Category Archives: Competitions

Jacksonville Winter Series 2011

December 14, 2010 – Time is flying by again…. If you are anything like me, I am running from one activity to another getting ready for the Christmas. This message is just to remind you that the Jacksonville Winter Series (Jan 12-30) is coming up soon. Please call for your stall reservations so we know how many stalls to erect.

This year the series will run three weeks with lots of exciting classes including the $100,000 FEI World Cup, $20,000 USHJA Hunter Derby and Gamblers Choice.

If you need a prize list they are online on both the Classic Company (www.classiccompany.com) website and the North Florida Hunter Jumper website (www.nfhja.com).

One more thing – the FEI has changed the prize money for the Welcome Class during week one.  This is due to the exchange rate of the dollar.  The $25,000 class will now be $31,250 and the entry fee will go up from $450 to $475. The payout will now be $9375, $6875, $4062.50, $2500, $1875, $1562.50, $1250, $937, $937, $625, $625, and $625.

See you at the rings,

Bob Bell

The Classic Company, Ltd.

www.ClassicCompany.com

Phone/FAX:  (843) 768-5503

Post Office Box 1311  Johns Island  SC 29457

Arenus Announces World Equestrian Games Contest Winners

Arenus awarded a Vespucci Patent Leather Bridle to Anastasiya Shramko, of Florida. She is pictured with her Holsteiner-Hanoverian cross gelding, Shiloh’s Unforgettable. (Photo courtesy of Anastasiya Shramko)

Lexington, KY (December 13, 2010) – Two lucky visitors to the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games were not only able to enjoy the world-class competition, but they also won products from Arenus, a premier provider of innovative health and nutritional products for pets and horses. Val Zeek, of Oregon, and Anastasiya Shramko, of Florida, were the lucky winners of the Arenus horse drawing contest that took place at the USDF Member’s Lounge during the World Equestrian Games.

Shramko, who trains weekly with international dressage rider Marco Bernal in Wellington, won a Vespucci Bridle donated by World Equestrian Brands, LLC. Shramko was thrilled that she won the contest and said she would be able to put the Vespucci bridle to good use on her Holsteiner-Hanoverian cross gelding named Shiloh’s Unforgettable. “He is a jumper that I am retraining for dressage and I will compete him at the Gold Coast Dressage Association and the Wellington Classic Dressage shows,” she said.

Shramko said attending the World Equestrian Games proved to be a fantastic experience. “It was a beautiful park with great vendors, lots of interesting things and activities and the dressage freestyle was phenomenal,” Shramko said, thanking Arenus for holding the drawing.

Continue reading Arenus Announces World Equestrian Games Contest Winners

Eric Lamaze Named as Owner of the Year for Third Year Running

(L-R): Christian Baillet, Chairman of the JOC, presenting the Owner of the Year Award and Jean-Noel Bioul, Rolex SA, presenting a Rolex silver picture frame to Eric Lamaze

13 December 2010 – For the third year running, Eric Lamaze and John Fleischhacker, joint-owners of the 14 year old bay stallion Hickstead, have been awarded the prestigious title of “Owner of the Year” by the Jumping Owners Club. Hickstead and Canadian rider Eric Lamaze continued their superb form to maintain their position as the most successful horse and rider combination in 2010.

Christian Baillet, Chairman of the Jumping Owners Club, and Jean-Noel Bioul of Rolex SA presented the award to Eric Lamaze. The ceremony took place during the 2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier at the Geneva Palexpo, Switzerland, on 11 December 2010.

Formed in 2005 and supported by Rolex, the Jumping Owners Club is an exclusive organisation of international owners which works towards growing the popularity of the sport around the world. It is the only body which represents the views and opinions of the owners, and works closely alongside the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) in building the profile and inclusiveness of Jumping.

Continue reading Eric Lamaze Named as Owner of the Year for Third Year Running

Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2010/2011 – Round 6

Kevin Staut (FRA) today, Sunday 12 December 2010, won the sixth leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup in Geneva, Switzerland.

