Category Archives: Eventing/H.T.

Community/Charity, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Driving, Equine Assisted Therapy, Eventing/H.T., Events, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Luncheon at Port Mayaca’s Driving Trial to Benefit New Handicap Driving Program at VTRC

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VTRC's Skippy. Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Client

Loxahatchee, FL – May 4, 2011 – The Spring Horse Driving Trial at Port Mayaca Polo Club, Saturday and Sunday May 14th and 15th, will include a charity luncheon to benefit the new driving program at the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. The Luncheon will be held Saturday the May 14th during the Dressage and Cones portion of the competition in Okeechobee, FL. The competition will begin at 9 am and the luncheon will be served from 12 until 2pm. The competition is similar to 3 day eventing, including dressage, cones which is similar to the stadium jumping portion, and a cross country portion, including obstacles that will be driven on Sunday starting at 9am.

Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit the start up of VTRC’s new handicap driving program. The addition of a driving program will allow the center to meet the needs of people who may not be able to ride but will enjoy the camaraderie of the barn and the excitement of competition. VTRC Director of Development Susan Guinan has been committed to starting a driving program at VTRC for sometime. She began driving in the 1980s, and has competed at Gladstone and Devon and many other shows along the east coast. She continued her driving while living in England and was involved with the RDA driving program. She is pleased to be able to bring this opportunity to VTRC.

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Championships, Community/Charity, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping, USEF

2011 ANRC National Intercollegiate Championship

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Award presentations for ANRC National Championship (Flashpoint Photography).

Hardeeville, SC – The weather gods smiled on the American National Riding Commission (ANRC) the weekend of April 14-17 at their 34th annual National Intercollegiate Equitation Championships hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). While other areas experienced tornados and downpours, the Ronald C. Waranch Equestrian Center just outside Savannah, GA, in Hardeeville, SC, was spared. Fifty-two riders from 10 colleges were able to enjoy the beautiful facility, meticulously groomed arenas, challenging medal courses, and imposing new hunter trials fences.

The ANRC National Championship is a member event of the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Affiliate Equitation Awards Program. The championship showcases the American Forward Riding System and the sporting horse. Judged on equitation, it rewards diversified skills in a three-phase competition. Competitors complete a dressage sportif ride, an outdoor hunter trials course and a USEF Medal-type hunter seat equitation course. Riders ride the same horse throughout the competition, and jumps do not exceed 3 feet in height. They also sit for a written test on riding theory and equine science. Teams may consist of two or three riders (with the lowest of the three scores dropped in each phase). Individuals also may compete.

For the first time this year, a Novice Division with fences at 2’6” was offered in addition to the 3’ Nationals Division. Seven colleges fielded Novice teams or individuals: Goucher College, Midway College, SCAD, St. Andrews Presbyterian College (SAPC), University of Georgia (UGA), The University of the South (Sewanee), and Virginia Intermont College (VIC). Midway, competing at their first Nationals, swept the Novice Division winning the team Championship over VIC. Midway’s twin sisters, Alison and Erinn Born, were Novice Individual Champion and Reserve.

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Competitions, Contributors/Press, Diana de Rosa, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping

Heart of the Carolinas Three-Day Event Finishes to Rave Reviews

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Low Score Winner Becky Brown and EZ Win Nikon Camera

Jim Baker and Wings. All photos by Diana De Rosa

The riders couldn’t say enough nice things about Heart of the Carolinas Three-Day Event in Chesterfield, SC at Southern Eighths Farm.  They loved the facility, the organization, the footing, the courses, the jumps – just everything.

When it was all over Jim Baker and Wings claimed the victory in the Beginner-Novice division (58.30).  “The format and the organization were topnotch.  I can’t say enough about it,” he readily commented.

