Category Archives: Show Jumping

Equus Events to Kick Off 2013 Show Season with Camden Winter Classic February 22-24

Grace Howard and Bethel's Peri

February 6th, 2013 – Aiken, SC based Equus Events, Inc. is gearing up to kick off its 2013 show schedule with the Camden Winter Classic February 22-24 at the South Carolina Equine Park in Camden, SC.  The event in its second year will again feature many exciting classes including a USHJA National Hunter Derby and Exhibitors’ Party Saturday evening.  Fenwick Equestrian has signed on again as a corporate sponsor for the 2013 season and will be the presenting sponsor of the Derby.  “We are extremely honored to be working with Fenwick again this year,” said show manager J. P. Godard.  “Their high performance products are outstanding and I am pleased to have them as such an enthusiastic member of the Equus Events family of sponsors.”

The winner of the derby will receive a custom embroidered Fenwick EquiSuede Cooler, and new this year, the leading junior and leading amateur rider of the class will also receive a Fenwick Jacket.  Fenwick will also be offering Equus Events exhibitors a special discount code during all shows in 2013.  Details will be available in the horse show office.  The exhibitors’ party will be taking place Saturday evening under the pavilion during the derby and is graciously sponsored by Christison Stables and Bruce and Amy Christison of Camden, SC.  Many thanks to Christison Stables for their support of the Camden Winter Classic.

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Christian Ahlmann Holds World Number One Slot in Longines Rankings

Christian Ahlmann, pictured here with Codex One at the Gucci Paris Masters 2012, has held on to his world number one spot. Photo: Scoopdyga

Lausanne (SUI), 7 February 2013 – Christian Ahlmann (GER), the 2003 double European gold medallist, has held onto the world number one spot in the FEI World Rider Rankings for Jumping – now called the Longines Rankings.

The 38-year-old German jumped into the top spot in December 2012, and a run of successes in January has kept him out in front on 2,585 points, with a healthy 195-point lead over second-placed Steve Guerdat (SUI) who has 2,390 points. Nick Skelton (GBR) remains in third with 2,333 points.

Edwina Alexander-Tops (AUS) is still the top-ranked female and has jumped two spots to fourth with 2,298 points, while the Swiss have a second rider in the top 10, with Pius Schwizer moving up from seventh to fifth on 2,268 points.

Germany also has two riders in the top 10 of the Longines Rankings, although sixth-placed Marcus Ehning has dropped two places.

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Judges, Course Designer Announced for Alltech National Horse Show

Chrystine Tauber and Robert Ridland to Judge ASPCA Maclay Finals. Linda Hough and Joe Darby for Hunter Divisions. Homfeld Tabbed as Course Designer.

Chrystine Tauber. Photos ©Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com

Lexington, Kentucky – February 6, 2013 – The Alltech National Horse Show, scheduled for the Alltech Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 29 through November 3, 2013, today announced the line-up of judges for the Hunter divisions and the ASPCA Maclay National Championship. The Course Designer for this year’s event was also revealed.

Invited to judge the highly competitive hunter divisions for the 2013 edition of the Alltech National Horse Show are Linda Hough, of Wellington, Florida, and Joe Darby of Southern Pines, North Carolina. Both Hough and Darby are inductees in the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame and are two of the most popular and highly-rated hunter judges in the United States.

For more than two decades Hough ran Sutton Place, a highly successful hunter/jumper barn in her native Northern California foothills. Her top hunter Bavaria was named the 1990 Chronicle Horse of the Year and later that same year she was awarded the California Horsewoman of the Year. In 2004 Hough was recognized with the WCHR Lifetime Achievement award, the Daniel P. Lenehan Perpetual Trophy and in 2005 was inducted into the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame.

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$175,000 Invitational Grand Prix Returns to The Ridge at Wellington for Fifth Week of Series

Andres Rodriguez and Caballito. Photo: Emily Riden

Wellington, FL – February 4, 2013 – The highlight of the show jumping season is about to reach its midpoint. The $75,000 Grand Prix Invitational Series at The Ridge at Wellington is preparing for its fifth week of competition. After two weeks of competition at Mida Farm, the event returns to The Ridge at Wellington on Friday, February 8, with a list of national and international contenders giving everything they have to qualify for the finale and possibly take over the Leading Rider Bonus rankings.

Top competitors have been competing in the weekly competition, testing their skills and taking the opportunity to jump in a different venue. After four weeks of the series, Andres Rodriquez is topping the Leading Rider Bonus rankings. He won the first week of competition with his mount Elatrice, as well as easily knocking out the competition last week aboard Caballito, with a time of 31.475 seconds.

“He’s a very, very fast horse,” Rodriquez commented. “My plan was to go as fast as possible, leaving it so that if somebody wanted to beat me they would have to take that inside turn.”

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Jacksonville Winter Series Week 3 & Series Recap

Hugh Graham and Distant Star 3E. Photos by Flashpoint Photography

The 2013 Jacksonville Winter Series has drawn to a close for 2013. The three week long circuit was marked by sunshine, beautiful weather, hospitality and a relaxed atmosphere. Each week featured a $2,500 Welcome Jumper Class, and the first two weeks offered a $10,000 Mini Prix, which lead up to Week Three’s finale, the $25,000 Green Cove Springs Grand Prix. Hugh Graham, aboard Kingridge Stables owned Distant Star 3E, bested the exciting class where many well-known riders, such as Aaron Vale, Hayley Waters and David Jennings, competing for top honors over a Tim Hott designed course.

Hunter riders had plenty of opportunity to shine as well. Weekly Jerry Parks Insurance Group sponsored $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Classics proved very popular on Friday afternoons, where Professionals, Juniors and Amateur riders navigated the handy course reminiscent of the hunt field.  Cindy Cruciotti took home the blue aboard Nicole Lyvere’s All In.

