Rodrigo Lambre Scores Opening Day Win At WEF 8

Rodrigo Lambre & Chapilot Ph. Sportfot

The eighth week of the 2018 Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, opened with competition on Wednesday, February 28. Brazil’s Rodrigo Lambre  and Mario Onate’s Chapilot were the only double clear round to win the $25,000 ProElite® Jumper Classic.

Wednesday’s feature class for the national division had 62 entries, and eight of those advanced to the jump-off over a course designed by Ken Krome of the U.S. Riding out of the second spot in the jump-off order, Lambre and Chapilot, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Chacco Blue x Pilot, set down a winning time in 39.424 seconds and were the only clear.

First into the jump-off were Karen Polle of Japan and Kinoshita Group’s Sari, who were very quick in 38.801 seconds, but with four faults. Their time would hold up for second place. Third went to Jose Roberto Reynoso (BRA), and Tanita de Galeste, owned by Franck Henouda, who had four faults in 39.132 seconds.

Onate purchased Chapilot in December of 2014 as a seven-year-old from the Paul Schockemöhle auction. Lambre started the ride that winter in the beginning of the horse’s eight-year-old year. In 2017, they won three grand prix classes in Mexico, as well as five 1.45m FEI ranking classes.

“He’s very consistent and better with age,” said Lambre. “I’m very happy to have him. He’s a winner.”

Of Wednesday’s class, Lambre said, “I expected a more easy class and it was not. It was pretty tough, with a lot of good riders. Normally we don’t have only one clear in the jump-off. I was lucky to be the one.”

This is Lambre’s second year competing at WEF, after he first came in 2016. He and Chapilot will compete again on Friday.

WEF holds its eighth week of competition on February 28-March 4 with CSIO 4* competition sponsored by U.S. Trust & Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Highlights include the $35,000 Hermès Under 25 Semi-Final Grand Prix on Friday, March 2, at 7 p.m., the $150,000 Nations Cup, presented by U.S. Trust & Bank of America Merrill Lynch on Saturday, March 3, at 7 p.m., and the $205,000 CSIO4* Grand Prix, presented by Lugano Diamonds on Sunday, March 4, at 1 p.m. WEF hosts hunter, jumper, and equitation competition until April 1 and offers more than $9 million in prize money.

Results of Wednesday’s $25,000 ProElite® Jumper Classic, at this link.

Source: PBIEC