Wellington, Fla.— Feb. 20  

Brazil ruled the day as both sections of the split $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 7 went to riders from the South American country.

Alvaro de Miranda aboard AD Uutje and Rodrigo Pessoa with Citizenguard Cadjanine Z each won a section of the class, held in a “California Split” due to the 115 entries; the competition awarded two sets of placings, each with $125,000 distributed.

Fredric Cottier of France set the track and 30 clear trips made it to the jump-off. Alvaro de Miranda completed the fastest jump-off round in 37.63 seconds for the win in Section A of the class riding AD Uutje. Rodrigo Pessoa finished in 37.89 seconds with Alain van Campenhoudt’s Citizenguard Cadjanine Z for the win in Section B.

Another rider for Brazil, Yuri Mansor, had the third fastest time of 39.01 seconds with QH Amor. With the split class, the top three finishers in Section A were Alvaro de Miranda and AD Uutje in 37.63 seconds, Yuri Mansor and QH Amor in 39.01 seconds, and Reed Kessler with Ligist in 39.60 seconds.

Section B saw the top placing for Rodrigo Pessoa and Citizenguard Cadjanine Z in 37.89 seconds followed by Kent Farrington and Amalaya Investments’ Willow in 39.14 seconds, and Laura Kraut with Cherry Knoll Farm Inc.’s Cedric in 42.96 seconds.

De Miranda and AD Uutje also shared a victory in Week 2 $34,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 and the rider noted that his horse, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding by Monaco, is making great progress throughout the circuit.

“He is improving a lot,” de Miranda said. “Only when you have lines that are very short, sometimes it is a little bit difficult for me to get him together, but it is improving. It is slow, but it is getting there. Nelson Pessoa did a very good job. He found the right bit for him, and he has helped me at home. I think that makes a difference because three or four months ago I was very lost with this horse, and with Nelson’s help everything came much easier. I see progress every day.”

Going into the jump-off, de Miranda knew that it had to be another very fast round with the leading time of Rodrigo Pessoa to chase. He remarked that this jump-off was even faster than his win during Week 2.

“With this horse, for sure, this was the fastest day for me,” he stated. “I saw Rodrigo go and the mare is so fast. I knew that from jump 1 to 2 I needed to take more risk. I think that was the only difference maybe because the rest Rodrigo was very fast, but at the end we both won, and that is good.”  

AD Uutje will compete with de Miranda on the Brazilian team in next week’s $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™, presented by G&C Farm, and the riders are excited to have such a promising team going in after the top-three finish for Brazil on Thursday.  

“For us in particular, for the morale, I think it is really good,” Pessoa said. “Uutje is going to do the Nations Cup, and I am going to do the Nations Cup with Status. He was clear as well today, but he didn’t go in the jump-off. Yuri that was third will go with that horse and then one more rider. It doesn’t mean that we are going to win the Nations Cup, but it is promising that the horses are jumping well and it is good for next week when our Chef d’Equipe [Jean-Maurice Bonneau] arrives. He will be happy with what we have been doing so far, hopefully.”  

Pessoa was very happy with his top finish on Thursday aboard Citizenguard Cadjanine Z, a 12-year-old Zangersheide mare by Canabis Z. He started riding the mare in July of 2013 and explained that she was previously ridden by Gregory Wathelet from Belgium and went to the Olympic Games in London with him in 2012.

“She is a difficult mare, but she has a lot of potential,” Pessoa described. “She is very scopey, and she is very fast. She has a big stride. Her rideability is not always great, but she is a fighter. We had a slow start to the circuit, but I think she is coming around and we will see her now in some bigger classes as well.”

In addition to the prize money in Thursday’s class, de Miranda earned a special $3,000 bonus as part of the SSG ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion for wearing his SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves. Each week of the Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Series, a $3,000 bonus will be awarded to the winning rider if they are wearing SSG ‘Digital’ Riding Gloves in all rounds of competition with the SSG logo clearly visible.

