The penultimate week of the ESP Summer Series closed out with another big win for Kent Farrington of Wellington, FL and Jasper, owned by Tanma Corp & Kent Farrington. The duo claimed top honors in Sunday’s $20,000 Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center Grand Prix which took place out on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village after they completed the jump-off in just 36.058 seconds. Following close behind with a jump-off time of 36.624 seconds was Hilary McNerney of Wellington, FL and her entry Chuck 27 to take home the red ribbon. Farrington returned to the winner’s circle for third-place honors with Haity McNerney’s Kaprice after a 36.645-second jump-off.
This is Farrington’s latest win at the ESP Summer Series, and when asked what his secret to success was he commented, “There’s no real secret. I think as everyone knows you need great horses. I feel very fortunate to have great people around me on my team. Not only on the owner side, but also on my staff side. And the most important factor being that I have great horses and I feel very fortunate to have Susan Chu owning [Jasper] with me along with the McNerney family, whose daughter finished second today and their other horse [Kaprice] finished third, so I think that shows the full strength of our horse power.”
A total of 26 combinations entered the competition, with 11 pairs continuing on to the second round to test Guilherme Jorge’s course set on the Derby Field. After his win, Farrington revealed that he prefers having the Grand Prixs on the grass: “I think it’s more natural for the horses. The bigger setting on a huge field like this is great because they can work out of a real, natural gallop. I actually think they jump easier and the ground is more forgiving, so for me that’s the best for the horses and the sport.” Farrington plans to continue showing at PBIEC throughout the Fall and looks forward to the addition of the FEI 3* competition.
Jumper Highlights
The $2,500 Equiline Medium Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic followed the Grand Prix competition in the Derby Field on Sunday, with Alexandra Pielet of Highland Park, IL clinching the win aboard Co-Pielet LLC’s Hyperbolics after a 38.406-second jump-off. Sheer Levitin of Delray Beach, FL and Quantico 946 completed the second round in 40.946 seconds to claim second place, while Ava De Caster of Green Bay, WI and Sheldon, owned by Phoebe Manders, took home third place after their 44.586-second jump-off.
Emerson Lane of Miami, FL captured top honors in the $2,500 Equiline Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic after riding Chantara, owned by Danielle Torano, around the jump-off in 40.91 seconds. Aurora Rangel De Alba of Wellington, FL piloted her mount Casino N to second place with a final time of 43.34 seconds. Crossing through the timers in 39.443 seconds was James Faloni of Essex Fells, NJ and Pembrey Condors Diamond, owned by Spring Ledge, LLC, to claim third place with four faults.
Over in the International Ring, Gabby Plonsky of Boca Raton, FL bested the field of 21 competitors in the $250 CCTV Agent .85m Classic aboard Zachary Yariv’s Missi Cassini after finishing the jump-off in 31.88 seconds. Nancy Brown of North Miami Beach, FL took second place with Cassandra, owned by Luis Cardenas, after the duo raced through the timers in 32.563 seconds. Third-place honors went to Rebecca Havens of Pompano Beach, FL and her Larensino with a jump-off time of 33.267 seconds.
The $1,500 Low Child/Adult Amateur Jumper Classic presented by French Horse Exports named Star Schatten of Franklin, TN the winner after she completed the jump-off in 33.025 seconds aboard Cayotee, owned by Lionsway Farm. Jesus Alejandro Rigu of Wellington, FL piloted his entry Kascaya Z through the timers in 34.071 seconds to claim second, while Eva Vilarino of Davie, FL and her Tiramisu received the yellow ribbon for their 37.073-second efforts.
