Peter Wylde, 2004 Olympic Team Gold medalist for the USA, rode Esplanade 7 to his first grand prix win of the 2009 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival on Thursday, January 29. The pair took the fourth leg of the $30,000 Braman Motorcars WEF Challenge Cup Series under lights at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

Fifty-seven combinations started the class with 15 going clear to move to the jump-off.

Six pairs posted clear rounds in a thrilling dash around the shortened course.

Wylde, who lives in Maastricht, The Netherlands, and Esplanade 7, owned by the Louisburg Farm, cleared the course in 41.63 seconds, only 0.6 seconds faster than second-place winner Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil and Let's Fly, owned by Double H Farms. Wellington's Lauren Hough was 1.05 seconds off the winning time with her ride aboard Quick Study, owned by Laura Mateo, to take third place.

Wylde was thrilled with his horse because it was "her first REAL big show."

"Tonight she was perfect," he said. "She's the best when you have to go, you can really go with her and she just jumps higher. I was really pushing the whole way."

Wylde used the class as a warm-up for Esplande 7 for the $150,000 FEI World Cup presented by Spy Coast Farms, on Saturday, Febuary 7, also under the lights.

Pessoa also used his ride on Let's Fly as good practise for night classes. "It was his first time under the lights tonight, and I was really pleased," he said.