Wellington, FL – January 6, 2014 – Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) hosted its Holiday Finale horse show on January 1-5 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, with a full schedule of great competition. The show hosted a $10,000 Open Jumper Stake as well as the $25,000 Holiday Finale Grand Prix, featured under the lights on Saturday night.
Anthony D’Ambrosio, of Red Hook, NY, was the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC this week. He set the track for 44 entries in Saturday night’s $25,000 Holiday Finale Grand Prix for an exciting win for Frances Land (USA) aboard the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Vieanne (Andiamo x Voltaire). The pair had the fastest of three double clear rounds in the jump-off in 39.556 seconds. They beat out Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Mimosa, owned by Sweek Oak and Spy Coast Farms in their time of 41.195 seconds. Gabriela Mershad (USA) and Mershad Stables LLC’s Skara Glen’s Basel also cleared the short course and finished third with their time of 43.162 seconds. Roberto Teran (COL) and ARK Partners LLC’s Tam Tam Hero had the fastest round of the night in 39.521 seconds, but had one rail down to finish fourth.
Frances Land and Vieanne
Frances Land was beaming after her victory gallop and praised her horse on a great win. “She is the best. She has been so amazing,” Land smiled. “This whole year she has been the 1.45m queen. She loves it.”
The pair had an amazing 2013 season with wins in the $33,000 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m at Spruce Meadows this summer, the $50,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Series Championship Grand Prix in Kentucky in October, and the $45,000 EMO Grand Prix in Georgia as well as the $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic at ESP’s Holiday and Horses competition in November. Land noted that Vieanne really enjoyed showing under the lights at PBIEC this weekend and thrived off of the crowd cheering her on.
“It’s definitely different,” Land stated. “She is so careful that under the lights maybe she gets a little bit too careful, so I have to use a lot of leg, but now she loves it. She really likes the pressure and the atmosphere. It helps gets her pumped up, and I have been riding her for long enough now that people know the horse and they are all rooting for her.”
Commenting on Saturday’s course, Land noted, “It was hard, but Anthony is one of my favorite course designers. I liked it. He always gives you options, and he never does anything too stupid for the horses. He is never trying to trick or scare the horses, so if you have a good horse and you ride it well, then you have a chance. I really like that with him as a course designer. I think the course really suited my horse because the lines were a little bit forward, and she is always better like that.”
Frances Land and Vieanne in their winning presentation with ringmaster Gustavo Murcia
“Going into the jump-off, I knew Shane had been really fast, and him going first, he is always one that you have to chase,” Land said of her plan for the second round. “I went last, and my dad told me exactly what I had to do. She is so adjustable, she is so careful, she is so scopey, and she just does exactly what I ask. She is with me every step of the way, so it is pretty much all you can hope for.”
Land is currently in school at Emory University and rides on the weekends at her family’s farm in Georgia. She plans to return to Wellington during week two of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs January 15-19.
Final Results: $25,000 Holiday Finale Grand Prix
1. VIEANNE FRANCES LAND FRANCES LAND: 0/0/39.556
2. MIMOSA SHANE SWEETNAM SWEET OAK & SPY COAST FARMS: 0/0/41.195
3. SKARA GLEN’S BASEL GABRIELA MERSHAD MERSHAD STABLES LLC: 0/0/43.162
4. TAM TAM HERO ROBERTO TERAN ARK PARTNERS LLC: 0/4/39.521
5. ROUNDTHORN MADIOS LAUREN TISBO TEQUESTRIAN FARMS LLC: 0/4/42.531
6. S & L SLINGBACK ADRIENNE STERNLICHT ADRIENNE STERNLICHT: 3/88.764
7. GANGSTA ALEX GRANATO ALEX GRANATO: 4/81.928
8. CAFINO ALEXANDER ZETTERMAN ALEXANDER ZETTERMAN: 4/83.373
9. ATTACK II AMANDA DERBYSHIRE DAVID GOCHMAN: 4/83.431
10. VDL TORLANDO CALLAN SOLEM TORLANDO GROUP: 4/84.886
11. UNEX OMEGA STAR TIM GREDLEY UNEX COMPETITION YARD: 5/86.214
12. HAPPY Z WILHELM GENN WILHELM GENN: 5/86.828
Jumper Highlights
ESP’s Holiday Finale hosted a $10,000 Open Jumper Stake class on Thursday afternoon with a win for Danielle Goldstein and Israeli Equestrian Partners’ Carisma. Thirty-one entries showed with 14 clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Just five of those were able to jump double clear, and Goldstein had the fastest round of 37.618 seconds for the win.
Lorenzo De Luca and Neil Jones Equestrian’s Utopias finished second in 38.172 seconds. Lauren Tisbo was third and fourth, stopping the clock in 38.573 seconds aboard Roundthorn Madios and 39.131 seconds with Darcon Scheefkasteel Z, both horses owned by Tequestrian Farms LLC.
