Wellington, Fla. – Jan. 19, 2018 – Friday morning during Week Two of the 2018 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center showcased some of the country’s top equitation riders with Canadian Sam Walker taking the win in the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search 2* aboard *Cash*, owned by Natalie Bass of Magnolia, Texas. Walker laid down a smooth first round over fences to be added to the stand-by for the flat phase.
A seasoned junior rider, Walker had never ridden *Cash* prior to Friday’s competition. Walker had consistent placings throughout the indoor equitation season, placing third at the WIHS Equitation Final and third at the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
During Friday’s USEF Talent Search, 27 horses started the class with the top 12 athletes returning for the flat phase to give one last shot at impressing the judges. The course asked riders to show adjustability with their horses by including an open water fence with a vertical immediately following in a short seven strides.
Second place was given to Tanner Korotkin on Zapfier, owned by Missy Clark and North Run. Korotkin finished with a smooth, faultless round to follow Walker.
Week One’s USEF Talent Search winner, Emma Kurtz, came in third on Dr. Betsee Parker’s Carl.
Competition at WEF continues on Saturday, culminating in the week’s highlight event: the $70,000 Marshall & Sterling Grand Prix CSI2*.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Sam Walker –Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search 2* winner
On *Cash*:
“I’ve never ridden him before. He’s owned by Natalie Bass. This is actually my first equitation class on him. He’s a really cool horse and I hope to ride him more in the future.”
On Friday’s course:
“I thought the course was very good for the group of riders that rode in the class. I really liked how the course was presented and how you had to do a shorter turn to the water. There were some lines that had a forward bending line and some where you had to collect on the straight line. Thank you very much to the course designers and the judges.”
RESULTS
Horse/ Rider
- *Cash* / Sam Walker
- Zapfier / Tanner Korotkin
- Carl / Emma Kurtz
- Campreoll / Ava Sterns
- Common Sense / Alexandra Pielet
- Governor / Gia Rinaldi
- Kaskade / Samantha Cohen
- Skara’s Glen Prologue / Addison Piper