Wellington, FL – February 1, 2010 – Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, FL, and Pavarotti proved to be the best in the $75,000 Nespresso Grand Prix held on Sunday, January 31, at the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Minikus and the handy chestnut Pavarotti sped through a jump-off course to beat Nick Skelton (GBR) and Carlo 273, owned by Beverly Widdowson, and Lauren Hough on Highlife Farm’s Prezioso S.
The third week of the FTI WEF is sponsored by Nespresso and concluded on Sunday, January 31. The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 4, 2010, and they will be awarding almost $6 million in prize money through the circuit.
Germany’s Olaf Petersen Jr. designed the course with 13 numbered obstacles in the first round, including a triple combination and an orange oxer at the end of the course that seemed to get the best of most of the competitors. The time allowed in the first round was 76 seconds. A total of 41 horse and rider pairs from 11 different countries came out today to dominate the first course, but only seven managed to advance to the short course without faults.
The jump-off consisted of 7 obstacles, which was a very forward course. The first of the seven to return for the jump-off was Marilyn Little-Meredith (USA) aboard Blue Curacao, owned by Paul and Mary Loeber. They posted a flawless score and set the pace in a time of 37.20 seconds.
Crelido, piloted by Michael Morrissey (USA), made great time and stopped the clock at 36.28 seconds, but unfortunately had the final fence down. Prezioso S and Lauren Hough (USA) were the next challengers and the pair became the new leaders capturing the time of 36.44 seconds with a clear round.
Knowing that the lineup consisted of many fast riders, she knew she would have to really take a shot at being victorious, and she made a super effort.
Hough has been riding her mount Prezioso S for a little over one year and said, “He is a very consistent horse that always places in the top three, and he is a great addition to my string of horses.” As for upcoming plans, Hough hopes to compete with Prezioso S in this year’s $75,000 Nations Cup, presented by CN, on Friday, March 5.
Promised Land, owned by Candy Tribble and Windsor Show Stables, and Christine McCrea (USA) had the fastest time, but had an unfortunate rail mid-course. The next contenders, Carlo 273 and Nick Skelton, entered the ring and took over the top spot with a very fast time of 35.50 seconds with no faults.
Skelton spoke very proudly of his horse and explained, “The horse is only nine and relatively inexperienced. I could have made up time to the double, but I didn’t want to risk it.”
With only two competitors left and Skelton in the lead, Todd Minikus (USA) and Pavarotti set out to master the course and posted a blazing time of 34.68 seconds to lead the pack. Sarah Segal (USA) was the last of the competitors to challenge the leading time, but with four faults and a time of 38.17 seconds, Minikus was able to prevail and capture first place.
Minikus, who was the last of the top three competitors to dominate the short course, proved to be the best of the day. Minikus spoke of his strategy for the jump-off, “I don’t really plan for the jump-off because it is easier for me to feel what is happening than to force something to happen.” This strategy proved to be most beneficial in today’s jump-off considering Minikus was able to leave one stride out of the first line and make a super neat turn coming home to the last line that shaved seconds off the time.
Minikus was very pleased with Pavarotti, a 13-year-old Dutch gelding by Lancelot xx Renville, after this first week of showing. Minikus has been injured for more than five months with a torn adductor tendon in his leg.”Two weeks ago I started riding again. Pavarotti has had some time off, but it’s more that I’ve been off than my horse has been off,” Minikus explained. “He felt quite good.”
In addition to today’s performance, the horse jumped double clean in the WEF class on Thursday. Minikus plans to give Pavarotti next week off and then compete him during week five in the $150,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix, CSI-W 3* presented by Spy Coast Farm on Saturday, February 13 at 7 p.m. He also is looking to compete with Pavarotti in this year’s USEF Show Jumping World Equestrian Games Trials, which begin on February 25.
All three riders really enjoyed navigating the course today in the International Arena. There wasn’t one specific trap on course and there was just the right amount of technicalities. All riders agreed that it was a great course to prepare the horses and get rolling into the next few weeks of competition here at the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.
