For Immediate Release
Jennifer Wood and Summer Grace for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Wellington, FL – February 17, 2019 – The sixth week of the 2019 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) concluded on Sunday, February 17, with jumper competition on the grass derby field at Equestrian Village at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. David Oberkircher (USA) and Upper, owned by Southfields Farm LLC, rose to the top of the $25,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix. In the $25,000 CP National Grand Prix, Martin Fuchs (SUI) and Cristo led the victory gallop. The hunters also had multiple classics across the rings of PBIEC to close out World Championship Hunter Rider week competition.
David Oberkircher and Upper. Photo © Sportfot.
The 2019 WEF continues with CSI 5* competition in week 7 on February 20-24, including the highlight “Saturday Night Lights” class, the $391,000 Grand Prix CSI 5*, along with other top hunter, jumper, and equitation competition.
Riding out on the beautiful grass derby field in the morning, some of the best up-and-coming show jumpers in the world competed for top grand prix honors. There were 43 entries in the class, with 13 of those going clear to advance to the jump-off.
The early pace-setter going third in the jump-off was 22-year-old Jennifer Gates (USA) on Oaks Redwood, owned by Evergate Stable LLC. They were efficient around the course, setting the time to beat at 37.72 seconds, which would hold up for third place.
Jennifer Gates on Oaks Redwood. Photo © Sportfot.
Gates has only ridden Oaks Redwood for a month, and this was their first jump-off together. When trainer Harrie Smolders wanted Gates to move up to the 1.45m this week at WEF, Gates said, “We thought it would be a good opportunity to test him out and see how he rode, and he was absolutely excellent so I’m really happy with him.”
Three horses later, lowering the time down to 35.86 seconds was 24-year-old Abigail McArdle (USA) riding Victorio Equine Group LLC’s Victorio 5. McArdle trains with Katie Prudent and works for Adam Prudent’s Plain Bay Sales.
Abigail McArdle and Victorio 5. Photo © Sportfot.
“I felt like I was on it,” McArdle admitted. “The one place where I took time was where David actually did one less [stride]. I think he did nine, and I did ten back on that. I wanted to be real sure on that. I think that’s where I lost it, but it was really close, and I think it was good competition.”
Five horses later, the winner entered the ring. With a neat turn back halfway through the course, Oberkircher and Upper sped through the finish timers in 35.70 seconds.
“[Upper] is a bit of a slow mover, so I knew I had to do all the leave outs in the jump-off,” said Oberkircher of his jump-off ride. “Just be as tight as possible. I knew Abby and Jen were both pretty fast, so I knew I couldn’t take my foot off the gas the whole way around. I think maybe in my turn back to 14, that black vertical, I really sliced it and he handled it well. But it was very close; I mean, milliseconds.”
David Oberkircher and Upper in their winning presentation with James Sardelli, Hermès Senior Equestrian Account Executive, and ringmaster Steve Rector. Photo © Sportfot.
Oberkircher, who has ridden Upper for a year and a half, moved the horse into the Under 25 series at the 2018 WEF. “He’s been great, and it’s been a great partnership. He’s a super brave horse,” he said.
It was the first FEI win ever for the 23-year-old Oberkircher, who is also in his second year competing in the Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix Series.
“I have a great team around me that’s supporting me, and I fly back and forth between Washington, D.C. and Florida to work during the week,” said Oberkircher, who is a financial analyst at Freddie Mack and trains with John Roche. “So to come down here and have all the hard work pay off is really great.”
Final Results: $25,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix
1 UPPER: 2008 Selle Francais gelding by Diamant de Semilly x Nadir de San Patrignano
DAVID OBERKIRCHER (USA), Southfields Farm LLC: 0/0/35.70
2 VICTORIO 5: 2006 Hanoverian stallion by Uccello x Graf Top
ABIGAIL MCARDLE (USA), Victorio Equine Group LLC: 0/0/35.86
3 OAKS REDWOOD: 2005 Warmblood gelding by ASB Conquistador x Verdi
JENNIFER GATES (USA), Evergate Stable LLC: 0/0/37.70
4 HH BEST BUY: 2007 Holsteiner mare by Baloubet du Rouet x San Patrignano Cassini
CLARA HALLUNDBAEK (DEN), Clara Hallundbaek: 0/0/37.72
5 BUKATO: 2006 KWPN by Ukato x Jasper
JACOB POPE (USA), Treesdale Farms: 0/0/37.81
6 DYNAMO: 2003 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Skippy II x Lys de Darmen
CLAIRE SCHREDER (USA), Ceahorse LLC: 0/0/38.01
7 ALETTA: 2005 KWPN mare by Sydney x Guidam
MARIA BRUGAL (DOM), Maria Brugal: 0/0/38.84
8 CHAPLIN W: 2007 KWPN gelding by Vermont x Indorado
YASMIN RIZVI (USA), Peacock Ridge LLC: 0/0/38.94
9 CHS KROOZE: 2010 Irish Sport Horse mare by Kroongraaf
DANIEL COYLE (IRL), Daniel Coyle: 0/4/34.48
10 H5 JEMOUSIN: 2009 BWP gelding by Vivaldi du Seigneur x Lipton
CARLOS HANK GUERREIRO (MEX), H5 Stables: 0/4/38.04
11 EL BERLIN: 2009 KWPN stallion by Berlin x Carambo
TATIANA ANDUJAR IGLESIAS (PUR), Tatiana Andujar Iglesias: 0/4/41.06
12 BALOUCENTO 2: 2005 Oldenburg gelding by Baloubet du Rouet x Cento
AILISH CUNNIFFE (USA), Whipstick Farm Ltd: 0/10/53.16
Martin Fuchs and Cristo Top $25,000 CP Grand Prix
Taking advantage of an opportunity to show on the grass derby field at Equestrian Village, the individual silver medalist at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 was able to speed to the lead of the class. Martin Fuchs (SUI) rode Jacques Bodenmuller’s Cristo to a blazing time of 33.733 seconds to win the $25,000 CP Grand Prix, the closing event of WEF 6.
