Wellington, Florida – February 28, 2019 – McLain Ward (USA) and Clinta were victorious in the $36,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round 8 CSI 4* yesterday afternoon during the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) CSIO 4* at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).

A total of sixty-seven combinations were set to compete in Thursday’s feature class but only sixty-five actually faced the first-round course. Catherine Tyree (USA) and Catungee (Contact Me x Liatos) were the first ones to cross the finish line without having any penalties attributed to them,  taking over the lead in 76.08 seconds. However, that did not hold up because Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Donatello 141 (Diarado x Lamoureux I) surpassed their mark, stopping the timers in 75.49 seconds.

Henrique Gonzalez (MEX) & Chacna (Chacco-Blue x Narew) lowered the time to 75.33 seconds, a performance that would secure them third place on the podium.

The battle for the two highest-positions on the podium would be between the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games™ Individual Jumping Silver Medalist and a 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games Games™ Team Jumping Gold Medalist.

A previous five-star grand prix winner this year during WEF, Martin Fuchs (SUI) had another brilliant performance, this time guiding Silver Shine (Califax x Baloubet du Rouet) to second place in 75.63 seconds.

 McLain Ward (USA) and Clinta (Clinton x Lord Pezi)  left the rest of the field in the dust when the 12-year-old grey Oldenburg mare reached the sensors of the timers in a blistering time of 72.52 seconds.

Results – $36,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round 8 CSI 4*

Place / Rider / Country / Horse /  Penalties / Time

1) McLain Ward (USA) & Clinta (Clinton x Lord Pezi) – 0 – 72.52

2) Martin Fuchs (SUI) & Silver Shine (Califax x Balou du Rouet) – 0/74.63

3) Enrique Gonzalez (MEX) & Chacna (Chacco-Blue x Narew) 0 – 75.33

4) Ashlee Bond (ISR) & Donatello 141 (Diarado x Lamoureux I) – 0 – 75.49

5) Lorcan Gallagher (IRL) & Charlie – 0 – 76.04

6) Catherine Tyree (USA) & Catungee (Contact Me x Liatos) – 0 -76.08

7) Marios Deslauriers (CAN) & Amsterdam 27 (Catoki x Acord II) – 0 – 76.91

8) Petronella Andersson (SWE) & Doryane HDH  (Vleut x Indoctro) –  0 – 77.62

9) Rowan Willis (AUS) & Everse W (Lexicon x Carthago) – 0 – 78.55

10) Manuel Gonzalez Dufrane (MEX) & Hortensia van de Leeuwerk (Corland x Argeninus) – 0 – 79.90

10) Eve Jobs (USA) & Venue d’Fees des Hazalles  (President x Alcatraz) –  0 – 79.90

12) Sergio Alvarez Moya (ESP) & MHS Attraction (Numero Uno x Diamant de Semilly) – 0  – 80.35

For full results, please click here.

Text Lo-Ami Souza

Photos: © Sportfot