Peter Leone and Wayfarer Top Grand Prix CSI 2* at the Winter Equestrian Festival

Jonathon Millar (CAN) and Millar Brooke Farm’s Daveau finished second in 35.63 seconds. Abigail McArdle (USA) placed third riding David McArdle’s Cade in a time of 35.96 seconds.Wayfarer, an 11-year-old gelding (Languster x Lancer II), was born and raised at Leone’s Lionshare Farm in Greenwich, CT. In 2012, the gelding won the Six-Year-Old Young Jumper Final at WEF and has since developed into a top horse for the rider.

“He is a big-strided horse,” Leone described. “In the jump-off, I tried to take advantage of my horse’s big stride. I kept him a little fresh coming into today. That is when he jumps his best. He really felt in good form.”

 Leone continued, “The first round, I only got to watch a little bit because one of the wonderful things, but also challenging things about being at the Winter Equestrian Festival, is that many of us have students that are jumping in other rings. Right after the course walk, I went and put a wonderful rider in the Low Junior Jumpers. Then I came back and watched a couple and did my first round. Then I ran back to go do another great student of mine that went into the lead in the High Children’s Jumpers. Then I came back just in time to jump on and give it a go in the jump-off.”Commenting on the course, Leone added, “I was glad that Anthony set (the course). It is hard to set a challenging two-star track for 45 horses because you are limited to how big the jumps can be. It is hard to get the right number clear, but I think he set a really good course today and had a good number for the jump-off. I love that that they are having these two-star classes, because I would not have been jumping this week if there was not a two-star along with the five-star. I think it is one of the best things that this show management has done.”

Second place finisher Jonathon Millar was also pleased with the opportunity to jump in the two-star division this week with his young mount Daveau, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Zento x Glennridge).

McArdle was aboard a veteran mount in her horse Cade, a 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Heartbreaker x Darco) that she has owned for five years.

“We retired him last year, and then we brought him back this year,” McArdle noted. “He had a little over a year off. Our philosophy is if they are sound, they keep going. There is nothing like nature and time that gives a horse its way back into the ring.