Saturday, January 22, 2011

Jumping: WEF: Wellington: Nick Skelton and Big Star Light Up Saturday Night With Victory in $40,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix, CSI 2*

Nick Skelton and Big Star won the $40,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix, CSI 2* during the second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.
For Immediate Release
Jennifer Wood for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL - January 22, 2011 - Nick Skelton (GBR) notched his third major victory of the circuit tonight with Big Star, owned by Beverly and Gary Widdowson, in the $40,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix, CSI2*. Tonight's class was the first of 11 events in the "Saturday Night Lights" series at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). A crowd of 3,800 spectators were there to enjoy world-class show jumping and all that the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center has to offer.

Hunters: Wellington: Shawn Casady and Vida Blue Earn the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter Championship With Impressive Scores

Shawn Casady and Vida Blue are the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter champions during the second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.
For Immediate Release
Brooke Bidgood for Equestrian Sport Productions

Wellington, FL - January 22, 2011 - The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), which runs from January 12 through April 3, awarded more championships today in the junior hunter divisions. Among the various junior hunter divisions offered at WEF, the Large Junior Hunters 16-17 finished early Saturday and awarded tricolor honors to the victor.

Reining: Double Gold Medalist Gunners Special Nite Named 2010 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year By Joanie Morris

Gunner's Special Nite and Tom McCutcheon WEG 2010 ©Nan Rawlins for Equimage Media

Lexington, KY - The city of Lexington was largely defined by the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010, so it proved a fitting setting to crown the  2010 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year.