In the wake of an electrical fire last week at a barn off Lake Worth Road, the Palm Beach County Fire Department will be doing random checks of the barn areas at PBIEC for the next several weeks, and ESP Stabling staff will also be checking extension cords.

Exhibitors should be reminded that the first two rules on the WEF Stabling form (for both permanent and tent stabling at WEF and GDF grounds) and listed in the prize list address these fire safety concerns.

The Palm Beach County Fire Department and ESP will have zero tolerance for any condition that is considered unsafe. We ask that all exhibitors review their barn areas for any potential risks.

The fire safety rules are listed as follows:

1. No one may use any electrical outlet to connect any cord or appliance that does not meet local code and any such item may be removed without claim for damages.

2. Electric outlets are for fans, clippers, small radios, and other approved small appliances. No golf carts, heaters, refrigerators, or water coolers may be connected to these outlets. ESP LLC may refuse use of outlets as it deems reasonable.

Biosecurity Update

ESP announces that restrictions for horses shipping in have been lifted. Horses coming from barns where quarantine restrictions have been lifted are now allowed at PBIEC.

Any horses shipping onto the property (both WEF and GDF grounds) will require a health certificate or statement on official licensed veterinarian letterhead dated March 1, 2013, or after. Horses must still only ship in during daylight hours.

Equestrian Sport Productions thanks all of their exhibitors for raising their awareness and staying vigilant for these horse health and safety issues.

FTI WEF Week 11 Ride & Learn presented by Palm Beach Riding Academy

Learn from Irish European team gold medalist Kevin Babington in the Ride & Learn on Tuesday, March 19, in the International Arena. Sponsored by Farm Credit of Florida, participation is $100 per horse/rider. Contact Sean at 561-784-4275 for more information.

FTI WEF Week 11 Tiki Hut Tables

This week you can reserve a table for the upstairs or downstairs of the Tiki Hut for the $100,000 Suncast� 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final on Saturday, March 23. Don't miss out on the chance to sit in one of the best locations surrounding the International Arena. Please contact Annette Goyette at 561-793-5867 to reserve a table.

FTI WEF 11 Lunch & Learn presented by Copy and Print Depot� at Office Depot�

Are you concerned about your horse's nutrition? This week's Lunch & Learn, "Nutritional Foundations for the Traveling Equine Athlete" sponsored by Cargill-Pennfield will provide riders, trainers and owners with valuable information about the necessary nutrients for competition horses. Equine Nutrition Specialist Doug Leavitt will be coming to The Wellington Club on Thursday, March 21, at 11:30 am. For more information please contact Meg Krueger at 561-784-1111.

Tiki Hut Happy Hour

Come grab a seat and a drink at the Tiki Hut and watch the $50,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Round 11 on Thursday, March 21, at 1:00 pm. With more prize money offered, the competition will be high. Don't miss out on the excitement!

The 6th Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Exhibition presented by Alessandro Albanese

On Friday, March 22, the best junior equitation riders in the sport will compete in the International Arena at 4:00 pm. In order to qualify for this class a rider must have won a class at tFTI WEF prior to March 21. A rider may have won the USEF Hunt Seat Medal, ASPCA Maclay, USEF Talent Search, WIHS Overall or a Hunter Phase/Jumper Phase. Riders will be judged on how well they manage and warm up their horses as well as how well they execute the track in the International Arena. Riders are not allowed assistance from their trainer, but are allowed to have one groom. Aside from a winner being named, several special awards will be presented as well.

Vinceremos Special Olympics

The Special Olympics Area Equestrian Games will be held at The Stadium at PBIEC on Saturday, March 23, in the Van Kampen Covered Arena. Come cheer on the riders from Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center along with other equestrians from South Florida therapeutic riding centers. Winners will be invited to participate in the Special Olympics State Equestrian Games in the spring.

$100,000 Suncast� 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final

Come out and enjoy the second to last Saturday Night Lights event. The Bank of America Family Festival will be in full swing, a live band will be performing and there will be fun for the whole family. The gates open at 6:00 pm, with the show jumping beginning at 8:00 pm. The Suncast� 1.50m Championship Jumper Series $50,000 Leading Horse/Rider Combination Award will be awarded after the completion of the class to the rider that has accumulated the most points from the Suncast� 1.50m classes held FTI WEF Week's 1-11. Hope to see you all there!