Final Results: $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 7 Section A

1. AD UUTJE: 2001 KWPN gelding by Monaco x Calypso, ALVARO DE MIRANDA (BRA), Alvaro de Miranda & Victory Equestrian Sport BV: 0/0/37.63  

2. QH AMOR: 2005 KWPN gelding by Namelus R x Haarlem,
YURI MANSOR GUERIOS (BRA), Yuri Mansor Guerios: 0/0/39.01    

3. LIGIST: 2000 Swedish Warmblood gelding by Levantos II x Robin Z, REED KESSLER (USA), Kessler Show Stables LLC: 0/0/39.60

4. SIMON: 1999 KWPN gelding by Mr. Blue x Polydox, BEEZIE MADDEN (USA), Abigail Wexner: 0/0/43.83    

5. ROYCE: 2004 Oldenburg stallion by Café au Lait x Grandilot, MARGIE ENGLE (USA), Elm Rock LLC: 0/0/46.40

6. GLORY DAYS: 2001 Swedish Warmblood gelding by Cardento 933 x Diamond Serpent, KATIE DINAN (USA), Grant Road Partners, LLC: 0/4/38.09

7. URICO: 2001 KWPN gelding by Zandor Z x Fedor, BEN MAHER (GBR), Jane F. Clark: 0/4/39.13    

8. BLUE ANGEL: 2002 AES mare by Luidam x Ascendant, KENT FARRINGTON (USA), Robin Parsky: 0/4/39.42

9. EGANO VAN HET SLOGENHOF: 2004 BWP gelding by Electro x Nagano, EIKEN SATO (JPN), Stephex Stables: 0/4/39.90    

10. ACORTE: 2003 Hanoverian mare by Acorado x Stakkato, AUDREY COULTER (USA), Copernicus Stables LLC: 0/4/42.40    

11. CORNET D’AMOUR: 2003 Westphalian gelding by Cornet Obolensky x Damiani , DANIEL DEUSSER (GER), Stephex Stables: 0/4/43.40    

12. VASCO: 2002 KWPN gelding by Andiamo x Clinton, ADAM PRUDENT (FRA), Plain Bay Farm: 0/4/44.85

Final Results: $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 7 Section B  

1. CITIZENGUARD CADJANINE Z: 2002 Zangersheide mare by Canabis Z x Feinschnitt I Z , RODRIGO PESSOA (BRA), Alain Van Campenhoudt: 0/0/37.89

2. WILLOW: 2003 KWPN gelding by Guidam x Little Rock, KENT FARRINGTON (USA), Amalaya Investments: 0/0/39.14  

3. CEDRIC: 1998 Holsteiner gelding by Chambertin x Carolus Z, LAURA KRAUT (USA), Cherry Knoll Farm Inc: 0/0/42.96

4. CONTHENDRIX: 2004 Holsteiner gelding by Contendro x Cor de la Bryere,
ANDRE THIEME (GER), Andre Thieme: 0/0/45.09

5. URSULA XII: 2001 Scottish Sport Horse mare by Ahorn x Papageno, SCOTT BRASH (GBR), Lady Harris & Lady Kirkham: 0/0/48.46

6. CAFINO: 2003 Swedish Warmblood gelding by Cardento 933 x Roderik 856, ALEXANDER ZETTERMAN (SWE), Alexander Zetterman: 0/4/38.70    

7. ZIGALI P S: 2004 KWPN gelding by Kigali x Palfrenier, ERIC LAMAZE (CAN), Artisan Farms LLC: 0/4/39.14    

8. POWERPLAY: 2004 Holsteiner gelding by Casall x Limbus, ERIC LAMAZE (CAN), Artisan Farms LLC: 0/4/39.65    

9. BÖCKMANNS LAZIO: 2000 Westphalian stallion by Lancer II x Cor de la Bryere, LAUREN HOUGH (USA), Karina Rotenberg: 0/4/40.62    

10. BROOKLYN BLUES: 2004 Oldenburg mare by Balou du Rouet x Fruhlingsball,
YANN CANDELE (CAN), Carol Sollak: 0/4/42.95    

11. QUIZ: 2004 Selle Francais gelding by For Pleasure x Laudanum, DARRAGH KENNY (IRL), Spruce Meadows: 0/4/44.37    

12. QUALITY GIRL: 2003 Oldenburg mare by Quidam’s Rubin x Dobrock, TODD MINIKUS (USA), Quality Group: 0/8/39.60