Wellington, FL — February 23, 2018 — Two FEI ranking classes were held on Friday, February 23, during the seventh week of the 2018 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. Kristen Vanderveen (USA) and Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili were the winners of the $35,000 Bainbridge 1.45m Jumpers CSI 5*, while Francisco Jose Mesquita Musa (BRA) and Sharapova Imperio Egipicio won the $35,000 The Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte 1.45m Jumpers CSI 2*.
WEF 7 continues through Sunday, February 25 with CSI 5* competition sponsored by Lugano Diamonds and featuring the $384,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5* on Saturday, February 24. WEF runs until April 1 and offers more than $9 million in prize money.
Kristen Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili.Photo by Sportfot
In the $35,000 Bainbridge 1.45m Jumpers CSI 5*, 64 entries in the class competed over a speed course designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY. There were 12 clear rounds, and the fastest of those was Vanderveen on Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Berlin x Darco owned by Bull Run Jumpers Five LLC, in 63.88 seconds.
Second place went to fellow American rider Andrew Kocher and Kahlua, owned by Top Line Sporthorse International LLC. They stopped the clock in 64.48 seconds. Finishing in 66.88 seconds, Eduardo Menezes (BRA) and Caruschka 2 placed third.
Vanderveen and her impressive grey stallion have now won ten FEI ranking classes since last year’s Winter Equestrian Festival.
“He has been really consistent, especially as my speed horse – which you wouldn’t guess because of how big he is,” she said. “He really likes to have fun, so I find that in the speed classes, he doesn’t fight with me. He’s really game on. He’s looking for the next jump, and it keeps it new and interesting and exciting for him.”
Kristen Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Faustino de Tili in their presentation with ringmaster Steve Rector.Photo by Sportfot
Speaking of the course and how her horse handled it, Vanderveen said, “It’s a long gallop to these verticals. It’s almost with him, the more that you challenge him, the harder that he tries. So I let him kind of run all the way down there. He looked back at it and was like ‘Whoa!’ He got real careful. Near the end of the course, with his big stride – which is unique in a speed horse – he was able to leave out a lot of strides in the last few lines. He’s really good at things like that.”
Vanderveen will aim for the next five-star competition at WEF 9 with this horse. “With him I try and play it a little bit week by week. I think if we do too much with him, then he gets a little bit bored, so we’ll just see how he keeps holding on,” she said.
Final Results: $35,000 Bainbridge 1.45m Jumpers CSI 5*
1 BULL RUN’S FAUSTINO DE TILI: 2005 Belgian Warmblood stallion by Berlin x Darco
KRISTEN VANDERVEEN (USA), Bull Run Jumpers Five LLC: 0/63.88
2 KAHLUA: 2008 KWPN mare by Tygo x Caritas
ANDREW KOCHER (USA), Top Line Sporthorse International LLC: 0/64.48
3 CARUSCHKA 2: 2004 Oldenburg mare by Caspar x Continue
EDUARDO MENEZES (BRA), Eduardo Menezes: 0/66.88
4 CYKLON 1083: 2001 Swedish Warmblood stallion by Cardento x Cortus
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), Spy Coast Farm LLC: 0/67.67
5 RYE VAL DE MAI: 2005 Selle Francais stallion by Helios de la Cour II x Type d’Elle
SHARN WORDLEY (NZL), Sharn Wordley: 0/69.41
6 REDMOND: 2006 Selle Francais gelding by Neo d’Aunou x Joly Jumper
ALBERTO MICHAN (ISR), Brianne Goutal LLC: 0/69.43
7 CHANDON BLUE: 2005 Oldenburg gelding by Chacco Blue x Landcapitol
LAURA CHAPOT (USA), Mary Chapot: 0/70.97
8 QUIRIE 2: 2007 Bayerischer stallion by Quadrigus M x Quidam’s Rubin
ALI WOLFF (USA), Ali Wolff: 0/71.44
9 BURBURRY R: 2006 KWPN mare by Pacific x Indoctro
PETRONELLA ANDERSSON (SWE), Stephan Conter: 0/72.50
10 HH VENICE BEACH: 2009 Hanoverian mare by Voltaire x Escudo I
QUENTIN JUDGE (USA), Double H Farm: 0/72.97
11 KIRSCHWASSER SCF: 2010 BWP stallion by Amaretto d’Arco x Nabab de Reve
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), Spy Coast Farm LLC: 0/74.31
12 MERQUSIO: 2007 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Cicero Z x Flamenco de Semilly
RICHIE MOLONEY (IRL), Equinimity LLC: 0/74.55
Musa Scores Another WEF Win
There were 78 entries in the competitive 1.45m class for the two-star division, the $35,000 The Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte 1.45 Jumpers. Musa and Sharapova Imperio Egipicio, a 15-year-old Brazilian-bred mare by Baloubet du Rouet owned by Daniel Aguiar Morelli, were the fastest in the jump-off over a course designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio.
Francisco Jose Mesquita Musa and Sharapova Imperio Egipicio.Photo by Sportfot
Their time was 32.92 seconds, just over two seconds faster than the second place finishers, Luis Fernando Larrazabal (VEN) and G&C Close Up. Third place went to Chaganus and Olympic gold medalist Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) in 34.98 seconds.
