Category Archives: Eventing/H.T.

Strzegom Opens the Equestrian Sports Season

Photo by Mariusz Chmieliński.

There’s only a month left till international competitions start in Strzegom. What can the riders expect in the coming season? Five international Eventing shows with other 50 competitions including Nations Cup and FEI European Championships for Ponies in Eventing, Jumping, and Dressage.

As a warm-up, the Strzegom Spring Open competitions will be held in two rounds, on the second and fourth weekend of April. The first event will feature five international classes in short format from two to four stars, an Intro class, and a CCIP2-S competition. Long format classes will be added to the second round of competitions. National classes will also be held at all events: CNC 100, CNC 100-18, CNC 80.

For many riders it will be the first four-star competition this year. The cross-country courses will be design with the aim to give a chance for riders and horses to enter the season smoothly. “In April in Strzegom, the fences always meet the requirements of the level of the competition, but the technical combinations are definitely easier than at the Nations Cup in June. Everything is ready for the event in April including lots of new ideas and questions not seen in Strzegom yet. It will be interesting to see riders’ reactions,” says Marcin Konarski, Course Designer.

The Strzegom Horse Trials, during which the third series of the Nations Cup competition will be held, will take place at the last weekend of June. There will certainly be no shortage of attractions on the cross-country course. It is during this event that cross is the most difficult and spectacular. The riders will compete in seven classes from two to four stars in short and long formations and the Intro class. Competitions for Juniors, Young Riders, and Ponies will also be held: CCIJ2*-S, CCI3*YR-S, CCIP2-S. During the Strzegom Horse Trials, Polish Senior, Young Riders, and Junior Champions will also be selected.

The sports thrill will hit the pick during the summer holidays. The first weekend of August will see the start of the European Pony Championships in three disciplines: Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing, and the Strzegom Summer Tour event will take place over the last weekend of August. Riders will compete in the Intro class and short format competitions from two to four stars. This event is especially recommended for pairs making their debut at a higher level than they competed so far.

The season finale will be the Strzegom October Festival, during which competitions of one to four stars in both formats will be held.  At the same time, the European Youth Eventing Masters tournament will be held, which will determine individual and team winners in the youth categories. The event will take place in mid-October.

Contact:
www.strzegomhorsetrials.pl
press@strzegomhorsetrials.pl

Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135: USEF Eventing CCI 4*-L National Champions

Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135 ©Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Mill Spring, NC – November 14, 2021 – The final day of The Dutta Corp Tryon International Three-Day Event at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (TIEC) saw the new national champion crowned at the CCI 4*-L level Sunday after a thrilling Show Jumping competition. Woods Baughman (USA) claimed the Dutta Corp/USEF 4*-L Eventing National Championship with C’est La Vie 135 on a score of 29.4, enjoying a sweet comeback after overcoming a broken back and improving from a third place finish in 2020. Sweetening the victory even more was finishing just ahead of his coach, Sharon White (USA) aboard Claus 63, her own 2012 Holsteiner gelding (Catoo x Levisto), who wrapped up their weekend on a score of 36.7 for reserve after adding .8 penalties for time to their total. Will Coleman (USA) and Chin Tonic HS had one rail down to finish third, scoring an even 38 points with the 2012 Holsteiner gelding (Chin Champ x Quinar) owned by Hyperion Stud LLC.

Baughman was the only CCI 4*-L rider to pilot his mount to a double-clear over the Cross-Country course set by Captain Mark Phillips (GBR), solidifying his lead heading into Show Jumping competition in Tryon Stadium. The goal was to keep the 2008 Hanoverian gelding (Contendro I x Aarking xx) owned in partnership with James Baughman Jr. and Kim Baughman calm and relaxed, Baughman reported, but also himself:

“On Cross-Country yesterday, he was such a machine. I wasn’t sure about the time at the end, so I just dropped the reins. I let him do his thing, and we ended up well inside the time. Overnight, I was just keeping him as relaxed as possible, so he didn’t get all tight, especially with it being so cold this morning.” Though worried about his horse’s energy after flying around the track on Saturday, it was evident that C’est La Vie 135 was full of run after his win, Baughman noted. “He had so much energy left today that I was still holding him back in the Show Jumping. I felt pretty confident going in. I actually lost control a little bit in the victory gallop, but it’s all good!