Twenty-four entries went to task on the first round, and five went clear to contest the jump-off. Fuchs went first on Cristo, setting an unbeatable time.
Martin Fuchs and Cristo. Photo © Sportfot.
“I didn’t really like that I was first to go with him,” said Fuchs. “I would have preferred that my inexperienced horse was first to go so I could do a normal round with him, and then do a quick round with Cristo, to see how fast I had to go. Since I honestly really didn’t know the other riders in the jump-off, I just thought I didn’t want to be second, so I took the forward option, which was good, but now I ended up being quite a lot faster.”
Coming closest was Caelinn Leahy (IRL) on Steve Schaefer’s Dymendy. They finished in 36.206 seconds. Third place went to Hector Florentino (DOM) riding Venus, owned by Raylyn Farms Inc., in 37.330 seconds.
Knowing that Cristo would have the next two weeks off, Fuchs wanted the chance to show him, and the CP Grand Prix on the “amazing grass ring” was just the sort of class that fit into the schedule.
Fuchs has ridden Cristo for two and a half years, competing in up to three-star grand prix classes and usually the opening classes during the week in five-star competitions. “He has won at many, many good shows,” said Fuchs. “He’s so easy, a wonderful horse. He’s always fun, always the same. He’s very light on the leg, very light in the hand. He’s just uncomplicated, like a pony.”
Along with winning the CP Grand Prix, Cristo was named the Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award winner for week 7, presented by Laura Fetterman.
Martin Fuchs and Cristo in their winning presentation with Laura Fetterman of Champion Equine Insurance, who presented Cristo with the Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award, and ringmaster Steve Rector. Photo © Sportfot.
Final Results: $25,000 CP Grand Prix
1 CRISTO: 2007 Oldenburg gelding by Cristo x Stakkato
MARTIN FUCHS (SUI), Jacques Bodenmuller: 0/0/33.733
2 DYMENDY: 2008 KWPN mare by Quasimodo van den Molendreef x Julio Mariner
CAELINN LEAHY (IRL), Steve Schaefer: 0/0/36.206
3 VENUS: 2002 KWPN mare by Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Julius
HECTOR FLORENTINO (DOM), Raylyn Farms, Inc.: 0/0/37.330
4 SATOYAMA: 2006 Warmblood gelding
CARLOS QUINONES (ARG), Michelle Navarro-Grau: 0/0/38.758
5 FABERLYS: 2010 gelding by Cornet Obolensky
MARTIN FUCHS (SUI), SPCS: 0/12/38.252
6 EL PACHO: 2009 KWPN gelding by Cardento
PABLO MEJIA (COL), Pablo Mejia: 2/82.481
7 OUT OF IRELAND: 2006 Anglo European mare by Lougherne Connaught x Amiro M
LAURA CHAPOT (USA), The Edge & Laura Chapot: 4/73.142
8 A TOUTE VITESSE: 2010 KWPN gelding by Arthos R x Lancelot
PAIGE JARDINE (AUS), FJ Equine LLC: 4/74.547
9 MAGNUS ORFEO: 2005 Silla Argentino gelding by Magnus Orestus x Carjdor Z
MARY MANFREDI (USA), Mary Manfredi: 4/77.309
10 ZAMBIA MYSTIC ROSE: 2008 BH mare
JUAN MANUEL BOLANOS BARRIOS (ESA), RM Agronegocios Eireli: 4/77.5421
11 ILUSIONIST II: 2008 BWP gelding by Toulon
SHANNON CLIFFORD (CHI), Shannon Clifford: 4/79.439
12 ORSO DEL TERRICCIO: 2008 SI gelding by Indoctro x Can Can Del Terriccio
DIEGO PEREZ BILBAO (ESP), Victoria Vargas D’Agostino: 4/80.400
Final Day of Hunter Week Closes Out with Huge Wins for Coco Fath, Brenna Magness, and Hannah Hoch
The final day of WCHR Hunter Week at the 2019 Winter Equestrian Festival came to a close on Sunday, February 17, with top junior and amateur hunter riders returning for one final day of special competition. Well-braided horses and riders in shadbellies once again took to the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center as the day kicked off with the $5,000 Peggy Cone Memorial WCHR Adult Hunter Classic.
