Ride & Learn with Debbie MacDonald

The Ride & Learn Clinic presented by Palm Beach Riding Academy on Tuesday, March 12, is with Dressage World Cup champion Debbie MacDonald on "Connection and Overall Rideability" to improve problems in balance, rhythm and suppleness. Participation is just $100, so call 561-784-4275 for more information.

FTI WEF 9 Lunch & Learn presented by Copy and Print Depot� at Office Depot�

This is a Lunch & Learn you don't want to miss out on: "A Bit about Bits - What's in your Horses Mouth and What's in Your Head," presented by Neue Schule Bits US Distributor, Mette Larsen, with a special guest Dr. Jenny Susse,r Sports Psychologist, who will touch on the subject of how the right equipment can influence your ride. Thursday, March 14, at 11:30 am in The Wellington Club. For more information please call Meg Krueger at 561-784-1111.

WEF Dressage Classic, CDI 3* presented by Today's Equestrian & Fellows

Come to The Stadium to watch top-level dressage competition on Thursday through Sunday, March 14-17, including competition for the Florida Youth Championships presented by Dressage4kids and sponsored by PanaCavallo. This show will be the first opportunity for Para-Equestrian Dressage to begin the qualifying process for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, at the CPEDI3* competition. Everyone is welcome to attend. There is free general admission every day, including Friday night, so come by to see top sport at its finest!    

$35,000 G&C Farm Puissance

The $35,000 G&C Farm Puissance will be the opening competition at The Stadium on Friday evening at 6 pm and will feature powerful horses competing over the puissance wall to see who can jump the highest for the top prize. Always a popular event, the puissance will be even more thrilling in the intimate arena at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, presented by Horseware Ireland

The always exciting FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, presented by Horseware Ireland, will be held on Friday, March 15, at 7:30 pm. Watch the grace of dressage horses at their finest as they perform freestyle routines to top 40 pop hits, classic orchestral arrangements, and more.

The Yale Spizzwinks(?) A Capella Performances

To add to Friday night's features at the WEF Dressage Classic, the a capella group, the Yale Spizzwinks(?), will be performing. First formed in 1906, the Yale Spizzwinks(?) are America's oldest underclassmen a capella singing group. The Spizzwinks(?) - yes the question mark is part of their name! - sing over one hundred concerts every year, entertaining audiences across the country and around the world with the vast diversity of their repertoire of literally hundreds of Spizzwink(?) arrangements. Each and every song is arranged by a member of the group, and they sing everything from Top 40 hits and classic rock to jazz standards and spirituals.

Tiki Hut Happy Hour

Join us at the Tiki Hut on Thursday, March 14 for Happy Hour! Watch the $33,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Round 10 from the Tiki Hut while enjoying a beverage and something delicious to eat.    

$82,000 Horseware Ireland CSI 3* Grand Prix

Only a few more Saturday Night Lights events left. Come out and enjoy top show jumping and a live band on Saturday, March 16. The Bank of America Family Festival will be running complete with the hand-painted Venetian carousel, magician, face painter and more! The class starts at 7:30pm this week. See you all there!

Wellington Craft Beer Show

The Wellington Craft Beer Show will be held Saturday, March 16, from 6:00-9:00 pm at Central Park and The Wellington Club. Enjoy tasting over 30 beers while watching the $82,000 Horseware Ireland CSI 3* Grand Prix. Go to equestriansport.com to purchase tickets online. You must be 21 or older to participate. For more information please call 561-793-5867.

St. Patrick's Day Party at The Gallery

Wear your green attire and stop by The Gallery after the $82,000 Horseware Ireland CSI 3* Grand Prix on Saturday, March 16. Bring your friends, enjoy the music, and dance the night away. You must be 21 or older to attend. Let's start St. Patrick's Day off the right way!

Daniel Deusser and Cornet d'Amour Capture $300,000 FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix CSI 5* Presented by The Bainbridge Companies 

Saturday night's $300,000 FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix CSI 5*, presented by The Bainbridge Companies, was an incredible display of world-class talent as Germany's Daniel Deusser, Brazil's Alvaro de Miranda and Great Britain's Ben Maher and Nick Skelton topped an all-star cast during the highlight event for week nine.

Forty-five entries showed in the prestigious World Cup qualifier jumping a course set by Steve Stephens of Palmetto, FL. Representatives from 14 different countries competed, including an impressive 20 riders that have appeared in Olympic Games for their home nations. In a thrilling race against the clock, eight of the world's best made it to the jump-off and four jumped double clear.