“I wasn’t doing so well this morning,” Baughman admitted of his own trouble relaxing before the final phase. “Mia was making fun of me at breakfast because my hand was shaking so bad while I was just trying to drink coffee! He is so genuine and he jumps so well, though, that by the time I was done warming up, I was quite relaxed. I just had faith in my horse and let him do his thing.”

View full results from the Dutta Corp Tryon International Three-Day Event here.

On-demand replay of live streaming is available through the USEF Network.

For more info, visit www.Tryon.com.

Cross-Country Change-Up for Tryon International Three-Day Event Leaderboards

Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie ©Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Mill Spring, NC – November 13, 2021 – The Dutta Corp/USEF CCI 4*-L Eventing National Championship podium has rearranged after Cross-Country, with the same trio of horse-and-rider pairs holding onto top three spots ahead of Jumping competition on Sunday. Woods Baughman (USA) and C’est La Vie are the new pair to beat, adding nothing to their Dressage score after blazing around the Cross-Country course in nine minutes and 36 seconds. Will Coleman (USA) and Chin Tonic HS added 7.6 time penalties to their 26 for a total score of 33.6 for the 2012 Holsteiner gelding (Chin Champ x Quinar) owned by Hyperion Stud LLC, while Sharon White (USA) and Claus 63, her own 2012 Holsteiner gelding (Catoo x Levisto), sit at 35.9 points for third place after adding six time penalties to their score.

Baughman and the 2008 Hanoverian gelding (Contendro I x Aarking xx) owned in partnership with James Baughman Jr. and Kim Baughman were the solo pair to navigate the Captain Mark Phillips (GBR) course design without time faults. Jumping clear was an accomplishment that only nine entries managed, with five horses picking up 20 penalties and seven competitors failing to complete the course. In short: competition was stiff, and Baughman arrived at the base of the infamous hill with four jumps to conquer and an unsure sense of his time, he reported.

“He was fantastic. I mean, he’s a total powerhouse on course. I set him up for the important combinations, and everywhere else, I just let him run. And then we got to the end of the course, we had that big hill and I wasn’t exactly sure of my time, because I had that hold on course.” Baughman chose to see what his ride had left in the tank as they powered up the hill for the last few obstacles, and “as I headed to the hill, I decided not to take any chances, and I just dropped the reins and let him run.”

Baughman and C’est La Vie have been in almost this exact scenario before heading into Show Jumping in Tryon Stadium, which Baughman thinks bodes well for their round – as long as C’est La Vie remains relaxed.

“He’s a pretty solid jumper, so that always helps you feel a little bit more comfortable. It gives us a bit of confidence knowing how he’ll react to that big ring. And the real plan is just to help him stay relaxed and easygoing into tomorrow because he can get pretty uptight pretty fast. And then,” Baughman explained, “he stops his back and can have one behind. It’s just [a matter of] keeping him relaxed through the night and happy in the morning, and we’ll give it our best shot tomorrow.”

For Baughman, the biggest difference between this year’s 4*-L championship contest and last year’s was the orientation of the Cross-Country course, which started at the top of the hill in 2020. “It was definitely interesting doing the course the other way around this year,” he concluded. “It had a much different feel than last year, because the hill going down in the beginning kind of set the pace early.” The route had a completely different feeling when topographically reversed, he revealed. “This year, knowing that it was kind of lurking over you the whole way around the course, that you’re gonna have to run [up it] at the end, really, you had to be ready, and a bit ahead of your markers with enough force to actually keep coming. It was a completely different style.”

View all results from the Dutta Corp Tryon International Three-Day Event here.

Full schedules and viewing information, including live stream links, are available at www.Tryon.com/eventing.

For more info, visit www.Tryon.com.