As one of the largest classes of Hunter Week, the classic saw more than 70 top hunter combinations contest for a chance to make the top-12 callback for the second round of competition. Coco Fath of Fairfield, CT, and Akinda were late in the order of go for the first round, but rocketed right to the top of the leaderboard with a top score of 89.00 points for their effort. While 11 of the class’s best-scoring riders returned before Fath to contest the second course, none could overcome Fath and the Hillside Farm LLC’s 13-year-old Warmblood mare. The team’s second round score of 81.00 points gave them a combined total of 170.00 points which was 2.5 points higher than second place winner Ava Lindsay and Fabricio 23.
Coco Fath and Akinda. Photo © Sportfot.
“To me the course looked really nice and simple enough, but it had some parts where there was room for error,” Fath explained. “My plan was just to keep her very calm and slow; because she is a mare she is sometimes a little bit fussy in the head, so I have to really focus on keeping her relaxed.”
Fath and Akinda have had a long partnership and were previously showing together in the competitive junior hunter divisions before Fath aged out of junior status.
“Around the same time I aged out, she was out of showing for a little while with a minor injury so I just hoped to have nice rounds, but I didn’t go out there expecting to win anything,” she continued. “Today could not have gone better, and it was amazing to be able to compete against this level of hunter horses and riders, especially here in the International Arena.”
The second and final class to be held in the International Arena on Sunday was the $5,000 WCHR Junior Classic 3’3” which was held as a california split format with 51 horse-and-rider combinations taking the field. This time, the top 24 pairs returned to the ring for a second test to decide the top 12 placings for both Section A and Section B. With scores of 86.00 and 85.5 combining to a total of 171.5, Brenna Magness of West Chester, PA, and Hey King entered the arena one last time to receive their ribbon as the winners of Section A.
Magness has been paired with the Redfield Farm’s seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding for the past six months and has been nothing but impressed with the young horse’s work ethic. “He’s amazing. I don’t even know how to describe how wonderful he is for his age,” she enthused. “I was completely shocked when they said I was winning after the first round and still am now.
Brenna Magness and Hey King. Photo © Sportfot.
“I really just wanted to have a nice, clean round and get around the course well since he is young and this is a huge ring,” Magness continued. “There were a couple of jumps that several of the very experienced horses were shying at that worried me, but I prepared myself for anything and he ended up handling it all incredibly well.”
Hannah Hoch of Whitefish Bay, WI, and Clear Sailing, a 12-year-old Warmblood mare, received the Section B top placing after accumulating scores of 85.5 and 85.00 for a total of 170.5 points. Hoch and the Hannah Hoch LLC’s mare were also champion earlier in the week of Section A in the Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 & Under division.
Hannah Hoch and Clear Sailing. Photo © Sportfot.
“I loved the course. It was very left lead-oriented and my mare prefers her left lead, so I think that was definitely an advantage for us,” Hoch commented. “She really loves her job, so I just focused on planning my track and maintaining my pace through the bending lines which are easy to get stuck in.”
Young riders were also given an opportunity to take home a classic win and prize money with the running of the NAL Children’s Classic 14 & Under as well as the NAL Children’s Classic 15-17. Pony riders donned their best hunter attire for the Children’s Large Pony Hunter Classic and the Children’s Small/Medium Pony Hunter Classic, as well as the Florida Classic for Small, Medium, and Large Pony Hunter divisions.
$2,500 NAL Children’s 14 & Under Classic
Tessa Downey, Hoopla
86, 88, 174
$2,500 NAL Children’s 15-17 Classic
Kertis, Rachel Momrow Darby
85, 88, 173
$2,500 Children’s Small/Medium Pony Hunter Classic
DRF Princess Peach, Allison Coleman
85, 84, 169
$2,500 Children’s Large Pony Hunter Classic
Stanmore’s New Hope, Alexandra Lynn Willner
78, 84, 162
$2,500 Florida Small Pony Classic
iParty, Alexa Anne Lignelli
86, 83, 169
$2,500 Florida Medium Pony Classic
Mind Your Step, Hannah Famulak
79, 87, 166
$2,500 Florida Large Pony Classic
Pokerface, Cecelia Perry
87, 88, 175
Hunter and jumper competition returns to PBIEC for week 7 on February 20-24.