Wild 95.5 Night at The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center

Join Kevin, Virginia, and Jason from the WILD 95.5 FM morning show as they bring fun and entertainment to Saturday night's events in the International Arena and The Gallery! A party bus from West Palm Beach will bring fans to PBIEC and there will even more fun with a dance-off on the table bank and second round in The Gallery after-party!

$15,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix presented by Dutta Corporation in association with Guido Klatte

Head out to the Derby Field on Sunday, March 24, at 9:00 am and watch some of the young talent in our sport tackle a course on the grass. Riders under the age of 25 will compete for a chance in the spotlight as well as a piece of the purse.

Palm Beach Woman Reception

Complimentary champagne, cheese and crackers will be served in the lobby of the Adequan Global Pavilion on Sunday, March 24, before the start of the $101,000 Pennfield Feeds CSI 4* Grand Prix to honor Katherine and Nicole Bellissimo being highlighted on the first edition of Palm Beach Woman Magazine. The reception is hosted by Palm Beach Woman Magazine and will be held from 1:00 pm until 2:00 pm. Everyone is welcome!

$101,000 Pennfield Feeds CSI 4* Grand Prix

Aside from the $15,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix, another exciting class will be held at The Stadium out on the Derby Field on Sunday, March 24, at 2:00 pm. Top Grand Prix riders will take to the grass and have another chance at qualifying for the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix on Saturday night, March 30.

Don't Forget to Reserve your VIP Table for FTI WEF Week 12

Watch the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix on Saturday, March 30, from your own private table at The Special Events Pavilion, with panoramic views across the arena, offering a Chef's Table Buffet with a cash bar for $1,000 for a table seating 6 guests, or individual seats at $200. Please contact Annette Goyette at 561-793-5867 to make a reservation.

Save the Date! FTI WEF Week 12 Ride and Learn sponsored by Palm Beach Riding Academy

Louise Serio will conclude the 2013 FTI WEF Ride & Learn Series and be the clinician for FTI WEF Week 12, sponsored by Quest Plus Dewormer, on Tuesday, March 26, at 3:00 pm. Don't miss out on an opportunity to ride with one of the finest hunter riders of the sport. If you are interested please contact Sean Jones at 561-784-4275.

Jumper Results: Wednesday through Sunday

Week ten of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Horseware Ireland, featured the $33,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45 speed class on Wednesday with a win for Germany's Johannes Ehning and Cayenne 162. Earning points on the Longines FEI world ranking list, the pair won over Alise Oken (USA) riding Kaid Du Ry and Beezie Madden (USA) aboard Mademoiselle, with a lightning fast round.

Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Germany was the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC for week ten. Petersen set the speed track for 39 entries in Wednesday's highlight FEI 1.45m class sponsored by Spy Coast Farm. The challenging course saw nine clear rounds.

Third in the order, Alise Oken was the first rider to clear the course aboard Hi Hopes Farm LLC's Marcus Quintus and held the lead through a large part of the class with her time of 61.51 seconds. Nineteen rounds later, Beezie Madden and Abigail Wexner's Mademoiselle stole the lead in 59.35 seconds. Two rounds after that, Oken returned aboard her second mount, Hi Hopes Farm LLC's Kaid Du Ry, to reclaim her top spot with an even faster 58.92 seconds. They would both be beat a few rounds later when Johannes Ehning and Winley Farm LLC's Cayenne 162 breezed through the timers in 58.87 seconds for the win.

Oken and Kaid Du Ry eventually finished second with Madden and Mademoiselle third. Japan's Eiken Sato and Stephex Stables' Viva jumped into the fourth position in 60.12 seconds, and Oken's time with Markus Quintus placed fifth.

