Olympic Champion Rodrigo Pessoa Two for Two in Wellington

By Jennifer Ward

Wellington, FL - Hot off in his victory in Friday's $10,000 Wellington Golf Cars Welcome Stake, Olympic Champion Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil returned to the International Ring to win the $8,0001.45m competition during the Smart for Life CSI2*, presented by Gold Coast Feed, week three of the CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Paired with his home-bred horse Palouchin, Pessoa made it two for two, topping a field of 38 entries over a track set by course designer Luc Musette of Belgium.  The course produced a 14 clear round efforts, but Pessoa scorched around the ring in a time of 56.91 seconds compared to the 59.47 posted by second-place finisher Darragh Kerins of Ireland riding Night Train for owner Double H Farm.

"I am two for two with this horse, and I am very happy," said Pessoa of Palouchin, a flashy chestnut gelding sired by his three-time World Cup Champion horse, Baloubet de Rouet, and out of a Chin Chin mare that Pessoa showed as a junior.  "This horse is very competitive and I think you'll see him in the winner's circle a lot this season.  He's fast and he's careful, and that is a great combination."

With a total of 119 horses showing in the 1.40m competition, the class was divided into two sections.  There were 15 clear rounds posted in Section A with Angela Moore and Land Baron IV edging out Canada's Eric Lamaze and Take Off for the win.  In Section B, the win did go north of the border with Erynn Ballard of Hillsburgh, Ontario, posting the fastest time of the 24 clear rounds.  Riding Gentle R, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Mitchell Gallinger, Ballard crossed the timers in 62.04 seconds ahead of Dick Carvin who posted 62.81 piloting Orlando LA for owner Paris Sellon.

The Smart for Life CSI2*, presented by Gold Coast Feed, is the third of 12 weeks comprising the CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising and runs through Sunday, February 3, 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 1002 - 1.45m

• 1 255 PALOUCHIN RODRIGO PESSOA 0.00 56.912 RODRIGO PESSOA
• 2 142 NIGHT TRAIN DARRAGH KERINS 0.00 59.470 DOUBLE H FARM
• 3 1896 TIBOR PABLO BARRIOS 0.00 60.455 FARM LOTHLORIEN
• 5 1832 PARLAY KEN BERKLEY 0.00 63.596 RIVERS EDGE/KAREN DWIGHT
• 6 3874 ALASKA TODD MINIKUS 0.00 64.482 CALLIE SEAMAN
• 7 1018 SASSICAIA II HENRI KOVAKS 0.00 65.748 HENRI PRUDENT
• 8 1712 COURAGE 68 BRIAN SHOOK 0.00 67.421 EQUESTRIAN ENDEAVORS INC
• 9 5109 MADISON JOE FARGIS 0.00 68.320 ALEXA WEEKS
• 10 5263 NIELSON B JEANNE HOBBS 0.00 68.433 JEANNE HOBBS

Results of Class 1004 - 1.40m Section A

• 1 1649 LAND BARON IV ANGELA MOORE 0.00 61.642 STEALAWAY FARM LLC
• 2 5368 TAKE OFF ERIC LAMAZE 0.00 62.768 ASHLAND STABLES
• 3 3108 VICTOR III SHANE SWEETNAM 0.00 63.023 SPY COAST FARM LLC
• 4 3263 IMPULSIVE SCOTT LENKART 0.00 63.486 BENNETT SPORT HORSE
• 5 1107 TIGGER NICOLE SIMPSON 0.00 64.777 JANE CLARK
• 6 3131 LIBERTY LADY SHANE SWEETNAM 0.00 68.153 BARBARA KELLY
• 7 2717 ROMANOV JONATHON MILLAR 0.00 68.864 MILLAR BROOKE FARM LTD.
• 8 1986 BALOUBET JUNIOR Z JONATHAN MCCREA 0.00 71.144 CANDY TRIBBLE & WINDSOR S
• 9 299 FATALIS FATUM FEDERICO SZTYRLE 0.00 74.618 CHRISTIAN WOLFFER
• 10 5829 ROBIN PETER WYLDE 0.00 74.630 WINDWARD FARM

Results of Class 1004 - 1.40m Section B

• 1 2914 SANTA TERESITA GENTLE R ERYNN BALLARD 0.00 62.041 MITCHELL GALLINGER
• 2 7111 ORLANDO LA DICK CARVIN 0.00 62.813 PARIS SELLON
• 3 3064 EDGAR 12 JOE FARGIS 0.00 63.434 SCHWAB MARY B. O.E.J.I.
• 4 6301 LUIS 13 SANDY VAN DYKE 0.00 63.592 JULIANNA FISCHER
• 5 1109 KING LOUIE RAMIRO QUINTANA 0.00 64.802 ROSEWOOD GLEN LTD.
• 6 2068 CANECKO Z LAURA KRAUT 0.00 64.840 GREENHAVEN LLC
• 7 2892 STAR APPLE GEORGINA BLOOMBERG 0.00 65.171 GOTHAM ENTERPRISES
• 8 2317 ULTIMO VAN TER MOUDE TODD MINIKUS 0.00 65.209 TODD MINIKUS LTD
• 9 1029 TRITON FRANKIE CHESLER-ORTI 0.00 66.420 SHER-AL FARM
• 10 1529 RULANDA CAROLYN KELLY 0.00 67.421 LULU EQUESTRIAN ENTERPRIS
• 11 1106 VICOMTE D NICOLE SIMPSON 0.00

Photo: Rodrigo Pessoa and Palouchin won the $10,000 Wellington Golf Cars Welcome Stake on Friday, January 25, at the CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, in Wellington, Florida. Photo Credit: Ken Braddick

Photo: The Bertelan DeNemethy Arena opened for competition Wednesday after receiving the same complete makeover as the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).  A complete new base and footing by Olympic footing expert Bart Poels was installed to complete the first phase of renovating the PBIEC.  Candice King, one of the first riders in the ring on the opening day of the third week of the CN Winter Equestrian Festival presented by Zimmerman Advertising described the footing as 'superb'. Photo Credit: Ken Braddick - Equestrian Sport Productions