Category Archives: Olympic Games

Dressage, Driving, Endurance Riding, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Olympic Games, Para-Equestrian, Show Jumping, Vaulting, Western/Reining

Appointments to FEI Technical Committees, Allocation of 2012, 2013, and 2014 Championships

Leave a comment

Rio de Janeiro (BRA), 11 November 2011 – The FEI Bureau confirmed the following appointments to the FEI Technical Committees at its meeting held in Rio de Janeiro today (11 November):

Members of FEI Veterinary Committee

Dr Phillipe Benoit (FRA), Dr Sergio Salinas (MEX) and Dr Stephen Schumacher (USA) appointed. The terms of office for the three new Veterinary Committee members will be determined by draw to prevent a number of outgoing members at the same time. The terms will be communicated to the General Assembly on 14 November.

Gerit Mathesen (GER), Hallvard Sommerseth (NOR) and Kent Allen (USA) outgoing

Member of FEI Jumping Committee

Mr Marco Fusté (ESP) appointed (2011-2015)

John Madden (USA) outgoing as Member of the Jumping Committee

Continue reading Appointments to FEI Technical Committees, Allocation of 2012, 2013, and 2014 Championships →

Dressage, Events, Olympic Games, Training/Clinics, USEF

USEF and USET Foundation Set to Host Six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage Clinics

Leave a comment
Anne Gribbons at a 2011 Training Session (Photo: USEF Archives)

Lexington, KY – Beginning in December, the USEF and USET Foundation will host six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage training sessions/clinics. Riders will have the unique opportunity to work with USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons and U.S. Olympic, World Equestrian Games and Pan American Games medalist Steffen Peters. These clinics will focus on preparing potential team riders for the 2012 Olympic Games Selection Trials and Olympic Games.

The clinics are by invitation only, based on criteria set forth by the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee and concentrating on athlete/horse combinations with international competition experience and the prospect of contributing to a Team or Individual medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. For more information please see the USEF website. Clinics will take place December 2011 – April 2012 with three being held in California and three in Florida.

Continue reading USEF and USET Foundation Set to Host Six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage Clinics →

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

Australia and New Zealand Qualify for 2012 Olympic Dressage

Leave a comment
Lyndal Oatley on Potifar and Mary Hanna on Sancette, both representing Australia, on their lap of honour at the end of the regional Olympic qualifier which finished today at Ermelo (NED). (c) Rinaldo de Craen/FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 2 November 2011 – Australia and New Zealand have qualified for the team Dressage competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games as a result of their performance at the two-part regional qualifier held in Sydney (AUS) on 28 October and in Ermelo (NED) today, 2 November.

Three teams – Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa – were in competition for the two slots available to nations from the FEI Olympic Groups F (Africa and Middle East) and G (South East Asia and Oceania).

Team Australia, consisting of Rachael Sanna/Jaybee Alabaster, Chantal Wigan/Ferero, Lyndal Oatley/Potifar, and Mary Hanna/Sancette, scored an average result of 69.255% (team total 207.765%) which put them in the lead at the end of the three-team competition.

Team New Zealand, which was composed of Louisa Hill/Bates Antonello, Vanessa Way/KH Arvan, Nicky Pope/Fabarchie, and Shiwon Green/Gosh, finished second on an average team score of 64.922% (team total 194.767%). Team South Africa, consisting of Zilla Pearse/Sarkozy, Nicole Smith/Victoria, Denise Hallion/Bomond, and Adriaan van Wijk/Othello 216, were a close third with an average score of 63% (team total 188.999%). The complete results are available at this link.

Continue reading Australia and New Zealand Qualify for 2012 Olympic Dressage →

Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, Olympic Games

Final Olympic Dressage Team Qualifier Begins on 28 October

Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 27 October 2011 – The last Dressage team qualifying event for the London 2012 Olympic Games will begin this Friday, 28 October. The qualifier, which will be run at two separate venues, is open to teams from the FEI Olympic Groups F (Africa and Middle East) and G (South East Asia and Oceania).

