Category Archives: Championships

Scott Brash and Intertoy Z Win $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic

Lauren Henry and Esteban La Paz Receive Top Tricolor in Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunter 15-17

Scott Brash and Intertoy Z. Photos © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – March 25, 2012 – Week eleven of the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival concluded on Sunday with a victory for Great Britain’s Scott Brash and Intertoy Z in the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. The pair won over Ben Maher (GBR) and Quiet Easy 4 and Cian O’Connor (IRL) and KEC Alligator Alley in second and third.

Today’s course in the International Arena was set by Richard Jeffery of Bournemouth, England. The 1.50m class brought 40 entries to the ring in the first round, but none were able to clear the course without fault. Thirteen entries finished the round with four fault scores, and a jump-off was held to break the tie.

In the 13-horse jump-off, only four jumped clear, and their times were the deciding factor. Ben Maher and Mrs. Phillips’ Quiet Easy 4 were the first to clear the course and stopped the clock in 40.854 seconds, which finished second.

Continue reading Scott Brash and Intertoy Z Win $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic

Live Oak International Ends with a Ninth USEF National Championship for Chester Weber

Chester Weber on his victory lap with wife My at his side. (picsofyou.com)

A picture perfect day in Ocala Florida provided the idyllic backdrop for the conclusion of competition at the Live Oak International Combined Driving Event.  Taking the lead the first day and never looking back, Chester Weber and the team he co-owns with Jane Forbes Clark concluded their performance by putting in a solid round in the cones competition, thereby earning Weber an unprecedented ninth National Four-in-Hand Championship title.  “It is very nice to have it back,” says Weber of the trophy. And perhaps the win is even more noteworthy given the fact that this was Weber’s first competition with this new team.  “I am so thankful for Jane Clark’s support and participation, and for helping me put this combination together,” Weber noted. “I’m really excited about the future.”

Topping other classes in the FEI Division, Australian Janelle Marshall turned in a total score of 126.39 to come away with the win in the Single Pony class.  Jennifer Matheson maintained her lead in the FEI Pony Pairs competition, and Lisa Stroud put in a double clear performance to secure her win in the FEI Pony Teams with a score of 150.28.

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Engle and Kessler Tie for the 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Championship

Reed Kessler and Cylana (Photos: SportFot)

Wellington, FL – Both youth and experience prevailed at the 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Championship at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and with three horse/rider combinations tied at the end of the third round, the race for the overall title was wide open. It was standing room only for the second-to-last Saturday night of the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, and Alan Wade’s courses continued to prove influential and challenging in the fourth and final round.

The battle between youth and experience was between Margie Engle, one of the winningest veterans on the Grand Prix circuit, and 17-year-old Reed Kessler, who is only eligible to jump in the senior ranks for the first time in 2012. In the end Engle and Kessler were tied at the end of four rounds and decided between themselves not to jump off to determine a single winner. The result meant that Kessler won her first title and Engle was crowned National Champion for the third time.

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Victoria Colvin Wins 5th Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Championships

Michelle Navarro-Grau and Tibetano Capture Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge, Hillary Jean and D’Amour Win Low Adult 2’6″ Hunters

Victoria Colvin and VIP Z. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – March 23, 2012 – The 5th Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Championships were held on Friday evening in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. A feature event for the junior riders at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, the victory gallop was led by 14-year-old Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL.

Tonight’s class was held in three rounds with thirty-four riders competing in round one, the top 13 coming back for round two, and the top four returning for the third and final round. The course walk and schooling were the sole responsibility of the riders. Competitors were allowed no contact with their trainers during the class and were responsible for time management, warm up, and schooling of their own horses with the assistance of one groom.

Continue reading Victoria Colvin Wins 5th Annual George Morris Excellence in Equitation Championships

Engle, Fellers and Kessler Tied at the Top of the 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Championships/USEF Selection Trials for the U.S. Show Jumping Team

Mario Deslauriers and Urico (Photo: SportFot)

Wellington, FL – Two rounds of jumping for the USEF National Show Jumping Championships took place on Thursday at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center – and for the 30 horses returning for the penultimate round, there was also selection for the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games on the line. Alan Wade’s course was a serious one this evening, and it was compared to some of the biggest championship tracks in the world.

Clear rounds were hard to come by in both rounds: in the Trial 3 no one managed a fault free performance, but fellow New Yorkers Mario Deslauriers on Jane Clark’s Urico and Brianne Goutal on Remarkable Farms’ Nice de Prissey respectively finished with one time fault. This performance put Deslauriers into the fourth place spot in the trial rankings (on nine faults) with a three-way tie for the lead on eight.

