The Turf Tour’s headline class, the $15,000 Grand Prix, took place on Friday over a course designed by Nick Granat. Melisandre Lincort and Just Stella L rode an early double clear to set the pace with a jump off time of 44.411. A handful of subsequent double clears attempted to overtake Lincort, but it wasn’t until Lisa Goldman of Red Coat Farm in Chicago, Illinois took to the field aboard her own Morocco that a new fast time was set. Goldman and her American bred Oldenburg gelding by Rock USA rode a careful but exceptionally quick jump off, finishing with a time of 41.465. “I’ve had Morocco since he was four, and he continues to prove what a competitor he is,” said Goldman, who is fresh off four Grand Prix wins at HITS Ocala. “This is our first Grand Prix in Wellington this season, and I was really pleased with how he handled it. He lost his footing around one of the sharper turns in the jump off, but didn’t lose his composure and kept all of the rails up. I’m aiming him for some of the FEI classes in the next few weeks, and this was a great way to get him prepped in a relaxed environment.”

Another impressive double clear by Clementine Goutal and Cabollito finished on a time of 43.819 for reserve honors, while Alexander Zetterman took the third award aboard Contess V with a time of 44.138. Just over two tenths of a second separated Zetterman from the fourth place finisher, Goutal with Trixie do Hayettes. Lincort’s original leading jump off time landed them fifth overall, with sixth going to Jessica Springsteen riding her own Dutsboy to a double clear and a final time of 44.582. Seventh went to Tina Yates and Cicomein VDL, double clear and a time of 46.646, and the final double clear ride was Alexander Zetterman, this time with Cordalis, with a jump off time of 46.707.

Wednesday’s 1.30-1.35M classes saw Jonathan Corrigan and Nicolas Paillot victorious, despite impending inclement weather that kindly held off until the conclusion of the day’s competition. Corrigan rode an aggressive but precise double clear effort aboard Merlin, owned by Noel Love Gross to top the first class, while Paillot and his own Selle Francais mare, Synapse de Blondel, were victorious over the second class despite their partnership being fairly new. “This was only our third time out as a team,” said Paillot of the chestnut mare. “She’s a very simple horse, loves to compete and be in the arena. We are planning to move up to the 1.50M Grand Prix later in the season, and the Turf Tour’s classes help to sharpen her skills. It’s a great thing to jump on the grass, give the horses a change of scenery, and have a quiet environment while still being able to compete at this level.”

Corrigan and Paillot both showed numerous horses during this week’s competition at IPC, and Goldman and Corrigan echoed Paillot’s sentiments about the Turf Tour. “For our first show[in Palm Beach] we had to come straight to the Turf Tour,” said Goldman. “The organizers do a great job of making everyone feel welcome, and the convenience of showing whenever you’d like and the exceptional amenities like lunch and the Meadowbrook Horse shuttle mean I can make time for clients and be competitive in these large Grand Prix classes.”

In addition to the Grand Prix and 1.30-1.35M field, a second grass arena at IPC hosted Low, Medium, and High Schooling jumper classes over both days, as well as 5, 6, and 7-Year-Old divisions, a Junior/Adult Amateur Classic, and Speed/Jump Off classes. The 13-week show series is a unique addition to Wellington’s growing winter circuit, offering riders top-tier competition, more than $400,000 in prize money, and an unparalleled atmosphere.

Thanks to the generosity of the Turf Tour’s newest sponsor, Bright’s Creek, the winner of Friday’s Junior/Amateur Owner Classic and Grand Prix will receive a 3-day, 2-night trip to their beautiful destination in the mountains of North Carolina. From equestrian activities and fine dining to luxury accommodations and an exclusive BMW Off Road Excursion through 7.2 miles of wilderness trails, hardwood forests, and ancient rock formations, the Turf Tour’s competition now have even more reason to put their best foot forward as Bright Creek will be sponsoring the Grand Prix and Junior/Amateur Owner Classic through the rest of the season. For more information visit the Bright’s Creek website.

The laid back, ‘show when you like’ atmosphere adds to the Tour’s unique character, and offers an exceptional opportunity for young horses and advancing riders, as well as seasoned international competitors, to hone their skills at a variety of venues reminiscent of prestigious show jumping competitions around Europe. Numerous perks greet riders, from a door-to-door equine shuttle service provided by Meadowbrook Transport and free breakfast and lunch for all competitors, to the natural turf footing and incredible host venues. Organized by Olympic show jumper Nona Garson, her partner, George D’Ambrosio, and manager, Craig Bergman, the vision that inspired the tour’s conception was bringing back the old world flair to jumper classes, staging competitions on springy, natural turf surfaces away from the intensity of other show grounds. Week 9’s competition will take place at The Wanderer’s Club on Wednesday and Friday, March 2nd and 4th.

For more information about The Ridge at Wellington, including a full prizelist, please go to their website. For up-to-date information on the Turf Tour, please follow The Ridge at Wellington on Facebook.

Media Contact: 
Holly Johnson 
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC 
holly@equinium.com 
954 205 7992

Additional photos from Week 8 of the Turf Tour! All photos courtesy of Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC.