Wellington, FL – February 18, 2012 – As the sixth week of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival begins to wrap up, the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m took place today in the Mogavero ring. David McPherson of Great Britain rode Silver Exchange II for the win and Leonitas for second place. Nicolas Pizarro (MEX) and Saskia finished in third place. Junior and Amateur-Owner hunter champions also received

 Week six of the FTI WEF, sponsored by Equine Couture/Tuff Rider will run through February 19. The $50,000 G&C Farm Jumper Derby is the highlight event on Sunday at The Stadium at 3 p.m. The 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 1, 2012, and they will be awarding more than $6 million in prize money through the circuit.

The course designer this week in the Mogavero ring is Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY. There were 7 clear rounds over his course that began with 27 entries. 

Silver Exchange II and David McPherson

McPherson and Silver Exchange II, a 2001 Oldenburg gelding by Landjung x Lavallo, went early in the class and were the second to go clear. Silver Exchange II completed the jump-off course with a time of 43.295 seconds. When he returned as the last to attempt the jump-off course, McPherson was just shy of beating his leading time in 45.812 seconds on Leonitas, giving Nicolas Pizarro (MEX) third place with his time of 46.076 seconds on his mount, Saskia.

 Of the course, McPherson said, “I  walked the track and thought, ‘This is strong.’ I thought he [Anthony D’Ambrosio] was going to get five, maybe six, clears. It was technical, you had to have rideability, very careful.”

McPherson described his plan for today’s class, “My tactics were real simple. I just wanted to jump clean rounds with these two. They’re not up to speed to go and do heroics, at this moment in time anyway. Thank God all of my dressage is paying off somewhere down the line.”

Silver Exchange II and McPherson have been a pair for just over a year. According to McPherson, Silver Exchange II, “finished off last year wonderfully and did some really good things. Then he was on a long layoff; he had a slight injury. I’ve come here and basically just jumped last weekend and this weekend, so I’m delighted with him. All of my horses came after a long holiday.”

He added with a smile, “The first three weeks for me have been a bit of a struggle. This is the third week and I’m slowly catching up. I’ve had sleepless nights about the rails I’ve had.”

 McPherson and Leonitas received third place in the  $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers earlier this week. In the year that McPherson has owned the 2001 stallion by Leone x Zeus (XXX), he states, “You could write an encyclopedia about what could go wrong. It’s not his fault ever though. So he’s playing catch up big time.”

David McPherson was first and second in today’s Suncast 1.50m with Silver Exchange II and Leonitas

 When talking about his horses, McPherson said, ” They were both 1.40m horses, coming into 1.45m. Last year both of them did do some big things, but I did have a catalogue of mishaps. Hopefully it all stays glued together this year. I’m very pleased with these two. This tour was meant to bring them on and hopefully spring, summer we can go to work in Europe.”

Being his first time at WEF, he noted, “There is no facility in the world like this, that I’ve been to anyway. It’s just unbelievable.”

Hunter Divisions Wrap Up Championships to Qualify for Hunter Spectacular

An impressive performance by Victoria Colvin this week led to championship tricolors in both the Anatares Large Junior Hunter and the Marley Goodman Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under divisions. Colvin secured 30 total points over fences to win the Large Junior Hunter division on her mount, Inclusive, a nine-year-old gelding owned by Scott Stewart. The young rider also earned reserve honors on her second mount, Way Cool, a ten-year-old chestnut gelding owned by Dr. Betsee Parker.

Victoria Colvin and Inclusive in their winning presentation

Colvin’s success continued as she scored another 30 points in the Marley Goodman Small Junior Hunter division atop her mount, Ovation, a twelve-year-old bay gelding also owned by Dr. Betsee Parker. Reserve championship honors went to Kate Ross and her mount, Friday Night, an eight-year-old bay gelding owned by Kar LLC; the pair finished second overall with 15 points. 

Ovation and Victoria Colvin

Shawn Casady and Kristen Lutz achieved top honors in this week’s 16-17 Junior Hunters divisions. Casady topped the Antares Large Junior Hunter division with 21 points atop his mount, Avalon, a twelve-year-old bay gelding owned by Visse Widel. Casady was also named reserve champion on Blue Steel, an eleven-year-old gray gelding owned by Abigail Mc Ardle.

Shawn Casady and Avalon take top honors

In the Marley Goodman Small Junior Hunter division, Kristen Lutz emerged victorious, scoring 22.5 points on her mount, Huntington, a thirteen-year-old chestnut owned by Stratford Stables. Reserve champion honors went to Schaefer Raposa who scored 17 points on Winter Place, an eleven-year-old gray gelding owned by Caitlin Ziegler. 

Huntington and Kristen Lutz

In this week’s Bainbridge Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 division, Adrienne Sternlicht finished on top with her mount, Mimosa. The pair collected two seconds over fences to win the division with 12 points. The reserve tricolor went to Heather Hooker and her mount, Castlekeep.

Adrienne Sternlicht and Mimosa won their tricolor today

For the Elite Shavings Amateur Owner Hunter Over 35 division, Katie Robinson and her mount, Rock Steady, secured the win. Robinson and the twelve-year-old bay gelding sported the championship tricolor after winning a first and second over fences and fifth under saddle for a total of 17 points. A close reserve went to John Ingram and his nine-year-old chestnut gelding, Costar. The pair scored a second, third and fourth over fences and a fourth under saddle, finishing in reserve with 14 points.

Katie Robinson and Rock Steady

The FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival continues this evening with the USHJA WCHR Hunter Spectacular of Palm Beach and tomorrow with the $50,000 G&C Farm Jumper Derby taking place at The Stadium.

For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.

 Final Results: $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic
1 SILVER EXCHANGE II  DAVID MCPHERSON  DAVID MCPHERSON: 0/0/43.925
2  LEONITAS  DAVID MCPHERSON  DAVID MCPHERSON/GERHARD & MARION MUTER: 0/0/45.812
3 SASKIA  NICOLAS PIZARRO  GENARO LARREA: 0/0/46.076
4 QUITE EASY 4  BEN MAHER  MRS. PHILLIPS: 0/4/ 41.899
5 WALK ABOUT  JIMMY TORANO  JIMMY & DANIELLE TORANO: 0/4/42.983
6 STARLET  LAUREN HAYES  NORTH RIDGE: 0/8/45.404
7 VALHALLA  KENT FARRINGTON  HAITY MCNERNEY: 0/8/45.515
8 NINON DES LOULOU  MARIE HECART   ECURIE MICHEL HECART: 4/73.356 
9 HELLO SAILOR  TINA FLETCHER  LADY HARRIS: 4/73.976 
10 UNIQUE  NICK SKELTON  BEVERLEY WIDDOWSON: 4/74.196 
11 SIL  GEOFFREY CASE  GROUP C LLC: 4/74.204 
12 POLASKO  NICOLAS PIZARRO NICOLAS PIZARRO: 4/74.463

Photo Credit: Photos © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com . This photo may be used only in relation to this press release.