Category Archives: Disciplines

Elm Rock Partners LLC Purchases Royce for Olympian Margie Engle

Elm Rock Partners LLC has purchased Royce from Ljubov Kochetova. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com

Bronxville, NY – December 21, 2011 – Elm Rock Partners LLC is pleased to announce that it has recently acquired the seven-year-old Oldenburg stallion Royce from Ljubov Kochetova of Russia. The talented young mount has already had great success at the grand prix level, and now will be ridden by Olympian Margie Engle and trained by Susie Humes and Ken Smith.

“I really want to thank everyone connected with Elm Rock Partners, LLC,” noted Engle. “It’s a great opportunity for me and he’s a lot of quality for sure. I’m hoping that I will be half as successful at Ljubov has already been with him. She didn’t really want to sell him to begin with, so I want to thank her for letting us buy him. I’ve only ridden him a couple of times, but he’s got a great attitude and he’s very scopey; he’s very nice to ride.”

Engle and Royce will compete for Elm Rock Partners LLC beginning in January at the prestigious Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.

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Riders Announced for the 2012 George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session

2011 George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session. USEF Archives.

Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will ring in the New Year with the sixth annual George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session presented by the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) and Adequan. The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, will once again host 12 of the top young riders in the U.S. January 3-7, 2012.

The following 12 riders will participate in the five-day training session sponsored by The Dutta Corporation, Farnam, Practical Horseman, and Equestrian Sport Productions:

Carly Anthony
Natalie Crane
Katie Dinan
Taylor Harris
Lillie Keenan
Sarah Milliren
Michael Murphy
Meg O’Mara
Jacob Pope
Wilton Porter
Samantha Ramsay
Samantha Schaefer

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The US Para-Equestrian Team Records Third CPEDI3* Victory of the Year in Record Fashion

The Gold United States Para-Equestrian Team. Photo: Hope Hand/USPEA.

Lexington, KY – The U.S. Para-Equestrian Team continued to make strides in qualifying for the 2012 Paralympic Games by winning Team Gold at the 2011 Melbourne CPEDI3* held in conjunction with the Saddle World Dressage Festival. The U.S. was represented by Donna Ponessa, Becca Hart, Erin Alberda, and Mary Jordan all riding borrowed horses at the competition held December 8-11 at the National Equestrian Centre in Werribee, Victoria. The team win came in spectacular fashion as the four riders earned the highest overall team score that the U.S. has ever produced. Australia place second with New Zealand and Japan placing third and fourth, respectively.

The winning was not limited to the team competition – U.S. riders finished no lower than second in any of the tests they rode.  In Grade 1a competition, Ponessa (New Windsor, NY) produced three winning efforts riding Miike Setsuko’s Don Armani to scores of 70.588%, 69.5% and 68.5% in the Team Test, Individual Test and Freestyle, respectively.  Alberda of Woodinville, WA, also had a clean sweep of her Grade III division tests scoring 66.913% in the Team Test, 65.556% for the Individual Test and earning a 71.5% Freestyle score with Adele Plumbridge’s Southern Cross Tamaris.  Grade IV rider, Jordan (Wells, ME) produced second-place efforts in the Team Test, Individual Test and Freestyle riding Elainie Castiellini’s Northern Charmer to scores of 64.271%, 65.161% and 68%, respectively.

Continue reading The US Para-Equestrian Team Records Third CPEDI3* Victory of the Year in Record Fashion

International Horse Sport Palm Beach Launches 2012 Season with New Footing

The USEF committee, Ann Gribbons, Eva Salomon and Heather Blitz, inspected the footing of the rings at the IHS Champions Park at the Equestrian Estates. (L to R) Ann Gribbons, Eva Salomon, Noreen O'Sullivan, Heather Blitz, Lars Petersen, Edward Borreson and John Flanagan. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group

Wellington, FL – December 19, 2012 – International Horse Sport Palm Beach is ready to launch its 2012 season with new footing in all of the rings at The IHS Champions Park at Equestrian Estates, site of the Palm Beach Dressage Derby and IHS Series Shows. The first to view and approve this tremendous upgrade was an elite committee representing the United States Equestrian Federation.

