Nick Skelton and Carlo Win the $150,000 Wellington Grand Prix
Monday 05 March 2012
Nick Skelton with Beverley Widdowson’s grey stallion Carlo continued his winning streak by taking the Sunday afternoon's $150,000 Grand Prix in Wellington, Florida. The pair beat out Laura Kraut (USA) and Cherry Knoll Farm Inc.'s Cedric and Richie Moloney (IRL) and Equinimity LLC's Ahorn Van De Zuuthoeve, who finished second and third respectively.
The Grand Prix concluded the FTI WEF's CSIO week eight, sponsored by G&C Farm. Week nine, sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies, will run March 7-11. The week will feature the $200,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI 4* presented by The Bainbridge Companies as well as the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series Team Event. The 2012 FTI WEF has twelve weeks of competition that conclude on 1st April, 2012, and will be awarding more than $6 million in prize money through the circuit.
Forty eight entries showed in Sunday's Grand Prix, jumping a course set by Anthony D'Ambrosio, of New York. Eleven riders representing eight different countries made it to the jump-off. Great Britain and USA were represented by two riders each with Scott Brash and Intertoy Z being our second rider, along with competitors from Australia, Italy, Colombia, Ireland, Germany, and The Netherlands. An unfortunate four 4faults for Scott meant an 8th position finish for both himself and his father’s (Stanley) Intertoy Z.
Just five entries were able to jump without fault over D'Ambrosio's shortened jump-off course. Italy's Luca Moneta guided Neptune Brecourt, owned by Mastroeni Nicoletta, to the first double clear in 46.92 seconds, which eventually finished in fifth place.
Richie Moloney and Ahorn Van De Zuuthoeve cleared the final course in 39.76 seconds to take the lead, but finished third in the end. Moloney and his mount were immediately pushed from the top when Nick and Carlo blazed through the course in 36.60 seconds to take over.
Germany's Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was next to compete in the jump off and rode EOS Sport's Bella Donna 66 to a double clear in 45.94 seconds to land in the fourth position.
The final jump off round belonged to Laura Kraut and Cedric, who came the closest to Nick and Carlo with their clear round in 37.14 seconds to finish in second place.
Colombia's Daniel Bluman was faster than Laura in 36.87 seconds with his mare Sancha LS, but had a rail at a tall liverpool vertical in the jump off to finish in sixth place.
Nick and Carlo, an eleven-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Contender x Cascavelle, have excelled in this year's competition and today was their biggest win yet. The pair earned back to back victories in the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series during weeks two and three and finished second in this week's $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 8. Nick has had more victories with his other top mounts Unique XVIII and Big Star.
Commenting on his win today, Nick stated, "I was sweating a bit at the end, to be honest. I knew I didn't have the best draw. I went relatively early and the fast ones were at the end. Carlo jumped amazing; he was absolutely brilliant today."
With Laura and Cedric, as well as several other fast combinations to follow, Nick knew he could not leave the door open. He noted, "I didn't leave a lot. Maybe to the double I could have left one more stride out. I went a little bit wide to that, but the rest he was very, very good."
The first few competitors did nine strides down the last line, but when Nick saw Moloney do the line in eight, he decided to do the same. "I saw the jump off course before, but I didn't really study it that well because the second part of the double was in the way, so I went along and stepped it off on the side of the ring," he explained. "I thought it would probably be nine strides, but then Richie went in eight, so I thought I'd better do that."
Nick also watched Laura and Cedric go at the end, and knew it was going to be very close. "Cedric jumped great. He is a fast horse," Nick said. "He is a little horse and he takes a lot of little strides, which makes you think he's not very quick, but he is very quick."
The Grand Prix concluded the FTI WEF's CSIO week eight, sponsored by G&C Farm. Week nine, sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies, will run March 7-11. The week will feature the $200,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI 4* presented by The Bainbridge Companies as well as the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series Team Event. The 2012 FTI WEF has twelve weeks of competition that conclude on 1st April, 2012, and will be awarding more than $6 million in prize money through the circuit.
Forty eight entries showed in Sunday's Grand Prix, jumping a course set by Anthony D'Ambrosio, of New York. Eleven riders representing eight different countries made it to the jump-off. Great Britain and USA were represented by two riders each with Scott Brash and Intertoy Z being our second rider, along with competitors from Australia, Italy, Colombia, Ireland, Germany, and The Netherlands. An unfortunate four 4faults for Scott meant an 8th position finish for both himself and his father’s (Stanley) Intertoy Z.
Just five entries were able to jump without fault over D'Ambrosio's shortened jump-off course. Italy's Luca Moneta guided Neptune Brecourt, owned by Mastroeni Nicoletta, to the first double clear in 46.92 seconds, which eventually finished in fifth place.
Richie Moloney and Ahorn Van De Zuuthoeve cleared the final course in 39.76 seconds to take the lead, but finished third in the end. Moloney and his mount were immediately pushed from the top when Nick and Carlo blazed through the course in 36.60 seconds to take over.
Germany's Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was next to compete in the jump off and rode EOS Sport's Bella Donna 66 to a double clear in 45.94 seconds to land in the fourth position.
The final jump off round belonged to Laura Kraut and Cedric, who came the closest to Nick and Carlo with their clear round in 37.14 seconds to finish in second place.
Colombia's Daniel Bluman was faster than Laura in 36.87 seconds with his mare Sancha LS, but had a rail at a tall liverpool vertical in the jump off to finish in sixth place.
