Wellington, FL – November 26, 2012 – The South Florida Hunter Jumper Association (SFHJA) hosted their annual charity horse show on November 21-25 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL. The competition was held as a benefit for the A-T Children’s Project, Danny & Ron’s Rescue, Equestrian Aid Foundation, Horses & The Handicapped, and Pure Thoughts, Inc. Horse & Foal Rescue. A highlight for exhibitors was the Exhibitor’s Party, Auction, and Calcutta presented by A-T Children’s Project on Friday. The show wrapped up a great week of competition and featured many exciting classes.
Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra Triumph in $25,000 Spy Coast Farm Grand Prix
The $25,000 Spy Coast Farm Grand Prix was featured on Saturday, November 24, in the International Arena at PBIEC with a win for Pablo Barrios (VEN) and the ZL Group, Inc.’s Zara Leandra.
Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra
Pablo Gamboa set the course for Saturday night with 39 competitors. Only four entries cleared the first round without fault, and Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra had the only double clear round in the jump-off, as well as the fastest time in 37.737 seconds, to earn victory.
Richie Moloney (IRL) had one rail down in the jump-off in 39.539 seconds to finish in reserve aboard Equinimity LLC’s Carrabis Z. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Diktator Van De Boslandhoeve finished with eight faults in 38.666 seconds to earn third place honors. Kenneth Berkley (USA) and Ax-Cent, owned by Rivers Edge, had eight faults in 45.342 seconds to place fourth.
Pablo Barrios has had Zara Leandra, an eight-year-old KWPN mare by Metropole x Ahron, for less than a year. He started showing the mare in Kentucky this summer and recently finished fifth in the World Cup qualifier there in September.
“This is her first victory at the grand prix level and I am very pleased,” Pablo stated after his win Saturday night. “I think she is the best horse I have ever had. She is the horse that every rider wants to ride. She is very simple, she tries so hard. She has scope, technique, she is brave, careful. She has everything. She is so kind; she is kind in the trailer and the stall, she is easy to clip. She is a perfect horse and she is improving every time she goes in the ring, so I am very happy with her.”
Barrios went third in the jump-off out of four. Sweetnam and Berkley each had eight faults, but Richie Moloney was still to come. Commenting on his plan, Barrios detailed, “I didn’t know what to do, go for the second place or try to go fast, because even with one rail I would still be second since the first two had two rails down. I decided to go a little medium and put a little pressure on the last one to see if he would make a mistake and it worked.”
Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra with presenter Michael Delfiandra
Barrios has his sights set on the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with Zara Leandra, so he explained that he is moving her up gradually.
“I don’t want to rush her,” he stated. “I think she is a very special horse, so I am going to take my time. She is only eight. There is still next year. She is not quite ready to do the big stuff, but she improves every time she gets to the ring, so you never know with her. I know she is capable of doing everything.”
Final Results: $25,000 Spy Coast Farm Grand Prix
1. ZARA LEANDRA PABLO BARRIOS ZL GROUP, INC: 0/0/37.737
2. CARRABIS Z RICHIE MOLONEY EQUINIMITY LLC:0/4/39.539
3. DIKTATOR VAN DE BOSLANDHOEVE SHANE SWEETNAM SPY COAST FARM, LLC: 0/8 38.666
4. AX-CENT KENNETH BERKLEY RIVERS EDGE: 0/8/45.342
5. ORMSBY HILL LIZA FINSNESS LIZA FINSNESS: 2/83.334
6. ROUNDTHORN MADIOS LAUREN TISBO TEQUESTRIAN FARMS, LLC: 4/75.100
7. QUICK DU POTTIER SAMUEL PAROT ALANZO VALDEZ: 4/75.301
8. COMBINA NICOLE BELLISSIMO BELLISSIMO LLC: 4/75.381
9. ULTIMO HECTOR FLORENTINO STRANSKY’S MISSION FARMS, INC.: 4/75.518
10. G & C BLUE MARK BLUMAN GUSTAVO MIRABAL: 4/76.588
11. VALENTINO Z MICHAEL MURPHY PENELOPE STRAIT: 4/77.502
12. WHISPER H.E. SAMUEL PAROT SAMUEL PAROT: 4/77.829
Sweetnam Finishes One-Two in $10,000 Open Welcome Stake
On Friday afternoon, Shane Sweetnam took the first and second place honors in the $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, sponsored by Paul Tracy Farrier Services. Sweetnam and Sweet Oak Farm’s Solerina had the fastest of five double clear rounds in 30.890 seconds for the win. Sweetnam finished second aboard Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Eregast Van’t Kiezelhof in 33.026 seconds. Hector Florentino and Ultimo, owned by Stransky’s Mission Farms, Inc., finished third in 36.478 seconds.
