Exhibitor Alert:
What You Should Know

ATTENTION - All motorized vehicles must have tags if they are driven on the roads in Wellington. Palm Beach County Sheriffs will be checking in the area. Along with tags, those riding motorized vehicles must have some sort of eye protection (sunglasses are fine). Those who don't have tags can use the bridle paths.

Pre-Green Incentive Program Stakes Class Added to FTI WEF Weeks Four and Eight - Sign Up!

Those exhibitors who want to earn prize money from the Pre-Green Incentive Program must enroll in the PGIP program for their week four entries. Horses not enrolled in the PGIP are only eligible for ribbons and prizes offered in the WEF Pre-Green Hunter section and will not receive additional ribbons or prize money through the PGIP.

ESP is excited to announce this addition at the 2013 FTI WEF. The incentive program will even further expand the variety of high-caliber competition offered at the FTI WEF.

Information on Jumper Division Championships

Effective FTI WEF 3-12, for Weekly Jumper Championships: In the case of a tie for champion or reserve champion,  the highest placing in the classics will break all ties.

FTI WEF 3 Ride & Learn presented by Palm Beach Riding Academy

On Tuesday, January 22, Candice King will be giving a clinic on "The Efficient Jumper Ride" (minimum fence height: 3'3") sponsored by Neue Schule Bits. The riding session begins at 3:00 pm and is priced at $100.00 per horse/rider combination. Riders will not only have the opportunity to ride with one of the most successful jumper riders in the industry; they will also have the chance to participate in an open session where they will be able to ask questions. For more information contact Sean Jones at 561-784-4275 or sean@equestriansport.com.

FTI WEF 4 Ride & Learn presented by Palm Beach Riding Academy

Geoff Teall will be instructing the third FTI WEF Ride & Learn clinic on Tuesday, January 29, at 3:00pm. This week's session will be "The Right Approach to Hunters" (minimum fence height: 2'6") sponsored by Draper Therapies. The riding clinic is priced at $100.00 per horse and rider, with only twelve spots available. Please contact Sean Jones at 561-784-4275 or sean@equestriansport.com if you are interested.

The Adequan� Global Dressage Festival National Opener

On January 22-23, the first dressage show of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival this season will be held at The Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. This particular show provides a relaxed atmosphere for both horse and rider before the prestigious CDI competitions get underway throughout the season. Top judges will evaluate junior, amateur, and professional riders as they show-off their newly acquired skills on world-class footing. There will be free admission and free parking. For more information please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

FTI WEF 3 Lunch & Learn presented by Copy and Print Depot� at Office Depot�

Week 2's Lunch & Learn was both informative and entertaining, so don't miss out this week! On Thursday, January 24th the session will be "Mind-Body-Horse Connection to Maximize Performance" with world-renowned Sports Performance Coach Laura King. A delicious lunch will be provided, as well as a chance to enter a free raffle. Riders, trainers, and owners can simply stop by the Wellington Club from 11:30am-1:30pm to participate in the session. For more information please contact 561-793-5867.

Are You Up For A Bucking Good Time For A Good Cause?

It is that time of year again, time to challenge your friends to a fierce competition of bull riding right here in your own backyard, Wellington, Florida. The Buck Off is back for its third year of competition and entertainment to raise money for the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. The legendary mechanical bull riding contest separates those who can stay on a mechanical bull from those who cannot. This event runs for three weeks with teams of four people competing against each other for a chance to ride in the Final Buck Off, which is held at the Vinceremos Annual Dinner/Auction on February 8th, at the International Polo Club. The qualifying Buck Off rounds are held at Polo West on Thursday, January 24th and 31st at 7:00 pm. Last week was the first competition and the winning team was Louisburg Farm. Louisburg Farm will advance to the finals and compete against last year's winner, Sophie's Swingers. We have two more competitions left and we need some riders that will give these guys a run for their egos. Rally some teams together, your coworkers, local business owners, high school teams, and family members. You can name them whatever you want. Teams can sign up on the night of the competition. If you haven't been able to beat Louisburg Farm on a horse now is your chance to beat them on a bull!

Polo West is located at 2470 Greenview Cove Drive, off of South Shore Boulevard in Wellington, Florida. For more information on the Buck Off visit www.vinceremos.org or call 561-792 9900. Sponsorship opportunities are available please call VTRC.

Tiki Hut Happy Hour

There will be another Happy Hour at the Tiki Hut on Thursday afternoon starting at 1:00 pm! Be sure to stop by during the $33,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series Round 3 for a refreshing drink and maybe a bite to eat.

4th Annual FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments�

It's that time of the year again! Get in the giving spirit and come out to support the 32 horse/rider teams as they race to the finish line to win for their assigned charity on Saturday, January 26. Enjoy the kid's carnival, street performers, pony rides, face painting, petting zoo, and more! The excitement starts at 7:00 pm. For more information please contact Anne Caroline Valtin at 561-784-1133 or annecaroline@equestriansport.com. Visit www.ftigreatcharitychallenge.com to see more or vote for your favorite charity to win additional prize money!

