Category Archives: Show Jumping

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Abigail McArdle Takes Two Blues at Spruce Meadows

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Abigail McArdle and Cosma 20 won the $3,500 Trimac Junior/Amateur Jumpers and the $5,000 AECOM Junior/Amateur Cup at Spruce Meadows. Photo By: Parker/Russel - The Book, LLC

Calgary, Alberta – June 18, 2012 – Abigail McArdle and Cosma 20 continued to take the 1.40m Junior/Amateur Jumpers by storm during the second week of the Spruce Meadows Tournament. The pair claimed two victories, winning the $3,500 Trimac Junior/Amateur Jumper event on Friday and the $5,000 AECOM Junior/Amateur Cup on Sunday. They produced double-clear efforts in each class to lead the victory gallop at the prestigious horse show. McArdle also competed in the Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, winning the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search for the second week in a row with Apartico.

McArdle and Cosma 20 were in top form this weekend, ready to face the challenging courses created by Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge in the All Canada ring. On Friday, seven horse and rider combinations advanced to the jump-off during the 3,500 Trimac Junior/Amateur Jumper class. As the last to go, McArdle knew she needed quick and tidy round to top the four double-clears, and that is exactly what she did. They crossed the finish line in 44.53 seconds with all the rails in place to take home the winning prize.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Peter Pletcher and NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm Win $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at Country Heir Horse Show

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Peter Pletcher and NLF Shakespeare's Rhythm won the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Country Heir Horse Show. Photo By: Anne Gittins

Lexington, KY – June 20, 2012 – Professional rider Peter Pletcher once again captured the winning honors with NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm in a derby event. The pair earned the top call during the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Country Heir Horse Show for Nordic Lights Farm and the Bruheim Family. A flawless handy round helped them receive high scores and eventually head the event’s victory gallop.

Pletcher and NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm’s smooth trip during the first round landed them in the second place position going into the handy round during the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Using an inside track to slice one of the oxers and jump brilliantly through the challenging two-stride, the duo quickly jumped to the top of the leaderboard with their high scores and added bonus points. Pletcher and NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm’s earned the winning title and led the evening’s lap of victory in the Walnut Ring of the Kentucky Horse Park.

“NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm was really good and super smooth,” commented Pletcher. “He was amazing during the handy round, really the best he has been all year. He has worked his way up and did the High Performance division. After Devon I decided that he’s good to just be a derby horse now and focus on that instead of the High Performance. He’s come along beautifully. He’s so brave and honest; he’s right on track. We’re hoping he stays like this through the Finals.”

Continue reading Peter Pletcher and NLF Shakespeare’s Rhythm Win $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at Country Heir Horse Show →

Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Nominated Entries for London 2012 Olympic Equestrian Events Announced

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Lausanne (SUI), 20 June 2012 – The FEI has today published the list of nominated entries for the London 2012 Olympic Games. The list is now available on the FEI website here.

The list details the athletes and horses that have achieved the minimum eligibility standards required for London 2012, and qualified National Federations will make their final selection of teams and individuals from this list.

Athletes and horses had from 1 January 2011 to 17 June 2012 to achieve the minimum eligibility standards in the three Olympic disciplines.

The deadline for the National Olympic Committees to submit definite entries to the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is 9 July. The definite entries will name the 200 athlete/horse combinations that will compete at Greenwich Park in the 2012 Olympic equestrian events – 50 in Dressage, 75 in Eventing and 75 Jumping.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, More/Other, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

$50,000 Puissance Added to 2012 Alltech National Horse Show Agenda

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U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist McLain Ward and Optimum Pozitano clearing the big 7' Puissance wall at Washington. Photo © Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com

Lexington, KY – June 18, 2012 – The Alltech National Horse Show announced today that this year’s already exciting Open Jumper schedule has been enhanced even further with the addition of the $50,000 Alltech Puissance class to be held on Friday evening.

