Category Archives: Driving

Community/Charity, Driving, FEI

In Memoriam: FEI Pays Tribute to Longest Serving FEI President Prince Philip

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Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, passed away peacefully at Windsor Castle in England. His death, at the age of 99, was announced by Buckingham Palace.

He was the longest serving FEI President (1964-1986) and was succeeded in this role by his daughter Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, for the following eight years.

Some of Prince Philip’s own greatest sporting achievements came in the sport of Driving which he introduced as a new discipline in the FEI and helped to develop during his FEI Presidency. He helped standardise international rules and became a hugely successful competitor himself, winning team gold at the 1980 World Driving Championship and bronze in 1978, 1982, and 1984. He also placed sixth individually in 1982.

Prince Philip strongly supported the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ series, which is now one of the crown jewels in the Jumping calendar, and was hugely supportive of the launch of the FEI Jumping World Cup™ in the 1970s. He was also instrumental in the creation of the FEI World Equestrian Games™, having lobbied for such a competition for many years before it was finally staged for the first time in Stockholm (SWE) in 1990.

An all-round horseman, he played polo during his time in the Royal Navy in the 1940s and became one of Britain’s top-10 players. His passion for all things equestrian was shared by his wife and passed on to their children, particularly Prince Charles who was also a keen polo player, and Princess Anne, who claimed individual gold at the FEI European Eventing Championships in 1971, and individual and team silver four years later, before becoming the first British Royal to compete at an Olympic Games when she rode in Montreal 1976.

Prince Philip’s grandchildren have also inherited a love of horse sport. Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall took the Eventing world title in 2006 and was a member of the British silver medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Princes William and Harry are also regularly spotted on the polo field.

Born in Corfu, Greece and educated in France, Germany, and Great Britain, he was just 18 years old when he joined the Royal Navy in 1939. During World War ll, he served with the Mediterranean and Pacific fleets, and by the time he left the service in 1952 he had reached the rank of Commander. At the age of 26, he married the then Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth ll) in November 1947.

“The passing of Prince Philip is a huge loss for equestrian sport and his legacy, particularly at the FEI, will live on for many many decades to come,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “I first met him in London at the FEI General Assembly in 2005, and again at the FEI Eventing European Championships in Blair Castle in 2015. He was a man of incredible energy and a great sense of humour and the FEI was honoured to have him as our longest serving President.

“His dedication to equestrian sports cannot be underestimated and will never be forgotten, especially in the Driving community. He was born in the same year the FEI was founded and sadly he will not be with us to celebrate his own and the FEI’s centenary this year. We will celebrate his life and remember him as a great ambassador of our sport.”

The FEI extends its deepest sympathy to the British Royal Family and joins the equestrian community in mourning the loss of this remarkable man.

Media contacts:

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

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

*Featured/Spotlights, Driving, Eventing/H.T.

A Prize Pool of Over 90,000 EUR during the Equestrian Festival Baborówko 2021

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Baborówko, March 11th, 2021 — On the last weekend of May, Baborówko near Poznań will traditionally host Equestrian Festival Baborówko – an international eventing show. 6 international classes: CCI4*-S, CCI4*-L, CCI3*-S, CCI2*-S, CCIYH2*-S for 6-year-old horses, and a CCI1* will be played out from the 27th until the 30th of May. The CCI4*-S will once again serve as the Polish Eventing Championships for senior riders.

Thanks to the support of the patron of the show, Mr Roman Roszkiewicz, Equestrian Festival Baborówko will once again present a remarkable prize pool in Polish eventing. The money in the CCI4*-S, the main class of the show, will reach over 70,000 EUR, and the winner will earn a cash prize of 22,000 EUR. “The cooperation with Mr Roman Roszkiewicz, the patron of Equestrian Festival Baborówko, has been our great honor for a few years now,” says Henryk Święcicki jr., the director of the show. “Especially now, in these unique times, the support for professional sport is extremely important. That is why we are very grateful that we can once again count on Mr Roman Roszkiewicz to help us create Equestrian Festival Baborówko.”

The CCI4*-S will be the playground of Polish Eventing Championships for seniors – for the third time in Baborówko. Poland’s most titled eventer – Paweł Spisak – will have the chance to defend his eight title. Less experienced riders or those with younger horses can compete in the national CNC 100 class.

Two driving classes for pairs are a novelty this year. Both L and N classes will be played out over two days: dressage on Saturday and combined marathon on Sunday. “The modernization of our infrastructure, which we finished last year, makes it possible for us to organize various types of shows. Baborówko now offers two new quartz arenas with drainage systems and a professional grass hippodrome,” says Henryk Święcicki jr.

