Wellington, FL – February 15, 2013 – Nineteen-year-old Katie Dinan and her brand new horse Glory Days were victorious in Friday night’s $15,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix, presented by Dutta Corporation in association with Guido Klatte, during week six of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). In a nine-horse jump-off, Dinan and Glory Days won over Wilton Porter aboard Radio City and Adam Prudent riding Jack Daniels.
Week six, sponsored by Spy Coast Farm, will run February 13-17. The week will feature two more world ranking classes, including the highlight $125,000 FEI World Cup™ Qualifier CSI 3*-W Grand Prix, presented by Spy Coast Farm, on Saturday, February 16, and the $33,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday, February 17.
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Watch an interview with Katie Dinan!
Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge set the course for Friday night’s young rider class. Forty-eight entries showed over the first round course and nine jumped clear to advance to the jump-off. With the fastest time of 29.474 seconds, Katie Dinan and Grant Road Partners, LLC’s Glory Days came out on top for an exciting victory under the lights.
Wilton Porter and Radio City, owned by Gotham Enterprizes, LLC, finished second with a clear round in 31.085 seconds. Adam Prudent and Plain Bay Sales’ Jack Daniels were third in 31.366 seconds, also without fault over the short course. The fastest four-fault jump-off round belonged to Chloe Reid and Damascus with one rail down in a time of 29.874 seconds to place fourth.
Katie Dinan and Glory Days. Photo © Sportfot.
Glory Days is a twelve-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding by Cardento 933 x Diamond Serpent, home bred and ridden his whole life by Swedish rider Daniel Zetterman. The Dinan Family recently purchased ‘Glory’ as a new mount for Katie just a few weeks ago and she is now getting to know him. Friday’s class was a perfect opportunity for the pair to show in the impressive atmosphere of the International Arena at night, under the lights, and gain some valuable experience together.
“I think I still have a lot to learn, but it was really exciting to win here tonight,” Dinan stated. “I could not be happier with him. It is nice because his former rider, Daniel Zetterman, was here tonight and he has been a huge part of the team the last few weeks. He has been giving me pointers the whole time, so I really appreciate that. The horse has only had one rider his entire life, so obviously I want to learn as much as I can from him because he knows the horse inside and out.”
“Sometimes it takes longer with some horses to get to know them and other times it doesn’t take as long,” Dinan noted. “So far he has felt great. I have to just keep up and keep on learning about him and I am excited about our future together.”
Describing Glory Days’ style, Dinan detailed, “I really like riding him because he definitely carries his own engine, but he is also very adjustable. I can be just nice and soft. I like horses that have their own pace so I don’t have to create so much and I can just ride them smoothly and work on what I am doing. He jumps amazingly well. He is super careful and it is just a question of learning how to be as smooth as possible. He definitely has a little bit of an up and down canter, so I am still getting used to that.”
Dinan has shown in the Artisan Farms Young Rider Series since its inception and values the experience.
“I think it is a great series,” she acknowledged. “For me, with a new horse, it was a great thing for us to do. It definitely feels like a great event to go on Friday night with a huge class. Most of the people in here had great rounds tonight and it is nice to see how competitive this division is. I have done these classes all three years and obviously I have gotten more experience as a rider, but all three years they have been something great for me to do. It is also really nice because I have known the Ziegler family for a long time and to win a class that they sponsored and have Mrs. Ziegler present was really exciting for me.”
Dinan also had her whole family in town to watch her win and was excited for them to see her success with her new horse.
Katie Dinan and Glory Days in their winning presentation with ringmaster Cliff Haines, Carlene Ziegler, Tim Dutta, and Guido Klatte. Photo © Sportfot.
Also showing in the International Arena on Friday, McLain Ward and Tequestrian Farms, LLC’s Coco 135 topped the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class and Darragh Kenny and Derbypie LLC’s Delilah won the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off. Meagan Nusz and Amalaya Investments’ Vesuvius were victorious in the RCG Farm High Amateur-Owner Jumpers and Lauren Tyree and Audi’s Top Secret, owned by Missy Clark, won in the Griffis Residential High Junior Jumpers, both competing in their power and speed classes.
Eugenio Garza of Mexico won the “Best Turnout Award” at the jog for this week’s Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix.