Tryon International Three-Day Event Dressage Days Results

Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS ©Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Mill Spring, NC – November 11, 2021 – The Dutta Corp/USEF CCI 4*-L Eventing National Championship kicked off at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (TIEC) with two days of Dressage competition as part of The Dutta Corp Tryon International Three-Day Event. The week features CCI 1*-4*-L competition alongside CCI 4*-S competition and the Adequan®/USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge East Coast Finals. In the chase for the national title, Will Coleman (USA) and Chin Tonic HS hold the lead going into Cross-Country, dancing to a score of 26.0. The remainder of the podium is also all-American at the moment: Woods Baughman (USA) and C’est La Vie, the 2008 Hanoverian gelding (Contendro I x Aarking xx) owned in partnership with James Baughman Jr. and Kim Baughman, scored a 29.4 in the sandbox for second, and Sharon White (USA) sits in third with Claus 63, her own 2012 Holsteiner gelding (Catoo x Levisto), after their 29.9-point performance in Dressage.

Coleman and the 2012 Holsteiner gelding (Chin Champ x Quinar) owned by Hyperion Stud LLC) are contesting their third-ever Advanced competition, so he’s aiming for an educational yet competitive experience. “He’s a very talented young horse,” Coleman detailed. “He’s very green for this kind of competition, but we feel that he’s ready. He showed some of his greenness in his test, but he has so much quality that he can get away with it. I feel fortunate to be where we are and recognize I’m riding a really good horse in that phase.”

Since it’s Chin Tonic’s third run at the Advanced level, Coleman is proceeding with caution but is excited to contest the Captain Mark Phillips (GBR) course design on the White Oak Cross-Country Course Saturday. “The main thing we want to think about is just giving him a good run for his future and development, but we’re here to be competitive as well,” Coleman shared. “We’re formulating a good plan for him, and then we’ll go out there tomorrow and try our best to execute it.

“It’s been great here as always,” Coleman commented on the venue. “Tryon is first-class. The horses get a sense of the atmosphere that you might encounter at big-time events around the world. I think it’s wonderful that we’re able to compete here.” he concluded, “Fingers crossed for tomorrow. I hope everyone has great runs and that we have a great day of sport!”

View all results from the Dutta Corp Tryon International Three-Day Event here.

Full schedules and viewing information, including live stream links, are available at www.Tryon.com/eventing.

For more info, visit www.Tryon.com.

Tim Price, the Price of Excellence at 5 Étoiles de Pau

Tim Price and Falco (c) Solène Bailly Photos.

The thousands of spectators who flocked to the Domaine de Sers to encourage the best riders and drivers in the world made the right decision in staying until the end of this 31st edition of the event. There were some very high-level sports performances in both carriage driving and eventing. The morning was dedicated to the driving marathon, where World no. 1 Marion Vignaud and the French team finished in first place, and the afternoon saw New Zealander Tim Price ride to victory after a flawless weekend with his mount Falco. Maxime Livio, bronze medallist in the 2018 team event at the World Equestrian Games, produced the best French performance, ranking 5th at the end of the day. Pascal Sayous, President of the 5 Etoiles de Pau, gave a very positive review of a week of magnificent sportsmanship at the highest level, attended by over 40,000 visitors.

Daniel Koroloff – E-mail: daniel@blizko-communication.comv

World No. 3 Tim Price Takes Things in Hand at 5 Étoiles de Pau

Tim Price on Falco (c) Solène Bailly Photos (2).

The cross-country test, the high point in eventing, held its share of surprises. In the lead after the dressage test, Tim Price, currently World no. 3, gave a true textbook demonstration of how to ride a cross-country course on Falco, coming home in optimal time and maintaining his score from the previous day. His wife Jonelle had ranked 2nd, but in spite of the fact that her little horse McClaren gave it all he got, she came home with an overrun of 11 seconds, relegating her to 6th place on the leaderboard. That gave Irish rider Padraig McCarthy the chance to climb up to second place, followed by Australian rider Kevin McNab. Maxime Livio gave the best French performance riding Vitorio du Montet, finishing in optimal time and grabbing 9th place on the leaderboard.

