Carento and Louise Serio (Anne Gittins Photography)

Wellington, FL - Louise Serio and Carento made their debut in the Equine Tack and Nutritionals First Year Green Working Hunters to much success during week eight of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by G&C Farm. Serio piloted the seven-year-old Holsteiner gelding, owned by Sherri Crawford, to a division championship after placing sixth under saddle and jumping to third and first places over fences on day one of competition. On day two, Carento and Serio solidified their victory with third and fourth place finishes over fences.

Reserve championship honors went to Artisan Farms' Antwerp and Cookie Beck. Beck and Antwerp, a seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding, were fourth under saddle day one and jumped to a blue ribbon finish over fences on day two.

Week eight of the FTI WEF was Serio and Carento's first week showing the First Year Green Hunt division. The pair previously competed in the Perfect Products Pre-Green Hunter Level 1 division during weeks two and five of the FTI WEF. Serio was very pleased with the gelding's performance over higher fences. "He was exceptional. He felt great yesterday and he was great again today. We're thrilled to keep going," Serio commented.

Carento is trained by Kitty and John Barker, who recruited Serio to ride him at the beginning of this year. "I just started riding him in Florida this winter. He's been wonderful. He's really straightforward and very brave. Yesterday was hard out here for his first time doing First Years. He was excellent," Serio described.

A combination of inclement weather and a bogey corner in the ring challenged many of the horses during day one of competition. "Yesterday was a tough day for all of us. The horses got a little weird about a corner, I'm not sure why. There wasn't anything there! I think today was a nice day to finish up," Serio stated.

Serio credited Carento's success to his own internal desire to win. "One of the things you find with these horses [that are successful] is that they always really go in and try to do well. He feels like he's got that. He doesn't go in and try to lose, he really tries to win every time," Serio explained.

Serio expects to continue to compete with Carento in the First Year Green Hunters, but is unsure of their future together past the FTI WEF. "It will be up to his trainers to decide what he does, but I certainly hope to continue riding him," Serio concluded.