USA’s Wilton Porter led the victory gallop over Venezuela’s Emanuel Andrade and Luis Fernando Larrazabal in Friday’s $34,000 1.45m speed class at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Porter and his mount, Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Paloubet, steered to victory for the first time this season as they gear up for the end of the winter circuit and the season ahead. Michel Vaillancourt (USA) saw 64 entries on his 1.45m speed track on Friday with 17 clear rounds. Andrade held an early lead in 68.49 seconds with ZZ Top v/h Schaarbroek Z, until Larrazabal and San Francisco Stables LLC’s G&C Close Up took over in 66.55 seconds. Porter then soon stole the top spot with Paloubet in 64.95 seconds. Andrade returned at the end, determined with his second mount Fananka A, but just missed the mark and posted the second best time of 65.01 seconds. Paloubet, a 14-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Baloubet Du Rouet x Voltaire), has had a light show schedule this winter. He placed eleventh in week two’s $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2* and showed lightly throughout the winter. This week, he came out fresh as Porter prepares for the final weeks of the circuit.
