Category Archives: FEI

Welcoming Waters Ceremony for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to Be Held during Betsy Gala and World Cup Qualifier

Mac Cone and Ole. Winners of the 2009 $50,000 Hagyard World Cup Grand Prix, CSI2*-W Lexington, KY. Photo (c) 2009 Kenneth Kraus

Lexington, KY – August 9, 2010 – With only one month until the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) the Kentucky Horse Park is already preparing for the opening day.  On August 20, 2010, the Welcoming Waters Ceremony will take place in the new Indoor Ring. During the ceremony the nine regions being represented during WEG will present water to the First Lady of Kentucky Jane Beshear.  The Welcoming Waters Ceremony will be held prior to the $50,000 CSI-W Hagyard Lexington Classic World Cup Qualifier.  During the World Cup Qualifier, spectators can purchase a table at “The Betsy Gala” to watch international riders compete for the top prize.

The Welcoming Waters Ceremony will be a chance for each region to give a gift to First Lady Jane Beshear.  This offering symbolizes the equestrians from each region giving a gift to Kentucky for hosting the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.  The water will mimic the Olympic flame, which burns during the length of the Olympics.  Once the World Equestrian Games has concluded the water will be transported to Normandy, France where the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games will be taking place.

Continue reading Welcoming Waters Ceremony for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to Be Held during Betsy Gala and World Cup Qualifier

European Champion Takes Over Number One Slot in Rolex Rankings

European champion Kevin Staut (FRA) has taken over the number one slot in the Rolex Rankings for the first time in his Jumping career. (Photograph: Kit Houghton/FEI)

9 August 2010 – European champion Kevin Staut has jumped up to claim the world number one slot in the latest edition of the Rolex Rankings published by the FEI today.

The 29-year-old Frenchman, who won individual gold at last year’s Alltech FEI European Jumping Championships in Windsor, has moved up from third to take over the Green and Gold armband from Olympic champion Eric Lamaze (CAN).

Lamaze, who held the world number one position last month, has now dropped down to second ahead of Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer.

Staut has been a pivotal member of the French team that last week claimed its second successive victory in the Meydan FEI Nations Cup series in Dublin. His consistent performances in the series have now been further rewarded with a first-ever world number one slot in the Rolex Rankings for the popular French star.

View the full Rolex Rankings at www.fei.org.

Media Contact:

Grania Willis
FEI Director Press Relations
Tel: +41 787 506 142
Email: grania.willis@fei.org

FEI World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses 2010

Denmark's Andreas Helgstrand and Uno Donna Unique took gold in the 6 year old division of the FEI World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses at Verden, Germany. Photo: Karl-Heinz Freiler.

DANISH BREEDING AND RIDING DOMINATES

9 August 2010 – Last year’s silver medallist moved up the ranks to take gold at the FEI World Breeding Dressage Championships in Verden yesterday (Sunday).  Uno Donna Unique (s.Don Schufro), ridden by Denmark’s Andreas Helgstrand, was the undisputed World Champion of the 6 year old division at the German fixture in which Danish horses excelled. The new 5 year old World Champion however comes from Holland.  Astrix (s.Obelisk) helped Emmelie Scholtens to win her second consecutive title.

The points for Uno Donna Unique, awarded by Dr Wojciech Markowski, Elisabeth Max-Theurer, Jennie Loriston-Clarke and Angelika Frömming were spectacular – a total of 9.46.  Equally spectacular was the way the judges had to mark down Helgstrand’s other horse, last year’s gold medallist Hönnerups Driver (s. Blue Hors Romanov). Due to ‘exaggerated movements’, ‘passage-like trot’ and problems with the contact, Driver this time only earned in 12th place with a score of 7.80.

The new World Champion Uno Donna Unique has grown stronger and more stable, showing three superb basic gaits, and the judging panel were highly impressed.

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FEI Open European Endurance Championships for Juniors and Young Riders 2010, Kreuth (GER)

Laetizia Pegaz riding Kouleur du Parc (Arab) won the 2010 European individual title when finishing second behind the UAE's Ahmed Ali Al Sabri (Alizee de Majolaine) at the Open European Endurance Championships for Juniors and Young Riders at Kreuth, Germany last week.

