WEF: Peter Lutz Opens CSIO 4* with a Win
USA’s Peter Lutz opened CSIO 4* competition during week eight of the 2017 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) with a win in the $5,000 Lugano Diamonds Welcome riding Cheri de Papignies at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL.
Ken Krome (USA) is the course designer for competition in the International Arena during week eight. Krome set the speed track for 57 starters in the day session of the $5,000 Lugano Diamonds Welcome class with 12 clear rounds. Halfway through the order, Peter Lutz and QBS Equestrian LLC’s Cheri de Papignies set the winning time of 63.02 seconds. Alberto Sanchez-Cozar (MEX) finished second riding his own Wupp to a time of 63.67 seconds. Isabel Roman-Karajan (AUT) guided Elia Roman’s Ratina 193 to third place in 64.62 seconds. Chloe Reid (USA) and Live Oak Plantation LLC’s Donald 550 rounded out the top four in 64.88 seconds.
Class winner Cheri de Papignies is a nine-year-old Belgian Sport horse gelding (Copin van de Broy x Darco) that Lutz and Michael Meller purchased together last fall through Belgium’s Francois Mathy.
“We are really very excited about him,” Lutz stated. “We took him to a few horse shows this fall at indoors. He went to Harrisburg, and then he came down here. He did his first grand prix here out on the derby field two weeks ago with one down. He has also been doing really well in these speed classes. This is his first FEI week with us, and we are so excited. We hope he will be our next grand prix horse.”
Remarking on his winning round, Lutz detailed, “He is a very talented horse. He is very scopey and very fast. He covers a lot of ground. He is a very big horse, so I do not think he appears quick, but he is actually pretty fast. I did eight strides from (jumps) one to two. That was quick, and that is where he can just cover the ground. I also did eight strides after the water. I just tried to stay neat everywhere, and I really galloped to the last jump.”
Cheri will jump again in Saturday’s $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m Classic, while Lutz has other top horses Robin de Ponthual and Retiro that will also share in the competition this week.
Lutz was proud to hear the U.S. anthem played and watch the flag be raised in honor of his win to open international competition this week.
“It is always special to win during CSIO week. It is a big week for the team, and I am so happy to help contribute whenever I can,” Lutz concluded.
A second session of the $5,000 Lugano Diamonds Welcome was also held in the evening under the lights, with a win for Laura Chapot (USA) riding her own and Mary Chapot’s Calafornia.
Also competing in the International Arena on Wednesday, the $6,000 Illustrated Properties 1.40m was held in a California Split, with a win for McLain Ward (USA) and Sagamore Farm’s Calvados in Section A, and Laura Chapot (USA) aboard Mary Chapot’s Shooting Star in Section B.
Results