Browse > Home / Hunters & Jumpers, USA, WEF / Competing in US for First Time, Chile’s Bernardo Naveillan & Aquino Capture $75,000 Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix at FTI WEF




Competing in US for First Time, Chile’s Bernardo Naveillan & Aquino Capture $75,000 Bainbridge Companies Grand Prix at FTI WEF

February 1, 2026

WELLINGTON, Fla., Feb. 1-Competing in the U.S. for the first time, Chile’s Bernardo Naveillan and Aquino captured the $75,000 Bainbridge Compabies CSI 2* Grand Prix at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival on Super Bowl Sunday.

Of the original 44 competitors from 10 nations, 10 moved on to the jump off. Seven navigated the short course fault free but it all came down to speed. Bernardo, 39, who is self-taught and has based himself in Argentina for the past decade, proved to be the fastest.

In one of the biggest wins of his career, he posted a time of 40.10 secs. aboard Aquino, owned by himself in partnership with his brother. That was 2.01 secs. faster than second place finisher Norman Dello Joio of Wellington and his ride Malcom, owned by the Federman family, Ellie Belknap & Judy Richter.

“The horse was prepared to win today,” Bernardo said, “I was only concerned with the combination in the jump off.”

The combination also was a concern for Dello Joio.

“I didn’t realize they had put the combination down and could have taken more of a risk there, but I thought I was fast enough and people would have to go to catch me,” he said of his jump-off round.

Bernardo, saying, “I come to win, I always try to win,” went for it and came out on top to take the top purse of $22,500.

Bernardo attributes much of his success to his work ethic.

“I have been a big perfectionist all my life in this sport,” he said.

Bernardo has had multiple wins already this winter in the 1.40-meter and 1.45-meter. After WEF, he said he plans to continue to travel and compete internationally.

Pl Horse Rider NAT Prize
1. Aquino Bernardo Naveillan CHI $22,5000
2. Malcom Norman Dello Joio USA $16,500
3. Campino 103 Peter Wylde USA $9,750
4. Naomi 152 Lauren Hough USA $6,000
5. Vancouver D’Auvery Danielle Torano USA $4,500
6. Phelox Jorge Zamudio ARG $3,750
7. Southern Pride Karen Cudmore CAN $3,000
8. Teleine John Perez MEX $2,250
9. Aslan Ljubov Kochetova RUS $2,250
10. SRF Dragonfly Nicole Simpson USA $1,500

Written by Equestrian Sports Promotions · Filed Under Hunters & Jumpers, USA, WEF 
Tagged:

Comments

Got something to say?

You must be logged in to post a comment.