The show in Baborówko is being organized during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, but also during the Equine Herpes Virus epidemic. “Many years of experience in organizing equestrian competitions allow us to prepare the event with the highest safety standards. We are more than prepared to host Equestrian Festival Baborówko in a safe way for both people and horses,” Henryk Święcicki jr. summarizes.

Equestrian Festival Baborówko 2021 will take place at Baborówko Equestrian Centre, from the 27th until the 30th of May, 2021.

More information can be found at:
www.festiwal.baborowko.pl
www.sj.baborowko.pl

Dressage, Driving, Endurance Riding, Revolution Sports, Royal Windsor Horse Show, Show Jumping

Royal Windsor Horse Show to Run in July 2021

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The Organisers of Royal Windsor Horse Show have confirmed that Royal Windsor Horse Show will take place from Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th of July this year.

“We are looking forward to running a near as normal Show at Windsor in July,” said Show Director, Simon Brooks-Ward. “The start of this year has been difficult for all live events, but recent government announcements have given us the confidence to go full steam ahead with the organising of Royal Windsor, which includes planning for an audience.”

All competition will be carried out with the emphasis being on competitors’ safety and adherence to COVID-19 guidelines required at that time by the local authority, health authorities, veterinary and equestrian associations, and the government.

The schedule and a day-by-day programme will go online shortly with the Show running as close to its traditional format as possible and including International Jumping, Dressage, the Land Rover International Carriage Driving Grand Prix, International Endurance, and Showing.

The Windsor Pageant, which was scheduled to take place in the evenings, will not take place. However, the Show will include many of the scheduled elements in a bumper edition of equestrian displays, acts and music within the main Show programme, which will take advantage of the long summer evenings.

Visitor tickets will be made available soon, with Royal Windsor Horse Show Club members prioritised. Should guidelines change and visitors not be allowed to attend on the dates of the Show then all purchased tickets will be refunded. Additionally, organisers have also committed to increasing the number of hours of live streaming and broadcast from the Show so that everyone can enjoy Royal Windsor online even if they are not able to attend in person.

“We are very grateful for the tremendous backing of our supporters, which has allowed us to plan with confidence,” continued Brooks-Ward. “They include Rolex, Bahrain Endurance, Hermès, Coworth Park, DAKS, Al Shira’aa, Champagne Laurent-Perrier and, in particular, our Principal Partner, Jaguar Land Rover.

“We are determined to produce one of our best events for the horse world to enjoy, with a competitive and upbeat edition of this 78-year-old horse show.”

For more information, please contact:
Niki McEwen / rEvolution / nmcewen@revolutionworld.com

Championships, Competitions, Driving, FEI, Les Etoiles de Pau

Les 5 Étoiles de Pau 2020: Let’s Go!

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Kelly Houtappels-Bruder ©S. Bailly/Centaure Production.

The 2020 edition of the “5 Étoiles de Pau” began with part one of the dressage test, the first test in the FEI Driving World Championships for singles. At the end of the opening day of this international event, the Canadian driver Kelly Houtappels-Bruder is at the top of the provisional leaderboard. Fabrice Martin gave the best French performance, finishing sixth. For this 30th edition, the “5 Étoiles de Pau” is also hosting the only CCI5*-L in the world this year (full equestrian eventing competition). After the vet inspections, the leading international riders will enter the arena for the dressage test, the first in this equestrian triathlon.

From now until Sunday the Domaine de Sers will be welcoming the best international riders and drivers for five days of competition at the highest level. The starting lists, results, maps, practical information, and ticket office are available on the mobile App “Les 5 Étoiles de Pau” or on the website for the event:  www.event-pau.fr.

Juliette Feytout – E-mail: juliette@blizko-communication.com

Championships, Driving, FEI, FEI

FEI Driving World Championships Cancelled due to Covid-19 Pandemic

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Lausanne (SUI), 2 October 2020 — The FEI Driving World Championships, due to be held behind closed doors in Valkenswaard (NED) from 7-11 October, have been cancelled due to increased case numbers of Covid-19 in the Netherlands. The decision to cancel the Championships, which were for four-in-hand horse teams, was made by the City of Valkenswaard.

“It is devastating that the FEI Driving World Championships at Valkenswaard have had to be cancelled at the last minute, as everyone involved has put in so much effort to try and make them happen,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said, “but sadly the new Government restrictions in the Netherlands make it impossible for the Championships to go ahead next week.

“The start list for the Championships was looking very strong in such a challenging year for our sport, with 13 nations lined up to take part, including eight with full teams, but it is clear that health considerations have to take priority.

“We have done everything possible to hold these Championships, including looking at a possible alternative venue in Germany, and we are very grateful for the proposal we received, but regrettably it is simply not feasible given the short timeframe, ongoing concerns around Covid-19, and restrictions imposed by the authorities.”

