Rodrigo Pessoa Scores His First WEF Victory
Cloudy skies and an occasional rain shower did not dampen the spirits of the large crowd on hand for the first weekend of action at the 34th edition of the Winter Equestrian Festival,.. currently underway at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington. Those that were hoping to see Olympic Gold Medalist Rodrigo Pessoa in action, left satisfied as Pessoa walked away with his first victory of the nine week long WEF extravaganza, the nation’s largest and longest running series of equestrian events.
Thirty-three starters took the field for $20,000 1.50m Classic, the featured event at the Internationale Arena. Canadian Olympic Silver Medalist Michel Vaillancourt is the Course Designer this week. Today’s classic was scored under USEF Table II, Sec. 2(a), Time First Jump-Off.
Of the thirty-three, only six managed to negotiate the first round track fault free to qualify for the speed phase. One rider was clear with two time faults, another six riders had a single knockdown, while sixteen had eight or more.
Sigane Van De Grudeval, owned by M. Sundberg and ridden by Rodrigo Pessoa, was first in the ring and the first to master the course, making the Vaillancourt route look like a piece of cake.
Joining Pessoa in the jump-off next, riding out of the seventh spot in the order, was Canada’s Eric Lamaze. He added Steve Cohen’s Telegraph to the second round list with a clean first trip. Evan Coluccio followed immediately with Champigny, owned by Alex Carl, and produced the third clear ride of the day.
A dozen more horse and rider combinations went by before Rodrigo Pessoa, on his second mount, made it four for the upcoming round two. He was clear with Cantate Z, owned by Orlandi.
Of the thirteen that remained in the first round, only two more would advance to the tiebreaker. They were Canadians Mario Deslauriers and Erynn Ballard. Deslauriers with his Naomi and Ballard aboard Looking Back Farm’s Robin Van Roosendael would bring the speed round total to six.
The jump-off was decided quickly when Pessoa returned first with Sigane Van De Grudeval. The Olympic Gold Medalist and three-time World Cup Champion toured the course in a blazing 38.383 seconds for the victory.
Mario Deslauriers and Naomi were the closest of the field, coming home fault free, but 1.35 seconds shy of the target in 39.733 seconds.
Pessoa, going for the sure clear, picked up the third place finish with Cantate Z in 41.061 seconds while Ballard’s slower clear (42.046) assured her of the fourth prize.
Lamaze finished fifth with a knockdown in 39.228 seconds.
Results (28.01.06)
CSI** Wellington
Table A with Jump-Off – 1,50m
1. Rodrigo Pessoa / Sigane Van De Grudeval / 0 / 0 / 38.38s
2. Mario Deslauriers / Naomi / 0 / 0 / 39.73
3. Rodrigo Pessoa / Cantate Z / 0 / 0 / 41.06
4. Erynn Ballard / Robin Van Roosendael / 0 / 0 / 42.04
5. Eric Lamaze / Telegraph / 0 / 4 / 39.22
6. Evan Coluccio / Champigny / 0 / 8 / 37.89
7. Frankie Chesler Ortiz / Ranville / 2 / 78.03
8. Marilyn Little / Rarete / 4 / 73.79
9. Eric Hasbrouck / Lavaletta / 4 / 74.80
10. Addison Phillips / Flight / 4 / 74.89