For Immediate Release
Kate Pettersen and Sabrina Brashares for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
January 31, 2021 – Wellington, FL – Coming off a win in the $37,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 3 on Friday, Kent Farrington and Austria 2, owned by Take The High Road, LLC, put on yet another display of speed and precision to capture the $137,000 NetJets Grand Prix CSI3* on Sunday, January 31, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).
Competition continues at the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) with the Marshall & Sterling/Great American CSI4* week featuring FEI jumping returning to the Derby Field at Equestrian Village. The schedule is highlighted with Friday’s $50,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Rd 4, the $25,000 Hermès U25 Grand Prix Series Team Event in the Global Stadium Arena, and in the International Arena at PBIEC is the 1 p.m. $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Hunt & Go.
Saturday features $37,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Classic on the Derby Field followed by the Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® taking place in the International Arena on Saturday night. To conclude the week, it’s the FEI $50,000 1.45m Grand Prix CSI 2* followed by the $214,000 Marshall & Sterling/Great American Insurance Group Grand Prix CSI 4*, both set to go on the Derby Field. Competition at WEF continues through April 4, with feature classes available to watch on the livestream.
A total of 45 combinations challenged the track set by Peter Grant (CAN) and Joey Rycroft (CAN) with 12 qualifying to return for the jump-off. Farrington and the 13-year-old Holsteiner mare by Casall x Corrado took off at a full gallop and didn’t stop, crossing the timers in 39.13 seconds. The pair elected to do 12 strides to the second jump on course, while most of their competitors two or three less [strides], which gave Farrington and Austria 2 the opportunity to angle the Lugano Diamonds oxer for a more direct route to the third jump on course.
“I tend not to count in very long lines,” said the world number seven rider, Farrington. “I like to ride off what I feel the horse needs. She’s a small horse so if you are running and jumping too long or too flat, you risk a rail, so I think it’s better to run up to the jump and get their hocks underneath them. It allows them to get more height and make a short turn about a stride out when I land. It’s different styles for different horses, but that’s what suited my horse.”
The first to post a double-clear effort was Spencer Smith (USA) aboard Ayade Hero Z, a 10-year-old Zangrsheide mare owned by one of his students, Ransome Rombauer, finishing less than one second off the mark in 39.95 seconds.
“She’s a super mare,” said Smith. “She came from Eric Lamaze when I was working there. He bought her as a seven-year-old and then sold her to Ransome. She’s taken her through the High Amateur-Owners and the U25s. Every once in a while, I grab her back and jump a big class with her. She’s so game; I know if I’m on it, I can win.”
Smith is one of the United States’ top up-and-coming professionals. The 25-year-old rider already has multiple top 10 finishes in CSI3* competition at WEF this season with a string of talented horses, and he’s only nine spots away from cracking the top 100 in the world rankings lists.
Rounding out the top three was Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) aboard Katanga Van Het Dingeshof, his own 11-year-old mare by Cardento 933 x Tabelle DIngeshod Z, with a double-clear effort in 42.48 seconds.
“It’s great to be here and see a little bit more of what my horses can do,” said Philippaerts. “So far, this mare is doing really well; she’s jumping very good. She’s one of my best horses so I’m really excited for what she can do the rest of the season here.”
The 28-year-old rider elected to cross the pond for WEF in its entirety, and the decision is already paying off in the early weeks of the 13-week circuit.
“In Europe there’s not too much going on,” said Philippaerts. “I brought five horses with me. It’s a long enough season we can give the horses long breaks between the classes and try to compete a little bit. It’s going to be really nice after having not much to jump in Europe over the summer, to get the chance to jump some of the bigger classes.”
It was no surprise to the crowd to see Farrington put forth a speedy effort; after all, he’s one of the most familiar faces in the International Arena’s winner’s circle. After Friday’s win, he felt confident but did not take the task of a tough track lightly.
“Often in those classes where you’re riding a horse that you know is capable of winning the danger is always that you beat yourself,” he said. “A lot of times you put in a great round, and my goal is to go quick enough to hopefully nick his time and not overcook it where I’m two seconds faster than I need to, and I end up having a rail down towards the end. I was really just trying to do the best for my horse.”
