Leipzig, Germany – Beezie Madden kicked off the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final with a win for the U.S. Wednesday morning in the Opening Competition. Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo bested the field of 24 as the only combination to jump faultlessly in the first round.
Madden (Cazenovia, NY) was the first U.S. rider in the ring and set the tone immediately. The Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Coral Reef Ranch jumped carefully yet efficiently over Frank Rothenberger’s 11-obstacle course.
“She felt good, fresh, but that’s why I did this class. I knew that she would be fresh, and she jumped very well and everything went great,” said Madden of her mare’s winning effort.
In the jump-off held immediately after her initial round, Madden chose to jump a more conservative round, leaving all the poles in place but collecting four time faults. However, this would prove immaterial as no other combination was able to replicate their fault-free first round.
Madden will give Coral Reef Via Volo’s stable mate, Danny Boy, a chance to jump in the 2011 Final tomorrow.
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