Category Archives: Disciplines

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, More/Other, Pan American Games, Show Jumping, USEF

American Dressage Horses and Riders Arrive in Guadalajara for 2011 Pan American Games

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Despite the remnants of Hurricane Jova drenching Guadalajara, Mexico, the U.S. Dressage Team arrived without incident at the Guadalajara Country Club, the venue for the Dressage and Jumping disciplines for the 2011 Pan American Games.

The four horses, Big Tyme, Grandioso, Paragon and Weltino’s Magic arrived on Tuesday afternoon with their grooms, Dr. Rick Mitchell, the team vet, Julie Mitchell, his wife and vet tech, the Canadian horses and their team and a dressage horse from Ecuador. Tim Dutta orchestrated the effort with the help of Tex Sutton Forwarding’s crew and all of the horses arrived in great condition. After a good night’s rest they were happy and bright this morning looking for something to do.

The two-legged athletes arrived Wednesday midday, after navigating USOC Team Processing in Houston on Tuesday. They were all happy to arrive and cleared customs without issue. They came in on the same flight as The U.S. cycling and swimming teams with Chef d’Equipe Eva Salomon, Team Leader Jenny van Wieren and Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons. Steffen Peters (San Diego, CA) is an Olympic veteran at his first Pan American Games, but for Heather Blitz (Wellington, FL), Marisa Festerling (Moorpark, CA) and Cesar Parra (Whitehouse Station, NJ), it was their first trip to USOC Team Processing.

Continue reading American Dressage Horses and Riders Arrive in Guadalajara for 2011 Pan American Games →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, USEF

77 Horses to Contest the 2011 USEF National Eventing Championships at the Dansko Fair Hill International

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Phillip Dutton and Ben (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Elkton, MD – More than 100 horses, 77 of which were from the US, were presented to the Ground Juries Wednesday afternoon at the Dansko Fair Hill International, where 45 horse-and-rider combinations will compete in the CCI3* and 62 in the CCI2*. Three horses were held for re-inspection: Tipperary Liadhnan, ridden by Thailand’s Nina Ligon, and King Billy, ridden by Laura VanderVliet, in the three-star; and Elizabeth Spencer’s Firewater in the two-star. Only Monte Carlo, Ashley Leith’s CCI2* ride, was not accepted. The Dansko Fair Hill International, running October 13-16, once again hosts the 2011 USEF National CCI2* and CCI3* Eventing Championship.

The future of the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team will be on full display this weekend in the autumn fixture CCI, with many riders eyeing important qualifications and strong results heading into 2012. Four riders come to Fair Hill after honing their skills overseas earlier this year thanks to the Land Rover Competition and Training Grants. William Coleman, Phillip Dutton, Will Faudree and Boyd Martin will all be showcasing what they learned while competing in Europe this summer and fall.

Learn more about the Land Rover Grants here.

Continue reading 77 Horses to Contest the 2011 USEF National Eventing Championships at the Dansko Fair Hill International →

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

Zone 4 Finals in Atlanta

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The Zone 4 Finals – North, as you know, have been moved to the Atlanta Fall Classic I (Nov. 9-13) at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers.

These zone finals are a great way to get bonus points for year end zone awards.

The following divisions will have awards for zone members. The divisions will be the first three classes of the division:

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Vaulting

Kiel Hosts Opener for Inaugural FEI World Cup Vaulting Series

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Germany’s Victor Brusewitz riding on Airbus secured third place at the first FEI World Cup Vaulting Final in Leipzig (GER). Photo: Matt Lewis/Getty Images for FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 13 October 2011 – The inaugural FEI World Cup Vaulting series will open with the first of five qualifiers in Kiel (GER) tomorrow (14-15 October), where seven athletes from four nations will battle it out at the Sparkassen Arena.

Victor Brusewitz (GER) and Lukas Klouda (CZE), who secured third and fourth places at the first FEI World Cup Vaulting Final which took place at Leipzig’s Partner Pferd in April, will compete against 19-year-old Torben Jacobs (GER).

