Wellington, FL – February 22, 2026 – The Winter Equestrian Festival, currently underway at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, FL, presented championship honors for the professional hunter divisions, which were held today on the Grand Hunter Field.
In the Regular Conformation Hunters, Popeye K and Tommy Serio continued their winning streak for yet another tricolor ribbon. Serio and his stallion have been champions of the Regular Conformation Hunter division every week so far at the Winter Equestrian Festival, and they continue to add blue ribbons to their curtain at Serio’s farm, Summerfield.
“I thought he jumped great in the field yesterday, but I thought he was a little strong,” admitted Serio about his mount. “He ended up third, and then he came right back in here and was great. He’s been really consistent. He’s just so careful all the time, and sometimes he’ll start to jump too high.”
“I thought the courses were very good this week,” he commented. “I thought they did a great job out on the grass field, and Philip DeVita sets in here [Grand Hunter Field]. To me, he always tests their scope, and I think that’s good for all of us. He sets them right up to where they should be and makes them wide and makes the lines loose, so, if you have a scopey horse, you’ll be fine. ”
Reserve champion of the Regular Conformation Hunters was presented to Good Life and Scott Stewart of Flemington, NJ.
Stewart returned for the Regular Working Hunters, sponsored by Farnam Companies, Inc., and took home the tricolor after his beautiful rides on Beyond. The reserve championship was awarded to Onassis, owned by Sarah Ward and ridden by Elizabeth Towell Boyd.
“Beyond was really good this week because he’s only shown out in the field a few times,” explained Stewart. “He has a tendency to over-jump too much, but he was really level this week and really went like a nice hunter. I’m definitely pleased with him.”
In the Green Conformation Hunters, sponsored by Equestrian Properties, Stewart came away with double tricolors after he rode to the championship aboard West Point, owned by Krista Weisman. He also won the reserve championship with Molly Ohrstrom’s horse Ovation.
Weisman, who trains with Stewart and received West Point as a birthday present two weeks ago, reported, “I do the Amateurs, so he’s going to be my Amateur-Owner horse eventually. He’s been so good that we haven’t decided when I’ll start showing him; I like to have Scott show my horses for a while before I do.”
“He’s perfect,” she added. “He likes to show, definitely. He’s a little spooky at home, but he’s really a good boy. He’s probably the most comfortable horse I’ve ever ridden. I’d been riding him at home for a while, and when he started to show at 3’6’’, my mom decided she wanted to get him for me.”
The Second Year Green Hunters also wrapped up today, and Indian Summer and Sandy Ferrell found themselves in the winner’s circle once again. Indian Summer is owned by Stephanie Riggio, and Ferrell only recently started showing the chestnut gelding.
“Indian Summer felt fantastic today,” smiled Ferrell. “He was unbelievable. He was ready to win. My history with this horse started two years ago, when I rode him during his First Year year. And he was Horse Of The Year in the First Years and was grand champion at Devon and Harrisburg. And then last year, he just did the Adult Amateurs, so he’s still eligible for the Second Years this year. I was just reunited this year, and this is only really our second week of showing together. He was fantastic, and it felt just like old times.”
Reserve champion in the Second Year Green Hunters was awarded to Louise Serio and Marshall, owned by Meralex Farm and Bryan Baldwin.
In the First Year Green Hunters, Ovation and Stewart captured the championship for section A, with Ferrell and Corofino Gold, owned by Olivia Fialkow, following with the reserve.
Tomorrow the Bainbridge Farm Florida Classic CSI-W World Championship Hunter Rider Spectacular, presented by the Palm Beach Post, will continue with Junior Hunters on the Grand Hunter Field and the Amateur-Owner Hunters and Adult Amateur Hunters in the Internationale Arena. In addition, championships will be presented to the Amateur-Owner and Adult Amateur Hunters.
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