Hunter Highlights - Wednesday through Sunday

Hunter competition took over the International Arena during Week 6 of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The country's best hunter riders and horses will compete throughout Week 6 for a qualifying spot in the week's feature event, the $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular on Saturday evening.

Thursday brought the first round of hunter division champion awards, with Scott Stewart and Quest topping the Equine Tack & Nutritionals First Year Green Working Hunter division. Quest, a seven-year-old Warmblood owned by Stephanie Danhakl, won two over fences classes with Stewart and was third under saddle. The pair was also fifth in the handy round. Reserve champion for the division was Scripted, an eight-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Glefke & Kensel LLC and ridden by Kelley Farmer. Farmer piloted Scripted to first and third over fences out of 37 entries for the division. Stewart and Quest were also presented with the Music Row Perpetual Trophy, donated by Susan Stanley, for their victory in the division.

Amateur-Owner and Junior Hunter divisions set at the 3'3" height awarded top honors on Friday afternoon. For the victories, Friday's champions will earn spots in the $5,000 WCHR Amateur-Owner Junior Hunter 3'3" Classic on Sunday morning.

The FarmVet Amateur-Owner 18-35 3'3" Hunter division was the first to announce division championship recipients, with Stephanie Danhakl taking champion with Enough Said as well as reserve champion with Quest.

Seasoned partners Daryl Portela and Winner, an eleven-year-old Warmblood gelding, were next to pick up top honors. Portela and Winner were second under saddle before finishing second and first over fences. Reserve champion for the division was Positano, owned and ridden by Missy Luczak-Smith. Positano and Luczak-Smith won the under saddle class and placed third and second over fences.

Thirteen-year-old Daisy Farish picked up the final division championship of the day with Larkspur in the Junior 3'3" Hunter division. Larkspur, a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Dr. Betsee Parker, and Farish won two over fences classes and placed second in another to clinch the championship title. The reserve champion for the division was Bombay, ridden by Samantha Cohen and owned by Lyn Pedersen. Bombay and Cohen were first in the under saddle and first and second over fences.

World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) competition peaked on Saturday evening under the lights of the International Arena at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. The country's top professional, amateur, and junior hunter riders went head-to-head to earn top call in the $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular.

Sixteen-year-old Victoria Colvin topped the class for the third year in a row with champion mount Ovation, who she rode to the 2013 title as well. Ovation, a 14-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Dr. Betsee Parker, won the class with a score of 89.66 with Colvin in the irons. Not only did Colvin clinch her third title in the Hunter Spectacular, she took the top two spots. She rode Way Cool (the 2012 WCHR Hunter Spectacular winner), a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding also owned by Dr. Parker, to second place with a score of 89.16. 

The Junior and Amateur-Owner Hunter 3'6" division champions had the shortest turn-around to Saturday night's competition after only qualifying earlier in the day. First to take on the International Arena on Saturday morning was the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under division, presented by Greenspoon Marder Law. Tiffani and owner-rider Lilli Hymowitz took home the tricolor honors for the division. The pair won two over fences rounds before finishing third in the final jumping class to clinch the title. Reserve champion went to Imagine, owned and ridden by Jake Wasson. Wasson piloted Imagine to seventh under saddle and fourth, second, and first over fences. 

The Equestrian Sotheby's Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under division was topped by Akinda and owner-rider Victoria Press. Akinda was first under saddle and eighth, second, and first over fences with Press in the irons. The reserve champion for the division was Crystal Clear, owned and ridden by Coco Fath. Fath piloted Crystal Clear to sixth under saddle and sixth, first, and second over fences.

Next to award championship honors was the Bainbridge Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 division. Lexi Maounis and her own Sienna conquered the division after placing second, first, and first over fences. The reserve champion for the division was Zoom, owned and ridden by Laura Sexton. The pair were first and second over fences and thirdunder saddle.

