For Immediate Release
Kate Pettersen, Jennifer Wood, and Summer Grace for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL – March 6, 2021 – McLain Ward and Blossom Z, owned by Wyndmont, Susan Heller, and McLain Ward, flew to the top of the podium for a victory in the $50,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m National Grand Prix on Saturday, March 6, in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).

McLain Ward (USA) and Blossom Z took the victory in the $50,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m National Grand Prix. © Sportfot

Week 8 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) sponsored by Premier Equestrian, concludes on Sunday, March 7, with the $37,000 Hermès Under 25 Semi-Final Grand Prix opening the day at 8 a.m. in the International Arena due to weather on Saturday night. The afternoon features the $214,000 Grand Prix CSIO4*, presented by JTWG, Inc., on Sunday, February 7, with a new start time of 1:30 p.m. All feature classes will be available live and on-demand on the livestream.

A total of 25 combinations challenged the 1.50m track set by Steve Stephens (USA) and Nick Granat (USA) on Saturday afternoon. The first round consisted of 16 jumping efforts with a total of nine qualifying to return for the shortened second round.

First to go of the nine returning combinations, Ben Maher (GBR) and Kalinka De Kalvarie, owned by Poden Farms, set the pace for the remainder of the competition with a clear effort in 36.200 seconds.

Fifth in the returning order, McLain Ward rose to the occasion, topping the time set by Maher, with Blossom Z, an 11-year-old Zangersheide mare by Balou Du Rouet x Cleopatra Z, with a clear effort in 33.022 seconds.

“She’s a quick horse naturally,” said Ward. “She’s typically the fastest one in the first round. She was the fastest in our class the other day with the last fence down, so she’s quick across the ground. The numbers [of strides] set up nicely for me today. With my size stride she was able to keep coming, and Ben [Maher] couldn’t do one less but had to do it slower.”

The jump-off became a battle of the world’s best as the second ranked rider in the world, Martin Fuchs, rounded out the podium aboard Conner 70, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Connor 48 x Cosimo owned by Thomas Fuchs. The pair came close to the runner-up position, sliding into third with a time of 36.205, just five-thousandths of a second behind Maher, who sits fifth in the world rankings.

Ward, currently ranked 14th in the world, bought the winning mare in mid-December and their partnership continues to blossom.

“She’s a special horse,” said Ward. “She’s a really good jumper and very careful but she’s also a little bit spicy and likes to go her own way. It has taken us a little bit of time to try to figure each other out, and I think it’s starting to turn the corner in a good direction. She has a lot of ability, a little bit of personality, and we just need to meet our minds.”

McLain Ward and Blossom Z with Monique Vergouwen of CaptiveOne Advisors in their winning presentation. © Sportfot

The process to get to this point has been through some trial and error along with small adjustments in their preparation of the mare for the show. Ultimately, those adjustments have paid off with a victory on Sunday.

“We’ve played around with some different bits,” he said. “We’ve also adjusted how we work her on the flat. She just doesn’t have all the experience in the world so it’s a matter of stepping her up, letting her digest things, and then she grows from it.”

Full Results: $50,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m National Grand Prix

1. BLOSSOM Z: 2010 Zangersheide mare by Balou Du Rouet x Cleopatra Z
MCLAIN WARD (USA), Wyndmont, Susan Heller and McLain Ward: 0/0/33.022

2. KALINKA DE KALVARIE: 2010 BWP mare by Mr Blue x Acord
BEN MAHER (GBR), Poden Farms: 0/0/36.200

3. CONNER 70: 2011 Holsteiner gelding by Connor 48 x Cosimo
MARTIN FUCHS (SUI), Thomas Fuchs: 0/0/36.205

4. WINDSOR GREY: 2011 Westphalian gelding by Cristallo II x Calido I
TIFFANY FOSTER (CAN), Kent Farrington, LLC: 0/0/36.282

5. FEE DES SEQUOIAS Z: 2009 Zangersheide mare by Figaro du Ri d’Asse x Saccor
JUAN MANUEL GALLEGO (COL), Juan Manuel Gallego: 0/0/37.852

6. LIGHT BLUE 3: 2012 Oldenburg gelding by Light On x Cayenne
EMILY MOFFIT (GBR), Poden Farms: 0/0/38.788

7. IRCOS IV: 2008 BWP gelding by Nabab De Reve x Echo De Thurin
KARL COOK (USA), Helen Signe Ostby: 0/0/39.260

8. MARCIANO MVF: 2011 Zangersheide gelding by Stakkato x Leberoi H
HEATHER CARISTO-WILLIAMS (USA), Stephanie Bulger: 0/4/37.149

9. UPPER: 2008 Selle Francais gelding by Diamant de Semilly x Nadir de San Patrignano
DAVID OBERKIRCHER (USA), Southfields Farm LLC: 0/18/57.535

10. BABAR: 2012 Warmblood gelding by Picadilly Tame
RYAN SASSMANNSHAUSEN (USA), Maeve O’Sullivan: 1/76.234

11. FONZIE D’HERLAIMONT: 2011 SBS gelding by Thunder Van De Suuthoeve x Orlando
JUAN MANUEL GALLEGO (COL), Andres Muller: 1/76.356

12. YOGA SANTA ROSA: 2012 CCDM mare
PATRICIO PASQUEL (MEX), Patricio Pasquel: 4/71.526

Abdel Said and Arpege du Ru Speed to 1.45m Victory

Victory in the $37,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m Classic CSIO4* went to Abdel Said (EGY) and his own Arpege du Ru.

