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Horses in FloridaSouth Africa Takes 8-7 Lead over the United States during International Weekend at IPC
 South America rugby players and staff celebrate their victory at the first annual International Weekend. Photo Credit: Lila Photography Wellington, FL (April 23, 2011) – Fueled by their rugged rugby “sevens” and scintillating tennis, South Africa took an 8-7 advantage over the United States after the first day of the inaugural International Weekend Saturday at International Polo Club Palm Beach. Four men’s rugby teams featuring world-class players rarely seen in South Florida entertained an appreciative crowd of more than 500 spectators. The hard-hitting, fast-paced sport was compared to American football without pads and drew frequent applause from the crowd. Top-seeded South America, featuring several young Brazilian national 7s players, defeated No. 2 seed South Africa 24-14 in the final. They were joined by the U.S. and Great Britain as the four teams played in a round-robin to determine the final seedings. South Africa, led by Emerging Springboks Earl Lewis and Cameron Peverett, rallied from a 12-0 deficit to defeat the USA 33-12 in a first-round match. “Spectators who had never seen rugby before had a sense of awe about the sport,” said Gavin Curtis, head coach of the Fort Lauderdale rugby club who refereed the tournament. “Rugby people said what a great facility this is.” Equestrian Sport Productions Spring 5 Horse Show: April 13-17, 2011
 Norman Dello Joio and Notre Star de la Nutria. Photos © ManciniPhotos Wellington, FL – April 19, 2011 – The Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) Spring Circuit continued last week with week 5 on April 13-17. ESP was very pleased to see that exhibitor numbers at the show increased 25% from 2010. The horse show offered a full schedule of hunter/jumper competition, with three classes featured: the $10,000 Pennfield Feeds Open Jumper Welcome Stake, the $7,500 Reist Industries High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Stake at The Stadium, and the $30,000 ESP Spring 5 Grand Prix. The winner of the $30,000 ESP Spring 5 Grand Prix was Norman Dello Joio (USA) on Notre Star de la Nutria, owned by La Nutria and Thelma Ramero Cloud. They beat out 40 entries in the class for the USEF Ranking Class victory with double clear rounds and a jump-off time of 45.960 seconds. Second place went to Traffic Boy, ridden by Shane Sweetnam (IRL) for Spy Coast Farm LLC. They were also clear in 46.637 seconds. The last double clear ride was by Aaron Vale (USA), who piloted Texola for himself and Joan Kalman. They stopped the timers in 47.378 seconds for third place. The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Experienced Great Success, Awards Circuit ChampionshipsWellington, FL – April 14, 2011 – Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) is proud to congratulate all of the Circuit Champions for the 2011 season. ESP is also thrilled with the many accomplishments that were made throughout the 2011 season and look forward to continued improvements during the summer months to make the 2012 Winter Equestrian Festival one of the best horse shows in the world. Throughout the twelve weeks of competition, more than $6 million was awarded in prize money, and over $1 million was raised for 32 charities in the FTI Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments. The 2011 FTI WEF also saw increased numbers of horses, riders, owners, and trainers from last year. Almost 5,000 horses and more than 3,000 riders competed over the twelve weeks of competition. It is no surprise that these numbers increased this year, due to the world-class events that were offered throughout the circuit. The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Circuit Champion Awards were presented to the top finishers in every division, based on prize money and points won. Intercollegiate Dressage Association’s 2011 National ChampionshipNewberry, FL – Riders from more than 20 colleges and universities throughout the United States will converge at the Canterbury Equestrian Show Place in Newberry, FL, to compete at the Intercollegiate Dressage Association’s 9th annual National Championship. More than 100 riders will compete April 30 and May 1 as part of a 4-member team or as individuals in each of the IDA’s four divisions: introductory, lower training, upper training and first level. The IDA is comprised of 680 student riders representing 60 colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, divided