Wellington, FL – December 12, 2018 – Sharn Wordley of Wellington, FL, secured top honors in the $25,000 #1 Education Place Grand Prix at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Sunday. Wordley took top honors riding his own Rye Val De Mai, a 2005 Selle Francais stallion (Helios Da La Cour II x Type D’Elle), dashing in at 42.222 seconds. Carlos Quinones of Wellington, FL, earned second place riding Satoyama, a 2006 gelding owned by Michelle Navarro-Grau, stopping the timers in 43.581 seconds. In addition to his first-place win, Wordley captured third place with his own Gatsby, a 2004 Irish Sport Horse stallion (Simba x Cruise On), completing the course in 44.256 seconds.
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Sharn Wordley and Rye Val De Mai
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Wordley remained ahead of the additional 16 competitors, who tested the course set by Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA). Wordley commented, “Both of my horses are experienced and they are both fourteen. I use them for the national Grand Prix classes and the FEI ranking classes.”
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| Sharn Wordley in his awards presentation ceremony with ring master, Steven Rector. |
On his first-place finish, Wordley stated, “It was a good trip [for Rye Val De Mai]; he jumped really well. He’s had a bit of time off so he’s just come back. Rye could have gone a bit faster, but it wasn’t that fast of a class. He jumped great. I was really happy with him. With Rye, I wanted to make sure that I won it.”
“I’ve been doing some quite fast rounds on Gatsby, so I didn’t want to go too fast on him,” Wordley said of his third-place mount. “I wanted to give him a nice round and a comfortable trip because he’s been going fast lately.”
Wordley commented of both mounts that “they’re both very careful horses and very fast horses with experience. They’ve been doing this awhile and they know the game, so this was a really nice class for them.”
Jumper Highlights
In the $10,000 #1 Education Place 1.40m Open Stake, Gavin Moylan of Middleburg, VA, took top honors with Balous Diamond, owned by Radiant Equine, LLC, earning a time of 32.63 seconds. Jumping in close behind, Todd Minikus of Lake Worth, FL, earned second place riding Calvalou. owned by Todd Minikus LTD. The duo dashed through the timers in 33.262 seconds ahead of third place finisher, Tanner Korotkin of Wellington, FL, aboard Eurohill’s Alcatraz, owned by Castlewood Farm Inc., with a time of 33.825 seconds.
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| Gavin Moylan and Balous Diamond |
The $5,000 Osphos® 1.35m Stake congratulated David Blake of Wellington, FL, with first place aboard Binkie, owned by Pine Hollow Farm. Second place was awarded to Samantha Wight of Aspen, CO, with Vilavie Du Bois Philip, owned by Melissa Wight. The duo earned a time of 37.122 seconds. Lauren Crooks of Bothell, WA, finished in third with Balzane Du Mazes, owned by Bob Young Obe. Crooks completed the course in 37.283 seconds.
The $2,500 1.30m Equiline NAL High Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Stake granted Alexandra Pielet of Highland Park, IL, with top honors riding Calisto 26 for Ross Smith and earning a time of 38.699 seconds. Johnna Beckmann of Germany earned second place with mount Cheenook 8, after stopping the timers in 40.993 seconds. Erin Haas of Ann Arbor, MI, claimed third place riding Umano Des Dragons, owned by North Face Farm, completing the course in 45.64 seconds.
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Gavin Moylan in his awards presentation ceremony with ring master Steven Rector.
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Saturday’s $1,500 NAL 1.15m Child/Adult Jumper Classic presented by Dover Saddlery was dominated by Kevin McCarthy (Omaha, NE) aboard his own SIG Beaujolais, stopping the short-course timers in 40.761 seconds to take the win, while Julia Strawbridge (West Grove, PA) and her own mount, Ailee, took second with a time of 43.518 seconds. Ellen Mollerus of Larchmont, NY, rounded out the podium in third with Abbey Soffer’s Cardenfe, stopping the clock in 45.805 seconds in the jump-off.
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| David Blake in his awards presentation ceremony. |
The $1,500 M&S 1.15m Child/Adult Amateur Jumper Classic presented Dover Saddlery saw a victory for Katie Sansone from Coconut Creek, FL, aboard her own Tropobella 3k, stopping the short-course timers in 34.694 seconds. Mateo Coles of Fort Lauderdale, FL, and his own A.J. 4 completed the jump-off in 36.464 seconds to take second place, while Kevin McCarthy (Omaha, NE) and his own SIG Beaujolais raced to third in 39.18 seconds.
The $2,500 Equiline NAL Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Stake was championed by Tanner Korotkin of Wellington, FL, aboard La Perla, owned by Ossian Ventures, LLC, after the pair stopped the clock in 36.716 seconds. Erin Haas of Ann Arbor, MI, piloted Udo DV, owned by North Face Farm, to a second place finish with a jump-off time of 37.791 seconds. Jamie Souccar Young of Ontario, Canada, and Julio vh Elzenhout, owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock, captured third place with a time of 40.773 seconds.
