The young jumpers took to the International Ring at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Friday to compete in their final classes of the 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Erynn Ballard (CAN) and Easy were victorious in the $20,000 Adequan® Young Jumper Seven-Year-Old Final, Adolpho Franco (BRA) and Mia won the $15,000 Adequan® Young Jumper Six-Year-Old Final, and 13 horse and rider combinations jumped clear in the $10,000 Gut Einhaus Young Jumper Five-Year-Old Final to earn prizes, rewarding clear rounds from the circuit’s youngest horses.
The 2016 WEF circuit concludes with its twelfth and final week of competition, sponsored by Rolex, featuring CSI 5* jumper and ‘AA’ rated hunter competition through April 3, 2016. Saturday highlights include the $130,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic Final Jump-off, presented by SOVARO®, at 6:30 p.m. followed by the $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5*. The circuit concludes on Sunday featuring the final round of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on the derby field at The Stadium at PBIEC.
Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) set the course for 52 starters in the $20,000 Adequan® Young Jumper Seven-Year-Old Final, with 13 clear rounds to advance to the jump-off, and five double clear rounds. Riders were given an a/b option to either jump-off immediately following their round or wait until the end of the class, and all but one chose option a to go immediately following their first round.