The talk of the weekend was for sure the $50,000 Wellington Eventing Showcase, the first time a three-star cross-country course has been run in the heart of South Florida’s dressage and show jumping mecca of Wellington. Boyd Martin took command in the dressage aboard Trading Aces and didn’t look back to take the big win. 

You can read the Chronicle’s comprehensive coverage of the event and see archives of all the videos of the event, including a great done fly-over course walk.

At the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla.

France’s Marie Hecart stole the show on Saturday night under the lights, riding her game little chestnut mare Myself de Breve to the top of the $372,000. “This day is really important to me,” Heacart said after the win. We’ve always been close, but we couldn’t win.” You can read all the Chronicle’s coverage of the class here. 

In the Thursday grand prix, Eric Lamaze continued his amazing streak of wins in the Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup series, making it four in a row with Fine Lady 5. “I’d love to take all the credit, but this is a great horse,” he said of Fine Lady 5. Read more about his streak. 

Then, in the $85,000 Suncast 1.50-meter classic on Sunday, McLain Ward rode HH Carlos Z to the blue. “He is a very fast little horse, and he is very careful,” Ward stated. “He was actually unlucky not to win the WEF [Challenge Cup] on Thursday. He jumped a hell of a round and had a bit of a cheap rail, which I could take responsibility for. In that jump-off, with that many fast riders, you knew it was all or nothing.”

At the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, Calif.

Will Simpson’s amazing winning streak was finally broken in the Sunday grand prix, the $50,000 Go Rentals Grand Prix, even though he had extended it to five grand prix classes in a row with a win aboard S.F. Ariantha (pictured) in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix on Friday. “I am in my zone, as they say. Everything is rolling along pretty good…I probably need to pinch myself a little,” Simpson said. 

But his zone ended on Sunday as Jaclyn Duff rode her Pater Noster to the top of the $50,000 grand prix ahead of Tiffany Sullivan on Zilox T and Josephina Nor Lantzman on Chello Z. 

At the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit in Ocala, Fla.

Callan Solem prevailed in a two-horse jump-off against perpetual threat Tracy Fenney on MTM Centano to win the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix. Solem, riding VDL Wizard, was the only double-clear performance. 

In the Thursday grand prix, Kaitlin Campbell guided her longtime partner Rocky W to the top of the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix. Campbell has been riding Rocky for nine years. “We actually bought him in Ocala in 2006 and this is our first time back. He obviously likes it here,” she said. She’s aiming for the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix in March at HITS Ocala with him. 

Amsterdam CSI-W and CDI-W

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro had their last show outing before they travel to Las Vegas in April to defend their Reem Acra FEI Dressage World Cup Final title and they were simply unbeatable. 

Dutch show jumper William Greve won the Sterrehof’s Opium Grand Prix of Amsterdam on the stallion Carambole in a 13-horse jump-off. 

Photos by: Lisa Slade/Chronicle of the Horse; Sportfot; ESI Photography