Myrto Iliadis of Newburgh, NY, took home first and second place honors in the $2,500 Equiline NAL Medium Junior/Amateur Owner Classic, aboard Tabasco de la Nutria and Quattro BZ respectively. Iliadis finished in 41.159 seconds aboard Tabasco de la Nutria and in 41.317 seconds with Quattro BZ. Seluck Koksalan of Wellington, FL, piloted Quincy 137 to third with a jump-off time of 41.698 seconds.
Juliet Johansson of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, guided Viva’s Roxanna W to victory in the $1,500 Low Child/Adult Jumper Classic after racing through the jump-off timers in 28.581 seconds. Stephanie Ann Cook of Franklin, TN, and Lord Arthur 1916, owned by Lionsway Farm, finished in second place with a time of 30.08 seconds. Gabriella Curry of Plantation, FL, and her own Coco Cilla, finished in third place with a jump-off time of 34.573 seconds.
Hunter Highlights
Victory was Amy Momrow’s in Friday’s $1,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, as the Wellington, FL, native scored 181 aboard Monty Kelly’s G. Eleven to take the win after two rounds. Reserve and third were a tight result, with Cameron Kohls (New York, NY), guiding mount Fubioh to a 167.5 for second and Kelly Mullen (Franklin, TN) steering the Warioto Farms Inc. entry, Fortuny, to 167 after two rounds for third place.
The $250 Vita Flex Junior/Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3″/3’6″ Classic congratulated Kiersten Antoniadis of Middletown, NY, aboard Paragon, for Sand Dollar Farm LLC, scoring a 157 to take top honors. Gwendolyn McCormick (Saint Louis, MO) scored 138 aboard Robert McCormick’s Cargo to take reserve, while Maggie Hill and Diane Gijard’s Singular Sensation claimed third with a score of 123 after two rounds to represent Jackson, WY.
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| Carsyn Korotkin, Steven Rector, and Zoey Burton with Charlie Moorcroft during the 2018 ESP Year End Awards Banquet. |
In the $250 Score At The Top Small/Medium Pony Hunter Classic, Campbell Brown (Fayetteville, AR) came out on top with Mr. McGregor for MMK Equestrian LLC, scoring 162, while reserve honors were awarded to Arabella Navab (Southampton, NY) riding GC Ponies’ Elegance for their two-round score of 150, and Anais Dufresne Powell (New York, NY) achieved third aboard Spice It Up for Ponies and Palms Show Stables LLC.
Ashley Briggs (Loxahatchee, FL) emerged as victor on the week in the Platinum Performance Adult Amateur Hunter Division, in the irons aboard Leroy for Stephanie E. Angus, while reserve was bestowed upon Sophia Soja (Chappaqua, NY) for her performance aboard Two Aces Equestrian’s Salt Lake.
The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Children’s Hunter Division congratulated Georgia Jacob (New York, NY) aboard Emma Weiss’ Cheveaux as its champion, with reserve honors received by Myca Harris and her own Sandro Reuben, hailing from Wellington, FL.
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| Missy Yoder, Steven Rector, Joyce Kutcher, and Penny Lombardo at the ESP Year End Awards Banquet. |
Carsyn Korotkin and Tessa Downey’s Bringing Home Blue did just that in the Wanderers Club Children’s Pony Hunter Division, earning champion honors on the week to represent Wellington, FL, while reserve honors belonged to Sarah Tight and her own mount Cherish, representing Lighthouse Point, FL.
The Triple Crown Nutrition Green Hunter 3’/3’3″ Division welcomed forward Jenny Fischer of Montgomery, NY, as its champion aboard Imari for Kris Livengood, while reserve honors were claimed by Caitlin Venezia of Edmond, OK, piloting Colin Cash’s Mosaic.
Gilda Piccoli of Jamestown, RI, dominated the Pilates Rocks Low Adult Hunter Division with her own Paradox to claim the champion ribbon, while the reserve rosette was collected by Mary Kathryn Brown (Fayetteville, AR) aboard MMK Equestrian LLC’s Heist.
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| Taje Warrick with Steven Rector at the ESP Year End Awards Banquet. |
Kelly Mullen and Joni Werthan (Franklin, TN) collaborated aboard Wariato Farms Inc.’s Three Wishes to champion the USHJA Hunter 2’6″/2’3″/2′ Division, with reserve honors awarded to Amy Momrow of Wellington, FL, riding Jill Abrams’ R&R.
The USHJA Hunter 2’9″ Division recognized Saugerties, NY, resident Heather Caristo Williams for her efforts aboard Ali Sirota Kelman’s Listen to Me to claim champion honors, with Hannah Isop of Pawling, NY, guiding Revelstoke for Christine Watkins.
For a full list of the 2018 ESP Year End Points, click here.
For full results from the $25,000 #1 Education Place Grand Prix, click here.
Competition continues at PBIEC with the 2018 ESP Holiday I, II, and III as well as the 2018 ESP New Years competition showcasing top jumper and hunter competition. The 2019 ESP Holiday Finale will conclude the ESP holiday competition before launching the 40th annual Winter Equestrian Festival hosted at PBIEC. For more information, please visit www.pbiec.com.
Photo Credit ©AnneGittinsPhotography. These photos may only be used once in relation to this press release with proper credit.