Continue reading Engle, Fellers and Kessler Tied at the Top of the 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Championships/USEF Selection Trials for the U.S. Show Jumping Team

Trainer Jeff Gogul Rides to Championship on Rosebud in Hunter Class Sponsored by The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center

Jeff Gogul and Rosebud were in the winner’s circle during the seventh week of the 2012 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival after being victorious in the Sanctuary hunter divisions. (Photo courtesy of Sportfot.com)

Wellington, FL (March 21, 2012) — Hunter trainer Jeff Gogul, who owns Flagship, LTD Farm in Ohio, rode Rosebud to the Championship in the First Year Green Working Hunter division during the seventh week of the 2012 Winter Equestrian Festival. The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center, a world-class rehab and conditioning facility located in Ocala, Florida, sponsors the class as well as the Second Year Green, Green Conformation and Regular Conformation classes.

Gogul has more than 20 years of training experience to his name, having consistently trained horses and students to local, region and national championships in the hunter, jumper and equitation rings. A USEF “r” Judge, Gogul is well known for his success in Wellington. He has been the trainer and rider of the Littlewood Circuit Champion Pre-Green Hunter, the co-trainer of the WEF Circuit Champion Modified Children’s Jumper and the trainer for multiple years of the WEF Circuit Champion 3’3” Adult Amateur. Gogul’s success in the Big Eq ranks are also proven, as his students have ridden away with the ASPCA Maclay National Championship, the Hunter Seat Medal National Championship and the National Children’s Medal Championship.

Continue reading Trainer Jeff Gogul Rides to Championship on Rosebud in Hunter Class Sponsored by The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center

American Stars Line Up with USEF National Show Jumping Championship at Stake in Wellington

USEF Selection Trials to Run Concurrently

Lexington, KY – Twenty-seven of the United States’ best show jumping riders will take over the International Ring at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center March 21-24 to vie for the 2012 USEF National Show Jumping Championship. The championship runs concurrently with the USEF Selection Trials for the US Show Jumping Team for the 2012 Olympic Games, meaning there is plenty on the line at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival.

The USEF National Show Jumping Championship has been on hiatus since 2008 but the 2012 return features four classes over three days of jumping.

“It is wonderful,” said U.S. Chef d’Equipe George Morris. “In most other countries this is a very big deal, this national championship. We definitely needed to incorporate it into the trials because my concern is that horses are always asked to do more.”

Continue reading American Stars Line Up with USEF National Show Jumping Championship at Stake in Wellington

A Banner Day for Richard Spooner and Billy Bianca in the $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic

Hillary Jean and D’Amour Collect Low Adult Hunter 2’6″ Championship

Richard Spooner and Billy Bianca. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – March 9, 2012 – California’s Richard Spooner and Billy Bianca led the victory gallop in Friday afternoon’s $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). California native Ashlee Bond followed in a close second with her mount Apache, while Great Britain’s Scott Brash and Bon Ami finished third.

The ninth week of competition at the FTI WEF, sponsored by the Bainbridge Companies, will continue through Sunday, March 11. The week will feature the $200,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix, CSI 4*-W, presented by the Bainbridge Companies on Saturday, March 10, at 7 p.m.

Continue reading A Banner Day for Richard Spooner and Billy Bianca in the $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic

David McPherson & Scott Brash Share British Victory in $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 9

Keenan, Ulrich, Jacobs, and Bausano Win $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series Team Event, Scott Stewart and Tristan Score Championship in Sanctuary Green Conformation Hunters

David McPherson and Silver Spring. Photos © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – March 8, 2012 – Top British riders David McPherson and Scott Brash each took home their winner’s share on Thursday in a split class for round nine of the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Series at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Held in a ‘California Split’ due to the large number of entries, the class awarded two sets of placings, each with $32,000 distributed. McPherson and his own Silver Spring and Brash and Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s Sanctos Van Het Gravenhof were both awarded top honors. The team of Lillie Keenan, Lydia Ulrich, Charlotte Jacobs, and Gabrielle Bausano won the $20,000 Artisan Farms Young Riders Grand Prix Series Team Event presented by Dutta Corporation in association with Guido Klatte. Scott Stewart and Tristan were champions in the Sanctuary Green Conformation Hunters.

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Kentucky Team Closes In on World Championships

Sterling Graburn and Ulano Still No. 1 in Single Horse

Photo by Picsofyou

GEORGETOWN, KY – MARCH 2012 – Team Sterling took a giant step forward on the road to the Combined Driving Single Horse World Championships at the Little Everglades International Combined Driving Event in Dade City, Fla.

The first USEF Selection Trial was held Feb. 23, with Team Sterling placing third overall.

Sterling Graburn drove away with first place in the dressage test with a score of 40.1, and took third in the marathon phase, which was enough to keep him at the top of the field. But a tough and technical cones course promised to be a game changer and it was. There was only one double clear in the FEI division, dropping Graburn and his equine partner Ulano, owned by Larry Denny, to third.

Continue reading Kentucky Team Closes In on World Championships