Ben Maher and Jane Clark's Cella were the first pair to clear the jump-off course and set the leading time at a lightning fast 40.12 seconds. Nick Skelton was up next with his great mount Big Star, owned by Beverly Widdowson. They cleared the course in 41.01 seconds. Alvaro de Miranda and AD Rahmannshof's Bogeno, owned by Miranda and Victory Equestrian BV, went next and stopped the clock in 40.46 seconds. Their round was followed by a stellar performance from Daniel Deusser and Cornet d'Amour, owned by Stephex Stables and Pedro Veniss. They flew through the course in 38.94 seconds to earn top prize. Maher and Cella finished second, de Miranda and AD Rahmannshof's Bogeno were third, and Skelton and Big Star placed fourth.

Daniel Deusser has ridden Cornet d'Amour, a ten-year-old Westphalian gelding by Cornet Obolensky x Damiani, for ten months since he began riding for Stephex Stables in Belgium last May. After a couple of months off and a 1.40m class at a national show in Germany, the pair traveled to Wellington this winter and jumped right in with week eight's Nations Cup.

"I was doubting that it was maybe a little too quick to start with the Nations Cup last week, but he came in that ring and he felt fantastic," Deusser stated. "He jumped double clear in the Nations Cup and was third in the class Thursday and he wins now, so I think he did a really good job."

Commenting on the class, Deusser noted, "The beginning of the class we didn't have too many clear rounds, but at the end we had very good riders and very good horses. The quality of the horses and riders in the jump-off was really good and they started very fast. For me there was no choice, I had to try it and we were a little bit lucky and it worked out today."

"I saw that the jump-off was really fast," Deusser detailed. "I saw Nick just before I went in and he did eight strides to the last fence. I thought that it was really long, but at the beginning I already had a really good turn from one to two and really kept the triple bar on the inside. Then also to the double vertical I had a really good turn. I had already a really long distance to the second to last fence and I thought 'Okay, I'm going to do the eight.' It was risky and my horse helped me a lot; I think that was the reason I was actually faster."

The packed house of over 6,000 spectators at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) went wild when Deusser galloped through the timers, but he was very focused.

"When I went to the last fence I was actually a little bit scared that I couldn't make it, so I didn't actually listen to the crowd, but it was a nice feeling afterwards," Deusser laughed. "It's one of the best competitions I've won so far. It was very good money and in the moment, it is one of my best results."

Along with prize money, Deusser was also awarded the Herman 'Kappy' Kaplan Perpetual Memorial Trophy, established for Kappy with fondness by the Farriers of the 1995 WEF.

Finishing second, Ben Maher did everything he could in his round and was pleased with the results. He spoke about the quality of the class and the excitement of the competition.

"Every week the jump-offs get faster and faster," Maher noted. "It looked for a long time like there wouldn't be many clear rounds tonight and then there were a lot at the end of the class. I think probably some of the fastest horses there are anywhere right now are all here in the same jump-off. For me, I was third in the jump-off, so I had to do everything possible to make the others chase us, which is what we did. We held on for as long as we could and in the end one managed to catch us. All the horses jumped great and it was an exciting round."

"The jump-off was not too many options, again. It always tends to be a little like that in Florida," Maher remarked. "There's a lot of galloping. I don't know where I could have gone any faster unless I left a jump out. Daniel was amazing. He was in a great position and he had nothing to lose. There were three or four of us all within the same second, so if he didn't do what he did, he was only going to be fifth anyway. Congratulations to him, he pulled off an amazing jump-off tonight."

Alvaro de Miranda had his best result of the circuit this evening and was happy with his horse as well.

"I was very happy to be in the jump-off," he acknowledged. "We have been trying every week and I've had one down and down and down and finally today I was really happy because I think I had a good round and my horse was jumping super. We had the fastest horses in the jump-off and when I came out and I saw that I was quicker than Big Star but slower than Ben, I was happy."

Lillie Keenan Tops Sam Edelman Equitation Championship Riding Levistano 2

The Sam Edelman Equitation Championship was held over two rounds on the grass derby field at The Stadium at PBIEC earlier on Saturday. Twenty-eight entries showed over the first round course set by Skip Bailey of Wellington, FL. The top 15 then returned for a second round. Performances were judged by Tucker Ericson and Ken Smith.

Top young rider Lillie Keenan of New York, NY, rode Heritage Farm Inc.'s Levistano 2, an eleven-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Levisto x Lord, to the Sam Edelman victory. The pair topped both rounds of competition with back to back scores of 89 for an unbeatable 178 point total.

Keenan has been showing 'Levi' since the beginning of the FTI WEF circuit and has had several wins with him in the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, ASPCA Maclay and Pessoa USEF Hunt Seat Medal classes. Keenan explained that they have meshed well from the beginning and that although she had never ridden him on the grass until Saturday's class, she was never worried.

"He had been schooled on the grass before with one of the trainers at Heritage, so I knew that he had already done it," Keenan noted. "He doesn't care about natural obstacles and really is brave so that is very helpful going into that ring, knowing your horse wants to go around."