TEAM FRANCE DOMINATES YET AGAIN – UAE TAKES OPEN INDIVIDUAL TITLE

The small village of Kreuth is any horse person’s dream – a complete village based entirely around equestrian sport. The venue is well established and has hosted Endurance, Eventing, Reining and Dressage International competitions, but this is the first time an FEI Championship has been hosted in Kreuth. The site, comprised of various arenas, cross country courses, a hotel and large airy barn for stabling, is nestled in the Bavarian countryside approximately two hours south of Munich (GER) on the south east edge of the Taubenbach Forest. It is a perfect venue for Endurance, with extensive vet-gate space, a flat grass trot-up area and ample parking for crew vehicles. The route is principally made up of gravel forest tracks.

Sixteen nations were entered for the FEI Open European Junior and Young Rider Championships with a total of 51 horse/rider combinations. Unfortunately three horses failed the pre-ride vetting, one horse each from Italy, Portugal and Hungary. The biggest impact of these vet-outs was for Hungary who had only brought three horses.  The loss of their third horse would mean they would no longer be able to challenge for a team position and would now only field two individual riders. The usual European nations were out in force, although some with fewer riders than normal. Teams were entered from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, Italy and Portugal. As this was an Open Championships there were some entries from further afield, namely Argentina, the United Arab Emirates and the USA, although none of these nations sent a team.

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Meydan FEI Nations Cup 2010 – Competition Report, Round 8, Dublin

(L to R - Front) FEI Director of Jumping John Roche, Dutch Chef d'Equipe Rob Ehrens, The President of Ireland Mrs Mary MCAleese, President of the Royal Dublin Society Dr Tony Scott and Mr Paul McAuley, General Manager Emirate Equestrian Centre for Meydan. (Back) team members Eric Van der Vleuten, Harrie Smolders, Jur Vrieling and Marc Houtzager. Photo Credit: Tony Parkes.

FEI TV – For all the action from the 2010 Meydan FEI Nations Cup series and much more go to www.feitv.org.

DUTCH DELIVER IN DUBLIN AS FRENCH CELEBRATE SECOND SERIES VICTORY

Dublin (IRL), 6 August 2010 – In a thrilling conclusion to the 2010 Meydan FEI Nations Cup, the team from The Netherlands put up a tremendous fight to win the last round in Dublin today where the French were crowned series champions for the second successive year.  The Dutch came to the Irish fixture knowing that only victory would guarantee them a place amongst the elite nations in 2011 and, inspired by their Chef d’Equipe Rob Ehrens, and ably assisted by the only two double-clear rounds of the competition from Eric Van der Vleuten and Marc Houtzager, they succeeded in their mission in the finest of style when finishing on a four-fault total.

The French arrived knowing they already had the series title in their grasp, but that didn’t take any of the fight out of them.  Chef d’Equipe Laurent Elias said yesterday, “We come to Dublin to win, just like everywhere else.  We had a great start to the season with three victories and we know we are the champions again, but we have a great team here and we want to win this Aga Khan Cup and finish off our great season in the best way,” he added.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=11567

Meydan FEI Nations Cup 2010 – Draw Report, Round 8, Dublin

At the Draw for the last leg of the 2010 Meydan FEI Nations Cup in Dublin today were (L to R) : John Roche, FEI Director Jumping; Paul McAuley, General Manager Emirates Equesrian Centre for Meydan: Pat Hanly, Show Director Dublin Horse Show. Photo Credit: Tony Parkes.

FRENCH TO THE FORE AS THE LAST LEG GETS UNDERWAY

Dublin (IRL), 5 August 2010 – The French, who cannot be beaten for the 2010 Meydan FEI Nations Cup title, will be first into the ring for the final leg of the series at the Royal Dublin Society Showgrounds in Dublin, Ireland tomorrow.

The draw took place this morning, and the order-of-go for the competition which begins at 2.55 pm local time is as follows:

1, France; 2, Great Britain; 3, Sweden; 4, USA; 5, Ireland; 6, Germany; 7, Netherlands; 8, Switzerland; 9, Spain.

With their last-to-go draw, the Spanish are in with a chance of holding on to their place in the series for 2011.  Lying sixth on the leaderboard going into this final clash, the country which only joined the top-league series for the first time this year is in danger of being overtaken by The Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland who are all currently situation in the bottom-four relegation zone in the 10-nation series.  A bad day for Spain tomorrow could prove very expensive, but team manager Marco Fuste is thinking positive.  “We have our best team possible here – it’s tough, and we are going to have to fight hard tomorrow, but we are expecting a good result and I am very happy with our place in the draw,” he pointed out.

