Monday, October 12, 2009

Apiro Stallion Joins Seabreeze




2000 16.3 h Bay Bavarian Warmblood

Breeder - Germany

The stallion Apiro (www.silvercreeksporthorses.com ) will join us in Wellington for the 2010 season. We are very excited about this outstanding stallion who will be competing in the Working Hunter Divisions with Nikko Ritter.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Farewell to a Legend



Graf Grande 1982-2009

He was an Olympic Silver Medalist in Barcelona and had a passport with more International show appearances than most people have been to. He taught everyone something! He was the best horse, a part of our family.

RIP Kates Bridge


Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Chronicle of the Horse Zone IV Prix des States Team



Zone 4 Grabs Gold For The Southeast by on location with Mollie Bailey

When the Zone 4 Prix des States rider packed their trunks to head to the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, they had one thing on their minds: gold. Last year the team put together a solid performance to earn a spot on the podium for the first time in recent memory, and this year they moved up a step, earning the Prix des States championship today, Oct. 10., and taking gold medals back to the Southeast...


...Chef d’Equipe Wendy Peralta credited the camaraderie among her charges and their exceptional training with keeping her job easy. “They’re extremely well-prepared and ready to go, and they come with a good attitude,” she said. “I just have to keep them organized.”

Nikko Ritter Star of Animal Planet’s Horse Power The Road to the Maclay


NIKKO RITTER, 17, is one of a handful of males to compete at the elite junior equitation level, and is one of the best junior riders in the country. At home in Florida, Nikko is the typical teenage boy, obsessed with food and video games. He attends a computer magnet school and plans to pursue computer science in college on the West Coast before he returns to Florida to run the family business, Seabreeze Farm. Nikko was born into a family of riders; in fact, his mother Wendy rode while she was pregnant with him! Nikko's mother and stepfather, Ezequiel, coach Nikko and make their living importing, training and selling horses from Argentina to their list of choice clients. Since horses are always being sold out from under him, Nikko never knows which horse he will be riding. For this year’s Maclay there are two contenders: a young horse from Argentina with a lot of heart called "Rocket Z," or "007" -- a horse that won the Maclay in 2002 -- on loan from a friend. Whichever horse he rides, Nikko’s 2-year-old sister, Catalina, and his older brother, Trevor, will be rooting for him.
http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/horsesense/horse_power/bios/nikko.html

Chronicle of the Horse Katherine Bakker and Carambo Z



Carambo Z Conquers The Young Jumper Championship
by Mollie Bailey

Amateur rider Katherine Bakker and Carambo Z beat a field of seasoned professionals in the $30,000 Split Rock Farm 6-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship Eastern League Finals.

When most amateur jumper riders go looking for a new show partner, they audition horses with plenty of miles in the ring. But not Katherine Bakker. When she bought Carambo Z as a 5-year-old jumper prospect, she knew she’d have her work cut out for her. But her decision paid off at the Hampton Classic, Aug. 24-31, when she and Carambo Z won the $30,000 Split Rock Farm 6-Year-Old Young Jumper Championship Eastern League Finals.

Bakker had to outride top grand prix riders like McLain Ward and Todd Minikus and their best up-and-comers to clinch the title.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking being an amateur up against such amazing professionals,” admitted Bakker, Winter Park, Fla. “Plus I’d never jumped big water on him, and I didn’t know if he’d spook at the water or the ditch, but he felt very confident.”

The 6-year-olds contested their final round on the Hampton Classic’s formidable grand prix field where some of the young horses appeared overwhelmed by the atmosphere, but the gray gelding galloped around like a veteran. Six horses jumped clear all week to jump off, and Carambo Z’s ground covering gallop helped him edge out last year’s top 5-year-old, Noël Love Gross’ Merlin and Jeffery Welles, who took second.

Bakker’s long-time trainers Wendy and Ezequiel Peralta acquired Carambo (Charming Z—Aramba Z, Akito Z) from Argentine breeders Ricardo and Marleen Kierkegaard. Though the Peraltas had bought plenty of horses from the Kierke-gaards in the past, they had additional first-hand knowledge about this pick, as Ezequiel rode the Zangersheide’s sire, Charming Z, and Wendy his grandsire, Akito Z.

2007 USEF Talent Search Finals East



Nikko Ritter wins the hotly contested U.S. Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East.

