On Saturday afternoon, the $33,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic was held with a win for Jessica Springsteen (USA) and Stone Hill Farm’s Vindicat W. Forty entries showed in the class with 15 advancing to the jump-off and only three clear rounds over the short course. Springsteen and Vindicat W cleared the course in 44.33 seconds for the win.
Richie Moloney (IRL) and Equinimity LLC’s Carrabis Z finished second in 44.86 seconds. McLain Ward (USA) finished third with The Wannahave Group’s Wannahave with a clear round in 45.77 seconds. Ward was also fourth with the fastest round of the day but incurred four faults in 41.88 seconds aboard Grant Road Partners’ Super Trooper de Ness.
Jessica Springsteen and Vindicat W. Photo © Sportfot.
Springsteen and Vindicat W, an eleven-year-old KWPN gelding by Guidam x Libero H, also won the $82,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic during week nine of FTI WEF competition. Springsteen purchased the horse in August of last year just after the Olympic Games in London where he was the mount for Peter Charles in the British team’s gold medal win. The rider, who is currently in her junior year at Duke University in North Carolina, has traveled back and forth from school to compete this winter. She has been taking her time to build a good partnership with the talented gelding while showing as much as possible in between a busy schedule of classes.
On Saturday, the duo proved that they were perfectly in sync with another exciting win. They went third in the jump-off and could not be beat after that.
“I had a pretty good plan,” Springsteen explained. “I kind of like going early in these big jump-off classes because watching everybody go so fast and then having to go after makes me a little nervous. I did miss one inside turn, so I definitely thought that somebody would beat me because I kind of left that door open, but he is so fast. He is so amazing.”
“I am really happy,” Springsteen said of their growing partnership. “It took a second to get used to going fast with him and get used to a jump-off, so I feel like I have gotten that down and I am excited to try it over the bigger tracks.”
Springsteen also won the $15,000 RCG Farm SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic on Saturday with Stone Hill Farm’s Wish. With some of her top horses going so well throughout the FTI WEF circuit, she is looking forward to traveling to Europe for the summer to compete.
“It feels great to be coming off of this winter and be ready to go to Europe,” she noted. “I am really excited. All of my horses feel amazing. I only came down six weekends, so they haven’t been doing so, so much, which I think is nice. They all still feel fresh and ready to go for the summer.”
Jessica Springsteen and Vindicat W in their winning presentation with ringmaster Cliff Haines and Tom and Jeannie Tisbo of Suncast. Photo © Sportfot.
Final Results: $33,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic
1. VINDICAT W: 2002 KWPN gelding by Guidam x Libero H
JESSICA SPRINGSTEEN (USA), Stone Hill Farm: 0/0/44.33
2. CARRABIS Z: 2003 Zangersheide stallion by Canabis Z x Grannusso
RICHIE MOLONEY (IRL), Equinimity LLC: 0/0/44.86
3. WANNAHAVE: 2003 KWPN gelding by Manhattan x G. Ramiro Z
MCLAIN WARD (USA), The Wannahave Group: 0/0/45.77
4. SUPER TROOPER DE NESS: 2002 Belgian Sport Horse stallion by Vigo d’Arsouilles x Polydor
MCLAIN WARD (USA), Grant Road Partners: 0/4/41.88
5. GLORY DAYS: 2001 Swedish Warmblood gelding by Cardento 933 x Diamond Serpent
KATIE DINAN (USA), Grant Road Partners, LLC: 0/4/43.53
6. EREGAST VAN’T KIEZELHOF: 2004 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Latano
SHANE SWEETNAM (IRL), Spy Coast Farm, LLC: 0/4/44.21
7. OHLALA: 2003 Swedish Warmblood mare by Orlando x Cardento
LAUREN HOUGH (USA), The Ohlala Group: 0/4/44.35
8. GAME READY: 2000 KWPN gelding by Andiamo x Polydox
CONOR SWAIL (IRL), Susan Grange: 0/4/45.35
9. WITH WINGS: 2003 KWPN gelding by Larino x L. Ronald
KAREN POLLE(USA), Karen Polle: 0/4/45.94
10. DON VHP Z: 2004 Zangersheide stallion by Diamant de Semilly x Voltaire
SAER COULTER (USA), Copernicus Stables LLC: 0/4/48.28
11. AD BABOUCHE: 2000 gelding by Baloubet du Rouet x Aldato
ATHINA ONASSIS DE MIRANDA (GRE), Athina Onassis de Miranda & Victory Equestrian: 0/4/48.86
12. ZINNIA: 2004 KWPN mare by Mermus R x Darco
ANDREW WELLES (USA) Andrew Welles: 0/4/51.01
Molly Zisook Tops THIS National Children’s Medal 14 & Under Aboard C’est Si Bon
Molly Zisook rode her eight-year-old Westphalian mare C’est Si Bon to victory in the THIS National Children’s Medal 14 & Under class during week twelve of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Zisook, of Lake Forest, IL, bested the class of twenty-nine entries after a first round score of 87 landed her in the top four called back to test.
