The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) concluded its second week of competition on Sunday with a win for Ireland’s Conor Swail and Martha Louise, owned by Canadians Susan and Ariel Grange, in the $34,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic.
Following a successful year with several wins at Spruce Meadows, Martha Louise had a long break and came back fresh and in top form last week after not jumping since September. Martha Louise is known for her speed and put it to the test with an excellent round on Sunday.
“We started her off last week, and she jumped very well,” Swail said after the class. “She probably should have been second in the grand prix last week, but I made a little mistake on her. Then she jumped a good first half of the WEF (Challenge Cup) on Thursday. It was a little bit disappointing in the second half of it, but then you go away and you think about what could be better. I think I rode her a little better and gave her a little more confidence and today she was totally amazing. I thought she was great.”
Swail was especially happy to earn the win on Sunday to cap off an excellent week for owners Susan and Ariel Grange. Their horse, Dixson, was second in the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 on Thursday and stepped up to win Saturday night’s $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2* with Canada’s Ian Millar.
Millar and Dixson topped a five-horse jump-off in the $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2* on Saturday night, by two one-hundredths of a second over Brianne Goutal (US) and Remarkable Farms LP’s Zernike K.
Millar explained that Dixson never missed a beat coming back into competition after a short rest at the end of the season. “He had been off since the third week of September, and I didn’t start him until December again because he lives with Mrs. Grange,” Millar noted. “He had a nice break and when I got going with him, his conditioning came right back because they use a treadmill with him. Even though he’s let down, his fitness is taken care of.”
The pair was second in Thursday’s $30,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round II, to fellow Canadian Eric Lamaze, aboard Rosana du Park. Lamaze and Rosana du Park finished in 39.78 seconds, which Millar and Dixson had a time of 40.75 seconds.
On Friday, Lamaze scored another win aboard Artisan Farms LLC’s Fine Lady 5 over teammate Tiffany Foster and Artisan Farms’ Melody des Hayettes Z, in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge.
Things got off to a great start for Lamaze at WEF with a win in the very first class of the WEF circuit, an $8,000 1.45m speed competition, with Check Picobello Z, followed by the back-to-back WEF Challenge Cup classes in weeks one and two aboard Rosana du Park.
Following the speed challenge, Lamaze praised Fine Lady 5. “She felt great today. She [will compete in] the WEF [Challenge Cup] and the grand prix [next week], and I am away on Wednesday, so this was her last class before I put her in the WEF. Normally in a show, I would always do a speed class the first day and then a big class, so this was kind of her speed class prior to that. Normally I wouldn’t necessarily run her in a class like this, but because I am missing Wednesday, I thought this would be a good opportunity for her. She likes going fast, and it is good for her to go fast before jumping a bigger class.”
Results
$34,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper
1. MARTHA LOUISE: 2004 Swedish Warmblood mare by Maloubet de Pleville 1039 x Wolfgang
CONOR SWAIL (IRL), Ariel and Susan Grange: 0/0/37.23
