Wellington, Fla. – Feb. 10, 2022 – Returning for its fifth installment during the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) circuit, the $75,000 FEI CSI5* Adequan WEF Challenge Round V drew a lineup of 56 elite horse-and-rider pairs to the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center’s International Arena Thursday morning. In the end, the pair that prevailed after topping a competitive field of 12 partnerships in the jump-off, was Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) aboard Benny’s Legacy, marking the duo’s first CSI5* victory together.
Course designer Kelvin Bywater (GBR) set a 13 obstacle track to test international athletes during the first round, which included a technical oxer-plank double combination, followed directly by a vertical-oxer double combination. The final bending line concluded with riders heading towards the gate over an oxer-vertical combination to the final fences, a delicate vertical to a wide oxer.
Twelve horse and rider combinations qualified for the jump-off, where there were two new fences as well as the first double combination with the top rail of the vertical changed to a pole. As the pathfinders during the first round, Ben Maher (GBR) and Oakingham Stud’s Faltic HB set the pace to beat by returning for the tiebreaker with a clear round in a very quick time of 39.92 seconds.
It was not until seven rounds later that anyone was able to come close to catching Maher’s time. When Sternlicht entered the arena with Starlight Farms 1 LLC’s Benny’s Legacy she knew could leave nothing to chance. Taking a risk across the middle of the ring to the third fence, the duo sliced the vertical and kept up their quick gallop through the final oxer, breaking the beam in 38.60 seconds with all the rails intact to take over the top of the leaderboard.
The final four riders would try and catch her time, but for three of them it came at the expense of a rail. The only athlete to quickly clear the track and leave all the poles in their cups was Italy’s Lorenzo De Luca and Poden Farm’s F One USA. They were not quite quick enough to beat Sternlicht, but they did oust Maher from the reserve position, earning the second place prize and relegating Maher to third place.
Stenlicht’s win in Thursday’s highlight event marked her first CSI5* victory with Benny’s Legacy, who she began riding in 2019. The duo has consistently been adding top placings to their resume, most recently placing third in two of the Major League Show Jumping CSI5* events at the Desert International Horse Park. Sternlicht and the 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding have formed a tight bond and she is excited to see what the future holds for them.
Show jumping action will continue at the Winter Equestrian Festival on Friday in the International Arena with the $37,000 FEI CSI 5* Bainbridge 1.45m class and the $37,000 FEI CSI 2* Griffis Residential 1.45m Qualifier.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Adrienne Sternlicht – Winner of the $75,000 FEI CSI5* Adequan WEF Challenge Round 5
On her plan for the day:
“Every year I think it gets harder and harder with the caliber of horses and riders we have here. I saw McLain as I was heading up to walk and he said, ‘It’s really hard.’ So before I even walked I had it in my mind that I really need to be on my A-game. I felt like I let down my horse and didn’t give him the ride he deserved in our last class, which was the grand prix a few weeks ago, so I was incredibly determined today to really be on it and give him the best ride possible.”
On working on her own:
“Every week feels like an exercise in learning to trust my instincts more – my instincts with the horses. Just believing in myself when I have an inkling to change something, and knowing even if it doesn’t go to plan I learn something in the process. This winter is an opportunity to continue to build that confidence in myself.”
On the jump-off:
“I did seven strides to the last jump. I knew if I caught a good fence into the last double and steered him left out of it the seven would show itself. Everyone, including myself, underestimates how big his stride can get in a jump-off. He covers the ground so well. In the first round I am often thinking about adding to keep him together, so probably the seven there. I also knew that Ben had done nine to the Hermes vertical and I knew I could eight.”
On her first 5* win:
“This is my first 5* win on him. We were knocking on the door in December. I felt like in the two grand prix classes I jumped in December in California that I kept him from the win a bit. He’s stepped up unbelievably as Cristalline has been out, taking over the role of my number one horse. I am so grateful for him. He has a heart of gold and he’s an absolute blast to ride. He has tons of personality and I feel like we really understand each other. He’s a complete joy.”
RESULTS
$75,000 FEI CSI5* Adequan WEF Challenge Round 5
Place / Horse / Rider / Country / R1 Time | R1 Faults / R2 Time | R2 Faults
1. Bennys Legacy / Adrienne Sternlicht / USA / 0|74.14 / 0|38.60
2. F One USA / Lorenzo De Luca / ITA / 0|74.91 / 0|39.69
3. Faltic HB / Ben Maher / GBR / 0 |75.62 / 0|39.92
4. Cerruti Van Ter Hulst Z / Cian O`Connor / IRL / 0|76.37 / 0|40.81
5. Castres Van De Begijnakker Z / Petronella Andersson / SWE / 0|74.41 / 0|41.19
6. Jasco VD Bisschop / Mark Mcauley / IRL / 0|75.38 / 4|37.55
7. Malibu De Muze / Sergio Alvarez Moya / ESP / 0|75.52 / 4|38.82
8. Figor / Tiffany Foster / CAN / 0|74.95 / 4|40.56
9. Orafina / Kent Farrington / USA / 0|71.76 / 4|40.80
10. Argan De Beliard / Lillie Keenan / USA / 0|77.00 / 4|41.29
11. H5 Chaganus / Eduardo Pereira De Menezes / BRA / 0|74.90 / 4|41.49
12. Chance Ste Hermelle / Natalie Dean / USA / 0| 73.60 / 4|42.28