Category Archives: FEI

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

Australia’s First HSBC FEI Classics Attracts Stellar Cast

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HSBC FEI Classics 2012 current leader William Fox-Pitt on Cross Country day at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the season opener.

Lausanne (SUI), 16 November 2011 – The Australians and New Zealanders are grasping their chance to capitalise on the HSBC FEI Classics, which offers the single biggest prize in Eventing, at the second leg of the 2012 season taking place this weekend at the Adelaide International 3 Day Event in South Australia (18-20 November).

This is the first time Adelaide has been part of the HSBC FEI Classics, which incorporates the world’s six CCI4*s. The 2011/2012 season will then travel to Kentucky (USA) next spring and climax at Burghley (GBR) in September.

“The Australian International 3 Day Event is the country’s ultimate equestrian competition,” explained Event Director and dual Olympic gold medalist Gillian Rolton (AUS).

“Adelaide has hosted this hallmark event for the last thirteen years and this year we’re ecstatic to be hosting the prestigious HSBC FEI Classics for the very first time.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Bengtsson Reigns Supreme in Lyon

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Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Casall La Silla are pictured during the prize-giving presentation with Mr Phillipe Schaeffer, Director General Rolex France. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Lyon (FRA), 30 October 2011 – Sweden’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson galloped to victory in the third leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Western European League 2011/2012 series in Lyon, France this afternoon.  Riding Casall La Silla, the man who so deservedly won Individual gold at the FEI European Jumping Championships in Madrid, Spain last month snatched the lead at the halfway stage of today’s nine-horse jump-off and couldn’t be caught.

From the 40-strong field of world-class combinations, it was The Ukraine’s Katharina Offel and Cathleen who claimed runner-up spot ahead of Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat with Nino des Buissonnets in third, while host-nation hero Kevin Staut filled fourth place riding Zeta de Hus.

Course designer, Frank Rothenberger, produced a masterpiece – a 13-fence track that asked questions from start to finish but which produced a sparkling line-up for the second and deciding round against the clock in which rideability was tested to the very limit.

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

Salzgeber Does the Double in Lyon

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Germany’s Ulla Salzgeber and Herzruf’s Erbe won the second leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2011/2012 series in Lyon, France this evening. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Lyon (FRA), 28 October 2011 – German riders dominated the line-up in Lyon, France today where Ulla Salzgeber and Herzruf’s Erbe won the second leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 201l/2012 series ahead of two other former series double-champions.  Salzgeber, who recorded back-to-back victories with the great Rusty in 2001 and 2002, pipped fellow-countrywoman Isabell Werth and the horse with which the latter recorded the second of her two successes in 2005 – Warum Nicht – while Monica Theodorescu, champion in 1992 and 1993, steered Whisper into third place.

Salzgeber was particularly pleased with her result, as she only had a few short days to prepare her horse ahead of today’s competition. She has not long returned from the Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico where her protégé, Constanza Jaramillo, was in action.  And it was a successful venture as the Colombian rider, competing with her trainer’s former ride Wakana, helped scoop team bronze as well as her country’s qualification for next year’s Olympic Games in London.

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Competitions, Contributors/Press, Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI, Media/Radio/TV Sources, Show Jumping

FEI TV This Weekend

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Lausanne (SUI), 21 October 2011 – FEI TV, the official FEI video platform, will be LIVE on Friday, 28 October, and Sunday, 30 October, from the second leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage and the third leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping. Both competitions will take place in Lyon (FRA).

The Grand Prix Freestyle-to-Music from the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage will be LIVE at 18.55 CEST on Friday.

Round Two of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping will be LIVE on Sunday at 14.55 CET.