University of Cologne student Pia Engelberty (GER), who topped the leaderboard going into the Leipzig Final and came out fourth, will be up against Rikke Laumann (DEN), Sarah Kay (GER) and the USA’s number 3 ranked vaulter Mary McCormick.

The world’s top ten male and female vaulters (listed here) will then compete in four further qualifiers in Munich (GER), Salzburg (AUT), Paris (FRA) and Leipzig (GER).

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

Red-Hot Opening Round to Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Season

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FEI World Cup Jumping 2010/2011 champion, Germany's Christian Ahlmann, will begin the defence of his title at the opening leg of the new 2011/2012 season at Oslo in Norway next Sunday. Photo: Matt Lewis, Getty Images/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 12 October 2011 – It’s countdown time, with just four days to go to the opening of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2011/2012 at Oslo, Norway this Sunday (16 October).

And, across the globe, many riders from the 12 other qualifying leagues have already been battling it out for a place at the prestigious Final that will take place in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands next April.

The Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping title is the most coveted prize in the sport of indoor Jumping. Since the inaugural season-opener back in 1978 the series has grabbed the enthusiasm and imagination of competitors and spectators alike, and has grown in popularity and scale at a rapid rate. It has also encouraged the development of the sport across all continents, and, once again in this 34th season, fresh faces will appear and new stars will emerge to take their place in the limelight.

SAME VENUE
The 13-leg Australia-Pacific league began in Sydney, Australia in April and will conclude at the same venue in December. The three-leg Central Asian League drew to a close at Astana in Kazakhstan in July, while the Central European Northern and Southern leagues both wind up in December. In China, the first of three qualifying legs took place in Beijing in August and the last will be held this weekend, while Shizouka-Tsumagoi is the venue for the Final of the seven-leg Japanese circuit, also in December.

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Community/Charity, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Products/Services, Show Jumping

Shop ’til You Drop at the Alltech National Horse Show

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C. M. Hadfield's Saddlery trailer and interior design photo courtesy of Cindy Hadfield.

Lexington, KY – October 12, 2011 – The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th edition, set for its exiting debut at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky on November 2-6, 2011, will be hosting some of the horse industry’s most sought after vendors at the Alltech Arena. Retail booths will be set up around the arena featuring 25 vendors specializing in fine and equestrian jewelry, souvenirs from the Alltech National Horse Show, ladies’ boutiques, art galleries and many more entrepreneurial venues.

This year’s show, designated CSI4*-W, will feature a complete schedule of ‘AA’-rated hunter divisions, including the Pony Lane Farm High Performance Hunter section. Also on the agenda, a big money Open Jumper division highlighted by the Sasco Creek Farm $50,000 Welcome Speed Class, the $75,000 Double H Farms Thursday’s Jump-Off class, the $60,000 Spy Coast Farm Faults Converted Speed class on Friday and of course, the $250,000 Alltech National Horse Show Grand Prix, an FEI World Cup qualifying event. $100,000 will be up for grabs for the Junior and Amateur Jumper divisions, including the $50,000 SJHOF Junior/Amateur Championships, sponsored by Sleepy P Ranch, Chansonette and Deeridge Farm. The final Sunday is highlighted by the signature event of the National Horse Show, the ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals, presented by C. M. Hadfield’s Saddlery.

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Community/Charity, Diana de Rosa, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping, Washington Int'l Horse Show

Get Ready for a Barn Night Blast at the Washington International Horse Show

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The Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), the leading year-end championship horse show in the country, is pleased to announce the popular kid-centric Barn Night will return to the show on Thursday Oct. 27, 2011. The 53rd Annual Washington International Horse Show will take place Oct. 25-30 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC.

Starting at 6:00 PM, Thursday, Oct. 27, WIHS will welcome local barns and horse enthusiasts for Barn Night 2011. Barn Night offers a fun and exciting evening for riders, their barnmates, friends, and families to celebrate equestrian sport and pay tribute to those that excel at all levels of hunter jumper competition.