Minikus noted, “It wasn’t tremendously big, it was fair, and there were faults from first to last jump and not one specific place that seemed to be a problem. I think it was a good course to get horses rolling into the next few weeks, where it’s going to be bigger.”
Hough added, “I think the beginning of the season is probably the hardest to build because they are two stars and can only build to a certain height, but you’re not dealing with two star level horses. You need to make it difficult without making it too big. I thought he had a really good result today.”
In the presentation for the grand prix, Michael Morrissey was honored with the Highlife Farms Grand Prix Conformation Jumper Award.
On Saturday, Louis Jacobs won the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Classic. Jacobs and Kachina, owned by Deeridge Farms, were the fastest double clear competitors out of 10 in the jump-off. They finished in 41.335 seconds for the win over Leslie Howard and Raimond W, who stopped the clock in 42.193 seconds. Beth Underhill and Iron Horse Farm’s Cantero Z were third in 44.579 seconds.
For full results and more information, please visit www.showbiz.net or www.equestriansport.com.
Final Results: $75,000 Nespresso Grand Prix, CSI 2*
1. PAVAROTTI: 1997 KWOPN gelding by Lancelot xx Renville
TODD MINIKUS (USA), TODD MINIKUS LTD: 0/0/34.68
2. CARLO 273: 1999 Holsteiner gelding by Cambridge xx Cantus
NICK SKELTON (GBR), BEVERLY WIDDOWSON: 0/0/35.50
3. PREZIOSO S: 1996 German stallion by Pilox xx Syndikat
LAUREN HOUGH (USA), HIGHLIFE FARMS: 0/0/36.44
4. BLUE CURACAO: 2001 BWP mare by Mr. Blue xx Dark D’Amour
MARILYN LITTLE-MEREDITH (USA), PAUL & MARY LOEBER: 0/0/37.20
5. PROMISED LAND: 1994 Holsteiner gelding by N. Eingetragen xx Lenz
CHRISTINE MCCREA (USA), CANDY TRIBBLE & WINDSOR SHOW STABLES: 0/4/35.54
6. CRELIDO: 1996 Holsteiner gelding by Calido I xx Caretino
MICHAEL MORRISSEY (USA), MICHAEL MORRISSEY: 0/4/36.28
7. HOLIDAY: 1999 Holsteiner mare by Corrado I xx Raimondo
SARAH SEGAL (USA), ROBERT SEGAL: 0/4/38.17
8. ASLAN: 2000 DWB gelding by Aston xx Blue Hors Agent
LJUBOV KOCHETOVA (RUS), LJUBOV KOCHETOVA: 1/76.64
9. PARISKA 2: 1997 KWPN mare by Almox Prints xx Ezoliet
RICHARD SPOONER (USA), C & S PARTNERSHIP: 4/71.40
10. SASSICAIA II: 1996 KWPN mare by Kojak xx Boreas
KATHERINE MONAHAN-PRUDENT (FRA), PLAIN BAY FARM: 4/72.01
11. NIGHT TRAIN: 1999 Zangerscheide gelding by S. Calvaro Z xx Papillon Rouge
RODRIGO PESSOA (BRA), DOUBLE H FARM: 4/72.17
12. VICOMTE D: 1998 BWP gelding by Flamenco de Semilly xx Randel Z
MARIO DESLAURIERS (USA), JANE CLARK: 4/72.36
The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 13 through April 4. WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $5.5 million in prize money will be awarded.
WEF is proud to be supported by their title sponsor, FTI Consulting, Inc. FTI Consulting, Inc. exists to help companies and their stakeholders protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex economic, legal and regulatory environment. FTI is the trusted advisor entrenched in many of the game-changing events that make headlines, move markets and create business history. For more information, please visit www.fticonsulting.com.
During the 12 weeks of WEF, “Saturday Night Lights” headlines the entertainment each Saturday night where spectators not only enjoy the Grand Prix class, but a street carnival, live music, and numerous dining options with box seats, sports bars, and the famed Tiki Hut for front row fun. Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.