For Immediate Release
Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Wellington, FL – March 13, 2022 – The final day of week nine at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) wound down its international competition with the $75,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Classic CSI5*. WEF 9, presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate, was the third of four weeks to feature FEI five-star level competition during the 13-week series. WEF continues to host weekly international competition as well as national hunter, jumper, and equitation classes leading to its final week ending April 3, 2022. The USA‘s anthem was the last to play on Sunday, March 13, as Karl Cook (USA) and Kalinka Van’t Zorgvliet received the winning honors.
The day built in anticipation of its pinnacle five-star event which brought out a starting field of 59 internationally-ranked combinations. Alan Wade’s (IRL) farewell test allowed riders 73 seconds to find their way around the track. As the fourth into the arena, Cook was the first contender to produce a clear effort aboard Helen Signe Ostby’s 12-year-old BWP mare (Thunder VD Zuuthoeve x Flipper d’Elle).
Two trips later, Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam ensured there would be a jump-off as he joined Cook with a fault-free round aboard Sweet Oak, Spy Coast, and Seabrook’s Alejandro. The challenge got the best of many representatives from the 16 different nations as both time and jumping faults accrued throughout the class with downed rails over various areas of the course.
Eleven performances were good enough to earn a spot in the order for the short track. Both Nayel Nassar (EGY) and Heather Caristo-WIlliams (USA) qualified two mounts each as they bid for the top spot. Wade’s jump-off course was full of twists and turns with very few related distances, which gave the athletes multiple ways in which to shave off some time. As the first to qualify for the jump-off, Cook was the trailblazer of the second round and held no punches. He set off at a winning pace from the beginning with their blazing fast leading time of 37.04 seconds, daring the 10 pairs following to catch up. As the class came to a close, either a fence fault or a slower time appeared repeatedly, and it became clear Cook had put forth an impossible challenge to beat.
“This is the biggest class we have ever done with her by far, so my job was to make sure I was there to support her where needed,” explained Cook. “Our victory was extremely close today in the jump-off. I was happy with how I came into the double combination, and then I really hit my turn just how I wanted to the oxer, which was the second to last fence. We ended up a bit steady to the final jump, but I think our execution over the second to last was really where the difference in time appeared.”
For Cook, the key to this mare is managing her fitness and energy levels outside of the ring between competition.
“She is an extremely hot mare, and she does a ton of flatwork but doesn’t jump much,” he detailed. “Before the beginning of this week, we had not jumped her since WEF 6. She does not lunge, but you have to make sure you work her enough or she is extremely fresh, so her program includes mostly flatting and keeping her fit.”
Jos Verlooy (BEL) and his winning partner in Thursday’s $1,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.40m CSI5*, Eurohorse BVBA’s 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding FTS Killossery Konfusion (SIEC Livello x Cruising), displayed another round in perfect form as they dashed to catch Cook. Unfortunately for the pair, eight-tenths of a second earned them the second-place position. Sweden’s Petronella Andersson and Stephex Stables’ 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding Claptonn Mouche (Conrad x Elan de la Cour) secured the final spot in the closing victory gallop as they stopped the clock with a time of 38.19 seconds. Sweetnam’s ride on the 2009 Rheinlander gelding (Acorado’s Ass x Continue) produced the only other double-clear effort for fourth place.
