Posted March 5, 2006

Teri Kessler is Two for Two in Amateur-Owner Hunters at Winter Equestrian Festival

Wellington, FL – March 4, 2006 – The CN Worldwide Wellington Open, presented by Cosequin, is the sixth week of exciting hunter and jumper competition in the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Held every year at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, FL, the show is the world’s largest and longest-running equestrian event in the nation.

The hunter divisions are packed full of tough competition. The Amateur-Owner 36 & Over division features experienced riders on magnificent horses. One such rider is Teri Kessler of Bedford Corners, NY. Kessler and her two fantastic mounts, Pavarotti and Trout Line, finished as champion and reserve champion in the division.

Pavarotti jumped to first and fourth places on Friday, while Trout Line was first and second over fences. Pavarotti, whom she has competed on for years, came back today and was first and second over fences. On her newer mount, Trout Line, Kessler was fifth over fences today.

Horses are a family affair for the Kesslers. Teri Kessler’s daughter, Reed, competes in the Pony Hunters and just last week scored a sweep in the Small Pony Hunters with her two grey mounts, Helicon Take Notice and Cardiff Mardi Gras. “Reed has her ‘Dynamic Duo’, as well call them,” said Kessler with a laugh. “Now I think I have my own Dynamic Duo, but they’re brown instead of grey!” Kessler hopes that she, her daughter, and husband Murray, who shows in the jumpers, will be able to walk in as a family of champions in tomorrow’s Parade of Champions before the grand prix.

In the Small Junior 16-17 division, the champion by a half point was Wunderlight and owner/rider Jack Hardin Towell Jr. Wunderlight finished with fourth and fifth place ribbons over fences on Friday. He and Towell returned today for a first over fences and third in the under saddle.

Close on his heels was the reserve champion, Cool Blue, ridden and owned by Alexandra Stathis. Cool Blue received a blue ribbon on Friday and was second over fences and sixth under saddle today.

Hunter competition wraps up tomorrow with plenty of hunter competition, including more Amateur-Owner and Junior Hunters, Children’s and Adult Hunters, and Pony Hunters. WEF continues for one more week in Wellington before moving to Tampa, FL, for two more weeks of competition on March 22-April 1, 2006.

Photo Credit: Pavarotti and Teri Kessler, Amateur-Owner 36 & Over Hunter champions at Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo by Randi Muster.