Peter Wylde and Zidane Kick Off FTI WEF 5 With Second Win

The fifth week of competition at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) began on Wednesday, February 6, with a win for Peter Wylde and Zidane in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class.

The pair also topped the class during week three and Wylde hopes to continue their success in the Rolex FEI World ranking classes coming up in the remaining weeks.

Week five of the FTI WEF circuit, sponsored by Adequan®, will run February 6-10. The week will feature the $33,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 5 on Thursday afternoon, the $82,000 Adequan® CSI 2* Grand Prix on Saturday evening, and the $25,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday afternoon. The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival features 12 weeks of competition running from January 9-March 31, 2013, and will be awarding almost $7 million in prize money throughout the circuit.

Olympic course designer Bob Ellis set the track for Wednesday's $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Thirty-seven entries competed and 13 cleared the course without fault. The fastest round in 56.335 seconds earned top prize for Peter Wylde and Zidane, owned by Windward Farm and Jessica Suida.

Pablo Barrios and Colgate placed second in 57.133 seconds, Tim Gredley and Unex Competition Yard's Unex Valente were third in 58.706 seconds, and Ramiro Quintana guided St. Bride's Farm's Ziedento to fourth place honors in 59.372 seconds.

Zidane, a nine-year-old KWPN gelding by Sam R x Cantos, is known as 'Sammy' in the barn. Wylde explained, “His father is Sam R and interestingly enough, his previous owners called him Sammy also. We didn't know that and we also named him Sammy, so I guess it was destiny.”

“He is a very sweet horse,” Wylde continued. “He has a great personality and he is full of himself. He knows he's good and we treat him like royalty.”

Speaking about this morning's class, Wylde stated, “I thought it was a good class and the course was great. My horse was really excellent. This is the second 1.45m that he has won, so I am really happy with our team at North Run and Missy (Clark) and John (Brennan). It is really going well and the horses are getting into good shape. It is exciting because they just seem to be doing very well.”

Ellis's speed track featured a lot of galloping and turning options for the riders to make up time. Wylde detailed, “It was both gallops and tight turns. He can do it all, that horse. When I go in the ring with him I have a lot of confidence that he can win the class. I actually slipped on the turn to number ten and had to put one extra stride in, but he takes care of it. He sort of does it for you and he very rarely will knock a fence down. He is so careful and he is brave at the same time, which is a great combination.”

Zidane has shown at the 1.50m height as well, but will mainly focus on the 1.45m ranking classes this winter.

“He is young, he is just turning nine and he is extremely careful, so we always are careful with him to go up and down,” Wylde noted. “He has done some 1.50m classes successfully and will in the future. Right now there are a lot of important 1.45m ranking classes here coming up in the future. You really need to have a horse that can win classes like that and he is the one, so I look forward to being able to have him in my string for the rest of the circuit.”

Also showing in the International Arena on Wednesday, Daniel Bluman and Ilan Ferder's Cantando Lyngriis won the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed class out of 80 competitors. The $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class went to McLain Ward aboard Ilan Ferder and Missy Clark's Zhum CW in a class of 70 entries.

Final Results: $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Speed
1. ZIDANE PETER WYLDEWINDWARD FARM & JESSICA SUIDA: 0/56.335
2. COLGATE PABLO BARRIOS PABLO BARRIOS: 0/57.133
3. UNEX VALENTE TIM GREDLEYUNEX COMPETITION YARD: 0/58.706
4. ZIEDENTO RAMIRO QUINTANA ST. BRIDE'S FARM: 0/59.372
5. VANILLA BEEZIE MADDEN ABIGAIL WEXNER: 0/61.112
6. WODCA MICHAEL WALTON MIA MARANO: 0/61.288
7. CILANTRO MEAGAN NUSZ AMALAYA INVESTMENTS: 0/62.662
8. WANNICK WH CHRISTINE MCCREA CANDY TRIBBLE: 0/62.982
9. IMOTHEP NICOLE SHAHINIAN-SIMPSON HYPERION STUD: 0/64.011
10. VANCOUVER D.M.L. CONOR SWAIL CLOVERLEAF FARM: 0/65.031
11. WOTSAMILLION LAURA KRAUTSTONE HILL FARM: 0/65.190
12. VATRICIANAVONA GALLEGOS BAR X RANCH, LLC: 0/66.425