2. WIRMA: 2003 KWPN mare by Hors La Loi III x Lux
BRIANNE GOUTAL (USA), Remarkable Farms LP: 0/0/38.49
3. EVERYTHING: 2004 BWP gelding by Toulon x Mast vd Vrombautshoeve
KELSEY THATCHER (USA), Pony Lane Farm: 0/0/39.26
4. COCO BONGO: 2005 Rheinlander stallion by Caretino x Calido
ERIC LAMAZE (CAN), Artisan Farms LLC: 0/0/39.47
5. ZZ TOP VH SCHAARBROEK Z: 2001 Zangersheide gelding by Zandor Z x Latus IEMANUEL ANDRADE (VEN), Emanuel Andrade: 0/4/39.15
6. MARK Q: 2002 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Obos Quality 004 x Positively
KEVIN BABINGTON (IRL), Kevin Babington: 0/4/41.45
7. HERACROSS: 2000 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Ramiro B x Clover Hill
PARIS SELLON (USA) Paris Sellon: 4/76.31
8. ESPRIT: 2004 BWP gelding by Querlybet Hero x Nabab de Reve
SLOANE COLES (USA), The Springledge Group: 4/76.35
9. WINN WINN: 2003 AES mare by Chin Chin x Wagenaar
ANDREW RAMSAY (USA), Andrew Ramsay: 4/76.76
10. ECKHAM VAN HET STEENTJE: 2004 BWP gelding by Berlin x Kannan
MARGIE ENGLE (USA), Elm Rock LLC: 4/77.33
11. WINTER: 2001 Warmblood gelding by Unknown
DENISE WILSON (USA), Blue Gate Farm LLC: 4/77.48
12. CHECK PICOBELLO Z: 2006 Zangersheide gelding by Cardento x Orlando
ERIC LAMAZE (CAN), Artisan Farms LLC & Torrey Pines Stable: 4/78.60
$50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2*
1. DIXSON: 2003 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Vigo d’Arsouilles x Olisco
IAN MILLAR (CAN), Ariel and Susan Grange: 0/0/40.10
2. ZERNIKE K: 2004 KWPN gelding by Sam R 60 x H Topas
BRIANNE GOUTAL (USA), Remarkable Farms LP: 0/0/40.12
3. QUIDAM’S CHERIE: 2005 Oldenburg mare by Quidam’s Rubin x Lifestyle
CIAN O’CONNOR (IRL), Adena Springs: 0/0/40.27
4. DAKOTA: 2003 Belgian Warmblood mare by Calvados Ex Sable Rose x Cash
PAIGE JOHNSON (USA), Salamander Farm: 0/0/40.99
5. VEYRON: 2006 Oldenburg stallion by Conterno Grande x Heartbreaker
LJUBOV KOCHETOVA (RUS), Ljubov Kochetova: 0/42.40
6. ATLANTA 541: 2005 KWPN mare by For Pleasure x Libero H
MEREDITH MICHAELS-BEERBAUM (GER), Michaels & Beerbaum gmbH: 1/77.37
7. WAOMI: 2003 KWPN mare by Lupicor x Boreas
KENT FARRINGTON (USA), Amalaya Investments: 4/71.45
8. ROSANA DU PARK: 2005 Selle Francais mare by Kannan
ERIC LAMAZE (CAN), Artisan Farms LLC: 4/72.23
9. CONTIKI: 2006 Swedish Warmblood gelding by Contendro x Calido I
NICHOLAS DELLO JOIO (USA), Coker Farm Inc: 4/72.71
10. BIG SMILE: 2006 Westphalian mare by Cartano x Hors de La Loi II
CARLY ANTHONY (USA), Artisan Farms LLC: 4/73.16
11. PALOUBET: 2001 Selle Francais gelding by Baloubet Du Rouet x Voltaire
WILTON PORTER (USA), Sleepy P Ranch LLC: 4/73.34
12. NAVALO DE POHETON: 2001 Selle Francais gelding by Cumano x Double Espoir
SCHUYLER RILEY (USA), Wolfstone Stables: 4/74.36
$6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge
1 122 FINE LADY 5 ERIC LAMAZE ARTISAN FARMS LLC: 0/62.646
2 108 MELODY DES HAYETTES Z TIFFANY FOSTER ARTISAN FARMS LLC: 0/64.868
3 3898 NOKIA DE BREKKA EMANUEL ANDRADE EMANUEL ANDRADE: 0/66.364
4 813 TWAN JULIE WELLES MISSY CLARK & STEPHEX STABLES: 0/66.717
5 1492 CICOMEIN VDL DARRAGH KENNY EVA CASTEGREN: 0/67.880
6 88 CARINA RICHIE MOLONEY EQUINIMITY LLC: 0/70.554
7 2930 SHOOTING STAR LAURA CHAPOT MARY CHAPOT: 0/72.130
8 5261 SOMBRERO BRIMBEL LES KEEAN WHITE ANGELSTONE PARTNERS: 0/72.769
9 545 Q ROYAL PALM Z RODRIGO PESSOA STEPHEX STABLES: 0/72.793
10 2116 WELCOME COR WILHELM GENN ANN ANASTASIO: 0/75.710
11 5538 COMANCHE 28 MEREDITH MICHAELS-BEERBAUM ARTEMIS EQUESTRIAN FARM LLC: 0/75.838
12 3180 ROSEAU DE SAIRE AIDAN KILLEEN S WEBER LLC: 0/76.538
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