Press release from Equestrian Sport Productions

As FEI competition opened for the Marshall & Sterling/Great American Insurance Group CSI4* week at the 2021 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann rode Glamour Girl, owned by Portfolio Horses, LLC, to victory in the $6,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.45m Jumpers CSI4* on the Derby Field at Equestrian Village on Thursday, February 4.

Highlighting an exciting Friday still to come is the $50,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Round 4 on the grass Derby Field at Equestrian Village, the $25,000 Hermès U25 Grand Prix Series Team Event in the Global Stadium Arena, and in the International Arena at PBIEC is the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Hunt & Go at 1 p.m.

Coming up on Saturday is the $37,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Classic on the Derby Field followed by the Great Charity Challenge, presented by Fidelity Investments® taking place in the International Arena on Saturday night. The week wraps up with the $50,000 Palm Beach Equine Clinic 1.45m Grand Prix CSI2* followed by the $214,000 Marshall & Sterling/Great American Insurance Group Grand Prix CSI4*, both set to go on the Derby Field. All feature classes will be available to watch for free on the livestream.

In the second class of the day, Henrik von Eckermann and Glamour Girl posted the fastest time for the win. A field of 32 horse and rider combinations set out over the course designed by Anderson Lima (BRA) consisting of nine efforts in the first phase and five obstacles in the second phase. Von Eckermann piloted the talented 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Vdl Zirocco Blue x Moonlight II, to a double-clear effort in 26.56 seconds.

It was a lovely welcome for the Swedish rider who is competing at WEF for the first time in his career, cruising to the win with nearly two seconds to spare over the second place finisher.

Fresh off his first round on the Derby Field, the World Equestrian Games team silver medalist had only good things to say about his debut in Wellington, Florida. “It’s a fantastic arena to ride in,” said von Eckermann. “It was a nice class for my horse to start with and it’s my first time here. The facilities are fantastic; it was really nice."

“The course was very straight, and my horse has a really big stride, so I don’t need to chase her and she’s still fast,” he continued. “I can just leave her running and she’s quick anyway. She’s a bit funny, a bit of a special one, but she’s very careful and competitive. I like the quirky mares. When you have them on your side, I think they give you a little bit more than the geldings or the stallions.”

Von Eckermann brought three horses with him from Europe to compete with for the duration of the winter circuit. “I’ll start with this weekend in the CSI4*,” he said. “Then I’ll do the CSI5* next week and hopefully I win something more.”

Three different nationalities were represented in podium position as Ireland’s Jordan Coyle finished as runner up aboard Picador, owned by Elan Farm, stopping the clock in 28.36 seconds. Rounding out the top three was Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Lazy for Stephex Stables and Aurora Farms, LLC in 28.53 seconds.

Later in the day, Adam Prudent (USA) and Baloutinue took home the title in the $1,000 CSI4* Bainbridge Companies 1.40m Jumpers.

1. GLAMOUR GIRL: 2011 KWPN mare by Vdl Zirocco Blue x Moonlight II
HENRIK VON ECKERMANN (SWE), Portfolio Horses, LLC: 0/0/26.56

2. PICADOR: 2007 AES gelding by Lupicor x Concorde
JORDAN COYLE (IRL), Elan Farm: 0/0/28.36

3. LAZY: 2011 BWP mare by Hickstead II x Teulada
ASHLEE BOND (ISR), Stephex Stables and Aurora Farms LLC: 0/0/28.53

4. CLASSIC PENNY: 2012 NWB mare by Clapton x Brokers Plastic City
ERYNN BALLARD (CAN), Ilan Ferder: 0/0/29.04

5. CADANS Z: 2009 Zangersheide mare by Carosso VDL x Navarone
ADRIENNE STERNLICHT (USA), Starlight Farms 1, LLC: 0/0/29/10

6. COLLIN: 2007 KWPN gelding by Colandro x Amethist
LUIZ FRANCISCO DE AZEVEDO (BRA), Santa Cecilia Stables: 0/0/29.60

7. HILFIGER VAN DE OLMENHOEVE: 2007 Belgian Warmblood gelding by Dulf van den Bisschop x Querlybet Hero
EMILY MOFFITT (GBR), Poden Farms: 0/0/30.57

8. CHUCK 27: 2007 Hanoverian gelding by Cassus 2 x Ravenna
HILARY MCNERNEY (USA), Hilary McNerney: 0/0/31.23

9. JAKARTA: 2009 BWP mare by Cicero Z Van Paemel x Dagana R
LAURA KRAUT (USA), St. Bride’s Farm: 0/0/31.79

10. SHADOWFAX 111: 2012 BWP stallion by Der Senaat III x VOLIVA
ADRIENNE STERNLICHT (USA), Starlight Farms 1, LLC: 0/0/31.85

11. BARDOLINA 2: 2009 Holsteiner mare by Clarimo x Landos
MARIO DESLAURIERS (CAN), Wishing Well Farm, LLC: 0/0/32.11

12. FLAIRVONA: 2010 KWPN mare by Air Jordan Z x Vivona
SPENCER SMITH (USA), The 500 Hats, LLC: 0/0/33.09