Media Contacts:

FEI
Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

At Lyon
Pascal Renauldon
Press Officer
p.renauldon@rbpresse.com
+33 (0) 608 75 94 07

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

FEI World Eventing Championships for Young Horses 2011 – Le Lion d’Angers (FRA)

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GERMANY’S JUNG AND BRITAIN’S KING TAKE THE TITLES by Louise Parkes

Michael Jung won the 6 Year Old title with the Hannoverian mare, Rocana FST. Photo: FEI/www.equi-photos.com

Lausanne (SUI), 24 October 2011 – Germany’s Michael Jung won the 6 Year Old title with the Hannoverian mare Rocana while Great Britain’s Kitty King claimed the 7 Year Old honours with the Dutch-bred mare Zidante at the 26th FEI World Eventing Championships for Young Horses at Le Lion d’Angers over the weekend. This specialist fixture is widely recognised for identifying the rising stars of the future. Proof of this is clear in the number of horses which progress from Mondial du Lion to produce results at European, World Championship and Olympic level. Frenchman Nicolas Touzaint is the most prolific winner in the history of the event having won six gold medals between 2000 and 2005, including the 6 year old championship in 2000 and the 7 year old championship in 2001 riding Galan de Sauvagère, his double individual European gold medal winning mount. Jung won the silver medal in both the 6 and 7 year old categories with his 2010 FEI World Eventing Championship ride La Biosthétique-Sam, and 2011 Lexington CCI4* winner, King’s Temptress ridden by Great Britain’s Mary King, is another Le Lion graduate.

The ‘Mondial du Lion’ has taken place every year since 1986 at the same venue – the Isle Briand Estate – and is always staged at the beginning of the French All Saints holidays. The winner of the inaugural fixture was the current coach of the French eventing team, Laurent Bousquet, on Jim Pam. That year 43 combinations lined out, a number which rose so rapidly it had to be capped at 110 by the FEI. The Championships have also proven increasingly popular with the public, with attendance figures rising from 5,000 in 1986 to a record 41,000 in 2009.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Schwizer and Carlina Make It a Double in Helsinki

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Switzerland's Pius Schwizer and Carlina, pictured with Anthony Schaub from Rolex, after winning the second leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping series in Helsinki, Finland today. Photo: FEI/Matti Heitanen.

YouTube: http://youtu.be/l2f3G1opGNU

Helsinki (FIN), 23 October 2011 – Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer secured a superb back-to-back double when adding victory in the second leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2011/2012 series in Helsinki, Finland today to his opening-round success in Oslo, Norway last Sunday.  Once again riding Carlina, the 49 year old rider was one of nine through to the second-round jump-off against the clock in which he set a target that could not be matched despite some heroic efforts from those who followed him.

Malin Baryard-Johnsson nearly stole his thunder with a feat of derring-do that would challenge even the trick-riding expertise of the Ukrainian Cossacks.  In a heart-stopping “save” that had spectators on the edges of their seats, the Swedish rider managed to stay onboard her 11 year old gelding H&M Reveur de Hurtebise and finish third behind Holland’s Michael Van der Vleuten while the host nation’s Nina Fagerstrom slotted into fourth.

It was Schwizer who was wearing the biggest smile at the end of the day however, as, with the maximum 40 points already posting him to the top of the leaderboard, he is well on his way to the 2011/2012 series final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands next April.

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

Minderhoud Wins Reem Acra Opening Round in Odense

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The Netherlands' Hans Peter Minderhoud and IPS Tango won the opening leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage series in Odense, Denmark today. Photo: FEI/Ridehesten.com

Odense (DEN), 23 October 2011 – Dutch rider, Hans Peter Minderhoud, was in reflective mood after winning the opening leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage series in Odense, Denmark this afternoon with the 11 year old chestnut stallion, IPS Tango.  He has his sights firmly set on a place at the series final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands next April along with a spot at the London Olympic Games, but he knows he has a lot of work to do to get there.

It is a very different story for the Dutchman who enjoyed such a long and fruitful partnership with the great mare, Exquis Nadine, who was retired during the FEI European Dressage Championships in Rotterdam this summer.  He is now working with a horse that is something of a “work in progress” rather than super-experienced, but he was delighted with his result today.  “I’m not surprised that he won,” the Dutchman said afterwards. “My horse is in good shape, even yesterday when we finished third in the Grand Prix.  He is really coming along,” he added.

