Canterbury Farm Starts 2017 Season at Florida’s Winter Equestrian Festival

Professional rider and trainer Caitlyn Shiels and amateur equestrian Michelle Durpetti will represent Canterbury Farm in Wellington, FL, this month to kick off the 2017 season competing at the world-renowned Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). With five horses in Wellington for the start of the 12-week WEF circuit, which began Wednesday, January 11, Shiels and Durpetti look forward to a great beginning to their season.

Based in Hampshire, IL, Canterbury Farm is led by head trainer Greg Franklin, along with trainer and rider Caitlyn Shiels. The full-service hunter/jumper show facility offers a family-oriented atmosphere, in addition to a world-class training program for horses and riders of all levels.

The horses and riders of Canterbury Farm are fresh from a break after concluding the 2016 show season in December. In 2016, the team found an excellent rhythm and made natural progression in all facets of their program.

As they start 2017 at WEF, Shiels and Durpetti will put their program to the test by showing against some of the best horse and rider combinations in the nation. Shiels will show her hunter Cassius and her jumper Cavalier II, while Durpetti will compete her hunter Lucca and her jumper Serafina. Durpetti’s gelding Kenya also made the trip to Wellington to start his season in the hunter ring.

Remarking on the coming season, Shiels stated, “I think this year will be fun because we have a lot of variety. Last year we saw great growth for Canterbury Farm and great development for the whole team. We have a wonderful group of horses and riders this year, and Greg and I look forward to watching them continue to progress. Starting the season in Wellington will give Michelle and I the opportunity to push ourselves to the next level and gain new experience competing in a different venue. We are excited for the season to come and we are optimistic that this year will continue the excellent growth of Canterbury Farm.”

Join Canterbury Farm in Celebrating a Fantastic 2016 Season…And Looking Ahead to the New Year!

Cassius
Cassius, an eight-year-old Warmblood gelding, was a brand new ride for Shiels at the start of the 2016 show season. The horse was owned by Florida-based trainer Don Stewart and sent to Shiels as a sales project. What followed was the formation of an impressive partnership that excelled throughout the season. The horse moved up from the Pre-Green Hunters to quickly step into hunter derby competition and looks to be a promising derby contender for the future. Shiels looks forward to continuing this partnership in 2017 and has her sights set on qualifying for the USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals.

Cassius’ 2016 Results:
1st Second Year Green Working Hunter Handy – Great Lakes Equestrian Festival II
Champion – Second Year Green Working Hunter – Great Lakes Equestrian Festival IV
1st $5,000 UHSJA National Hunter Derby – Equifest III
Reserve Champion – High Pre-Green Hunters – Maffitt Lake Spring Gathering I
Reserve Champion – Green Working Hunter – Equifest III
2nd $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Great Lakes Equestrian Festival III
4th $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Kentucky National
5th $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby - Maffitt Lake Spring Gathering II
8th - $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby - Equifest II
12th  $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby – Great Lakes Equestrian Festival IV

Cavalier II
Cavalier II is a ten-year-old Warmblood gelding (by Whitesnake) that Shiels imported herself as a six-year-old and has been successfully developing up to the grand prix level. Cavalier steadily progressed and gained great confidence in 2016 as Shiels worked his program. The gelding enters 2017 older and wiser, maturing in his technique and his mind and improving his strength and physique as he moves up to bigger classes.

Cavalier II’s 2016 Results:
1st 1.20m Open Jumper – Equifest II
1st 1.30m Open Jumper – Equifest III
2nd 1.40m Open Jumper – Great Lakes Equestrian Festival III
2nd 1.35m Open Jumper – Kentucky National
4th 1.30m Jumper – Traverse City Horse Show August II
5th $2,500 Brooke Ledge Open Welcome Stake – HITS Ocala Winter Classic
5th 1.40m Enviro Equine Jumper – HITS Ocala Masters
5th 1.30m Wild Gold Jumper – HIT Ocala Winter Celebration
5th 1.35m Open Jumper – Great Lakes Equestrian Festival II
11th $25,000 Fox Lea Farm Grand Prix – Venice Equestrian Tour I

Lucca
Michelle Durpetti purchased Lucca, a seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (by Zento), at the end of 2015. At a time when the rider was recovering from a bad fall and needed a dependable mount to rebuild her confidence, Lucca stepped up to the plate. The pair began competing in the Adult Amateur Hunters, quickly developed to the Amateur-Owner 3’3”, and eventually moved up to the 3’6” division. With the help of Franklin and Shiels, Durpetti and Lucca built a solid partnership. The 2016 season became a dream come true for the busy amateur rider, concluding with ribbons at three of the most coveted national indoor finals.

