For Immediate Release
Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Wellington, FL – January 23, 2022 – Week two of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), presented by Hygain Feeds, concluded with victory on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village for 2020 Olympic individual gold medalist Ben Maher (GBR) and longtime partner Tic Tac, owned by Jane Forbes Clark, in the $140,000 Hygain Feeds Grand Prix CSI3*.
Equestrians from across the globe made their way to both the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) and Equestrian Village to participate in another top week of various hunter, jumper, and equitation competitions. In addition to WEF’s normal venue at PBIEC, week two allowed international jumper riders the first opportunity to familiarize themselves with the turf at Equestrian Village, which will make an appearance in several more weeks throughout the circuit. A large field of 72 up-and-coming international riders first faced the $25,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix but the day culminated in the afternoon grand prix.
Oscar Soberon (USA) designed an elegant track with a variety of questions including one double and one triple combination for the 46 entries to conquer in the first round. At the completion of the long track, nine combinations were kept out of podium contention by only a single downed rail while 6 only had trouble with time. Ireland’s Paul O’Shea was the first to put forth a clear effort followed quickly by Eduardo Periera De Menezes (BRA) which ensured a jump-off. By the halfway point, only five pairings had managed to successfully navigate around all obstacles fault-free. Canada’s Amy Millar was the first female rider to add her name to jump-off contention, but Ashley Vogel (USA) was quick to contribute to evening out the field.
In total, 11 nations were represented in the overall field, but Ireland gave themselves a fair chance at the victory as Friday’s $37,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round Two winner Eoin McMahon added himself to the list. Ultimately, 13 of the original 46 contestants managed to successfully answer all of Soberon’s questions, and the short track was then set for their return. O’Shea and Skara Glen’s Machu Picchu immediately put on the pressure as he returned first and blazed through the timers in 43.88 seconds clean. O’Shea held on to that victory until Maher stepped foot onto the field with the 19-year-old SBS stallion (Clinton x Darco). Maher shaved mere milliseconds off of the Irishman’s previous leading time and landed at the top in 43.52 seconds.
“Clearly, he loves the grass field, as he was amazing here last year for me as well,” noted Maher, referencing his win with Tic Tac in this same event in 2021. “We are very selective when we show him now because of his age, but he is an amazing horse and I give a lot of credit to the people who look after him day in and day out to keep him in such top shape.”
The pair had not reconnected for four months until a week ago as Maher is frequently traveling in Europe and the stallion makes his permanent residence in Wellington, Florida.
“We just emphasize keeping him fit and happy and knowing how to pick the right moments for him,” continued Maher. “I am very fortunate he has all the experience he does and allowed me to really ride him today, because you have to take a lot of chances to be ahead of Amy [Millar] and Paul [O’Shea].”
O’Shea’s ride was good for second place with the Machu Picchu Partners LLC’s now 15-year-old KWPN gelding (Silverstone x Matterhorn).
“He has been a fantastic horse for me and has really brought me up to a new level in my career,” said O’Shea. “He tries his heart out each time, and I am very grateful to everyone involved that I am able to ride him.
“At the end of each year, we normally give him a long break but then struggle a bit to get him fully going again,” continued O’Shea. “This year we kept him going, and it seemed to work better for him to just continue moving.”
As one of the final few to contend in the jump-off, Millar once again made sure there was a woman on the podium by flying onward with Millar Brooke Farm and Overland’s 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding Truman (Mylord Carthagohn x Kolibri) in a time of 43.99 seconds to secure third. The position was no easy feat as Millar explained she had been working upwards of a year to gain speed on the gelding.
“For the past 12 months or so, I have been really focusing on getting him faster in the jump-off and, while I may be third, this is as fast as I’ve ever gotten this horse to go,” laughed Millar. “I am thrilled because I feel like I am finally turning a corner. I think it’s important for anyone trying to develop horses and develop themselves to realize that it isn’t easy, but you must always keep trying and learning. It is not always uphill but days like today make it worth it.”
At the end of the day as they all congratulated one another, O’Shea posed the question to Maher that is pondered by every show jumping fan this season: “Will Explosion W be making an appearance this winter?” Maher replied with, “Week 12,” giving hope to seeing the extraordinary horse, Maher’s 2020 Olympic mount, compete in Florida this season.
