Category Archives: Show Jumping

2012 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West Kicks Off at the Los Angeles International Jumping Festival

Los Angeles, CA – The 2012 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West kicked off at the Los Angeles International Jumping Festival at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on September 20. The final consists of four phases: flat, gymnastics, jumping, and a work off. On Thursday, the thirty-three finalists competed in Phase 1 and were split into groups of five to six riders to compete on the flat. Riders were asked to demonstrate the usual flat movements, such as the counter canter and lengthening of stride, and the judges also asked for a rein back, a turn on the haunches, and a flying change of lead. After judging all of the competitors, the judges (Chrystine Tauber and Bernie Traurig) asked seven riders to come back for additional testing.

For the test, riders had ninety seconds to impress the judges with their flat work, keeping in mind that the entire competition has a jumper focus and preparing to compete in the jumper ring. The top seven executed a variety of movements, including leg yields, half passes, flying changes, and serpentines. “It was very interesting to see what they choose to show us and how well they executed it,” Chrystine explained. “There were a couple of riders who did a great job and it was a pleasure to watch. After the test, the top seven definitely reshuffled themselves.”

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Simonne Berg Scores Second Bonus with SSG Riding Gloves

Simonne Berg riding Limerick claimed a $1,000 bonus from SSG Riding Gloves after winning the $1,500 Majyk Equipe Children’s/Adult Amateur Classic. Deb Dawson Photography

September 22, 2012 – Petaluma, California – Hometown favorite Simonne Berg made it two in a row with her second consecutive win in the SSG Riding Gloves ‘Go Clean for the Green’ promotion at the Sonoma Horse Park in Petaluma, CA.

Berg was awarded her second consecutive bonus of $1,000 from SSG Riding Gloves for wearing ‘Digitals’ on her way to victory.  Having previously won the $1,500 Draper Therapies Children’s/Adult Amateur Classic at the HMI August Classic held August 23-26, Berg again returned to the winner’s circle following her victory in the $1,500 Majyk Equipe Children’s/Adult Amateur Classic on September 16 during the Strides and Tides competition.

The 16-year-old, who trains with Meredith Herman of Burgundy Farms, won both Classics riding Limerick, her Connemara pony.  Berg plans to spend the first $1,000 bonus she earned on a trip to Greece, while the second will go towards a shopping spree.

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The Day Belongs to Geoffrey Hesslink at the First Southeast Medal Finals

Geoffrey Hesslink and Afrojack

Jacksonville, FL – September 21, 2012 – The long-awaited first-ever Southeast Medal Finals got underway today with much fanfare. Organizers Bob Bell from Classic Company and James Lala from James Lala’s Wellington Quarantine have attended to every aspect of the show to make it special and memorable.

A field of 27 talented young riders competed to kick off the show bright and early at 8:00 a.m. in the USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal. The first course of the show was a challenging mix of lines and turns. Starting with a very forward outside line in six strides, the track turned to the left to a single brick oxer near the in gate to a roll back to another brick single oxer. Then, the course took a long gallop and a right turn to a two-stride combination of natural wood verticals to a left turn to another natural vertical followed by a right-hand turn to a white oxer at the far end of the ring and a bending line to the last combination, an oxer to a vertical.

“This new venue is superb,” said Course Designer, Alan Rheinheimer. “It’s huge; there’s a lot of opportunity to set the riders up for the Maclay Regionals. All the courses I’ll give them a little in each course of what I might ask of them on Sunday. The judges and I talked it over and discussed what we’d like to see. It was a good test for them.

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Laura Kraut and Cedric Cash In at the GCT Grand Prix of Switzerland

Laura Kraut riding to victory in the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Switzerland. Photo By: SportFot/GCT

Lausanne, Switzerland – September 21, 2012 – It was a thrilling night for the United States as Laura Kraut and Cedric rose to the top of the leader board during the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Switzerland. Kraut left nothing to chance on Saturday night, surpassing the two forerunners of the GCT championship race, Edwina Tops-Alexander and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson. The event proved to be one of the most thrilling Grand Prix of the season.

The class was consisted of two rounds, with the second round timed, and then a demanding jump off. Only six of the 44 entrants were able to make it into the short track where they were faced with a large course designed by Rolf Ludi/Gerard Lachat SUI. The course was comprised of eight obstacles from the original two rounds of competition. It began over a large oxer, and as the timer began to tick, the horse and rider combinations had to move over a vertical and then toward the liverpool set on the inside of the arena. With a hard right rollback, they then moved forward over s single vertical and then made a left rollback to the oxer-vertical shortened combination. Having to utilize the space of the ring, riders then moved their agile mounts forward over the final two oxer obstacles to break the beam in the time allowed of 56 seconds.

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The First Weekend of ASPCA Maclay Regionals Filled with Fiery Equitation Competition

Jeffrey Tolson wins Region 6 ASPCA Maclay Regionals. Brian Ryder/Horse and Ryder Photography

September 21, 2012 – It was an exciting weekend for the top equitation riders as they competed in numerous ASPCA Maclay Regionals to vie for a spot in the coveted Finals at the Alltech National Horse Show. The competition was stiff as the top junior riders go head-to-head in a battle of the best and the chance to take it all. Hunter Holloway took the Region 5 title. Jeffrey Tolson was presented with the Region 6 Championship, while Sara Nordstrom piloted her mount to the Region 7 top honors. Alexis Graves rode to the top of the ranks for Region 8.

The ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship class has been held since 1933, and it is one of the most prestigious competitions for junior riders in the United States. Its winners are some of the biggest names in the equestrian sport. Previous winners include: William Steinkraus in 1941, Frank Chapot (1948), George Morris (1952), Leslie Burr Howard (1972), and Nicole Shahinian Simpson in 1992. The 2010 ASPCA winner was Hayley Barnhill, and Sarah Milliren took the title during last year’s 2012 Alltech National Horse Show.

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Yann Candele Scores Coveted Win at Canadian Show Jumping Tournament

Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, riding Carlotta Singular La Magnifica to victory in the $15,000 Caledon Cup Phase 1. Photo – Cealy Tetley

September 20, 2012 – Palgrave, Ontario – Yann Candele of Caledon, ON, scored victory in the $15,000 Caledon Cup Phase 1 on Thursday, September 20, at the CSI2* Canadian Show Jumping Tournament (CSJT).  The five-day international show jumping competition runs through September 23 at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, ON, recently named the official equestrian venue of the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.

A total of 28 horses entered the $15,000 Caledon Cup Phase 1, presented by Aviva Elite/Peel Maryborough.  Seven successfully cleared the first round track set by two-time Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela to advance to the jump-off.

Candele already held the lead riding Game Ready, having posted a clear round in a time of 35.13 seconds, when he returned with his second jump-off mount, Carlotta Singular La Magnifica.  The traveling alternates for the 2012 London Olympics, Candele and Carlotta Singular La Magnifica proved their capabilities by posting a clear round in time of 33.89 seconds to capture the win.  Stablemate Game Ready settled for second while Candele’s third mount, Ariana, stopped the clock in 79.01 to incur one time fault for exceeding the 79-second time allowed.  Candele and Ariana tied for eighth place with Ainsley Vince of Burlington, ON, who also crossed the timers in 79.01 riding Darling.  All three of Candele’s horses are owned by Susan Grange of Cheltenham, ON.

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USEF to Offer Frangible Technology Grants

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is proud to announce the debut of the Frangible Technology Grant Program. The Program will allow organizers of USEF licensed eventing competitions to apply for assistance in the implementation of frangible devices.

In June of 2008 the USEF began supplying frangible pins at no cost to organizers of USEF licensed eventing competitions. Over the past four years, at the encouragement of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), a number of new frangible technologies have entered the marketplace. The development of these new products prompted the USEF Eventing Technical Committee to revisit the program. The Committee now feels that organizers should have access to these new technologies and encourages their usage.

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MEDIA ALERT! First Southeast Medal Finals to Begin Friday September 21

Jacksonville, FL – September 20, 2012 – The long-awaited, first-ever Southeast Medal Finals will get underway at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center on Friday, September 21 and will run through Sunday, September 23, 2012.

Any members of the media attending and/or requiring assistance to cover the event, please contact Carrie Wirth, from Phelps Media Group at 612-209-0310.

The show is patterned after the successful and long-standing New England Medal Finals, giving riders in Zone 4 and Region 3 a chance to compete for top honors in an array of classes. The Indoor show will feature hunter, jumper and equitation classes, with highlight classes including the ASPCA Maclay Region 3 Regionals.

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Canadian Show Jumping Tournament Opens at Caledon Equestrian Park

Lexus Arbuckle guided Castor van de Kranenburg to victory in the 1.40m Junior/Amateur competition. Photo – Cealy Tetley

September 19, 2012 – Palgrave, Ontario – Local competitor Christi McQuaker of Schomberg, ON, opened the CSI2* Canadian Show Jumping Tournament (CSJT) with the first win of the day on Wednesday, September 19.  The five-day international show jumping competition runs through September 23 at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, ON, which was recently named the official equestrian venue of the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.

McQuaker topped the 1.35m Jumper Welcome riding Jameson and also took fifth place with Falco de Lizami.  Both horses are owned by Jessica Mawson.

In the 1.30m Junior/Amateur division, Jennifer O’Neill made the trip from St. Lazare, QC, worthwhile by claiming victory with Jaybird Farm’s Zoltaire while Lexus Arbuckle of Guelph, ON, posted a double clear performance to take home top prize in the 1.40m Junior/Amateur division with her mount, Castor van de Kranenburg.

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Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals Set to Begin on West Coast

Los Angeles, CA – The best junior and young riders on the West coast are ready to take part in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West during the LA International Jumping Festival in Los Angeles, CA on September 19-23. Thirty-one riders will showcase their skills in three phases of competition judged by Chrystine Tauber and Bernie Traurig.

Kilian McGrath (Thousand Oaks, CA) won the Young Rider Individual Gold and Team Bronze medals at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC) this summer at the Kentucky Horse Park. She hopes to find that top form again back home on the West coast.

NAJYRC teammate Sage Flynn (Rancho Santa Fe, CA) finished fifth individually in the Young Rider Championship at the NAJYRC and hopes to improve upon that performance here at the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West.

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