For Immediate Release
Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Wellington, FL – April 3, 2022 – The final day of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) concluded 13 weeks of competition on Sunday, April 3, with the last international jumper class of the circuit on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village as well as the closing classes across all divisions at Wellington International. Kelli Cruciotti Vanderveen (USA) emerged as the last international victor as she and Forever SFN won the $50,000 CabanaCoast Grand Prix CSI2*.
Guilherme Jorge (BRA) built one final challenging effort for the 45 two-star competitors in the class. He tested the entries with an early triple combination, but the efficient time allowed of 74 seconds was only the deciding factor for two duos. Thirteen more had their hopes dashed with the fault of a single downed obstacle. As the first round concluded, the returning line-up consisted of 11 representatives from four different nations prepared to battle it out over the jump-off track.
Crucioitti Vanderveen was the second to return for the short course and established the first clear round over the track with Springpaarden Fonds Nederland’s 12-year-old KWPN gelding Forever SFN (Azteca VDL x Non Stop) in a time of 38.18 seconds. Five other horses would go clear over the track, but none would come close to the leader’s blazing time.
“I don’t know this horse very well as this is only our fifth class together,” explained Cruciotti Vanderveen. “When I walked the course, I thought it was quite technical, and I knew the time allowed would be tight based on Friday’s qualifier. I thought the first round actually rode quite well, and then I just stuck to the plan I had made for the jump-off. I think where we ended up having the better time was our approach down to the final fence. I’m not sure how many strides I ended up doing but it felt quite fast.”
Cruciotti Vanderveen admitted the win was extra special for her after having to take a hiatus from international competition due to the retirement of her previous top mount.
“It is really special for me not only to be showing at WEF in FEI classes again but also to be able to win here at the end of the season,” added Cruciotti Vanderveen. “It’s hard to put into words how incredible this moment is, and I feel grateful to ride alongside such amazing combinations every day.”
Fabio Leivas Da Costa (BRA) and Bonne Chance Farm LLC’s Ilex put in another top effort to take second place in the class. Da Costa skillfully navigated the nine-year-old KWPN gelding (Baltic VDL x Chin Chin) through each obstacle but fell still two seconds shy of Cruciotti Vanderveen’s top time to finish in 40.14 seconds. The USA landed in both the first and third positions as Katherine Dinan galloped into third place with Dijon Terdoorn Z. Dinan piloted the Grant Road Partners LLC’s 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Diamant De Semilly x Lord Z) to a final time of 40.19 seconds just behind Da Costa.
Final Results: $50,000 CabanaCoast Grand Prix CSI2*
1. FOREVER SFN: 2010 KWPN gelding by Azteca VDL x Non Stop
KELLI CRUCIOTTI VANDERVEEN (USA), Springpaarden Fonds Nederland: 0/0/38.18
2. ILEX: 2013 KWPN gelding by Baltic VDL x Chin Chin
FABIO LEIVAS DA COSTA (BRA), Bonne Chance Farm LLC: 0/0/40.14
3. DIJON TERDOORN Z: 2011 Zangersheide gelding by Diamant De Semilly x Lord Z
KATHERINE DINAN (USA), Grant Road Partners LLC: 0/0/40.19
4. IMPOSSIBLE DREAM: 2013 KWPN gelding by Cardento 933 x Peter Pan
KELLY ARANI (USA), Marigot Bay Farm, LLC: 0/0/40.99
5. TAJ MAHAL: 2013 Zangersheide stallion by Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Quannan R
CIAN O’CONNOR (IRL), Coolmore Show Jumping: 0/0/41.37
6. LAZZARO DELLE SCHIAVE: 2009 Italian Sport Horse gelding by Acodetto 2 x Gluecksgriff
TOM WACHMAN (IRL), Coolmore Show Jumping: 0/4/38.39