Second place went to Lucy Deslauriers, who finished with a score of 86 with Stonehenge Farms’ Al Pacino. Olivia Bruyn came in third with a score of 84 with Square One, owned by Beacon Hill Show Stables. The top four was rounded out by Emma Kurtz and Marigot Bay Farm’s Starts Go Blue. The pair scored an 83.
Zisook has owned her mare, affectionately known as “Bon Bon,” since 2012 and has successfully shown her the final two weeks of the FTI WEF. Before Saturday’s victory, Zisook and Bon Bon placed second in the THIS National Children’s Medal 14 & Under class during week eleven. The pair has also shown in the Coldwell Banker’s Children’s 14 & Under Hunter division.
Molly Zisook and C’est Si Bon.
Photo © Anne Gittins Photography.
Zisook’s dedication to improving her mare’s rideability paid off this week with their blue ribbon finish. “We practice a lot of lengthening and shortening to help get her on the bit more. We also do a lot of trot jumps and practice the turns,” Zisook described.
The pair was clearly well prepared as Zisook and Bon Bon had no issues with a course that overfaced several competitors. “I thought the course was straight-forward. Going into the test, I wanted to be able to do it efficiently and not get stuck anywhere,” Zisook commented.
Zisook’s bond with her affectionate bay mare was clear as she commented on Bon Bon’s best attributes. “She’s really sweet and she’ll do anything for me,” Zisook smiled. “She’s really soft and easy over the jumps.”
Zisook and Bon Bon will continue to show throughout the spring and summer, with their ultimate goal being to move up to Junior Hunter divisions. Trainer Jill Knowles is confident in Zisook’s progress over the past year and looks forward to coaching her as she moves up.
“Molly’s a great student. She really has shown a lot more discipline this year and effort to be efficient and ride a lot better,” Knowles praised. “Our goal is to move her into the Small Junior Hunters this year. We’ll go to Kentucky and try for the 3’3″ Children’s, and then when she’s ready, we’ll move her up to the Juniors.”
The first round of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby was held in the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter arena to wrap up hunter competition for the day on Saturday. Fences for the class reached nearly four and a half feet tall for the high options, providing particularly exhilarating entertainment for the large crowd of hunter fans watching the class.
Brunello and Liza Boyd emerged victorious from the round of forty-one entries with a score of 188. Skyfall and Louise Serio were second with a combined score of 187. Taken and Kelley Farmer rounded out the top three with a score of 187, with the lower score from the tie-breaker judges’ panel.
Final Results: $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Round 1
1 BRUNELLO ELIZABETH BOYD
R1/J1 89.00 4.00
R1/J2 91.00 4.00 188.00 188.00
2 SKYFALL LOUISE SERIO
R1/J1 87.50 4.00
R1/J2 91.50 4.00 187.00 187.00
3 TAKEN KELLEY FARMER
R1/J1 87.00 4.00
R1/J2 92.00 4.00 187.00 187.00
4 MISS LUCY JENNIFER ALFANO
R1/J1 88.00 4.00
R1/J2 90.00 4.00 186.00 186.00
5 INCLUSIVE VICTORIA COLVIN
R1/J1 84.50 3.00
R1/J2 91.50 3.00 182.00 182.00
6 TIMBER RIDGE JENNIFER ALFANO
R1/J1 85.50 3.00
R1/J2 89.50 3.00 181.00 181.00
7 ON Q KELLEY FARMER
R1/J1 81.00 4.00
R1/J2 89.00 4.00 178.00 178.00
8 MEDALIST BRADY MITCHELL
R1/J1 86.00 4.00
R1/J2 83.00 4.00 177.00 177.00
9 TEMPTATION KRISTY MCCORMACK
R1/J1 85.00 4.00
R1/J2 84.00 4.00 177.00 177.00
10 FIEONA ELIZABETH BOYD
R1/J1 86.75 4.00
R1/J2 79.75 4.00 174.50 174.50
11 GENEROUS DAVID OLIYNYK
R1/J1 82.00 4.00
R1/J2 80.00 4.00 170.00 170.00
12 COCO SOPHIE MICHAELS
R1/J1 80.50 4.00
R1/J2 80.25 4.00 168.75 168.75
Week twelve of the FTI WEF, presented by title sponsor FTI Consulting, concludes Sunday with the Beval Palm Beach Adult Medal Final, hosted in the Rost Arena of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). The $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby will also crown its winner Sunday afternoon at The Stadium at PBIEC. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
Photo Credit: Photos © Sportfot, An Official Photographer of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, us.sportfot.com, and Anne Gittins Photography, An Official Photographer of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, www.annegittins.com and Mancini Photos, www.manciniphotos.com. These photos may be used only in relation to this press release and must include photo credit.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival
The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 9 through March 31. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.
About FTI Consulting
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 3,800 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.56 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2011. More information can be found at www.fticonsulting.com.
Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.
