From the time he was 11, Tony Stormanns (GER) would sit ringside at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and dream about competing in the International Arena. During ‘Saturday Night Lights’ of WEF 2, the 17-year-old made that dream come true in winning fashion in the $50,000 Palm Beach Equine Clinic Grand Prix riding Donjon d’Asschaut from the strongest national grand prix field ever seen at Wellington International. Highlighted by 12 weeks of consecutive FEI competition, WEF continues through March 30 in Wellington, FL.
“This means a lot to me because I've spent nearly every winter here since I was 11 years old,” said Stormanns after beating out the likes of reigning Olympic Champion Christian Kukuk, world no. 6 Mclain Ward (USA), and Olympic team gold medalist Harry Charles (GBR). “Now I’m here winning the classes I used to watch with my friends. It hasn’t quite set in yet, but it’s really special.
“It's awesome to have this crowd of spectators who are new to horses come and watch,” continued Stormanns of the packed house at Wellington International on Saturday night. “You have this every week and it's quite impressive and makes it a little more exciting.”
From an opening round rich with talent and set by course designer Ana Catalina “Catsy” Cruz Harris (MEX), 12 combinations jumped clear to advance to the all-deciding jump-off. With four to jump behind him, Stormanns gave it everything he had to stop the clock at 37.195 seconds.
“The course was very difficult. There were a lot of jumps in the first round that I had to take a lot of care of,” said the young rider who holds two gold medals from the FEI Junior European Championships. “In the jump-off, it was possible for me to keep getting quicker and quicker. I was a bit late on my decision to do six strides after the double because I heard the crowd and thought I had it down. Then I heard them scream ‘go!’, but otherwise I don't see where I could have done much better.”
Both Kukuk—winner of the 2024 Rolex Grand Prix at WEF—and Irish Olympian Bertram Allen took their best shots but couldn’t catch Stormanns. The Olympic champion raced Just Be Gentle over the final timers in 37.337 seconds to take runner-up. Allen piloted Qonquest de Rigo to third in 37.656 seconds.
Stormanns has had the ride on Donjon d’Asschaut, a 12-year-old Selle Français gelding (Vigo Cece x Nonstop) owned by HS Sportpferde GmbH, for only a year but has already set and accomplished big goals. “I jumped my first big classes on him; 1.50m, two-star grand prix and we’ve gotten to know each other very well. We won the [Junior] German Championships this fall and now we’re here.”
When asked about the horse’s character, Stormanns replied, “You could compare him to an old grandpa; he's very kind, very sweet, never takes anything personally and he'll always like you no matter what mistakes you make.”
Stormanns is helped on the ground by Ireland’s Michael Duffy and his mother and decorated international show jumping rider in her own right, Helena Stormanns.
“My plan over the first course was to stick to whatever mom said,” laughed Tony. “I stuck to the numbers and didn’t try to concentrate on the time. In the jump-off, [the pan] was to not rush jump number one, but make sure to rush everything else.”
Stormanns ended a banner day after also finishing second in the BrainJuice Under 25 Welcome earlier in the day. His goal for the season is to now win a U25 grand prix in Wellington.
Competition during WEF 2, presented by WeatherTech, concludes on the grass derby field on Sunday with the $31,020 BrainJuice U25 Grand Prix and the $140,000 WeatherTech CSI3* Grand Prix.
For complete results from the $50,000 Palm Beach Equine Clinic Grand Prix, click HERE.
Mark Dorfman and Can’t Touch This HS Capture Championship in LAURACEA Amateur Owner Hunters
Those watching Mark Dorfman in the ring aboard Can’t Touch This HS would never have guessed the Long Island, NY, native took a 40-year break from the sport. Recently paired with his 10-year-old Holsteiner stallion, Dorfman has committed himself back to riding and is already shooting to the top, taking championship honors Saturday during WEF 2, presented by WeatherTech, in the LAURACEA 3’6” Amateur-Owner Hunter 36+ division.
“He’s new to us; we got him in late August from California,” Dorfman, who now resides in Atlanta, GA, said of Can’t Touch This HS. “He's a wonderful horse; I love riding him. This is only my fourth time doing this division on him. I used to ride a lot as a junior but I took 40 years off so I’m back for about the last two years. It’s been a climb to get back here but it’s been fun.”
Training under Michael Britt-Leon, Dorfman was competing with his mare in the 3’3” Amateur-Owner division and was ready for the next step up. “We looked for a year and a half and we finally found [Can’t Touch This HS] in August,” he said of the search, which ultimately ended with Jason McArdle on the West Coast. “We looked long and hard for this horse. We wanted to find the right one. Looks like he’s it.”
Dorfman was thrilled that all the pieces came together during WEF 2, as he still feels like every day is a learning opportunity as he gets back into the sport he loves so much.
“I’m still learning him,” he said of the stage he’s in with Can’t Touch This HS. “He looks at everything; he puts his ears forward and sometimes can be a little spooky but he doesn't do anything. Today I was just feeling him out. My trainer rode him earlier in the week and got the spooks out so by this weekend he’s been great. I was trying to make it as smooth and comfortable as we could. I’m learning to ride him well.”
Dorfman’s junior years were spent with Ralph and Holly Caristo, learning the ropes of hunters, equitation, and jumpers, and even placing in the top 10 at Medal Finals in 1978 as a career highlight.
Taking a break for his education, his family, and a career as a small animal veterinarian, he was pulled back into the horse world recently and dove in with both feet.
“I love horses,” he continued about what brought him back. “They give me a lot of joy. I forgot how much I really enjoy it.”
As for being named champion in a highly competitive division early in the WEF season, Dorfman said “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I've been working hard and the ribbons and championships don’t mean too much to me, but when you get recognized and have good rounds I think that’s the important thing.
“[My goals are] to be the best I can on all my horses and to continue to have good rounds and get better,” he said. “That’s really it. This is what I want to do. And I’m older now so I don’t know how much longer I’ll be doing it but as long as I can I’m lucky and very blessed to be able to do this and have the means and the time.”
For complete results from the LAURACEA 3’6 Amateur-Owner Hunter” 36+ division, click HERE.
Mclain Ward and Princess Dalou H Crowned Winners in $32,000 Hermès CSI3* 1.50m Classic
In Saturday’s $32,000 Hermès CSI3* 1.50m Classic on the grass derby field it was six-time U.S. Olympian Mclain Ward (USA) who captured a win on a newer ride for him in Princess Dalou H, owned by Stella Wasserman. The pair put in a completely clear effort through both rounds of the winning round format, taking the top position by nearly four seconds in the jump-off.
“This is a horse owned by Stella Wasserman who she’s been riding as a green horse for the last couple seasons,” he said of the 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare’s (Vigo d'Arsouilles x Baloubet du Rouet) history. “She asked me to ride the mare in the fall and we started small and are building up.
“It’s always been a horse with tons of quality, a bit sensitive chestnut mare, which I’ve had success with,” Ward continued, recalling former mounts like Olympic mount Sapphire. “She’s really stepping up. This was her first 1.50m class and obviously on this field it’s always a big ask so we’re really thrilled with her.”
With 12 coming back for the jump-off on a clean slate and in reverse order of performance, Ward’s time put him going ahead of some of the faster riders in the class. He didn't let that stop him from putting in the fastest round he could.
“She has incredible quality and is an incredibly careful horse,” he continued about Princess Dalou H. “She has a funny trait in that when you go fast she gets more careful. At the end of the jump-off she started to back up a bit. With experience that will solve itself.”
Ward knows as well as anyone the caliber of rider in Wellington and that any rider making the top-12 cutoff Saturday could be a contender for the win.
“There were 12 in the jump-off so I knew it was going to be fast,” he said. “I had Richie [Vogel] and Jess [Mendoza] coming behind me, as well as Max [Wachman], all going to give it a try, so I knew I had to put a bit of pressure.”
With a win under his belt early on, he keeps looking ahead to the rest of the season with both new and seasoned partners, as well as a slate of clients with big goals for WEF.
“We have some veterans in Callas and Ilex who are seasoned, and First Lady also now is a veteran pro, so it’s wonderful to have those horses,” he said of his string. “Florida is a period where you have to perform at a high level but you're also trying out some new combinations to see what’s going to work not only for the rest of the year but for the future.”
Venezuela’s Luis Fernando Larrazabal finished second on Check Me Out and Peter Lutz (USA) took third riding Katriona.
In the BrainJuice U25 Welcome it was Zayna Rizvi (USA) who took the win with Kung Fu, owned by the Kung Fu Group. The $31,020 BrainJuice U25 Grand Prix will take place Sunday morning on the derby field.