Daniel Koroloff – E-mail: daniel@blizko-communication.com

Mr & Mrs Price Have the Reins Well in Hand at 5 Étoiles de Pau

Jonelle Price & McClaren (C) Solène Bailly Photos.

Couples (in real life) are few and far between at this level, and Jonelle and Tim Price belong to the world elite. Not only do they produce quality performances, but a competitive spirit drives them both, and has spurred them on to the top of the provisional leaderboard in one of the most prestigious eventing competitions in the world. Spectators enjoyed watching a wonderful day of sport where the Anglo-Saxon contingent easily dominated the dressage test, with half the British riders in the top 20. In the French camp, Sidney Dufresne didn’t come off too badly, ranking eighth. However, it’s highly likely that the cross-country event will shake up the leaderboard.

Daniel Koroloff – E-mail: daniel@blizko-communication.com

The British Start as They Mean to Go On at 5 Étoiles de Pau

William Fox-Pitt & Oratorio (c) Solène Bailly Photos.

If there was any doubt that 2021 has been a year for the Brits in equestrian sports, then the riders here in Pau have just swept it away! As if it weren’t enough to have bagged the gold medal in the team event and silver in the individual event in Tokyo, then the gold again in the team event and the podium in the individual event at the European championships, the British contingent are back in Pau to fight for the title of the final major competition on the eventing circuit. With a total of 23 riders on the start list, it was a pretty safe bet that some of them would be on the podium. And they did it with flair – five British riders have the first five places on the provisional leaderboard. In the driving dressage test, Marion Vignaud (FRA) was pipped at the post by a few hundredths of a point by Canadian driver Kelly Houttappels-Bruder.

Daniel Koroloff – E-mail: daniel@blizko-communication.com

OS and Holsteiner Mares Claim 2021 Titles

Kevin McNab and Cute Girl. (FEI/Libby Law)

Mares topped both divisions at this year’s FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships for Young Horses 2021 at Lion d’Angers in France, where Germany’s Anna Lena Schaaf steered the OS studbook’s Lagona 4 to victory in the 6-Year-Olds, while Australia’s Kevin McNab and the Holsteiner, Cute Girl, topped the 7-Year-Old category.

The hugely popular event, which is designed to help develop future stars, attracted a massive 40,000 spectators along with many of the world’s best Eventing athletes and super-talented young horses once again.

6-Year-Olds

Anna Lena Schaaf only turned 20 in August, but she already has a reputation for producing quality horses, and with Lagona 4 (Lavagon/Ile de Cartina/Cartani 4) she led the 6-Year-Olds from start to finish. Posting 25.8 in the Dressage phase, the pair had a narrow advantage of just 0.7 penalties over Thomas Carlile and the mare Fair Lady des Bourcks in second.

Fellow Frenchman Nicolas Touzaint was lying third with another Selle Francais, the gelding Fibonacci de Lessac HDC, who was awarded a score of 26.8 by judges Nice Attolico Guglielmi (ITA), Xavier Le Sauce (FRA) and Nikki Herbert (GBR), while newly-crowned Olympic individual Eventing champion Julia Krajewski from Germany was lying fourth with the Hanoverian gelding Chintonic 3 on a score of 27.9 going into Saturday’s cross-country phase.

A total of 46 starters set off over the 22-fence cross-country track and three were eliminated while one retired, but the top six places remained unchanged.

Schaaf said, “It’s still a really crazy feeling being in the lead in such a good competition! It was great riding the cross-country today; my horse was really focused and I had the feeling she really enjoyed the crowd so I’m super excited for tomorrow! Usually she is a great showjumper but we have to see… maybe she will be a little bit tired after the cross-country but I’m looking forward to it.”

As it happened, Lagona was foot-perfect once again to leave the final result beyond doubt. But three fences down saw Thomas Carlile and Fair Lady des Broucks plummet to 17th place, so when Touzaint was clear, he rose to runner-up spot. Meanwhile, a single error saw Krajewski and Chintonic drop from fourth to fifth and two new names appeared at the top of the final leaderboard.

