Wellington, Fla. – Feb. 22, 2018 – The seventh week of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) boasts the season’s second week of CSI5* competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). Thursday highlighted the $132,000 Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round VII where Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward (USA) rode Evergate Stables LLC’s Hija Van Strokapelleken to his 27th WEF Challenge Cup victory.
Fifty-two riders contested Anthony D’Ambrosio’s (USA) track over 16 efforts, which saw 19 horse-and-rider combinations advance to the jump-off.
Tenth in the ring, Ward and “Hija,” one of Ward’s five grey mare mounts, sped to a clear first round to return for the jump-off and finish with a double-clear effort in 35.20 seconds. The 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare just joined Ward’s string this season, but the pair has already had a successful show year, recently claiming the $35,000 Welcome Stake CSIO5* at HITS Ocala V and the $35,000 CP Welcome Stake at the 2018 CP Palm Beach Masters CSI3*-W.
Second place was awarded to Ireland’s Daniel Coyle and Ariel Grange’s Cita with a double-clear finish in 36.016 seconds. Coyle and the 11-year-old Holsteiner mare also recently picked up a major win in the $220,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Wellington CSI3*-W at the Palm Beach Masters.
Jessica Springsteen (USA) and Rushy Marsh Farm LLC’s RMF Swinny Du Parc, an 11-year-old Selle Français mare, finished third in 36.119 seconds. The pair has consistently ribboned near the top of the leaderboard throughout the 2018 winter season, with a second place finish in the $132,000 Adequan Grand Prix CSI3* during WEF Week Three.
Jumper competition will continue in the International Arena on Friday, Feb. 23, at 8 a.m. with the Bainbridge 1.40m Speed Challenge, while the highlight of Week Seven will be the $384,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI5* on Saturday, Feb. 24, beginning at 7 p.m.
View the original article on Phelps Sports.