The United States of America, which won gold on home ground at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 in Tryon (USA), was not going to be defending its team title as they had just one driver heading for Valkenswaard, but Australia’s Boyd Exell, who took the individual title on the final day in North Carolina two years ago, was aiming to defend his crown.

Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, and Poland were all due to send teams to the Championships, while Austria, Romania, Switzerland, Uruguay, and the USA were the five nations sending individuals.

Media contacts:

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

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 4

Competitions, Driving, Show Jumping

There Will Be Sport October 21-25, 2020 at the Domaine de Sers in Pau (64)

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Pau is part of the very closed club of the CCI5*L, which includes only six competitions of the highest level in the world, among which the mythical Badminton and Burghley (GB), but also Lexington (USA), Luhmühlen (GER), and Adelaide (AUS). This year, the health crisis forced the five other organizers to cancel: Pau becomes the only CCI5*L of 2020 and thus the must-attend competition of the season.

For its 30th anniversary, Pau hosts the FEI World Championship of Single Horse Driving. The best leaders of the world will come to compete in this competition composed of a dressage, handling, and marathon test and try to win the supreme title.

This festive event, much awaited by the general public, has become a must-attend event in the southwest. For five days, it celebrates equestrian sports, horses, and the “art de vivre” in Béarn.

Press Contact – Blizko Communication
Juliette Feytout – E-mail: juliette@blizko-communication.com

Championships, Competitions, Driving, Tryon

Tryon CDE Announced for September at TIEC

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Mill Spring, NC – July 23, 2020 – The American Driving Society, Inc. (ADS) announced that Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) at Tryon Resort will host the 2020 ADS North American Preliminary and Intermediate Championships at the Tryon CDE, September 17-20. The Tryon CDE will also offer USEF Advanced classes. The Tryon CDE marks the first return of Driving to the venue since the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, following the postponement of the Katydid CDE moving to the venue in 2020.

“We are pleased to be able to host the NACs at TIEC,” said Organizer Jennifer Matheson. “This is an excellent opportunity for our driving community to compete at a world championship venue.”

Both Dressage and Cones phases will be held in a sand fiber mixture footing arena and the Marathon course will wind through the White Oak Cross-Country Course, a former golf course that was also utilized at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018.

The venue features onsite lodging in one, three, and five-bedroom log cabins, a 50-room inn, nearby golf and sports club with an Olympic-sized pool, a nearby gun club, eight onsite restaurants from sushi to Italian and local fare, shopping, and more for competitors and spectators alike to enjoy. Permanent stabling throughout property is being utilized in compliance with all state, local, USEF and ADS COVID-19 guidelines.

A “First-Time Competitor’s Guide to TIEC” can be found here.

View the Omnibus and learn more at www.Tryon.com/Driving.

Learn more at www.Tryon.com.

Dressage, Driving, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Show Jumping, Vaulting, Western/Reining

FEI Board Approves Resolutions Based on Calendar Task Forces Proposals

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The FEI Board held an extraordinary meeting 27 April 2020 to review proposals from six of the discipline-specific Calendar Task Forces. Discussions at the meeting, which was held via videoconference, were on Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Vaulting, and Reining.

During the meeting, the FEI Board agreed that discussions and decisions on FEI Championships for all age categories and disciplines, and potential initiatives to help Organisers, will be deferred to its June meeting.

National Federations and Organisers whose Calendar date applications/modifications have been approved by the FEI during the Covid-19 period have been informed that no guarantee of exclusivity will be provided to them for the new Calendar dates and that equal consideration of all future Calendar date applications/modifications will be given by the relevant Calendar Task Force and by the FEI Board.

Other key takeaways from the meeting are:

Jumping: Due to the uncertainty about the organisation of Competitions worldwide during July and August 2020, the Board has approved all Calendar date applications/modifications for Jumping Events that take place up to and including 30 August 2020. No date clash rules will apply for this period.

Dressage: date applications and/or modifications for high level events (CDI5*/CDI4*/CDI3* and CDI-W) must reach the FEI eight weeks prior to the event. Date clash rules will not apply to CDI3*.

Eventing: date applications and/or modifications for CCI5* & CCI4* Long Format must reach the FEI six weeks prior to the event; date applications and/or modifications for CCI4* Short Format and all other Events must reach the FEI four weeks prior to the Event.

Driving: date applications and/or modifications must reach the FEI four weeks prior to the Event.

Vaulting: date applications and/or modifications must reach the FEI four weeks prior to the Event.

Reining: date applications and/or modifications must reach the FEI four weeks prior to the Event.

Detailed information on resolutions for each discipline are available here.

