Wellington, Florida – March 21, 2019 – Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) and Luibanta BH won the $72,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup CSI 4* yesterday during the eleventh week of competition of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).

A total of 63 combinations were ready to challenge Olaf Peterson Jr.‘s (GER) course but only fifty-eight crossed the finish line in the first round.

Lucas Porter (USA) and Diamonte Darco (Unbelievable Darco – Kriska) were the trailblazers, posting the early clear to advance to the tiebreaker.

In the beginning, it seemed that element 4b of the triple combination, alongside the VIP tent, would be the bogey jump. However, as the contest progressed, the double (mainly elemen 10b) was responsible for keeping several pairings from advancing to the next round.

Eleven other combinations answered all the questions, having no penalties attributed to them. The jump-off would feature several big names of the sport, including: Eduardo Menezes (BRA), Alise Oken (USA), Chloe Reid (USA), Jessica Springsteen (USA), Martin Fuchs (SUI), Beat Mandli (SUI), McLain Ward (USA), Juan Manuel Gallego (COL), Alejandro Karolyi (VEN), Susan Horn (CAN) and Amanda Derbyshire (GBR).

Chloe Reid (USA) and Jessica Springsteen (USA) withdrew from the decisive phase while Juan Manuel Gallego (COL) opted to retire.

Once again, the double combination (10a and 10b) would play a decisive role in the final outcome of the class. There were different possibilites in regards to the strategy going to the rollback heading towards the two elements. There was the option of going inside really tight and very slow, or a little wider on the inside and faster, very close to fence 1 of the jump-off. That would mean having the risk of the horse confusing fence 1 as the next jump. The only other option was to take the long route around fence 1 before heading towards the double and waste precious time.

It turned out that all the three top-finishers took the shortest route and were the only ones to have no penalties in the decisive round, with none of them rushing while doing the rollback straight into what turned out to be the bogey combination.

Martin Fuchs (SUI) and Chica B Z (Canturano x Berlin) came close to another win in the circuit series, producing the first double clear and stopping the jump-off timers in 42.72 seconds. Eventually, their mark would be enough for silver honors.

Susan Horn (CAN) and Balintore (Vincenzo x Lux) tried to overcome the Swiss’ mark, falling short in 49.787 seconds.

Winner of the $134,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* last Saturday, Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) once again had the advantage of going last in the jump-off, this time riding Luibanta BH (Luidam x Abantos). The Brit was amazing once again, going a little bit faster than the Swiss, clinching the victory in 41.818 seconds aboard the 11-year-old bay Irish Sport Horse mare.

Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) & Luibanta BH with Ringmaster Steve Rector during the awards ceremony.

Winner’s Circle

Amanda Derbyshire (GBR)

“It feels incredible [to win the Grand Prix last Saturday and WEF Challenge Cup today]. We havent shown this horse too much, we have waited, to not do too much this WEF. It was missing out on showing a little bit, it finally paid off. I save them for the right classes and the horses feel great and they have jumped absolutely fantastic.”

“With this horse, she’s always going to jump the jumps, she’s so agile and light that I knew I could spin her back right back up to that double. She’s always going to look for the next jump and back herself up, that’s the beauty of her.”

Again, I had the advantage of going last, knowing that there was only one clear, I thought I should go fast just in case I had one down and that paid off. I actually didn’t think I was faster than Martin, because I did 10 in the last nine and I don’t know he did 10. I was clear up to that point, so I just tried not to get too greedy I did the number I had planned.

“We call her Lulu in the stall, she is simply the nicest horse you could ever be around or work around. She is very happy-go-lucky. She was my mount at WEG last year. After WEG, she has taken it easy. We’ve got big plans for the summer, hopefully, some Nations Cups.”

“I wasn’t bothered by it (riding in the tight ring the Global Dressage venue), that horse is good anywhere. It kind of rode pretty nice for everyone. I did walk the course thinking that it was big today but it rode nice for everyone. Obviously in a tighter ring, it is important to stick to the plan and the track. There were a lot of options in the bending lines to do different numbers, so I just walked my plan this morning and went away to do some stuff at [the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center]. it happened to work out quite good.”

Results – $72,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round 11

Place / Rider / Country & Horse (Sire x Dam Sire)  –  R1 Faults / Time |  R2 Faults / Time 

1. Amanda Derbyshire (GBR) & Luibanta BH (Luidam x Abantos)  –  0 / 73.03 | 0 / 41.818

2. Martin Fuchs (SUI) & Chica BZ  (Canturano x Berlin)  –  0 / 73.3 | 0 / 42.720

3. Susan Horn (CAN) & Balintore (Vincenzo x Lux)  –  0 / 74.9 | 0 / 49.787

4. Lucas Porter (USA) & Diamonte Darco (Unbelievable Darco – Kriska)  –  0 / 74.287 | 40.287

5. McLain Ward (USA) & Tradition De La Roque (Kannan x Oberon du Moulin – 0  71.3 | 4 / 40.429

6. Beat Mandli (SUI) & Simba (Toulon x Argentinus)  –  0 / 72.77 | 4  / 43.263

7. Alise Oken (USA) & Hitchcock Vd Broekkant  (Canturo x Heartbreaker)  –  0 / 71.85 | 4 / 48.600

8. Alejandro Karolyi (VEN) & Lincourt Gino  (Gino III x Graf Magna)  –  0 / 71.67 | 4 / 51.204

9. Eduardo Menezes (BRA) & H5 Chaganus (Chacco-Blue x Carthago)  –  0 / 73.93 | 12 / 45.018

10. Jessica Springsteen (USA) & Fleur De L’Aube (Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Alcatraz)  –  0 / 71.52 | WD

11. Chloe Reid (USA) & Luis P / 0 | 74.78 / WD

12. Juan Manuel Gallego (COL) & Coulash Van De Broy Z  (Cadence van’t Gelutt x Lys de Darmen)  –  0 / 75.31 | RT

Text: Lo-Ami Souza

For full results, please click here.

Photos: © Sportfot