All posts by Associate Editor

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI

FEI European Dressage Championships 2011 Day 3, Grand Prix Special

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ADELINDE DOES THE DOUBLE ON A DRAMATIC DAY IN ROTTERDAM by Louise Parkes

Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival won gold in the Grand Prix Special at the FEI European Dressage Championships 2011 today. Photo: FEI/Peter Nixon.

Rotterdam (NED), 20 August 2011 – Adelinde Cornelissen defended her title in style when recording her second successive victory in the Grand Prix Special at the FEI European Dressage Championships 2011 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands today.  On the afternoon she claimed gold with Jerich Parzival at Windsor in Great Britain two years ago she set a new world-record with her sparkling chestnut gelding. But today’s competition was an altogether different affair as, despite the highest expectations, the leading riders all made significant mistakes including the eventual champion.

Cornelissen’s class showed through however with a superb recovery.  “I knew I had to ride double-well afterwards!” she explained, and that was exactly what she did, producing a run of late scores that not only rescued her from disaster but provided her with the ultimate accolade once again.

British riders took silver and bronze, Carl Hester and Uthopia once again displaying their massive potential, and Laura Bechtolsheimer and Mistral Hojris producing a much-improved performance to that shown in Thursday’s Team Championship in which she and her team-mates reigned supreme.

The biggest surprise of the day was the uncertain performance of Germany’s Matthias Alexander Rath and Totilas. In the team event 48 hours earlier it seemed the stallion and his relatively new rider were at last cementing their partnership, but from the outset this afternoon they were hesitant and sometimes at odds with one another. Despite that, they finished just outside a medal position in fourth place.

Continue reading FEI European Dressage Championships 2011 Day 3, Grand Prix Special →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping, USHJA

Lillie Keenan Wins the $100k USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals at Bluegrass Festival Horse Show

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Lillie Keenan and C Coast Z earned the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals Championship at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. Photo: Heather Bellock/PMG.

Lexington, KY – August 20, 2011 – It was an incredible night for the Final Round of the 2011 $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. Spectators gathered in the Rolex Stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park to see who would take home tonight’s victory. Junior Rider Lillie Keenan rode to success with C Coast Z proving to be unbeatable throughout tonight’s competition. Scott Stewart and Declaration took home the second place honors while Tammy Provost and Carlson earned the third place award.

After a 12-month qualifying period, the top 75 horses were invited to compete for championship honors. Yesterday the qualifying round was held in the Rolex Stadium, and the top 25 horse and rider combinations returned to show during tonight’s Second Round competition. Riders were tested over a Classic Hunter Course with the top 12 scoring combinations advancing to the Handy Hunter Course. Scores from yesterday’s qualifying round did not carry over and riders began with had a fresh start to impress the judges. However, the scores earned in the Classic Hunter Round did carry over in the Handy Hunter Round and was a factor in determining tonight’s results.

Scott Hofstetter, Otis Brown, Russell Frey, Julie Winkel, Carleton Brooks, Jimmy Torano, Jim Clapperton, and Mike Rosser had the pleasure of judging each of tonight’s rounds. The courses were designed by Bobby Murphy and Patrick Rhodes and were created to replicate traditional hunt country. The course was beautifully set, mimicking a picturesque hunt field and barnyard with a winding stream and fence separating the barnyard from the open fields. The courses included hedges, stonewalls, oxers, coops, hay bales, gates, logs, and an in-and-out. During the Handy Round there were several elements to test both horse and rider and plenty of opportunities to show off handiness and earn bonus points as well as four higher options that would add an additional point per fence to their base score due to their added heights and elevated difficulty.

Continue reading Lillie Keenan Wins the $100k USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals at Bluegrass Festival Horse Show →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping, USHJA

Scott Stewart Takes Top Three Spots in 3rd Annual $100k USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals

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Scott Stewart and Carlos Boy took top honors during Round One of the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. Photo By: Heather Bellock/PMG.