Shane Sweetnam and class winner Solerina
Class winner Solerina is a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare by Cruising x Diamond Lad that Sweetnam started showing this summer. The pair has already had great success.
“I have had her since the middle of the summer and she has been really competitive,” Sweetnam noted. “She won in Kentucky, she won a class in Harrisburg and she placed in three classes in Washington, so she has been very consistent and I am very happy with her. She is very quick.”
Eregast is an eight-year-old Belgian Warmlood gelding by Thunder Van De Zuuthoeve x Latano that Sweetnam started riding last year.
Shane Sweetnam and Eregast Van’t Kiezelhof
“I spent all year developing him and just jumping and getting him fit at this level, so now for the circuit I am hoping he will push on,” Sweetnam explained. “He is a bit green. This is the first open welcome that I have done him in but he jumped well. He has a lot of potential; he just needs more mileage, so I was really happy with him.”
$10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Sponsored by Paul Tracy Farrier Services
1. SOLERINA SHANE SWEETNAM SWEET OAK FARM: 0/0/30.890
2. EREGAST VAN’T KIEZELHOF SHANE SWEETNAM SPY COAST FARM, LLC: 0/0/33.026
3. ULTIMO HECTOR FLORENTINO STRANSKY’S MISSION FARMS, INC: 0/0/36.478
4. MYSELF DE BREVE MARIE HECART NORMANDIE CONNECTION: 0/0/36.633
5. URAGUAY MARIO DESLAURIERS LISA DESLAURIERS: 0/0/42.412
6. RADIO CITY GEORGINA BLOOMBERG GOTHAM ENTERPRIZES: 0/4/31.964
7. AUDI’S ALLOUETTE VAN HET LAMBROECK MICHAEL MURPHY TEAM RAKOWSKY EQUESTRIAN LLC: 0/4/33.645
8. ORMSBY HILL LIZA FINSNESS LIZA FINSNESS: 0/4/36.881
9. AX-CENT KENNETH BERKLEY RIVERS EDGE: 0/4/41.493
10. ZOE II DARRAGH KENNY PARIS SELLON: 0/7/50.340
Daryl Portela and Winner Top$10,000 Equestrian Aid Foundation USHJA National Hunter Derby Classic
The $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby Classic, sponsored by Equestrian Aid Foundation and Linda Luster Studios featured two rounds of competition on Sunday with a win for Daryl Portela and James B. Pirtle Enterprises Inc.’s Winner. In a very close competition, Portela and Winner ended up tied with Holly Orlando and Biale’, owned by Catherine Nicholas, overall, but their second round score put them on top.
Portela and Winner scored an 86.5 and then a 92 for their 178.5 total and the win. Orlando and Biale’ scored a 90 and 88.5 for their 178.5 and second place honors. Kelley Farmer and David Glefke and Ken Garber’s Mythical finished third with a 178 point score. Orlando took fourth and fifth place honors as well, finishing fourth with Garber and Petersen Glefke’s Beyond Words (177) and fifth with Ken and Selma Garber’s Praise (176.5).
It was an emotional win for Portela whose father, James B. Pirtle, passed away recently.
“My father passed away a week and a half ago, so it has been hard,” Portela acknowledged. “He was a great supporter of the SFHJA and we are going to donate a memorial perpetual trophy to the show next year for this class, so it is really nice that I won it this year.”
Portela was without trainer Jimmy Torano on Sunday, but had help from Torano’s employee Jill Briggs.
“This is the first derby I have won with him,” Poretla noted. “Jimmy did two derbies in Vermont with him. They won the first one and were second in the final. I did him last year and got a ribbon, but this is my first derby win.”
Daryl Portela and Winner in their presentation
The pair also won the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3″ division for the week and Portela was named Best Amateur Rider.
“He has been great, we have been on a roll,” she smiled. “I had an incredible indoors and he was great this week. I know him really well, so I can just trust him and go for it. The handy round he was amazing. He is always good in the handy, so I can really show off.”