Sharapova Imperio Egipicio has had success in Brazil in their national championships, and this is Musa’s first time competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival. He scored a win just last week with Biscayo in the $35,000 Hollow Creek Farm 1.50m Classic.
“The course was very difficult,” said Musa. “The time was very short. The riders had to run a little bit in the first phase, and then the faults came. The jump-off was very fast and very competitive.”
Francisco Jose Mesquita Musa and Sharapova Imperio Egipicio joined in their presentation with Karin Ahlqvist of The Dutta Corp., Guido Klatte, and ringmaster Steve Rector.Photo by Sportfot
Musa started riding the mare in September of 2017. “I like to ride the simplest way possible, always working the basic parts of the horse,” he said.
Final Results: $35,000 The Dutta Corp. in association with Guido Klatte 1.45m Jumpers CSI 2*
1 SHARAPOVA IMPERIO EGIPICIO: 2002 Brazilian mare by Baloubet du Rouet x Welton Ambassador
FRANCISCO JOSE MESQUITA MUSA (BRA), Daniel Aguiar Morelli: 0/0/32.92
2 G&C CLOSE UP: 2007 KWPN gelding by Eurocommerce Washington x Cobra
LUIS LARRAZABAL (VEN), San Francisco Stables LLC: 0/0/34.93
3 CHAGANUS: 2008 Oldenburg gelding by Chacco-Blue x Carthago
RODRIGO PESSOA (BRA), Pessoa Stables LLC: 0/0/34.98
4 CHARLIE: 2008 Oldenburg gelding by Chacco-Blue x Charlie Z
WINN ALDEN (USA), Southern Arches, LLC: 0/0/35.87
5 SILTEPLAIT DE CIRCEE: 2006 Selle Francais stallion by Ephebe For Ever x Laudanum
DARRAGH KERINS (IRL), Remarkable Farms LLC: 0/0/37.10
6 JACKSON DE REGOR: 2009 BWP stallion by Vagabond de la Pomme x Querlybet Hero
NICOLE WALKER (CAN), Rostal NV + Stal Nieuwenhof: 0/0/42.28
7 COLUMBCILLE DE REVE: 2008 Irish Sport Horse mare by Hermes de Reve x Errigal Flight
NICHOLAS DELLO JOIO (USA), Crooks Show Jumping LLC: 0/4/36.28
8 ERES TU: 2009 Argentine gelding
LUIS PEDRO BIRABEN (ARG), Claudia Pedrozo & Luis Pedro Biraben: 0/4/40.13
9 HANNA VAN HD: 2007 BWP mare by Nabab de Reve x Olisco
JONATHON MILLAR (CAN), Ignas Phillips: 0/8/38.24
10 DELINQUENT JX: 2007 SHBGB gelding by Darco x I Need You
WILTON PORTER (USA), Sleepy P Ranch LLC: 0/10/46.58
11 VILLAMOURA: 2009 mare by Diamant de Semilly
SYDNEY SHULMAN (USA), Jill Shulman: 0/12/44.9
12 WILLOW: 2003 KWPN gelding by Guidam x Little Rock
ALEJANDRO KAROLYI (VEN), Amalaya Investments: 0/13/49.92
Tracey Gorin-Byrne and Lalique Take Division Championship in Low Adult Hunter 2’6” Section A
The Animal Medical Center of NY Low Adult Hunter 2’6” Section A division championship was awarded to Tracey Gorin-Byrne and Lalique on Friday morning, February 23.
After acquiring the ride for week seven of WEF, Gorin-Byrne and the nine-year-old grey Oldenburg mare, owned by Elite Equines LLC, claimed a second and third over fences, as well as seventh in both the under saddle and an over fences, to take the division’s top honor.
“I just met her for the first time Thursday when we showed!” said Gorin-Byrne of Lalique, who just arrived in Florida two weeks ago. “She’s really sweet though. You just let her get her little canter, and she does everything for you. She has a really, really cool canter, and it was fun to get to go in the Rost with her today because there was a lot of space.”
Tracey Gorin-Byrne and Lalique.Photo by Sportfot
Gorin-Byrne frequently rides with both Sweet Oak Farm and with trainers Alex Hamer, Heather Hays, and David Laks at Buxton Farm, showing horses for both farms when they have them available.
“I don’t usually have one of my own available,” explained Gorin-Byrne, 30. “So they’re always super, super nice to me and let me show different ones when they’re around – if they’re new, or if they want to see what they’re like with an adult. They’re just really, really sweet to me.
“They’re always so generous, and when something’s around they’re quick to offer it to me,” said Gorin-Byrne in speaking of both Buxton Farm and Sweet Oak Farm. “I’m very, very grateful.”
Byrne is also competing this week in the Adult Equitation 3’, the Adult Amateur Hunters, and the Ariat National Medal on horses trained by Sweet Oak Farm and Buxton Farm, and should the opportunity arise to compete Lalique again, she plans to do so.
“I had a lot of fun, so I would love to show her again. Everyone always asks me if I’m showing or not, but usually I don’t know until like a day or two beforehand. I don’t really know what’s going on until that Wednesday night!” laughed Gorin-Byrne.
The seventh week of the Winter Equestrian Festival continues on Saturday, February 24 with the featured CSI5* $384,000 Rolex Grand Prix beginning at 7 p.m. as well as the championship for the Animo Medium Pony Hunters. For more information and full results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.