WEEK 10 of the 12-week 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), sponsored by Horseware Ireland, concluded last Sunday, featuring the $35,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre. The class resulted in a win for America’s Kent Farrington and Creedance chased all the way by Offaly’s Darragh Kenny and Picolo (2003 Selle Francais gelding by Diamant De Semilly x Alme) in second while Egypt’s Abdel Said and Luron SZ were third. Kenny also placed eighth with Caliber 9 (2007 KWPN gelding by Quasimodo Z x Colman), owned by Robert Castro (0/4/39.79).

Canadian course designer and Olympic indvidual silver medallist, Michel Vaillancourt set the final track for the 1.50m for 55 starters, which yielded 10 clear rounds, and six double clear entries in the jump-off. Abdel Said set a fast pace with Luron S Z, owned by AS Sport Horses and Philippe de Balanda BVBA, in a time of 31.05 to eventually place third. Britain’s Ben Maher followed with the fifth place time of 33.20 aboard Stone Hill Farm’s Carolina 31. America’s Kim Prince and Rushy Marsh Farm’s RMF Swinny du Parc jumped next with a clear round in 33.35 to place sixth.

Farrington was next to clear the short course with RCG Farm’s Creedance, taking the lead in 30.32. France’s Edward Levy and Remarkable Farms’ Wirma jumped into fourth place with their time of 32.16 seconds. Last to go, Kenny and Oakland Ventures’ Picolo moved into second place with a time of 30.79.

Farrington got Creedance, a nine-year-old Dutch warmblood gelding (Lord Z x Notaris) one year ago. “He is still very green; he has not done a whole lot, but I think he could be a really special horse,” Farrington detailed. “He is extremely hot, so it has taken a little while to make him manageable, but he is a real jumper, and he is like a Jack Russell Terrier in the ring.”