Lexington, KY – August 19, 2011 – The day that riders, trainers, owners and spectators have been waiting for throughout the Kentucky Horse Shows Series has finally arrived. The 2011 $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals commenced this morning in the Rolex Stadium. Attendees could not have ordered a more perfect day with sunny skies and moderate temperatures to kick off the long anticipated event. This is the third annual USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals and it has returned to the Kentucky Horse Park. Scott Stewart and Carlos Boy won today’s class and Stewart placed in the top six with all of his mounts and is one of the top 25 horse and rider combinations to advance to tomorrow evening’s final event. Lillie Keenan took home the fourth and fifth place finish with Madison and C Coast Z, respectively.

This event was created to bring show hunters to the world stage, to increase spectators, media and sponsorship interest, and bring tradition and basic riding principles back to the sport of show hunters. It is an event that involves a 12-month qualifying period and only the top 75 horses are invited to compete for the championship title. Opening ceremonies began at eight this morning, and soon after the competition got underway with the qualifying round for all 59 horse and rider combinations in the Rolex Stadium. The judges panels were comprised of Scott Hofstetter and Otis Brown for panel one, Russell Frey and Julie Winkel for panel two, Carleton Brooks and Jimmy Torano for panel three, and Jim Clapperton and Mike Rosser for panel four.

Bobby Murphy and Patrick Rhodes designed the qualifying round course, the first of three courses in the finals. This Hunter Derby style course challenged riders over 12 fences ranging from 3’6″ to 4’0″. The course offered four optional obstacles that would add an additional point per fence to their base score due to their added heights and elevated difficulty. The fences being used throughout the weekend are reminiscent of those that would be found out on a hunting field. Obstacles on the course included oxers made up of natural posts, rails and white board fences, gates, hedges, hay bales, a brush, logs, and natural foliage.

Continue reading Scott Stewart Takes Top Three Spots in 3rd Annual $100k USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Yann Candele and Azzaro Win $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at Bluegrass Festival Horse Show

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Yann Candele and Azzaro took top honors in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. Photo: Heather Bellock/PMG

Lexington, KY – August 19, 2011 – Another incredible crowd turned out at the Rolex Stadium tonight at the Kentucky Horse Park; this time the spectators watched riders compete for the top prize during the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. Six horse and rider combinations progressed to the jump-off with Yann Candele riding three of them, and eventually leading the victory gallop with Azzaro after they laid down the fastest clear effort over the short course. Margie Engle was just a hair off of Candele’s time. She and Lord Spezi earned the second place finish after completing a fault free effort.

Tonight’s class was the fifth of seven grand prix events that make up the Hagyard Challenge Series, sponsored by Hagyard Medical Institute and presented by Pfizer Animal Health. Following the final event in the series, a cash prize of $45,000 will be awarded to the rider accumulating the most points throughout the series for the Leading Rider Bonus.

The horse and rider combinations were tested over a challenging course, designed by Allen Rheinheimer, which included fourteen obstacles. The course featured an oxer-oxer-vertical triple combination, a triple bar that was just six short strides before a vertical-vertical double combination, and a liverpool, as well as several, single verticals. Riders also had to keep the pace in order to complete the course, which spread covered the entire arena, within the tight time allowed of 90 seconds. The complicated oxer-oxer-vertical triple combination posed difficulties for horses and riders alike, causing several to gain faults because of the single long stride between each fence. Out of the 44 entries, only six horse and rider combinations went clean and Yann Candele would have the ride aboard three of the six horses to advance to the jump-off.

Continue reading Yann Candele and Azzaro Win $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at Bluegrass Festival Horse Show →

*Featured/Spotlights, Auctions, Breeds, Contributors/Press, Dressage, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Horses Unlimited’s Mega Reduction Sale Gives Buyers an Opportunity to Purchase Some of the Best Bloodlines with Minimum $1000 Bid

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Credit: Susan J Stickle, Caption: Leonardo's Quest HU is by the Grand Prix stallion Leonberg out of dam from the famous bloodlines of Quebec and Capitol.

