Wellington, Florida, – Wednesday, February 19, 2020 – Georgina Bloomberg (USA) topped the Bainbridge Companies 1.40m CSI 5* riding new mount Balotelli 5 to open week seven during the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, Florida, USA.

Kicking off CSI 5* competition earlier in the day, Georgina Bloomberg (USA) rode a new mount to the pair’s first FEI victory together, topping the Bainbridge Companies 1.40m CSI5*. Besting 35 other contenders, Bloomberg and Balotelli 5 stopped the clock at 34.58 seconds over Sweden’s Petronella Andersson (SWE) and Cassini Bay, owned by Stephex Stables. Their time of 35.85 seconds was just ahead of Catherine Tyree (USA) in third riding BEC Lorenzo in 36.69 seconds for owner Mary Tyree.

“I’m still getting to know him, so I didn’t go super fast,” said Bloomberg of her first CSI 5* outing with Balotelli 5, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Balou du Rouet x Contendro I). “I still tried to do some of the inside turns so I could learn a little about him, and he’s a naturally quick horse. We are taking it slow, but he has a lot of talent.

I’m learning to trust him a lot,” continued Bloomberg. “He is a little spooky but very honest at the jump. He’s definitely a horse for the big classes.”

Georgina Bloomberg (USA) & Balotelli 5 in their winning presentation with ringmaster Steve Rector. 

Balotelli 5 joined Bloomberg’s string in the fall of 2019 after competing with amateur rider Julia Plate (GER). “She was riding with Jos Lansink, and several people had told us about the horse,” said Bloomberg. “It was the right time for us and for her to be able to sell him. We were lucky.”

Bloomberg is using the winter season in Florida to gain final points towards qualifying for the 2020 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

WEF continues through March 29 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, with 12 consecutive weeks of world-class competition and $13 million dollars on offer. The seventh week of competition, sponsored by Lugano Diamonds, runs February 19-23 is recognized as a CSI 5* and CSI 2* by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI). Featured events of the week include the $401,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI 5* during “Saturday Night Lights”.

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

Photos: © Sportfot