RESPONSIBLE
Runner-up was Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg with the aptly-named Responsible, while yesterday’s Grand Prix winner, Tinne Vilhelmsson Silfven from Sweden, slotted into third with Don Auriello.  “He is only nine years old and in his first year competing in Grand Prix,” she said of her horse.  “Perhaps he was a bit tired compared with yesterday, but I am very pleased with third place,” the Swedish rider added.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Driving, Events, FEI, FEI

First FEI World Cup Driving Points for IJsbrand Chardon

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IJsbrand Chardon (NED), winner of the first FEI Word Cup Driving 2011/2012 qualifier held in Hannover (GER) this weekend. © Rinaldo de Craen/FEI

Hannover (GER), 23 October 2011 – IJsbrand Chardon (NED) won the first FEI World Cup Driving competition of the season held in Hannover, Germany, this weekend. His compatriot Koos de Ronde finished second, ahead of Tomas Eriksson (SWE) who was struck by fate in the winning round.

Misfortune
Second starter in the winning round Tomas Eriksson was well on his way to putting Chardon under serious pressure, driving his team of Swedish warm blood horses very fast, when fate struck. In the corner just before the last gate, Tomas’s left leader horse slipped and fell down. His right leader horse and his left wheeler horse also fell down which forced Tomas to stop. With the very fast help from his fellow competitors and his grooms, Tomas’s horses got back up and were lead out of the arena without major injuries.

Safe round
Chardon knew he had an advantage of nearly 10 seconds over Koos de Ronde when he entered the arena. The four-time world champion drove a fast but safe round and secured his first victory of the season despite one knock down. Chardon is competing with his team of Lipizzaner horses for the third season and feels they are getting better at every competition.

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

Eleventh Season of the FEI World Cup Driving Attracts World Class Field

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FEI World Cup Driving title holder Boyd Exell of Australia. © Kit Houghton

Lausanne (SUI), 12 October 2011 – After an exciting outdoor season with the FEI Open European Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand in Breda (NED) as its highlight, the sport of four-in-hand Driving moves indoors for the 11th season of the FEI World Cup Driving.

Ten top class drivers will battle it out for the ultimate title of FEI World Cup Driving champion. Germany, who was absent from the series for the past two seasons, is making a significant comeback and will now be represented by two drivers, Rainer Duen and Georg von Stein.

New comer
The qualification season consisted of 14 competitions held throughout Europe with the top 10 drivers qualifying for the 2011-2012 season. Amongst these, there is one new comer: Georg von Stein from Germany. Von Stein competed as a wild card in the FEI World Cup Driving Final 2011 in Leipzig where he finished sixth.

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

Whisper of Excitement as New Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Season Begins

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Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival from The Netherlands won the 2010/2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage title at Leipzig, Germany. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Lausanne (SUI), 18 October 2011 – As the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2011/2012 season gets underway at Odense in Denmark this weekend (21-23 October), there is a whisper of excitement running through the world of international dressage.  This sport, which relies on the technical skills and innate instincts of the riders along with the grace, elegance, willingness and athleticism of their horses and the expertise of a panel of judges, has experienced a tsunami of change in recent years, and the new-found unpredictability of the formerly pedantic discipline has energised it like never before.

For so many years, Dressage was dominated by the same few names, but in the modern era it has grasped the concept of greater engagement with the public without shedding its links to its classical past, and many new stars have been born.  The explosive arrival of the sensational Dutch duo, Edward Gal and the stallion Totilas, blew away the cobwebs and shone a bright light into the future as they blazed a trail through the 2009 and 2010 seasons with displays of pure showmanship and energy.  That partnership no longer exists, but the legacy they have left behind includes the desire to hold onto the massive increase in public interest created by their star quality.

Continue reading Whisper of Excitement as New Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Season Begins →