Spectators watch a class on Thursday night. Photo by Randi Muster.
Jacksonville, FL – June 29, 2014 – The organizers of Southeast Medal Finals, Stadium Jumping and James Lala, expect an increased turn out for the event this year. Modeled after the well-attended New England Medal Finals, the show will be held for its third consecutive year at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center on Sept. 18-21. It will host the Region Three ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Regionals and several finals that have been growing in popularity, including the Phelps Media Group Southeast Junior Medal Finals and the Southeast Adult Medal Finals. The Grand Prix of Jacksonville will be held on Friday night.
This year, the organizers plan to add both a Southeast 3′ and 2’6″ hunter finals and a 2’6″ Southeast Medal Finals. For vendors, and advertisers this means a fantastic business opportunity to market to riders, parents and trainers before they head off to indoors.
Vendor booths are offered indoors within the coliseum concourse. Several outdoor spaces are available for self-contained mobile boutiques. Due to the huge success last year and the high demand for vendor booths this year, it is important that vendors submit their requests early. Locations in prime areas are limited and will go quickly.
WHERE:
The Jacksonville Equestrian Center, Jacksonville, FL, featuring a large indoor coliseum with 3,000 seats, two outdoor rings and 500 permanent stalls.
13611 Normandy Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32221
FEATURES:
4-Day Premier “A”/Jumper Level 3 USEF-Rated Horse Show
The Phelps Media Group Southeast Junior Medal Finals
Southeast Adult Medal Finals
$25,000 Jacksonville Grand Prix & $5,000 Welcome
Region 3 ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay
$3,500 WIHS/NAL Child/Adult Jumper Classic
Southeast Medal Finals Children & Adult 3′ Hunter Finals
Southeast Medal Finals Children & Adult 2’6″ Hunter Finals
Will Simpson and Geledimar Top $33,500 West Canadian Cup 1.50m
Calgary, AB, Canada – June 29, 2014 – The ‘Canada One’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows concluded on Sunday with a win for Mexico’s Nicolas Pizarro Suarez and Colasko in the $125,000 Imperial Challenge 1.55m in the Meadows on the Green. Will Simpson (USA) and Geledimar were victorious in the $33,500 West Canadian Cup 1.50m earlier in the day.
Cristina Larangeiro of Portugal was the course designer for Sunday’s main event, which saw 30 entries in total with five advancing to the tie-breaking jump-off. Pizarro and Monica Burrillo Eguia’s Colasko completed the fastest of two double clear rounds in 43.40 seconds to take their first major international grand prix victory.
The top two belonged to Mexico, as Santiago Lambre and Johnny Boy completed the only other clear round over the short course in 43.77 seconds to finish in reserve. Venezuela’s Pablo Barrios had the fastest jump-off round with ZL Group, Inc.’s Zara Leandra in 42.54 seconds, but dropped a rail at the final fence to finish third.
As Pizarro was on course in the jump-off, he heard the announcer state that he was ahead in the intermediary time, but explained that he thought he was behind. “They said I was one-tenth ahead, but when I heard that I thought I was one-tenth behind, so I did a sharp turn,” the rider detailed. “When I came out of the turn I just followed to the last jump, but I can never focus on the blue and white rails. I saw a distance that was far too long, so then I pulled back and he really came back quickly and I had to push up again. Then I was a little bit deep. I was a little lucky, but in Mexico we have a saying that there is no champion without luck. Sometimes you have to have a little bit of luck, but today it came and it was a really fantastic day.”
Pizarro (35), the number one ranked rider in Mexico for over two years, has had two top Nations Cup finishes, earning a silver medal in Wellington and a bronze medal at the ‘Masters’ here in Calgary, but noted that this was his biggest individual placing.
Pizarro has had his winning mount Colasko, a nine-year-old Oldenburg stallion (Coleman x Granus), for four years and hopes to continue developing the talented horse to championship quality.
“It is really fantastic. I made this horse. I bought him when he was five and he was super green, so it is really amazing to build him up,” the rider stated. “He is really a stallion. He has a very good attitude, but at the end he is always a stallion, so you have to always give him a good ride. The minute he feels that you are forcing him to do something, he doesn’t like it at all, but he is always trying to do his best. The first week here I was just coming back from surgery for a broken collarbone. I could not even hold my hand, but he was always jumping well for me. He was right there. This week he was amazing since the first day.”
Pizarro has been showing at Spruce Meadows for the last six years and was really hoping to get an international win this summer. As he was getting started with his day on Sunday, he was thinking about when the moment would come.
“This morning I was watching a student in the All Canada Ring and I was thinking. I always try to be patient, but this is my sixth year here at Spruce Meadows and I just thinking that there had to be a day that I would have an international win here,” Pizarro said. “I have been second and third, but I have never won. Then I went by the barns and I saw the ribbons that people have won and I thought one day I could have one, and it was today.”
Pizarro began riding at a young age and then became a professional 18 years ago. He also has many students and explained that it is important to jump at the very best competitions and push yourself to improve.
“I always try to do really good shows, and this is one of them,” he acknowledged. “I try to go to Wellington during the winter and spend the summers here because then you are in the real sport.”