Elizabeth Lubrano and Valvert win Pessoa USEF Hunter Seat Medal


Blue ribbon honors went to Elizabeth Lubrano in the Pessoa USEF Hunter Seat Medal (Section A), and Moss finished in second. Third place went to Molly Forlines for her ride aboard Leo Z. In Section B, Carolyn Curcio earned second place with her mount Valvert, and McNerney earned third.

“Carolyn just bought Valvert, and this was their first show together,” explained Madden. “It was exciting for us because she doesn’t know the horse that well, and she really rode well in the USEF Medal.”

Nikko Ritter Wins Maclay Regional




Beacon Hill Show Stables’ Students Shine at Southeast Maclay Regionals Nikko Ritter Wins Regional and Qualifies for ASPCA Maclay National Championships Wellington, FL – September 18, 2006 – Beacon Hill Show Stables triumphed again this past weekend at the Southeast Maclay Regionals in Braselton, Georgia. Four of the talents who ride under the tutelage of Frank and Stacia Madden competed to qualify for the ASPCA Maclay National Championships. Nikko Ritter of Geneva, FL, rose to the occasion and rode for top honors. His blue ribbon win qualified him for the Championships at the Syracuse International Sporthorse Tournament in Syracuse, NY. “All in all, the Regionals did their job down there,” stated Frank Madden. “The top riders got through the competition well. The judges worked three groups on the flat and then had ten exhibitors test. The test included a trot jump, counter cantering another fence, and then performing a hand gallop. I think the test really sorted the group out and helped move Nikko into first.” This win marks Ritter’s fourth qualification in 2006 for the four major equitation finals held in the United States. He also secured spots in the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals, the USEF Pessoa/Hunt Seat Medal Finals, and the Tad Coffin Washington International Horse Show Equitation Finals. In addition, Ritter has skyrocketed up the Bates USA Equitation Computer Ranking List, which ranks riders according to results from all of the major equitation classes. He is currently ranked in second. On November 3, the top three riders on the list are awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals. Also in the running at Regionals were Sloane Coles, Catherine Pasmore, and Whitney Goulart. Coles came away with fourth place and is also qualified for the ASPCA Maclay National Championships. She is currently leading the Bates USA Equitation List. Pasmore finished in 18th after an unanticipated change of events. “Catherine got on to warm up for the Regionals, and her horse wasn’t quite right,” reported Madden. “Wendy Ritter, Nikko’s mom, was nice enough to let her ride one of his horses. Catherine had never ridden it before, but she got on and ended up having a beautiful trip. It was a really nice finish for her considering she rode an unfamiliar horse.” Whitney Goulart won a warm up class and will continue to work on qualifying for the finals. Stacia Madden revealed, “We have confidence that she has the ability to place in the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals or the USEF Pessoa/Hunt Seat Medal Finals and can also earn a spot to ride in the ASPCA Maclay Finals.” Frank Madden added, “If you finish in the top four in the USEF Talent Search or in the top ten in the Medal Finals, you can qualify for the ASPCA Maclay Finals.” Beacon Hill Show Stables is located in Colts Neck, NJ, and is owned and managed by head trainers Frank and Stacia Madden. They have trained several of the most promising junior equestrian and jumper riders in the United States. 2005, Brianne Goutal became the only rider to ever win all four major equation finals. Ritter and Coles have also received high ribbons in these prestigious equitation finals and have an excellent shot at winning these events in 2006. Additional Beacon Hill students who have qualified for the ASPCA Maclay National Championships include: Maria Schaub, Elizabeth Lubrano, Jessica Springsteen, Carolyn Curcio, Lindsay Mohr, and Jacqueline Lubrano. Beacon Hill Show Stables will compete next at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD. To learn more about Beacon Hill Show Stables, please visit their official website at www.beaconhillstables.com.

Royal Winter Fair

Soleil & Jenn Ferguson just finished competing at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, and was CHAMPION in the Adult Amateur 18-35 Division. She also ended up Zone Champion of Ontario in that same division. All of us here at Seabreeze wish you all the best in the future! CONGRATULATIONS!

Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East



A World Championship Format. These top four riders returned after the lunch break to jump another course on their own horses and then the same course on each of their competitors’ mounts. Based on the format used at the World Championships, the competition continues to test a unique variety of skills. The scores from the first three rounds are thrown out and all four riders start again on zero. Each rider rode solid, polished rounds on their own horses and then began handing the reins to each other. Amazingly, after the first two rotations, all four riders were tied on a score of 176. Eight more trips over a course thoughtfully designed by judges McLain Ward (who himself won the Talent Search Finals East in =2 0 1990) and Jimmy Torano left the judges with some difficult decisions. The four competitors didn’t make life easy for the judges. “Picking the winner today was very hard,” said Ward at the end of the afternoon. “All four of these riders could win on any given day. It’s a credit to them, the horses, their parents and their trainers.”Torano echoed the sentiment, “It was a privilege for us to judge these riders.” Ritter jumped three consistent rounds, scoring an 89 on his own horse and 87s on both Hettoile Platiere and Deneuve. He then all but sealed a victory for himself with a score of 92 on Phillips’ =2 0 Flight. His final score in the Ride-Off was 355, which gave him a comfortable lead, but he was the first rider in the rotation so he had to wait to ensure that his score held up. The other three riders got close but at the end of the competition, Ritter’s experience riding lots of horses on a daily basis paid off. The versatility of his technique was evident as he seamlessly turned in quality performances. “I spent the summer in Germany and they drilled on the flatwork,” said Ritter. “I’ve been at home since riding lots of different horses.” Ritter’s next step is to the grand prixs and he is looking forward to turning professional later this year. “This was always my favorite final,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to win it. You really have to be able to do it all, the flatwork and the gymnastics.”

USET Talent Finals East



Gladstone, N.J., October 7, 2007 -- I like a guy who kisses his horse. So when Nikko Ritter gave Clover Count a smooch after winning the U.S. Equestrian Federation Show Jumping Talent Search Finals East today, it put a big smile in my face. When Nikko talked about Clover Count, he lit up. The horse is owned by Linda Bakker, but Nikko has a long history with this Irishbred trooper. It all paid off on his fifth run at the Talent Search crown, one of the most hotly contested that I can remember. At the age of 11, Nikko started riding the big brown gelding, who has done everything from the jumpers and the hunters to the eq with a variety of people. "He's a great horse," said Nikko, who noted the gelding's riders have included Sloane Coles and Courtney McKay. Now Nikko is 19, and the horse is 20. Clover Count is headed for the low adult hunters; Nikko is headed for stardom in the grand prix ranks, he hopes, while he juggles riding and most likely, Rollins College. But first, there's just riding, as he takes a year off from school and turns professional. A summer spent in Germany honing his craft with Holger Hetzel improved him as a rider and a person, according to his mother and coach, Wendy Peralta.


article continues below. You remember Nikko--he was one of the stars of Animal Planet's "Horsepower" series. It made him a big fish in a small pond, something it can be hard for a teen to handle. "He had a lot of celebrity, but when he went to Germany, nobody knew who he was, nobody cared. He had to work really hard and sift what was important in his life through his brain," said his mother, who also gave credit for his victory to Stacia and Frank Madden and Beacon Hill. During his time abroad, Nikko became "a different person," she said. "It gave him a lot of clarity and he was able to see how hard it is to be in this business and he decided he wanted to give it a try and see how it goes. "Actually, Nikko wasn't sure he would attempt the Talent Search again (his previous best finish was fifth), but a last-minute decision paid off. "This was always my favorite final, I always wanted to win this," said Nikko, who is not going on to the other equitation finals because he has aged out. "I think this one shows you are able to ride. You have to do the gymnastics, you have to do the flat, you get on other people's horses and just do it." Although his efforts on the flat were improved by his time in Germany, Nikko finished tied for 14th in that phase, which was won by Kyle Wolf, who would wind up ninth overall when the ribbons were awarded. But after the flat phase, the tables were about to turn, and the gymnastics started Nikko's rise to the top. Jumper riders Jimmy Torano and McLain Ward served as the judges and set the gymnastics course, which was a lot different from the tricky set-ups I've seen in the past here at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation headquarters.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

George Morris Horse Mastership Training Session with Nikko Ritter





George Morris Horse Mastership Training Session January 22-26 in Wellington, FL invites our very own Nikko Ritter to participate! Read articles from Equisearch below to learn more about this exciting event.

Opening Remarks: January 21st

Day One: January 22nd

Day Two: January 23rd

Day Three: January 24th

Day Four: January 25

Day Five: January 26th