Final Results: $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby Classic Sponsored by Equestrian Aid Foundation and Linda Luster Studios
1. WINNER DARYL PORTELA JAMES B PIRTLE ENTERPRISES INC: 86.5, 92, 178.5
2. BIALE’ HOLLY ORLANDO CATHERINE NICHOLAS: 90, 88.5, 178.5
3. MYTHICAL KELLEY FARMER DAVID GLEFKE & KEN GARBER: 88, 90, 178
4. BEYOND WORDS HOLLY ORLANDO GARBER & PETERSEN GLEFKE: 92, 85, 177
5. PRAISE HOLLY ORLANDO KEN & SELMA GARBER: 87.5, 89, 176.5
6. KENNZO MOLLY ASHE KRISTEN ABBATIELLO-NEFF: 86, 88, 174
7. ON Q KELLEY FARMER CH FARM, LLC: 87.25, 84, 171.25
8. VOICE OF REASON HOLLY ORLANDO DAVID GLEFKE & M/M KEN GARBER: 89, 82, 177
9. PACINO MARY EUFEMIA KATHRYN A. MORRIS: 81.75, 86, 167.75 10. ACT OF VALOR KELLEY FARMER DAVID GLEFKE & KEN GARBER: 83, 81, 164
11. SUN LIGHT BRITAN BAILEY BAILEY MEWS, LLC: 82, 74, 156
12. BULL RUN’S KALEO KRISTEN VANDERVEEN BULL RUN JUMPERS LLC: 87, 43, 130
SFHJA Adult and Junior Medals Conclude With Wins for Wehle and Katz
The SFHJA Adult Amateur Hunt Seat Medal Final, sponsored by Fox Stone Farm, was held on Sunday with a win for April Wehle aboard All Seasons Farm’s Seraldo.
Twenty-four-year-old Wehle lives in Wellington and rides with Tiffany Morrissey at East Wind Farm. Seraldo is a horse that Wehle borrowed to ride from Ken and Emily Smith.
April Wehle and Seraldo with presenter Kathy Tessaro
“This was my first time showing or ever riding him,” she stated. “I got to show their son Spencer’s equitation horse at Capital Challenge a few weeks ago and was champion there. He just had done all of indoors with Spencer, so he is getting some downtime and so they let me ride this one.”
“I was expecting my jumping round to be a little different because I had never actually ridden him over a course, just single jumps warming up, but it was nice,” Wehle smiled. “He has such a nice, soft easy pace, but you can fit a stride in or leave one out. He was so handy and smooth throughout the entire thing.”
The riders jumped and tested on the flat in two combined rings with lots of space. Wehle commented, “It was so fun riding in the two rings and the natural jumps were really nice because they changed it up a bit and made it feel like more of a final instead of just a regular class.”
In the SFHJA Junior Hunt Seat Medal Final, sponsored by Carriage Hill, Jordyn Katz and Seth Vallhonrat’s Can Fly took top honors. Fifteen-year-old Katz is from Fort Lauderdale, FL, and also trains with Tiffany Morrissey. Katz has been leasing Can Fly for a year and her lease is coming to an end.
“He is the best horse. He is going back next week unfortunately, so it is a good ending,” she acknowledged.
Jordyn Katz and Can Fly with Kathy Tessaro
Commenting on her round and test, Katz explained, “I thought it felt really smooth and it was really consistent and nice. He was a really good boy. For the test, I have been practicing a lot on the flat at home, so it was pretty easy for me; kind of an everyday thing. He’s perfect at everything.”
Other Results:
$1,500 Low Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic – Charina and Julia Jenkins
$1,500 M&S Children’s/Adult Jumper Stake – and Skylar Rogalny
$500 NAL Children’s Hunter Classic – Hadfield’s Saddlery – Jouet and Katie Jacobs $5,000 Low Jr/AO Jumper Stake – Spezi and Spencer Smith
$7,500 James B. Pirtle High Jr/AO Jumper Stake – and Kaely Tomeu
$1,500 NAL Children’s Adult Jumper Classic – Mephisto and Hannah Patten
$5,000 Pony Hunter Classic – Sweet Oak Farm -Goldfish and Addison Piper
Best Child Rider on a Pony – Katie Jones
Best Child Rider on a Horse at 3’6″ – Victoria Colvin
Best Child Rider on a Horse at 3′ – Addison Piper
Best Amateur Rider – Daryl Portela
Sportsmanship Award – Candice King
For the Holiday Horse Show Series prize list and more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com.
Photo Credit: photos © ManciniPhotos, www.manciniphotos.com. These photos can be used only in relation to this press release and with photo credit.