Due to quarantine restrictions, the qualifier will be held in two parts, one in each hemisphere, as riders and horses from Olympic Groups F and G are based in both Australasia and Europe. The first part will take place in Sydney (AUS) on 28 October; the second part will be held in Ermelo (NED) on 2 November.

The same judges will be used at both legs of the regional qualifier. The panel will be FEI 5* judges Stephen Clarke (GBR), who will also be the President of the Ground Jury at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Gotthilf Riexinger (GER) and Susan Hoevenaars (AUS), plus FEI 4* judges Mariëtte Sanders-van Gansewinkel (NED) and Raphaël Saleh (FRA).

Three nations – Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa – will be seeking Olympic qualification. The two best placed teams overall will join Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the USA, which have already qualified.

The updated Olympic Dressage qualification system is available at this LINK.

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Events, Olympic Games, Show Jumping, USEF

USEF Names Date and Location for USEF Show Jumping National Championship and Selection Trials for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games

Leave a comment

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has determined the date and location for the USEF Selection Trials for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games. The competition will be hosted by Equestrian Sport Productions at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida from March 21-24, 2012. This competition will also serve as the 2012 USEF Show Jumping National Championship. It will consist of four rounds over three days of jumping.

“We were fortunate that we had very strong bids from both Equestrian Sport Productions and Tom Struzzieri at HITS from which to choose,” said John Long, CEO of the USEF. “We are looking forward to working with Mark Bellisimo, Michael Stone and their entire team at Equestrian Sport Productions again in 2012.”

More information about the competition will be available in January.

For more information regarding the USEF High Performance Jumping Programs, please contact Lizzy Chesson at lchesson@usef.org.

Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Three Hundred Days to London 2012

1 Comment

Lausanne (SUI), 1 October 2011 – Today, 1 October 2011, marks 300 days to go to the 2012 London Olympic Games where equestrian sport will celebrate its centenary on the Olympic Programme.

So far, teams and individual riders from 18 nations have qualified to compete in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing.

Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Ukraine and the USA will compete alongside host nation Great Britain.

To date, Germany and Sweden join host nation Great Britain in having qualified teams in all three disciplines.

In just two weeks, eyes will be turning to the 16th Pan-American Games (14 to 29 October) in Guadalajara (MEX), which will host team qualifiers for FEI Olympic Groups D (North America) and E (South and Central America). Two nations from these groups which have not yet qualified will be able to secure their spot in Eventing and Dressage and three teams will qualify in Jumping.

Continue reading Three Hundred Days to London 2012 →

Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI, Olympic Games, Para-Equestrian, Show Jumping

FEI Announces Dressage Ground Juries for London 2012 and the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final

Leave a comment
Stephen Clarke has officiated at five World Cup Finals, three European Championships, three World Equestrian Games, and London will be his second Olympic Games. Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 23 September 2011 – The Ground Juries for Dressage at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final 2012 have been announced following blind draws at the FEI’s headquarters in Lausanne (SUI) today (23 September).

Leif Törnblad (DEN), Maribel Alonso (MEX), Jean-Michel Roudier (FRA), Gary Rockwell (USA), Wim Ernes (NED) and Evi Eisenhardt (GER) will form the Dressage Ground Jury at the London 2012 Olympic Games alongside Stephen Clarke, who as a host country judge was already appointed President of the Ground Jury.

The Ground Jury for Paralympic Equestrian at the London 2012 Paralympics has been confirmed: Lilian Iannone (ARG), Freddy Leyman (BEL), Anne Prain (FRA), Gudrun Hofinga (GER), Sarah Rodger (GBR) and Carlos Lopes (POR) will join President of the Ground Jury Kjell Myhre (NOR).

The Ground Jury for the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final 2012 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED) 18-22 April 2012 will also be seven-strong: Ghislain Fouarge (NED) will serve as President of the Ground Jury with Stephen Clarke (GBR), Gary Rockwell (USA), Katrina Wüst (GER), Isabelle Judet (FRA), Susan Hoevenaars (AUS) and Leif Törnblad (DEN).

Trond Asmyr, FEI Director Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage, explained:

“The international judges representing the Ground Juries for London 2012 and the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final 2012 are extremely happy about their appointments.

