Wordley and Gatsby Grab Grand Prix Win to Close Out ESP Fall II

The $25,000 Everglades Farm Equipment Grand Prix closed out the ESP Fall II show on Sunday at Equestrian Village. The course, set by Andy Christiansen, tested a total of 22 horse-and-rider pairs on the Derby Field, but ultimately Sharn Wordley of Citra, FL and his own Gatsby came out on top after stopping the jump-off timers in 33.385 seconds. Santiago Lambre of Wellington, FL and his Cetano Van Aspergem Z claimed the red rosette with a 34.017-second jump-off, while Fabio Leivas Da Costa of Brazil piloted Verdi O’Merveilles through the jump-off in 34.292 seconds to earn a spot in the winner’s circle.

Wordley commented that although it’s always “nice to be on grass,” competing on the Derby Field provided him with a particular advantage. “He (Gatsby) won the derby here with Andrew Bourns years ago and has won many other classes on this field. He loves this field. It’s a pleasure when you’ve got one that loves the field and jumps better on it.”

The $2,500 Equiline Medium Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic followed with Ashley Ann McGehee of Jacksonville, FL taking home the blue ribbon aboard Mackenzie McGehee’s Fiona Van’t Paradijs after a 36.385-second jump-off. Luiza Leivas Da Costa of Boca Raton, FL piloted Luziada Jmen, owned by Bonne Chance Farm LLC, to a second-place victory with a 37.197-second jump-off. Charlise Casas of Lake Forest, IL clinched third place after stopping the timers at 37.41 seconds with Mustique VZ, owned by Always Faithful Equine LLC.

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Tatiana Roux of Miami, FL flew to win the $2,500 Equiline Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic after a 36.334-second jump-off with Caliqulas, owned by Victoria Heurtematte. Bruna Silva of Windermere, FL claimed the red ribbon after a 37.775-second jump-off aboard her entry, Cachassina. Ashley Ann McGehee of Jacksonville, FL and her own Mr. Snuffleupagus followed with a jump-off time of 39.312 seconds to claim third place.

Over in the International Ring, the $1,500 Low Children’s/Adult Amateur Jumper Classic awarded the blue ribbon to Cameron Morris of Wellington, FL and Sun Cat once they completed the jump-off in 35.682 seconds. Melanie Markham of Orlando, FL piloted her Histoire De Laubry through the timers in 38.326 seconds to capture second place, while Rebecca Havens of Pompano Beach, FL earned the third-place ribbon after a 43.371-second jump-off with her entry, Larensino.

The $250 CCTV Agent .85m Classic took place with Liv Stralman of Parkland, FL and Pine Hollow Farm’s Kit Kat PH taking home top honors after a 35.251-second course. Neve Yaari of Plantation, FL took home second place with her own Deja Vue V Overis Z with a time of 40.23 seconds. Receiving the yellow ribbon for her efforts was Megan Edrick Wexler of Ocala, FL aboard Despacitol, owned by Golden Oaks Farms, LLC, after completing the jump-off in 40.559 seconds.

On Friday, competition on the Derby Field kicked off with the $10,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.40m Open Stake. Santiago Lambre and Mario Onate’s Easy Girl stopped the jump-off timers at 37.893 seconds to claim victory, while Shard Wordley piloted Gatsby to second-place honors with a jump-off time of 38.875 seconds. Rebecca Conway of Wellington, FL finished in third aboard Stakkatisa, owned by HBC Sport Horses after a 39.442-second jump-off.

Thursday saw Megan Edrick Wexler and Felyn Farms’ Flashdance claim the blue rosette in the $5,000 #1 Education Place 1.35m Open Stake after clear the jump-off timers in 44.684 seconds. Rebecca Conway claimed the red rosette aboard Con Coleur, owned by Blue Hill Farm, LLC, with a 45.995-second jump-off, while also claiming the yellow rosette with Stakkatisa after clearing the jump-off in 46.454 seconds.

Hunter Highlights

On Friday afternoon on the Derby Field Annex, Jennifer Bliss of Loxahatchee, FL and Face the Music dominated the field in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby presented by Score At The Top after receiving a combined score of 179. Bliss also rode Sugarman, owned by Harris Hill Farm, LLC, to a second-place finish after earning a combined score of 173. Amy Momrow of Wellington, FL earned the yellow ribbon with a combined score of 166.5 aboard the Elite Supplement Inc.-owned Starry Night.

A total of 15 combinations tested the first round with the top 12 returning for the handy round. “I thought the course was great; it’s really a treat that they’re doing all these classes on the grass,” Bliss commented on the course set by Jasen Shelley. Bliss continued, “we just started showing these last couple of weeks and these classes on the grass are something fun and different to get all of our horses and myself back in the groove again. It’s been fun to have it!”

Martha Ingram of Nashville, TN piloted Airport 48, owned by John and Stephanie Ingram, LLC, to the top of the leaderboard in the $1,000 Junior/Amateur Owner Hunter Classic after receiving a final score of 170. Ashley Baker of New York, NY rode her own Donna Corra to a second-place finish with a score of 168.5. Ingram also piloted Private Practice, owned by John and Stephanie Ingram, LLC, to a combined score of 166 to bookend the podium.

The $500 Pony Hunter Classic was championed by Lauren Gee of Valdosta, GA and Team Weston LLC’s Tina Turner after they received a combined score of 163. Quinn Hunter of Wellington, FL rode Land’s End Bit of Honey, owned by Barbara McGinnis, to a second-place victory after a 158-combined score, while Gee returned to accept the yellow rosette aboard Reidell Day Dream, owned by Iron Horse Performance Ponies, with a final score of 157.

Hunter Champions

Brad Wolf of Memphis, TN championed the Adult Amateur Hunter division presented by Resilient Fitness with his own Doctor’s Orders, while Kelsey Cruciotti of Bluffdale and Pony Lane Farm’s Coronado finished in reserve.

The Children’s Hunter division presented by Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center saw Livia Martin of Canada claim the champion ribbon aboard her mount Q-Pid, while Olympia Boardman of New York, NY piloted Phable, owned by Kent Farrington LLC, captured the reserve champion.

Lauren Gee returned to the winner’s circle to claim both the champion and reserve ribbon in the Small Pony Hunter division presented by Dover Saddlery aboard Tina Turner and Reidell Day Dream, respectively.

The ESP Fall Series will continue at the Equestrian Village grounds through Sunday, October 25. No spectators or outside media are allowed on-site at this time, but friends and family can view all classes via our SGL live stream HERE.