Finals Results: $15,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix
1. GLORY DAYS KATHERINE DINAN GRANT ROAD PARTNERS, LLC: 0/0/29.474
2. RADIO CITY WILTON PORTER GOTHAM ENTERPRIZES, LLC: 0/0/31.085
3. JACK DANIELS ADAM PRUDENT PLAIN BAY SALES: 0/0/31.366
4. DAMASCUS CHLOE REID CHLOE D. REID, LLC: 0/4/29.874
5. ARBITRAGE ALEXANDER ZETTERMAN ALEXANDER ZETTERMAN: 0/4/31.023
6. EARLY MORNING SAMANTHA SENFT SAMANTHA SENFT: 0/4/31.809
7. SHALIMAR DAVID BLAKE PINE HOLLOW FARM: 0/8/31.399
8. VOSQINUS MATTIAS TROMP BEYAERT FARM, INC: 0/12/35.186
9. BABBE VAN’T ROOSAKKER NICLAS HOFMANN TRELAWNY FARM, LLC: 0/30/57.106
10. WISH JESSICA SPRINGSTEEN STONE HILL FARM: 4/76.851
11. WINDE KALVIN DOBBS TREESDALE FARMS: 4 /77.040
12. LORD SPEZI SPENCER SMITH ASHLAND FARMS & STADIUM SPORTHORSE: 4/77.155
Condor Flies to Adult Amateur Hunter 18-35 Section A Championship with Tracey Mack-Gorin
It may only be his third show on American soil, but Condor is settling in nicely at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Tracey Mack-Gorin piloted Stepping Stone Farm’s five-year-old Warmblood gelding to championship honors in the Adult Amateur Hunter 18-35 Section A division during week six of the FTI WEF.
Condor has also competed in Pre-Green and Performance Hunter divisions with Christine Kear in the irons, but appears to be hitting his stride this week with Mack-Gorin as he clinched tricolor honors with a near-perfect performance in the Adult Amateur division. The pair finished first and fifth over fences during day one of competition for the division, followed by two more blue ribbon finishes over fences day two, and fifth place under saddle.
Reserve champion was Artie, ridden by Jean Sheptoff and owned by Patricia Moss. Sheptoff and Artie were first and second over fences day one and third in both over fences classes day two. The pair wrapped up day two with a third place ribbon under saddle.
Condor and Tracey Mack-Gorin. Photo © Anne Gittins Photography.
Mack-Gorin has had little time to get to know Condor, who made his American showing debut during week one of the FTI WEF, but Mack-Gorin is already enamored with the gelding. “I just rode him for the first time last week and he’s just really fun,” Mack-Gorin smiled.
Condor’s exceptional temperament both under saddle and on the ground is what Mack-Gorin enjoys most about her mount. “He has a great temperament, so even if I make a mistake, he’s very tolerant of that. He’s also so comfortable and even [under saddle],” Mack-Gorin described. “[In the barn], he’s so friendly and snuggly. He loves to be cozy with you!”
Despite his young age and relative inexperience, Condor was not rattled by the monsoon-like weather conditions during day one of the division. “He was great! He didn’t like it much on his nose, but for his first time showing in the rain, he was really, really good,” Mack-Gorin described.
Mack-Gorin attributes Condor’s success to his picture-perfect, yet extremely rideable, jumping style. “He’s got a really easy jump, but he jumps very well at the same time. He’s very comfortable yet gives a really nice jump. I think he’ll be a really good horse,” she commented.
Mack-Gorin also complimented course designer Scott Starns’ well-planned layout. “The courses were great both days. I love being in the Rost Arena because you have a little bit more space than some of the smaller hunter arenas. It’s much easier to turn,” Mack-Gorin concluded.
Week six of the FTI WEF continues Saturday when the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division, also hosted in the Rost Arena, names its champion. The $125,000 FEI World Cup™ Qualifier CSI 3*-W Grand Prix, presented by Spy Coast Farm, will be featured in the International Arena at 7 p.m. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
Photo Credit: Photos © Sportfot, An Official Photographer of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, us.sportfot.com, and Anne Gittins Photography, An Official Photographer of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, www.annegittins.com. These photos may be used only in relation to this press release and must include photo credit.