$50,000 CSI 2* Grand Prix at The Stadium

On Sunday, January 27, the top riders of show jumping will take to the grass at The Stadium and tackle a CSI 2* Grand Prix course. This class will definitely be exciting as it is one of the qualifiers for the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix FEI CSI 5* at FTI WEF 12. Horses will take to the grass at 2:00 pm.

Hunter Results:
Thursday through Sunday

Ivory Coast and Peter Pletcher were named champions of the Second Year Green Working Hunter division after two days of competition at the FTI WEF on Thursday. Ivory Coast, owned by Eva Bisso, and Pletcher led the division after day one of competition when they placed third and sixth over fences before winning the under saddle. Ivory Coast and Pletcher picked up another blue ribbon, this time over fences, and placed sixth in the stake round on day two.

Pletcher was also in the irons for the division's reserve champion, Westbrooke, owned by Laurie Lewis. The eleven-year-old Warmblood gelding placed first and second over fences and fifth under saddle on day one, followed by fifth and fourth places over fences on day two.

Iceman and Laurie Stevens were triumphant for the second week in a row at the FTI WEF. The duo received championship honors in the Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 51 & Older (Section A) division during week one before taking home the championship again in week two. Stevens, of Boca Raton, FL, and her eleven-year-old Westphalian gelding placed first and eighth over fences on day one, followed by second and first places over fences and second place under saddle on day two.

LDM Dramatik, owned and ridden by Lynn Berg, was reserve champion of the division. Berg and Dramatik finished in third and eighth places over fences day one and rode to fifth place over fences and eighth place under saddle on day two.

Garfield and Alexandra Crown jumped their way to championship honors in the Antares Large Junior Hunters 16-17 division during week two of competition at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Crown, of New York City, and her eleven-year-old Holsteiner gelding nearly swept the division after winning all four over fences classes. The pair placed fourth in a competitive under saddle class on day two of competition for the division.

The reserve champion title went to Southfields Farm's Bishonen and David Oberkircher. The eleven-year-old Warmblood gelding, trained by David Raposa, placed second over fences during day one of competition. Bishonen and Oberkircher took home the blue in the under saddle class on day two after earning fifth and third place ribbons in the over fences rounds.

Crown and Garfield were also named Junior Owner/Rider Champion for earning the most points of any owner/rider combination in the division. Crown purchased Garfield in late 2011 after deciding to move up from the pony hunter divisions.

Sienna and Lexi Maounis were champions of the Bainbridge Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter division at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Maounis, of Greenwich, CT, and her eleven-year-old Hanoverian mare won both over fences rounds during day one of competition. On day two, the pair, placed fourth and fifth over fences and third under saddle.

Reserve championship honors were awarded to another all-female pair, Kelsey Thatcher and Pony Lane Farm's Starina B. The duo placed seventh and fourth over fences on day one of the division, followed by fifth and first place rounds on day two. Thatcher and Starina B placed third in the under saddle class.

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

Come visit us today!

Week Two Wrap-Up: Reed Kessler and Ligist Win $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix, CSI 2*

The youngest rider in Saturday night's $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix was the winner as eighteen-year-old Reed Kessler and Ligist jumped to victory during the highlight event of week two at the 2013 FTI WEF. With riders representing fourteen different countries competing in the class, the USA took the top seven placings and the young women were one, two and three. Kessler and Ligist topped Katie Dinan (19) and Nougat du Vallet and Brianne Goutal (24) aboard Nice de Prissey.

Luc Musette of Belgium set the course for Saturday night's $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix. The riders were all complimentary of Musette's course for the evening. Fifty-four entries started the class in round one and nine advanced to the jump-off with four jumping double clear.

Katie Dinan and Grant Road Partners' Nougat du Vallet were the first pair to clear the short course and set the time to beat at 38.19 seconds in the jump-off, eventually finishing second. Ken Berkley and Ax-Cent, owned by Rivers Edge, also cleared the jump-off course and stopped the clock in 39.12 seconds to place fourth. Reed Kessler and Ligist were next to go and blazed through the course in 37.81 seconds to take the lead. Last on course, Brianne Goutal and Cloverleaf Farm's Nice de Prissey cleared the short course in 38.53 seconds to secure fourth place honors.

Reed Kessler was thrilled with the effort of her horse Ligist in the evening's class. Kessler and the 13-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding (Levantos II x Robin Z) recently jumped up to 2.10m in a six-bar class in Geneva and the rider feels that the class really "raised his sights."    

"I think that is the best Goose has ever jumped; he jumped incredibly," Kessler smiled after her win. "I just tried to keep a nice, tight track and take a shot and he was fantastic. I did see Katie a little bit on the screen. I'm not sure where I made up the time. He is a really fast horse; I use him as my speed horse mostly."

