Wellington, FL – January 18, 2018 – The second week of the 2018 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued on Thursday, January 18, with a win for Canadian Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze riding Chacco Kid in the $35,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round Two CSI 2* at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. WEF is a 12-week circuit of hunter, jumper, and equitation competition through April 1, 2018, and offers more than $9 million in prize money.

Week 2, sponsored by Marshall & Sterling Insurance, features the $70,000 Marshall & Sterling Insurance Grand Prix CSI 2* on Saturday, January 20, at 7 p.m. The $25,000 Hermès Under 25 Grand Prix and $35,000 Hollow Creek Farm 1.45m Classic will be held on Sunday, January 21.

From a field of 109 starters in the second round of the $35,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup, nine advanced to the jump-off over a track set by Mexican course designer Oscar Soberon. Lamaze and Chacco Kid, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Chacco Blue x Come On) owned by the Chacco Kid Group, stopped the jump-off clock at 34.68 seconds to clinch the victory by more than two seconds.

In a rare turn of events, second place was awarded in a three-way tie between Emanuele Camilli (ITA) aboard Emperio van’t Roosakker, Cian O’Connor (IRL) riding Under Fire du Lozon, and Paul O’Shea (IRL) on Imerald van’t Voorhof, who all crossed the timers with a time of 36.76 seconds.

Lamaze came to Wellington for the 2018 winter season after competing at CSI5* events in Paris, France, and Geneva, Switzerland, at the end of his 2017 competition year.

“I always start WEF with horses that I finished the season in Europe with,” said Lamaze, who has had the ride on Chacco Kid for two years. “I like to keep them going because I feel that they were on form for Paris and Geneva, then I arrive and I continue with those horses. So, I had a bit of an advantage because most of the horses here have been on a layoff and mine was coming off some big shows.”

Of Soberon’s track, Lamaze noted, “Well over a hundred started, over what I think was a brilliant course. To not have 25 in a jump-off is already an accomplishment, but I think his time allowed made the difference. It was a very technical course that had rails everywhere, so the course designer did a fantastic job on what I think is sometime the most difficult courses to build in the early weeks because you want everyone to have a good experience and you’re trying to build up the horses.”

Lamaze utilized Chacco Kid’s compact stride to navigate the technical course without faults, saying, “Some of the lines were a little steady for the big movers, but I did nine strides from one to two, which was forward for me. In this jump-off, I had an advantage and I took a short turn to the double where I could really trust him, so I think that made the difference.”

Additional jumper results from Thursday include:

$8,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m Jumpers – Out of Ireland, ridden by Laura Chapot (USA) and owned by The Edge

$6,000 Bainbridge 1.40m Jumpers – Fanta Light B, ridden by Abigail McArdle (USA) and owned by Plain Bay Sales

$2,500 The Crown Family 1.35m Jumpers – Emilia, ridden and owned by Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) and owned by Pine Hollow Farm

$2,000 Rushy Marsh Farm 1.30m Jumpers – Chaccadella, ridden by Abigail McArdle (USA) and owned by Plain Bay Sales

Elizabeth Boyd and S & L Just A Cobbler Top WEF 2 Equine Tack Green Hunter 3’9” Division

The second Thursday of WEF 2018 featured a highlight championship win by Elizabeth Boyd of Camden, SC, aboard S & L Just A Cobbler, owned by S & L Farms, in the Green Hunter 3’9” division. The duo captured a first, two seconds, and a fourth over fences with a seventh in the under saddle. S & L Just A Cobbler is an 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.

“He’s an old-fashioned thoroughbred type of horse,” commented Boyd. “You can just loop the reins, and he stays light all the way around.”

Thursday’s Green Hunter 3’9” division marked Cobbler’s first time doing the second-year height, and Boyd complimented the young gelding’s progress and calm demeanor.

“He is super brave. The main thing is keeping him happy. I have been trail riding him a lot and showing him in the ticketed warm-ups to get to know him,” said Boyd.

“Sam Edelman owns him, and they have done an excellent job bringing the horse along through the ranks. It is a lot of fun to ride a horse that has gone through the [Green Hunter] Incentive Program.”

The USHJA Green Hunter Incentive Program, formerly Pre-Green Incentive Program, is a program designed to encourage the development of green horses. Boyd commented that the new 3’6”/3’9” Incentive Program is a great addition to the Pre-Green Incentive Program and the USHJA Derby Championship, which she is looking forward to partaking in later in 2018. However, in the more immediate future, Boyd is aiming to do the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the fourth week of WEF.

“It’s a nice goal to have,” said Boyd. “It is definitely something we are looking forward to!”

Maria Rasmussen claimed the reserve champion title aboard With Honors, a 9-year old chestnut gelding, owned by Corporate Way LLC.

The second week of WEF continues on Friday, January 19, with the $6,000 Bainbridge 1.40m Jumpers and the Young Hunter 3’6” division.

Final Results: $35,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round Two
1   CHACCO KID: 2006 Oldenburg gelding by Chacco-Blue x Come On
ERIC LAMAZE (CAN), Chacco Kid Group: 0/0/34.68

2=  UNDER FIRE DU LOZAN: 2008 Selle Francais gelding by Flipper d’Elle x Eyken des Fontenis
CIAN O’CONNOR (IRL), Ronnoco Jump Ltd.: 0/0/36.76

2=  EMPERIO VAN’T ROOSAKKER: 2004 BWP gelding by Nabab de Reve x Chin Chin
EMANUELE CAMILLI (ITA), Alexandra Crown: 0/0/36.76

2=  IMERALD VAN’T VOORHOF: 2008 BWP gelding by Emerald Van’t Ruytershof x Bacardi-Orange de Muze
PAUL O’SHEA (IRL), Tequestrian Farms LLC: 0/0/36.76

5   DICAS: 2009 Rheinlander gelding by Diarado x Cassini I            
MARGIE ENGLE (USA), Storm Ridge Capital LLC, Show Horses, Garber & Gladewinds
Partners LLC: 0/0/36.84

6 EXPLOSION W: 2009 KWPN gelding by Chacco Blue x Baloubet du Rouet
EMILY MASON (GBR), Poden Farms: 0/0/37.12

7 BARNETTA: 2004 Westphalian gelding by Baloubet du Rouet x Polydor
SHARN WORDLEY (NZL), Sky Group: 0/0/39.65

8   TNT EXPLOSIVE: 2007 Hanoverian gelding by Tinka’s Boy x Calypso II
CHLOE REID (USA), Live Oak Plantation LLC: 0/4/38.90

9   708 GENTILLE: 2006 BWP mare by Heartbreaker x Kannan
KAELY TOMEU (USA), Siboney Ranch: 0/EL

10  GALAN S: 2006 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Indoctro x Calypso d’Herbiers
BEAT MÄNDLI (SUI), Grant Road Partners LLC: 1/72.30                    

11  BUGATTI: 2006 KWPN gelding by Heartbreaker x Pilot
WILHELM GENN (GER), Eduardo Leon: 1/72.47                    

12  HAPPY WANDOR VAN’T ROOSAKKER: 2007 BWP stallion by Wander van de Mispalaere x V Cento
CARLOS RAMIREZ (COL), Carlos Ramirez: 1/72.50      

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