Wellington, FL – November 29, 2013 – Nineteen-year-old Frances Land (USA) and Vieanne were the winners in Friday’s $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic at Equestrian Sport Productions’ Holiday & Horses competition in Wellington, FL, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).
Holiday & Horses continues through Sunday, December 1, with the feature $50,000 Holiday & Horses CSI-W 2* Grand Prix on Saturday, November 30, at 5:30 p.m. Competition concludes on Sunday with the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby (12 p.m.) and $10,000 Open Stake 1.40m.
Anthony D’Ambrosio, of Red Hook, NY, is the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC this week. For Friday’s $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic, D’Ambrosio set the course for 38 entries with just four clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. First to go, Frances Land and Vieanne set a blazing fast pace of 35.09 seconds over the short course that could not be topped.
Ireland’s Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane gave it their best effort, but finished second with a time of 35.85 seconds. Karen Polle (USA) and With Wings were third with a clear jump-off round in 40.62 seconds. Last to go, Lauren Tisbo (USA) and Tequestrian Farms’ Darcon Scheefkasteel Z had eight faults in 41.11 seconds to place fourth.
Frances Land and Vieanne. Photo (c) Mancini Photos.
Class winners, Frances Land and Vieanne, have had an incredible year together since pairing up for the first time one week ago last year. Land and the 11-year-old KWPN mare (Andiamo x Voltaire) won the $33,000 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m at Spruce Meadows this summer, topped the $50,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Series Championship Grand Prix in Kentucky in October, and won the $45,000 EMO Grand Prix in Georgia just last week. Friday’s victory adds another great accomplishment to their season.
“She has just been on fire this year,” Land smiled after her win. “She has been the most amazing horse for me.”
First to go in the class and therefore first to jump-off, Land explained that her plan was go out with a bang. “I love going first,” she explained. “It is so easy because you can go in and you do your plan, and you don’t have time to get nervous. I just ride my horse the way she is. I like being first or last in a jump-off, and today, going first worked out really well.”
Although she put down a very fast time, Land was not sure if it would hold up. “Ronan is really fast. He is a brilliant rider and the horse is fast as anything, so I was a little nervous,” she acknowledged. “He almost caught me.”
Vieanne is a mare that takes a particular kind of ride, but Land has formed a fantastic partnership with the horse and knows exactly how to get her best effort in the show ring. “I’ve always ridden horses that are quieter and she has a lot of blood,” Land said. “She is a mare, and she is incredibly feisty. She has so much power and so much scope and really takes you, but wants a lot of leg off the ground. I always have to worry about the back rail of oxers. She will take care of the front rail. I have to constantly think about staying up with her so I don’t get jumped loose, so I can give her enough scope to clear the back rail. That has been so great because she is teaching me how to ride a horse with more scope. She has been amazing for my riding. She is teaching me everything.”
Land is currently a sophomore at Emory University in Georgia and will now head back to school. She plans to return to Florida for the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival this winter.
Frances Land and Vieanne in their winning presentation with ringmaster Gustavo Murcia and Luis Miguel Martinez of G&C Farm. Photo (c) Mancini Photos.
Equestrian Sport Productions’ Holiday & Horses competition will continue through December 1 with a full schedule of exciting competition. For the prize list and more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com. For full results, go to www.showgroundslive.com.
Final Results: $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic
1. VIEANNE: 2002 KWPN mare by Andiamo x Voltaire
FRANCES LAND (USA), Frances Land: 0/0/35.09
2. CAPALL ZIDANE: 2004 KWPN gelding by Concorde x Baloubet du Rouet
RONAN MCGUIGAN (IRL), Ronan McGuigan: 0/0/35.85
3. WITH WINGS: 2003 KWPN gelding by Larino x L. Ronald
KAREN POLLE (USA), Karen Polle: 0/0/40.62
4. DARCON SCHEEFKASTEEL Z: 2005 Zangersheide gelding by Darco x Contender
LAUREN TISBO (USA), Tequestrian Farms LLC: 0/8/41.11
5. Z CANTA: 2004 KWPN mare by Casantos x Abantos
CATHERINE PASMORE (USA), Pasmore Stables LLC: 1/79.93
6. CARMENA Z: 2000 Zangersheide stallion by Carthago Z x Irco Mena
SAER COULTER (USA), Copernicus Stables LLC: 4/72.69
7. SPLENDOR: 1999 KWPN gelding by Lester x Marinier
CHARLIE JAYNE (USA), Pony Lane Farm: 4/73.97
8. PLATINUM: 2005 Irish Sport Horse mare by Simply Javlin x Tremblant
KYLE TIMM (CAN), Apex Equestrian Center: 4/74.19
9. MAN IN BLACK: 2002 KWPN gelding by Gentleman x Calvados
JACK HARDIN TOWELL (USA), Jennifer Gates: 4/74.61
10. RECONNAISSANCE: 2005 Swedish Warmblood gelding by Camaro M x Irco Mena
LAUREN HOUGH (USA), Laura & Meredith Mateo: 4/74.65
11. GATSBY: 2004 Irish Sport Horse stallion by Simba x Cruise On
ANDREW BOURNS (IRL), Andrew Bourns: 4/74.75
12. TUXEDO: 2001 KWPN gelding by Gentleman x Hamilcar
TODD MINIKUS (USA), Legacy Stables, LLC: 4/75.05