Final Results: $75,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Classic CSI5*
1. KALINKA VAN’T ZORGVLIET: 2010 BWP mare by Thunder VD Zuuthoeve x Flipper d’Elle
KARL COOK (USA), Helen Signe Ostby: 0/0/37.04
2. FTS KILLOSSERY KONFUSION: 2010 Irish Sport Horse gelding by SIEC Livello x Cruising
JOS VERLOOY (BEL), Eurohorse BVBA: 0/0/37.12
3. CLAPTONN MOUCHE: 2012 Selle Francais gelding by Conrad x Elan de la Cour
PETRONELLA ANDERSSON (SWE), Stephex Stables:0/0/38.19
4. ALEJANDRO: 2009 Rheinlander gelding by Acorado’s Ass x Continue
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), Sweet Oak, Spy Coast, and Seabrook: 0/0/38.26
5. DONATELLO 141: 2011 Westphalian gelding by Diarado x Lamoureux I
ASHLEE BOND (ISR), Ashlee Bond Show Jumping: 0/4/37.09
6. IVORY TCS: 2013 KWPN mare by Falaise De Muze x Ukato
DANIEL COYLE (IRL), Ariel Grange: 0/4/37.30
7. CHIC CHIC: 2011 Westphalian stallion by Comme Il Faut 5 x Contendro I
DARRAGH KENNY (IRL), Vlock Show Stables LLC: 0/4/37.38
8. EL CONDE: 2011 SBS gelding by Loro Piana Filou De Muze x Final Shot
NAYAL NASSAR (EGY), Evergate Stables, LLC: 0/4/38.18
9. MARCIANO MVF: 2011 Zangersheide gelding by Stakkato x Leberoi H
HEATHER CARISTO-WILLIAMS (USA), Stephanie Bulger: 0/4/39.30
10. OAKS REDWOOD: 2005 AWHA gelding by ASB Conquistador x Verdi
NAYEL NASSAR (EGY), Evergate Stables, LLC: 0/4/40.95
11. CELTIC HERO BZ: 2012 Zangersheide stallion by Calikot Hero x Nissan Caretano Z
HEATHER CARISTO-WILLIAMS (USA), Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Caristo: 0/8/46.7
12. EMERSON: 2012 BWP gelding by Eldorado VD Zeshoek x Berlin
MARIO DESLAURIERS (CAN), Wishing Well Farm LLC: 1/73.01
Vivian Golden and J.J. Torano Shine in Medium Pony Hunters
A competitive field of 30 horse and rider pairs participated in Medium Pony Hunters sponsored by Always Faithful Equestrian Club. The number of entries resulted in a California Split of the classes which led to the division concluding with two champions.
Vivian Golden with Baroness of Locheil and J.J. Torano aboard Paris Charm took the joint top honors.
Golden and Baroness of Locheil, a nine-year-old Welsh Pony Cross, just started competing together at the start of circuit, but have already seen multiple championships in the division including weeks three, five, eight, and premiere week.
“It felt good [today] because she’s such a good girl. I’ve been paired with her nicely since she’s a mare, and I get along with the mares,” said Golden of the Dr. Betsee Parker-owned pony. “She’s kind of a little sassy but I just kind of work around it. It’s been fun.”
The two claimed a first place over fences and first place under saddle to add to the pair of blue ribbons from their over fences efforts on day one, as well as a fifth place.
“Yesterday our courses were good too,” said Golden, of Reading, PA. “They were two of the best rounds I think I’ve ever had on her; everything just came up nicely, and it was just nice because everything flowed.”
J.J. Torano and Paris Charm, a 14-year-old Welsh pony mare by Halifax owned by Megan d’Amico, were the Section B champions. They won three classes and picked up another second place for the additional top tricolor.
Torano has been riding Paris Charm since the beginning of the 2022 WEF, and while the mare was initially nervous, the pair have formed a good relationship in a short amount of time – also thanks to the pony’s favorite treat, Paddock Cakes with mints.
“The best thing about her is how easygoing she is in the ring,” said Torano, who noted that she doesn’t have any trouble with the tight turns or trot jumps that can be seen in handy hunter courses. “Today she felt really good. She jumped really well.”
Torano, who is 11 years old, is also transitioning to competing on horses this year. “Some days I get right off of a horse and I go to ponies, and other days I get right off my ponies and go to horses, which can be hard because the horses are so much bigger and different,” he explained. “Everything just comes up differently.”
But while the change is something Torano is adjusting to, he finds that Paris Charm helps him in the ring. “She’s a pretty easy pony to ride,” he noted.
The reserve championships in the Always Faithful Equestrian Club Medium Pony Hunters went to Golden again on Funtastico, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker, and High Tops, ridden by Agatha Lignelli for The Lignelli Family.
The 2022 WEF continues with its tenth week of competition on March 16-20, sponsored by Horseware Ireland, with CSI4* competition.