Bounced up

Rebecca Chiappero was lying 14th with the Irish Sport Horse Bonmahon Chelsea after dressage, but bounced up to tenth on Saturday after a brilliant cross-country clear. When the pair collected just 0.8 for time in an otherwise flawless showjumping round, their final tally of 31.7 saw the Italian rider stand on the third step of the podium. Fourth went to Australia’s Isabel English and the ACE-bred Cil Dara Dallas who were ninth after dressage, eighth after a clear cross-country run, and who moved up four places when collecting just two time faults.

This win adds yet another gold medal to the collection Schaaf has already accumulated. It’s only five years since she won double-gold at the FEI Eventing European Pony Championships in 2016; she was a double-gold medallist again in Juniors in 2019 and she claimed team gold and individual silver at this summer’s Young Riders European Eventing Championships in Sweden.

She was delighted for her winning mare: “Like yesterday, she was focused and concentrated, and in the end she really enjoyed the galloping around after the prizegiving and listening to everybody screaming. I think she felt ‘Yes! I’m the best!’”

Also happy was Schaaf’s former trainer at Junior level, Julia Krajewski, who sees big things ahead for her former student. “Anna Lena is an excellent rider as she has proven this weekend, and last weekend when she won her first 4* event. The German team always needs new talent, particularly those who are capable of training young horses,” said the Olympic champion.

7-Year-Olds

In the 7-Year-Old division Australia’s Kevin McNab and Cute Girl (Coventry/Caligula/Clearway) also took the early lead and didn’t let go. Judges Emmanuelle Olier (FRA), Katarzyna Konarska (POL), and James Rooney (IRL) scored their test at 26.9, and they added nothing over the following two phases.

Also competing on their dressage score were second-placed Laura Collett and the Trakehner, Outback, whose dressage mark of 27.2 left them only fractionally ahead of British compatriot Hayden Hankey and Heads Up on 27.4, while yet another of the British contingent, Selina Milnes, was lying fourth with the Irish-bred Cooley Snapchat on 27.5 going into cross-country day – just 0.6 penalty points separating the leading four.

It was a star-studded line-up after dressage, 43-year-old McNab a member of the Australian silver medal winning team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where 32-year-old Collett claimed team gold, while 42-year-old Hankey is one of the best-known and successful show-horse competitors on the British circuit.

His versatile Irish Sport Horse, Heads Up, was Working Hunter champion at the Horse of the Year Show in 2019 and finished second in the British 7-Year-Old Eventing Championship at Osberton this year. But the pair paid a big price when just over the cross-country optimum time of 9’ 04”, which left them with two time penalties and dropped them to overnight ninth place.

A total of 58 combinations headed out on the cross-country track in the 7-Year-Old championship and five were eliminated, while three retired and just 13 made it home within the optimum time.

McNab had every reason to get it absolutely right. A year ago, he and Cute Girl were eliminated in the 6-Year-Old Championship when missing a fence, but this time the pair cruised home and maintained their lead.

Surprised

“I was actually surprised I didn’t lose more time towards the end, so I came in a little bit quicker than I’d planned. But the round felt really good; she was really solid and she’s matured a lot from last year,” he said.

Collett was equally pleased after her cross-country run. “I’m very, very happy; he was a bit scared of the crowds, but he stayed very honest and kept answering the questions. It’s an awful lot for them to come here if they don’t have much experience and to see so many people and the fences. They are very beautiful and well-built but they are quite spooky for the horses, so it was a very educational day and I’m delighted with him,” she said after galloping home comfortably within the time with Outback.

“It’s such a big atmosphere here and tomorrow is another day and hopefully he comes out feeling well. He’s already exceeded all our expectations this week; he has performed brilliantly and fingers crossed he can do the same tomorrow.” And he did, leaving all the poles in place in the final phase while McNab’s Cute Girl did likewise.

Milnes added 0.8 time penalties to her tally, but still held on for third ahead of compatriots Gemma Tattersall with Johan-Some in fourth and Hankey who climbed back up to fifth when adding only 0.4 for time. British riders filled all the places from second to seventh, and the most prolific studbook in the top-seven was the ISH, taking third, fifth, sixth, and seventh spots.

