HorseBuff Magazine – Showjumping, Winter Equestrian Festival, WEF
Ireland’s Bertram Allen continued a successful debut season at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL, with a victory in the $37,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.45m CSI5* riding Lafayette van Overis on Friday, February 21.
WEF continues at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) through March 29, 2020, with 12 consecutive weeks of world-class competition and $13 million dollars on offer. The seventh week of competition, sponsored by Lugano Diamonds, runs February 19-23 and is recognized as a CSI5* and CSI2* by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). The featured event of the week is the $401,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI5* during “Saturday Night Lights”.
Friday’s one-round, featured event built by course designer Santiago Varela (ESP) saw 67 riders compete for the win, but none could best Allen and the foot speed of his nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Tauber van het Kapelhof), owned by Ballywalter Stables.
Stopping the clock at 63.61 seconds, Allen and Lafayette van Overis, a horse he got the ride on in August of 2019, handily won with almost two seconds to spare. Mexico’s Santiago Lambre finished the runner up in 65.15 seconds riding his own Doloris, and Andrew Kocher (USA) capped the top three in 65.44 seconds on Fashion V for owner Eye Candy Jumpers.
“He’s incredibly straight forward,” said Allen, who took over the ride on Lafayette van Overis from Great Britain’s Joe Clee. “I feel like he truly understand what we are trying to do out there. Ever since I got him, he has been impressing me. He wasn’t bought to be the best horse in the world or to jump 5* grand prix, but every question he’s asked he does it with ease and is very competitive.”
Allen is confident that Lafayette van Overis is a horse for the future and is continually impressed with the gelding’s speed, saying, “He’s naturally very fast but also very careful so you don’t ever have the feeling that you need to slow him down.
“This has been a great trip so far,” said Allen of his first time in Florida. “We are going to keep trying our best and hope there’s a little luck on our side.”
Just off the podium, Eve Jobs (USA) finished fourth riding her own Charleville, and four-time U.S. Olympic medalist Beezie Madden rounded out the top five on Abigail Wexner’s Jiva.
Also winning in the International Arena at WEF on Friday, Claire McKean (USA) opened the day with a victory in the $2,500 High Amateur-Owner Jumpers, presented by Lugano Diamonds, riding her own Cartoon Time. In the CSI2* ranks, Mexico’s Eugenio Garza Perez topped the $37,000 Dutta Corp/G Klatte 1.45m CSI2* aboard Caracas for owner El Milagro.
Final Results: $37,000 Bainbridge Properties 1.45m CSI5*
1 LAFAYETTE VAN OVERIS: 2011 BWP gelding by Kashmir van Schuttershof x Tauber van het Kapelhof
BERTRAM ALLEN (IRL), Ballywalter Stables: 0/63.61
2 DOLORIS: 2008 KWPN mare by Harley VDL x Colorado D
SANTIAGO LAMBRE (MEX), Santiago Lambre: 0/65.15
3 FASHION V: 2009 Warmblood mare by Rusedski
ANDREW KOCHER (USA), Eye Candy Jumpers: 0/65.44
4 CHARLEVILLE: 2007 KWPN gelding by Quasimodo Z x Lancelot
EVE JOBS (USA), Eve Jobs: 0/65.75
5 JIVA: 2009 BWP mare by Concorde (84.4140) x Nonstop
BEEZIE MADDEN (USA), Abigail Wexner: 0/67.40
6 CADANS Z: 2009 Zangersheide mare by Carosso VDL x Navarone
ADRIENNE STERNLICHT (USA), Starlight Farms 1, LLC: 0/67.70
7 COPAIN Z: 2006 Zangersheide gelding by Calvino Z x Creool
CORMAC HANLEY (IRL), Heathman Farm, LLC: 0/67.70
8 DIAMONTE DARCO: 2005 GBSH mare by Unbelievable Darco x Unknown
LUCAS PORTER (USA), Sleepy P Ranch LLC: 0/68.06
9 FARREL: 2010 KWPN gelding by Cardento
DANIEL COYLE (IRL), Ariel Grange: 0/68.11
10 CATUNGEE: 2006 Holsteiner gelding by Contact Me x Liatos
CATHERINE TYREE (USA), Mary Tyree: 0/68.74
11 BIBLOU DU PERRON: 2011 Selle Français gelding by Old Chap Tame x Jenny de la Cense*hn
DANIEL BLUMAN (ISR), Steven Bluman: 0/68.85
12 OASIS SPIRIT: 2010 Irish Sport Horse mare by Cobra
AMANDA DERBYSHIRE (GBR), Amanda Derbyshire: 0/69.34
Photo credit: Photos © Sportfot
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.
