Darragh Kenny and Twister (Sportfot)
Steve Stephens of Palmetto, FL, set the speed track for the 1.45m jumpers in the DeNemethy Arena at PBIEC. Fifteen entries showed and nine jumped the course without fault. Darragh Kenny and Twister completed the fastest round in 63.749 seconds for the win.
Chris Sorensen and the Jolly Group's Wriomf finished second in 64.392 seconds. Ramiro Quintana and Maverick Ventures, LLC's Largo were third in 65.266 seconds, and Conor Swail and Cloverleaf Farm's Vancouver D.M.L. placed fourth in 67.421 seconds.
Twister, a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Orlando x Beach Boy, is owned by young rider Caroline Spogli and trained by Ken and Emily Smith of Ashland Farms. Darragh Kenny started riding Twister this winter, the first week of FTI WEF competition, and will continue to show him throughout the circuit.
"I just ride it for Ken and Emily at the moment, keeping it jumping at a bigger level, and I think it is a really nice horse," Kenny stated. "It has lots of scope and it is really careful. It has been really good in the 1.45m and the 1.50m classes so far this circuit."
Commenting on the morning's class, Kenny noted, "It was a really nice course. It was pretty straight forward and he was great. I could go a little bit faster because he was being very good, so that is a plus. It is easy when you have very good horses. He is fast and careful and he looks where he is going, so he makes it very easy."
Kenny has been busy with many new horses this winter and has had a great circuit so far. He is grateful to the owners that have given him the opportunity to ride.
"It has been really successful," he acknowledged. "I have a lot of different horses and they all seem to be going great; it is just keeping them at the level and keeping them happy. I am very lucky. I have a lot of great people involved in what I am doing and helping me a lot, so it makes a huge difference."
Also showing on Wednesday in the DeNemethy Arena, Donald Cheska and Windswept Farm's Imprimis won the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class and Jack Hardin Towell guided Jennifer Gates' Man In Black to victory in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40 jump-off class.
Week seven of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, sponsored by Hermès, runs February 20-24, 2013. The week will feature World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) competition in the International Arena at the PBIEC all week.
The highlight WCHR Peter Wetherhill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular will be featured as the "Saturday Night Lights" main event. Also on Saturday is the Special Olympics Palm Beach County Equestrian Games.