Continue reading FEI Announces Dressage Ground Juries for London 2012 and the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final →

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Olympic Games

Japan Secures Olympic Eventing Qualification for London 2012

1 Comment
Japan secures qualification for Eventing at London 2012 at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials (GBR). Photo: Fiona Scott-Maxwell/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 12 September 2011 – Japan has secured qualification for the Olympic Eventing next year following the London 2012 Eventing Team Qualifier for Asia-Pacific nations which took place at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials (GBR) from 8-11 September.

New Zealand, led by Clarke Johnstone, finished first in the team competition, but they are already qualified for London 2012 after claiming team bronze at last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky (USA). The battle for the remaining slot was between Japan and Australia.

Japan fielded five riders, but their first, Yoshiaki Oiwa, was eliminated with a Cross Country fall. But Kenki Sato, Takeaki Tsuchiya and Atsushi Negishi all went clear and, at the end of Cross Country day, Japan had a four-penalty lead over Australia.

Australia became vulnerable after Lucinda Fredericks fell on the Cross Country and Bill Levett had a run-out, but the Australian their problems worsened when Brook Staples was eliminated for two refusals in the Jumping phase.

Japan’s best-placed rider, Kenki Sato, who was 16th overall in the CCI*** at Blenheim on Chippieh, said: “It’s a miracle. This is a dream come true for our country, and for my family, to qualify for the Olympics and go to Greenwich. I owe everything to my horse, and to Michael Jung [the German world champion with whom he is based] who trains me.”

Continue reading Japan Secures Olympic Eventing Qualification for London 2012 →

Championships, Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Twenty-two Nations to Battle It Out at FEI European Jumping Championships in Madrid

Leave a comment

A total of 86 riders from 22 nations have been declared for the FEI European Jumping Championships 2011. The event, which serves as a team qualifier for the 2012 Olympic Games for nations from Olympic Groups A (North Western Europe) and B (South Western Europe) will take place in Madrid (ESP) from 13 to 18 September.

Seventeen nations – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, host nation Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and Ukraine – have entered teams. The Czech Republic, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Russia, and Slovakia will be represented by individual riders.

Venue for this year’s FEI European Jumping Championships is the stunning Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, one of Spain’s oldest and most prestigious country clubs formed in 1929. A brand new all-weather sand footing has been installed especially for the Championships.

Watch FEI TV’s preview at this link.

The full list of the FEI European Jumping Championships definite entries (published today) are available here.

Media contact:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, Olympic Games, Para-Equestrian

One Year to Go to 2012 London Paralympic Games

Leave a comment
Marco Alves at the 2008 Paralympic Games where he won Brazil’s first Paralympic equestrian medal

Lausanne (SUI), 29 August 2011 – Today, 29 August 2011, marks the one-year countdown to next year’s Paralympic Games. A record number of 4,200 athletes from 150 countries are set to convene in London (GBR) between 29 August and 9 September 2012 and compete in 503 events in 21 sports.

For the XIV Paralympic Games and the fifth appearance of Para-Dressage on the programme – equestrian sport made its Paralympic debut at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 – there could not be a more fitting host nation. Great Britain has been a Para-Dressage power house when it comes to Paralympic, World and European events, taking team gold at every turn and pushing the level and quality of the sport to greater heights.

“We count ourselves as one of the luckiest International Federations in the family and feel our sport is coming home with the 2012 Paralympic Games, as Great Britain has such a strong tradition of equestrianism and para-equestrianism,” FEI President HRH Princess Haya commented. “The location of the equestrian events in Greenwich Park means we are at the heart of the Games and we are very proud to be given centre stage. We are really looking forward to the event and will be counting the days to what will be glorious Games.”

Sixty-eight competitors from 16 nations had made the trip to Atlanta, GA (USA) to compete on borrowed horses in the first Paralympic competition in 1996. In 2008 the number of competitors had increased to 78 and the number of nations had nearly doubled; the horses, no longer borrowed, flew in from all corners of the globe.

Continue reading One Year to Go to 2012 London Paralympic Games →