Jumping Heats Up in Wellington

By Jennifer Ward

Wellington, FL - Competitors turned out in droves to jump on the newly installed footing in the International Ring during the Palm Beach Equine Clinic/Adequan CSI2*, presented by KRR Investments, the second week of competition of the CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

With 133 entries in Wednesday's $6,000 1.40m class, the competition organizers split the class into two sections. In Section A, only two riders were able to jump clean and within the tight time allowed of 71 seconds set by Great Britain's Richard Jeffrey, one of the few course designers in the world to hold his 'O' designation from the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). With a time of 66.73, Robert Kraut and Nemo edged ahead of Ft. Lauderdale's Jimmy Torano and Caldam'Or who crossed the timers at 67.35.

Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, Fla., incurred one time fault riding Romy to slip into third place while Joe Fargis and Edgar 12 were the only other combination to jump clear, finishing with two time faults for fourth place.

In Section B, three riders managed clear rounds with time being the deciding factor. Ireland's Jonathan McCrea, riding Primo for Candy Tribble and Windsor Show Stables, stopped the clock at 67.84, a full second ahead of Argentina's Federico Sztyrle who posted a time of 68.85 riding Ambra 47 for owner Christian Wolffer. Ken Berkley also jumped clear with Parlay to take third place. Four horses incurred one time fault over the challenging track including two ridden by Sydney Olympian Laura Kraut of Wellington, Fla.

In the $8,000 1.45m class, it was Olympic Team Gold Medalist McLain Ward of Brewster, NY, who came out on top riding Larioso for owner Blue Chip Bloodstock. His teammate, Chris Kappler of Pittstown, N.J., was the runner-up riding Maserati for owner Marsha Dammerman.

The Palm Beach Equine Clinic/Adequan CSI2*, presented by KRR Investments, is the second of 12 weeks comprising the CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising and runs through Sunday, January 23, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The 2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, attracts the best horses and riders from around the world to Wellington, Fla., and offers more than $5 million in prize money. For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com.

Results of Class 1004 - 1.40M II, Sec 1 (Section A)

1 1210 NEMO ROBERT KRAUT 0.00 66.739 MEGHAN MORAN
2 5856 CALDAM'OR JIMMY TORANO 0.00 67.358 SCNC INVESTMENTS
3 974 ROMY TODD MINIKUS 1.00 71.624 DIAMOND GROUP
4 3064 EDGAR 12 JOE FARGIS 2.00 72.275 SCHWAB MARY B. O.E.J.I.
5 5281 RICHYDOU RICHARD MCGRATH 4.00 65.292 CENTRAL PA EQUEST CENTER
6 3126 SIENNA SHANE SWEETNAM 4.00 66.654
7 3874 ALASKA TODD MINIKUS 4.00 67.329 CALLIE SEAMAN
8 2281 PHELOX FRANCISCO MARTINEZ 4.00 68.014 ERIKA MORALES
9 652 CARLOW CLOVER ROBIN SWEELY 4.00 69.622 ACORN HILL
10 2849 STARLIGHT KIRSTEN COE 4.00 70.369

Results of Class 1004 - 1.40M II, Sec 1 (Section B)

1 1978 PRIMO JONATHAN MCCREA 0.00 67.848 CANDY TRIBBLE & WINDSOR S
2 302 AMBRA 47 FEDERICO SZTYRLE 0.00 68.850 CHRISTIAN WOLFFER
3 1832 PARLAY KEN BERKLEY 0.00 70.560 RIVERS EDGE/KAREN DWIGHT
4 2075 OLYMPIA 90 LAURA KRAUT 1.00 71.110 PANIC PARTNERSHIP
5 300 CHARMING GIRL FEDERICO SZTYRLE 1.00 71.197 CHRISTIAN WOLFFER
6 2073 LE PRESTIGE ST LOIS LAURA KRAUT 1.00 71.695 FREEDOM GROUP
7 3583 LARRY 0146 LAUREN HUNKIN 1.00 71.737 RIDGEFIELD HOUSE
8 5088 PRESIDENTE IVAN ZAMORA 4.00 65.896 SLEEPY P RANCH LLC
9 476 CAMPEON 007 LAURA BOWERY 4.00 68.880 GABRIELLE BAUSANO
10 3730 CATARO ASK SIMON NIZRI 4.00 74.941

Results of Class 1002 - 1.45m II, Sec 1

1 1165 LARIOSO MCLAIN WARD 0.00 69.684 BLUE CHIP BLOODSTOCK
2 1532 MASERATI CHRIS KAPPLER 0.00 71.174 MARSHA DAMMERMAN
3 1757 WARCO VAN DE HALHOEVE ALI NILFORUSHAN 0.00 72.966 ALI NILFORUSHAN
4 3090 SATELITE II EMILY WILLIAMS 0.00 75.452 EMILY WILLIAMS
5 3582 ORLEANS LAUREN HUNKIN 1.00 79.877 SYNERGY FARM
6 3091 KAISER DE LA COUR EMILY WILLIAMS 4.00 77.434 EMILY WILLIAMS
7 2286 LENNOX LEWIS 2 LESLIE HOWARD 4.00 78.876 LESLIE HOWARD
8 699 REDEFIN IAN MILLAR 5.00 79.634 FARM LOTHLORIEN
9 5011 QUICK STUDY LAUREN HOUGH 5.00 83.222 LAURA MATEO
10 1634 SUMMER STORM AMY MOMROW 8.00 71.039 SHAINE BROOKS

Photo: Jonathan McCrae and Primo won the $6,000 1.40m Section B on Wednesday, January 23, at the CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, in Wellington, Florida. Photo Credit: Randi Muster