Chris Pratt And Rivendell Win $20,000 1.50 Meter Classic,
Time First Jump-Off
Marley
Goodman And Jumper Win $10,000 Adequan Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic
High
WELLINGTON,
FL - February 14, 2004 - It was a happy Valentine's Day for 34-year-old
Chris Pratt of Toronto, Canada. Riding Rivendell for owner Sue Grange,
Pratt bested a field of 53 riders to win the $20,000 1.50 Meter
Classic, Time First Jump-Off at the 32nd Winter Equestrian Festival
in Wellington, Florida, today. Pratt was the fastest of five double
clear performances. Going last in the 17-horse jump-off, Pratt shifted
the leaders down a notch from what looked like a cinched one-two-three
finish for Norman Dello Joio, McLain Ward, and Markus Beerbaum.
"I've got a superb horse," said Pratt. "He's fast
and I trust him."
Eighteen
horses cleared the breezy 15-effort Round One test in a generous
90-second time allowed, but Eric Lamaze scratched Millcreek Stables
Nurejev, leaving 17 to return for the eight-effort short track.
The tiebreaker proved challenging for a few - Frankie Cheslar aboard
VDL Nuit de Pomme lost a shoe and retired, Leopold Van Asten riding
VDL Groep Fleche Rouge went off course and was eliminated, and Megan
Lamaze was excused after two refusals.
Of
the clears, it was Canadian Ainsley Vince as the second rider on
course aboard her own Uno who set the pace at 43.873, but she finished
in fifth place. Markus Beerbaum riding Le Mans 8 for Hyperion Farm
was seventh in the order and snatched the lead in 39.342, but ended
up fourth. Five riders later, McLain Ward put the pedal to the metal
and took over the top spot riding one of his own, Furioso Du Parc,
and tripped the timers at 39.273, but he finished third. Norman
Dello Joio went immediately after Ward, riding Leonardo for owner
Anthony Weight, and took over the lead with his blazing time of
38.990. Four more riders chased Dello Joio, but none were clear
or fast enough, except the last to go - Pratt galloped the course
in 38.078 for the win.
"I knew how fast I had to go," said Pratt who noted that
he watched the riders before him. "Those were top international
competitors ahead of me. This is the biggest win to date in my career."
Pratt
has been riding Rivendell, an eight-year-old, 16.3-hand chestnut
Westfalen by Piano for just over a year. He explained that he beat
the leaders' time by turning back to the combination faster and
leaving a stride out going to the sixth fence on course. He said
his mental strategy going into the pressure-cooker jump-off was
to "stay positive. I was worried about one turn, but it was
no problem. I have 100% confidence in my horse." He said the
key to his relationship to Rivendell is, "Patience. This is
a super quality horse that in other hands might have been pushed
before he was ready."
Pratt
operates his own training business in Canada and has seven horses
with him at WEF. All of them belong to Sue Grange and her Lotlorien
Farm. Pratt has never been on a Canadian team but described his
career as, "Coming along slowly, bringing along horses slowly,
but now we're coming on strong." As far as representing his
country in competition? "Soon," he grinned.
Marley
Goodman And Jumper Win $10,000 Adequan Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic
High
In earlier competition in the Internationale Arena today, Marley
Goodman, 23, of Wellington, Florida, aboard Jumper won the $10,000
Adequan Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic High, besting a field of 56
entries. Thirteen horses went clear over the 14-effort Round One
course and qualified for the Jump-off. Goodman was the second rider
to go over the eight-effort course and set the pace with her clear
round in 41.508 seconds. The dozen riders who chased her time could
not catch her, though four more riders produced clear performances.
Cara Raether riding Zypria for Trelawny Farm Inc. placed second,
tripping the timers in 41.807. Paige Johnson riding Landria W for
Salamander Farm took the third place ribbon, covering the short
course in 41.947.
"It's
always difficult going early in a jump-off because you don't know
how fast to go," said Goodman. "I decided to use this
as practice and go as fast as I could. I was lucky enough to keep
the lead. You have to have luck with you as well. I don't think
there was any place where I could have been faster." Goodman
noted that she made time on two of the gallops between fences, in
the beginning of the course and at the end.
The
aptly named Jumper is a 12-year-old, 16.2-hand, bay Dutch warmblood
gelding with one blue eye. Goodman and her family's Turtle Lane
Farm have owned him for three years. "He's just a fantastic
horse. He always wants to win for you, every time," Goodman
said. At last year's WEF, Jumper was the second leading money winner
in the amateur division. "I know how he rises to the occasion.
He's the perfect fit for me."
Goodman
was on the USET Foundation's Developing Rider Tour in Europe this
summer and competed in many Nations' Cups. While in Europe she trained
with France's Eric Navet. She continues to train with Navet stateside,
as he is also competing at WEF, riding for Lassergut Farm.
Today's
win marked Goodman's first victory in this year's WEF. "It
feels very good," she said. "We were second last week
in this class and it was nice to win it, very nice. It's always
good to win a class here because the competition is very difficult
with many competitors with good horses and good riders."
For
complete results, visit www.stadiumjumping.com
2004
WINTER EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL TICKET INFORMATION
Show days for the 2004 Winter Equestrian Festival are Wednesday
through Sunday. Gates open at 8:00 am. Ticket Prices: Wednesdays
are free to everyone; Children 12 and under are admitted free every
day; Young Adults 13 to 18 and Seniors are $5 on Thursday through
Sunday; Adults are $5 on Thursday and Friday, $10 on Saturday, and
$15 on Sunday. The Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club is located on
Pierson Road off South Shore Boulevard. For additional information,
visit www.stadiumjumping.com or call 561-793-5867.
2004
WEF SCHEDULE OF COMPETITIONS
February 11 - 15 Kilkenny/ICH Internationale CSI***
February 18 - 22 Florida Classic/WCHR Spectacular CSI-W/Y CSI-Ch
February 19 - 22 Zada Enterprises, LLC Florida Dressage Classic
February 25 - 29 PDP Capital Wellington Masters CSI***
March 3 - 7 CN Wellington Open CSI-W
March 10 - 14 CSIO United States Cosequin Finale CSIO***
March 18 - 21 Zada Enterprises WEF Dressage Classic CDI***/Y
(Qualifier for Olympic Selection Trials)
March 24 - 28 Tampa Bay Classic CSI-W (Bob Thomas Equestrian Center)
March 30 - April 3 Tournament of Champions CSI-W (Bob Thomas Equestrian
Center)
April 3 Budweiser American Invitational (Raymond James Stadium)
WEF
2004 MILLION DOLLAR GRAND PRIX SERIES
February 15 $50,000 Kilkenny/ICH Internationale Cup, CSI***
February 22 $60,000 Idle Dice Classic, presented by Palm Beach Post,
CSI-W
February 29 $75,000 PDP Capital Masters Cup, CSI***
March 7 $75,000 CN Wellington Open presented by Estates of Wellington
Green, CDI-W
March 12 $50,000 Samsung Nations' Cup, presented by CN, CSIO****
March 14 $100,000 Cosequin U.S. Open Jumper Championship, CSIO****
March 28 $75,000 Grand Prix of Tampa, presented by Kilkenny/ICH,
CSI-W
April 3 $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational, presented by The
Tampa Tribune
.
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