Wellington, Florida—January 28, 2002—The Cosequin Winter Equestrian Festival opened its 30th season with the Nutrena Wellington Classic, January 23-27 at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club with an exciting week of hunter and show jumping competition. More than 4000 horses from across the nation and around the world traveled to Florida to compete for $3 million in prize money during the 11-week show series.

Olympic Bronze Medallist Normal Dello Joio of Wellington, FL, captured the week’s featured event, the $35,000 Nutrena Grand Prix of Palm Beach presented by Western Hay Co., riding Glasgow, an 11-year old Dutch bred bay gelding. Dello Joio had a clean first round over 13 obstacles. Dello Joio then went clear in the jump-off with a time of 39.34 seconds to put Markus Beerbaum of Germany in second place with a jump-off time of 41.55 seconds on Royal Discovery. Third place honors went to Gabriella Salick of Thousand Oaks, CA in 42.79 seconds on Sandstone Pelota de Goma.

“It was a very hard test this early in the year,” said Dello Joio, who went second in the jump-off after Beerbaum. “I didn’t see Markus (in the jump-off) but I thought I could out-turn him between No. 2 and 3 and we would be quicker across the ground the rest of the way.” Opening week as a productive one for Eric Lamaze. The Canadian equestrian, aboard Gazetto, bested a field of 41 competitors to win the $25,000 Nutrena/Western Hay Challenge Cup. Only nine and horse-and-rider combinations advanced to the jump-off round of the first grand prix of the season. Lamaze and Gazetto, a 10-year-old German–bred bay gelding, turned in double clear rounds and finished the jump-off in 37.60 seconds. Norman Dello Joio riding Warsaw finished second behind Lamaze in 38.27 seconds. Third place went to native Floridian Jimmy Torano on board Aguila, who finished in 38.77 seconds.

Lamaze, riding Kasjmein also captured first place in the $10,000 Cosequin 1.50 meter Classic with a time of 42.573 seconds. They were one of only 5 out of 40 horse-and-rider teams to make it to the jump-off round. Wellington ’s Norman Dello Joio finished in 46.621 seconds on board Quriell to take second place. Todd Minikus, U.S. Equestrian Team Alternate for the 2000 Olympic Games, had the fastest time with 41.682 seconds, but had a rail down, putting him in third place with four faults.

Chris Kappler of Pittstown, NJ, aboard his mount Rafiki, bested 95 starters with a fault-free ride over the Cosequin Time First Jump-Off 11 obstacle jumping course, finishing in 32.23 seconds. Canadian Olympian, Eric Lamaze finished in second place with a time of 32.56 seconds. Third place went to Ramiro Quintera, finishing up just splits behind with a time of 32.62 seconds.

The $5,000 Americhoice NAL Speed Challenge prize went to Alice Debany Clero of Paris, France. Debany Clero, up on Crackerjack, sped through the course with the fastest clean round, clocking in at 61.839 seconds, just splits ahead of US Equestrian Team Veteran, Donald Cheska of Waukesha, WI with his mount, By Design. The Wisconsin duo, on of thirteen pairs to complete a clear round from a total of 72 starters, timed in a 61.976 seconds for second place. Third place went to Amy Ylvisaker Reistrup, of Lexington Virginia, with a clean round and jump-off time of 67.762 seconds.

The 2002 Consequin Winter Equestrian Festival offers 3 million in total prizes during an eleven-week series which runs in Wellington, FL (January 23-March 10) and Tampa, FL (March 13-March 31). The Festival hosts the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Saturday evening, March 30. The series then returns to Wellington for the culminating event-the American Grandprix Association Championship-April 3-7.