Lillie Keenan Off and Running with Highway TN in Palm Beach Equine Clinic Grand Prix

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.”

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.”

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.

press release Wellington International

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