into 10 regions. The qualifying teams and individual riders have earned their way to the championship by earning points in IDA-sanctioned competitions held throughout the academic year within their respective regions. University of Florida and its dressage team are hosting for the event. Along with their host duties, team members are among the early qualifiers for the competition, which include Delaware Valley College, last year’s National Champion Team, Virginia Intermont College, and Mt. Holyoke College. With three national championship titles each, Virginia Intermont and Mt. Holyoke have dominated the IDA since it began as a national organization in 2001. Florida’s Dressage Initiative Gets Big Thumbs Up in California as Great for Sport in U.S. Steffen Peters. Photo by Ken Braddick/ dressage-news.com Glenda McElroy, who probably has run more dressage competitions, including four World Cup Finals on the West Coast, than any other show manager in the United States, is excited about the initiative to create a dressage stadium in Palm Beach, FL, as are the top riders competing at her shows. “Anything that can showcase dressage and appeal to a broader audience, bring a brighter spotlight to the sport, is good for dressage,” she said during her Festival of the Horse World Cup qualifier at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Some of California’s top dressage figures who were competing at the LAEC in Burbank came out strongly in support of plans to build a new dressage complex as part of Phase II of development of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, home to the world famous Winter Equestrian Festival. Kent Farrington Rides Uceko to Victory in $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational PHOTO © V. Valenti/James Leslie Parker - Kent Farrington and Uceko won Saturday night's $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Tampa, FL – April 9, 2011 – Kent Farrington piloted the gray warmblood Uceko to two clear rounds to win Saturday’s $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational, presented by G & C Farm, in Tampa, Florida. This was the 39th year for the Invitational, which was held at Tampa’s famed Raymond James Stadium. It is the first that was held after the death of Gene Mische last year. Mische, the founder of Stadium Jumping, Inc., was the creator of the Invitational. This year the event attracted over 7,800 spectators. Farrington, of Greenwich, CT, took home $60,000 for the win. It was Farrington’s first win at the Tampa event. Coming in second was Canada’s Ian Miller riding Star Power. Miller, who won the event in 1992 with Big Ben, won $44,000 for his double clear ride on Saturday night. Both had two clear rounds, but Farrington’s faster jump off time of 36.64 seconds gave him the victory over Miller, who took 41.72 seconds to clear the eight fence tiebreaker course. Olympic Rider Lisa Wilcox and Pikko del Cerro HU Win Vita Flex Victory Pass Award at International Horse Sport Dressage Premier Lisa Wilcox and Pikko del Cerro HU rode away as the Vita Flex Victory Pass Award winner at the International Horse Sport Dressage Premier in Wellington. Gustavo Martinez holds the Vita Flex Victory Pass prize. (Photo courtesy of JRPR) Wellington, FL (April 5, 2011) – Thanks to a brilliant ride in the Intermediaire I class at the International Horse Sport Dressage Premier, Lisa Wilcox and Pikko del Cerro HU rode away as the Vita Flex Victory Pass Award winner. Sponsored by Vita Flex Nutrition, the award is given to a horse and rider who display remarkable skill during a show. Wilcox, an Olympic bronze medalist, has recently taken over the ride on the eight-year-old bay stallion by Pik L. Considered a horse to watch, Pikko del Cerro was the 2009 FEI Six-Year-Old National Champion. “This was Cerro’s first Intermediaire I class and he was excellent and I was really, really happy with him,” Wilcox said. “He has some moments where he was getting tired but he really stuck with me. His extensions were exceptional and in general he was with me. I know it is a hard test and he is still developing, so it’s exciting to see this.” Wilcox, who operates out of Wellington, Florida, said she hopes to qualify Pikko del Cerro for the Pan Am Games and the Developing Horse classes. “I hope to do my first CDI with him in March,” Wilcox said. Grand Prix Show Jumper Todd Minikus Rebounds from Injury to Win Wellington Institute “Rider Wellness Award” at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Todd Minikus won the “Rider Wellness Award” during the 2011 