Final Results: $140,000 Hygain Feeds Grand Prix CSI-3*
1. TIC TAC: 2003 SBS stallion by Clinton x Darco
BEN MAHER (GBR), Jane Forbes Clark: 0/0/43.52
2. SKARA GLEN’S MACHU PICCHU: 2007 KWPN gelding by Silverstone x Matterhorn
PAUL O’SHEA (IRL), Machu Picchu Partners LLC: 0/0/43.88
3. TRUMAN: 2009 Selle Francais gelding by Mylord Carthago*hn x Kolibri
AMY MILLAR (CAN), Millar Brooke Farm/Overland: 0/0/43.99
4. DAVIDOFF DE LASSUS: 2009 SBS stallion by Ugano Sitte x Ksar Sitte
ZOE CONTER (BEL), Stephex Stables: 0/0/46.95
5. H. BIG ACTION:2012 KWPN gelding by Action Breaker x Big Star BZ
EDUARDO PERIERA DE MENENZES (BRA), Eduardo Pereira De Menezes:0/4/43.65
6. MALIBU DE MUZE: 2012 BWP gelding by Nabab De Reve x Tornedo FCS
SERGIO ALVAREZ MOYA (ESP), Sergio Alvarez Moya: 0/4/43.81
7. H5 CHACCOPHANIE: 2011 OS mare by Chacco Blue x Grand Step
CARLOS HANK GUERREIRO (MEX), H5 Sport Horses LLC: 0/4/45.49
8. CHACON 2: 2006 OS gelding by Chacco Blue x Aventyno
EOIN MCMAHON (IRL), Beerbaum Stables: 0/4/45.75
9. H&M KIRLO VAN DEN BOSRAND: 2010 BWP gelding by Cardento 933 x Enotrilla Van Den Bosrand
SAMUEL HUTTON (GBR), Abdel Said: 0/4/56.49
10. CERRUTI VAN TER HULST Z: 2010 Zangersheide mare by Cassini I x Corrado
CIAN O’CONNOR (IRL), Ronnoco Jump Ltd: 0/4/56.70
11. DARIUS DE KEZEG Z: 2011 Zangersheide gelding by Darco x Heartbreaker
RICHARD VOGEL (GER), Horse Management GMBH: 0/4/48.10
12. MADIBA AG Z: 2012 Zangersheide mare by Mylord Cathago*hn x Corland
ASHLEY VOGEL (USA), Ashley Vogel: 0/8/49.96
Maria Brugal Edges Out the Competition to Win the $25,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix
Young riders kicked off Grand Prix Sunday with 72 entries contesting Oscar Soberon’s first round course of the $25,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix. Eleven riders went fault-free to advance to the jump-off where international talent finished atop the podium today with Maria Brugal (DOM) leading the way on her own J’Adore Flamenco.
Twelfth to go in the starting order, Brian Moggre (USA) found the first clear path with Stevie Macken’s Nobel S. They led the way in the jump-off with a smooth effort in 48.04 seconds, which would ultimately land them in the fifth-place position. Zoe Conter of Belgium was next to challenge in the jump-off, quickening the pace with Natan van’t Laarhof in 47.62 seconds, good enough for third place. Shortly after, yesterday’s Welcome winner Tom Wachman (IRL) stormed around the short course in 46.19 seconds, this time aboard Coolmore Show Jumping’s Lazarro delle Schiave. The riders that followed tried to catch Wachman’s time, but at the expense of a jumping fault.
It was Brugal who managed to shave a couple hundredths of a second off of Wachman’s time for the win in 46.17 seconds with J’Adore Flamenco.
Brugal has been paired with “Sparky,” a 10-year-old Selle Français gelding by Je T’aime Flamenco x Corofino 2, for about a year, working on bringing him along into bigger classes in a relaxed manner.
“I actually set myself a goal to go fast now, because in the jump-offs before, I would be very cautious to just give him a positive experience, and I guess I did it today!” said Brugal.
Sparky’s scope and ability results in some extra air time over the fences, which has made chasing the winning time harder for Brugal.
“I think today I just really let go and said, ‘Okay, I’m going to go for it, and if I have a rail or whatever, it’s fine,’” she explained. “My horse jumps really big into double [combinations], and usually I have to get in a little bit slow, but I kind of just kept going and kept going, and he was absolutely perfect backing off from it. I trusted him, and I’m really happy with him.”
Second place finisher Wachman just took over the ride on Lazarro delle Schiave, a 13-year-old Italian Sport Horse by Acodetto 2 x Gluecksgriff, from his brother Max. He utilized the gelding’s large stride in his attempt to run away with the class.
“The jump-off suited me because it was so spread out. I had a good plan with the numbers, and it all came up, so it worked out,” commented Wachman.
Despite Wachman’s short time with his new partner, he knew he could depend on Lazzaro delle Schiave.
“My horse is a bit older now, so he’s experienced. He’s been to a lot of shows and a lot of grass shows, so it’s not really a problem for him, and he’s actually better on grass,” noted Wachman.
Conter was less confident in her mount, but the nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Epleaser van’t Heike rose to the occasion.
“Yesterday, I didn’t know how he was going to react because he’s a quite spooky horse, but he also grew out here,” reflected Conter. “He was actually much better than I could have expected, so that turned out very well.”
