Wellington, Fla. – January 17, 2026—Under the bright beams of Saturday Night Lights at Wellington International, Lillie Keenan and Highway TN made a stunning debut by winning the $50,000 Palm Beach Equine Clinic Grand Prix during Week 2 at the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Hosting 12 weeks of international competition, WEF runs through March 29 in Wellington, FL.
Lillie Keenan & Highway TN are presented as winners of the $50,000 Palm Beach Equine Clinic Grand Prix by the veterinarians of PBEC. Photo ©Sportfot
USA’s Keenan took over the ride on Highway TN, owned by Team Nijhof, for the 2026 competition season and lived up to expectations during their first grand prix outing.
“I’m incredibly blessed that I got this opportunity,” said Keenan of her recent lease of the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion (Eldorado Vd Zeshoek TN xChellano Z), previously ridden by Dutch Olympian Willem Greve (NED). “The relationship that he and Willem have—I can’t replicate that—but he educated the horse so beautifully. I know there’s nothing I’ll do that he hasn’t already done. Tonight, I wanted to get to know him and start to develop our own partnership.”
Lillie Keenan & Highway TN. Photo ©Sportfot
With Greve, Highway TN won the Rolex Grand Prix at the 2024 Dutch Masters and competed at the 2025 FEI World Cup™ Final in Basel, Switzerland.
“I’ve always admired the horse’s ferocity,” said Keenan after years of watching the stallion compete. “He’s very different than my other horses, and I think he’s going to make me a better rider. When the potential opportunity presented itself to have the ride, it was a no-brainer.”
Watch The Winning Round
Keenan topped Saturday night’s podium with a quick time of 36.676 seconds across course designer Catsy Cruz’s (MEX) challenging track. Jaun Manuel Gallego (ESP) aboard Chuflay—an 11-year-old Westphalian gelding by Cornet Obolensky—took second with 39.587 seconds on the clock for owner Loero Horse Sales. Rounding out the podium, Mckayla Langmeier and Riesling van de Gaathoeve, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion owned by Rafferty Farm, placed third with 40.373 seconds.
Juan Manuel Gallego & Chuflay. Photo ©Sportfot
Mckayla Langmeier & Riesling van de Gaathoeve. Photo ©Sportfot
After placing top five in Thursday’s qualifier—their first-ever competition together—Keenan made the decision to tackle her and Highway TN’s first grand prix. “It was bold to go straight into a grand prix, but the horse knows his job,” she said. “If I’m any kind of professional, I should be able to do it, and we pulled it off.”
Keenan, who has further deepened her string ahead of bids for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen and LA 2028, concluded by saying, “Team Nijhof has placed huge trust in me. In a career, you only get so many opportunities with horses that truly love their job, and I can tell just by this horse’s expression that he really loves his job. I’m making the most of the moment.”
Saturday was Family Night at Wellington International, and a special presentation honored the Caristo Family with The Family Legacy Award, a new award at WEF. Ralph and Holly Caristo, along with their daughter Heather and her husband Jesse Williams, accepted the award.
Left to right: Jesse Williams, Heather Caristo-Williams, Holly Caristo, Ralph Caristo and Wellington Intentional CEO Murray Kessler. Photo © Sportfot
For full results of the $50,000 Palm Beach Equine Clinic Grand Prix, click HERE.
Luis Fernando Larrazabal Triumphant Once Again in Hermès 1.50m Classic
Luis Fernando Larrazabal of Venezuela claimed his third major victory of the week in the $32,000 Hermès 1.50m Classic aboard Ribery on the grass derby field during Week 2 of the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).
Luis Fernando Larrazabal & Ribery. Photo ©Sportfot
On Friday, Larrazabal took the win in the $32,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 with his 11-year-old Westphalian mount, Baroness, and Saturday prevailed once again by topping the podium with Sabrina Lefebvre’s Ribery, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Aganix du Seigneur.
“I can see that my horses are jumping their best, so I’m very excited and enjoying this moment because it doesn’t last forever,” said Larrazabal of his back-to-back wins.
Less than a second separated Larrazabal at 38.65 seconds and Ireland’s Bertram Allen on a time of 39.43 seconds aboard Zero K, a 12-year-old Danish Warmblood mare owned by Oakland Training & Sales.
British Olympic champion Ben Maher rounded out the podium with Ginger-Blue, a 15-year-old mare owned by Jane Forbes Clark, in a speedy 40.11 seconds.
Of the 12 riders to come back for the tiebreaker, Larrazabal was one of the last three to test the track designed by Olaf Petersen Jr. “It helps going at the end because you can watch,” Larrazabal stated. “There was a tricky line after the double, and there was a 10 or a leave out for nine. If I were at the beginning, maybe I would’ve done the 10, but after watching Ben do the nine before me, I decided to give it a go.”
Luis Fernando Larrazabal & Ribery are presented as winners of the $32,000 Hermès 1.50m Classic by Leah Rogers Meierfeld, CDRM Senior Manager Equestrian. Photo ©Sportfot
Larrazabal’s plan with Ribery throughout the season is to stay grounded and not push their limits. “She’s only nine, and she has all the top qualities, so I really don’t want to get ahead of myself,” he said.
Cheering from the sidelines, his family and team remain key components of the Venezuelan Olympian’s continued success. “I feel very grateful to have all these people here supporting me—my family, my parents, my uncle, and my friends. From day one, Sabrina and Stefan [owners of Ribery] have supported me and this mare, so it’s nice to give them a treat by taking the class.”
For full results of the $32,000 Hermes 1.50m Classic, click HERE.
Earlier in the day on the derby field, Lucas Mejia Fanjul took the win in the BrainJuice U25 Welcome atop Camillo Du Perchet, a 13-year-old Swiss-bred gelding.
Lucas Mejia Fanjul & Camillo du Perchet. Photo ©Sportfot
Lucas Mejia Fanjul & Camillo du Perchet are presented as winners of the BrainJuice U25 Welcome by BrainJuice CEO & CMO, Lisa Ellis. Photo © Sportfot
For full results of the $5,000 BrainJuice U25 Welcome, click HERE.
John Ingram and Cheers! Make an Exciting Start to 2026
The E.R. Mische Grand Hunter ring championed the Stefano Ricci 3’3” Amateur-Owner Hunter 36 & Over, on Saturday afternoon during Week 2 of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Champion honors were awarded to John Ingram of Nashville, TN, and Cheers!, owned by John & Stephanie Ingram. The duo topped the charts after winning the under saddle and earning a blue and red rosette over fences, with scores as high as 87.
“This is a newer horse for us and actually a horse that’s for my daughter, Martha,” said Ingram of the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “He came from a client of Victoria Colvin’s who decided to move into the jumper arena, and we’re lucky we got him.”
John Ingram & Cheers!, champions of the Stefano Ricci 3’3” Amateur-Owner Hunter 36 & Over. Photo ©Sportfot
Ingram’s daughter, Martha, who is an amateur rider in the 18-35 divisions, will continue the season on Cheers! in the 3’3 Amateur Owner Hunters.
“Martha headed off to a USEF forum, so I was lucky to get to ride him this week,” said Ingram of the catch ride. “I jumped him for the first time on Friday, and I could immediately tell he was a sweet and brave horse. He dealt with the crazy cold weather we had this week here like a champ.”
As for Ingram himself, he has quite the string of hunters lined up for the season, namely his longtime mounts Odette and Dicoblue PS, which he plans to continue in the Amateur Owner classes.
Reserve champion was awarded to Rindy Dominguez of Barrington, RI, and Chilled.
For full results of the Stefano Ricci 3’3” Amateur-Owner Hunter 36 & Over division, click HERE.