"I really like those classes," Keenan added. "I like the galloping and I think that is a really fun type of class for the equitation because it still is testing your ability with the adjustments and it is kind of a stepping stone towards the jumpers, but it is in a really big ring, galloping around a field."

Keenan and Levi won well over second place finishers Allison Toffolon and Class Action's total of 170 from an 84 in round one and an 86 in round two. Third place went to Sydney Shulman and Back Country Farm's Eli, who scored 85 and 83 for a 168 point total. Anna Cardelfe and Ulrich, owned by Gray Horse Farm Hamptons LLC, finished fourth on 167.5 with scores of 83 and 84.5.

Heritage Farm's head trainer Andre Dignelli coached the top two finishers, Keenan and Toffolon. For the win, he was presented with a special $10,000 Trainer's Award. Keenan credited Dignelli and the rest of the team at Heritage for the parts they played in her victory.

"Andre rode my horse this morning, so he gets all the credit for the preparation," she smiled. "I could not ask for a better team. There is Andre and it is also everyone else at Heritage. Without them I would not have won. Going in there and knowing that everything has been done to make sure that you have the opportunity to win and now it is just your job to pull it through, it puts on the pressure, but also it is a really good feeling. I give all the credit to Andre and everyone at Heritage - and the horse."

Hunter and Equitation Results:
Thursday through Sunday   

Peter Pletcher and Lucador claimed victory for the second week in a row in the Fumero Law Pre-Green Level 2 Hunter division during week nine of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The five-year-old Oldenburg gelding, owned by Sophie Walker and Susan Gordon's Sagamore Farm, Inc., dominated day one of competition, winning the under saddle and both over fences classes. Pletcher and Lucador wrapped up the division on day two with a second place finish over fences. Reserve champion honors went to 21-Gun Salute, ridden by Christina Serio and owned by Kendall Sharkey. Serio and 21-Gun Salute were fourth under saddle and sixth and second over fences on day one before finishing day two with first and fifth place ribbons over fences.

Lissa Brazeal and her eight-year-old Hanoverian gelding Sizzle took home championship honors in the Adult Amateur 36-50 Section A Hunter division during week nine of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Brazeal, of Delray Beach, FL, and Sizzle were leading the division after day one of competition when the pair placed third under saddle and second and first over fences. Day two, the pair secured victory with a second place finish in the final over fences round.  Reserve champion was Quintas, owned and ridden by Dawn Kelly.

Lauren Henry, of North Kingstown, RI, rode her own Esteban La Paz to championship honors in the Equitation 15-17 during week nine of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Henry and Esteban La Paz, a fourteen-year-old Hanoverian gelding, were third under saddle and jumped to first and fourth place over fences. Reserve honors went to Maggie Savoie and her own Ksenyio. The pair won the under saddle class before placing third and seventh over fences.

Madison Arani, of Dover, MA, piloted Without Question to tricolor honors during the final day of competition for week nine of the FTI WEF. The pair was champion of the Pine Hollow Low Children's Hunter 2'6" Division after placing first over fences on day one followed by second place finishes under saddle and over fences day two.  Reserve honors went to Sweet Addiction, owned by Sarah Sturges and ridden by Haylee Jerkins. Jerkins and Sweet Addiction were sixth over fences on day one followed by a third place finish under saddle and a blue ribbon over fences on day two.

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

Week 9 Classic winners: 
$15,000 RCG Farm SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Katty King and Wilexo

$10,000 Griffis Residential High Junior Jumpers- Eugenio Garza and Seagull
$10,000 Animo USA Medium Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Leah DeMartini and True Love
$10,000 Hollow Creek Farm Medium Junior Jumpers - Lillie Keenan and Vanhattan

$10,000 Charles Owen Low Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Philip Richter and Firefly 
$10,000 Maria Mendelsohn Low Junior Jumpers - Emanuel Andrade and Ohio du Thot

$10,000 Engel & V�lkers Adult Jumpers 18-35 - Alissa Kinsey and Grisset 
$10,000 Martha Jolicoeur Adult 36-49 Jumpers - Patricia Hurter and Zazu
$10,000 Horseware Don Little Masters - All That and Murray Kessler

Week 9 Champions:

EnTrust Children's Jumper 14 & Under - Sophie Howell and Prodion

FarmVet Adult Modified Jumpers -Andrea Dowd and Mademoiselle Zoe

EnTrust Children's Jumper 15-17 - Emma Schauder and Unique

Children's Modified Jumpers - Autumn Janesky and Peper Gold

Paddock Cakes Low Adult Jumper 18-35 - Jennifer Rowland and Casalita 2

Paddock Cakes Low Adult Jumper 36 & Over -Nina Simons and Grace Farm's Sabrina

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