Becky Brown and EZ dominated the Training level (32.90) and Anne Lane Maunder and Penny Lane (37.30) were the winners in the Novice division.  As the Low Score rider of the event, Brown was in awe when she was presented with a Nikon D3100 Camera Kit.  “I’m floored,” she commented.  “I can’t believe I won this camera.  We’ve all had our eye on it all weekend.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping

King Reigns Supreme at Second Leg of HSBC FEI Classics in Kentucky

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Mary King (GBR) finishes first and second in the second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics in Kentucky (USA). (c) Amy Dragoo/FEI

Lexington, KY (USA) – Mary King (GBR), a regular visit to the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event for many years, at last goes home with a coveted Rolex watch, plus the lion’s share of the prize-money. In a superb display of cool horsemanship, she finished first and second and now has a convincing 10-point lead over Badminton winner Mark Todd (NZL) after the second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.

King, 49, who was third at Badminton last weekend on Imperial Cavalier, has made history as the first rider in modern times to win a CCI4* on a home-bred horse, Kings Temptress by Primitive Rising, coincidentally the sire of last year’s winner, Cool Mountain, out of King’s own mare Kings Mistress.

In addition, King joins an elite band of riders – Ian Stark (Badminton 1988), Mark Todd (Burghley 1987) and Blyth Tait (Burghley 1998) – to finish first and second at a CCI4*.

She jumped clear on both her horses, and, having ridden out of order on the Davies family’s 10-year-old Fernhill Urco, at his first CCI4*, had the luxury of knowing she was unbeatable before she entered the stadium on Derek Baden’s Kings Temptress.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping, USEF

King Crowned Champion of 2011 Rolex Kentucky CCI4*

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Halpin Takes USEF National CCI4* Championship on First Try

Mary King and Kings Temptress. Photo by Shannon Brinkman/USEF.

Lexington, KY – Mary King was not going to be stopped in her quest to take a Rolex watch back to Great Britain. Lying first and second after the cross-country at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone –  with Kings Temptress and Fernhill Urco – she did not flinch in the final show jumping phase and jumped an immaculate double-clear round on both horses.

For the first time in history, the champion and reserve champion of America’s only CCI4* was the same rider. King was confident and excited coming into the show jumping, and she rode with a professionalism that was inspiring.

Kings Temptress added nothing to her fourth-placed dressage score of 47.7, they jumped immaculately around Saturday’s cross-country course and then sealed the win over today’s jumping track. King took home top honors with her 11-year-old homebred mare, who is now owned by Derek Rostron Baden. Her closest competition was her stablemate, Fernhill Urco, who emerged from his first CCI4* with second-place honors after only adding eight time faults to his dressage score. The Portuguese-bred grey gelding owned by Sue and Edwin Davies and Janette Chinn, jumped an immaculate clear round and really proved himself at the level. His clear round, jumped out of order due to the proximity of the placings, gave King great confidence to know that whatever happened with the second horse, the top honors were going home with the British veteran.

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Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, Media/Radio/TV Sources

Eventing Radio Episode 139 by Bit of Britain – Rolex Final, Mary King 1 and 2

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Third Place Sinead Halpin joins Chris to recap the weekend, Mary King in first and second place. It was a great weekend with some real twists; tune in right here…

Eventing Radio Episode 139 by Bit of Britain – Show Notes and Links:

  • Show Host: Chris Stafford
  • Photo Credit: Chronicle of the Horse
  • Guest: James Alliston
  • Guest: Sinead Halpin
  • News: The Eventing Radio Show and HORSES IN THE MORNING show will be live from Rolex Kentucky 3DE: April 27 – May 1, 2011 from 4-5:30pm Eastern.

_________________________________________
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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping

Mary King Takes 1st and 2nd at Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

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Mary King, riding Kings Temptress. Photos credit Stock Image Services.com, provided by Rolex.

Mary King (GBR) today, Sunday 1st May 2011, held her nerve, and her overnight lead, to finish in first and second position after the final Show Jumping phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, in Lexington.

William Fox-Pitt riding Neuf Des Coeurs finished in 4th position and Oliver Townend riding ODT Sonas Rovatio was 6th, with both riding clear rounds in the Show Jumping.

