Posted March 11, 2006

Tim Goguen Is Pleasantly Surprised as Boulevard Deir Wins Green Conformation Championship at Winter Equestrian Festival

Wellington, FL – March 9, 2006 – The CN Wellington Finale, the final week of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, kicked off yesterday with the best hunter and jumper competition in the country. The professional hunter divisions began on Wednesday and four divisions awarded championships today.

The Green Conformation division was the largest division of the day. Tim Goguen and Boulevard Deir came away with their first championship together. Boulevard Deir won four out of six classes, as well as another second place ribbon. Reserve champion in the division was Grandeur, ridden by Penny Lombardo and owned by Jan Agardy.

While Goguen knew he had a talented horse, his results this week came as a bit of a shock. “I was actually very surprised with him,” Goguen revealed. “He’s a very nice horse, but he’s green.”

“He had been a little green starting out, but he was just very, very good this week,” Goguen added. “He’s a cool horse. He’s short-coupled, he jumps with style, and moves very well.”

Tim Goguen recently purchased Boulevard Deir from trainer Robbie Hunt for Janet Read of Wellington, FL. The graceful bay gelding showed previously with Tommy Serio and won a class on the grass field during the Bainbridge Florida Classic week. “We bought him for Janet Read, so she is going to be really ecstatic,” said a grinning Goguen.

Goguen mentioned, “I thought today he was a little tired. Yesterday, he carried me a little more. I think he just needs to keep getting conditioned and fitter. But, even though he was a little tired, he really tried. I can’t get over him! He’s such a cute horse. I couldn’t be happier with him.”

The Regular Working Hunter division champion this week was Beyond, ridden and owned by Scott Stewart. The dark bay gelding captured matching first and fourth place ribbons over fences on Wednesday and today. A second place ribbon under saddle gave them the tricolor over reserve champions Consider It Done and Jenny Fischer, who rode for owner Rachel Broman. “Beyond has really been consistent this winter,” Stewart said. “He always used to be the bridesmaid, winning reserve championships, but he has stepped it up this year.”

Stewart returned for the Second Year Green Working Hunter division for a sweep of the tricolor ribbons. He piloted Alexa and Krista Weisman’s Music Street to the championship and Molly Ohrstrom’s Fellini to the reserve.

Music Street won all three classes yesterday, while Fellini was second and third over fences. The two stablemates went head-to-head today for the championship. Fellini had to settle for two second place finishes, as Music Street went on to sweep the blue ribbons in the division.

“Music Street was really on this week!” Stewart said with a smile. “It’s great to have two such fantastic horses in the division.”

For yet another week, the Regular Conformation Hunter champion was Popeye K and Tommy Serio, who rode for owner Elizabeth Spencer. This week, however, Popeye K had a tough challenger in Good Life and Scott Stewart. In the Model, Popeye K won and Good Life was second. Good Life then took control on Wednesday and won both over fences classes and the under saddle, while Popeye K was second in all three. Today, however, Popeye K won both over fences classes and Good Life was second. They tied in points for the championship, and it all came down to a “hack-off” to determine this week’s winner. Popeye K was awarded the championship from the judges after the short under saddle class.

Tomorrow’s hunter divisions are sure to offer even more exciting competition, and championships will be awarded in the First Year Green and Adult Amateur 51 & Over Hunter divisions. This is the last week of WEF in Wellington before the show moves to Tampa, FL, for two weeks of competition on March 22-April 1, 2006.

Photo Credit: Music Street and Scott Stewart, champions in the Second Year Green Hunters at Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo by Randi Muster.