As the summer continues, we will see more of Pizarro and Colasko next week. He plans to show in the 1.50m on Thursday and will then jump Saturday’s $210,000 ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Will Simpson and Geledimar
Simpson Guides Geledimar to Victory
The first competition in the Meadows on the Green on Sunday was the $33,500 West Canadian Cup 1.50m with a win for Will Simpson (USA) and Monarch International’s Geledimar, an 11-year-old Zangersheide mare by Grosso Z x Lord Z. Cristina Larangeiro set the track for 44 starters with seven advancing to the jump-off and five double clear rounds.
Kara Chad (CAN) and Stone Ridge Farms’ Alberto II jumped the first clear round over the short course in 42.81 seconds to eventually finish third. Ben Asselin (CAN) and Attache Stables’ Makavoy jumped next and stopped the clock in 45.17 seconds to finish fifth. Angel Karolyi (VEN) upped the ante in 42.41 seconds next with Hollow Creek Farm’s Indiana 127 to take second place honors. They were followed by Will Simpson and Geledimar, who clocked the winning time of 42.25 seconds. Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Artisan Farms’ Fine Lady 5 were last to go and finished fourth in 43.10 seconds.
Geledimar has shown mostly with her owner, Hannah von Heidegger, but after the rider had a fall earlier in the week, Simpson took over the reins.
“I haven’t had a whole lot of rounds with the horse,” Simpson noted. “I have ridden her for a while and I know her well from training Hannah. She had a little bobble on another horse the other day, so she’s out for a little while, but she’ll be back. In the meantime, the mare has been a little bit of a handful. She has gotten to where she thinks she is queen of everything, so I thought it would be good to put the pedal to the metal a little bit and it has been great. She is a competitor and she is really coming into her own here, so Hannah is going to be anxious to get back on. She is kind of ironed out and going strong.”
Simpson had a fast time to beat following Angel Karolyi and Indiana 127, but he and Geledimar blazed through the course to take the winning edge. Commenting on his round, Simpson detailed, “I thought I was lickety-split everywhere. That is just the way it goes at Spruce Meadows. You have to go flat out everywhere. It was just the pace; I don’t think you could take much off. You had to be on it everywhere.”
This was Simpson’s first international victory at Spruce Meadows since winning a World Cup qualifier with Archie Bunker in 2010. “It has been too long,” he smiled. “It was nice to get back out here and get a win.”
Competition at the Spruce Meadows Summer Series continues next week with the ‘North American’ CSI 5* Tournament, running July 2-6. The competition will feature the $210,000 ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday, July 5, and the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic 1.50m Derby on Sunday, July 6. Highlights also include the $85,000 Sun Life Financial ‘Reach for the Sun’ 1.55m competition on Wednesday, July 2, and the $85,000 Progress Energy Cup 1.55m on Thursday, July 3, as well as the $85,000 TD Cup 1.50m on Saturday, July 5, and the $85,000 Enbridge Cup 1.50m on Sunday, July 6. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
The winning German team at Strzegom (mounted, left to right): Michael Jung, Sandra Auffarth and Dirk Schrade with their chef d’equipe Hans Melzer. (Photo: Leszek Wojcik/FEI)
Lausanne (SUI), 30 June 2014 – A powerful German team cruised to an easy victory in the fourth leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2014 held at Strzegom, the Polish venue which is still in celebratory mode after being awarded the 2017 FEI European Eventing Championships earlier this month.
The winning team included three of the world’s best combinations, notably Michael Jung (GER) who had his Olympic, World and European (2011) champion La Biosthetique Sam back at his very best to lead from the outset.
Sandra Auffarth’s Opgun Louvo, European team gold and individual silver medallist in 2011 and Olympic team gold medallist in 2012, is also back from a spell on the sidelines and finished second, and Dirk Schrade was third on his 2013 European team gold medallist, the delightful chestnut Hop And Skip.
The Germans, who won the inaugural FEI Nations Cup™ in 2012 and were second last year, missed the first two legs of this season but are now back in winning mode and are third on the leaderboard.
“We certainly had the ‘A team’ out and it’s great that they went so well,” team manager Christopher Bartle said. “It’s lovely to have Sam and Louvo back and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that they all stay in good form.”
Great Britain, the only nation to have fielded a team at each leg so far this season, made the long journey to Strzegom, where they finished second of six teams, a result good enough to take them to the top of the leaderboard, nine points ahead of France.
Britain’s chef d’equipe Philip Surl has a deliberate policy of drawing from a pool of young riders who have not been on senior championship squads. Sarah Bullimore on Valentino V, Ros Canter (Zenshera) and newcomer Katy Hurst (Weston lV) put up solid performances to finish fourth, fifth and eighth respectively.
The Netherlands’ in-form Elaine Pen was sixth on Under Cover and led her team to third place, despite the loss of Tim Lips who withdrew Concrete Oncarlos when in 10th place after Dressage.
Denmark and Italy swapped places after Cross Country, with the Danes moving ahead into fourth. The home side, Poland, had the misfortune to have two horse falls, both at the third fence.
Twenty-five of the 31 Cross Country starters completed German designer Rudiger Schwarz’s track, with 14 clear rounds, only three of which were within the optimum time of six minutes 44 seconds: Dirk Schrade plus two Dutch team members, Elaine Pen and Theo Van de Vendel on Zendane.
Germany’s Julia Krajewski, who was second after Dressage on London-Return OLD, became her team’s discard score after two refusals at fence 21.
All the top five riders, plus Katy Hurst, went clear in the final Jumping test.
The next leg of the FEI Nations Cup™, at Aachen (GER), marks the halfway stage of the series and it’s expected that the competition will hot up as teams gear up for August’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy. The Germans, for whom Aachen is a final team trial, will be going all out for a strong showing in front of their home crowd.
The FEI’s team Eventing series, the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing, is open to all nations fielding one team composed of 3 or 4 riders at each leg, and runs under FEI Eventing rules at CICO and CCIO 3* level with riders accumulating points under a dedicated system detailed here.
Visit the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing series hub here for rules, results and Organiser details.
George Morris demonstrates on Hunter Holloway’s mount.
Antioch, IL – June 28, 2014 – Today was the final day of the George H. Morris Gladstone Program Training Session at the beautiful Annali-Brookwood Farm, organized by Diane Carney. The six-day training session gained rave reviews from riders, auditors and Morris himself for organization, the choice of the various professionals who made presentations and the support of the sponsors who made the session possible for the future team riders. The facility, Rush and Caroline Weeden’s home base, was a perfect location offering large indoor and outdoor arenas with manicured footing, two grass jumping fields, large airy stalls, turnout paddocks and a perfect lounge area for the presentations.
The session today was standing room only for auditors as Morris demonstrated correct flatwork and basic dressage on Hunter Holloway’s mount in the first session and Ashley Stannard’s horse in the second session.
“Calm, forward and straight is what we need to work a horse. If we are missing one we can’t have the other,” explained Morris as he rode.
Morris discussed five qualities of a team rider: ambition, emotion, management, selection and, lastly, talent. Ambition is the desire inside the person to go somewhere. Emotion is the maturity and ability to control emotion. Morris used Olympian Beezie Madden as an example for emotion saying she has ice water in her veins, which is why Morris had her as the anchor on the team. Management is the ability to manage the care of the horse and the program of the horse and rider. Selection is the ability to choose good horses. Talent is the skill and ability of a rider, which is the fifth factor. Riders must have the other factors to make it work.
When the groups moved to the jumping, Morris stated the course would tell the tale of the rider’s ability.
“These riders are green at this level,” said Morris. “They haven’t jumped at Calgary in the 1.60 meters, and they haven’t been on the [Longines Global Champions Tour]. These riders want to go on to do that. Riders must be realistic about their goals and the ability of their horses.”
Morris had the riders warm up, jumping out of the ring into the grass and back into the sand ring. Next it was back and forth over a 5’6″ wide oxer; then riders were ready to take on the track. The course asked many questions of horse and rider such as: are they bold as they jump out of the ring? Do they have impulsion, which is what the riders have been working on all week, as they galloped uphill to a 5′ wide triple bar? Do they have control as they galloped downhill to a vertical and then had to make a turn to jump back into the ring?
Caitie Hope tackles the water jump
Then the technical questions of the course were next with the roll back to the liverpool oxer away from the in-gate, a very specific six strides to a very imposing wall, which the beginning of the wall, oxer, oxer combination uphill.
Continuing on course, the riders worked on the time allowed making an efficient turn to the 5’6″ wide Swedish USET oxer with a liverpool, making their way to the hardest line of the course.
The last line proved to be the most difficult with the horses having to canter parallel to the auditors to get the correct line to a tall natural vertical with a specific five strides to the water and seven strides to last narrow swoop wall, with straightness critical to jump it clean.
Morris was the perfect example of calm as the riders took to the track, only re-riding a few jumps that proved difficult for the horse and rider combinations. For some it was the impulsion in the triple combination, for some it was the straightness in the line to the water, for others it was jumping back into the ring and for some it was the jumps in the grass.
During the week the ten riders were divided into two groups and team leaders were appointed. Throughout the week, the teams helped each other out and today they had a friendly competition for what they all fondly called, “The Grand Prix of Brookwood.” Team one was Caitie Hope (team leader), Stephen Foran, Lisa Goldman, Hunter Holloway and Courtney Fredrick. Team two was Ashley Stannard (team leader), Adrienne Dixon, Lindsey Lamb, KC Van Aarem and Caroline McLeese. After calculating the faults with one score dropped for each team, the riders were pleased to announce it was Hope’s team with the win! Posting clear rounds today, which was the goal of the program, were Hope, Holloway and McLeese.
The riders all agreed the opportunity to listen and learn from the various professionals was priceless. The week provided the opportunity to ask questions and apply what they were learning to the daily activities. The riders couldn’t agree on what presentation they thought was best since all the presentations were extremely informative and relevant to the rider’s goals. Riders took away something from every presentation and could apply the information to their programs. All the riders said they learned the importance of flatwork and will be going home and signing up for dressage lessons.
Adrienne Dixon jumps the triple bar
“Real riding takes real effort,” said training session organizer, Diane Carney. “George’s endless support of correct riding as it relates to quality performance, is the goal of every horse person in the saddle. Organizing the training session for Gladstone and George was a privilege. It was my responsibility to co-ordinate a week with top industry professionals on every level from barn management and world class veterinarians and farriers to Olympic riders and equine business experts, in pursuit of a standard of excellence. Horsemanship 24/7 makes the Gladstone Program different than a normal clinic. This week was team building and I will add, inspiring. It was my pleasure to support the GHM Gladstone Program along with the help of the many sponsors. I had the right facility and the right support people to do my part in bringing the GHM Gladstone Program to the Midwest.”
