.D. HUNTERS: 2009 BWP mare by Scendix x Canadian River
NICOLE BELLISSIMO (USA), Charlie & Nicole LLC: 0/0/37.81
4 RANDON PLEASURE: 2005 Selle Francais mare by For Pleasure x Quidam de Revel
FABIO LEIVAS DA COSTA (BRA), Bonne Chance Farm: 0/0/37.88
5 CAPTAIN COOPER: 2007 KWPN gelding by Namelus R x Corland
HILARY MCNERNEY (USA), Hilary McNerney: 0/0/37.96
6 PRADO K: 2003 Westphalian gelding by Prado x Dynast
BLISS HEERS (USA), Bridgeside Farms LLC: 0/0/38.37
7 CLOCHARD: 2008 Belgian Warmblood stallion by Kasmir van Schuttershof x Cascadeur
CARLY ANTHONY (USA), Neil Jones Equestrian Inc.: 0/4/36.62
8 NATHAN DETROIT: 2007 Hanoverian gelding by Contendro I x Acord II
PARIS SELLON (USA), Willow Grace Farm: 0/4/37.58
9 CASCO 11: 2009 Holsteiner gelding by Caspar x Colman
LAUREN TISBO (USA), Tequestrian Farms LLC: 0/4/37.85
10 FANTASY BB: 2010 KWPN mare by Cardento 933 x Indorado
JONATHAN MCCREA (USA), Candy Tribble: 0/4/39.28
11 GRASSHOPPER: 2011 KWPN mare by Quality Time TN x Quattro
JAMES CHALKE (IRL), Stonepine Stables: 0/4/41.46
12 MUFASA: 2008 BWP gelding by Wandor van de Misplaere x Calvados
EMILIE CONTER (BEL), Emilie Conter: 0/4/41.60
Hunter riders will return to the Derby Field at Equestrian Village on Saturday, March 9, for the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby at approximately 8:30 a.m. The highlight class of the week, the $391,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate Grand Prix CSI 5*, starts at 7 p.m.