Lyn Pedersen and Silhouette were champions of the Hunt Ltd Amateur-Owner Hunter Over 35 division. Silhouette and Pederson were first, fourth, and third over fences and eighth under saddle. Behind Silhouette by only one point was Amarillo, who was ultimately reserve champion with Katie Jacobs-Robinson. Jacobs-Robinson rode Amarillo to fifth under saddle and first and third over fences.

It was a battle of the sport's top teen superstars for the Antar�s Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division. Lillie Keenan edged out Colvin for the division championship. Keenan piloted Grayon to top call for the division after placing fifth, third, and third over fences and second under saddle. The pair were presented with the Toad Hall Perpetual Trophy, donated by Missy Apmann, for their victory. Colvin and long-time partner Way Cool were reserve champions for the division, winning two over fences classes. 

Colvin didn't stay out of the winner's circle for long; she was champion and reserve champion of the EnTrust Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division. Colvin topped the division with Canadian Blue. The pair won two over fences classes and placed second in another to earn the championship title. Colvin and Canadian Blue were presented with the Awesome Perpetual Trophy, donated by Patricia Tanner, for their winning effort and were also crowned Grand Junior Hunter Champion for the weekend. Colvin piloted Ovation to the blue ribbon under saddle and finished third in two over fences classes.

Sunday was the Adult Amateur Hunters' turn to take on the International Arena at PBIEC for World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) competition. The $5,000 Peggy Cone Memorial WCHR Adult Hunter Classic saw the top hunter horses and riders, who qualified for the classic earlier in the week in their regular divisions.

Laura Lee Montross and her own Nairobi Nights topped the $5,000 Peggy Cone Memorial WCHR Adult Hunter Classic on Sunday afternoon at the FTI WEF. Montross and "Nairobi" bested a field of 77 horse-rider combinations with a total score of 172.5. The pair qualified for the second round of competition after earning a first round score of 86.5. Montross piloted Nairobi to an 86 round two to give them the lead.

Samantha Sommers and Graffiti were second in the class, which called back the top twelve riders to contest a second round of competition. With a first round score of 86.75, Sommers returned in round two to ride Graffiti to a score of 83, finishing second with a total score of 169.75. Wendy Gifford rounded out the top three with Weekend Affair. Gifford and Weekend Affair were the final pair to return for round two after earning a high score of 87 in round one. The duo earned a round two score of 82 to finish narrowly behind Sommers with a 169.

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

Jumper Highlights - Wednesday through Sunday

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) kicked off its sixth week of competition on Wednesday with a $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class held in the International Ring at The Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) with a win for Venezuela's Emanuel Andrade and Reve du Paradis.  

Great Britain's Richard Jeffery was the course designer at The Stadium at PBIEC for week six competition. Jeffery saw 32 competitors in Wednesday morning's $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m with nine clear rounds through the course. Seventeen-year-old Emanuel Andrade, of Caracas, Venezuela, was the winner aboard Hollow Creek Farm's Reve du Paradis. Andrade and the nine-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Crown Z x Adelfos) cleared the course in 73.22 seconds.

Second place honors went to Luis Felipe de Azevedo Filho (BRA) with a clear round in 78.56 seconds aboard Paulo Stewarts' Quoste Zavaan Texas. Emily George (CAN) and Mira VIII placed third in 80.20 seconds. Jorge Matte (CHI) finished fourth in 81.31 seconds with Carla TM, and Jennifer Goddard (USA) placed fifth with Stateside Farm LLC's Lucky Lord 20 in 83.60 seconds.

Another $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class was held in the Denemethy Ring at the main showgrounds of PBIEC on Wednesday with a win for Laura Chapot and Bradberry. Chapot also topped the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class with Mary Chapot's Umberto. An $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m class was held in the morning as well with a win for Peter Wylde and Apple 3Z, owned by Aram Ampagoumian.     