The committee, consisting of Eva Salomon, Director of High Performance Dressage, Ann Gribbons, USEF Team Coach for Dressage, and FEI rider representative Heather Blitz, inspected the footing in the FEI competition and warm-up rings last week and recommended approval to the Dressage and Executive Committees of USEF.

The beautiful property in White Fences, which is owned by Mary Ann and Walter McPhail, is managed by International Horse Sport Palm Beach. The IHS Palm Beach Managing Partners include FEI riders and trainers Ed Borresen and Lars Petersen, together with well-known show organizers Noreen O’Sullivan and John Flanagan. The IHS Champions Park consists of 10 rings suitable for national and international competition on over 50 acres, including 15 acres of parking, 150 horse stalls for the international horses and another 200 temporary stalls available for the national shows.

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Ferdinand’s Star Retires to Old Friends

GEORGETOWN, KY – DECEMBER 19, 2011 – Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, KY, has joined with Lexington’s Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center and CANTER Michigan to permanently retire two Thoroughbreds, Ferdinand’s Star and Mikethespike.

Michael Blowen, Old Friends founder and president, made the announcement today.

Ferdinand’s Star, a son of 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand out of the Dare to Command mare Rose and Betty, comes to Old Friends from The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center, an equine adoption and rehabilitation facility located at the Kentucky Horse Park.

The 16-year-old gelding is a testament to the versatility of the Thoroughbred as he has run the gamut of careers since making his first start on the racetrack in 1998.

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Leibler and Watson 108 Second in Freestyle at FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final

Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 National Young Rider Dressage Championships (SusanJStickle.com)

Lexington, KY – Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 came in second in Sunday’s B Final in the Freestyle, representing the U.S. at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final in Frankfurt, Germany.

Leibler (Greenwich, CT) scored 68.700 on the 14-year-old Westphalian gelding, just behind Simona Aeberhard, representing Switzerland.

Leibler and Watson 108 were invited to represent the U.S. at the 2011 Finals after posting the highest average in the FEI Young Rider Freestyle Test at CDI-Ys during the qualifying period. This pair landed in Germany after a strong 2011 campaign that included winning a team Bronze medal and two Gold medals, individual and freestyle, at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Riders Championships presented by Gotham North. Additionally, they were crowned National Young Rider Dressage Champions at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Championships.

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United States Para-Equestrian Dressage Team Brings Home the Gold at 2011 Melbourne CPEDI3* in Australia

The Gold United States Para-Equestrian Team (Left to Right: USEF Director Pam Lane, Chef d'equipe Missy Ransehousen, Rebecca Hart, Erin Alberda, Mary Jordan, and in front is Donna Ponessa) Photos © 2011 Lindsay Y McCall

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia – December 16, 2011 – When the United States Para-Equestrian Team flew Down Under for the 2011 Melbourne CPEDI3* (held at Werribee Park National Equestrian Center), they were prepared to give it their all.  This competition was not just about top scores but it was an opportunity to earn team spots for the 2012 Paralympics held in London, England. With outstanding performances each day, the United States Para-Equestrian Dressage Team captured their third Team Gold within a four-month period. The impressive Gold Para-Equestrian Dressage Team consisted of Donna Ponessa for Grade Ia (New Windsor, NY), Rebecca Hart for Grade II (Unionville, PA), Erin Alberda for Grade III (Woodinville, WA), Mary Jordan for Grade IV (Wells, ME), and Chef d’equipe Missy Ransehousen. From December 9-11, 2011 teams from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the United States challenged themselves under F.E.I. international judges Mr. Kjell Myhre (NOR), Dr. Ulf Wilken (SWE), Ms. Jan Geary (AUS), Ms. Sue Cunningham (AUS), and Ms. Wendy Barker (AUS).

