Wellington, Florida – Wednesday, February 5, 2020 – Mexico’s Santiago Lambre (MEX) opened Week five of the 2020 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) with a win in the $37,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m CSI 5* riding Doloris on Wednesday, February 5, 2020, as international competition reaches a peak at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida.

Highlighting the in-ring action, the $137,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round 5 CSI 5* takes place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, and the $401,000 Fidelity Investments® Grand Prix CSI 5* will be featured during “Saturday Night Lights” at 7 p.m. On Sunday, the $73,000 CaptiveOne 1.50m CSI 5* will be highlighted alongside the $50,000 Rushy Marsh Farm Grand Prix CSI 2*.

Coming off a CSI2* grand prix victory during the opening FEI week of WEF, and the runner-up ribbon in last week’s CSI 4* grand prix, Lambre christened week five with another podium finish. Topping 66 horses over a course designed by Anthony D’Ambrosio and Andy Christiansen, Jr., Lambre and his 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (Harley VDL x Colorado D) posted a blistering fast jump-off time of 24.82 seconds.

“It’s always nice to win the first day!” said Lambre, who created a home base in Wellington with his wife and two children two years ago. “It’s good motivation for the following days that get more and more difficult.”

Santiago Lambre (MEX) & Doloris are presented as winners by John Greene of Douglas Elliman and ringmaster Steve Rector.

Lambre got the ride on Doloris when he added the mare to his string as a six-year-old. “She is a winner and a real moneymaker!” he said.

Doloris has become a specialist in the 1.45m and 1.50m classes with Lambre pointing her to them throughout the WEF season. “These are her classes,” he said. “She is comfortable at this level and I don’t want to push her too hard. She is a really fast horses and that made the difference in the jump-off.”

Ireland’s Darragh Kenny (IRL) finished second to Lambre in 25.74 seconds riding Carthano for Oakland Ventures LLC, while fellow Irishman Jordan Coyle (IRL) rounded out the podium in 25.74 seconds on Elan Farm’s Essenar Crixus. Todd Minikus (USA) and Amex Z finished fourth for Bit By Bit Group, while Israel’s Daniel Bluman (ISR) capped the top five on Entano, owned by Over the Top Stables LLC.

Also earning wins in the International Arena at WEF on Wednesday, Kristen Vanderveen (USA) topped the Bainbridge 1.40m CSI 5* riding Sebastian for Mattie Hatcher, and Hayley Barnhill (USA) won the Rushy Marsh Farm 1.40m CSI 2* riding RMW Georgie for owner Mary Shirley. For full results, visit www.PBIEC.com.

WEF continues through March 29, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida, with 12 consecutive weeks of world-class competition and $13 million dollars on offer. The fifth week of competition runs February 5 through February 9, is sponsored by Fidelity Investments®, and recognized as a CSI 5* and CSI 2* by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI).

For full results, please click here.

Source: Press release by Lindsay Brock / Jennifer Wood Media, Inc. for ESP – Equestrian Sports Productions

Photos: © Sportfot