Traverse City, Mich. – Aug. 9, 2018 – Although the 2018 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF) is coming to an end, as the final week of the six-week-long circuit got underway on Wednesday, top show jumping action at the Flintfields Horse Park is only just heating up. In its second consecutive week of FEI CSI3* competition, Samuel Parot, representing Chile, raced to top honors in the $35,000 CWD Welcome Speed Stake CSI3* riding his own Atlantis on Thursday in the Grand Prix Ring.
Parot is no stranger to the winner’s circle at GLEF with multiple wins to his name, including claiming the festival’s top prize in 2016 in the $100,000 Grand Traverse Grand Prix CSI3* with Quick Du Pottier.
Parot acquired Atlantis in 2015 and, after only a few months of partnership, the pair won two Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping CSI3*-W qualifiers one month apart at the Sacramento International Horse Show and at the Royal West in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Since then, they have consistently achieved top results at the highest levels of the sport and are qualified to compete at the upcoming FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Tryon, North Carolina, in September.
After giving Atlantis some well-deserved time off starting in September 2017, the gelding returned to the competition ring in June and has collected four top three finishes out of seven classes at CSI2* and CSI3* events.
Thursday’s class saw 37 international horses and athletes vie for first place around the Michel Vaillancourt-designed one-round speed course, which produced a total of nine clear jumping rounds.
After finishing second to Kristen Vanderveen (USA) and Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili, owned by Bull Run Jumpers Five LLC, in Friday’s $35,000 Grand Traverse Classic CSI3* during Week V, Parot and the 15-year-old Zangersheide took their turn in the spotlight on Thursday, crossing the finish line with the fastest clear round in 62.93 seconds.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Samuel Parot (CHI) – $35,000 CWD Welcome Speed Stake CSI3* winner
On Atlantis:
“Atlantis is my best horse. He’s 15 years old and he has a lot of experience with me. He’s won at the CSI3*, CSI4* and CSI5* levels. He is a really special horse. He’s a little hot but is careful as could be. He’s very, very smart.”
On Atlantis’ performances thus far at GLEF:
“He’s been on a break since September of last year [and started competing again in Tryon in June]. Last week, he was second in the [$35,000 Grand Traverse Classic CSI3* on Friday]. He’s a really nice horse.”
On GLEF:
“This is a really fantastic show. The people, the office, the city, the lake – for me, it’s a really top show.”
RESULTS
$35,000 CWD Welcome Speed Stake CSI3*:
Place / Horse / Athlete / Country / Owner / R1 Faults / Time
1. Atlantis / Samuel Parot / CHI / Samuel Parot / 0 / 62.93
2. Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili / Kristen Vanderveen / USA / Bull Run Jumpers Five LLC / 0 / 65.94
3. Bijoux / Diego Javier Vivero Viteri / ECU / Javier Estrada Gonzalez / 0 / 67.99
4. Apollo / Molly Ashe Cawley / USA / HS Sportferde Gmbh / 0 / 70.06
5. Indigo / Margie Engle / USA / Griese Garber Hidden Creek and Gladewinds Farm / 0 / 71.11
6. Il Rubacuori / Roberto Teran Tafur / COL / Roberto Teran Tafur / 0 / 72.14
7. Liroy 30 / Taylor Land / USA / Taylor Land / 0 / 74.91
8. Enjoy / Manuel Alvarez Ruizgalindo / MEX / Manuel Alvarez Ruizgalindo / 0 / 76.00
9. Chance STE Hermelle / Michael Morrissey / USA / QBS Equestrian LLC / 0 / 77.54
10. Carna Z / Gustavo Prato / ARG / Equus Forte LLC / 4 / 65.32
11. Avel De Lande / Samuel Parot / CHI / Samuel Parot / 4 / 69.58
12. VDL Bravo S / Hunter Holloway / USA / Hays Investment Corp. / 4 / 71.83
Beezie Madden Bests $6,000 Staller 1.40m Jumper CSI3* with Jiva
Photo: Diana Hadsall Photography
The Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF) returned to the Flintfields Horse Park for Week VI of the 2018 circuit on Wednesday, kicking off CSI3* competition with the $6,000 Staller 1.40m Jumper CSI3* class in the Grand Prix Ring.
In her GLEF debut, two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist and No. 12 ranked athlete in the world on the Longines Rankings list Beezie Madden proved why she is the reigning Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final champion, riding to the top of the leaderboard with Abigail Wexner’s Jiva.
Madden and Jiva have been partnered together since March 2017 and claimed their first FEI win in the $6,000 Bainbridge 1.40m Jumper CSI3* class in January at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. Most recently, the pair topped the $35,000 Old Salem Farm Jumper Classic CSI3* during the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows in May.
The decorated athlete, who owns and operates John Madden Sales, Inc. based in Cazenovia, New York, with her husband, John, jumped clear and outraced a total of 24 international horses and athletes with the 9-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare in the one-round speed competition to secure the blue ribbon.
Beezie, who is currently shortlisted on the NetJets® U.S. Show Jumping Team for the FEI World Equestrian Games™, took the early lead in the class as the first to finish clear, setting the pace to beat at 62.76 seconds.