7. LADY LOUISE JMEN: 2010 mare
LUCIANA CHRISTINA GUIMARAES LOSSIO (BRA), Luciana Guimaraes Lossio: 0/4/38.75
8. IDEAL: 2012 Swedish Warmblood gelding by Cardento 933 x Cortez
TANNER KOROTKIN (USA), Castlewood Farm Inc and Sandalwood Farm: 0/4/40.37
9. COQUELICOT VH HEUVELLAND Z: 2012 Zangersheide stallion by Catoki x Cassini II
SEAN JOBIN (CAN), Foxridge Farms Stables: 0/4/41.02
10. ELCO VAN HOF TER NAILLEN: 2010 SBS gelding by Elvis Ter Putte x Toulon
SARA TINDALE (CAN), Tindale Farms: 0/4/42.47
11. SUPER CHILLED: 2008 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Gelvin Clover
JONATHAN CORRIGAN (IRL), Debra Wycoff: 0/70.53
12. IKIGAI: 2013 KWPN stallion by Elvis Ter Putte x Iroko
ALEX MATZ (USA), 5 Star Partners: 1/74.01
Nicola Philippaerts Closes Out WEF With Victory
The final class in the International Arena was the $50,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m National Grand Prix. With 51 entries in a starting order stacked with six Olympians and riders from 13 countries, course designer Ken Krome (USA) had his work cut out for him. He set a formidable test that only brought back six for the jump-off. Rising to the top of the class was Belgian Olympian Nicola Philippaerts riding his own Gijs.
Philippaerts came back third in the jump-off, chasing a time of 44.446 seconds set by Darragh Kerins (IRL) and Intuitive, owned by Eve Jobs, which would hold up for third place. Philippaerts and Gijs brought the winning time down to 41.421 seconds. Second place went to 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games individual gold medalist Ben Maher, who rode Point Break, owned by Maher, Pamela Wright, and Charlotte Rossetter, to a clear round in 43.344 seconds.
“He has a very good personality, and he doesn’t act like a stallion at all,” said Philippaerts of the 11-year-old KWPN stallion by Kashmir van Schuttershof x Numero Uno. “He always wants to give the best of himself. I think he has a fantastic character. You can see today that he’s very quick for a big horse, and he has a lot of blood for a big horse.”
This is Philippaerts’s second season showing at WEF, and he has plans to return in 2023. “It’s been very good for us the last two years both sales wise and with our results,” he said. “This year I had a very good circuit. My top horse jumped very well. I think for sure for next year there will be quite a big future here as well. It will be exciting to see what’s going to happen and what the plans are, and I will be happy to come back. It’s a nice place to be for a few months, and it’s nice for me as a European to ride against different people and be amongst a bit of a different crowd here. It’s been good for me, so I really want to come back.”
Regarding his win in the final day of WEF, he remarked, “The grands prix are quite difficult enough classes here. In the jump-off there are always a lot of good riders, so it’s always nice to win a class like this before you go back home.”
Final Results: $50,000 CaptiveOne 1.50m National Grand Prix
1. GIJS: 2011 KWPN stallion by Kashmir van Schuttershof x Numero Uno
NICOLA PHILIPPAERTS (BEL), Nicola Phippaerts: 0/0/41.421
2. POINT BREAK: 2014 Swedish Warmblood gelding by Action-Breaker x Balou du Rouet
BEN MAHER (GBR), P. Wright, C. Rossetter, & Ben Maher: 0/0/43.334
3. INTUITIVE: 2011 Irish Spork Horse gelding by Beach Ball
DARRAGH KERINS (IRL), Eve Jobs: 0/0/44.446
4. EMMYLOU: 2012 Irish Sport Horse mare by Billy Mexico x Lupin Z
BERTRAM ALLEN (IRL), Bertram Allen: 0/4/41.781
5. CELINA BH: 2010 Holstein mare by Canstakko x Carthago Z
MIMI GOCHMAN (USA), Gochman Sport Horses LLC: 0/4/42.921
6. GIGI’S GIRL BH: 2008 KWPN mare by Vigino x Celano
MIMI GOCHMAN (USA), Gochman Sport Horses LLC: 0/4/44.309
7. FARO: 2010 KWPN gelding by Calvaro F.C. x Contendro II
MCLAIN WARD (USA), Temple Equestrian LLC: 1/74.906