It was a win for Kent Farrington (USA) and Blue Angel in the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 6. Held as a speed class, the pair topped the two fastest times both held by Ireland's Kevin Babington, who finished second and third respectively with Shorapur and Mark Q.     Richard Jeffery set a challenging speed track for 74 competitors with 14 clear rounds. Kevin Babington and Mark Q were the first pair to clear the course, fifth to go, with a time of 75.34 seconds that held on to the lead for most of the class to eventually finish third. Fifty-seven rounds later, it was Babington again who beat his own time to move into the lead with Shorapur in 72.91 seconds. It looked like the rider might have a one-two finish on his hands, but Kent Farrington got the edge with Robin Parsky's Blue Angel to win it in 71.51 seconds with just four horses left to go. 

Saturday's competition at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) featured a $34,000 Suncast� 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic, held on the beautiful derby field at The Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), with a win for 24-year-old Alexander Zetterman (SWE) aboard Cafino. Twenty-eight entries showed over the Richard Jeffery (GBR) designed course with five clear rounds to jump-off. Zetterman and Cafino were first to go in the jump-off and set an unbeatable pace with their double clear round in 46.34 seconds.     

Kevin Babington (IRL) and Mark Q were the only other pair to clear the short course without fault and finished second in 48.27 seconds. Lorenzo de Luca (ITA) was clear over the course, but incurred two time faults in 51.14 seconds aboard Mike Collins' Zoe II, to place third. Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) and S&L Slingback had four faults in 49.65 seconds to finish fourth, while Abigail McArdle guided David McArdle's Cade de Guldenboom to fifth place honors with four faults in 49.85 seconds.     

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) concluded its sixth week of competition, sponsored by Salamander Hotels & Resorts, with action on both sides of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Sunday. On the beautiful grass field at The Stadium at PBIEC, 25-year-old Santiago Diaz of Colombia earned the biggest win of his career riding Tizimin LS in the $50,000 Equestrian Sotheby's Jumper Derby.

Richard Jeffery set the track for Sunday's jumper derby that featured 20 numbered obstacles, including the derby bank, table bank, open water, devil's dyke and more. The number of challenging natural obstacles along with the length of the course tested the stamina of all of the horses and riders competing, resulting in no clear rounds. Last to go, Santiago Diaz and Tizimin LS had one rail down, combined with a fast time in the faults converted format, to finish in 143.98 seconds for the win.

Nicholas Dello Joio and Nathalie de Gunzburg's Ganjana were faster, but incurred eight faults to bring their total time up to 144.92 seconds to finish in second. James North and Fair Play Farm's The Man to See had four faults added to his time to place third in 146.17 seconds.

Week 6 Classic winners: 

$15,000 Engel & V�lkers SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Ali Wolff and Lanoo

$10,000 Sleepy P Ranch SJHOF High Junior Jumpers - Lillie Keenan and Londinium

$10,000 Animo USA Medium Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Joshua Vanderveen and Bull Run's Alli Lu Ya

$10,000 Charles Owen Low Amateur-Owner Jumpers - Philip Richter and Firefly

$10,000 Martha Jolicoeur, Illustrated Properties Adult Jumpers 18-35 - Alissa Kinsey and Grisset

$10,000 Classical South Florida Adult Jumpers 36-49 - Jacklynn Carey and Lexa 22

$10,000 Horseware Ireland Don Little Masters - Holly Yeterian and Zero Point

$10,000 Maria Mendelsohn, Illustrated Properties Low Junior Jumpers - Cloe Hymowitz and Fineman

$10,000 Hollow Creek Farm Medium Junior Jumpers - Cloe Hymowitz and Catoki's Son 

Week 6 Champions:  

EnTrust Capital Children's Jumper 14 & Under - Isabella Russekoff and Mister Cash van der Veldmden

National Disaster Solutions Children's Jumper 15-17 - Ericka Koenigsberg and Sandro Star 

FarmVet Adult Modified Jumpers - Madison Hayes and Sent PS

Griffis Residential Children's Modified Jumpers - Emily Perez and Kalle

Equiline Low Adult Jumper 18-35 - Elizabeth Craven and Silverado

Paddock Cakes Low Adult Jumper 36 & Over - Monica Algarra and RMF Valiente

Crown Family Low Children's Jumper - Luciana Gonzalez and Carnito; Lindsay Levine and Waikiki