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February 2, 2007 The Stars Are Out in Full Force at the Winter Equestrian Festival Carolyn Kelly, Aimee Aron, Molly Ashe and Shane Sweetnam Dominate Fridays Competition in the Internationale Arena
The High Amateur-Owner Jumpers opened the day at 10:00 am in the Internationale Arena with a group of quality amateur riders and horses unlike anywhere else in the world. The $2,500 purse was sponsored by Nutrena/Western Hay Wellington and ran under a Power and Speed format. Carolyn Kelly went early on her brown mare Omona AW and set a speed that would not be broken. Tracey Weinberg and Larone came in a close second and Megan Johnstone was third on Kiss Me Des Joncs. The High Junior Jumpers were next with $2,500 in prize money, also generously sponsored by Nutrena/Western Hay Wellington. Heaudine, ridden by Aimee Aron, took home the top check followed by Pedro and Maggie McAlary, then Wokina and Addison Philips. The $6,000 Acorn Hill 1.40m Speed Challenge went last with so many entries that the division was split into two sections of 50 competitors. Section A was off to a fast start as Molly Ashe and Lutopia, owned by Jane Clark, whizzed around easily in 65.996 seconds. The seasoned pair looked unbeatable, and they proved to be. “I went third in the order but Lutopia is extremely fast. I had planned on doing eight and eight down the first line and ended up doing seven and seven. I never had to pull except to the last jump,” Ashe laughed. “I knew that I had a chance of maintaining my lead for the next 45 entries.” The international course designer was Canadian Michel Vaillancourt. The riders have been singing his praises. “The course was nice because it was flowing, and you could work out of the gallop,” Ashe said. “I think he has done a fantastic job all week. Yesterday’s WEF was 1.45m, and there was only eight clear out of 70 some horses, so it was a super course,” Ashe added. “It was hard enough to jump clear but smooth and fair at the same time.” Ashe commented on her plans for Lutopia for WEF 2007, “I just started her this week. I am going to try to move her up to the 1.45m next week and get some 1.50m classes in. She will tell us what she wants to do from there.” Leslie Howard placed second on Raimond W, owned by her husband Peter. She explained how she and the horse had a rocky start “We bought Raimond almost two years ago and took him directly to Spruce Meadows. He colicked upon arrival to Canada and had to be operated on. They only gave him a 30% chance of living but he was a fighter,” Howard explained. “After the surgery we had to keep him out there in Canada from June to November. He started back into work and he had a nice easy year last year and now we are moving him up. He is the least far along of my horses even though he is nine because he lost a year, but he is scopey and ultra careful. I will just keep going in the ring and see where he ends up,” she concluded. Section B of the Acorn Hill Speed Challenge was dominated by Irishman Shane Sweetnam on Victor III. Laura Kraut was the second place finisher on Namur. “She is a nine year old that belongs to Nick Skelton,” Kraut said. “I traded Namur for one of my best ones (St. Laurent) that we own together but I have been riding. St. Laurent was a little strong on Wednesday so I thought he needed a man to get him in the ring. Namur is easy, and you can kick her forward. She is a nice ride for me,” she smiled. “Nick probably won’t let me ride her now because she was so good. He might steal her back.” Kraut also commented on the Vaillancourt courses. “I think he is a brilliant course designer. I love it when he builds. The WEF yesterday was a great course and difficult. Anthem, who is 16, did it easily, but then I rode my young horse, and it was a lot of work,” she said. Show Jumping excitement continues in the Internationale Arena on Saturday, February 3, 2007, with the SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, followed by the 1.50m Classic. The North American League (NAL) runs season-long series in six hunter-jumper divisions – Children’s Hunter, Children’s Jumper, Adult Hunter, Adult Jumper, Pony Jumper and Open Jumper Speed. Each series culminates with a championship final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA in October. Riders need not be members of the NAL to compete in any qualifying classes, but only current members earn points toward year-end finals. For more information, a list of qualifying competitions and results, please see the Ryegate Show Services website at www.Ryegate.com. Results of Class 1027 $2,500 HIGH AMATEUR-OWNER JUMPER POWER + SPEED - Nutrena/Western Hay Wellington Classic - February 2, 2007 T/A: 53.00 T/A: 45.00
Results of Class1061 $2,500 HIGH JUNIOR JUMPER POWER + SPEED, II - Nutrena/Western Hay Wellington Classic - February 2, 2007 T/A: 53.00 T/A: 45.00
Results of Class 1005A $6,000 1.40M ACORN HILL FARM CHALLENGE, Table II Sec. 1 Nutrena/Western Hay Wellington Classic - February 2, 2007 T/A: 82.00
Results of Class 1005B $6,000 1.40M ACORN HILL FARM CHALLENGE , II.1 -Nutrena/Western Hay Wellington Classic - February 2, 2007 T/A: 82.00
Photo Credit: Shane Sweetnam and Victor III were winners in the Acorn Hill 1.40m Speed Stake at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © 2007 Peter Llewellyn/PMG Pictures. |
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Wellington,
FL – The numbers of exhibitors showing in this week’s Winter
Equestrian Festival has risen considerably from the Inaugural week.
The classes competing on the Internationale Arena had all of the talented
faces that the Winter Equestrian Festival is famous for attracting.
The Acorn Hill Speed Stake had 101 entries, and the High Amateur Jumpers
and High Junior Jumpers were extremely competitive.
