The Swiss Flag Flies Again as Markus Fuchs and Nirmette Win €20,000 Welcome Stake at CN Worldwide Wellington Finale, CSI-5*

Wellington, FL – Switzerland’s Markus Fuchs and Nirmette brought home the win in the €20,000 Welcome Stake in the CN Worldwide Wellington Finale, CSI-5*, the final week of the Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club. Today’s event was an opening class for the international division of open jumpers. Fuchs went for the win and beat Mario Deslauriers (CAN) on Levantos and Eric Flameng of Belgium on Mazelle.

The courses in the Internationale Arena for this week are designed by Guilherme Noguiera Jorge of Brazil. The speed track had 12 numbered obstacles and there were 11 clear rounds out of 55 entries. Eleven competitors had no jumping faults, but accumulated time penalties past the 76 second time allowed.

Fuchs was the first to go clear in the class on his first mount, La Toya III, and finished in 72.31 seconds. Laura Kraut (USA) and Cedric took over the lead in a time of 71.56 seconds, which held on for another 12 rounds until Deslauriers and Levantos scorched around in 65.43 seconds.

Riding out of the 34th spot in the order, Fuchs and Nirmette wasted no time in the turns around the course. They stopped the timers in 63.24 seconds, the fastest time of the day – with or without faults.

“Nirmette is a very careful horse, so I was able to cut very much to fence eight, for example. I went inside to fence six and turned very sharp to number three,” he recalled of the course. “I was very close to number three and really had to push hard to [get] five [strides]. The horse was a little bit spooky there.”

Fuchs saw Deslauriers’ round, but stuck to his course plan today. “Sometimes I over-think and change the plan. Basically, I would like to ride what I walked, but sometimes I change something for that horse. That’s not the very best way to do well though,” he conceded.

With Nirmette’s solid performance today, Fuchs plans to show her in tomorrow’s €25,000 Chesapeake Benefit Cup for a Just World (WEF Challenge Cup Round 8). “I plan to ride her tomorrow, but not fast because she should go on Saturday,” he confirmed. Fuchs’ current plan is to show Nirmette again, and not La Toya III, in the big grand prix on Saturday. He joked, “Horses are like women, so you never know! That is the plan for now. I’ll try to do my best.”

While riders are still cautious on the field, Fuchs pointed out that he has no worries about the footing during take-off and landing at the jumps. “I don’t think the horses have problems at the fence. It’s just in the turns. Everybody makes the decision if they want to take the risk or not,” he said. He added with a smile, “Everything else is fantastic here. It’s paradise, and I’m not sure everybody knows that.”

Fuchs and the top open jumper riders will return for tomorrow’s highlight, the €25,000 Chesapeake Benefit Cup for a Just World (WEF Challenge Cup Round 8), which follows the 1.45m class and the €20,000 Medium Tour Speed Stake CSI.

Results of CLASS 101 - WELCOME STAKE - CN Worldwide Wellington Finale CSI 5* March 14th, 2007 T/A: 76.00

• 1 2766 NIRMETTE MARKUS FUCHS SUI 0.00 63.24 JURI ADOLFO
• 2 2338 LEVANTOS MARIO DESLAURIERS CAN 0.00 65.43 AVAILABLE JPRS.COM
• 3 2698 MAZELLE ERIC FLAMENG BEL 0.00 66.68 FLORIAC LLC
• 4 3378 LENNOX LEWIS 2 LESLIE HOWARD USA 0.00 67.36 PETER HOWARD
• 5 3512 NEPOMUK CONOR SWAIL 0.00 68.34 CONOR SWAIL
• 6 1469 NARCOTIQUE DE MUZE II ERIC LAMAZE CAN 0.00 68.67 ASHLAND STABLES
• 7 2410 IMPULSIVE SCOTT LENKART USA 0.00 68.77 MARTHA BENNETT
• 8 3432 LE PRESTIGE ST LOIS LAURA KRAUT USA 0.00 69.70 FREEDOM GROUP
• 9 2279 CEDRIC LAURA KRAUT USA 0.00 71.56 K & H ENTERPRISES
• 10 2225 PERFEKT CANDICE KING USA 0.00 72.16 PERFEKT GROUP
• 11 2765 LA TOYA III MARKUS FUCHS SUI 0.00 72.31 JURI ADOLFO
• 12 2470 VICOMTE D MOLLY ASHE USA 1.00 78.87 JANE F. CLARK

Results of CLASS 1004 - 1.40m, II1 - CN Worldwide Wellington Finale CSI 5* - March 14, 2007 T/A: 69.00

• 1 1301 CILTHE Z LAURA CHAPOT 0.00 58.111 MARY CHAPOT
• 2 460 CORINA LESLIE HOWARD 0.00 58.571 BEYAERT FARM INC
• 3 1296 SPRITE LAURA CHAPOT 0.00 58.695 LAURA CHAPOT
• 4 2590 SIENNA SHANE SWEETNAM 0.00 60.616 SPY COAST FARM LLC
• 5 2387 GARFIELD 211 ALISON ROBITAILLE 0.00 62.050 BERTRAM FIRESTONE
• 6 3246 BLAST OFF TIFFANY CORNACCHIO 0.00 62.438 KATE GOODMAN
• 7 2170 DON CESAR GEORGINA BLOOMBERG 0.00 62.624 GOTHAM ENTERPRIZES
• 8 2458 RMW SANFRIESE JAIME GUERRA 0.00 62.932 ROCKYMT WARMBLOODS
• 9 1036 LOREAL DES FORETS ISABELLE LAPIERRE 0.00 63.203 LA CHAUDIERE
• 10 1117 CALLAWAY 4 DEBBIE STEPHENS 0.00 63.529 CENTENNIAL FARM
• 11 2508 CONTINO JULIANA STARBUCK 0.00 63.935 RCG FARM LLC
• 12 69 RALVESTHER BRIANNE GOUTAL 0.00 64.054 CLOVERLEAF FARM

Photo Credit: Markus Fuchs (SUI) and Nirmette, winners of the €20,000 Welcome Stake at CN Worldwide Wellington Finale, CSI-5*. Photo © 2007 PhelpsSports.com.