Marcelo Ciavaglia’s Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) debut got off to a strong start on Thursday, January 9, as the Brazilian rider earned a victory in the $35,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round 1 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL.
WEF continues through March 29, 2020, with 12 consecutive weeks of world-class competition and $13 million dollars on offer. The first week of competition at WEF is sponsored by Wellington Regional Medical Center and features the crowd favorite $75,000 Battle of the Sexes, presented by Wellington Regional Medical Center, during “Saturday Night Lights” on January 11 at 7 p.m. in the International Arena.
Ciavaglia and his longtime mount, Conto, were the very first of 44 entries to contest Thursday’s featured class. As the first of nine entries to qualify and return for the Eric Hasbrouck-designed short course, the pair would prove uncatchable. They posted a double-clear time of 35.069 seconds to secure them the win, while second place with a time of 35.838 seconds went to the USA’s Kristen Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Almighty, owned by Bull Run Jumpers Six LLC. Rounding out the top three was Canada’s Jonathon Millar who rode Valinski S, owned by Wyndmont, to a clear time of 36.006 seconds.