Conter has had “Natan” since he was six years old when she got him from a farmer in Belgium. Their lengthy partnership has made him very special to Conter, so she’s excited to try to move him up the levels as the season continues and take a crack at the Under 25 series with some of her younger horses.
“I’m actually excited for the [U25] series,” said Conter. “I’ve been doing the series for a few years now, and especially since we’re off to a great start, it’s nice to keep going.”
All three riders agreed that the diverse pool of equine and human talent coupled with large, technical courses makes the Under 25 division a challenge. Even so, they also all agreed that it makes for an exciting series.
“I think it’s a brilliant series, especially for me. I can’t do a three-star grand prix until next year, because of the age rule,” explained Wachman.
Brugal added, “It’s a great step up from the 1.40m level, and it’s a very nice in between.”
Conter agreed, “It’s super competitive. It really challenges you. It only gets bigger and bigger, so it’s definitely a good series to have especially for us young riders.”
Final Results: $25,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix
1. J’ADORE FLAMENCO: 2012 Selle Français gelding by Je T’aime Flamenco x Corofino 2
MARIA BRUGAL (DOM), Maria Brugal: 0/0/46.17
2. LAZZARO DELLE SCHIAVE: 2009 Italian Sport Horse gelding by Acodetto 2 x Gluecksgriff
TOM WACHMAN (IRL), Coolmore Show Jumping: 0/0/46.19
3. NATAN VAN’T LAARHOF: 2013 Belgian Warmblood stallion by Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Epleaser van’t Heike
ZOE CONTER (BEL), Stephex Stables: 0/0/47.62
4. ICEMAN DE MUZE: 2008 Belgian Warmblood stallion by Erco van’t Roosakker x For Pleasure
ELLI YEAGAR (USA), Elli Yeagar: 0/0/47.75
5. NOBEL S: 2013 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Cantario
BRIAN MOGGRE (USA), Stevie Macken: 0/0/48.04
6. CARLOTTA 289: 2011 Holsteiner mare by Clarimo x Carthago Z
AVA DE CASTER (USA), Bay Winds Equestrian LLC: 0/0/49.83
7. CORALISSA: 2010 Holsteiner mare by Com Air x San Patrignano Corrado
SAM WALKER (CAN), Marbill Hill Farm: 0/4/45.17
8. H5 CHACCO-SAN: 2011 Hanoverian gelding by Chacco-Blue x Sandro Boy
CARLOS HANK GUERREIRO (MEX), H5 Sport Horses LLC: 0/4/45.99
9. QUICK BOB: 2012 Holsteiner gelding by Q-Verdi x Cassini II
SOPHIA AHEARN (USA), Esperanza Imports LLC: 0/4/47.74
10. LOOPING LUNA: 2014 Hanoverian mare by Lord Fauntleroy x Calido I
RICHARD VOGEL (GER), Horse Management GMBH: 0/4/49.80
11. HYPERBOLICS: 2012 KWPN gelding by Berlin x Tlaloc M
ALEXANDRA PIELET (USA), Co-Pielet LLC: 0/8/45.15
12. DOBALIA: 2008 KWPN mare by Solitair x Jacorde
BRIANNE LINK (USA), Brianna Link: 1/86.74
Game Night and Martha Ingram Off to Stellar Start
The E.R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring had 26 entries in the Horseware Adult Amateur Younger Section B with Game Night and Martha Ingram, of Nashville, TN, earning the championship title.
After two days, it was a division high score of a 90 over fences and a win in the under saddle that helped secure the top spot for the newly-developed team.
“I thought he was so good,” shared Ingram. “He’s still technically a pre-green, and this is our first horse show together. In fact, yesterday was the first course I’d jumped on him since we tried him maybe a year and a half ago.”
Game Night is a seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Quaterback and owned by John and Stephanie Ingram, LLC, who acquired the horse two years ago. Martha’s father, John, was champion in his Amateur-Owner Hunter division on Saturday.
“We bought him in 2020 during the pandemic,” said Ingram. “He’d done some pre-green stuff prior, and he’s just a lovely animal. He’s got a great jump, beautiful mover, super sweet, and a great brain.”
Noting room for improvement, Ingram acknowledged her excitement for what’s to come with the bay gelding by the famed Quaterback.
“The courses rode really nice today. He was so brave, and he jumped great,” she said. “We had a minor step off of our lead in the second class, but otherwise I thought that he was amazing and we’re really proud of him. I think this was his first time showing in the Grand Hunter Ring. We’re just so proud of him and super excited for his future!”
The reserve champion of the division went to Dandelion and Michael Baum, of New York, NY, who had three second place ribbons as well as a third place.
The 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival continues with week three of competition on January 26-30, sponsored by NetJets.