Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) won the $5,000 Premier Equestrian Welcome Stake CSIO4* riding Cadans Z to open week eight of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL, on Wednesday, February 26.
Adrienne Sternlicht and Cadans Z. Photo © Sportfot
A member of the U.S. Nations Cup team, Sternlicht had the accuracy and speed to top a field of 65 over tracks set by course designer Ken Krome (USA). She and Cadans Z, owned by Starlight Farms 1, LLC, stopped the clock at 62.59 seconds over second-place finisher Todd Minikus (USA) and his own Calvalou in a time of 64.02 seconds. Great Britain’s Ben Maher rounded out the podium finishes with Ginger-Blue, owned by Jane Forbes Clark, stopping the clock in 67.78 seconds.
“It’s always nice to start the week off with a win,” said Sternlicht, who piloted the 11-year-old Zangersheide mare (Corosso VDL x Navarone), Cadans Z. “I knew many riders would be using this class to train, so I tried to take advantage of that with this horse. She has a very big stride, so I was able to cover a lot of ground. There were places to really gallop and do leave-outs in the lines, and she performed beautifully.”
Sternlicht was a member of the U.S. Nations Cup team during the 2019 WEF season after helping to guide the U.S. to a gold medal at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.
“I haven’t been on a Nations Cup team since this week last year, and I felt like I was the weaker link on that team, so it was definitely a goal of mine to jump on the team this winter,” said Sternlicht. “This week feels like a bit of redemption. I definitely want to put my best foot forward. It’s a horse that I have gained a lot of confidence on in the last few months, and I’m hoping for a great personal and team result this week.”
Adrienne Sternlicht and Cadans Z in their winning presentation with Co-Founder and CEO Mark Niehart and Co-Founder and President Heidi Zorn of Premier Equestrian, and ringmaster Steve Rector. Photo by © Sportfot
Riding for the United States, Andrew Ramsay took fourth aboard Stranger 30, owned by The Stranger Group, with a time of 67.86 seconds, while fellow U.S. rider Abigail McArdle capped the top five riding I&H Boogy Woogy, owned by Parot Horses LLC, in a final time of 68.59 seconds.
Making their debut under the lights during week eight, Brianne Goutal-Marteau (USA) won the evening edition of the $5,000 Premier Equestrian Welcome Stake CSI04* riding Tanael des Bonnes for owner Gerald Ford. Israel’s Alberto Michan finished the runner-up on Ictus d’Emma, owned by Wolver Hollow, and Samuel Parot Jr. (CHI) rounded out the top three aboard Buga Z for owner Samuel Parot.
Also winning the International Arena on Wednesday, Peter Leone (USA) topped the $6,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.40m, riding Capito Z, owned by Capito Group LLC.
Final Results: $5,000 Premier Equestrian CSIO4* Welcome Stake
1 CADANS Z: 2009 Zangersheide mare by Carosso VDL x Navarone
ADRIENNE STERNLICHT (USA), Starlight Farms 1, LLC: 0/62.59
2 CALVALOU: 2007 Oldenburg gelding by Calvaro F.C. x Baloubet du Rouet
TODD MINIKUS (USA), Todd Minikus, LTD: 0/64.02
3 GINGER-BLUE: 2011 KWPN mare by Plot Blue x Royal Rose
BEN MAHER (GBR), Jane Forbes Clark: 0/67.78
4 STRANGER 30: 2006 Hanoverian gelding by Stakkato x Cheenook
ANDREW RAMSAY (USA), The Stranger Group: 0/67.86
5 I&H BOOGY WOOGY: 2006 gelding by Faldo x Ginus
ABIGAIL MCARDLE (USA): Parot Horses LLC: 0/68.59
6 PRIMO TROY: 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Clinton x VDL Arkansas
ANDREW WELLES (USA), Itasca Group LLC: 0/71.72
7 HH QUALIDO 3: 2008 Hanoverian gelding by Quicksilber x Calido
QUENTIN JUDGE (USA), Double H Farm: 0/72.02
8 CA VA BIEN 4: 2010 Westphalian stallion by Cornado NRW x Stakkato
SIMON NIZR (ISR), Simon Nizri: 0/72.49
9 VERLANO: 2010 Mecklenburg gelding by Verdi TN x Chellano
JUAN ORTIZ (VEN), Stransky’s Mission Farms, Inc.: 0/72.84
10 CHARIELLE: 2006 Oldenburg mare by Cahcco-Blue x Argentinus
ALEXANDRA THORNTON (GBR), Dunwalke Ltd.: 0/74.65
11 CARLOS JD Z: 2009 Zangersheide gelding by Canturo x Baloubet
DARRAGH KERINS (IRL), NRG Farm LLC: 0/74.84
12 KAYACK: 2010 BWP gelding by Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Darco
JUAN MANUEL GALLEGO (COL), Juan Manuel Gallego: 0/75.74