But the Holsteiner, Cute Girl, was the golden girl, and after numerous attempts to make the podium at this prestigious fixture, McNab was plenty pleased with his result.

Great event

“Le Lion is one of those events we always love coming to, and it’s great when you are at this step of the podium, but at the same time it’s always a great event regardless. It’s great for the horses looking towards their future and even if we weren’t winning, we still enjoy it,” he said.

Collett said that in the final showjumping phase, “The time was very tight and the atmosphere in there was like a Championship, like a Badminton; these young horses haven’t experienced that, so I’m so proud of my horse!”

She echoed the sentiments of many when showering praise on the event organisers. “A massive thank you to the team at Le Lion. Every year they put on a phenomenal event and it’s so important for these young horses to bring them to a place like this – it’s a real honour to be here,” she said.

Results here

by Louise Parkes

Media contact:

Shannon Gibbons
Manager, Media Relations & Media Operations
shannon.gibbons@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 46

British Rider Victorious in the 4* Class in Strzegom

Libby Seed with the 10-year-old Heartbreaker Star Quality was the winner of the CCI4*-L, the highest ranked class of Strzegom October Festival.

Libby Seed took the lead after a smooth cross-country, although she crossed the finish line six seconds late. That still made her jump up from fourth after dressage. She went over the showjumping clear on the fences, with only 0,8 for time. Second place went to her compatriot James Sommerville with Talent, and Miroslav Trunda from the Czech Republic was third riding Shutterflyke.

Victory in the 3*-L after clear cross-country and jumping rounds belonged to a veteran of Strzegom’s events – Germany’s Andreas Dibowski riding Calahari. Vanessy Bölting with Ready To Go W was second, and Swedish rider Sara Algotsson Ostholt with Dynamite Jack was third.

Female riders dominated the podium in the 2*-L. The winner was Australia’s Katja Weimann with Jeu de Blanc W before German riders Julia Schatzmann with Golden Evo KPSC and Anna Lena Schaaf with Lorsandos.

Saturday’s cross-country rounds ended the rivalry in the short-format 3* and 4* classes. The podium went to German athletes in both. Anna Lena Schaaf riding Fairytale 39, the best one in the 4*, took the lead after dressage and did not lose it until the end. Sandra Auffarth with The Phantom of the Opera was sitting in 8th after the first trial, but a clear jumping round and only some time penalties in the XC secured her second place. Antonia Baumgart riding Lamango had some time faults and had to settle for third.

Libussa Lübbeke with Darcy F was victorious in the 3* after going through the cross-country only 4 seconds late. Pia Münker with Cascada was second, and Sandra Auffarth with Viamant du Matz was third.

The win in the CCI1*-Intro, after flawless showjumping and cross-country runs, belonged to Poland’s Karolina Miś with Go Jack.

The European Youth Eventing Masters was dominated by Germans, who took the win in all age categories, both as a team and individually. Julia Warner with Clara, Christina Schöniger riding Schoensgreen Continus, Brandon Schäfer-Gehrau with Parkmore Emper, and Felicia Von Baath with Quantum E were the best in the young rider category. The last one of them was also the winner individually.

The best junior team was Emily Roberg with Donna Lena MV, Jule Krueger with D’Artagnan 216, Isabel Kristin Dalecki riding Caruso JH, and Hedda Vogler with Niagara de Champenotte. Individually the best result belonged to Sophia Rössel with Nickel 21.

Neele Hinrichsen riding Golden Gadget, Pita Schmid with Sietlands Catrina, Amelie Nottmeier with Katleen 3, and Merle Hoffmann na Penny Lane WE were the winners of the pony class, while Hoffmann also took home the individual best score.

Strzegom October Festival was a jubilee 50th international show at the hippodrome in Morawa. 12 classes were played out, with almost 400 pairs from 23 countries.

Online results: http://results.strzegomhorsetrials.pl/event.php?event=10

Contact:
www.strzegomhorsetrials.pl
press@strzegomhorsetrials.pl