Wellington, Florida, USA – March 6, 2020 – The ninth week of the 2020 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued on Friday at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) and Fabio Leivas da Costa (BRA) and Randon Pleasure were lightning fast to earn the podium spot in the $37,000 Griffis Residential 1.45m CSI 2*.

Following the morning’s five-star Bainbridge 1.45m competition, the second victory of the day went to Brazil’s Fabio Leivas da Costa (BRA) in the $37,000 Griffis Residential 1.45m class. Da Costa was part of a starting line up of 73 horse-and-rider combinations set to contest Alan Wade’s next course. Seven teams were kept from the jump-off with a single time fault while another 16 suffered the fault of a single rail. Out of the field, only 13 pairs managed to clear the timers fault free to return for the second phase; that number became 12 when Eugenio Garza Perez (MEX) withdrew from the jump-off field. Athletes from both Ireland and Venezuela were at the top of the leaderboard but it was Fabio Leivas and Bonne Chance Farm’s 15-year-old Selle Francais mare (For Pleasure x Quidam de Revel) that raced through the timers in unbeatable speed.

“She is a small horse but has a huge heart,” explained da Costa. “When she is able to go clear, she’s hard to beat because she’s so fast. She is a fighter.”

Fabio Leivas da Costa (BRA) says the key to keeping the mare at her best is an uncomplicated home routine.

Fabio Leivas da Costa (BRA) aboard Randon Pleasure, and family, with Ian, Susan, and Haley Griffis and Ringmaster Steve Rector.

“When we are not at the show, we keep it simple,” he detailed. “She mostly does trotting and good flatwork but we save her jumps because she already knows the job.”

Da Costa added that he plans to compete with Randon Pleasure in the $50,000 Griffis Residential Grand Prix on Sunday.

Clearing the timers just shy of Fabio’s 37.82 seconds, Mark Kinsella (IRL) piloted Stern dei Folletti to the reserve honors. He and Morning Star Sporthorses LLC’s nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Toulon x Caspar) wrapped up their return efforts in a time of 38.51 seconds. Luis Larrazabal (VEN) and San Francisco Stables LLC’s 10-year-old warmblood mare, Caristina (Caristo Z x Indorada), rounded out the top three with a time of 39.60 seconds.

For full results, please click here.

Source: Press release by Summer Grace and Sabrina Brashares for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Photos: © Sportfot