During the farewell luncheon, riders were awarded silver plates from the USET Foundation for their participation in the training session along with a commemorative group photo signed by Morris and Carney, compliments of Phelps Media Group. The ten riders thanked Morris and Carney for making the session possible then said their goodbyes to their new friends and future teammates before heading home.
Special thanks goes to the USET Foundation for making the Gladstone Program possible in order to educate future team riders for the United States. The program is not just about riding, but also about the care and management of the equine athletes that inspire our sport and us.
To make a donation to support the Gladstone Program, please click here.
The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (www.uset.org) is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America’s elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.
For more information on the USET Foundation, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org.
Gemma Paternoster and Figarro D won the $35,000 Antares Sellier Grand Prix to close out the Atlanta Summer Classics. Flashpoint Photography.
The Georgia International Horse Park was jumping with activity from June 9 through the 22nd during the Atlanta Summer Classic when more than a thousand horse and rider teams competed for prize money both in the hunter rings and the Olympic Grand Prix Stadium.
The $35,000 UlcerGard Grand Prix and the $35,000 Antares Sellier Grand Prix were both winners with top riders and horses competing for the championship. A special congratulations goes to Gemma Paternoster of Wellington, Florida and Figarro D. The $35,000 Antares Sellier Grand Prix was not only Figarro’s first grand prix, but his first grand prix win! Kudos!
Week One of the Atlanta Summer Classics opened with Anne Kursinski as the clinician during the USHJA Emerging Athletes Program and there were more than 40 participating in it each day.
Week II started out with horseman and clinician Pat Bostwick conducting a riding clinic compliments of Zone 4. The clinic was well attended and everyone had a great time.
The Hunt Scene
The $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby saw more than 30 horse and rider teams both weeks compete over the hunter courses designer by Official Course Designer Allen Rheinheimer of Zionsville, Indiana.
Brigadier, ridden by Hunt Tosh, won the Week II $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Flashpoint Photography
World renowned hunter rider Hunt Tosh of Milton, Georgia won the class the second week in the irons of Mr. and Mrs. Doug Wheeler’s Brigadier. During Week I, Timothy Maddrix of Birmingham, Alabama rode Abigail Beaty’s Third Day to the win. Week II saw Pansy Winters of Social Circle, Georgia and her own Wheels of Fortune take second place and Maddrix received a third place in the irons of Missy Nolen’s Special.
Up and Coming Hunt Scene
World renowned hunter rider Hunt Tosh watched his daughter Maddie Tosh show in her first short stirrup class during the Atlanta Summer Classic. Maddie rode Hillcrests Ima Blue Too in the Short Stirrup Hunter and Equitation classes as well as the Short Stirrup Classic! Congratulations to Maddie and the next generation of hunter riders! “I was really nervous because it was my first time showing but I had a great time doing it because I have the best pony ever!” she said.
Six Bar a Success!
More than a thousand flocked to the ring to watch the inaugural $10,000 Six Bar class and the Outback Steakhouse Charity dinner was a sold out success with funds benefiting the Hope Clinic for its eighth consecutive year.
Classic Company Gives Back to the Hope Clinic
The $10,000 Six Bar class coincided with the Annual Outback Steakhouse Charity Dinner to benefit the Hope Clinic. The Hope Clinic was founded in 2002 by Dr. William Martin to provide an affordable alternative to the hospital emergency room for the primary care medical needs of the uninsured. The clinic is a vital part of Gwinnett’s healthcare safety net and supplies over half of the available charitable primary care capacity in the county. Dr. Martin and the team of providers at the Hope Clinic specialize in internal medicine and chronic care diagnosis. The Classic Company has supported the Hope Clinic for the past 8 years. “This is an incredibly worthy group. They provide a tremendous amount of services to the local community and provide the less fortunate with needed medical services. The Classic Company is one of their largest fundraising groups and we are so happy to work with them and help make a difference.”
As the Classic Company bids farewell to the Georgia International Horse Park until November, when it returns for the Atlanta Fall Classic, it is already en route to the Charleston Summer Classic where sun, fun and beaches and show jumping converge to make the best show-cation of your life!
In other news… show-cation!
Did you book your beach condo? The Show-cation destination is coming up at the Charleston Summer Classic which starts July 8 through 19. Beach front condos a few minutes from the show grounds are where the riders stay, so don’t miss out on the best show-cation of your life! Bring the family, friends, dogs and horses! Minutes from the beach and only a short drive to historic Charleston, this is the show that offers something for everyone from fishing to kayaking, to shopping to wave jumping, from walk-trot to weekly grand prix and hunter derbies. This is your Show-cation destination!
Anyone who has shown with the Classic Company knows what sets them apart from the rest: Classic Shows are FUN! Friday night exhibitor parties, Saturday night grand prix, complimentary ringside Saturday pizza and luncheons all with the exhibitor in mind! And remember, Classic Company does not charge extra office fees for credit card transactions nor is there a scratch or add fee! Classic Company wants to make your showing experience the best ever!