Albuquerque, NM — Potential buyers will have a one-time chance to purchase horses from the heart of the herd of the nation’s leading breeder, Horses Unlimited. On Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. MDT, Horses Unlimited will sell nearly 40 homebreds via auction at their farm in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Rarely does an opportunity like this come along for sporthorse enthusiasts. “We have put together the best collection of horses we have ever offered for this auction,” says Anne Sparks, owner of Horses Unlimited.  Every horse that reaches the minimum reserve bid of $1000 will be sold. The collection includes a variety of hunters, jumpers and dressage horses. They represent some of the finest Hanoverian, Oldenburg, RPSI, Holsteiner and Westfalen bloodlines available anywhere in the world, including those of Donnerhall, Weltmeyer, Wolkenstein II, Sandro, Pik L, Leonberg, Hailo, Capitol and Quebec.  “After more than a decade, I’ve decided to scale back my breeding operation. I will still be involved, just with a smaller herd of breeding and performance horses,” added Sparks.

Currently ranked first on the USEF Leading Dressage Breeders list, Horses Unlimited has proven that Sparks’ breeding philosophies produce quality athletes that have successful performance careers. The Pik L son, Pikko Del Cerro HU, is the leading point earner on the list of fourteen dressage performers bred by Anne Sparks. Last week, Pikko del Cerro HU was fully licensed as a stallion by the American Hanoverian Society. Ridden by Olympian Lisa Wilcox, Cerro is currently eighth in the USDF Intermediaire I standings and thirteenth in Prix St. Georges. His sire, Pik L, is a proven producer and potential buyers can choose from ten of his offspring in Saturday’s sale.

Horses Unlimited’s top ranking was obtained from the performance of offspring by four of Sparks’ stallions. Eight of those are sired by Pik L, with Leonberg, Glorioso Noir and Galant du Serein siring the balance of performers.  Multiple offspring by these sires are also available in the herd reduction.

Continue reading Horses Unlimited’s Mega Reduction Sale Gives Buyers an Opportunity to Purchase Some of the Best Bloodlines with Minimum $1000 Bid →

Auctions, Awards, Community/Charity, Products/Services, WHIN

3rd Annual Business Networking Expo

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Hi Everyone!
As you can probably tell, we are pretty excited about our upcoming 3rd Annual Business Networking Expo. We have some great exhibitors and some super panels set up to help you through these crazy economic times.

If you haven’t made reservations to attend, please do so ASAP since we are limited with space for both attendees and exhibitors. Only five exhibit spaces are left at this point in time. You can register at www.womenshorseindustry.com.

If you really want to forget about the recession talk and DO SOME BUSINESS, this is the place to be. We are also offering room sharing to help everyone save a few dollars. Details on our website.

We are also going to have two other events including the Rhythm & Hooves Benefit silent auction and the 1st annual WHINNY awards.

This is our first year giving out these awards and we have selected a great group from those that have been nominated to receive the awards. Some of these people include Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson and Templeton Thompson.

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Championships, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping, USEF, USEF, Vaulting

This Week in International Disciplines – August 18, 2011

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Beezie Madden and Cortes 'C'. Photo by Stefano Grasso/GCT

Jumping
The U.S. show jumpers had a strong showing in the final week of the two-week Horse Festival in Valkenswaard, The Netherlands. Beezie Madden and Cortes ‘C’ claimed victory in the weekend’s most prestigious class; the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Valkenswaard sponsored by the VDL Groep. In only their second grand prix together, Madden and Cortes ‘C’ were the fourth and last pair to go in the jump-off, storming to the win in a time of 38.38 seconds. Ireland’s Denis Lynch riding Lantinus 3 was second and Jur Vrieling and VDL Bubalu of The Netherlands claimed third place.

On Friday, Laura Kraut and Teirra were third in the Medium Tour 1m45 CSI5* against the clock class. Cortright Wetherill and Carlos were second in the Special Invitational 1m35 CSI1*.

On Saturday, Wetherill claimed a fourth-place finish with Whoops in the Special Invitational 1m25 CSI1*. Wetherill finished his competition week by riding Carlos to a second-place finish in the Special Invitational 1m35 CSI1* against the clock.

For more information and results, visit http://www.globalchampionstour.com/events/2011/valkenswaard/results.

Continue reading This Week in International Disciplines – August 18, 2011 →

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

The Rolex One to Watch – July 2011

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Antonio Alfonso riding SNAI Boa Vista. Photo: SPORTFOT/Rolex

19 August 2011 – The Rolex One to Watch for July 2011 is Italian rider, Antonio Alfonso. Based at the Castello Stables in Rome, Italy, the 33-year-old jumped from number 368 to 218 during July – a move up the Rolex Rankings of 150 places.