8. CATOKI: 2009 Westphalian gelding by Catoki x Caretello B
MCLAIN WARD (USA), Marilla van Beuren, Bob Russell, & McLain Ward: 4/69.428
9. FLEUR-DE-LIS’ CHERIE: 2012 Holsteiner mare by Clarimo x Lancer II
JAD DANA (LBN), Peter Howard & Laure Sudreau: 4/71.818
10. CHANDON BLUE: 2005 Oldenburg gelding by Chacco-Blue x Landcapitol
LAURA CHAPOT (USA), Laura & Mary Chapot: 4/72.060
11. BOUNTIFUL: 2011 KWPN mare by Ukato x Argentinus
GRACE C BUSCH (USA), Grace C Busch: 4/72.777
12. FLOTYLLA: 2011 Polish Sport Horse mare by Alvaro 121 x Bajou du Rouet
CATHLEEN DRISCOLL (USA), Donald Stewart: 4/73.072
Herzog Cashes In With Bitcoin in Small Green Pony Hunters
Ring 11 on “Pony Island” started with the Small Green Pony Hunter division on the final day of WEF. Lilly Herzog of Cleveland, Ohio, piloted Bitcoin to wins under saddle and over fences with a score of 87, to just edge out J.J. Torano and Reagan Jarrett’s Role Model for the championship title.
“He’s so cool, and he’s really fun to ride. He’s just so smooth, and he has such a consistent rhythm,” Herzog said of the seven-year-old Welsh Pony gelding.
At 12 years old, Herzog is in her final year of eligibility for the Small division. She hasn’t shown in the Smalls for a couple years but came to Wellington this season hoping for one last opportunity. Herzog’s trainer, Amanda Lyerly, knew Bitcoin’s owner, Vivianne Kassin, and helped set up the catch ride for Herzog.
“We got to the barn to meet Bitcoin, and I knew we were looking for a grey pony, but we didn’t really know what that entailed exactly, because there’s different kinds of grey ponies,” Herzog recalled. “Then ‘Colby’ walked in, and I was just like, ‘Whoa, that’s a really pretty pony!’ and when they said, ‘Oh, he’s for you!’ I was really excited.”
The plan was for Herzog to give Colby experience in the ring, so Kassin’s daughter, Katherine Babun, could start to take over the ride toward the end of the season. In this final week of WEF, Babun showed Colby for the first time in the Small Pony Hunter division.
“Katherine went in the ring yesterday, and just seeing all the work that she’s done, and I’ve done, and even that Colby has done, pay off is really cool,” reflected Herzog.
Even though Herzog has been showing Colby in the Green division, she explained that he’s not your typical green pony. He’s not spooky and doesn’t miss any lead changes, so their biggest concern is that his unfamiliarity with the horse show rhythm leads to impromptu bathroom breaks.
“We found these Tummy Gummies that Equine Elixirs makes, and they help a lot,” Herzog said with a laugh.
It’s just one facet of the small up-and-coming star’s enormous personality.
“He’s very much a character. He’s so good in the ring, but on the ground he’s hysterical,” described Herzog. “In the barn he’s definitely the alpha, and he’s kind of mean to the other horses around his stall, but in a funny way. On the ground he’s pushy, but very sweet.”
She continued, “He definitely likes peppermints. He works for the peppermints, so every time he comes out of the ring, he’s searching for them.”
Herzog is transitioning to riding mostly horses now, competing in the 3’3” Junior Hunters as well as the 3’ and 3’3” junior equitation classes. Even so, her season with Bitcoin has been a highlight, finishing as Reserve Circuit Champion.
“I didn’t really think coming into this circuit that I was going to have a small to finish off my last year in the division. Just to go out with my last year being so great in the smalls is awesome. It feels great to go out with a bang,” expressed Herzog.
With the final day of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival at Wellington International coming to a close, Equestrian Sport Productions would like to thank everyone involved with the show for another incredible, successful season. Mark your calendar for the return of WEF on January 4-April 2, 2023.