FTI WEF. The award is presented by The Wellington Institute and Juan Gonzalez, Director of Marketing, was on hand to give Minikus his award. (Photo courtesy of JRPR) Wellington, FL (April 8, 2011) – Grand Prix Show Jumper Todd Minikus proved during the final two weeks of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival that you can’t keep a good rider down. Despite a shattered collarbone that resulted in surgery at the beginning of the circuit, Minikus was back in the winner’s circle winning the $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup and earning the prestigious “Rider Wellness Award” from The Wellington Institute. Minikus’s amazing comeback had his fellow riders applauding and the Wellington based rider, whose resume includes winning the $100,000 Budweiser American Invitational, was thankful for the camaraderie. “We all travel the same circuits and know each other well. We have respect and admiration for each other when someone comes back from an injury,” Minikus said. Minikus was pleased to win the “Rider Wellness Award” from The Wellington Institute and said he looks forward to visiting the wellness center. “I had some bad luck this winter with smashing my collarbone and having to have surgery. I tried to get back to riding as soon as I could and I started riding at the five-week mark after surgery,” he said. “I was only able to show the last two weeks of the circuit but I am glad to be back.” Cesar Parra Wraps Up Florida Season with Big Wins and a “Beautiful Finish” Cesar Parra wrapped up his show season by riding Agastrofos into the winner’s circle at the International Horse Sport Dressage at Equestrian Estates Show in Loxahatchee, Florida. (Photo courtesy of Susan J Stickle) Loxahatchee, FL (April 7, 2011) – International Dressage Rider and trainer Cesar Parra wrapped up the Florida show season at the International Horse Sport Dressage Show at Equestrian Estates with more big wins, describing the show as a “beautiful finish” to a great season. Parra, who owns Piaffe-Performance with locations in Florida and New Jersey, is never one to rest on his laurels and left the show to fly to Colombia, South America, to teach a clinic but not before raving about the success of the horses and his Piaffe-Performance team. “This season was truly an amazing one and a true blessing. In total we earned 32 wins and many of the second places were because other Performance farm horses finished first. The words ‘Thank You’ cannot convey the depth of my gratitude to all of my team members, our horse owners, grooms, friends and everyone else involved,” Parra said. While Parra and his Piaffe-Performance team are now heading back to New Jersey, Parra was thrilled with their 2011 winter experience. “This weekend concluded our Florida show season and again it was a successful one. I was very proud of Dave and Taunia Reed’s Agastrofos. On Saturday we won a very competitive PSG class with a 74.7%. On Sunday we rode in the USEF Developing Horse Qualifier and were narrowly beat out of first place by only a tenth of a point, still earning a 69.4%. I could not have been happier with Aga’s performance both days,” Parra said. Wellington Rider Stephanie Frederick Wins Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award at International Horse Sport Dressage Show Stephanie Frederick won the Premier Sportsmanship Award at the International Horse Sport Dressage Show. Josh Zorn presented the award on behalf of Premier Equestrian. (Photo courtesy of JRPR) Loxahatchee, FL (April 8, 2011) – Wellington rider Stephanie Frederick had a smile on her face while competing Valentino Flemming at the International Horse Sport Dressage Show, and that smile helped Frederick ride away with the Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award. Sponsored by Premier Equestrian, a leading supplier of dressage arenas, horse jumps, arena footing and stable accessories, the Premier Sportsmanship Award is awarded to a rider who displays a high level of sportsmanship during a show. Frederick was thrilled to win the Premier Sportsmanship Award and shared her secret to being a good sport. “You need to stick with it and be positive. If you want it badly enough you need to keep working hard at it and eventually you will get there,” Frederick said. Frederick, who was awarded a pair of German-designed Roeckl gloves from Premier Equestrian for winning the Sportsmanship Award, added that having her parents attend the show also put a smile on her face. “My parents, Jim and Cindy Frederick, are my biggest supporters,” she said. |