“We are creating a spectacular night of exciting competition and special exhibitions by equestrian stars, as well as interactive contests for kids and teens with great prizes,” said show Executive Director, Bridget Love Meehan.

Breyer Animal Creations will be joining Barn Night this year with Stablemates Painting on the concourse, free for kids 12 and under. In addition, special prizes will be given out for the first 100 kids to arrive for the big night courtesy of Breyer.

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Championships, Competitions, Endurance Riding, Events, USEF

Horses and Riders Head to Chile for 2011 Pan American Endurance Championship

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Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation has named the following horse/rider combinations for the 2011 Pan American Endurance Championship being held in Santo Domingo, Chile, October 22, 2011.

The following horse/rider combinations will represent the U.S. at the Pan American Championship (listed in ranked order):

Name/Age/Hometown/Horse/Breed/Age/Sex/Owner
John Crandell III/49/West River, MD/Heraldic/Arabian/13/Gelding/John Crandell JR
Meg Sleeper/43/Frenchtown, NJ/Syrocco Cadence/Arabian/8/Mare/Meg Sleeper
Deborah Reich/51/Croton on Hudson, NY/Pandor/Arabian/12/Gelding/Deborah Reich
Melody Blittersdorf/51/Jeffersonville, VT/Synthetic/Arabian/11/Gelding/Melody Blittersdorf
Valerie Kanavy/65/Fort Valley, VA/Spectacular Gold/Arabian/9/Gelding/Valerie Kanavy
Cheryl Van Deusen/52/New Smyrna, FL/Moro Amado/Arabian/8/Gelding/Miguel Pavlovsky

Running over a 120km course, riders will race for both Team and Individual medals.

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

HSBC FEI Classics 2011 Finale Goes to the Wire at Pau

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William Fox-Pitt claims record sixth Burghley win. Images: FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 11 October 2011 – Two British riders, long-time team mates and friends, will do battle for the HSBC FEI Classics 2011 top spot this weekend (13-16 October) at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), which is also the 2012 season opener.

Athletes from 17 nations will compete at the popular CCI4* in the shadow of the Pyrenees, where they have the unique opportunity to secure points for the 2012 season which for the first time includes Australia’s premier event, the Adelaide International Horse Trials (18-20 November).

HSBC FEI Classics 2011 – closely fought battle

Only series leader Mary King (GBR) or compatriot William Fox-Pitt can win this year’s HSBC FEI Classics and with just 13 points between them it will be an intense finale.

Fox-Pitt, who won the HSBC FEI Classics in 2008 and 2010, can only beat King if he wins and she finishes lower than eighth. So while he heads into Pau as the world number one in the HSBC Rankings – this time 13 points ahead of Mary and with the prospect of receiving the 50,000 USD bonus – he is leaving no stone unturned in his quest to become Series Champion and has taken advantage of Pau’s decision to allow riders to compete with three horses.

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

Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy Win High Performance Reserve Championship at Capital Challenge Horse Show

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Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy win the High Performance Hunters Reserve Championship at the Capital Challenge Horse Show. Photo: Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Buffalo, NY – October 10, 2011 – SBS Farms returned home yesterday from the prestigious Capital Challenge Horse Show held in Marlboro, MD. The event has seen some of the most respected riders of the industry showing for the top honors in the competitive hunter divisions. SBS Farms’ professional rider and trainer Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy captured the judges’ attention in the High Performance Hunter division earning the reserve tricolor.

The nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding has built an extensive hunter record during his time with Alfano, winning events such as the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Devon Horse Show for two consecutive years. The talented duo claimed third place in their first three High Performance Hunter classes at Capital Challenge, as well as the first place prize in the High Performance Handy Hunter Stake. Their top awards earned the pair the reserve championship just behind Hunt Tosh and Rosalynn.

“I was really happy with our rounds at the Capital Challenge,” explained Alfano. “Jersey Boy and I have a great relationship, and we know what to expect from one another when we are out there. He was really good, a little spooky during the first class, which he can be; however, he stayed really consistent earning third in every class, and then won the handy. He was amazing in the handy, I was really happy with him.”

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