Ehning was happy to get the win in the final class on Wednesday as he finished second in both of the classes held earlier in the day. In the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off, Sarah Segal and Horatio St. Ventures' Tilghman and Cian O'Connor and Mary Chapot's Zealous were both winners in a split class. Ehning and Nybor Pferde GMBH & Co. KG's Appearance 2 and Todd Minikus aboard Karen Polle's Udonnay Z were each second. In the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m jump-off, Alexandra Paillot guided Carol Sollak's Brooklyn Blues to the win. Ehning and Appearance 2 were once again second.  

Ireland's Conor Swail and Chinook Valley, Inc.'s Martha Louise were victorious in Thursday's $33,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 10. Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Germany set the course in the International Arena for Thursday's Challenge Cup class with 64 entries, 13 clear rounds to advance to the jump-off, and five double clear efforts over the short course. Conor Swail and Martha Louise, a nine-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare by Maloubet de Pleville 1039 x Wolfgang, had the leading time in 42.53 seconds.

Charlie Jacobs (USA) and CMJ Sporthorse LLC's Flaming Star finished second in 43.72 seconds. Lauren Tisbo (USA) and Tequestrian Farms LLC's Roundthorn Madios were third in 44.47 seconds. Heather Caristo-Williams and M/M Ralph Caristo's Evening Star placed fourth in 44.49 seconds. Fifth place honors went to Japan's Taizo Sugitani and Yvonne Young's Avenzio 3 with their time of 47.39 seconds.

Along with his winning prize money, Swail was also presented with a special rider's bonus for the SSG "Go Clean for the Green" promotion. A $3,000 bonus is offered each week if the winning rider of the Challenge Cup class is wearing the SSG 'Digital' Riding Gloves in all rounds of competition with the SSG logo clearly visible.

Week ten continued on Friday with a win for Great Britain's Ben Maher and Quiet Easy 4 in the highlight $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class. In an exciting finish, Maher just edged out Canada's Eric Lamaze and Wang Chung M2S for the win with Japan's Eiken Sato and Viva finishing in third.

Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Germany set the speed track for Friday's $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m class in the International Arena at PBIEC with 43 entries competing. Fifteen were able to clear the course without fault and the times got faster and faster as the list went on. In the end, Ben Maher and Mrs. Phillips' Quiet Easy 4 won it with their time of 60.69 seconds. Eric Lamaze and Wang Chung M2S, owned by Morningside Stud and Torrey Pines Stables, were just behind in 60.92 seconds. Eiken Sato and Stephex Stables' Viva finished third in 62.06 seconds. Meagan Nusz (USA) and Amalaya Investments' Vesuvius were fourth in 62.62 seconds.

The $10,000 Puissance high jump competition was held on Friday evening at The Stadium at PBIEC prior to the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle presented by Horseware Ireland for the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. Great Britain's Tim Gredley and Unex Valente and Germany's Johannes Ehning and Salvador V went head to head over the wall in four rounds of competition with Gredley winning at a final height of 6'11" (2.10m).

The competition was held as a fun exhibition with slightly modified rules. The two competitors were allotted up to five rounds (first round and four jump-offs) with two attempts at the wall in each round if necessary. The wall began at 5'4" (1.65m) in round one with both horses and riders jumping clear in one attempt. It then went up to 5'11" (1.85m) with two more clear rounds. In round three, Gredley and Valente cleared the 6'5" (1.95m) wall on the first try and Ehning and Salvador took two attempts to jump the obstacle. Once the wall went up to 6'11" (2.10m) in round four, Gredley jumped clear, and Ehning opted to withdraw. Gredley earned the winning $7,000 for his effort and then, in an exciting twist, decided to jump higher.

Equestrian Sport Productions' CEO Mark Bellissimo offered up $10,000 more if Gredley could clear the wall at 7'6" (2.31m) or $5,000 just for attempting it. Gredley and Valente made two valiant efforts but rubbed the blocks off the top in both tries. They still came out of the day with $12,000 and a great experience.

Whether it was the luck of the Irish on St. Patrick's Day or just natural skill and talent, the Irish riders were on a roll on the final day of competition for week ten of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Horseware Ireland. Richie Moloney and Equinimity LLC's Slieveanorra jumped to victory in the $33,000 Suncast� 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic to conclude the week's jumper competition.

