Colombian Olympian Roberto Teran Tafur clinched his first international victory of the 2025 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in the $32,000 Adequan® CSI3* WEF Challenge Cup Round 1 on Thursday of WEF 1. Opening with the first of 12 FEI competitions, WEF continues through March 30 at Wellington International in Wellington, FL.
The group of riders who stepped out to challenge course designer Nick Granat’s (USA) technical track represented 13 nations. In the winning round format where the top 12 riders from the first round advance to the tie-breaking jump-off, Teran was able to recover from a late rail over the opening course. He and his 10-year-old grey Zangersheide gelding Iron Maiden (Clarimo x Kashmir van’t Schuttershof), owned by Rocking Basilisk Farm, returned for the jump-off in winning form to stop the clock at 41.63 seconds, more than two seconds faster than closest challenger Shane Sweetnam.
The Irish Olympian clocked in at 43.39 seconds on new mount Coriaan van Klapscheut Z, a nine-year-old gelding owned in partnership with Voquest LLC. Fellow Irishman Nicky Galligan took third in 43.54 seconds aboard 12-year-old mare VDL Nikita van de Leeuwerk, owned by Santa Rosa Group. (Top Canadian was Lexi Ray riding her own Crazy Friend, who finished equal 10th)
Teran got the ride on Iron Maiden at the end of winter season in 2024 and has already amassed nine international podium finishes.
“He has a great technique,” said Teran of the horse that’s headlining his up-and-coming string. “He’s light off the ground, sensitive and a true modern type but very rideable. He’s a fantastic prospect for the big sport—he lets you put him exactly where it’s optimal for him to jump clear.
“When I walked the course, I knew we had a really good chance to be in the top 12,” continued Teran, who now considers Wellington home while representing Colombia on the international show jumping stage. “I’m always happy to be back—this is home for me. I have a good string of horses for the year and hope to have a great 2025.”
When asked about what a win at WEF means to him, the Wellington resident of 24 years said, “Wellington is a special spot in the world during the winter. Any win here is very special, and I’m looking forward to a five star win this year, hopefully.”
For the first FEI WEF Challenge Cup win of the 2025 season, Teran was presented with the Paul Scriver Perpetual Memorial Trophy.
For complete results from the $32,000 Adequan® CSI3* WEF Challenge Cup Round 1, click HERE.
Competition peaks during WEF 1 with the $140,000 Southern Arches CSI3* Grand Prix during ‘Saturday Night Lights’ on January 11 at 7pm. Full results from WEF 1 are available HERE.
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