WEF Week 11 Newsletter

WEF Photography Collective. Photo © Elegant Equus, LLC

Excitement is building as we head into Week 11 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF)—the final stop before the Rolex Finale Week. Week 11 is sponsored by KASK and BrainJava has generously sponsored the 2* competition. We expect exciting competition this week, including:

• Hunter Derbies at Equestrian Village
• WEF Equitation Championship, presented by Arion Sellier, on Thursday evening
• $150,000 Hermès CSI4* 1.50m Series Final during Saturday Night Lights
• The always-adorable Leadline Class and the $200,000 KASK CSI4* Grand Prix on Sunday

After a year of developing their partnership, Nayel Nassar (EGY) and Ivory TCS are making waves at WEF 2025. Fresh off their Bainbridge Companies CSI5* 1.50m win in WEF 5, the duo secured a major victory in the $62,500 Adequan^Ⓡ CSI4* WEF Challenge Cup Round 10 on Thursday. In the Grand Hunter, initially purchased for the jumper ring, Camillo VDL has found his true calling in the hunter divisions. Jean Sheptoff’s 18-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding claimed the High-Performance Hunter championship during Week 10 at Wellington International.

Young Horses Shine at WEF

The future of show jumping was on full display during Week 10, with top performances from young talent:

• $25,000 Lövsta Future Challenge 7-Year-Old Developing Jumper Final
• Michael Hughes (USA) & KMS Ali, owned by Sweet Oak Farm secured victory after just six weeks together.
• $15,000 North Star 6-Year-Old Developing Jumper Final
• Unstoppable, owned by Jessica Rosenfeld and ridden by Nora Nauss (USA), lived up to his name in his International Arena debut.
• $10,000 Manestream 5-Year-Old Developing Jumper Final
• Cormac Hanley (IRL) & Pavarotti van de Schutskooi—a rising star who only arrived in the U.S. this winter—claimed an impressive win.

Carlos Hank Guerreiro (MEX) topped a 14-horse jump-off to capture victory in the $215,000 Horseware Ireland CSI4* Grand Prix during Saturday Night Lights. Closing out the week on Sunday, McLain Ward (USA) & First Lady triumphed in the $62,500 Hermès CSI4* 1.50m Classic. In the $50,000 BrainJuice U25 Series Final Grand Prix, we celebrated Tim Brennan (IRL) aboard Diadema Della Caccia as they secured the win. A huge congratulations to Hallie Grimes (USA), who was crowned the overall 2025 BrainJuice U25 Grand Prix Series Champion.

 Important Events

• FEI Jog

Wednesday, March 19

• $6,000 BrainJava CSI2* 1.40m
• $1,000 Bainbridge Companies CSI4* 1.40m
• $6,000 Dodd Technologies CSI4* 1.45m

Thursday, March 20

• $32,000 Dodd Technologies CSI4* 1.50m
• $32,000 BrainJava CSI2* 1.45m Qualifier
• $10,000 USHJA Open National Hunter Derby presented by Ethel M. Chocolates at Equestrian Village
• $10,000 USHJA Jr/Am National Hunter Derby presented by Ethel M. Chocolates at Equestrian Village
• Thursday at 5 PM: WEF Equitation Championship presented by Arion Sellier
• Reminder: To reserve a table in the International Club, please email sholdsworth@wellingtoninternational.com

Friday, March 21

• $10,000 BrainJava CSI2* 1.40m
• $62,500 Adequan^Ⓡ CSI4* WEF Challenge Cup, round 11
• $1,500 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby
• $15,000 International Hunter Derby presented by Marshall & Sterling/Great American Insurance at Equestrian Village

Saturday, March 22

• $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Perfect Products at Equestrian Village
• SJHOF 1.45m Amateur Jumper Classic 44 & Under sponsored by Lugano
• SJHOF 1.45m Amateur Jumper Classic 45 & Over sponsored by Griffis Residential
• $62,500 BrainJava CSI2* 1.45m Grand Prix
• Saturday Night Lights: $150,000 Hermès CSI4* 1.50m Series Final Grand Prix starts at 7:30 PM, doors open at 6 PM

Sunday, March 23

• SJHOF Junior Jumper Classic sponsored by Karlswood
• Leadline & Parade of Champions
• $200,000 KASK CSI4* Grand Prix

Choose from the ultra-luxurious NetJets Landing, the lively and energetic Gallery, or the Blue Ribbon Club, where you’re right in the heart of the action. Don’t miss out on these unforgettable experiences!

Watch Episode 10 of the WEF Weekly Show

 Catch Up on Last Week’s Competition