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Victory Marks Triumphant Return for Beerbaum and Cantano

©Flying Horse Photography. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Cantano at the $30,000 SmartPak Grand Prix

THERMAL, CA (February 4, 2013) – It was a triumphant return to Southern California for Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Cantano, owned by Octavia Farms, LLC, with a win in Sunday’s $30,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis. The pair topped a field of 42 entries and produced the fastest of two clears among eight jump-off contenders.

Indeed the trophy ceremony wound up a Team Beerbaum affair, as student Saer Coulter of Stanford, California, and Don VHP Z placed second with the afternoon’s only other double-clear. Meredith’s husband Markus Beerbaum finished third on Lancero. Both Coulter and Markus Beerbaum’s horses are owned by the Coulter family’s Copernicus Stables.

Fourth place went to San Marcos, California’s, Michelle Parker riding Cross Creek Farms’ Socrates de Midos, and fifth to Lane Clarke of Laguna Niguel, California, and Granville Equine’s Casseur de Prix.

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Jennifer Alfano and Maggie May Rise to the Occasion during the Jacksonville Finale

Jen Alfano and Maggie May. Photo by Anne Gittins Photography

Wellington, FL – February 4, 2013 – SBS Farms Inc. has jumped into the 2013 show season, leaving nothing behind. Professional rider and trainer Jennifer Alfano rode Maggie May to a championship in the First Year Green Working Hunters during their stay in Jacksonville, FL, dominating the hunter rings during the Jacksonville Finale Horse Show. She and her other various mounts also earned high honors in numerous classes throughout the week, as well as snatching the first place title with Jersey Boy in the International Derby.

Maggie May, a bay Brandenberger Mare owned by Billie Steffee, recently moved up into the First Year Green Working Hunters from the Pre-Green Hunters. Alfano and Maggie May gave everything they had, showcasing beautiful rounds over fences, and earning the championship tricolor in the division.

“I got her last year as Pre-Green horse and she is a really special horse,” said Alfano. “This was her first show doing the First Years and she was awesome. It is hard to believe that it was her first show of the year. She just marched in the ring like she owned the place.”

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Lisa Goldman on a Roll with Back-to-Back Grand Prix Wins during Week III at HITS Ocala

©ESI Photography. Lisa Goldman and Centurion B on course in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix

OCALA, FL (February 4, 2013) – The HITS Ocala grand prix ring has seen many new faces over the last several years with the heightened excitement of qualifying for the Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix, formerly the Pfizer Million. However, few have had the impact that Lisa Goldman has. The young professional from Hawthorn Woods, Illinois captured her fifth grand prix ribbon in two weeks, was first and second in last Thursday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, and avenged her second-place finish during Week II with the blue ribbon in yesterday’s $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, aboard Mary Goldman’s Centurion B.

Goldman and Centurion B have created a unique bond that many never find and it seems to be working to their advantage. “I’ve had him since he was two years old,” she proudly recalled. “He’s an American bred Belgium Warmblood and I jumped his first jump ever with him.”

It was another perfect day as course designer Doug Russell of Ocala, Florida prepared one of the most exciting tracks of the season. Twenty-seven horse and rider combinations started the class and the contenders soon rose to the top as a five trip jump-off emerged after the first round.

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Alise Oken and Teirra Top $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic

Larkspur and Francesca Dildabanian Take Home the Tricolor in Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunter 14 and Under Division

Alise Oken and Teirra. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – February 3, 2013 – Week four of the2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Fidelity Investments, concluded on Sunday afternoon with a win for 21-year-old Alise Oken and Hi Hopes Farm, LLC’s Teirra in the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic.

Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela set the courses for week four jumper competition in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). In Sunday’s concluding class, 46 entries competed and six advanced to the jump-off. The top three riders jumped double clear rounds, and the fastest time belonged to Alise Oken and Teirra in 31.928 seconds, first to go in the jump-off.

Coming in second, Amanda Derbyshire and David Gochman’s Attack II stopped the clock in 33.613 seconds. HH Prince Faisal Al Shalan and Saudi Equestrian’s Talan placed third with their time of 34.128 seconds. Ben Maher and Mrs. Philips’ Quiet Easy 4 had the fastest time of the jump-off in 31.200 seconds, but had one rail down. Lorenzo de Luca and Michael Collins’ Chevalier also had one rail and placed fifth with their time of 34.588 seconds. Jessica Springsteen wrapped up the jump-off with eight faults aboard Stone Hill Farm’s Vindicat W to place sixth.

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Jessica Springsteen Wins SSG Riding Gloves Bonus Money

Jessica Springsteen, mounted on Vindicat W, is presented with a $1,000 bonus from SSG Riding Gloves for wearing SSG ‘Digitals’ on her way to victory in the $15,000 High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Photo - Sportfot

February 3, 2013 – Wellington, Florida – Jessica Springsteen pocketed a $1,000 bonus for wearing SSG ‘Digital’ riding gloves on her way to victory in the $15,000SJHOF High Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic during week four of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.

Springsteen qualified two horses for the jump-off after successfully negotiating the marathon first round track set by two-time Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela.  From the 37 entries, six horses advanced to the tie-breaker with Springsteen posting the fastest clear round effort, stopping the clock in 40.30 seconds riding Wish.  With the only other clear jump-off performance, she also placed second with Vindicat W, the horse Peter Charles rode to a team gold medal for Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics.  Springsteen, who trains with 2008 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Laura Kraut, was cheered on to victory by her parents, Bruce and Patti Springsteen.

With a $1,000 bonus on the line, Springsteen was wearing her SSG ‘Digital’ riding gloves.

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