The Classic Company is a USHJA’s Members Choice Award winner, recognized for producing top quality show jumping events in the United States. For more information on Classic Company and its exhibitor-friendly, top quality hunter jumper events, please visit them at www.ClassicCompany.com or call them at 843.768.5503.
All sponsorship, marketing and press inquiries should be directed to Lisa Engel, Sponsorship, Marketing and Public Relations Director, at lisa@classiccompany.com.
Stay up to date: Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter!
See you at the ring,
Bob Bell
The Classic Company, Ltd. www.ClassicCompany.com
Phone/FAX: (843) 768-5503
Post Office Box 1311 Johns Island SC 29457
Calgary, AB, Canada – June 28, 2014 – The ‘Canada One’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows continued on Saturday featuring the $33,500 McDaniel & Associates Cup 1.55m with a win for Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and Alpha VDL. The small margin of six one-thousandths of a second separated Kenny from second place finisher Kirsten Coe (USA) aboard Czardas 30.
The $8,000 Francis Family Cup 1.45m was also held in the Chinook Ring in the morning with another win for USA’s Richard Spooner, giving the rider three major wins with three different horses this week. The ‘Canada One’ Tournament concludes on Sunday, June 29, with the $125,000 Imperial Challenge 1.55m.
Cristina Larangeiro of Portugal was the course designer for the McDaniel & Associates Cup, which saw 17 first round entries, and seven advancing to the jump-off in the Meadows on the Green. Darragh Kenny and Eva Castegren’s Alpha VDL jumped the first clear round over the short course in 39.661 seconds for the win. Last to go, Kirsten Coe and Ilan Ferder’s Czardas 30 came incredibly close to taking over the lead, but finished just shy in 39.667 seconds. Ben Asselin (CAN) and Linda Southern-Heathcott’s Doremi completed the only other double clear round in 46.29 seconds to finish third.
Alpha VDL, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Corland x Emilion, has had great success with Kenny in the irons this year and continued his progression by jumping to victory over his first 1.55m track on Saturday. Kenny knew that his horse had the foot speed to win and went for a fast, clear round after the first three riders had rails.
“He is naturally a quick enough horse, and he has won some good classes already,” Kenny noted. “I knew there were places I could be quick. I left out a stride in one line. I did six where most people did seven. I wanted to just have a good round and see where I ended up with that.”
Commenting on Alpha VDL’s rise to the top, Kenny smiled, “His progression has been incredible. The horse has gone from jumping 1.40m classes at the start of Florida to winning grand prixs. He won a grand prix in Ocala, he won a grand prix in Saugerties, and now he won this 1.55m here. This is the biggest class he has ever had to jump, and he coped extremely well. It was great. His owner is here this week, so she got to see him, and it all worked out pretty well.”
Kenny explained that the course was good for Alpha VDL’s first track at that level, noting, “Although it was big, it was a little bit spread out. That was good for him because it gave him time between the jumps. He is a very good horse. He is only nine years old, and he has just been getting better and better. Every time we step him up he just seems to do really well.”
“He is quite conventional to ride,” Kenny added. “He is very careful, and he has a good style. Whatever way I ride him, he seems to like it, so it works good for both of us. He tries really hard to leave the jumps up and that is very important in this sport.”
Second place finisher Czardas 30 is also stepping up his game this summer, and rider Kirsten Coe was very happy with his finish.
“It felt really good,” Coe stated. “That horse has really been knocking on the door. He has been coming along really nicely and jumping a lot of clear rounds. He felt very confident tonight, and I took a chance. He has been progressively moving through the divisions since we have been here. We are just building him up, but we really think a lot of him.”
Coe took over the reins on Czardas 30 this winter after the 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion (Contendro x Grannus) showed briefly with McLain Ward. She explained that it has been a great match ever since, and her mount really stepped up in Saturday’s final round.
“The jump-off was quite fast. There was plenty of room to gallop,” Coe noted. “I didn’t see Darragh go, but obviously it was very close. It was nice to have a top finish.”
Spooner Scores a Hat Trick
Competition kicked off in the Chinook Ring Friday morning with the $8,000 Francis Family Cup 1.45m where Richard Spooner (USA) got his third win in a row this week. Held in a faults converted format, the competition saw 30 entries jumping a course set by Manuel Esparza of Mexico. About halfway through the order, Spooner and Tuxedo cleared the course in a time of 66.44 seconds that would hold on for the win. The 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Gentleman x Hamilcar) is another brand new mount for Spooner riding for Legacy Stables LLC.
Darragh Kenny (IRL) guided Hyperion Stud LLC’s Chin Quidam VDL to second place honors in a time of 68.71 seconds. Frances Land (USA) and Vieanne placed third in 69.04 seconds. Kenny also took the fourth place prize in 69.48 seconds with Oakland Ventures LLC’s Fantasy.
Richard Spooner of USA riding Tuxedo
“I don’t know what I ate, I don’t know what I ran into, but something happened right and I just have to try to figure out what it was,” Spooner smiled, commenting on his three-day sweep. He also won Thursday’s $33,500 Cargill Cup 1.50m with Cristallo and topped Friday’s $33,500 Duncan Ross Cup 1.50m aboard Uraguay. Although winning with veteran mount Cristallo is nothing new for the rider, Legacy Stables’ Uraguay and Tuxedo are both brand new horses that he has quickly figured out.