Abdel Said (EGY) and Arpege du Ru win the $37,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m Classic CSIO4*. © Sportfot

There were 29 entries and 12 clear rounds in the morning class, and they were all going for speed over a course designed by Steve Stephens (USA) and Nick Granat (USA). The early leader was Daniel Deusser (GER) and Stephex Stables’ Calisto Blue, who set a time of 60.66 seconds that would hold up for third place. Near the end of the class, Andrew Bourns (IRL) and Darquito broke the 60-second barrier to finish in second place on 59.69 seconds.

However, it was Said and Arpege du Ru who couldn’t be beat, finishing the course in a speedy 57.98 seconds for the win.

Said has ridden Arpege du Ru for three years, having received a phone call from his Global Champions League teammate Marlon Zanotelli about a horse he had for sale that he thought would make a good junior jumper.

“The feeling was so good that I bought her,” said Said of the 11-year-old Selle Français mare by Apache d’Adriers x Quat’sous. “She was amazing to me. She’s so competitive; she’s so intelligent. She’s really quick with her legs. She’s so fast. If you watched her round, there was nowhere you really have to chase her. If you’re neat with your turns and the jumps stay up, she normally wins.”

Said won the Bainbridge Companies 1.40m CSI3* at WEF 2 with Bandit Savoie, but felt that Arpege du Ru was due for a win.

“I don’t always like to use the phrase ‘unlucky,’ because I always think I can do better, but somehow with her, we’ve been a bit unlucky,” he said with a smile. “She’s been jumping great. Every little touch she’d make, the jump would fall.

“I’m just happy for her today and my team,” he continued. “It’s nice to win in the main ring here and good for the motivation of everybody and morale. It was a nice win.”

Abdel Said (EGY) and Arpege du Ru in their winning presentation. © Sportfot

Said, who runs a training, dealing, and sport stable outside Antwerp, Belgium, made “an impulsive decision” to come to WEF this winter.

“It was the only place that was open, the only place that was showing,” he noted. “The people are nice, there are regulations and everyone is following them, and we can show. Honestly, you don’t feel it, but at the same time, the rules are strict. For me, it’s the best place to be by far.”

Said hopes to compete in next week’s five-star at WEF 9 and is considering his options for staying in the United States to compete beyond the WEF circuit.

Final Results: $37,000 Douglas Elliman Real Estate 1.45m Classic CSIO4*

1. ARPEGE DU RU: 2010 Selle Français mare by Apache D’Adriers x Quat’sous
ABDEL SAID (EGY), Abdel Said: 0/57.98

2. DARQUITO: 2011 Hanoverian gelding by D’inzeo 6 x Contefino 2
ANDREW BOURNS (IRL), Andrew Bourns: 0/59.69

3. CALISTO BLUE: 2007 Oldenburg gelding by Chacco Blue x Con Air
DANIEL DEUSSER (GER), Stephex Stables: 0/60.66

4. CALYPSO DES MATIS: 2012 Selle Français gelding by Padock du Plessis*HN
EDUARDO MENEZES (BRA), Eduardo Menezes: 0/61.25

5. GERDINIEKE: 2011 KWPN mare by Bacardi VDL x Cornieke
JOHN PEREZ (COL), Daniel Rihan Salum: 0/61.85

6. AL CAPONE: 2006 Deutsches Sportferd stallion by Candillo 3 x Argentinus
ANDRES AZCARRAGA (MEX), Jaime Azcarraga & Family: 0/64.07

7. LINCOURT GINO: 2003 Irish Sport Horse gelding by Gino III x Graf Magna
ALEJANDRO KAROLYI (VEN), Monica Carrera: 0/64.26

8. QUINTIN: 2010 KWPN gelding by Quaprice Z x Emilion
HYDE MOFFATT (CAN), Ariel Grange: 0/64.61

9. H5 JEMOUSIN: 2009 BWP gelding by Vivaldi du Seigneur x Lipton
CARLOS HANK GUERREIRO (MEX), H5 Stables: 0/65.24

10. EXTRA DES SEQUOIAS: 2010 SBS gelding by Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Saccor
CARLOS RAMIREZ (COL), Carlos Ramirez: 0/66.46

11. MIKE WAZOWSKI: 2012 Hanovarian stallion by Balou Du Reventon x Centadel
NICOLAS PIZARRO (MEX), Nicolas Pizarro & Alberto Lavalle: 0/70.29

12. L’ARTISTE DE TOXANDRA: 2011 BWP gelding by Toulon x Donnatella Van De Zelm
IOLI MYTILINEOU (GRE), Elia Construction SA: 0/70.83

Margot Peroni and Orlon Soar to the Top in Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 36 and Over Hunter Division

Margot Peroni piloted her own 12-year-old Dutch gelding Orlon to the champion title in the competitive Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 36 and Over division on the penultimate day of Week 8 at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Peroni, of Califon, NJ, bested a field of 14 horse-and-rider combinations with a total of 34 points for the victory. She and her long-time partner picked up three firsts and one third place ribbon to secure their spot.

Margot Peroni and Orlon were crowned champion in the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” 36 and Over division. © Sportfot

“My husband and I picked Orlon out in Germany when he was two. We saw him, and were just like, ‘Oh my, we want that one,’” recalled Peroni. “It worked out that we were able to vet him and bring him back with us and we broke him and have put almost all of the work into him ourselves.”

Peroni says that in a sea of bay horses, Orlon stands out for his love to perform.

“He is great at the handy rounds, and I think those are his favorite,” she said. “He is always so game for them; he loves to show off his inside turns but then still really jumps up great and uses his body. Especially in big rings like the Grand Hunter ring here, he really turns it on and struts his stuff.”

Margot Peroni and Orlon in their winning presentation. © Sportfot

Reserve champion in the division went to John Ingram and the John and Stephanie Ingram-owned 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Aristocrat. The pair earned first, second, fourth, and fifth for the reserve with 19 total points.