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Maher Produces the X-Factor at Olympia

Great Britain’s Ben Maher and Tripple X on their way to victory in the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2011/2012 qualifier at Olympia in London today. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Olympia, London (GBR), 18 December 2011 – Great Britain’s Ben Maher produced a stunning performance from the nine-year-old Tripple X to win the seventh leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2011/2012 series at Olympia in London, Great Britain this evening.  In yet another of this season’s super-exciting showdowns, the 28 year old rider effortlessly surpassed the seemingly impossible target set by three-time Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping champion Marcus Ehning from Germany in an 11-horse jump-off against the clock.

And, in a truly international line-up, Ireland’s Dermott Lennon slotted into third ahead of America’s Laura Kraut, while reigning European champion Rolf-Goran Bengtsson from Sweden finished fifth and Spain’s Manuel Anon filled sixth spot.  “It’s the biggest win of my career, and the perfect end to a roller-coaster year,” said Maher who was additionally pleased because he bred the winning horse himself.  “Some people breed hundreds of horses each year, and I breed just three, so I know I’m really lucky to not only ride, but to have bred one as good as this!” he pointed out.

The Grand Hall at Olympia is always a challenging venue, with the buzz of the crowd creating an electrified atmosphere and the relatively narrow confines of the arena placing extra pressure on horses and riders.  And Bob Ellis, the man who will design the courses for next summer’s London Olympic Games, tested them truly this afternoon, with a course that required their full attention.

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Leibler and Watson 108 Continue on to Freestyle at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final in Germany

Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 National Young Rider Dressage Championships (SusanJStickle.com)

Lexington, KY – Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 performed flawlessly Friday while representing the U.S. at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final Grand Prix, and are moving forward to the B Final on Sunday in the Freestyle.

“We were mistake free and I finished the first day very proud of myself and of Watson for staying focused throughout the exciting distractions,” Leibler said. “The competition has been absolutely amazing so far. It is like nothing I have ever seen before: big, bright, and electric.”

Leibler (Greenwich, CT) and the 14-year-old Westphalian gelding were invited to represent the U.S. at the 2011 Finals after posting the highest average in the FEI Young Rider Freestyle Test at CDI-Ys during the qualifying period. This pair landed in Germany after a strong 2011 campaign that included winning a team Bronze medal and two Gold medals, individual and freestyle, at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Riders Championships presented by Gotham North. Additionally, they were crowned National Young Rider Dressage Champions at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Championships.

Continue reading Leibler and Watson 108 Continue on to Freestyle at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final in Germany

Truppa Tops the Line-Up in Frankfurt

Valentina Truppa pictured with Lisa Wells from Reem Acra after her victory, riding Eremo Del Castegn. Photo: FEI/Karl-Heinz Freiler.

Frankfurt (GER), 18 December 2011 – Valentina Truppa won the fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2011/2012 series in Frankfurt, Germany today with a great performance from Eremo Del Castegno.  The 25 year old rider from Monferrato in Northern Italy, a prolific winner already in her career, pinned Germany’s Monica Theodorescu and Dorothee Schneider into second and third places respectively, while Sweden’s Patrik Kittel finished fourth ahead of The Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud in fifth.

It was a disappointing day for German super-star Isabell Werth who threw down the gauntlet with victory in yesterday’s preliminary Grand Prix, but who had to settle for sixth place this time around in the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music.  While her flamboyant nine-year-old, Don Johnson, showed flashes of brilliance, the accumulation of mistakes during their lively test proved too expensive.

Today’s result has boosted Truppa to runner-up spot on the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Western European League 2011/2012 leaderboard which is now headed by Kittel, but it is very tight at the top.  Just three marks separate the three leading riders going into the next leg of the series at Mechelen in Belgium after Christmas.

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