Nick and Carlo, an eleven-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Contender x Cascavelle, have excelled in this year's competition and today was their biggest win yet. The pair earned back to back victories in the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series during weeks two and three and finished second in this week's $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 8. Nick has had more victories with his other top mounts Unique XVIII and Big Star.
Commenting on his win today, Nick stated, "I was sweating a bit at the end, to be honest. I knew I didn't have the best draw. I went relatively early and the fast ones were at the end. Carlo jumped amazing; he was absolutely brilliant today."
With Laura and Cedric, as well as several other fast combinations to follow, Nick knew he could not leave the door open. He noted, "I didn't leave a lot. Maybe to the double I could have left one more stride out. I went a little bit wide to that, but the rest he was very, very good."
The first few competitors did nine strides down the last line, but when Nick saw Moloney do the line in eight, he decided to do the same. "I saw the jump off course before, but I didn't really study it that well because the second part of the double was in the way, so I went along and stepped it off on the side of the ring," he explained. "I thought it would probably be nine strides, but then Richie went in eight, so I thought I'd better do that."
Nick also watched Laura and Cedric go at the end, and knew it was going to be very close. "Cedric jumped great. He is a fast horse," Nick said. "He is a little horse and he takes a lot of little strides, which makes you think he's not very quick, but he is very quick."
Commenting on her round, Laura noted that she did not get to see Nick’s whole jump off round. "I only saw the last line and he did seven and then eight strides," she said. "When I was standing on the platform watching, Beezie (Madden) and George (Morris) and I thought I should do eight and nine because he's not big and doesn't have a very big stride. I tried to go fast as I could to that point. I did eight on the first line. I got there so well and landed strong, so I thought, 'What the hell, I'll give a try,' and got the second eight easily. In hindsight maybe I should have tried for the seven, but that's not always the best thing for him. It's hard for him to win when it's a gallop like that; he does better with a lot of turning."
On competing against Nick, Laura explained, "We pretty much stay apart and stick to what we do. We are both super competitive. He's not going to give me advice to beat him, nor would I give him any. We both do what we think we can do. I went as fast as I could today and he was just that much faster."
Both riders commented on Anthony D'Ambrosio's course designing, both today and throughout the week. Nick stated, "I think Anthony has done an absolutely amazing job the whole week. Nothing was gut-wrenching or really testing the horses. He has built brilliant courses every day. It shows what can be done. All of these horses jumped today and maybe Friday night, and they are still fresh and capable to go on again next week; that is what it's all about."
"Anthony is the sort of guy you can talk to, and he oversees the whole courses, with all of the course builders that come," Nick acknowledged. "I take my hat off to him; he has done a very good job. All of the riders said that as well, it's not just my opinion."
Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Derly Chin De Muze, owned by Torrey Pines and Ashland Stables, Scott Brash (GBR) and Intertoy Z, owned by Stan Brash, and Kent Farrington (USA) and Uceko, owned by RCG Farms, all had four faults in the final round. Lamaze stopped the clock in 38.47 seconds to place seventh, Brash completed the course in 39.58 seconds to finish eighth, and Farrington finished in 41.80 seconds to earn ninth place honors.
Final Results: $150,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSIO 4*
1. CARLO / NICK SKELTON (GBR): 0/0/36.60
2. CEDRIC / LAURA KRAUT (USA): 0/0/37.14
3. AHORN VAN DE ZUUTHOEVE / RICHIE MOLONEY: 0/0/39.76
4. BELLA DONNA / MEREDITH MICHAELS-BEERBAUM (GER): 0/0/45.94
5. NEPTUNE BRECOURT / LUCA MONETA (ITA): 0/0/46.92
6. SANCHA LS / DANIEL BLUMAN (COL): 0/4/36.87
7. DERLY CHIN DE MUZE / ERIC LAMAZE (CAN): 0/4/38.47
8. INTERTOY Z / SCOTT BRASH (GBR): 0/4/39.58
9. UCEKO / KENT FARRINGTON (USA): 0/4/41.80
10. EXQUIS WALNUT DE MUZE / HARRIE SMOLDERS (NED): 0/8/39.64
11. WATCH ME VD MANGELAAR / MATT WILLIAMS (AUS): 0/8/43.62
12. DON CESAR / DAVID WILL (GER): 4/71.75
1. CARLO / NICK SKELTON (GBR): 0/0/36.60
2. CEDRIC / LAURA KRAUT (USA): 0/0/37.14
3. AHORN VAN DE ZUUTHOEVE / RICHIE MOLONEY: 0/0/39.76
4. BELLA DONNA / MEREDITH MICHAELS-BEERBAUM (GER): 0/0/45.94
5. NEPTUNE BRECOURT / LUCA MONETA (ITA): 0/0/46.92
6. SANCHA LS / DANIEL BLUMAN (COL): 0/4/36.87
7. DERLY CHIN DE MUZE / ERIC LAMAZE (CAN): 0/4/38.47
8. INTERTOY Z / SCOTT BRASH (GBR): 0/4/39.58
9. UCEKO / KENT FARRINGTON (USA): 0/4/41.80
10. EXQUIS WALNUT DE MUZE / HARRIE SMOLDERS (NED): 0/8/39.64
11. WATCH ME VD MANGELAAR / MATT WILLIAMS (AUS): 0/8/43.62
12. DON CESAR / DAVID WILL (GER): 4/71.75
Photos © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.us.sportfot.com.
.jpg "Thrilling Weekend Kickstarts the STX-UK Pony British Novice Championship Second Round")
