Closing Day Features Invitational Classics at CN Winter Equestrian Festival

By Jennifer Ward

Wellington, FL - The 12-week CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, came to a close on Sunday at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

The day featured four jumper invitational classics, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, offering a total of $100,000 in prize money.  In the $30,000 Amateur-Owner Jumper Invitational Classic, Whitney Weeks of Southport, Conn., and Subliem topped the six horse jump-off, turning in a blistering fast time of 35.79 seconds.  Natalie Johnson, 21, of Greenwich, Conn., posted a time of 37.36 seconds to take second riding her bay gelding, Tokade de Kalvarie.  Ali Wolff had the fastest jump-off time, 34.09, but a rail down with her partner, Hertel Landman, left her in third place.

"There weren't that many people in it, but you qualified based on the prize money you won this circuit so everyone in it was very competitive," noted Weeks, 20, a student at Boston University.  "I went second-last in the jump-off, and it was really nice to be able to watch the person in the ring on the big screen outside in the warm-up area.  I train with Joe Fargis and he was very helpful today.  We made a good plan for the jump-off that ended up working really well."

Weeks had been riding Subliem, her 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, for the past three seasons and said, "She's very bossy and she's a fighter.  She has all the qualities that make her competitive in the ring."

As she has done all season, Clementine Goutal, 17, continued to dominate the Junior Jumper division, winning and taking third place in the $30,000 Junior Jumper Invitational Classic.  Riding Rastella, Goutal was the fastest of the 10 jump-off challengers, turning in a time of 33.71 seconds.  The New York City native also took third place with Kelline Fonroy, stopping the clock at 36.79 seconds.  Breaking up Goutal's run of good fortune was Alexandra Thornton whose time of 35.04 seconds was good enough for second place.  Thornton, 14, was riding Naomi, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare purchased last year during the Winter Equestrian Festival from Canadian Olympian Mario Deslauriers.

"She showed up to the ring and was wild as usual, but even more so," said Goutal of the 18-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare she has been leasing from Emily Woods and Halifax Farm for the past three years.  "She'd had two weeks off and just did one class on Friday, so she was really fresh and was jumping really well.  She had the perfect temperament."

Goutal, who trains with Olympic Bronze medalist Norman Dello Joio, attends the Professional Children's School in New York City and plans to continue her studies at Brown University in the fall.  In addition to winning the $30,000 Junior Jumper Invitational Classic, Goutal was also named the overall Junior Jumper Circuit Champion with Rastella.

In the $20,000 Children's Invitational Classic, Wilton Porter was one of only two riders to advance to the jump-off over the course set by FEI 'O' course designer David Ballard of Canada.  When Fiammetta Varoli had a fall in the jump-off with Sarnita V, victory went to Porter and Benvolio, owned by Sleepy Ranch LLC, who jumped clear in the jump-off, incurring only one time fault.

In the $20,000 Adult Amateur Jumper Invitational, a total of ten horse-rider combinations advanced to the jump-off.  With a clear jump-off round in a time of 32.21 seconds, Stephanie Verville secured victory with her horse, Manuella.  Barbara Rochford finished as the runner-up riding Conto with a time of 32.63 seconds while Alissa Kinsey and Grisset turned in a time of 33.07 seconds for third place.

Throughout the 2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, a total of 25,756 entries competed at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, compared to 18,665 in 2007.  The 2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising, attracted the best horses and riders from around the world to Wellington, Fla., and offered more than $5 million in prize money.  For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com.

• Results - $30,000 Amateur Owner Jumper Invitational
• 1 5114 SUBLIEM WHITNEY WEEKS 0.00 78.085 0.00 35.794 WHITNEY WEEKS
• 2 3529 TOKADE DE KALVARIE NATALIE JOHNSON 0.00 84.959 0.00 37.364 NATALIE JOHNSON
• 3 2063 HERTEL LANDMAN ALI WOLFF 0.00 76.929 4.00 34.096 BLACKLICK BEND FARM
• 4 156 PIA CHARLIE JACOBS 0.00 80.037 4.00 35.748 DEERIDGE FARM
• 5 7119 SR DOCTRO BLYTHE MASTERS 0.00 80.536 4.00 35.954 BLYTHE MASTERS
• 6 1273 LOUISIANA SLOANE COLES 0.00 80.436 8.00 37.487 JULIE COLES
• 7 3070 LARONE TRACY WEINBERG 2.00 87.448 TRACY WEINBERG
• 8 3807 CANTALOO 2 LAUREN TISBO 4.00 76.384 TEQUESTRIAN FARMS LLC
• 9 5378 IDEFIX 99 LAUREN TISBO 4.00 77.397 TEQUESTRIAN FARMS LLC
• 10 2065 RESIDENZ ALI WOLFF 4.00 77.851 BLACKLICK BEND FARM

PHOTO:  Whitney Weeks and Subliem won the $30,000 Amateur-Owner Jumper Invitational Classic to close out the CN Winter Equestrian Festival, presented by Zimmerman Advertising.
All Photo Credits: Ken Braddick, Horse Sport USA