Showing at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Sunday afternoon, 31 entries showed in the 1.50m class over a course set by Germany's Olaf Peterson, Jr. Eight competitors were able to clear the first round course without fault and seven went double clear in the jump-off. It was the Irish horse/Irish rider combination of Richie Moloney and Slieveanorra that completed the fastest clear round in 32.91 seconds for the win. The pair was honored additionally with the Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award for week ten presented by Laura Whitlow.

Brazil's Carlos Ribas and Ronaldo, owned by Ribas and Roberto Villa Real Jr., finished second with a time of 34.39 seconds. USA's Karen Polle and With Wings were third in 35.38 seconds.

Eiken Sato and Espyrante Succeed in $82,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3*
 Japan's Eiken Sato and Espyrante jumped to victory in the $82,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* on Saturday night during another exciting evening of international competition for week ten at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). In a jump-off of seven nations, Sato beat out riders from Great Britain, Ireland, Venezuela, Germany, Greece and the United States for his first big win at the Pam Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).

Olaf Petersen, Jr. of Germany set the course for Saturday night's Grand Prix with 40 entries competing at night under the lights. Ten riders representing seven different countries qualified for the jump-off and four went double clear over the short course.

Seventh to go, Venezuela's Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra, owned by the ZL Group Inc., were the first pair to jump the short course without fault and finished fourth with their time of 48.27 seconds. Up next, Great Britain's Ben Maher and Jane Clark's Urico cleared the course in 44.27 seconds to briefly take the lead. They were pushed into second by Japan's Eiken Sato and Stephex Stables' Espyrante, who stopped the clock in 42.79 seconds for the win. Last to go, Ireland's Shane Sweetnam and Eregast Van't Kiezelhof, owned by Spy Coast Farm LLC, finished clear in 47.61 seconds to take the third place prize.

Sato, 27, has lived in Belgium for nine years and began riding for Stephex Stables two years ago. His mount, Espyrante, is a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Obourg x Pauillac De Meia Lua that they got last year.

"My horse always jumps well," Sato praised after his win. "Tonight she was amazing and I'm really happy. Last week Daniel Deusser won the Grand Prix, and this week I won one. We won for our stable two weeks in a row and this is my first Grand Prix that I have won in Palm Beach, so I am really happy."

Describing Espyrante, Sato detailed, "She's a really strong mare and actually nobody liked her at first. I tried working with her and she won the Grand Prix, so you never know. Only the horse can know."

Sato went after a very fast round from Ben Maher and Urico and explained that he did watch them go, but trusted his horse's ability to be faster.

"To be honest, I saw, but I tried not to see because he is such a fast rider," Sato laughed. "The end I saw. My horse is naturally really fast, so I knew I needed to take risks, but I trust my horse and she did a fantastic job."

Maher commented on his round with Urico, noting, "I was very happy. He felt back to himself tonight. He felt confident. The jump-off was one of those jump-offs again with a lot of riders knocking fences down, so I tried to beat the ones in front of me tonight, not the ones that were after me. I took a risk and it did not pay off tonight, but I could not be happier. He was fantastic and I would never complain about being second in a Grand Prix, especially to a great rider."

Shane Sweetnam was showing his mount Eregast in the horse's first Grand Prix as well as his first night class. Although the horse was a little green in the ring, Sweetnam was very happy with his performance.

"It's his first Grand Prix of any sort. It's his first Grand Prix here and WEF was his first 1.45m and last week was his first 1.50m," Sweetnam emphasized. "Honestly, he wasn't meant to be rushed as quickly, but with Siri getting injured, he had to step up and he has done a great job."

"He is a very talented horse," Sweetnam said. "He was very green in the jump-off. I wish I could have gone quicker because he can be a very fast horse, but the music and the crowd and everything was making him fairly high-strung. I was very, very happy with him. For the experience he has, he did unbelievable. I have very high hopes for him."

Sweetnam commented on the course, stating, "I thought Olaf has always done a great job. As far as a going number of ten tonight in the jump-off, it made a very interesting jump-off with not so many clears. I think the second round the horses were a little tired, but I think he did a great job."