Final Results: $137,000 NetJets Grand Prix CSI3*
1. AUSTRIA 2: 2008 Holsteiner mare by Casall x Corrado I
KENT FARRINGTON (USA), Take The High Road, LLC: 0/0/39.13
2. AYADE HERO Z: 2011 Zangersheide mare by Aganix Du Seigneur x C.heroine De Thieusies
SPENCER SMITH (USA), Ransome Rombauer: 0/0/39.95
3. KATANGA VAN HET DINGESHOF: 2010 BWP mare by Cardento 933 x Tabelle DIngeshod Z
NICOLA PHILIPPAERTS (BEL), Nicola Philippaerts: 0/0/42.48
4. KILKENNY: 2012 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Cardento x Mhs Pembrook Lady
CIAN O’CONNOR (IRL), Ronnoco Jump Ltd: 0/0/43.95
5. CONFU: 2007 Holsteiner gelding by Contact Me x Cambridge
LAURA KRAUT (USA), St. Bride’s Farm: 0/4/41.31
6. ROBIN DE PONTHUAL: 2005 Selle Francais gelding by Elf D’or x Calypso D’Herbiers*Ecolit
SCHUYLER RILEY (USA), Katherine Gallagher: 0/4/42.59
7. BENNYS LEGACY: 2008 Oldenburg gelding by Lupicor x Acordia
ADRIENNE STERNLICHT (USA), Starlight Farms, LLC: 0/4/42.92
8. DEZ OOKTOFF: 2008 KWPN stallion by Colandro x Fabiola
ROBERTO TERAN TAFUR (COL), Roberto Teran Tafur: 0/4/43.12
9. DICAS: 2009 Rheinlander gelding by Diarado x Cassini I
MARGIE ENGLE (USA), Storm Ridge Capital LLC, Show Horses, Garber & Gladewinds Partners LLC: 0/4/43.20
10. SKARA GLEN’S MACHU PICCHU: 2007 KWPN gelding by Silverstone x Matterhorn
PAUL O’SHEA (IRL), Skara Glen Stables: 0/8/40.90
11. KASPER VAN HET HELLEHOF: 2010 BWP stallion by Emerald Hadise Van Het Hellehof
MCLAIN WARD (USA), Poden Farms: 0/8/44.75
12. ELUNA CL Z: 2012 Zangersheide mare by Emerald x Naluna Van ‘t Roelerhof Z
ELIZA LEHRMAN (USA), Five Way Farm, LLC: 0/8/53.11
Aundrea Hillyard and Chiccobello Can’t Be Beat the Large Pony Hunters
The Large Pony Hunter division came to an end on Sunday in Ring 11 on Pony Island with the crowning of the champion. Aundrea Hillyard and Agatha Lignelli’s Chiccobello were unstoppable and won every class in the division to take home the tricolor ribbon.
Hillyard, of Lewisburg, PA, is a working student for Hidden Ridge Inc., which is how she got the catch ride on Chiccobello. Trainer Evan Coluccio was thrilled with the outcome and also to give the “amazing and hardworking” rider the opportunity.
“I ride him at home quite a bit, and he is such a cool pony,” said Hillyard of the 14-year-old German Riding Pony gelding. “I am mainly catch riding down here and I started as a working student four months ago, which has been amazing. My family owns a farm and we have gotten ponies from Evan in the past, so that’s how I met them.”
Hillyard proved to be an excellent match with Chiccobello and piloted the pony to win every class, including the Large Pony Hunter Classic with scores of 84 and 86. The pair also received a high score of 90 in the handy round. Owner Lignelli rode Chiccobello to the blue ribbon in the under saddle.
“He is so fun. I really enjoy riding him,” commented Hillyard. “Our handy was great; he always turns so well. I know he was a pony jumper in Europe so he has a lot of scope, and he loves the handy classes.”
For the rest of the season Hillyard hopes to continue getting opportunities to catch ride both horses and ponies. Hillyard, 16 years old, is currently a junior in high school and wants to make the most of her remaining junior years. “I want to get as much experience as I can while I’m here and learn as much as I possibly can as well,” described Hillyard.
Brianne Beerbaum rode Heritage Farm, Inc.’s Rashinga to the reserve champion title for the division. Beerbaum, of Wellington, FL, piloted Rashinga to two seconds, two fifths, and an eighth place finish.
Competition will begin again for the fourth week of the Winter Equestrian Festival on Wednesday, February 3, and run through Sunday, February 7.