The Dressage Calendar Task Force held its second meeting 28 April to review applications received for higher-level events. The Jumping Calendar Task Force will hold its third meeting on 4 May 2020, followed by Eventing’s second meeting on 14 May when its Task Force will review applications for higher-level event date changes.

Media contacts:

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

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 4

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Driving, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Publications/Media, Show Jumping, Vaulting

FEI.TV Available Free of Charge while Live Sport Is on Hold

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Swedish Dressage athlete Patrik Kittel tries out the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ trophy for size, whilst compatriot, former European Champion Peder Fredricson, takes hold of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ trophy. (FEI/Liz Gregg)

FEI.TV, the FEI’s online television platform, will be providing all its coverage of past events and special equestrian features free of charge to everyone while live sport is on hold until end of June.

Under normal circumstances, FEI.TV live-streams all major FEI Series and Championships, with an extensive range of replays, special features, and historic events coverage available on-demand combining to provide unparalleled coverage of equestrian sport year-round.

But with no live sport, access to FEI.TV will be free and existing subscribers will be compensated for the months of April, May, and June. They will get automatically refunded on their accounts. All content on the platform, including VOD, will be freely available to all users who will need to register, meaning that fans can re-live all the action from past events so there’s no need to miss out on your fix of equestrian sport.

“Premium content like this usually sits behind a paywall and is normally available only to subscribers, but while there is no ‘live’ sport, we want to give equestrian fans the chance to binge-watch for free during this terrible pandemic,” FEI Commercial Director Ralph Straus says.

This week’s Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ and FEI Dressage World Cup™ Finals in Las Vegas were one of the early high-profile victims of the Covid-19 outbreak when they were cancelled in mid-March. But Jumping and Dressage fans now have the opportunity to relive some of the very best moments of the FEI World Cup™ Finals from the past five years – 2015 to 2019 – live and free on FEI.TV, FEI Jumping and Dressage Facebook pages, and FEI YouTube channel daily. And if you can’t watch it live, catch it on replay on FEI.TV.

For fans of the other equestrian disciplines, FEI.TV has lots more unique content, ranging from FEI Vaulting and Driving World Cup™ highlights to wrap-ups of the FEI Eventing and Dressage Nations Cup™ series.

An additional broadcast offering has been made available by the FEI, equestrian sport’s global governing body, providing free access to video archive footage to TV broadcasters in EBU member territories across Europe through its partnership with EBU, and to key territories in the rest of the world via its partnership with IMG.

“Our broadcast partners are struggling to fill their air-time without live sport, so this initiative has been put in place to ensure that they have access to top equestrian footage and, together, we can keep our fans around the world happy with their daily dose of equestrian content,” Straus says.

Media contacts:

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

Shannon Gibbons
Media Relations and Communications Manager
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 4

Competitions, Driving

2020 Katydid CDE at TIEC Announced for April 23-26

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Mill Spring, NC – March 4, 2020 – The Katydid CDE will be celebrating its 17th year of competition with a move to Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) at Tryon Resort in Mill Spring, NC hosted April 23-26, 2020, bringing national and FEI Driving competition back to the venue for the first time since the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG).

The week will serve as a selection trial for both Single Horses and Four-in-Hand Horses to represent the United States at FEI World Championships this summer in Europe. Katydid CDE at TIEC is one of only a handful of FEI Driving events on the USEF 2020 calendar. As at WEG, the Marathon phase competition will be hosted on the White Oak Cross Country Course at TIEC, following two days of Dressage phase competition. The Cones phase will round out the week in Tryon Stadium, giving spectators an easy way to get an up-close look at the sport throughout all three phases of competition. USEF Preliminary and Intermediate levels will also be hosted.

“I’m very excited about bringing Driving back to a world-class venue. There is a lot of enthusiasm from the Driving community about coming back to TIEC,” said Jennifer Matheson, event co-founder and organizer who also served as the Clerk of Driven Dressage during the 2018 WEG at TIEC.

Entries are now open to competitors, and more information can be found at Tryon.com/Driving. There, competitors can book onsite lodging and receive a special discount, plus browse onsite restaurant options.

“The Katydid Combined Driving Event is a historic and esteemed competition for our combined driving community. We’re excited to see them take their talents to Tryon International Equestrian Center for the 17th edition of the event this spring,” said Bill Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of US Equestrian.

“We are so happy to once again host Driving at TIEC and permanently include this discipline in our competition calendar. As we continue to feature multidiscipline competition, Driving is a sport we are thrilled to highlight,” said Eric Straus, TIEC General Manager of Equestrian Operations.

The Katydid CDE at TIEC is free and open to the public for spectators. The full 2020 competition calendar for Tryon International Equestrian Center can be found at Tryon.com/Compete.