STAUT AND SILVANA SCORCH TO VICTORY IN GENEVA by Louise Parkes

Geneva SUI, 12 December 2010 – Kevin Staut and Silvana de Hus scorched to victory today in the sixth leg of the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping series at Geneva in Switzerland.  The 30 year old Frenchman, who continues to hold the No. 1 spot in the Rolex World Rankings and who was already leading the Western European League series going into today’s competition, produced a last-to-go run that squeezed Olympic champion Eric Lamaze from Canada out of the top spot while Sweden’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson finished third ahead of Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum in fourth.

It was a special afternoon for the German rider, as her three-time Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping winning partner Shutterfly – now 17 years old but looking as fresh and keen as ever – showed he is right back to his best.  And for Staut, today’s victory was further confirmation of the quality and class of the 11 year old mare which helped him claim team silver at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky two months ago.  “I have her one-and-a-half years now and this is the first big Grand Prix I have won with her – I have learned to know her a lot better over the last few months and she is a really top horse,” he pointed out.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12700

Journalists to Vote for Best Press Office in Rolex FEI World Cup Western European League 2010/2011 Season

Geneva, 12 December 2010 – Media accredited to cover any of the 12 Western European League qualifiers and the Final of the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup will have the chance to judge the quality of the working conditions in the series’ press offices. Journalists and photographers will be asked to evaluate the media facilities, the press conference set-up, the quality and speed of information provided to the media, including the event’s website, the services to photographers, and, of course, the efficiency and friendliness of the press office staff.

This new award for the Best Press Office of the Rolex FEI World Cup Western European League is being introduced to celebrate the hard work of the event organising teams and also to identify areas for further improvement and development.

The idea for this award, supported by the series’ title sponsor, Rolex, was first suggested at a press officers’ seminar earlier this year at the Rolex FEI World Cup Final held in Geneva. The winning press team will be awarded an especially commissioned prize presented by Rolex. And they will be able to celebrate victory in style as they will also receive a magnum of champagne.

Continue reading Journalists to Vote for Best Press Office in Rolex FEI World Cup Western European League 2010/2011 Season

Exell Back on Track in Geneva

Boyd Exell (AUS) crossing the exciting water splash on the course in Geneva. Photo: FEI/Rinaldo de Craen

Boyd Exell is back on track after winning the fifth qualifier of this season’s FEI World Cup Driving in Geneva. Exell was too strong for IJsbrand Chardon and Tomas Eriksson and claimed his only victory rewarded with World Cup points this season. This is Boyd Exell’s third victory at Geneva’s Palexpo after his win in 2008 and the series’ Final last April.

Leader of the standings
After his wild card wins in Hannover and Stuttgart for which he did not receive World Cup points, Exell claimed ten points in Stockholm where he came second behind wild card driver Tomas Eriksson. In Budapest, it was Switzerland’s Werner Ulrich who beat the Australian World Cup and World four-in-hand Driving Champion. Thanks to his victory in Geneva, Exell has taken over the lead in the standings and has secured his ticket for the FEI World Cup Driving Final in Leipzig at the end of April 2011. Exell will start once more this season in Mechelen, Belgium, where he will compete with his third wild card for the season.

The older the faster
Boyd Exell competed with the same four horses in all five competitions he has done so far. The Britain-based Australian title holder has been travelling with seven horses in order to be able to replace one if any injuries occurred during the long trips between World Cup events. But the geldings, which on average are 17-and-a-half years old, went faster and faster at every competition. Boyd noticed this in Budapest last week and cut down their feed supplies to help them slow down.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12696

Dressage Rider and World Equestrian Games Competitor Tina Konyot Speaks at Sho Clothes “Shop Talk”

Tina Konyot, dressage rider and World Equestrian Games competitor, is pictured with Michele Hundt of Sho Clothes. Tina spoke to a packed house at Sho Clothes dressage boutique’s recent “Shop Talk.” (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Wellington, FL (December 9, 2010) – Tina Konyot, dressage rider and World Equestrian Games competitor, spoke to a packed house at Sho Clothes dressage boutique’s recent “Shop Talk.” An energetic and well-educated crowd listened to Konyot speak about her experience at the 2010 WEG, the transition from the Small Tour to Grand Prix and her stallion Calecto V.

“Tina was fascinating to listen to and I know everyone in the audience enjoyed learning about her experience with Calecto, a horse that she trained by herself and took all the way to the World Equestrian Games,” said Michele Hundt of Sho Clothes. “Tina was also able to field questions from the audience and they really appreciated her feedback.”

