Wellington, FL – March 17, 2022 – On Thursday, March 17, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, international competition continued during the week 10 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), sponsored by Horseware Ireland. WEF 10 boasts the fourth of five weeks of FEI four-star level sport. WEF offers 13 weeks of top international jumper competition as well as various nationally-rated hunter, jumper, and equitation divisions. Nick Dello Joio (USA) snagged the victory in the day’s featured event, the $75,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round X CSI4*, beating out seven other top pairings for the win aboard Cornet’s Cambridge.
A large field of 70 horse-and-rider combinations contested Michel Vaillancourt’s (CAN) first-round challenge with hopes of adding their names to the list compiled for the jump-off track. Darragh Kenny (IRL) proved the luck of the Irish was alive and well on this Saint Patrick’s Day as he and Volnay Du Boisdeville produced the first clear effort. Seventeen different nations vied for the top spot but the final battle came down to three Irishmen, three Americans, Beat Mändli as the lone representative for Switzerland, and Ben Maher as the solo contender for Great Britain.
Nick Dello Joio was one of three U.S. riders to return for the short track but his expert navigation over the course with The Berry Group LLC’s 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding Cornet’s Cambridge (Balou Du Reventon x Cambridge 8) proved to be enough to hold on to the lead. The duo laid down a fast and flawless performance, clocking in at 37.87 seconds which put them two seconds ahead of the closest challenger.
“He is not the type of horse that would ever catch your eye in a smaller class, but he is extremely intelligent and he knows when to kick it in to gear,” explained Dello Joio. “He’s naturally very careful so he makes it easy to get ahead of yourself. I have taken it slow with him since coming to Florida and wanted to build him up.
“Today’s course was difficult and a lot of the growing pains I have had with this horse have come from trying to do too much,” he continued. “He is so brave and careful that he really prefers it when the rider stays out of his way and doesn’t try to help him. I decided to just let him jump around how he was most comfortable today and clearly it paid off.”
The pairing was not originally in the cards for Dello Joio, but he happened across the gelding while trying other horses to purchase and pursued him, despite the fact that he was not currently listed for sale.
“I was trying horses in Switzerland and, when I was trying a different horse, saw him in the barn,” added Dello Joio. “I was told he wasn’t for sale, but I asked for a price anyway, and after several days of communicating I was able to try him. I took him off property when I went to try him the second time, and he just came alive. Between that experience, and his show record, I was sold. I had a good feeling about him, and he was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
While not at the top of the podium, Ireland still had a strong performance with Mark McAuley and Jasco VD Bisschop taking second place, while Jordan Coyle rode to third aboard Centriko Volo. McAuley chased Dello Joio’s time with SNC McAuley Equestrian’s 13-year-old BWP gelding (Dulf Van Den Bisschop x Verania) and produced the only other double-clear effort, but was not quite quick enough across the ground after landing with a time of 39.61 seconds. Coyle then put forth the fastest four-fault score with a time of 36.56 seconds on Celtic Park LLC’s 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Centadel x Chacco-Blue).
Daniel Coyle (IRL) and Ariel Grange’s Oak Grove’s Carlyle also appeared to have good fortune from their home nation on their side as they topped the $6,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.40m CSI4* out of 53 competitors. Coyle and the 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Casall x San Patrignano Corrado) rode to a fast 33.68 seconds to take the lead ahead of Alberto Michan’s time of 33.76 seconds.
Final Results: $75,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round X
1. CORNET’S CAMBRIDGE: 2012 OS gelding by Balou Du Reventon x Cambridge 8
NICHOLAS DELLO JOIO (USA), The Berry Group LLC: 0/0/37.87
2. JASCO VD BISSCHOP: 2009 BWP gelding by Dulf Van Den Bisschop x Verania
MARK MCAULEY (IRL), SNC McAuley Equestrian: 0/0/39.61
3. CENTRIKO VOLO: 2012 OS gelding by Centadel x Chacco-Blue
JORDAN COYLE (IRL), Celtic Park LLC: 0/4/36.56
4. GINGER-BLUE: 2011 KWPN mare by Plot Blue x Royal Bravour
BEN MAHER (GBR), Jane Forbes Clark: 0/4/37.94
5. SOUPER SHUTTLE: 2011 Hannoverian mare by Stakkato x La Zarras 2
CHLOE REID (USA), Live Oak Plantation LLC: 0/4/40.22
6. DSARIE: 2008 KWPN mare by Veron x Ahorn
BEAT MÄNDLI (SUI), Grand Road Partners GMBH: 0/4/42.28
7. VOLNAY DU BOISDEVILLE: 2009 Selle Francais stallion by Winningmood x Copacabana II
DARRAGH KENNY (IRL), Vlock Show Stables LLC: 0/8/37.54
8. GERKO: 2011 KWPN gelding by VDL Zirocco Blue x Chin Chin
DAISY FARISH (USA), Lanes End Showjumping: 0/20/46.71
9. LANDON: 2013 Zangersheide gelding Comilfo Plus Z x Quadrillo
KENT FARRINGTON (USA), Haity McNerney: 1/74.50
10. QUINTIN: 2010 KWPN gelding by Quaprice Bois Margot x Emilion
HYDE MOFFATT (CAN), Ariel Grange: 2/75.93
11. BONHOMME RICHARD: 2011 Selle Francais stallion by Catoki x Quaprice Bois Margot
ALISE OKEN (USA), Hi Hopes Farm, LLC: 3/76.64
12. AGANA VAN HET GERENDAL Z: 2011 Zangersheide stallion by Aganix Du Seigneur x Topas
LILLIE KEENAN (USA), Chansonette Farm LLC: 4/70.62
Jennifer Bauersachs and Genuine Are Grand in the TRM Green Hunter 3’ Division
Up-and-coming hunter talent took to the FarmVet Ring 7 early in the morning for the final few classes of the TRM Green Hunter 3’ division. Professional hunter rider Jennifer Bauersachs piloted Lee Kellogg Sadrian’s seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding Genuine (Diarado x Kampari W) to the lead position.
“We went looking for horses at the end of 2019, and we found him and were immediately sold,” explained Bauersachs. “He wasn’t spooky, he had a nice lead change, and he was well-balanced so he seemed like he would be very easy to get into the ring quickly.”
Bauersachs went on to add that unfortunate issues had forced the gelding to rest until the spring of 2021.
“We just were able to start riding him again in April or May of last year,” she continued. “I am very fortunate to have Sarah Lane working for me as she really took her time bringing him along and producing him. I only began jumping him in October and it seemed to go well, so once we got down to Florida we began really training and showing him. This is only his sixth competition ever.”
Despite his inexperience, the young star earned two fourth places, a third, and the top score in the Green Hunter 3’ Stake after producing a round worthy of 86 points.
“We are very fortunate that his owners are patient and let us do the right thing by him,” finished Bauersachs. “They understood he was a nice horse, so they allowed him the recovery time because they are of the belief that such quality horses are hard to find.”
Reserve champion honors went to Scott Stewart with Rivers Edge’s Northern Blue. The pair earned a first place ribbon and were right behind Bauersachs in the stake class with a score of 85.5 points.
All rings will resume scheduled classes on Friday, March 18, 2022, with highlight events including the $37,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m CSI4* and the finals for the five, six, and seven-year-old Developing Jumper Series divisions.