Concluding the 2020 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) season on a high note, Natalie Dean (USA) and Ceitasi topped a five-horse jump-off in Sunday’s feature class, the $37,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Jumper Series Final CSI3* and the exciting finale of the CaptiveOne Advisors Jumper Series.
Natalie Dean on Ceitasi. Photo by Sportfot.
From a large field of 66 world-class show jumping athletes and their equine partners, only eight answered the questions in the first round of Michel Vaillancourt’s (CAN) course that tested speed and skill. Over the short course, Dean stopped the clock at 34.26 seconds for the win on one of two mounts.
“Ceitasi was amazing today and she jumped the first round fairly easy and everything showed up nicely, so I was happy with her,” said Dean of her 10-year-old Westphalian mare (Caretello B x Cavalier) owned by Marigold Sorthorses LLC. “In the jump-off, a couple people had one down and I did as well on my first horse, so for my second time in the ring, I wanted to be competitive enough that I would win, and it worked out in my favor.”
This was only Dean’s second appearance in the CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Jumper Series, and she noted, “The track flowed well. I was happy that the triple was vertical, oxer, vertical which was good for both of my horses.”
Dean made her debut at WEF this season with trainer Ilan Ferder, saying, “I have a wonderful string and my parents have been very supportive along with my trainer who is super good at finding horses. I’m biased, but I feel like I have one of the best strings out there. It’s been so fun, and I love it here [at WEF]!”
Natalie Dean on Ceitasi in their winning presentation with Olga Hartsock, Wayne Jenkins, Founder and Managing Member of CaptiveOne Advisors and ringmaster Steve Rector. Photo by Sportfot.
Second place went to Columbcille de Reve ridden by Nicholas Dello Joio (USA) with a double-clear effort in in a time of 37.02 seconds for owner Crooks Show Jumping LLC. Dean rode her second mount, Don’s Diamant, owned by Marigold Sporthorses, LLC, to third place due to a rail down in the jump-off and a time of 34.75 seconds. Fourth went to Annabel Revers (USA) aboard H&M Carat Desire, with four faults and time of 38.29 for owner Beechwood Stables. In fifth place, Katherine Strauss (USA) and her own All In ended with a time of 34.31 seconds and two rails down.
Darragh Kenny Secures Series Championship
Darragh Kenny (IRL) secured the CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Jumper Series championship with consistent finishes throughout 10 weeks of 1.50m competition. In recognition of his series championship, Kenny was presented with a trip for six people on the CaptiveOne Advisors yacht, Reel Captivating.