Action during week four of the 2020 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) had a change of scenery, with 80 riders crossing the road to the grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village (home to the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival). It was third to go Bertram Allen whose round on Ballywalter Stables’ Quiet Easy 4 proved unassailable in the $6,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.40m CSI4* class in the 24-year-old Irish rider’s first event of the season in his first-ever visit to WEF.
WEF continues through March 29, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida, with 12 consecutive weeks of world-class competition and $13 million dollars on offer. The fourth week of competition at WEF, sponsored by Marshall & Sterling Insurance/Great American Insurance Group and recognized as a CSI4* by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), runs January 29 through February 2. Highlights include the $73,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 on Thursday, $73,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Classic on Friday, and the $214,000 Marshall & Sterling Insurance/Great American Insurance Group Grand Prix CSI4* on Saturday. The Great Charity Challenge, presented by Fidelity Investments will take place during “Saturday Night Lights” at 7 p.m. in the International Arena.
Of the Quidam’s Rubin gelding, Allen said, “I had Quiet Easy a few years ago, then he was sold to Norway and I only recently got him back. I really like him and I’ve known him a long time. This was one of my first classes back with him, and he’s really fresh, so it’s lovely to have him back. The owner didn’t have so much for him to do, so they said they’d send him back to me if I could retire him when he was finished. He’s nearing the end of his career now, so it’s nice to just enjoy him.”