Nine other combinations jumped fault-free over the course, designed by Canada’s Michel Vaillancourt, but it was Peter Lutz (USA) who finished with runner-up honors aboard Camillo VDL, owned by Gallagher/Meller Sport Horses, for the second week in a row in 63.56 seconds.
Rounding out the top three in Wednesday’s featured international show jumping event at GLEF was once again Mary Manfredi (USA) and Excellent, owned by Bosch Sport Horses, who crossed the finish line just four-tenths of a second slower than Lutz in 63.92 seconds.
Photo: Diana Hadsall Photography
RESULTS
$6,000 Staller 1.40m Jumper CSI3*:
Place / Horse / Athlete / Country / Owner / R1 Faults / Time
1. Jiva / Beezie Madden / USA / Abigail Wexner / 0 / 62.76
2. Camillo VDL / Peter Lutz / USA / Gallagher/Meller Sport Horses / 0 / 63.56
3. Excellent / Mary Manfredi / USA / Bosch Sport Horses / 0 / 63.92
4. Capito Z / Peter Leone / USA / Capito Group LLC / 0 / 65.53
5. Very Chic Du Tillard / Peter Lutz / USA / Gallagher/Meller Sport Horses / 0 / 66.43
6. Cedane D / Alison Robitaille / USA / M/M Bertram Firestone / 0 / 68.65
7. Coldplay / Mattie Hatcher / USA / Mattie Hatcher / 0 / 70.50
8. Coach / Beezie Madden / USA / Abigail Wexner / 0 / 71.12
9. Express Blue GP Dubois Madame / Caitlyn Connors / USA / Caitlyn Connors / 0 / 75.75
10. Coolmann 7 / Ashley Baker / USA / Grand Slam Farm / 1 / 76.68
11. Venice Beach / Quentin Judge / USA / Double H Farm / 1 / 76.72
12. Dominicus B / Ilan Bluman / COL / Katherine Benard / 4 / 64.76
2018 Great Lakes Equestrian Festival Fast Facts:
What:
The Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF) is held annually in July and August at the Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg, Michigan, located just outside Traverse City. This six-week event hosts nationally and internationally rated hunter/jumper competition, featuring weekly classes and classics for children, junior, adult and amateur-owner riders. Each week, the festival also holds classes for young horses, open jumper classes and professional hunter derbies, culminating every Sunday with an exciting grand prix show jumping competition with some of the world’s top athletes.
When:
July 4-Aug. 12, 2018
Where:
Flintfields Horse Park
6535 Bates Road, Williamsburg, MI 49690
Ten miles east from the beautiful resort town of Traverse City.
Weekly competition schedules (all schedules are subject to change):
GLEF I: July 4-8
$50,000 Great Lakes Grand Prix, presented by East Wind Farms
$30,000 Welcome Stake
$5,000 Ingram Family USHJA National Hunter Derby
GLEF II: July 10-15
$50,000 Meijer Grand Prix of Michigan
$30,000 Ingram Family Welcome Stake
WCHR week in the Grand Prix Ring
$7,500 Camping World USHJA National Hunter Derby
Equitation Tuesday
GLEF III: July 17-22
$50,000 North Face Farm Grand Prix CSI2*
$35,000 NetJets Welcome Stake CSI2*
$5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby
Equitation Tuesday
GLEF IV: July 24-29
$50,000 Flintfields Farm Grand Prix CSI2*
$35,000 Devoucoux Welcome Stake CSI2*
$25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, presented by Copper Fox LLC
$5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby
Equitation Tuesday
GLEF V: Aug. 1-5
$100,000 Grand Traverse Grand Prix CSI3*
$35,000 Welcome Stake CSI3*
$35,000 Grand Traverse Classic CSI3*
$5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby
GLEF VI: Aug. 8-12
$100,000 Grand Prix of Traverse City CSI3*
$35,000 CWD Welcome Speed Stake CSI3*
$35,000 Great Lakes Classic CSI3*
Exhibitors: To submit stall reservations and entries for the 2018 GLEF circuit, click here.
Hospitality: Tables of six are available in the beautiful VIP Club overlooking the Grand Prix Ring throughout the 2018 GLEF – the perfect way to entertain clients and friends this summer! Download a table reservation form here!
Sponsorship, vendor and advertising opportunities:
Nicolle Meyer – nicky@mmg.management/440-258-5099
Matt Morrissey – matt@mmg.management/941-915-3449
Flight accommodations: Traverse City is as easy to get to as life is once you arrive! Nonstop flights from Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Denver International Airport, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Detroit Metro Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Traverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport – TVC are available all summer long! Visit www.tvcairport.com for more information!
Hotel, motel, resort contact information: Please refer to greatlakesequestrianfestival.com and email concierge@mmg.management for information on hotels, campgrounds and home rentals.
Fundraising: Local organizations looking for fundraising opportunities, please contact Nicolle Meyer at nicky@mmg.management.
Management:
Morrissey Management Group
PO Box 1375
Bradenton, FL 34206
Phone: 941-744-5465
Fax: 941-744-0874
