Kristen Vanderveen of Wellington, FL and Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili, owned by Bull Run Jumpers Five LLC, dominated this afternoon’s $36,000 Dover Saddlery Holiday & Horses Opener to begin the 2019 ESP Holiday Series at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). A total of 59 total competitors contested the track, which followed a power and speed format. Vanderveen and her well-known mount, “Frosty” went twenty-eighth in the set order of go, stopping the timers at 31.179 seconds in the second round to set the time to beat. Molly Ashe Cawley of Wellington, FL and Louisburg Farm’s Balous Day Date came close, finishing the second round in 31.422 seconds to claim second place. Vanderveen almost beat her own time when she entered the arena aboard Bull Run’s Prince of Peace, owned by Bull Run Jumpers Five LLC, but a 31.975-second round would ultimately clinch the pair a third-place position.
The course was set by FEI designer Anthony D’Ambrosio, which saw only eighteen of the fifty-nine ride double-clear. Vanderveen commented that her plan when she went in for her trip with “Frosty” was just to go fast and be clean: “He’s like my ‘old faithful’ partner, so I don’t have to worry too much with him.” Vanderveen and the 2005 Belgian Warmblood stallion have had great success over the years at PBIEC and across the country.
“We just got back from competing out west. This is actually his first show back in three or four weeks, because I gave him some time off after we were out in California and at Las Vegas. I was there mostly showing my younger ones and getting them ready for season.” Over the next few days Vanderveen plans to save Frosty for the smaller Grand Prix, and will ride Bull Run’s Risen in Friday’s $72,000 Joe DiMaggio Children’s Health Specialty Center 1.50m Qualifier and Saturday night’s $209,000 Holiday & Horses Grand Prix CSI 4* presented by Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
Earlier in the day, Tiffany Foster of Canada rode Artisan Farms LLC’s Vienna to victory in the $1,000 FEI 1.40m class after completing the jump-off track in 32.838 seconds. Jonas Vervoort of Belgium and Cicomein VDL, owned by HKC Collection LLC, crossed through the timers at 33.435 seconds to take home the red ribbon, while Rebecca Conway of Wellington, FL clinched third-place honors with Hilington Farm’s Calle Cool 14 after their 34.464-second performance in the second round. Thirty-six entries challenged the course with thirteen turning in a double-clear effort.
Competition continues tomorrow with several Hunter and Jumper competitions, and continues on Friday with highlights including the $72,000 Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Health Specialty Center 1.50m Qualifier and the $10,000 Premier Equestrian 1.40m Open Stake in the International Arena, and the $10,000 #1 Education Place USHJA National Hunter Derby in Ring 7/8.
The ESP Holiday Series began on November 27, and will continue through the new year until January 5, 2020. Click here to view the 2019 ESP Holiday Series Prize List. This week’s Holiday & Horses show will feature the season’s first Saturday night Grand Prix on November 30, with the $209,000 Holiday & Horses Grand Prix CSI 4* presented by Palm Beach County Sports Commission. Spectator gates open at 5:00 p.m. and the competition begins at 6:45 p.m. The event offers free general admission and parking, as well as VIP hospitality seating in the International Club. Click here to purchase hospitality tickets. The class’s live-stream, presented by Yellowstone, will be available at PBIEC.com.
Major reporting contributions for this article were received from the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington FL. and Jennifer Wood Media, Inc. Please visit Palm Beach International Equestrian Center at pbiec.coth.com or call (561) 793-5867, or email info@equestriansport.com. Please visit Jennifer Wood Media, Inc. at jenniferwoodmedia.com or email info@jenniferwoodmedia.com.