Following a successful debut last year, the second edition of the Alltech National Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky, is set for October 30 through November 4, 2012. The show will once again be held at the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.

The Puissance class is a high-jump competition with the big wall often reaching over 7′ in height. Always an audience favorite, this class is added to an Open Jumper division that this year will feature well over $400,000 in prize money.

“Puissance is an exhilarating display of power and performance in jumping,” said Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “It is a tremendously exciting spectator event; a ‘wow’ event that brings equestrians and the general public alike to the edge of their seats. It is a great way to add an extra spark to an already thrilling horse show.”

Continue reading $50,000 Puissance Added to 2012 Alltech National Horse Show Agenda →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Gallego Takes Title for Colombia

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Juan Manuel Gallego claimed gold for Colombia at the FEI World Jumping Challenge Final 2012 in Caracas, Venezuela yesterday. He is pictured riding Carnida Z which took the prize for Best Horse of the tournament. Photo: FEI/Venezuela NF.

Caracas (VEN), 18 June 2012 – Colombia’s Juan Manuel Gallego claimed gold at the 2012 FEI World Jumping Challenge Final in Caracas, Venezuela yesterday.  The silver medal went to Ecuador’s Rodrigo Bermeo Andrade, while Zimbabwe’s Charley Crockart pipped the host nation’s Emanuel Andrade for the bronze.

The event began at the Lagunita Country Club last Wednesday with the opening ceremony followed by a draw for the pool of horses, and Gallego’s first stroke of good fortune came when he was partnered with Carnida Z, who rounded up a superb week by claiming the special award for Best Horse of the tournament.

Competitors from 15 countries – Colombia, Ecuador, Syria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Algeria, Iran, South Africa, India, Chile, Bermuda, Jamaica, Indonesia, Mauritius and Costa Rica – lined out in the battle for the coveted title.

FIRST STAGED

The FEI World Jumping Challenge Final was first staged in 2001 by PSI, the company created by German champion rider, trainer and businessman Paul Schockemohle who has been instrumental in providing horses for, and developing the skills of, many of today’s top equestrian athletes.

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Competitions, Events, Olympic Games, Show Jumping, USEF

USEF Names Show Jumping FEI Nominated Entries for the 2012 Olympic Games

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Gladstone, NJ – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) approved the Show Jumping FEI Nominated Entries for the 2012 Olympic Games. From the Nominated Entries, the team of four and a traveling reserve will be entered on the Definite Entry on July 6th.

The ranked order of the athlete/horse combinations for the FEI Nominated Entries is as follows:

  1. Rich Fellers and Mollie and Harry Chapman’s Flexible
  2. Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Ranch’s Coral Reef Via Volo
  3. Reed Kessler on her own Cylana
  4. McLain Ward and Grant Road Partners’ Antares F
  5. Charlie Jayne and Pony Lane Farm’s Chill RZ
  6. Beezie Madden and Abigail Wexner’s Simon
  7. Reed Kessler and her own Mika
  8. Laura Kraut and Cherry Knoll Farm’s Cedric
  9. Margie Engle and Greise, Garber, Gladewinds and Hidden Creek’s Indigo
  10. Kent Farrington and RCG Farm’s Uceko
  11. Christine McCrea and Windsor Show Stables’ Romantovich Take One
  12. Lucy Davis and Old Oak Farm’s Nemo 119
  13. Mario Deslauriers and Jane Forbes Clark’s Cella
  14. Katie Dinan and Grant Road Partners’ Nougat du Vallet

Continue reading USEF Names Show Jumping FEI Nominated Entries for the 2012 Olympic Games →

Classic Company, Classic Company, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Atlanta Summer Classic 2012 – Highlights

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I know some folks only read the first line so… Check the schedule for next week… Ponies start on Thursday!

We concluded the first week of Atlanta today.  What a great week for showing in Conyers.  Last night we had 34 in the $35,000 Johnson Horse Transport Grand Prix. Admiral Clover, Carmen Rojas, owner, Aaron Vale, rider won the class.

