Wellington, FL – October 31, 2012 – Equestrian Sport Productions, the management company of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), hosted its ESP Fall III Horse Show this weekend on October 26-28, 2012. Competing in the International Arena at the beautiful Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, Todd Minikus and Macoemba were the winners of the $25,000 ESP Fall III Grand Prix on Sunday, October 28.
The ESP Fall III Horse Show hosted “A” rated hunter and 3-star jumper competition all weekend. Competition featured the $25,000 grand prix as well as a $10,000 Open Jumper Stake class on Friday, October 26.
In Sunday’s Grand Prix, 24 horse and rider combinations jumped the course with only two clear rounds. Todd Minikus and Macoemba went sixth in the original order and were the first pair to clear the course. Hayden Morresey and Filip Amram’s L.B. Stanislaus were last to go and completed the only other clear round to make it a jump-off.
Minikus and Macoemba went double clear over the short course in 36.73 seconds for the win. Morresey and L.B. Stanislaus had one rail down in 38.57 seconds to finish in second place. Sharn Wordley and Corino had two time faults in the first round to keep them out of the jump-off, but finished third. Jared Petersen had three time faults in round one to finish fourth aboard Derek Petersen’s Titus 2:11. Lauren Tisbo and Tequestrian Farms LLC’s La Centa completed the fastest four-fault round to place fifth.
Class winner Macoemba is a nine-year-old KWPN gelding by Zeoliet that Minikus started showing this summer. “We had some nice success and then some growing pains,” Minikus admitted. “Yesterday he went quite nice; I was really, really pleased with the way he went.”
Todd Minikus and Macoemba. Photo © ManciniPhotos.
“He is an extra green nine-year-old,” Minikus detailed. “He is a big, powerful horse. He is not a little, quick horse. He is a bigger, slower type and he comes with great power. He is not really my normal type, but he seems to be figuring some stuff out.”
“I think he has the potential to be a good grand prix horse,” Minikus added. “He definitely has the scope to do all of the bigger classes; we just have to get his confidence where it needs to be and his rideability where it needs to be.”
Commenting on the course, Minikus noted, “The course didn’t seem to be that tricky looking when we walked, but there were 24 starters in the class and it was tricky enough because there were not many clears.”
Minikus is a Loxahatchee, FL, resident and appreciates the level of horse shows that are held throughout the year in Wellington. He does not have to travel far to compete at a world-class facility.
“There are plenty of horse shows going on down here,” Minikus stated. “The weather could not be better, to tell you the truth, and so it is nice being able to come down here and get some green horses in the ring before the winter circuit starts.”
ESP Fall III Jumper Highlights
The $10,000 Open Jumper Welcome Stake kicked off the show on Friday afternoon with a win for Venezuela’s Andres Rodriguez aboard Caballito, owned by Arao Enterprises LLC. Georgina Bloomberg and Gotham Enterprizes LLC’s Radio City placed second. Rodriguez also finished third riding Elatrice, owned by Arao Enterprises LLC. Hector Florentino and Ultimo, owned by Stransky’s Mission Farms Inc., earned the fourth place honors. Sharn Wordley and Filip Amram’s Quick Blue Z were fifth.
Andres Rodriguez and Caballito. Photo © ManciniPhotos.
In the $2,500 NAL Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, Nikki Carr and SCNC Investments Inc.’s Elaine were the winners. Steven Bluman and Fatalis Fatum finished second, with Emanuel Andrade and Quebec Star, owned by Stransky’s Mission Farms, Inc. in third. Bluman also took home the fourth place honors riding Percynality.
The $1,500 Tackeria NAL Child/Adult Jumper Classic saw a win for Loran Povelites riding Derek Petersen’s Rahab. Kathryn Carbiener finished second aboard Le Bella Notte. Adam Ritternberg jumped Seth Vallhonrat’s Fabiano to third place honors.
The $1,500 Low Child/Adult Jumper Classic was won by Cameron Morris aboard Caroline Mason’s Calvin. Claire Jack and Mauricio Garcia’s Schon Pfere placed second. Heather Vaxer and Cha Cha Cha finished third.
ESP Fall III Hunter Highlights
Laurie Stevens and Iceman were the champions of the Adult Amateur Hunter division with Qualtiko and Emily Zildjian-Bickford in reserve. Kimberly Patton and Standing Ovation earned the Low Child/Adult Hunter championship with Melissa Matos and Whisper in reserve. The Children’s Working Hunter championship was awarded to Alexandra Cleveland and Ocean Avenue, owned by Alexa Constantakos. Marissa Damone and Mint Condition, owned by Palm Beach Riding Academy, finished in reserve.