Second place finisher Katie Dinan was also very pleased with her mount Nougat du Vallet. Dinan, who is currently in college at Harvard University, is off from school for the month and making the most of her time in Wellington.

"I thought that my horse 'Nugget' jumped good tonight, I was really happy with him," Dinan stated. "We did the Mar-a-lago show two weeks ago and we were aiming for this grand prix. I am down here and I am trying to make the most of that, so it was really nice to have a top three placing in this grand prix. I didn't get a chance to see Reed go, I was walking out my horse, but I thought my jump-off was pretty fast. My horse takes a little bit more time in the air, so I think maybe if I had started out with a little bit more pace I could have helped that, but I can't complain; he was fantastic."

Brianne Goutal went last with her mount Nice de Prissey and had the opportunity to see both riders go in the jump-off, but had to take into account her horse's large stride.

"I was lucky enough to watch both of them from the schooling area on the jumbotron," Goutal noted. "My horse jumped amazing; I was thrilled with the way he went. He is a much bigger horse than theirs; he has a big stride and he takes a longer time to cover the ground. I was able to leave out a stride from one to two and I think I was quite fast back to three, but he is quite difficult to turn. I had to take a little time back to the in and out and again back to the last line, but I was thrilled with the results. I was thrilled with the way he jumped and both of their rounds were blazing fast, so I am very happy."

Seeing three of the best young female riders from the United States take the top spots in an international class is encouraging for all of three competitors. Goutal commented, "I think that is nice. We have all grown up together. I have known them since they were on ponies and I think they saw me do ponies. It is nice to have everybody together. It is great to have all of the girls and it is nice for the sport. We need more of that here I think."

Jumper Results:
Wednesday through Sunday

The second week of competition at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival kicked off on Wednesday, January 16, with a win for Conor Swail (IRL) and Carlotta Singular in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

The $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off and speed classes were also held in the International Arena on Wednesday with two more wins for the Irish. In the jump-off class, Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm, LLC's Amaretto D'Arco were victorious. In the speed class, Darragh Kenny guided Cavallo Farms' Gucci to victory with the fastest clear round out of 54 competitors in 64.462 seconds.   

Laura Kraut and Jubilee d'Ouilly jumped to victory in the $33,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 on Thursday afternoon at the FTI WEF in an exciting jump-off of top competitors. Last to go in a 24-horse tie breaker with McLain Ward holding the first and second positions, Kraut and Jubilee shaved fractions off of the leading time to win in a dramatic finish. Also showing in the International Arena on Thursday, Katie Monahan-Prudent earned victory in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumper Classic aboard Michael Smith's V.   

Week two of FTI WEF continued on Friday at the PBIEC with a win for McLain Ward and Grant Road Partners' Super Trooper de Ness in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class out of 81 entries. Also showing on Friday, the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge was held in the International Arena with a win for Laura Chapot and the ever-speedy Bradberry. Nicholas Dello Joio and Pamela Postal's Triumph finished second with Shane Sweetnam and Spy Coast Farm, LLC's Cyklon 1083 in third.

The second week of competition at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Wellington Equestrian Realty, concluded on Sunday with a win again for McLain Ward (USA) and Super Trooper de Ness in the $25,000 Suncast� 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. Competing on a beautiful afternoon at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), the pair earned their second victory of the week, winning over Ben Maher (GBR) aboard Jane Clark's Cella and Pablo Barrios (VEN) and ZL Group, Inc.'s Zara Leandra.

The Junior Jumpers also showed in the International Arena on Sunday competing in their classics for week two. In the $10,000 Griffis Group High Junior Jumper Classic, Lillie Keenan and Chansonette Farm, LLC's Londinium were the winners. The $10,000 Hollow Creek Farm Medium Junior Jumper Classic saw a win for Michael Hughes aboard Christina Fried's Zammetje.

Week 1 Classic winners:
$10,000 Westwind Realty Adult Jumpers 18-35 - Michelle Kamine and Loreana
$10,000 Martha Jolicoeur Adult 36-49 Jumpers - Good Carma and Heather Crespo
$10,000 Charles Owen Low Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Kate Morrison and Vaillant
$10,000 Maria Mendelsohn Low Junior Jumpers - E-Bay and Brittni Raflowitz
$10,000 Horseware Don Little Masters - All That and Murray Kessler
$10,000 Animo USA Medium Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Athena and Kelsey Thatcher

Week 1 Champions:

EnTrust Children's Jumper 14 & Under - Swag and Jordyn Rose Freedman

FarmVet Adult Modified Jumpers - Tigger and Isabel Sanchez

EnTrust Children's Jumper 15-17 - Wenda AK and Jacqueline Shilen

Children's Modified Jumpers - Peper Gold and Autumn Janesky

Paddock Cake Low Adult Jumper 18-35 - Galatee du Roset and Cathleen Mathers

Paddock Cakes Low Adult Jumper 36 & Over - Zazu and Patricia Hurter

Paddock Cakes Low Children's Jumper - Cha Cha Cha and Heather Vaxer