Last Updated on January 26, 2024 by adminahb
Loxahatchee Groves, FL (January 24, 2024) – Famously fickle Florida weather couldn’t slow down The Ridge at Wellington Groves’ third week of hunter, jumper, and equitation competition, which ran from January 16-20, 2024. Beginning with a rainy but exciting USEF “B” Rated Hunter/Equitation Tuesday, Wednesday – Friday Level 2 Jumpers, and wrapping up with bustling Saturday Schooling Show, The Ridge’s competitors reached new heights at the event’s innovative show platform just a few minutes’ drive from the Wellington International show grounds.
The Ridge’s Hunter/Equitation Tuesday events, which run every Tuesday through March, host qualifying classes for all major equitation finals from 2’6″-1.10m. New this year is the WEC Cup class, and the points leader of The Ridge’s 5-week series will win a round trip flight with their trainer, family, and pet to Ocala for the grand finale generously provided by Verijet. During Week 3, The Ridge’s competitors put in beautiful rounds despite the rain: Coconder Ps and Grace Sappington finished first in the WEC Cup, Iwan & Christian Dominguez won the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship 3’6″, and Fry Day and Colvin Hall won the USEF Dover Saddlery Hunter Seat Medal 3’6″, to name just a few of the week’s newly minted equitation champions.
Wednesday and Friday saw the 1.10ms take over the Grand Prix ring first thing in the morning during The Ridge’s USEF Jumper Level 2 event. Tallin’s Clair De Lune with Loke Kriegel and Martini Time with Sam Walker were the two top placing horses in the division. The $5,000 1.30m Rising Star Classic was dominated by one of the more highly decorated riders on The Ridge’s circuit: Alex Granato and Indio clinched the win with a double clear and a jump-off time of 32.263 seconds. Granato & Indio have won many Rising Star Classic and Grand Prix events at The Ridge over the past few years, but on Friday Belen Guarderas and Nayla proved impossible to beat, besting a field made up of some of the world’s top show jumpers. She and the 2012 Holsteiner mare blazed around the course set by FEI and Olympic designer Leopoldo Palacios to claim victory in the $15,000 1.40m Grand Prix.
To wrap up the week, The Ridge hosted their monthly Saturday Schooling Show, which had an amazing turnout of riders from Leadline and hunters to 1.40m jumpers and a $500 Hunter Derby. The next Saturday show will be held February 17th.
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
Holly Johnson
holly@equinium.com
www.equinium.com