2. Tibor, Bonnie Smith, Aaron Vale
3. Hennessey, Chasen Boggio, owner rider
4. Happy Z, Wilhelm Genn, owner rider
5. Lazaro, Jordan Coyne, owner rider
6. Winchester, Bridlebourne Stables, Theo Genn
7. Grande Finale 3E, Emily Short, owner rider
8. User ID, Atlanta Equestrian, Juan Pablo Gnecco
9. Canence, Procedures Inc, Megan Edrick
10. Cruz Z, Wendy Ritter Peralta, owner rider
11. Rockefeller, Claudia Billups, owner rider
12. Chopin Z, Benjamin Simpkins, owner rider

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Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, Show Jumping

John Pearce Continues His Winning Ways in the $25,000 Littleton Equine Medical Center and Platinum Performance Grand Prix

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John Pearce and Johnny B Good. Flying Horse Photography

Parker, CO — John Pearce had a winning week at the Colorado Horse Park during Summer in the Rockies II. First clinching the victory in the $10,000 Open Welcome Stake and then again during the $25,000 Littleton Equine Medical Center and Platinum Performance Grand Prix when he finished first and second. Twenty-two talented pairs faced the challenging Danny Foster course, but only three turned in phenomenal, clear, first-round performances.

“I love the look of riders working hard,” Danny Foster, FEI I course designer, said of his track. “Just like any other sport, spectators want to see athletes performing.” Foster used CHP’s bank and a long gallop to the last jump among his tools to separate great from good riding.

Though Foster, a Pan-American Games gold medalist during his competitive career, agreed that the track was challenging, he had hoped that more riders would master the questions and advance to the jump-off. “As a designer you want to encourage them, but if you don’t have scores, you don’t have sport,” he explained. “So, I need to create scores without causing a loss of confidence in the horses or riders. I don’t want to take away any heart.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Michael Jung Thrills Home Crowds with Another Luhmühlen Triumph

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Germany’s Michael Jung gave the home fans lots to cheer about as he steered Leopin FST to victory in the CCI4* at Luhmühlen. (Photo: Peter Nixon/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 17 June 2012 – Michael Jung (GER), riding Leopin FST, added yet another accolade to his glittering career when he won the CCI4* at Luhmühlen (GER), the penultimate leg of the HSBC FEI Classics, much to the delight of a loudly cheering home crowd.

Earlier in the day he had won the German national title with Weidezaunprofi’s River of Joy, and his assured performance over the weekend will make him an obvious favourite to win gold at the London Olympic Games in six weeks’ time – the Jumping phase even takes place on Jung’s 30th birthday, July 31.

“It’s very nice to be sitting here,” said Jung. “I have some wonderful horses that are in great form. Leopin was fantastic on the Cross Country and it is nice to know that he can do everything. I just made a little mistake in the Jumping, coming in too fast to the combination, where we had four faults.”

The Jumping phase at Luhmühlen, on an all-weather surface in the revamped main arena, proved influential, with a tight time, and there was some re-arranging of the top 10 placings.

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Competitions, Events, Olympic Games, Show Jumping, USEF

Fellers Doubles Up at Spruce Meadows by Winning $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix

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Lexington, KY – The fourth and final USEF Observation Event for the US Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games wrapped up a selection process that started with the Selection Trials in March. The $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows in Calgary hosted 12 Long-Listed American combinations out of the 37 starters who took on Bob Ellis’ course. At the culmination of the class, Rich Fellers (Willsonville, OR) took top honors again; he was fastest of the seven which jumped first round clears.

Fellers’ effort on Mollie and Harry Chapman’s 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse stallion reinforced his win in Thursday’s Husky Energy Cup (the first part of the Observation Event). The 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup champions returned to form after a hiatus from competition since the Del Mar Horse Show in May.

Continue reading Fellers Doubles Up at Spruce Meadows by Winning $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix →