Nick Haness and Styled Top Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” Green Hunter Division
Wellington, Fla. – February 12, 2026—A champion ribbon for Nick Haness of Temecula, CA, and Styled highlighted Thursday of World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Week during the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). In a California split Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” Green Hunter division, Haness and Styled were joined by Scott Stewart of Wellington, FL, and Cadet to accept division tricolors.
Nick Haness & Styled. Photo ©Sportfot
Scott Stewart & Cadet. Photo ©Sportfot
WCHR Week at Wellington International comes to a peak during Saturday Night Lights for the $150,000 Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular in the International Arena.
Styled, a 10-year-old gelding by Dutch Capitol, was first and second over fences to take the Section B top honor. Stewart and Cadet, a 7-year-old Untouchable gelding owned by Stephanie Danhakl, were champions of Section A with scores over fences of 88, 87.5 and 85.
Less than a year ago, Styled—owned by junior rider Caroline Freeman—made his debut in the show ring with Nick Haness and has been climbing the ladder ever since, proving that the hunter ring is where he belongs.
“We always knew that bigger was better for this horse, and now he’s a first-year horse doing the 3’6” greens,” said Haness, who posted the high score of the day with a 91 on Styled. The duo was also champion of the 3’6” Green Hunter division while gaining momentum for WCHR Week during WEF 5.
Nick Haness & Styled. Photo ©Sportfot
“It was really foggy this morning, so I was nervous to take him in [the International Arena] for the first time,” Haness explained. “It was a new atmosphere, and it’s a lot of atmosphere on a normal day, but he went in and nailed the first class. It’s fun to showcase a horse like that in a lot of galloping lines, long bending lines, beautiful jumps—that’s his forte and mine.”
Daley, as the gelding is known around the barn, was originally destined to be Freeman’s equitation mount, and got the nickname after Haness met Olympic champion platform diver Tom Daley while in Europe trying Styled. Several months later, Haness admits that the hunter ring is where Styled is destined to stay for now. “He was a little green still last year, but the quality was so visible—we really saw a shining star popping through.
“He’s here campaigning with me, and we may transition her onto him in the junior hunters at some point because he’s going to be an amazing junior mount for her,” said Haness, owner of the California-based Hunterbrook Farms. “The 3’6” green year is such an important year for horses, and it’s a showcased division to be the champion in, so we’re grateful and pleased that he’s going so well.”
Reserve Champion honors in the Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” Green Hunter division were awarded to Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI, and Prospero, owned by Stephanie Bulger, and Stewart, this time riding Basano, owned by Rivers Edge.
For complete results from the Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’6” Green Hunter division, click HERE.
Geoffrey Hesslink and Paisley Park Pocket 3’6″ Performance Hunter Championship
Geoffrey Hesslink of Shelbourne, VT, and Paisley Park swept opening day of the 3’6” Performance Hunter division with scores of 87 and 92 to take champion in the California-split division on Thursday of World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Week during the 2026 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).
Geoffrey Hesslink & Paisley Park. Photo ©Sportfot
Sharing the top tricolor over two sections, Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL, also accepted champion honors riding 11-year-old Diarado’s Boy son Dicoblue PS, owned by John & Stephanie Ingram. They won twice and finished second over fences with the high score of the division on a 95.
Victoria Colvin & Dicoblue PS. Photo ©Sportfot
“We shape our whole show plan specifically around this week,” said Hesslink, who is now focused on Saturday night’s $150,000 Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular with Paisley Park. “I’ve been building my horses up to peak this week—we don’t get that many rounds in a setting like this, so it’s really amazing and a great experience to get out there.”
Of Wednesday’s winning rounds with his 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Tracy Treace, Hesslink said, “He was amazing—he always thrives in the handy round, and it was pretty technical, but he rose to the occasion and was rewarded for it with a 92.
“The round today did not go as planned,” admitted Hesslink. “He’s a tried and true horse of mine that I’ve had for a number of years, so I was a little caught off guard with his rambunctiousness out there, but I still trust him a hundred percent.”
Geoffrey Hesslink & Paisley Park. Photo ©Sportfot
Victoria Colvin & Dicoblue PS. Photo ©Sportfot
Hesslink has had his eye on the gelding since his four-year-old year and messaged the previous rider, Quincy Hayes, on Facebook to secure the ride.
“Fast forward to now, I’ve bought him twice now in his career; once for a client who owned him for several years, then I bought him back when that client moved on. He will always hold a special place in my heart and is a horse I can count on all the time.”
Reserve champion honors in the California-split 3’6” Performance Hunter division went to Laena Romond of Brookfield, CT, and Forsini, owned by Lexi Maounis, and Liza Towell Boyd of Camden, SC, riding Bugatti, owned by Liddy Strickland.
For complete results from the 3’6” Performance Hunter division, click HERE.
WCHR Thursday Champions
Click HERE for complete WCHR division results.
Conformation Hunter – Green
Sicario & Brady Mitchell
Brady Mitchell & Sicario. Photo ©Sportfot
Wellington Regional Medical Center High Performance Conformation Hunter
Cannon Beach & Michael Britt-Leon
Michael Britt-Leon & Cannon Beach. Photo ©Sportfot
3’3” ESP Hunter
Roundabout & Samantha Kraus
Samantha Kraus & Roundabout. Photo ©Sportfot
Almased 3′ Green Hunter
Luna & Victoria Colvin
Victoria Colvin & Luna. Photo ©Sportfot
Antarés Sellier France 3’3″ Green Hunter
Chaka & Geoffrey Hesslink
Geoffrey Hesslink & Chaka. Photo ©Sportfot
Equine Tack & Nutritionals 3’9” Green Hunter
Cannon Beach & Michael Britt-Leon
Michael Britt-Leon & Cannon Beach. Photo ©Sportfot
High Performance Hunter
Chappy & Greg Crolick
Greg Crolick & Chappy. Photo ©Sportfot
FarmVet 3’3″ Performance Hunter
Coconut Grove & Geoffrey Hesslink
Coltrane & Victoria Colvin
Geoffrey Hesslink & Coconut Grove. Photo ©Sportfot
Victoria Colvin & Coltrane. Photo ©Sportfot