Earlier in the week, jumper competition began on the Derby Field with the $5,000 Omega Alpha 1.35m Open Stake. Joao Eduardo Ferreira De Carvalho of Delray Beach, FL rode Lamina VH Gelutt Z, owned by Karina Rocha Mello, to victory after a 38.695-second jump-off. Antonio Martinez Jr. of Loxahatchee, FL and Forman De Virton, owned by Tack Up Stable Corp, captured the red ribbon once they finished the jump-off course in 38.126-seconds with four faults. Kim Farlinger of Wellington, FL rounded out the top three with her 39.011-second, four-fault performance aboard Sher-Al Farm, Inc’s Stanley Stone.
The highlight of Friday’s competition was the $10,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.40m Open Stake, which was also mastered by Kent Farrington and Jasper, owned by Tanma Corp & Kent Farrington. The pair crossed through the timers in 40.352 seconds to take the top position, while Eugenio Garza Perez of Wellington, FL and El Milagro’s Contago clinched second place with a jump-off time of 42.551 seconds. Kim Farlinger rode her mount Good Time to a third-place finish in 42.933 seconds.
Equitation & Hunter Highlights
The Region 3 ASPCA/Maclay Championship was hosted at PBIEC’s Van Kampen Covered Arena on Sunday morning. A total of 20 young riders vied for top positions, but Madison Ramsey of Palm Harbor, FL secured the coveted gold medal aboard Kevin Eufemia’s Maguro after a jumping round, a flat phase, and a test. Hailey Royce of Gurnee, IL and Con Capitano, owned by Castlewood Farm Inc, clinched the second-place position, while Madison Ryan of Treasure Island, FL rode Van Gogh, owned by Barn Rat LLC, to third-place honors.
Over in WER Ring 1, Danielle Torano of Wellington, FL captured the blue ribbon with a combined score of 169 for her performance with Faldo II, owned by Pauline Esdale, in the $1,000 Junior/Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3”/3’6” Classic. Emily Ablin of Palm Beach, FL and Jasper, owned by Leeann Ablin, received a final score of 154 to clinch second place, while Rachel Nichols of Jupiter, FL rode her mount Lucky For You to a third-place finish with a final score of 147.
The $500 Pony Hunter Classic saw Lauren Gee of Valdosta, GA take home both the blue and red ribbons for her efforts, claiming first place aboard Team Weston, LLC’s Tina Turner with a combined score of 164 and second place aboard Reidell Day Dream, owned by Iron Horse Performance Ponies, with a score of 162. Allison Coleman of Wellington, FL piloted her entry Silver Point to third with a final score of 156.
Division Champions
The Adult Amateur Hunter division presented by Resilient Fitness was championed by Elena Horowitz of Wellington, FL and Buffalo Therapeutic Riding Center’s Cakewalk, while Julie Burton of Loxahatchee, FL and her Uppercase took reserve honors.
Hannah Randolph of Wellington, FL was named champion of the Children’s Pony Hunter division presented by The Wanderers Club after her performance with her mount Twinkle Toes, while reserve champion honors were awarded to Gabbie Whitby of Miami, FL and Hershey’s Kisses, owned by Raffaella Agnelli.
The Adult Amateur Equitation division presented by Fairfield Inn & Suites saw Alexandra Pielet of Highland Park, IL capture the champion ribbon aboard Spiros Z, owned by Jimmy Torano, while Dorian Cieslak of Longwood, FL clinched the reserve ribbon with his entry Fellow Van’t Polderhof.
Wellington’s own Molly Sewell topped the leaderboard of the Performance 3’3” & 3’6” division, riding Narco, owned by Kimberly Dunn. Shannon Dickinson of Bradenton, FL and Greta Pogue’s Della Daze finished as reserve champion for the division.
The Medium/Large Pony Hunter division presented by Dover Saddlery awarded the champion ribbon to J.J. Torano and SomeKindaWonderful, owned by Iwasaki & Reilly, while Sophia Sisco of Tampa, FL was named reserve champion with Capstone Farm, LLC’s entry Good Boy.
The ESP Summer Series, hosted at Equestrian Village, concludes this week with the Rita & Irish Flynn Memorial Show on September 25-27.