Emanuel Andrade of Venezuela claimed the High Junior Jumper Championship title with Carboni on opening week of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. Photo by Jack Mancini

January 12, 2014 – Wellington, Florida – Emanuel Andrade of Caracas, Venezuela, kicked off 12 weeks of international competition at the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, Florida in a big way.

The 17-year-old racked up top placings aboard a wide range of mounts owned by Hollow Creek Farm of Aiken, South Carolina, at week one the 2014 FTI WEF, sponsored by the Mar-a-Lago Club and held January 8-12 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).

Andrade's successful opening week was capped off on Sunday when he was awarded the High Junior Jumper Championship title. He piloted Carboni to a sixth place finish in Thursday's $1,500 class and followed up with a win in the $1,500 speed round on Friday. In Sunday's $10,000 High Junior Jumper Classic, Andrade finished second to clinch the overall division championship title.

Andrade was also Reserve Champion in the Medium Junior Jumper division, generously sponsored by Hollow Creek Farm, with the eight-year-old Argentinean Warmblood mare, Black Pearl. After earning a top 10 result in the opening class of the division, Andrade secured the Reserve Championship title with an impressive win in Sunday's $10,000 Medium Junior Jumper Classic.

Additional highlights of Andrade's opening week at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival included top 10 placings with multiple mounts - La Fe Forli, Tiny Tim, Windline, and Wilkina Lithya, in the Low, Medium and High Junior Jumper divisions. He also contested various open jumper classes, earning a fourth place finish aboard Crossfire 10 in Friday's $6,000 1.40m class, as well as a ninth place finish with La Fe Forli in the $6,000 1.40m Speed Challenge, held the same day.

"It was a great week; we are thrilled!" commented Andrade's trainer, Andrea King of Hollow Creek Farm.

Andrade is no stranger to the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, having been named the Leading Jumper Rider in 2013 despite his young age. Also in 2013, King was named the Leading Jumper Trainer while Hollow Creek Farm was awarded Leading Jumper Owner title. A sign of things to come, Andrade also earned the Future Champions Leading Junior Jumper Rider award in 2012 after winning six Championship and 12 Reserve Championship titles.

Andrade recently made his Venezuelan Show Jumping Team debut at the 2013 Bolivarian Games in Trujillo, Pero, where he helped to bring home the Team Gold Medal. One month later, he started the 2014 season off strong, beating out veteran professionals, including Lauren Hough, Todd Minikus and Ian Millar, to win the $25,000 New Year's Grand Prix held December 29 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

A student in his hometown of Caracas, Andrade splits his time between competing in Venezuela and the United States.

For more information on Hollow Creek Farm, please visit www.hollowcreekfarms.com.