Quotes from Mary King/Kings Temptress: “I was much too excited to get much sleep last night – I ended up watching a film at 2am in the morning! I was fairly calm today, I always feel that with three day events that yesterday is the big day, you want to get through it and your horses to be well, and today whatever will be will be – you just have to go in there, try and keep calm, ride each fence and try and forget about all the crowds around, and you sort of feel whatever’s going to happen is going to happen and hope they are going to pick up their feet and that it all works out!”

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Competitions, Contributors/Press, Diana de Rosa, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping

Heart of the Carolinas Three-Day Event – Results after Cross Country

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Anne Lane Maunder and Penny Lane. Photos by Diana De Rosa

On April 30th the key day of the Heart of the Carolinas Three-Day Event took place with great results.  Mother Nature was kind bringing beautiful weather for the Beginner-Novice, Novice and Training level divisions.  When the day was over, Becky Brown rode EZ to the top place with a score of 32.90 in Training.  Anne Lane-Maunder continued her lead on Penny Lane in the Novice division (29.30).  Beginner-Novice rider Jim Baker with Wings completed the Cross Country to maintain his lead (54.30).

Debbie Williamson, Ball Ground, GA, Chief Veterinarian, was pleased with how everything went.  “The day went really well.  The horses were in good condition.  Everyone got to go and the horses finished the Cross Country course with no accidents and finished well in the 10 minute box.”

Debbie is no newcomer to Three-Day Eventing and put the same care into this event that she does for the higher level events she does.  “I set this vet box the same way I would at any FEI event and it went like clockwork thanks to an excellent group of volunteer help,” she added.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping

Mary King on Song for a One-Two at the Second Leg of the HSBC FEI Classics

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Mary King (GBR) is lying in both first and second position after the Cross-Country phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. © Amy Dragoo/FEI

Lexington, KY (USA), 30 April 2011 – Great Britain’s Mary King is the one to beat in tomorrow’s final jumping phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics. The Devon-based rider holds the lead aboard Kings Temptress while the Portuguese-bred Fernhill Urco is two penalties behind in second.

“I never dreamed that I would be in this position when I left England,” said King. “They are two very different horses. Kings Temptress is very experienced at this level and was fluent all the way round. Fernhill Urco has no experience at this level and he was a bit green at the first water but he improved the further he went.”

A clear jumping round for 2.8 time penalties sees Australia’s Clayton Fredericks in third with Be My Guest, a rise of seven places through the scoreboard following the Dressage.

“The first time I walked the course this week it was under water but today I thought it was perfect going,” said Fredericks. “After watching Mary spin round inside the time I thought the ground was going to be fast but actually it did take its toll, particularly later in the day.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, USEF

King Is Queen at 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event; Halpin Leads American Effort

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USA's Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Lexington, KY – Great Britain’s Mary King was unstoppable on cross-country day at the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone. She guided two horses around Derek di Grazia’s course to claim the top two places on the leaderboard. Australia’s 2007 winner, Clayton Fredericks, sits third on Be My Guest and Sinead Halpin jumped up to fourth in her first CCI4* with Manoir de Carneville, to lead the assault on the USEF National CCI4* Championship.

King cruised around on Kings Temptress, her 11-year-old homebred mare. She was one of only three double-clear rounds all day and jumped her way from fourth after the dressage, to the top of the leaderboard on a score of 47.7. With her less experienced horse, Fernhill Urco, she used all of her expertise to guide the Portuguese-bred gelding home for owners Sue and Edwin Davies in his first try at this level. Second after the dressage behind American rider Tiana Coudray, Fernhill Urco kept his position even after he picked up eight time faults. His score of 49.7 means his stablemate doesn’t have a rail in hand.

“The mare was pretty fluid all the way around,” said King. “I was amazed, galloping along thinking how good the ground was. The mare had a fairly fault-free round and she was quite easy with the time.”

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