Continue reading Meydan FEI Nations Cup 2010 – Draw Report, Round 8, Dublin

Updated Timetable & Feedback Opportunity for FEI Congress on In-competition Use of NSAIDs

4 August 2010 – An updated timetable for the FEI global Congress on Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) Usage and Medication in the Equine Athlete, which will be held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland on 16 and 17 August 2010 is now available here.

All stakeholders who wish to record their views or share relevant information with the FEI on this important debate, including organisers, athletes, sponsors or media, are invited to send an email to nsaidcongress2010@fei.org.

All comments will be recorded and the feedback opportunity will remain available until immediately before the FEI General Assembly in November, when the vote on the in-competition use of NSAIDs will take place.

Media Contact:

Grania Willis
FEI Director Press Relations
Tel: +41 787 506 142
Email: grania.willis@fei.org

Chester Weber Captures Four-In-Hand Championship at Iron Horse CDE

Chester Weber, the reigning USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion, won the Four-In-Hand Championship at the Iron Horse Combined Driving Event at Sherwood Farms. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Thompson, DVM)

Caledonia, IL (August 5, 2010) – Combined Driver Chester Weber is gearing up for the World Equestrian Games the best way he knows how: by competing in and winning the Four-In-Hand at the Iron Horse Combined Driving Event at Sherwood Farms, in Caledonia, Illinois. Despite an issue in the marathon phase, Team Weber captured the overall championship with 152.2 points followed by Josh Rector with 170.58 points.

Weber said his team’s success at Iron Horse did include some bad luck, which occurred on the marathon. “We strive for our personal best and this was an example of being dealt lemons and making lemonade,” Weber said. “In the first obstacle in the marathon, Para my left wheel horse, somehow got his left front leg over Reno’s trace. Reno is the left leader, in front of Para. Olof, one of the two navigators on the carriage, got down and quickly resolved the problem in 25 seconds. The horses were unharmed and we proceeded to win the next three hazards.”

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FEI European Eventing Championships for Young Riders

The victorious British team after winning gold at the 2010 FEI European Eventing Championships for Young Riders at Pardubice last weekend.

EXTRA: The 2010 European Vaulting Championships begin at Stadl Paura, Austria on Thursday 6 August.  The event will be broadcast live in Web TV under the link www.cvi-austria.org.

BRITISH WHITE-WASH AT PARDUBICE

3 August 2010 – British riders proved invincible when taking their sixth consecutive team gold as well as the individual title at the 2010 FEI European Eventing Championships for Young Riders which was staged at the world-famous Pardubice Racecourse in the Czech Republic from 30 July to 1 August.

It was a close-fought affair in each case. However, the winning team heading a powerful challenge from Germany by just 0.10 penalties while Emily Parker had just an 0.8 point advantage over Sweden’s Hannes Melin to take the individual honours.  The Swedish team came third while Germany’s Sonja Buck claimed individual bronze.

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FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships 2010

The Area 3 Young Rider Eventing team of Missy Miller, Emily Renfoe, Danielle Dichting and Devon Brown celebrate their gold medal winning performance at the 2010 FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championship in Lexington last weekend. Photo: Anthony Trollope.

US RIDERS HAUL IN THE GOLD

3 August 2010 – The 2010 FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships came to a close on Sunday August 1st at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, USA – home of the forthcoming Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.  Top American, Canadian and Mexican riders between the ages of 14 and 21 showcased their talents in Jumping, Dressage, Eventing and Reining but it was the host nation that dominated affairs when taking nine gold medals.

Jumping

US riders swept the boards in both the Individual and Team Young Rider Jumping Championships.  Ali Wolff and H & M Necoll made an amazing comeback after pulling two rails during the First Individual Qualifier to claim Young Rider Gold. They began their rise to the top by completing two clear efforts in the Team Competition. The pair then moved into the first place position during the last round of the Finals and held their lead with another clear to finish on a total of 9.93 faults. Catherine Pasmore and My Boy took the Silver Medal with 10.65 faults and Jessica Springsteen and Vornado Van Den Hoendrik took home the Bronze after accruing 13.44 faults.

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