The fourth week of the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) sent international competitors back onto the turf as all four-star and two-star events are set to take place on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village. WEF 4 is sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies. Competition on Wednesday, February 2, culminated in the $6,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m CSI4* in which Ireland’s Daniel Coyle took the win on Ariel Grange’s Farona.
A total of 17 combinations rounded out the busy day on the field by contesting Anderson Lima’s (BRA) stout course including representatives from six individual nations. The lead changed hands several times throughout the class before finally settling with Coyle and the 12-year-old KWPN mare Farona (Baltic VDL x Lux Z). The pair landed through the timers in a time of 30.49 seconds and held strong as final entry Samuel Hutton (GBR) attempted a takeover but fell just shy in a time of 30.96.
Coyle’s time on the turf seems to be paying off as he previously won another Douglas Elliman Real Estate-sponsored class two weeks prior with Tienna. Both Tienna and Farona were once top mounts for Coyle that had time off due to injuries, but both mares have returned feeling their best yet and comfortable across the turf.