“Tuxedo is a wonderful horse,” Spooner stated after his win. “He is a top, top speed horse. I just got the ride of course, so we are still going through a little bit of growing pains, but today we felt great.”
“I am just learning the things he likes and the things he doesn’t like. He lets me know, which is nice of him,” Spooner said. “I think once I figure out the things that he is fond of we should hopefully have some success because he is unbelievably fast and careful and powerful. He actually really gets into it. He is a fascinating horse because you can feel him almost take over and he gets it. He gets that the goal is not to knock anything down and go as fast as you can, and if you get a horse that gets it like that, then they will be getting a lot of top ribbons.”
Detailing his round with Tuxedo, Spooner explained, “It was quick. I wouldn’t describe it as hair on fire, going 100% for broke, but it was quick and tidy. The horse is quite catty and his brakes are great, so you are able to really hit the gas when you land and stay off the brakes for longer than you can on other horses. Then you can kind of tap the brakes just a stride or two in front of the jump, and he settles right back into position. That gives you about a two-tenths of a second advantage at a good five or six jumps out there, and those tenths add up over the length of the course.”
Tuxedo is finished showing this week after a great win and will rest up for next week’s ‘North American’ Tournament.
Competition at the ‘Canada One’ Tournament will conclude on Sunday with the $33,500 West Canadian Cup 1.50m in the morning followed by the highlight $125,000 Imperial Challenge 1.55m in the afternoon in the Meadows on the Green. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Eric Lamaze Takes One-Two Finish in $33,500 Westjet Cup 1.45m
Calgary, AB, Canada – June 27, 2014 – It has been two days and two major victories for Richard Spooner (USA) at the Spruce Meadows ‘Canada One’ Tournament in Calgary, AB, Canada. Following a win with Cristallo on Thursday, Spooner jumped to top honors with brand new mount Uraguay in Friday’s $33,500 Duncan Ross Cup 1.50m. Eric Lamaze (CAN) also got a win on Friday with new horse Fine Lady 5 as well as taking second place honors aboard Check Picobello Z in the $33,500 Westjet Cup 1.45m. The ‘Canada One’ Tournament runs through Sunday, June 29, concluding with the $125,000 Imperial Challenge 1.55m.
Cristina Larangeiro of Portugal set the course for 28 entries in the Duncan Ross Cup 1.50m with six starters advancing to the jump-off and five double clear rounds. Richard Spooner and Legacy Stables LLC’s Uraguay blazed through the short course in 33.45 seconds for the win.
Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and Postage Stamp Farm LLC’s Prof de la Roque finished second in 34.05 seconds. Egypt’s Nayel Nassar and Lordan placed third in 35.75 seconds, and USA’s Quentin Judge and Double H Farm’s HH Donnatella finished fourth in 36.31 seconds. Paige Johnson (USA) and Salamander Farm’s Cambito completed the fifth double clear round in 39.67 seconds.
Uraguay, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Nairobi x Colino), is a brand new ride for Spooner, but the duo proved a promising partnership with a bold jump-off round and a huge effort to the final jump on course this evening.
“It was pretty exciting actually because Sandy and Bob Mockoviak were here, and it was the first time that they had ever seen me ride one of their horses and they just flew in,” Spooner noted. “That was pretty exciting to go clear, and then to really risk everything in the jump-off and risk again going to the last jump because that was crazy long, and he did it. I don’t know how he jumped from that far away. The wall and that corner were coming up pretty quick, but I was so happy with him.”
Spooner first rode Uraguay in Florida just before the start of the Spruce Meadows Summer Series in June and has only shown the horse two weeks before this competition.
“I don’t know much about him,” he admitted. “He is super careful; he is fantastically careful. He is very fast, and he is a real trier. He is also just beautiful to ride. He is lovely, and he has a fantastic mouth. Todd Minikus rode him before me and Mario Deslauriers before that and Albert Zoer before that, so I am lucky getting to follow up some pretty top riders. I am happy that I can do him justice.”
After a fantastic evening, Spooner has chosen to compete Uraguay in this week’s feature class on Sunday, and looks forward to seeing what they can do at the next level.
Lamaze Finishes Top Two in $33,500 Westjet Cup 1.45m
Larangeiro set the track for Friday’s Westjet Cup with a very tight time allowed that caught many of its 93 competitors in the Meadows on the Green. In the end, nine entries finished with one time fault and three more had two faults on the clock. Only seven advanced to the jump-off, where Canada’s Eric Lamaze finished first and second with the only double clear rounds. Lamaze completed the fastest round in 31.84 seconds to earn victory aboard Artisan Farms LLC’s Fine Lady 5. He took second place honors with Artisan Farms’ Check Picobello Z in 35.91 seconds. Ireland’s Richie Moloney guided Equinimity LLC’s Freestyle de Muze to a third place finish with two time faults over the short course in 37.04 seconds.
Eric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5
Fine Lady 5, an 11-year-old Hanoverian mare (Forsyth x Hauptstutbuch), is a brand new mount for Lamaze. “We just got her a little bit before coming to Spruce Meadows,” the rider explained. “My first show with her was Rome. The horse has been winning her entire career, so I knew she was a winner, but you still have to get along with the horse and I was really impressed. I was happy.”
