News

Shane Sweetnam wins first two classes

Jan 10, 2013

The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) hosted its opening day of competition on Wednesday, January 9, at the beautiful Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, with big wins for Ireland's Shane Sweetnam. Sweetnam kicked things off with a bang in back to back victories in the first two classes of the circuit in the International Arena.

Sweetnam won the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class aboard Sweet Oak Farm's Solerina and then went on to take top honors in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class aboard Spy Coast Farm, LLC's Eregast Van't Kiezelhof. Laura Chapot also had a win on day one riding Mary Chapot's Zealous in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge.

The $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class was the first class of the day with 13 entries and 5 clear rounds in a race against the clock over Eric Hasbrouck's course. Sweetnam and Solerina, a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare by Cruising x Diamond Lad, were last to go and completed the fastest round in 63.452 seconds for the win.

Peter Wylde and The Wannahave Group's Wannahave finished second in 67.756 seconds. Luis Larrazabal and Anabel Simon's G&C Sacramento placed third in 69.905 seconds. Last to go in the class, Sweetnam knew what he had to do, and galloped through the course over four seconds faster than the leading pair.

Sweetnam's second win of the day came with Eregast Van't Kiezelhof, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmlood gelding by Thunder Van De Zuuthoeve x Latano. In the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class, 55 entries showed and 25 advanced to the short course. Of those 25, 12 were double clear and Sweetnam and Eregast completed the fastest jump-off round in 36.836 seconds for the win.

Sweetnam just edged out McLain Ward, who finished a very close second riding Ilan Ferder and Missy Clark's Zhum CW through the timers in 36.872 seconds. Christine McCrea and Candy Tribble's Avenir placed third in 37.980 seconds.

The $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class was also held this afternoon with a win for Laura Chapot riding Mary Chapot's Zealous. The pair had the fastest of nine clear rounds out of 43 entries with a time of 58.302 seconds. Emanuel Andrade finished second and third. Andrade guided Hollow Creek Farm's Wilkina Lithya to second place honors with a time of 63.092 seconds. He rode Hollow Creek Farm's Costa to third place in 63.542 seconds.

Final Results: $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Table II Sec 1

Horse/rider/owner

1. SOLERINA SHANE SWEETNAM SWEET OAK FARM: 0/63.452

2. WANNAHAVE PETER WYLDETHE WANNAHAVE GROUP: 0/67.756

3. G & C SACRAMENTO LUIS LARRAZABAL ANABEL SIMON: 0/69.905

4. NOUVELLE LAURA KRAUT EVITA GROUP: 0/73.443

5. TEIRRA ALISE OKEN HI HOPES FARM LLC: 0/75.706

Final Results: $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Table II Sec 2(b)

Horse/rider/owner

1. EREGAST VAN'T KIEZELHOF SHANE SWEETNAM SPY COAST FARM, LLC: 0/0/36.836

2. ZHUM CW MCLAIN WARD ILAN FARDER & MISSY CLARK: 0/0/36.872

3. AVENIR CHRISTINE MCCREA CANDY TRIBBLE: 0/0/37.980

4. WOTSAMILLION LAURA KRAUT STONE HILL FARM: 0/0/38.201

5. WHITNEY RAMIRO QUINTANA ST. BRIDES FARM: 0/0/38.639

Source: Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.