Wellington, Fla. – March 9, 2017 – Week Nine of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) continued Thursday morning in the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring, where Kelley Farmer and Scott Stewart continued their winning streak in numerous professional hunter divisions. With Dr. Betsee Parker’s 6-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Private Life, Stewart captured the tricolor in the Green Conformation Hunter division with a near sweep of five total blue ribbons and a single second place.
“Private Life was great this week; he hasn’t really jumped much since we did the night class,” elaborated Stewart. “Yesterday he was nicely fresh and jumped really well and he was the same today.
“He is just so consistent and easy to ride,” continued Stewart. “I think this might be his last show this season at WEF. He might go on a few trail rides but we will most likely start to prepare for the spring.”
The reserve championship went to Jennifer Hannan and Best Regards, an 8-year-old Holsteiner stallion owned by Patricia Fulchino.
Stewart claimed three other championship titles throughout the professional hunter divisions during Week Nine: the Green Hunter 3′ division on Fashion Farm’s 8-year-old Warmblood gelding, Playbook, the High Performance Conformation Hunter division aboard Gochman Sport Horses LLC’s 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Fun, and a tricolor with Luster, an 8-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Dr. Parker, in the Green Hunter 3’6″ division. In addition, Stewart concluded Week Nine with a reserve champion honor in the High Performance Working Hunter division with Cameo, an 11-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Dr. Parker.
Kelley Farmer wrapped up Week Nine with a total of two hunter championships. Farmer and Kensel LLC’s 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Mindful, captured the championship in the High Performance Working Hunters. Nina Moore’s 9-year-old Warmblood gelding, Kodachrome, and Farmer ended Week Nine with a tricolor in the Green Hunter 3’9″ division.
Just last year, the duo took home second place in the USHJA International Hunter Derby Championship. Farmer has been riding Kodachrome since July, stepping into the irons after her close friend and Kodachrome’s previous rider, Russell Frey, suddenly passed from a heart attack in May 2016.
Winning the reserve in the Green Hunter 3’9″ division was Sandra Ferrell and Carrica, an 11-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Stephanie Bulger.
Hunter competition during Week Nine of WEF will continue on Friday with the Amateur-Owner Hunter 18–35 division beginning at 8 a.m. in the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. The $5,000 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby and the $1,000 Small Pony Hunter Classic will take place on the Stadium Derby Field on Friday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.