Debbie Stephens and Swagger (Sportfot)

Wellington, FL - Week three of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival started with a day full of competition, and the main class in the International Arena was the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers. Debbie Stephens of Palmetto, FL, was victorious on Swagger, owned by Centennial Farm.

Week three of the FTI WEF runs Wednesday, January 25, through Sunday, January 29, and is sponsored by Horseware Ireland. The highlight jumper classes in week three are the $55,000 Nespresso Battle of the Sexes on Saturday, January 28, as well as the $50,000 Horseware Ireland CSI 2* Grand Prix on Sunday, January 29. The 2012 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 1, 2012, and they will be awarding more than $6 million in prize money through the circuit.
This week's course designer in the International Arena is Olaf Petersen Sr. of Germany. The G&C Farm 1.45m class was a time first round format and had 26 entries. There were nine clear rounds, and the fastest of those was Stephens (USA) and Swagger, who posted a winning time of 70.049 seconds. Angel Karolyi (VEN) and Artifice L.S., owned by Hollow Creek Farm, were second in 72.670 seconds. Third place went to Bon Ami, ridden by Scott Brash for Liz MacTaggert. They had a time of 73.053 seconds.

Stephens purchased Swagger, a 2002 Dutch Warmblood gelding by Casco, two years ago. He was a dressage horse with an amateur rider, but with his breeding, the owners felt that he may be better suited to jumping. They called Stephens, who agreed. The pair started out in the .75m Jumpers two years ago and progressed to the 1.35m Jumpers at last year's FTI WEF before an injury took Stephens out of riding for a year.

"He really doesn't have a lot of experience because I broke my hip last year. I didn't ride him in the International ring. I never got in there," she recalled. "He was sort of the 'next' horse. I was in the 1.35m and was going to move up to the 1.40m, but I didn't make it. He had four months of flatting with someone else and a slow comeback. For him to be doing this, I have to say, I have to give him all the credit. He's an amazing animal."

Stephens described Swagger as a "young and up and coming horse." She added, "He's scopey, careful, fast, and competitive; he's sort of all the things you dream of in a horse."

In today's 1.45m victory, consistent pace was the key for Stephens. "I think I left strides out everywhere. I don't think I was faster at one point, I was just pretty much on it," she explained. "I think it was faster everywhere. It was a Beezie Madden type of ride where it was smooth and then you look at the clock and go, 'Wow! I was fast!' It felt smooth and right on it."

The pair started in the 1.40m this year and Stephens said Swagger "felt ready to go." She laughed, "I guess I was right!"

Stephens plans to give Swagger next week off from showing, and then wants to aim him for the Saturday night grand prix classes. "I don't want to push him though. I think he's a horse of the future," she noted.

Other International Arena winners today were Laura Chapot and Bradberry in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed and Jimmy Torano on Walkabout in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Time First Jump-off class.

The FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival will continue tomorrow with a full schedule of hunter and jumper competition. The highlight class in the International Arena is the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 at 1 p.m.

For full results please visit www.showgroundslive.com.

Final Results: $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers Time First Round
1 SWAGGER DEBBIE STEPHENS CENTENNIAL FARMS: 0/70.049
2 ARTIFICE L.S. ANGEL KAROLYI HOLLOW CREEK FARMS: 0/72.670
3 BON AMI SCOTT BRASH LIZ MCTAGGERT: 0/73.053
4 BLUE ANGEL LAUREN HOUGH BUENA VISTA FARMS: 0/74.123
5 WODCA MICHAEL WALTON MIA MARANO: 0/76.375
6 CARISMA EMILIE MARTINSEN EMILIE MARTINSEN: 0/77.914
7 QUICK LATINUS MIRANDA SCOTT MIRANDA SCOTT: 0/77.920
8 TEIRRA LAURA KRAUT STARS & STRIPES: 0/78.027
9 WATCH ME VD MANGMATT WILLIAMS SAMANTHA TUERK: 0/78.249
10 COPILOT JACKIE MC QUADE JACKIE MCQUADE: 4/68.592
11 SHEA KAREN CUDMORE BLAIR CUDMORE: 4/70.380
12 LANDINI MICHAEL DESIDERIO SHARON MILCHOVICH: 4/70.583