Lucca’s 2016 Results:
1st Adult Hunter 36-45 Over Fences – HITS Ocala Winter Tournament
Reserve Champion Adult Hunter 36-45 – HITS Ocala Winter Finals
1st Adult Equitation 36-45 – HITS Ocala Winter Finals
Champion - Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” – Maffitt Lake Spring Gathering I
1st Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic – Maffitt Lake Spring Gathering I
Champion Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” – Maffitt Lake Spring Gathering II
1st Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Handy – Showplace Spring Spectacular I
1st Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Over Fences – Kentucky National
Reserve Champion – Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3” – Ledge Winter Classic December I
4th Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic – Maffitt Lake Spring Gathering II
4th $5000 Glory Days USHJA National Hunter Classic – Traverse City Horse Shows August II
5th Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Handy 36 and Over - Washington International Horse Show
6th Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Stake 36 and Over - Washington International Horse Show
6th Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Over Fences 36 and Over - National Horse Show
7th $5,000 UHSJA National Hunter Derby – Equifest III
7th Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Over Fences 36 and Over  - Pennsylvania National Horse Show

Serafina
While Lucca carried Durpetti to top ribbons in the hunter ring, Durpetti saw her confidence grow even more as she took to the jumper ring with new mount Serafina in 2016. A ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (by Verdi), Serafina was originally purchased and imported from Stal Wilten to be a hunter, but the team at Canterbury ultimately let Serafina return to her roots and take on the jumper classes. With Franklin and Shiels’ guidance, Durpetti and Serafina made their debut in the Low Adult Jumpers for the first time in Ocala at the start of the year and improved all season. Durpetti is excited to see what the 2017 season will bring for their exciting partnership.

Serafina’s 2016 Results:
1st .95m Jumpers - Maffitt Lake Spring Gathering I
1st .95m Jumpers – Great Lakes Equestrian Festival IV
1st - $1,000 Low Child/Adult Jumper Classic – Traverse City Horse Show August II
Champion - Low Child/Adult Jumper - Traverse City Horse Show August II
3rd Low Child/Adult Jumper – Maffitt Lake Spring Gathering I
3rd Low Child/Adult Jumper – Maffitt Lake Spring Gathering II
3rd Low Adult Jumper Classic – Equifest II
4th Low Adult Jumper – Showplace Spring Spectacular II
4th Low Adult Jumper – Great Lakes Equestrian Festival III

After the start to their season in Wellington, Shiels and Durpetti will join head trainer, Greg Franklin, along with the rest of the Canterbury Farm team in Ocala, FL, for the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit through March. Franklin, Shiels, and the entire team at Canterbury Farm are excited to start 2017 competing in Florida.

Canterbury Farm would like to thank the following sponsors for their continued support: Blueberry Hill, Butet, Éce Equestrian Co., EquiFit, inc., Hayward Sportswear Ltd., O3 Animal Health, ReitenRight, Samshield, and Tucci.

About Canterbury Farm
Canterbury Farm maintains a horse show schedule on a local, regional, and national level that is created with their customer’s competitive goals in mind. For over 35 years, Greg Franklin has ridden hunters and jumpers to numerous championships nationally and has brought home numerous Zone 5 ‘Horse of the Year’ awards. Franklin has qualified horses and riders for the Pennsylvania National, Washington International and the National Horse Shows including the Medal and Maclay Finals. He has also shown internationally at Canada’s Spruce Meadows in the 1.40m and 1.45m divisions and is a certified trainer with USHJA. Additionally, Franklin holds his ‘R’ card in Hunters, Hunter Seat Equitation, and Jumpers, and judges throughout the country.

Born and raised in Sheffield, Massachusetts, Caitlyn Shiels began riding at the age of eight. A highlight of Shiels’ early career was being a team and individual gold medalist at the 2004 North American Young Riders’ Championship. Shiels went on to apprentice under such professionals as Andre Dignelli, Mclain Ward, Ken Smith and Kate Stoffel-Oliver. Almost immediately after she joined the Canterbury team in 2013, Shiels and Franklin both began earning championships at major shows. Their partnership is an excellent balance of training both on the horse and from the ground.

With qualified trainers, attention to detail, and a caring staff, Canterbury Farm is committed to excellence in horsemanship, and to giving all of their riders a great experience in the show ring.

For more information, visit www.canterburyfarmchicago.com or email info@canterburyfarmchicago.com.