Sharn Wordley of Wellington, FL, secured top honors in the $25,000 #1 Education Place Grand Prix at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Sunday. Wordley took top honors riding his own Rye Val De Mai, a 2005 Selle Francais stallion (Helios Da La Cour II x Type D’Elle), dashing in at 42.222 seconds. Carlos Quinones of Wellington, FL, earned second place riding Satoyama, a 2006 gelding owned by Michelle Navarro-Grau, stopping the timers in 43.581 seconds. In addition to his first-place win, Wordley captured third place with his own Gatsby, a 2004 Irish Sport Horse stallion (Simba x Cruise On), completing the course in 44.256 seconds.
Sharn Wordley and Rye Val De Mai. Photo by Anne Gittins Photography
Wordley remained ahead of the additional 16 competitors, who tested the course set by Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA). Wordley commented, “Both of my horses are experienced and they are both fourteen. I use them for the national Grand Prix classes and the FEI ranking classes.”
On his first-place finish, Wordley stated, “It was a good trip [for Rye Val De Mai]; he jumped really well. He’s had a bit of time off so he’s just come back. Rye could have gone a bit faster, but it wasn’t that fast of a class. He jumped great. I was really happy with him. With Rye, I wanted to make sure that I won it.”
“I’ve been doing some quite fast rounds on Gatsby, so I didn’t want to go too fast on him,” Wordley said of his third-place mount. “I wanted to give him a nice round and a comfortable trip because he’s been going fast lately.”
Sharn Wordley in his awards presentation ceremony with ring master, Steven Rector. Photo by Anne Gittins Photography
Wordley commented of both mounts that “they’re both very careful horses and very fast horses with experience. They’ve been doing this awhile and they know the game, so this was a really nice class for them.”
Jumper Highlights
In the $10,000 #1 Education Place 1.40m Open Stake, Gavin Moylan of Middleburg, VA, took top honors with Balous Diamond, owned by Radiant Equine, LLC, earning a time of 32.63 seconds. Jumping in close behind, Todd Minikus of Lake Worth, FL, earned second place riding Calvalou. owned by Todd Minikus LTD. The duo dashed through the timers in 33.262 seconds ahead of third place finisher, Tanner Korotkin of Wellington, FL, aboard Eurohill’s Alcatraz, owned by Castlewood Farm Inc., with a time of 33.825 seconds.
Gavin Moylan and Balous Diamond. Photo by Anne Gittins Photography
The $5,000 Osphos® 1.35m Stake congratulated David Blake of Wellington, FL, with first place aboard Binkie, owned by Pine Hollow Farm. Second place was awarded to Samantha Wight of Aspen, CO, with Vilavie Du Bois Philip, owned by Melissa Wight. The duo earned a time of 37.122 seconds. Lauren Crooks of Bothell, WA, finished in third with Balzane Du Mazes, owned by Bob Young Obe. Crooks completed the course in 37.283 seconds.
David Blake in his awards presentation ceremony. Photo by Anne Gittins Photography
The $2,500 1.30m Equiline NAL High Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Stake granted Alexandra Pielet of Highland Park, IL, with top honors riding Calisto 26 for Ross Smith and earning a time of 38.699 seconds. Johnna Beckmann of Germany earned second place with mount Cheenook 8, after stopping the timers in 40.993 seconds. Erin Haas of Ann Arbor, MI, claimed third place riding Umano Des Dragons, owned by North Face Farm, completing the course in 45.64 seconds.
Saturday’s $1,500 NAL 1.15m Child/Adult Jumper Classic presented by Dover Saddlery was dominated by Kevin McCarthy (Omaha, NE) aboard his own SIG Beaujolais, stopping the short-course timers in 40.761 seconds to take the win, while Julia Strawbridge (West Grove, PA) and her own mount, Ailee, took second with a time of 43.518 seconds. Ellen Mollerus of Larchmont, NY, rounded out the podium in third with Abbey Soffer’s Cardenfe, stopping the clock in 45.805 seconds in the jump-off.
The $1,500 M&S 1.15m Child/Adult Amateur Jumper Classic presented Dover Saddlery saw a victory for Katie Sansone from Coconut Creek, FL, aboard her own Tropobella 3k, stopping the short-course timers in 34.694 seconds. Mateo Coles of Fort Lauderdale, FL, and his own A.J. 4 completed the jump-off in 36.464 seconds to take second place, while Kevin McCarthy (Omaha, NE) and his own SIG Beaujolais raced to third in 39.18 seconds.
The $2,500 Equiline NAL Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Stake was championed by Tanner Korotkin of Wellington, FL, aboard La Perla, owned by Ossian Ventures, LLC, after the pair stopped the clock in 36.716 seconds. Erin Haas of Ann Arbor, MI, piloted Udo DV, owned by North Face Farm, to a second place finish with a jump-off time of 37.791 seconds. Jamie Souccar Young of Ontario, Canada, and Julio vh Elzenhout, owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock, captured third place with a time of 40.773 seconds.
Myrto Iliadis of Newburgh, NY, took home first and second place honors in the $2,500 Equiline NAL Medium Junior/Amateur Owner Classic, aboard Tabasco de la Nutria and Quattro BZ respectively. Iliadis finished in 41.159 seconds aboard Tabasco de la Nutria and in 41.317 seconds with Quattro BZ. Seluck Koksalan of Wellington, FL, piloted Quincy 137 to third with a jump-off time of 41.698 seconds.
Juliet Johansson of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, guided Viva’s Roxanna W to victory in the $1,500 Low Child/Adult Jumper Classic after racing through the jump-off timers in 28.581 seconds. Stephanie Ann Cook of Franklin, TN, and Lord Arthur 1916, owned by Lionsway Farm, finished in second place with a time of 30.08 seconds. Gabriella Curry of Plantation, FL, and her own Coco Cilla, finished in third place with a jump-off time of 34.573 seconds.