The $1,500 Tackeria NAL Child/Adult Jumper Classic was held on Friday with a win for Jacklynn Carey and Sher-Al Farm’s Lexa 22. Stephanie Ann Cook and Lionsway Farm’s Eastbound and Down finished second with Shanee Herskovitz and Divo in third.
Friday also featured a $1,500 Low Children’s Jumper Classic, with a win for Anderson F. Wagner aboard Thunderball. Carly Dvorkin and Joe Saltim Z placed second, and Charles Jacobs Jr. was third aboard CMJ Sporthorse LLC’s Elphaba. In the $1,500 Low Adult Jumper Classic, Christina Cohan was the winner aboard Susan Dixon’s Shamrock. Elizabeth Craven and Silverado finished second, and Jim Buchanan guided Ariane Stiegler’s Watkiekie to third place honors.
Saturday’s $1,500 M&S Children’s Jumper Classic saw a win for Alexandra Indeglia riding Hans, with Hana Bieling and Wonderland Farm LLC’s Rainbow Brite in second. Baily Martin and Contador finished third. In the $1,500 M&S Adult Jumper Classic, Jacklynn Carey and Lexa 22 earned another victory. Annie Gardner and Cassandra Z finished second, and Tracey Logan was third aboard Curb Appeal.
The $2,500 Equiline NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic was also held on Saturday, with a win for Stephanie Novas aboard Aretina M. Allyson Shryoc placed second aboard Cheval d’Espoir Z, and Stephanie Novas was also third riding Amyra R. Erin Haas and North Face Farm’s As Di Chupito were victorious in the $2,500 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, sponsored by Gold Coast Feed. Gabriella Mershad and Mershad Stables LLC’s Udonna placed second. Adrienne Sternlicht and Hathaway were third.
Hunter and Equitation Highlights
A full schedule of hunter and equitation classes was also held throughout the week. In the Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 division, Krista Weisman and Reality earned the championship with Bella Cramer and Emilio in reserve.
The #1 Education Place Junior Hunter 3’3” champion was Redfield Farm’s Playlist, ridden by Eliza Bienstock with Rockin La Bamba and Audrey Muscari in reserve. The #1 Education place Large Junior Hunter champion was Amanda Foard’s Julian, ridden by Ashton Alexander. Further Lane Farm LLC’s Stellar and Sophie Michaels finished in reserve. Ali Tritschler topped the #1 Education Place Small Junior Hunter division, earning the championship aboard Isabelle Mann’s Einstein and finishing in reserve aboard Elizabeth D’Loren’s Zapateada.
In the combined Performance Working Hunter 3’3” and 3’6” division, championship honors were awarded to Deborah Perkins’ Set To Music, ridden by Havens Schatt. There was a tie for reserve honors between Jane Olson Fisher’s Stoli with Stephen Heinecke in the irons as well as Lordano and owner/rider Lynn Seithel.
Kelley Farmer earned the Regular Conformation Hunter championship with Glefke and Kensel LLC’s Scripted with Zenfield Farm’s Garcia and Adam Ottomanelli in reserve. Ottomanelli and David Glefke’s Pen Name also tied with Zenfield Farm’s Next Page and Evan Colucci for championship honors in the Second Year/High Performance Working Hunters. Kelley Farmer and Glefke and Kensel LLC’s High Regard were reserve champions.
Mary Katherine Shaugnessy won the Pilates Rocks Low Adult Hunter championship riding Special K, owned by Shaughnessy’s Shamrock Ventures LLC. June Speisman’s Magic Hour and Jennifer Speisman finished in reserve. Shaugnessy was also reserve champion in the Low Working Hunters aboard Shaugnessy’s Shamrock Ventures LLC’s Whitecap with Michael Delfiandra and Karen Brook’s Arjuno topping the division.
In the equitation classes, Ashton Alexander and Donald Stewart’s Fernleigh won the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal presented by Randolph College as well as the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search. Ali Tritschler won the ASCPA Maclay class aboard Lauren Wessan’s Krunch, and Ailish Cunniffe won the WIHS Equitation Overall riding Venice. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival begins this Wednesday, January 8, and runs through March 30, 2014. The Mar-a-Lago Club is the title sponsor of week one competition as well as the presenting sponsor of the $30,000 Mar-a-Lago Club Grand Prix, which will be held on Sunday, January 12, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Another highlight of the week is the $75,000 Nespresso Battle of the Sexes, which starts the “Saturday Night Lights” series on Saturday, January 11, with gates opening at 6 p.m. For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com.
Photo Credit: Photos © ManciniPhotos, www.manciniphotos.com. These photos may only be used in relation to this press release and with full photo credit.