Patricia Griffith opened World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Week at the 2025 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) with a champion tricolor in Section A of the Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” Green Hunter division on Thursday. An impressive hunter lineup took to the International Arena at Wellington International in hopes to qualify for Saturday night’s $150,000 Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular, a highlight of the week dubbed “Hunter Week” at WEF.
Griffith put in the work to add Divine Romance, owned by Hallowell Lane Farm, to her string of horses, but her efforts have paid in spades.
“I was sent the video of this horse in Europe from Meredith-Michaels Beerbaum,” Griffith explained of the first time she laid eyes on Divine Romance, an 8-year-old Oldenburg mare by Casallco. “Kate Conover was supposed to go ride her for us but she had gotten sold to the Beerbaums right away and I followed her from the second she got sold to Nick [Haness]. I stalked him a little, and when she was finally for sale, we bought her.”
The duo won the handy round on Thursday with a score of 90, which matched another blue-ribbon score of 90 from Wednesday. Griffith was thrilled with the horse’s performance and felt the mare peaked this week, just in time for hunters to take up the spotlight in the main stadium at Wellington International.
“She’s a big horse so last year we decided with her owner Callie Seaman—a very good amateur rider—that we’d give her more time to develop,” Griffith continued. “Last year, she did a lot of the work with the horse in the amateurs and I did a little 3’3” performance hunters, and it was worth the wait. The horse has come into her own and is a spectacular mover and jumper. We’re very excited about the future for her.”
As for how she handled the atmosphere of the International Arena, Griffith characterized it as effortless, which allowed the young horse to show off and impress the judges.
“She has that beautiful big canter and that big slow jump,” Griffith—trainer at Heritage Farm based in Katonah, NY—remarked on what makes her so impressive to watch. “She’s careful by nature so we weren’t sure how she’d do walking onto this stage. We’ve been slowly getting her ready for this at home and she has gotten really good; she can do all the equitation courses. When she’s in there by herself sometimes she over-tries but she was awesome here this week and really showed up.”
At just eight, this is still the beginning for Divine Romance. Griffith and Seaman plan out the horse’s schedule very attentively in order to not put too much pressure on, and so far that strategy is working in their favor.
“I don’t show her a lot because she also does the amateurs, so we try to pinpoint the weeks and I’m just happy the plan worked out,” Griffith said. “I only showed her three times before this week. We’re looking forward to more championships for her.
“I’m trying to remember the last time I was champion in the first-years here; this might be my first time,” she continued. “I’ve done the [Spectacular] many times and she’s going to give it a go. She’s a green horse so anything can happen, but it’s exciting because we know this week is all the best doing their best. It’s exciting to feel like we accomplished that.”
Champion of Section B in the Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” Green Hunter division was Geoffrey Hesslink of Wellington, FL, and Sandori, owned by Meridian Farm. Reserve champion honors in Section A went to Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL, and Southern Night, owned by SG Equestrian. Section B reserve champion was Scott Stewart of Flemington, NJ, with Charlie Be Good Z, owned by Gochman Sport Horses.
Nick Haness and Queen Celeste Reign in 3’6” Performance Hunters
Back on the East Coast for WCHR Week at Wellington International, Nick Haness of Temecula, CA, topped the 3’6” Performance Hunter division on Thursday, taking championship honors with a longtime mount, Queen Celeste. Haness is looking to defend his title in the $150,000 Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular after winning during ‘Saturday Night Lights’ in 2024.
“There's not much to say other than ‘wow’ about this mare,” he said of the 14-year-old Holsteiner mare by Cassini I. “She is so smart and knows when it's time to shine. She knew that this was a week with pressure and excitement and she really rose to the top.”
With winning scores of 92 and 93, plus a win in the under saddle, the mare owned by Glade Run Farm, stood out in a very impressive crowd.
“Good horses are just exceptional and hard to find, especially when they have the will and the desire to win like she does,” Haness continued about why Queen Celeste excels year after year. “I don't think anything changed in our preparation or the way we went with Queen Celeste this week. I didn't really ask much of her last week knowing that this was going to be our week to shine. It comes down to the fact that she is just a smart horse.”
As the winner of last year’s WCHR Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular, Haness always brings forth top talent across divisions and is already pre-qualified for this year’s featured evening under the lights.
Of Queen Celeste’s history, Haness noted, “She was champion last year in this division, so it's nice to have her be consistent and feeling in tip-top condition thanks to her caretakers and trainers and everyone behind the scenes.”
One of the people behind the scenes on Thursday was Queen Celeste’s owner, Laura Karet, who celebrated the championship and looks forward to more wins to come.
“Laura Karet is the sweetest ever and a great owner for our sport,” Haness said. “To be a part of her collection of riders and teammates, I'm thrilled. Laura is always a joy to be around and I think she's really proud of owning so many nice horses and watching them compete and be successful. She loves her horses so much; they are definitely part of her family.”
As Saturday night draws closer, Haness and his team will evaluate the top horses in his string for the occasion of the Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular.
“This is a unique week for me because I have two [qualifications],” he added. “I didn't have to qualify but being champion adds to the week's overall feeling. I think that we wanted to see how Queen Celeste was going this week and being that she was on top of her game, I believe that she's one of the contenders I will use for Saturday night.”
Section B championship honors in the 3’6” Performance Hunter division went to Atlas, piloted by Christopher Payne of Cincinnati, OH, and owned by Stephanie Ring. Reserve champion of Section A was Paisley Park, ridden by Geoffrey Hesslink and owned by Andesite Equestrian. Section B reserve champion was Colter, with Scott Stewart aboard and owned by Sophie Gochman.
WCHR Thursday Champions
Conformation Hunter - Green
FIDELIO & SCOTT STEWART
Wellington Regional Medical Conformation Hunter - High Performance
CALIFORNIA LOVE & SCOTT STEWART
ESP Open Hunter 3'3"
THESE DAYS & JIMMY TORANO
Almased Green Hunter 3'
ELTON & JENNIFER RITUCCI
Antarés Green Hunter 3'3"
CARTER & BRADY MITCHELL
Green Hunter 3'9"
BALOU'S BEAU & SCOTT STEWART
High Performance Hunter
DAMAS DE TANNERRE & EMILY WILLIAMS
FarmVet Performance Hunter 3'3"
TRADEMARK & GEOFFREY HESSLINK
CORSAIRE & GEOFFREY HESSLINK
AVENTUS & GEOFFREY HESSLINK
Young Hunter 5 & Under
TINTIN & GREG CROLICK
Young Hunter 6 & Under
LA DOLCE VITA & DENIS SWEENEY
Young Hunter 7 & Under
SVF CHARLES & MARIA RASMUSSEN
