2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival Week Eleven Wrap-up: March 24-28, 2010

Wellington, FL – March 29, 2010 – The 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) is winding down as it finished its eleventh week of competition on March 24-28. The week featured the highlight event of the season, the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI5*, along with a full schedule of hunter, jumper, and equitation classes, including the prestigious Third Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Exhibition. The week eleven title sponsor was FTI.

FTI has been a sponsor at the Winter Equestrian Festival for five years, and this is their second year as the title sponsor of the 12 week circuit. They are the sponsor of the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5*, which will run on Saturday, March 27, and were the title sponsor of the inaugural Great Charity Challenge. They also sponsor the $100,000 FTI Rider Challenge, a rider bonus series that tracks the best rider in the grand prix classes over 11 weeks of competition.

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Tags: equestrian competitions, equestrian disciplines, equitation, FTI Rider Challenge, hunter/jumper, Show Jumping, Winter Equestrian Festival

Sapphire and McLain Ward Repeat Huge Victory in $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* at 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival

Rodrigo Pessoa Wins $100,000 FTI Rider Challenge

Wellington, FL – March 27, 2010 – Tonight’s $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* drew the largest crowd in the history of equestrian sport in Wellington. More than 9,000 spectators came to see who would win one of the biggest show jumping purses in North America. Sapphire, ridden by McLain Ward (USA) and owned by Ward and Blue Chip Bloodstock, came home with the win and repeated their victory from last year over Laura Kraut (USA) and Cedric, owned by Happy Hill Farm, and Todd Minikus (USA) with his own Pavarotti.

Tonight’s class was also the final qualifier for the $100,000 FTI Rider Challenge, where the top four riders of the circuit were awarded with bonus checks. The top four riders were Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), who earned $50,000, Pablo Barrios (VEN) who received $25,000, McLain Ward, who took home $15,000, and Laura Kraut, who received $10,000.

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Tags: equestrian competitions, equestrian disciplines, FTI Rider Challenge, Grand Prix, hunter/jumper, Show Jumping, Winter Equestrian Festival