Smith and Cosmo Shine Brightly in First Year Green Hunters at Winter Equestrian Festival
Equestrian News Release
Forget Paris and Lewis Compete for Fourth Circuit Championship
Wellington, FL – March 10, 2006 – The CN Wellington Finale continued competition on Friday with classes starting in the Amateur-Owner Hunters and Large Junior hunters at the 2006 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). One of the championship presentations came in the Grand Hunter Field for the First Year Green Working Hunters.
Cosmo, ridden by Ken Smith of Wellington, FL, and owned by Susan Stanley, captured the tricolor. They jumped to second and third place ribbons on Thursday and returned on Friday for a blue ribbon. Reserve champion in the division was Sterling, ridden by Jennifer Bauersachs for Lee Kellogg.
Smith operates Ashland Farms with his wife Emily. He found Cosmo during WEF last year. The dark bay Warmblood gelding is six years old now and is a “super individual,” Smith noted. “He’s such an easygoing and sweet horse. He’s brave, careful, and has all the scope for the Regular Working Hunters.”
“Susan Stanley has let me ride him from the time we bought him until now, which has really been nice,” Smith added. “He has won a class every week, and he just missed the reserve championship during the Bainbridge Florida Classic week. We put it all together this week and he was more consistent.”
After doing well on Thursday, Smith felt that the “pressure was on, because there were several horses with the same amount of points.” He went on to say, “Cosmo went beautifully in the first class. He was ready to win both today, but his rider wasn’t quite ready in the first class. He really came through in the second class for the win. He’s one of the best jumpers I’ve ever had and one of my favorites, for sure.”
Champion in the Adult Amateur 3’3” division for two weeks in a row was Forget Paris and Wendy Lewis. Wendy and her husband Mike have owned “Pierre” for six years, and the pair has had enormous success, including three WEF Circuit Championships and championships at the Capital Challenge Horse Show and in The Legacy Cup.
With their success in the past two weeks, Lewis and Forget Paris are now leading the division for an unbelievable fourth circuit championship. “I came into the barn last week and said to our barn manager, Erica, that I have to be champion the next two weeks because my trainer, Jeff Gogul, is coming to Tampa, and I have no reason to go to Tampa unless I’m in the lead,” Lewis recalled. “Jeff has never been at the Parade of Champions in Tampa for a photo. It’s been my goal for him to be in a photo there. So far, so good.” Lewis spent this winter showing with Shachine Belle and Jimmy Toon. “They’ve taught me so much, but now ‘summer camp’ is over,” she added with a smile.
Forget Paris won the under saddle class this week and received two firsts and a third over fences. Reserve champion in the division was Solamar, ridden by Summer Gay and owned by RCG Farm LLC.
“He has just been perfect. He’s all grown up now,” Lewis explained with a laugh, “but he’s still got his funny personality too. He always travels with his ears back, and I always say that it’s aerodynamic. Some judges penalize him for that, and some realize that a horse doesn’t have to be near him and his ears will still be back. It’s just him. He’s a lazy dude.”
“Pierre has been so consistent the whole circuit. Actually, he’s been consistent his whole life. He’s been showing down here since he was five and now he’s eleven. He’s still doing it and enjoying it and winning. This will be his sixth year at WEF and might be his fourth circuit championship. Wouldn’t that be great?”
Hunter championships scheduled for tomorrow include the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters and the Large Junior 15 & Under Hunters. This is the last week of WEF in Wellington before it moves to Tampa, FL, on March 22-April 1.
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