Wellington, Fla., – Mar. 15, 2018 – Professional Hunter divisions rounded out their week on Thursday in the E.R Micshe Grand Hunter Ring at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). It was veteran hunter rider Chris Payne and Sorensen Stables’ Fibonacci who proved victorious in the Green Conformation division.
Payne and the 8-year-old KWPN gelding took home four blues over the two days of competition to help them claim the overall championship. The duo has picked up tricolor honors each time they have entered the competition ring. Just last week, they took home the reserve championship ribbon in the Green Conformation Hunters.
Payne believes the young chesnut is a future International Derby prospect because of his bravery and scope – a necessity in the International Derby ranks. He plans to start moving Fibonacci up to the top level within the coming months.
Reserve championship in the Green Conformation Hunters was awarded to Hayley Barnhill and Ann Hartnett’s Casanova.
The Green Hunter 3’9” division championship was claimed by Tori Colvin, who piloted Brad Wolf’s Private Practice to the win. Colvin and Private Practice have had a short but successful season together – having only been a team for less than a month. The pair were crowned champions in the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Palm Beach Masters just two weeks ago.
Kelley Farmer and Shameless, owned by Aizlynn Radwanski, came in close behind Colvin to take the reserve championship.
Hunter competition will continue in the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring at 8 a.m. Friday morning with the Adult Amateur Hunter Older Section A division. Saturday Night Lights at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center will feature the CSI3* $132,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix starting at 7 p.m. in the International Ring.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Chris Payne – Green Conformation Hunter champion
On the horse:
“This is maybe his third show in the hunters. He’s had a tricolor in the conformation hunters each time. He’s really, really amazingly fun to ride. He just has a beautiful effort at every jump.”
On Thursday’s performance:
“He was really good yesterday. He won the model and won a one jumping class. He rode beautifully. In the handy, he was following me around nicely. He’s coming along really well.”
Future goals for Fibonacci:
“I don’t know how much more he’ll show during the rest of circuit. He’s shown five weeks already and he’s been good each time out. I’d like to start heading toward the derbies. That was the goal when we got him. He’s really brave and super scopey so hopefully that will be in the near future for him.”