In the Arenus Low Working Hunter division, Pepita, owned by Eric Flameng and ridden by Robert Bielefeld and Ana Lisa Carr, earned the championship. Ulster/GSA’s Meant to Be and Laura Virginia were reserve.
The Junior Hunter/3’3″ Amateur-Owner Hunter champion was Calero, owned and ridden by Susannah Rose. Reserve went to So Ho and Jordyn Katz.
Star and Stripes, owned and ridden by Anderson F. Wagner, topped the Medium/Large Pony Hunter division with Emily Sobotova’s What Luck and Jonathan Jimenez in reserve. Aleece Jarman’s Bluetiful and Hana Bieling won the Small Pony Hunter championship with Charles Moorcroft’s Maxwell and Olivia Woodson in reserve.
The ESP Fall Circuit continues through November 18, 2012. The shows are all USEF, NAL and Marshall & Sterling League approved. Shows feature new 2’6″ Children/Adult Equitation divisions, $10,000 Open Jumper Stake classes at all “A” shows, $2,500 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Stake classes at all shows, and $500 Pony and Children’s/Adult Hunter Classics at all shows. All “A” shows will also include a $1,500 Low Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic, a $2,500 NAL Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, $1,500 M&S Child and Adult Jumper Classics, and a $1,500 Tackeria NAL Child/Adult Jumper Classic.
Upcoming Fall Highlights:
ESP Fall Finale – November 2-4, 2012 – “A” rated hunter and 3-star jumper competition featuring a $10,000 Open Jumper Stake class on Sunday, November 4.
ESP November – November 10-11, 2012 – “C” rated hunter and 2-star jumper competition – Counts for both PBCHA and ESP Circuits – Highlights include a $10,000 Open Jumper Stake class on Sunday, November 11.
ESP Pre-Charity – November 17-18, 2012 – Highlights include $500 NAL/M&S Children’s/Adult Hunter Classic, $2,500 NAL AO/Junior Jumper Classic, $1,500 Tackeria NAL Child/Adult Jumper Classic, $500 Sweet Oak Farm Pony Hunter Classic, $1,500 Low Child/Adult Classic, and $1,500 M&S Child/Adult Jumper Classic.
Please remember that helmets must be worn by everyone at all times when mounted on PBIEC property.
For the fall prize list and more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com.
Final Results: $25,000 ESP Fall III Grand Prix
1. MACOEMBA TODD MINIKUS TODD MINIKUS: 0/0/36.73
2. L.B. STANISLAUS HAYDEN MORRESEY FILIP AMRAM: 0/4/38.57
3. CORINO SHARN WORDLEY SHARN WORDLEY: 2/87.16
4. TITUS 2:11 JARED PETERSEN DEREK PETERSEN: 3/88.64
5. LA CENTA LAUREN TISBO TEQUESTRIAN FARMS, LLC: 4/80.95
6. OSIRIS GEMMA PATERNOSTER GEMMA PATERNOSTER & JULIA HARRISON LEE: 4/84.44
7. LAZARO JORDAN COYNE JORDAN COYNE: 4/85.22
8. COMBINA NICOLE BELLISSIMO BELLISSIMO LLC: 6/87.54
9. PERFECT DE COQUERIE GEORGINA BLOOMBERG STEPHEX STABLES & GEORGINA BLOOMBERG: 8/79.59
10. COCO SCOTT KEACH ANNE QUANBECK: 8/84.66
11. ZARA LEANDRA PABLO BARRIOS ZL GROUP, INC: 8/85.07
12. QUICK BLUE Z SHARN WORDLEY FILIP AMRAM: 8/85.53
Final Results: $10,000 Welcome Stake
1. CABALLITO ANDRES RODRIGUEZ ARAO ENTERPRISES LLC
2. RADIO CITY GEORGINA BLOOMBERG GOTHAM ENTERPRIZES, LLC
3. ELATRICE ANDRES RODRIGUEZ ARAO ENTERPRISES LLC
4. ULTIMO HECTOR FLORENTINO STRANSKY’S MISSION FARMS, INC.
5. QUICK BLUE Z SHARN WORDLEY FILIP AMRAM
6. LA CENTA LAUREN TISBO TEQUESTRIAN FARMS, LLC
7. COURANT NIKKI CARR SCNC INVESTMENTS INC.
8. MACOEMBA TODD MINIKUS TODD MINIKUS
9. PERFECT DE COQUERIE GEORGINA BLOOMBERG STEPHEX STABLES & GEORGINA BLOOMBERG
10. WAUW HECTOR FLORENTINO STRANSKY’S MISSION FARMS, INC.
Photo Credit: photos © ManciniPhotos. These photos can be used only in relation to this press release and with photo credit.