The second week of the 2019 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) kicked off on Wednesday, January 16, in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, with a win for Ireland’s Darragh Kenny aboard mount Billy Dorito. The pair went early in the lineup and held the lead all the way through in the $8,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Open Jumper class.
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WEF continues with 12 consecutive weeks of world-class competition through March 31, 2019. The second week of competition at WEF is sponsored by NetJets and features the $72,000 NetJets Grand Prix CSI2* during “Saturday Night Lights” on January 12 at 7 p.m. in the International Arena. The week will also host a variety of other FEI-rated two-star events in jumper divisions, along with top hunter and jumper competition.
Kenny and the nine-year-old bay Anglo European Studbook gelding (Billy Mexico x Vechta) were previously successful during Week 1 of WEF when they bested a field of 68 competitors to take the blue in the $6,000 Bainbridge 1.40m Speed Challenge. The Vlock Show Stables, LLC’s gelding returned as quick and careful as he was in Week 1 and shaved less than a second off the time to maintain the lead over the Oscar Soberon (MEX) designed course with a time of 26.111 seconds.
The USA’s Laura Chapot and the 12-year-old Anglo-European mare, Out of Ireland, were the only pair to closely contest Kenny’s time and maintain no faults. The duo gave their best effort across the field and ultimately just missed Kenny’s time to finish on 26.998 seconds. Third place went to Wilhelm Genn (GER) on Eduardo Leon’s Dirocco Blue, who had two faults in 29.382 seconds.
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Kenny credits the pair’s victories to the talent of the young horse and says he looks forward to continuing to work with him to prepare him for owner Teddy Vlock to take over the ride. “He’s very quick across the ground and super careful so it is easy to go fast with him,” he explained. “I think he’s going to be a really special horse; he’s very competitive so I’m interested to see how the future goes for him.”
Competition in the International Arena will continue Thursday, January 17, featuring the second round of the FEI $36,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup. For a full list of daily results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.
Final Results: $8,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Open Jumper
1 BILLY DORITO: 2010 Anglo European Studbook gelding by Billy Mexico x Vechta DARRAGH KENNY (IRL), Vlock Show Stables LLC: 0/0/26.111
2 OUT OF IRELAND: 2006 Anglo European mare by Lougherne Connaught x Amiro M
LAURA CHAPOT (USA), The Edge & Laura Chapot: 0/0/26.998
3 DIROCCO BLUE: 2008 Danish Warmblood by Sirocco Blue VDL x Kivoli
WILHELM GENN (GER), Eduardo Leon: 2/0/29.382
4 DORADO: 2009 Hanoverian gelding by Diarado x Pia
DARRIN DLIN (CAN), Timberlea Farms, LTD: 2/0/31.514
5 BUGATTI: 2006 KWPN gelding by Heartbreaker x Nona Bella
WILHELM GENN (GER), Eduardo Leon: 2/0/32.318
6 TIENNA: 2008 Canadian Sport Horse mare by For Pleasure x Polydox
DANIEL COYLE (IRL), Ariel Grange: 0/4/28.862
7 BALOU 660: 2005 Hanoverian gelding by Balou du Rouet x Ramiro
VASCO FLORES (PUR), Gotham Enterprizes LLC: 5/0/31.695
8 YPSILON: 2007 Swedish Warmblood gelding by Etrusco x Diana
SHANNON HICKS (USA), Helen Gilbert: 2/4/31.515
9 CAESAR Z: 2007 gelding by Chopin x Pilot
JACLYN DUFF (CAN), Jaclyn Duff: 8/0/32.728
10 CESSNA 24: 2009 Hanoverian mare by Contagio x Elba
GEORGINA BLOOMBERG (USA), Gotham Enterprizes, LLC.: 5/8/32.273
11 TIRAMISU: 2006 Zangersheide mare by NTO V x TA
TRAPP O’NEAL (USA), The Eddyanne Ranch Family Limited Partnership: 5/12/31.100
12 ISAURA
DIEGO VIVERO, Wolfgang Schulze: 8/12/41.091