A chilly, windy, and sunny Florida winter day kicked off week 5 on The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour, where 21 horses and riders tackled Wednesday’s top class, the $5,000 1.30M Rising Star Classic. Simon McCarthy and Gotcha captured the top prize in the Rising Star, jumping to victory on the beautiful expanded grass Grand Prix field at The Ridge at Wellington’s home farm. The Turf Tour rotates venues each week, visiting amazing equestrian properties around Wellington to host USEF competitions with prize money each week exceeding $33,000. Every Tuesday The Ridge also hosts hunters and USEF Equitation competitions every Tuesday at noon, giving a unique opportunity to gain points on the Wellington circuit. In 2021, The Ridge is proud to welcome Tribute Equine Nutrition as a presenting sponsor of their Turf Tour and Hunter Derby Days, including the $2,500 2’6″ Derby on March 20-21.
Turf Tour 5 continues through Friday, with classes from .80M all the way to the $15,000 Turf Tour Grand Prix, and moves next week to beautiful To-Kalon Farm February 10-12 for more show jumping on the grass!
Simon McCarthy and Gotcha delivered an untouchable double clear round, with just under a tenth of a second separating his jump-off time from the second place challenger, Wilton J. Porter and Heike Es. Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios set an impressive course on The Ridge’s home field. Starting with a single vertical rollback to a wall, the challenge only grew from there, with a bending line to the Horseflight oxer following the wall. Riders then rolled back to a triple combination, before galloping to a lone oxer followed by a bending line vertical, skinny bicycle jump, in-and-out vertical to oxer combination, and a liverpool oxer. Ending with a two-stride vertical and oxer combination, the course yielded seven double clears. McCarthy and Gotcha cliched the win with a jump-off time of 43.859 seconds, with Porter and Heike Es nipping at his heels in a time of 43.984. Carly Anthony and Sun Song finished 3rd with a time of 43.113 seconds.
About the 2021 Wellington Turf Tour, USEF Equitation Tuesdays, Hunter Derbies, and The Ridge Schooling Shows
The 2021 Wellington Turf Tour features 13-weeks of jumper competition at all heights and prize money classes including weekly $15,000 1.40M Grand Prix and $5,000 1.30M Rising Star Classics, all held at beautiful venues in Wellington.
USEF Equitation Tuesday runs each Tuesday afternoon at The Ridge’s home farm (14415 Palm Beach Point Blvd) featuring pony equitation, adult equitation, junior equitation, Medal Maclay, and unrecognized hunter divisions.
The Turf Tour and its hunter/jumper/equitation events are a unique addition to Wellington’s winter circuit, offering riders top-tier competition, generous prize money, and an unparalleled atmosphere. Young horses and advancing riders are able to test their mettle in classes ranging from junior and amateur jumpers to the Grand Prix, and at a variety of venues reminiscent of the large European tours. Organized by US Olympic show jumper Nona Garson and George D’Ambrosio, the vision that inspired the tour’s conception was to stage competitions on turf and natural surfaces away from the intensity of other show grounds.
