USA’s Peter Lutz opened CSIO 4* competition during week eight of the 2017 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) with a win in the $5,000 Lugano Diamonds Welcome riding Cheri de Papignies at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL.
Week eight, sponsored by Lugano Diamonds, features CSIO 4* competition from March 1-5. Highlight events include the $150,000 FEI Nations Cup on Friday night, March 3, and the $216,000 CSIO 4* Grand Prix, presented by Lugano Diamonds, on Sunday afternoon, March 5. Competition can be viewed live HERE. The 12-week WEF circuit continues through April 2, 2017, awarding over $9 million in prize money.
Ken Krome (USA) is the course designer for competition in the International Arena during week eight. Krome set the speed track for 57 starters in the day session of the $5,000 Lugano Diamonds Welcome class with 12 clear rounds. Halfway through the order, Peter Lutz and QBS Equestrian LLC’s Cheri de Papignies set the winning time of 63.02 seconds. Alberto Sanchez-Cozar (MEX) finished second riding his own Wupp to a time of 63.67 seconds. Isabel Roman-Karajan (AUT) guided Elia Roman’s Ratina 193 to third place in 64.62 seconds. Chloe Reid (USA) and Live Oak Plantation LLC’s Donald 550 rounded out the top four in 64.88 seconds.
Class winner Cheri de Papignies is a nine-year-old Belgian Sport horse gelding (Copin van de Broy x Darco) that Lutz and Michael Meller purchased together last fall through Belgium’s Francois Mathy.
“We are really very excited about him,” Lutz stated. “We took him to a few horse shows this fall at indoors. He went to Harrisburg, and then he came down here. He did his first grand prix here out on the derby field two weeks ago with one down. He has also been doing really well in these speed classes. This is his first FEI week with us, and we are so excited. We hope he will be our next grand prix horse.”
Remarking on his winning round, Lutz detailed, “He is a very talented horse. He is very scopey and very fast. He covers a lot of ground. He is a very big horse, so I do not think he appears quick, but he is actually pretty fast. I did eight strides from (jumps) one to two. That was quick, and that is where he can just cover the ground. I also did eight strides after the water. I just tried to stay neat everywhere, and I really galloped to the last jump.”
Cheri will jump again in Saturday’s $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Classic, while Lutz has other top horses Robin de Ponthual and Retiro that will also share in the competition this week.
Lutz was proud to hear the U.S. anthem played and watch the flag be raised in honor of his win to open international competition this week.
“It is always special to win during CSIO week. It is a big week for the team, and I am so happy to help contribute whenever I can,” Lutz concluded.
A second session of the $5,000 Lugano Diamonds Welcome was also held in the evening under the lights, with a win for Laura Chapot (USA) riding her own and Mary Chapot’s Calafornia.
Also competing in the International Arena on Wednesday, the $6,000 Illustrated Properties 1.40m was held in a California Split, with a win for McLain Ward (USA) and Sagamore Farm’s Calvados in Section A, and Laura Chapot (USA) aboard Mary Chapot’s Shooting Star in Section B.
Week eight continues on Thursday with a busy day of competition in the International Arena. The $25,000 Nutrena Jumper Classic will begin the day, followed by the $35,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 8. The $10,000 Hollow Creek Farm Under 25 Welcome will conclude the day with a speed class. For full results, please visit PBIEC.
Final Results: $5,000 Lugano Diamonds Welcome CSIO 4*
1. CHERI DE PAPIGNIES: 2008 Belgian Sport horse gelding by Copin van de Broy x Darco
PETER LUTZ (USA), QBS Equestrian LLC: 0/63.02
2. WUPP: 2003 KWPN mare by Colino x Grosso Z
ALBERTO SANCHEZ-COZAR (MEX), Alberto Sanchez-Cozar: 0/63.67
3. RATINA 193: 2002 Bayern mare by Asti Spumante x Radiator
ISABEL ROMAN-KARAJAN (AUT), Elia Roman: 0/64.62
4. DONALD 550: 2009 Oldenburg gelding by Diarado x Furioso II
CHLOE REID (USA), Live Oak Plantation LLC: 0/64.88
5. SHERKAN D’AMAURY: 2006 Selle Francais gelding by Kannan x Quick Star
KENT FARRINGTON (USA), Kent Farrington, Haity McNerney, and Daniel Crown: 0/66.06
6. RUBENS LS LA SILLA: 2006 SLS stallion by Rebozo LS La Silla x Cash
CONOR SWAIL (IRL), Vanessa Mannix: 0/66.70
7. TEQUILA DE LILE: 2007 Selle Francais mare by Luccianno x Etna Paulelle
MARKUS BEERBAUM (GER), Artemis Equestrian Farm LLC: 0/67.09
8. URUS 2: 2005 Oldenburg gelding by Canturo x Cento
LIUBOV KOCHETOVA (RUS), Liubov Kochetova: 0/69.55
9. SIBELL BH: 2006 Selle Francais mare by Calvaro x Narcos II
AMANDA DERBYSHIRE (GBR), Gochman Sport Horses LLC: 0/69.63
10. KONSTANZE: 2007 Oldenburg mare by Chacco-Blue x Landor S
ALISON ROBITAILLE (USA), M/M Bertram R. Firestone: 0/70.15
11. HILFIGER VAN DE OLMENHOEVE: 2007 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Dulf van den Bisschop x Querlybet Hero
EMILY MOFFITT (GBR), Poden Farms: 0/70.76
12. CODARCO: 2007 Irish Sport Horse stallion by Darco x Orame
CHLOE REID (USA), Team Reid LLC: 0/71.73
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.