Catherine Tyree and Spencer Smith Top big Sunday Classes at WEF 7

Spencer Smith (USA), 23, guided a new and promising mount in Princeton Z to a win in the $50,000 Dutta Corp/Guido Klatte Grand Prix CSI2*, while fellow U.S. athlete Catherine Tyree topped the $73,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Classic CSI5* aboard BEC Lorenzo to close week seven of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL, on Sunday, February 23.

WEF continues at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) through March 29, 2020, with 12 consecutive weeks of world-class competition and $13 million dollars on offer. The eighth week of competition, sponsored by Premier Equestrian, runs February 25 through March 1 and is recognized as a CSIO4* Nations Cup by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI).

Course designer Santiago Varela (ESP) welcomed 44 horses to the final event of the week with 15 advancing to the tie-breaking jump-off. Smith and Princeton Z, a nine-year-old Zangersheide stallion (President x Indoctro) owned by Torrey Pines Stable, rose to the top while promising a bright future for the young horse and a blooming partnership.

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Their time of 39.52 seconds bested Madison Goetzmann (USA) and her own Prestigious, who pocketed a time of 40.14 seconds to finish as the runner-up. Ireland’s David Blake and Don’t Touch du Bois, owned by Pine Hollow Farm, rounded out the top three in 41.04 seconds.

“Princeton came to us in the beginning of January, and I got along well with him right away,” said Smith, who has worked with Canadian Olympic champion Eric Lamaze at his Torrey Pines Stables for several years. “He jumped really well in the [Hermès] Under 25 team event earlier in the season, so we thought we’d step him up to this. He’s a nice horse. And I think he’ll do everything; he’ll jump all the big tracks.”

Smith candidly described Princeton Z, the former mount of French rider Mathieu Laveau, as “a little monster!”

“He just wants to win and wants to go faster,” said Smith. “He’s got a lot of fight.”

Of Varela’s jump-off track, Smith noted, “At this show, with this top level of riders, it has to be difficult, so it wouldn’t just become a total runner. It was a nice track, and I love having the two-star running along with the five-star. It’s an awesome division; it brings everyone into the FEI ranking system you’re able to step up.”

Just off the podium, Bliss Heers (USA) took fourth aboard Christos in 41.23 seconds for owner Bridgeside Farms LLC, while Spain’s Miguel Torres capped the top five in 41.84 seconds riding his own Chacendra.

Final Results: $50,000 Dutta Corp/Guido Klatte Grand Prix CSI2*

1. PRINCETON Z: 2011 Zangersheide stallion by President x Indoctro

SPENCER SMITH (USA), Torrey Pines Stable: 0/0/39.52

2. PRESTIGIOUS: 2007 Westphalian gelding by Con Cento x Corofino

MADISON GOETZMANN (USA), Madison Goetzmann: 0/0/40.14

3. DON’T TOUCH DU BOIS: 2009 Belgian Sport Horse mare by Kashmir van Schuttershof x Indoctro

DAVID BLAKE (USA), Pine Hollow Farm: 0/0/41.04

4. CHRISTOS: 2009 Holsteiner gelding by Cristo 5 x Linaro

BLISS HEERS (USA), Bridgeside Farms LLC: 0/0/41.23

5. CHACENDRA: 2009 Mecklenburg mare by Chacco Blue

MIGUEL TORRES (ESP), Miguel Torres: 0/0/41.84

6. STERN DEI FOLLETTI: 2011 Holsteiner gelding by Toulon x Caspar

MARK KINSELLA (IRL), Morning Star Sporthorses LLC: 0/0/42.62

7. DACANTOS: 2008 Dutch Warmblood gelding by Up to Date x Cassini I

LORCAN GALLAGHER (IRL), Trelawny Farm, LLC: 0/0/43.01

8. CHIC CHIC: 2011 Westphalian stallion by Comme Il Faut x Contendro I

STEPHEN MOORE (IRL), Vlock Show Stables LLC: 0/0/43.61

9. CONTHA STARA: 2012 Oldenburg mare by Conthargos x Quick Star

HAYLEY BARNHILL (USA), Alice Lawaetz: 0/0/44.38

10. CARLOS 691: 2009 Oldenburg gelding by Catoki x Carry Gold

JOHAN KACHELHOFFER (RSA), Johan Kachelhoffer: 0/4/40.36

Plan Pays Off for Catherine Tyree and Bec Lorenzo in $73,000 CaptiveOne Advisors Classic

Saving the best for last in the seven-horse jump-off, including number-two ranked rider in the world, Martin Fuchs, Catherine Tyree and her 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Bec Lorenzo (Livello x Guidam) blazed to the win in Sunday’s $73,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Classic CSI5*. They finished double-clear over Varela’s track in 37.39 seconds over the short course for owner Mary Tyree.

“I was able to watch everyone go before me in the jump-off, and I had a plan,” said Tyree. “To be honest, the first three jumps didn’t go according to plan, so I knew I had to really gallop and stay on it to the last three jumps. My horse met the challenge and was great. The CaptiveOne 1.50m series is a very competitive class, and it’s fun to have the championship at the end.

“Santiago Varela has built great courses all week. They have been technical, challenging, and big enough,” continued Catherine, who trains with John Brennan and Missy Clark of North Run. “I was lucky; I had two horses, and I was able to go around one time and fix my mistakes and be there for Lorenzo to give him the best chance to jump a clear round.”

Catherine has had Lorenzo for two years, and the gelding only jumped his first 1.50m last year. “Every time you ask him big questions, he exceeds all expectations I have,” she said. “There was a point where I didn’t know where he would end up, but I always knew he would be very competitive.”

Tyree was a first timer at WEF in 2004 on a medium pony, and is now competitive in the International Arena. “I love being at WEF. Every weekend we’ve seen big jump-offs in grand prix, and that is a testament to not only the quality of horses and riders, but the footing as well.”

In second place, Fuchs (SUI) finished with a time of 37.92 seconds aboard Stalando 2, owned by Gospodarstwo Rolne Andrzej Oplatek, ahead of Ireland’s Daniel Coyle riding Farrel for owner Ariel Grange. They stopped the clock without fault in 38.60 seconds. Fourth place went to fellow Irish rider and Daniel’s couson, Jordan Coyle, on Centriko Volvo in a time of 39.98 for owner Celtic Park, LLC. Rounding out the top five, Jorge Matte Capdevila rode his own Destiny Van Schore to a time of 46.889.

Final Results: $73,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Classic CSI5*

1. BEC LORENZO: 2010 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Livello x Guidam

CATHERINE TYREE (USA), Mary Tyree: 0/0/37.398

2. STALANDO 2: 2008 Oldenburg gelding Stakkatol x Landlady 55

MARTIN FUCHS (SUI), Gospodarstwo Rolne Andrzej Oplatek: 0/0/37.92

3. FARREL: 2010 KWPN gelding by Cardento x Becherry

DANIEL COYLE (IRL), Ariel Grange: 0/0/38.60

4. CENTRIKO VOLO: 2012 Oldenburg gelding by Centadel x Chacco-Blue

JORDAN COYLE (IRL), Celtic Park, LLC: 0/0/39.98

5. DESTINY VAN SCHORE: 2009 SBS mare by Ugano Sitte x Quintine Du Houssoit

JORGE MATTE CAPDEVILA (CHI), Jorge Matte Capdevila: 0/4/46.88

6. KARDENTA VAN’T MEERHOF: 2010 BWP mare by Cardento x Majestic