“I really click with that horse. The moment I tried it, I knew that she was my type of horse,” Lamaze stated. “I had a gap to be filled in the 1.50m speed competition in Europe and things like that, so that’s how she came around, and then so quickly we made a good team.”
Lamaze plans to show Fine Lady 5 again in Sunday’s 1.50m competition as well as next week and will go from there. He had high praise for the mare and looks forward to continuing their partnership.
“She is modern,” he described. “She is light, careful, she has blood. Everything you want in a modern show jumper, she has. She is very simple. To go fast, she is a little complicated. She is so fast. She is actually one of the fastest horses I have ever sat on, so you have to just not think so fast.”
A technical course with a tight time allowed kept a lot of the riders out of the jump-off, and Lamaze knew it was not going to be easy when he walked the course, but he expertly qualified both of his mounts for the jump-off.
Heading into the short course early with Fine Lady 5, Lamaze completed what would turn out to be the winning round. He then guided Check Picobello Z into second at the end.
“I went second in the jump-off with her and there were fast riders behind me, so I just played my game with her,” he stated. “Then my next horse was easier because I was the only double clear, so I just wanted to make sure I didn’t have a time fault, which I was close.”
“[Check Picobello Z] is an 8-year-old, and I think a lot of him,” Lamaze declared. “I think it is a horse for the future, so I have been taking my time. I think the world of this horse. I think you will see a lot of him in the future.”
Competition at the Spruce Meadows ‘Canada One’ Tournament will continue on Saturday featuring the $33,500 McDaniel & Associates Cup 1.55m in the Meadows on the Green. The $8,000 Francis Family Cup 1.45m will be held in the Chinook Ring in the morning. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Lexington, Ky. – The future of U.S. reining will be on display this weekend at the Adequan/USEF Youth Reining National Championships in the State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla. Held in conjunction with the NRHA Derby, the top young reiners in the United States will go head-to-head in the Adequan Championship Arena on June 28.
Two national championship titles will be up for grabs over the weekend, as America’s best vie for 13 & Under and 14-18 crowns. All competitors will ride pattern 8 at the event, which also serves as U.S. Team Selection Trial for the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North.
Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will be represented by three combinations at the 2014 FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses to be held August 6-10, in Verden, Germany. The following five- and six-year-old combinations will compete at the annual championship as self-funded Individuals.
Five-Year-Old Division
The U.S. will be represented by the following combination in five-year-old competition:
Matthew Johnson (Lake Worth, Fla.) and his own Petersborg’s Qasanova
Petersborg’s Qasanova (Quaterback x Kajana I/Calypso II) is a 2009 Danish Warmblood stallion.
Six-Year-Old Division
The U.S. will be represented by the following combinations in six-year-old competition:
Nadine Buberl (White House Station, N.J.) and Martin Sosnoff and Cesar Parra’s Fashion Designer OLD
Fashion Designer Old (Faustinus x Forst-Design/De Niro) is a 2008 Oldenburg gelding.
Cesar Parra (White House Station, N.J.) and Michael and Sarah Davis’ Fiderhit OLD
Fiderhit OLD (Fidertanz x Fleur/Sandro Hit) is a 2008 Oldenburg gelding.
Marsha Cullen and Latte at the 2014 USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship. Photo Copyright Susan J Stickle.
Wellington, FL – June 26, 2014 – Horse Radio Network’s once-a-month Para-Equestrian Show featured Sara Ike from the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation and new para-dressage athlete Marsha Cullen.
About Marsha Cullen: Cullen grew up in Missouri where she began riding at age 5. Cullen rode all types of horses and ponies and made her way into the western discipline before tackling dressage. During her early teen years she began to have a lot of pain in her wrists, hands, feet, ankles, and knees. The joints would swell, get red and stiffen. She suffered from fatigue and had to take frequent naps to make it through the day. In 1977, her mother took her to Dr. Browning in Joplin, Missouri where she was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 16. Over the next four years Cullen lost range of motion and often suffered from painful, swollen joints forcing her to give up participation in track and volleyball. Missouri High School Rodeo became the only sport she could participate in after her diagnoses. Also in her teen years Cullen noticed brown patches of skin that became shiny and thick on her abdomen, arms and legs. In 1987 she was diagnosed with scleroderma, a connective tissue disease in the same family of diseases as rheumatoid arthritis.
Cullen moved from Missouri to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1980 after marrying her now husband. The two started a family and Cullen went on to graduate college at the University of Tulsa. During her second summer at college, she joined the Green Country Chapter of Oklahoma Dressage Society. While volunteering at the Green Country Dressage Classic she met Lynn Seidemann. Lynn, a two-time Paralympian, was wheeling around in a wheelchair and riding in the competition. “Being a disabled person myself, I was very curious how Lynn was able to do this,” noted Cullen. “I didn’t think it would ever be possible for me to compete at a recognized show. So I introduced myself and she invited me to a para-equestrian clinic at Flower Mounds Texas the following February. There I met Jonathan Wentz and Wendy Fryke.”
In 2010, Cullen drove from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Lexington, Kentucky during the World Equestrian Games by herself reclassified. Because of her lack of flexibility in her neck and upper back, plus other stiffness in her lower body and loss of range of motion in her joints, she is currently a Grade II para-dressage rider.
