David Wright & Step Right Up Win Lucky Sevens Welcome © Flashpoint Photography

PENSACOLA, FL (February 16, 2006) — Another week of sunshine and pleasant temperatures found owner-rider David Q Wright’s Step Right Up basking in a victory at this afternoon’s Lucky Sevens Welcome sponsored by The Farm House Tack Store.

“Teddy,” as he’s known around the barn, a 15-year old American Thoroughbred, exited the ring after a first clean round time of 61.055 almost dancing as the crowd cheered him. “He was just great,” Wright commented on his partner. “Trying to do warm up jumps before a big class is usually a bad idea with Teddy. He prefers an audience,” David laughed.

Course designer Michel Vaillancourt also returned for another week of questions and answers with the jumper divisions. Asked what the hot spot of the Welcome’s 11-jump track would be he replied, “The #5 fence, a wide oxer with a liverpool! It’s on a bad angle, deep against the back wall making the level of difficulty go up a lot.” His prediction was dead on, from the starting 18 almost half had issues with the fence and a mere 6 returned for the jump off. The riders were then presented a challenge of six fences including a double combination and the dreaded liverpool again. “Michel is learning the ring, learning little tricks that he can pull on us now,” Wright chuckled, “like the triple combination dead on to the end gate. Riding to it was easy but the horses can get totally distracted in the middle of it when seeing their buddies outside, or the spooky Lucky Seven’s vertical jump angled at the end gate with a tight forward out of that on a bending line to an optical illusion! A jump over a liverpool with blue rails and thin white stripes is very hard for the horses to figure out right where they are.” Teddy breezed through the second round clean in a very quick 31.384 seconds for the win.

Second place went to owner-rider Katherine Protasiewicz with her 13-year old Thoroughbred gelding McGrath in a second round time of 32.994. Third position was the popular Rio Corde, the 9-year old Hessian gelding of Winsor Farm Sales, Inc, ridden by Bill Lowry with a time of 33.728. Sean Steffee riding Bella Diamond, the 14-year old Irish Sport Horse gelding for owner Karen Cobb, finished fourth with 4 faults in a time of 31.460. Rounding out the top five was Chantal, owned by Laura Ryan-Barnaclo and ridden by Wilhelm Genn, with 4 faults in 34.733 seconds.

Holly Shepherd and Three Martinis © Flashpoint Photography

The Young Jumper Qualifiers took on Michel’s sweeping tracks this morning as well. In the 5-year old group the champion was Cohiba with owner-rider Wilhelm Genn in the irons. Second place was Skyland’s Con Chito Z and owner-rider Josh Dolan. For the 6-year old section the big winner was Berkley ridden by Holly Shepherd for owner Leslie Carter, and second place went to Holly Shepherd as well with Quilmes for owner Sarah Patterson. The 7-year old champion was Diamond Elle owned by Bryan Johnson and ridden by Dennis Murphy, and in second was Vino with Mike Rosser riding for owner Barnes Brooks.

Hunter Championships for week two include Three Martinis owned by Rae Pertuit and piloted by Holly Shepherd in the 1st Year Green Working division. Alaina with Jim Hensen riding for owner Bailey Anderson took top honors in the 2nd Year Green Working Hunters, while Bridget Moseley’s Sinners Prayer ridden by Russell Frey were Champions for the second week in Green Conformation Hunter. Harold Chopping aboard Lexus for owner Booth Parker were awarded the tri colors in the Regular Working Hunters.

Janet McCarroll, Co-Chairman of the Gulf Coast Winter Series, commented this afternoon, “We are so blessed with great weather and even greater exhibitors who continue to support the Gulf Coast Series by keeping the communities in Mississippi in their hearts. They’ve come here to keep the event growing. We’re sold out again this week!”

The Gulf Coast Winter Series continues through February 26th with showing taking place Wednesday through Sunday each week. Classes begin daily at 8:00AM until approximately 4:30PM and the public is invited. Admission is free and each Saturday will host an exciting $25,000 Grand Prix jumper event. For more information or results on the Gulf Coast Winter Series visit www.ClassicCompany.com or call the show office at (850) 944-7703.