Sato added, "I did the course walk for the first round and I thought there would be ten or twelve clear. In the jump-off there weren't too many clear, but it was a fantastic course for the jump-off and it was really fun."

Maher shared his opinion as well, noting, "It was a very different course. It was a lot more twisty and turny tonight. Not typically a course for here, but it was nice and different for the horses. It was good to see not big jumps, but a big course, take its toll with faults all over the place, which is a sign of a good Grand Prix."

Hunter and Equitation Results: Thursday through Sunday
 Havens Schatt and Smiles had plenty to grin about after earning championship honors in the Lucas Equine Equipment Performance Hunter 3'3" division during week ten of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Schatt and Smiles, a ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Bruce Duchossois, bested the division with consistent performances over two days of competition. Day one, the pair won the under saddle and placed first and third over fences, followed by second and fourth place finishes on day two. Hayley Barnhill and Missy Luczak-Smith's Surf's Up were reserve champions after two blue ribbon finishes over fences on day two.

Mary-Katherine Shaughnessy and her sixteen-year-old Trakehner gelding, Whitecap, jumped to tricolor honors in the Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 51+ Division during week ten of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). With the points widely spread across the division, Whitecap and Shaughnessy emerged as champions after consistent over fences performances. The pair was second and eighth over fences on day one of competition and first and eighth over fences on day two. Reserve champion was Sandra Epstein aboard her own Pembroke. Epstein piloted Pembroke to fourth and third places over fences on day one of competition.

Walk the Line and Lillie Keenan clinched the championship title in the Antar�s Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division during week 10 of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Keenan and Walk the Line were a force to be reckoned with over fences, winning three of four over fences rounds. Keenan and Don Stewart's fourteen-year-old gelding were also fourth over fences during day one of competition for the division.

Reserve champion honors went to Norgan, Inc.'s Capstone, ridden by Sydney Shulman. Shulman and Capstone were third and first over fences day one and placed third day two in all three classes, including an under saddle and two over fences rounds.

The owner-rider champion was Perfectionist and Cloe Hymowitz. Hymowitz also picked up reserve owner-rider honors with Garfield, co-owned by Alexandra Crown.

Ned Cunniffe piloted Cherrybrook Blue Suede Shoes to a St. Patrick's Day victory in the Autism Speaks Children's Large Pony Hunter during week ten of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Paulexi, LLC's "Suede," a seventeen-year-old Welsh Pony/Thoroughbred cross, was fourth under saddle and second in two over fences classes with Cunniffe in the irons.

Reserve championship honors went to Chatsworth, owned by Victoria Press and ridden by Emma Kurtz. Kurtz rode Chatsworth to first, seventh, and fourth over fences.

For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.

Week 10 Classic winners: 
$15,000 RCG Farm SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Annie Cook and Banba

$10,000 Griffis Residential High Junior Jumpers- Kalvin Dobbs and Winde

$10,000 Animo USA Medium Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Nathalie Mathers and Windline

$10,000 Hollow Creek Farm Medium Junior Jumpers - Eugenio Garza and Styling

$10,000 Charles Owen Low Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Philip Richter and Firefly  
$10,000 Maria Mendelsohn Low Junior Jumpers - Maddie Sisco and Ensor

$10,000 Adult Jumpers 18-49 (division sponsors Engel & V�lkers and Martha Jolicoeur) -Tessa Weise and Carzat

$10,000 Horseware Don Little Masters - Kelly Maloney and Leroy Brown 17

Week 10 Champions:

EnTrust Children's Jumper 14 & Under - Samantha Kasowitz and El Sueno's Cantalupi

EnTrust Children's Jumper 15-17 - Emma Schauder and Good Luck Charm

FarmVet Adult Modified Jumpers - Caroline Woods and Hidden Creek's Quantum

Children's Modified Jumpers - Thiele Schroeder and Mister Cash Van Der Veldmden

Paddock Cakes Low Adult Jumper 18-35 - Kristen Landino and Diamond Chill

Paddock Cakes Low Adult Jumper 36 & Over - Jane Leone and Desh+

Paddock Cakes Low Children's Jumper - Dakota Freeman and Neblina