During her talk, Konyot explained that Calecto was only an average performer while on the Small Tour but that she believed he would excel in the Grand Prix. Calecto not only excelled, but made history during the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions, a Selection Trial for WEG, when together he and Tina won four Grand Prix classes.

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Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2010/2011 – Preview, Olympia

Isabell Werth, riding Warum Nicht, is pictured at the prize-giving in Lyon, France together with Frederique Martin-Baste, Manager, Commercial, FEI (centre) and Lyon Show Director Sylvie Robert (right). Photo: PSV J Morel.

HADDAD POISED TO SNATCH LEAD FROM WERTH AT THE FOURTH LEG IN LONDON by Louise Parkes

London (GBR), 9 December 2010 – Germany’s Isabell Werth, a double-winner so far this season, holds a slender lead as the 2010/2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Western European League series moves to the hugely popular Christmas Show at Olympia in London next week.  However Werth’s decision to skip the British fixture and to aim instead for the following leg on her home turf in Frankfurt four days later has left the door wide open for second-placed Catherine Haddad to forge ahead in the rankings.

The German-based American is only one point adrift of the leader, and with third-placed Ulla Salzgeber from Germany and fourth-placed Dutch rider Christa Larakkers also missing from the action, Haddad’s nearest challenger is British veteran, Richard Davison, who lies fifth with 32 points and just eight points off Werth’s total of 40.  The British Olympian won the opening leg of the Central European League in Lipica, Slovenia last May and was fifth in the Western European League qualifier at Lyon in France in October with Hiscox Artemis.  Haddad collected points at the same two European venues, but owes her advantage to a very successful trip home to her native shores in October where she took the Grand Prix and Freestyle honours at Devon, Pennsylvania with her 10 year old gelding Winyamaro.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12689

Ultimate Win for Ulrich in Budapest

Werner Ulrich set a solid base for his victory as first starter in the Winning Round. Photo: FEI/Rinaldo de Craen

What nobody expected in Hungary’s capital city happened today: Switzerland’s Werner Ulrich stayed ahead of top favourite Boyd Exell from Australia and won the FEI World Cup Driving competition in Budapest. Exell made two mistakes and came second, ahead of Ulrich’s compatriot Daniel Würgler. This was the second FEI World Cup Driving win in Ulrich’s 31 year long driving career. His first World Cup win came in Mechelen back in 2005.

Heart for Driving
The Papp Lászlo Budapest Sportarena was filled with enthusiastic driving fans this afternoon. In Budapest you feel that driving has a special place in the people’s hearts. The driving sport is extremely popular in Hungary, stimulated even further by the Lázár brothers who are very successful in both pairs and team driving and who enjoy celebrity status in Hungary.

Hungarian O-course designer Gábor Fintha had designed one of the best courses of the season for today’s competition, with technical challenges and fast lines, including a bridge with fireworks.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12661

Santana and Taloubet Are in Tune to Win $50,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix, CSI 2*

Paulo Santana and Taloubet won the $50,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix, CSI 2*. Photos © Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL – December 4, 2010 – The $50,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix, CSI 2* was the feature event this week at the Holiday & Horses Show, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Scoring his biggest grand prix win to date was Brazil’s Paulo Santana on Taloubet, owned by Jennifer Santana. Charlie Jayne of Elgin, IL, was second on The London Group’s Athena, while Kate Levy (USA) rode Lirving du Volsin, owned by Christian Woschenko and Kate Levy LLC, to third place.

The Holiday & Horses Show is the first competition in the Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) Holiday Series, which consists of seven shows through the beginning of January. The Holiday & Horses Show runs through Sunday, December 5.

The course designer for tonight’s grand prix was Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY. There were 39 entries in the grand prix, but only three could find the key to a clear round and advance to the jump-off. The fastest four-faulter in fourth place was Mario Deslauriers (USA) on Jane Clark’s Vicomte D. Fifth place went to Kent Farrington (USA) on Valhalla, owned by Hillary McNerney.

Continue reading Santana and Taloubet Are in Tune to Win $50,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix, CSI 2*