Show jumping fans from around the world gathered for opening day of the final week of action at the 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington and were greeted with beautiful sunny skies and mild temperatures. The CN Wellington Finale CSIO*****, the last week of show jumping before the festival moves on to Tampa for the final two weeks of competition, got underway on Wednesday at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club.

Wednesday’s mid-morning featured event was the 1.45 m Time First Round class, scored under FEI Art. 238.2.1. The Course Designer for this week’s Internationale Arena action is Steve Stephens of the United States.

Seventy-seven competitors took the field for the main event on Wednesday. Of those that started, 20 went fault free over the speed course. Another eight competitors had no jumping faults but registered time faults, while 27 riders had a single knockdown.

Norman Dello Joio of the United States set the very early pace, riding out of the fourth spot in the order on Marengo, owned by Enrique Garcia. Dello Joio cruised across the finish line in 63.74 seconds, a time that would hold up for the eventual fourth place finish.

The lead changed hands at the 37th spot on the list when Laura Kraut of the U.S. charged to the head of the class on Clubhipico Lasilla’s Tiffany La Silla. Kraut blazed across the finish line four-tenths of a second ahead of Dello Joio, in 63.28 seconds. Three trips later, Rodrigo Pessoa challenged, but fell just short of Kraut’s target time in 63.76 seconds, on Roadrunner from the Kinloch Enterprises.

Kraut maintained her lead for most of the morning session, fending off challenges from riders from 16 different countries, but then toppled from first down to third in rapid succession with only nine left in the class.

The winner, 2004 Olympic Team Gold Medalist McLain Ward of the United States, and the Double H Farm’s Quick Star II Z, blew the field away with a dazzling speed ride. Ward’s memorable non-stop dash for the cash netted him a clean round and an incredible finish time of 59.37 seconds. He outdistanced Kraut by an incredible 3.91 seconds.

Kraut was then relegated to third place when Gregory Wathelet of the Ukraine lopped two-tenths of a second off her time with Hyades, owned by Alexander Onyshchenko. Wathelet came in under the wire in 62.08 seconds.

Ward, who received notice this week that he is short listed for the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, later this year, will be on Friday night’s United States Nations Cup team. He will be joined by his Gold Medal Olympic teammate Beezie Madden, Margie Engle and Kent Farrington. He spoke of the chances for the team from the United States. “I think we have a great chance. We’re going with the best we have, and I think the United States has a great chance. I’m really looking forward to Friday night.”

The $75,000 Nations’ Cup, presented by CN, CSIO*****, a competition that pits teams of show jumpers from multiple countries against each other in two rounds of competition, will be held on Friday night under the lights in the Internationale Arena. The 2006 Nations Cup, presented by CN, marks the fifth time that the Winter Equestrian Festival will host this prestigious international event.

The richest show jumping event of the seven weeks in Wellington will take center stage on Sunday, March 12. The $150,000 U.S. Open Jumper Championship, presented by CN, CSIO***** brings the WEF Wellington series to a close.


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