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Posted March 9, 2006 McLain Ward and Quick Star II Z Win For United States on Opening Day of CN Wellington Finale CSIO-5* at Winter Equestrian Festival
Wednesday’s mid-morning featured event was the 1.45m Time First Round class, scored under FEI Art. 238.2.1. The Course Designer for this week’s Internationale Arena action is Steve Stephens of the United States. Seventy-seven competitors took the field for the main event on Wednesday. Of those that started, twenty went fault free over the speed course. Another eight competitors had no jumping faults but registered time faults, while twenty-seven riders had a single knockdown. Norman Dello Joio of the United States set the very early pace, riding out of the fourth spot in the order on Marengo, owned by Enrique Garcia. Dello Joio cruised across the finish line in 63.74 seconds, a time that would hold up for the eventual fourth place finish. The lead changed hands at the thirty-seventh spot on the list when Laura Kraut of the U.S. charged to the head of the class on Clubhipico Lasilla’s Tiffany La Silla. Kraut blazed across the finish line 4/10ths of a second ahead of Dello Joio, in 63.28 seconds. Three trips later, Rodrigo Pessoa challenged, but fell just short of Kraut’s target time in 63.76 seconds, on Roadrunner from the Kinloch Enterprises. Kraut maintained her lead for most of the morning session, fending off challenges from riders from sixteen different countries, but then toppled from first down to third in rapid succession with only nine left in the class. Today’s winner, 2004 Olympic Team Gold Medalist McLain Ward of the United States, and the Double H Farm’s Quick Star II Z, blew the field away with a dazzling speed ride over the Stephens’ designed track. Ward’s memorable non-stop dash for the cash netted him a clean round and an incredible finish time of 59.37 seconds. He outdistanced Kraut by an incredible 3.91 seconds. Kraut was then relegated to third place when Gregory Wathelet of the Ukraine lopped 2/10ths of a second off her time with Hyades, owned by Alexander Onyshchenko. Wathelet came in under the wire in 62.08 seconds. “I haven’t ridden her in such a long time, I think I forgot how naturally fast she can be,” admitted Ward following the raising of the United States flag. “Maybe I was a little faster than I meant it to be, but it worked out.” “I haven’t ridden her in a year,” Ward went on to say. “Cayce (Harrison) has been riding a nice six year old that we’ve been bringing along, so we decided to switch horses. I just started riding Quick Star again this week, and this was her first class back with me, so I’m thrilled.” Ward talked about Steve Stephens’ courses and the new look today. “They brought in a couple of new fences. Of course he (Stephens) has that luxury, since he builds the jumps. But that’s nice because it gives us a different look. It’s getting a little tired because we’ve been here seven weeks. New jumps help liven up the ring,” he said. “Steve’s designed everywhere in the world, been everywhere, and certainly knows his job well and always does a good job.” Ward, who received notice this week that he is short listed for the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, later this year, will be on Friday night’s United States Nations Cup team. He will be joined by his Gold Medal Olympic teammate Beezie Madden, Margie Engle, and Kent Farrington. He spoke of the chances for the team from the United States. “I think we have a great chance. We’re going with the best we have, and I think the United States has a great chance. I’m really looking forward to Friday night.” The $75,000 Nations’ Cup, presented by CN, CSIO-5*, a competition that pits teams of show jumpers from multiple countries against each other in two rounds of competition, will be held on Friday night under the lights in the Internationale Arena. The 2006 Nations Cup, presented by CN, marks the fifth time that the Winter Equestrian Festival will host this prestigious international event. The richest show jumping event of the seven weeks in Wellington will take center stage on Sunday, March 12th. The $150,000 US Open Jumper Championship, presented by CN, CSIO-5* brings the WEF Wellington series to a close. Results of Class 103 - 1.45M, FEI Table 238.2.1 – CSIO 5* - Internationale Arena - CN Wellington Finale CSIO 5* US – 3/8/06
PHOTO CREDIT: CSIO Wellington, CN 1.45m Speed Class, winner, McLain Ward (USA) riding Quick Star II Z –Photo by ©Peter Llewellyn-HorseSourceLtd and PhelpsImages.com |
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Wellington,
FL – March 8, 2006 - Show jumping fans from around the world gathered
for opening day of the final week of action at the 2006 Winter Equestrian
Festival in Wellington and were greeted with beautiful sunny skies and
mild temperatures. The CN Wellington Finale, CSIO-5*, the last week
of show jumping before the festival moves on to Tampa for the final
two weeks of competition, got underway on Wednesday at the Palm Beach
Polo Equestrian Club. 