The Rolex One to Watch is an initiative which identifies the rider who has made the biggest jump within or into the Top 250 of the Rolex Rankings the previous month.

Born in Sora – a little town near Frosinone in central Italy – on 13 January 1978, Alfonso started to ride some of his uncle’s horses when he was five-years-old. He first competed when he was 13.

Alfonso’s first trainer was Carlos Dodero, an experienced Jumping rider and trainer who has competed for Argentina in the Pan American Games and the FEI World Equestrian Games. Alfonso has also been trained by Duccio Bartalucci, silver medallist at the Mediterannean Games in Split in 1979. Currently he works very closely with Natale Chiaudani, who shares the same sponsor. Chiaudani has competed in five FEI Nations Cups and won the silver medal at the Italian Championships in 2009.

From 1 January 2011 Alfonso has ridden in 21 official Jumping competitions, both nationally and internationally. He has been in magnificent form, recording nine victories, seven second places, and nine third places.

Continue reading The Rolex One to Watch – July 2011 →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI

New Zealand’s Johnstone Has One Last Push in FEI World Cup Eventing

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Clarke Johnstone (NZL) - leader since first leg of FEI World Cup Eventing 2011 in Kihikihi (NZL). Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 19 August 2011 – Antipodean riders Clarke Johnstone (NZL) and Chris Burton (AUS) are making absolutely sure of their FEI World Cup Eventing bonus by travelling to the last event in the 2011 series, which is underway at Haras du Pin (FRA) today.

Both riders are now based in Britain, where they are making quite an impact on the national circuit.

They will be hard to beat in the race to secure the FEI World Cup Eventing 2011 champion title and for Clarke Johnstone this would be a sweet victory after his brilliant wins at the first and second legs at Kihikihi (NZL) and Sydney (AUS).

A strong field of 47 riders representing 12 nations will contest this popular event, including several leading French names and Olympians such as Mark Todd (NZL) and Clayton Fredericks (AUS), so the Antipodean influence is expected to be strong.

Emily Baldwin, who scored a one-two-three on Drivetime at FEI World Cup Eventing’s third leg at Chatsworth (GBR), and was last year’s Le Pin winner, had signalled that she would be returning to the final leg of the 2011 series in her quest for further points. She will be missed after suffering a broken collarbone at Gatcombe.

Follow the event on www.legrandcomplet.com.

Continue reading New Zealand’s Johnstone Has One Last Push in FEI World Cup Eventing →

Competitions, Dressage, FEI, FEI, Olympic Games

Three More Teams Qualify for London 2012 Olympic Games Dressage

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Lausanne (SUI), 19 August 2011 – Sweden, Spain and Denmark qualified for the London 2012 Olympic Games as a result of their placings in yesterday’s FEI European Dressage Championships 2011 team competition. Sweden finished fourth on a score of 214.437%, Spain was fifth (211.580%), and Denmark sixth (209.985%). The three leading nations at the Championships had already achieved Olympic qualification. Gold medallists Great Britain are automatically qualified as next year’s Olympic Games’ host nation. The silver medallists from Germany and the bronze medallists from The Netherlands had previously secured their spots at last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.

This brings the number of teams qualified to date for London 2012 to seven: Great Britain, Germany, The Netherlands, USA (who qualified at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky), Sweden, Spain and Denmark.

The next event for direct team qualification is the Pan American Games to be held in Guadalajara (MEX) from 14 to 29 October. The two best placed teams from Olympic Groups D (North America) and E (Central and South America), excluding the USA, will secure participation in London.

The Pan American Games will be followed by the two FEI-approved qualification events which will take place in Sydney (AUS) on 28 October and Ermelo (NED) on 2 November which are open to teams from the Olympic Groups F (Africa and Middle East) and G (South East Asia and Oceania). Combined standings from both competitions will be produced and the two best ranked teams, excluding the teams listed above, will qualify for London 2012.

Continue reading Three More Teams Qualify for London 2012 Olympic Games Dressage →