A picturesque South Florida night set the scene for the highlight event of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival’s (WEF) fifth week, the $406,000 Fidelity Investments® Grand Prix CSI5* as part of “Saturday Night Lights.” WEF newcomer Philipp Weishaupt (GER) was victorious with Coby 8, owned by Mariko Kato, Noyuri Ko, and Beerbaum Stables. WEF features 13 weeks of world-class jumper, hunter, and equitation competition through April 3.
Forty of the world’s best show-jumping athletes including 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games medalists Ben Maher, McLain Ward, Laura Kraut, and Jessica Springsteen showed up to contest Kelvin Bywater’s (GBR) tall and technical track. Germany’s Daniel Deusser emerged as the pathfinder to a clear round aboard Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, but was followed swiftly by Nayel Nassar (EGY) and Mario Deslauriers (CAN), which ensured a jump-off.
At the conclusion of the first round, eight representatives of seven different countries had successfully completed Bywater’s challenge. A historic number of spectators filled the stands of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) as preparations were made in the International Arena for the short track, and the remaining exhibitors geared up for their return.