In 2014, Marsha Cullen earned qualifying scores for the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championship held June 2-5, in Gladstone, NJ. Cullen competed with her own Latte. Cullen was also awarded The 2014 Sportsmanship Trophy. The Sportsmanship Trophy is a Perpetual Trophy awarded to a Para-Dressage Athlete competing at the National Championship who best personifies the high standards and virtues of integrity, sportsmanship, honor, courage, team spirit, good temper and unselfishness.
About Sara Ike and the USET Foundation: Sara Ike, a New Jersey native, started working for the United States Equestrian Federation in 2003 and served as Team Leader in 2004 at the Vaulting World Championships in Austria. In March 2007, she became the High Performance Director of Eventing and was later promoted to Managing Director of Eventing. Ike has served as the U.S. Eventing Team Leader at the 2008 & 2012 Olympic Games, 2007 & 2011 Pan American Games, and the 2010 World Equestrian Games.
Sara Ike from the USET Foundation. Photo by Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group
Ike joined the United States Equestrian Team Foundation (USET Foundation) in January 2014 as the Major Gifts Officer. Her primary role is to focus on fund raising for the non-Olympic disciplines. Ike’s experience gives her the critical knowledge of the importance of each dollar raised for High Performance teams.
The USET Foundation (www.uset.org) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America’s developing and high performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). The USET Foundation annually gives USEF a multi-million dollar grant to distribute to the High Performance programs. In the last ten years, the USET Foundation has given almost $24 Million dollars to support USEF’s High Performance programs through the generosity of their donors.
About The Jonathan Wentz Memorial Challenge for High Performance Para Dressage
Recently the USET Foundation announced the Jonathan Wentz Memorial Challenge for High Performance Para Dressage which was made possible through the generosity of Margaret H. Duprey and The Barnfield Foundation. The Challenge is to raise $800,000. Mrs. Duprey and the Barnfield Foundation have each pledged up to $200,000. They will each match, dollar for dollar, every gift commitment of $4,000 and above made by April 1, 2015.
With a successful Challenge, the funds will provide a solid base of funding and allow a comprehensive program to be established that will have a long term positive effect on our competitive excellence at Paralympic Games and World Equestrian Games.
A large percentage goes to shipping horses overseas, but also training, clinics, coaching and competition grants.
The Challenge offers an incredible opportunity for those who share a passion and interest in increasing support for these most inspiring and deserving athletes, and their quest to represent this country in international competition.
For more information on the USET Foundation and The Jonathan Wentz Memorial Challenge for High Performance Para Dressage, please call Bonnie B. Jenkins, Executive Director or Sara Ike, Major Gifts Officer at (908) 234-1251.
Once a month, the Dressage Radio Show becomes the Para-Equestrian Show Hosted by Lindsay McCall, of the United States Para-Equestrian Association, focusing on international FEI discipline Para-Dressage. Although Para-Dressage is the main event, listeners have the opportunity to learn more about the skillful U.S. Para-Driving Team, the Para-Reining discipline, Para-Vaulting, and the future of Para-Jumping. The para-equestrian dressage show will feature a line-up of guests including Olympians, Paralympians, trainers, coaches, professionals, amateur riders, young riders, and equine enthusiasts. The intention of the radio show is to educate, inform, and entertain listeners on the para-equestrian Dressage discipline.
To learn more about the USPEA, please visit www.USPEA.org or e-mail President Hope Hand at hope@uspea.org. You may also e-mail the host of the para-equestrian segment Lindsay McCall at Lindsay@uspea.org.
The Horse Radio Network is the voice of the horse world with listeners in over 40 countries. Eight different entertaining shows cover all aspects of the horse world and you can listen any time on your computer, MP3 player or smart phone.
We believe that people own horses for fun and entertainment. Why else would you put up with the early morning feedings, stall cleaning, vet bills, long trips to shows, empty bank accounts and everything else that goes with being a horse owner?
Our goal with these shows is to help your chores go a little faster and to put a smile on your face! Learn more at www.horseradionetwork.com.
The USPEA is a network of riders, judges, national federation board members, and equestrian enthusiasts. The association gives athletes the ability to get involved and expand their knowledge and experience in the Para-Equestrian sport. The USPEA encourages para-athletes to participate in all disciplines under the para-equestrian umbrella.
The USPEA is a recognized affiliate of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) which serves as the National Governing Body for the equestrian sport. This relationship between the USPEA and USEF is to encourage para-equestrian competitors, leisure riders, coaches, fans and enthusiasts to network and get involved with the entire equestrian sport.
Ultimately the goal of the USPEA is to foster growth in the para-equestrian discipline. From growth in the number of participants to growth as a team, and growth in the experience and knowledge of all involved. From local horse shows to international Olympic Games, the USPEA will provide para-equestrians the knowledge of what they need to succeed. The USPEA connects with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the United States Dressage Federation (USDF), and USEF which provides Para-Equestrians the top equestrian resources.
In June 2010, the USPEA earned its 501 (c)(3) status which has encouraged supporters to help supply funding to the Para-Equestrian Team as a recognized affiliate of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF).
For more information about the USPEA, please visit www.USPEA.org or contact USPEA President Hope Hand by e-mail: Wheeler966@aol.com or by phone: (610)356-6481.
