Green Cove Springs, FL- January 30, 2006-. With zoo animals outside, children running around, and a big crowd in the stands, Roberto Teran and his mount, the thirteen year old Westfalian stallion, Polyfax, captured the $35,000 Jacksonville A to Z Grand Prix. Polyfax and Teran ride out of the KingRidge Stables, King, Ontario, Canada. KingRidge Stables also has a winter home in Reddick, Florida near Ocala.

The A to Z Grand Prix benefits the Jacksonville Zoo, so the Zoo brings animals for the attending families to see. The day also includes a luncheon provided by Outback Steakhouse and a Silent Auction that raises more dollars for the Zoo. In addition, there is a celebrity relay race that features local celebrities from TV, media, and other venues. Very few of the celebrities are riders, so it adds a touch of hilarity to the day. This brings new people to the Grand Prix world that might otherwise not have come out for the afternoon. In the eleven years that the Grand Prix has been benefiting the Jacksonville Zoo, over $350,000 has been raised.

As the real reason for the day was set to begin, the crowd was given an explanation of the course and of the penalties that would be given. The first round of the Grand Prix featured fourteen obstacles with two sets of combinations, one of which caused problems for many riders. Course designer Allen Rheinheimer set the thirteenth obstacle as a triple set of jumps - a vertical in and out to an oxer, in and out to another vertical. Many of the riders had four faults in the first round by pulling a rail on the 13b or 13c fence. Out of the 26 horses showing today, eight went clear in the first round, ten had only four faults and eight had more than four faults. The time allowed was a very generous 92 seconds. All of the riders, with one exception, were in the 83 to 88 second range. Winning rider Teran even commented, "The time was too generous."

The jump-off featured seven numbered jumps with one combination. The first to return was Loro Piana Gorgias, a sixteen year old Hanoverian mare ridden by Erin McCabe for Gem Stables, Inc. The pair pulled a rail on the first fence, a Swedish oxer, and then finished clear on the rest of the course for a four fault round with a time of 43.767.

Second in for the jump-off was Kilpatrick, a six year old chestnut ridden and owned by Tracy Magness. Choosing to go for a clear round instead of the fastest time, Magness made the wider turns and safely finished with a time of 44.163 to take the early lead.

Last week's winner of the Jacksonville Winter National Grand Prix, Kyle King, rode in for the jump-off on Bradley Cox's Costa, a nine year old Dutch Warmblood gelding. King, who hails from Bend, Oregon and the chestnut flashed around the short course for the fastest time of the afternoon, but unfortunately, pulled a rail on a vertical and finished with four faults and a time of 37.154.

Wilhelm Genn, who qualified two horses for the jump-off, was next in on Happy Z, an eight year old Dutch Warmblood gelding. Happy Z is owned by Wilhelm and Patty Genn. Genn is originally from Germany and now calls Lebanon, Ohio home. He was the 1997 Grand Prix Rider of the Year. Happy Z zipped around the shortened course, making the inside turn after fence eleven and finished clear with a time of 41.688. This moved Genn and the chestnut into first place.

Contendress, owned by Erin Stewart and ridden in the Grand Prix by Tommy Feigel, was next in to attempt the jump-off. The grey mare and Feigel gave it their best but had rails down on two verticals at fence eleven and the final fence fourteen. They finished with eight faults and a time of 40.351.

Wilhelm Genn, currently in first place, brought in his second horse, Le Argento, an Oldenburg gelding owned by Harry and Cary Van Wormer. Genn and the flashy dark bay mastered the course but missed the time slightly. They currently placed second with no faults and a time of 42.006 with only two more horses to come. This gave Genn first and second at this time.

The seventh rider to attempt the jumpoff was Roberto Teran on KingRidge Stables' Polyfax. Teran has been riding Polyfax for two years. Roberto explained, "I really know him. He trusts me." That trust showed as the horse and rider team flew around the jump-off making a rollback turn after jump eleven and slashing to the next jump, making the crowd gasp! They went clear with a first place time of 39.826.

Last in and hoping to overtake Polyfax and Teran for the lead were Bill Lowry and his mount, the dark bay gelding, Rio Corde. Rio Corde is owned by Winsor Farm Sales, Inc.

Lowry and Rio Corde gave it their best, but snagged a rail on fence eleven and finished with four faults and a time of 44.931.

Commenting on the set-up of the course, winner Teran said, "It was a technical course, quite big enough. But very comfortable to ride." When asked if anything about the course caused a concern, he replied, "Perhaps the triple combination at the end. The horses were a little bit tired by then. So coming home, it was a little bit tough." Roberto is originally from Colombia and was a member of the Colombian Show Jumping Team. He is now a trainer and Grand Prix rider for KingRidge Stables. Talking about Polyfax, he said, "He's a very good vertical jumper. You can try to go for the chance; he can make it in three or four strides without having to run. Today, he made it a couple of seconds faster. He has a great heart; he's just a fighter." Teran plans to show next week at the Jacksonville Finale Grand Prix.

Official Results: $35,000 Jacksonville A to Z Grand Prix