Category Archives: Championships

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Events, JRPR

Champion Driver Suzy Stafford’s Pony Miss Josephine Shines in Dressage Phase of German National Pony Championships

Leave a comment
Suzy Stafford and her half-Arabian Miss Josephine competed at the German National Pony Championships in Minden, Germany, placing second in the dressage phase. (Photo courtesy of Bettina Ruckelshaus)

Minden, Germany (September 8, 2011) – Gold medalist Suzy Stafford’s registered half-Arabian mare Miss Josephine put her best hoof forward in the dressage phase of the German National Pony Championships in Minden, Germany, placing second amongst a highly competitive field. Stafford and several other members of the U.S. team competed at Minden in preparation for the 2011 FEI World Pony Driving Championships in Slovenia.

“Josie and I started out well on dressage day. We came in second in dressage behind another U.S. pony team driver Shelly Temple. I was thrilled as Shelly and Cooper have been a pair for many years and have proven themselves as the dressage favorite in the States. Josie put in one of her best performances to date and I was overjoyed with how she did. Josie has only shown in the advanced level five times including Minden,” Stafford said.

Stafford said the marathon day was just as successful for Josie. “We had a good round and I was pleased how fit and ready she felt throughout the whole course. The rain the night before made for some slippery conditions but with the help of Janelle Marshal, my ‘rent a gator’ and Team Australia pony driver, we had a safe and noteworthy score. I felt Josie and my timing was a bit off due to the lapse of time in between shows, but now I feel the practice Josie and I had at Minden will help prepare us for the challenges ahead,” Stafford said.

Stafford and Josie were in second place going into the cones division; however, things didn’t go as smoothly as Stafford hoped. “We dropped to 11th place after the cones, which was very disappointing,” Stafford said. “But I will use this unfortunate circumstance to become a better driver, trainer and student under the influence of our coach Michael Freund. I think the cones issue was a biting problem in hindsight, so we have worked on that and should have things sorted out for the Championships.”

Continue reading Champion Driver Suzy Stafford’s Pony Miss Josephine Shines in Dressage Phase of German National Pony Championships →

Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, USEF, USEF

2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions Set to Begin

Leave a comment
Heather Mason and Warsteiner. Photo: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – The first glimpse of the horses and riders competing at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions was had at the USET Foundation Headquarters as more than 54 horses and two ponies made the annual pilgrimage to jog before the Ground Jury at the USEF National Dressage Championships. The sun didn’t make an appearance, as Northern New Jersey continues to be plagued with rain, but plenty of lovely horses did.

The star-studded cast of horses and riders includes two of the last three Collecting Gaits Farm /USEF Grand Prix National Champions, the reigning Individual Bronze medalist from the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the reigning Individual Gold and Silver medalists from the 2003 Pan American Games, who were both also members of the Gold medal-winning Team.

For four days, Gladstone will feature the best that American dressage has to offer. With selection for the 2011 Pan American Games on the line in the Intermediaire I Championships, as well as six National titles, the competition which begins Thursday at 8:00 am in the Dick and Jane Brown Arena, promises to be world-class.

The Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Grand Prix National Championships features Ravel, Akiko Yamazaki and Four Winds Farm’s superstar who won the 2008 title in California with Steffen Peters. This pair also swept the 2009 CHIO Aachen, won the 2009 FEI World Cup Dressage Final, and was the highest placed U.S. pair at both the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, where they won two Individual Bronze medals. Peters also won the 2007 National Championship title on Lombardi. Tina Konyot was the 2010 champion on Calecto V – and they return to defend their title. This pair has had a quiet summer as Konyot recovered from a knee injury, but they were Peters and Ravel’s teammate on the 2010 WEG team, which placed fourth.

Continue reading 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions Set to Begin →

Championships, Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

FEI Balkan Jumping Championships 2011 – Zagreb (CRO)

Leave a comment

BIG HAUL OF GOLD FOR THE GREEKS IN ZAGREB by Louise Parkes

Croatia's Kristina Grilec, Mirna Bacic and Janka Krasovec - gold, silver and bronze medallists in the Amazons (Ladies) Individual Championship at the FEI Balkan Jumping Championships 2011. Photo: FEI/ BalkanJChPress.

Lausanne (SUI), 6 September 2011 – Greek riders were in flying form at the FEI Balkan Jumping Championships 2011 staged in Zagreb, Croatia last weekend where they claimed eight of the 10 titles on offer.  Gold in the Ladies Individual and Team events were the only medals to escape their grasp as they ran riot through the remainder of the show programme, producing convincing wins at all levels.

Staged at the Karoca Horse Club in the Croatian capital city, the event attracted competitors from six nations – Serbia, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Greece.  President of the Ground Jury was Russia’s Vladimir Platov and the remainder of the Ground Jury panel were Mrs Mimi Kyrkinis from Greece, Turkey’s Mrs Gulfer Taneri, Bulgaria’s Mr Yuri Valev and Mrs Jasminka Pirs Petrakovic from Croatia.

SENIORS
In the Senior Team Championships, the Greeks clinched gold with a total of 22 faults which give them a significant 14-fault advantage over the silver medallists from Slovenia.  The Croatians took bronze, but with 55 faults on the board were a long way further adrift and 10 points clear of the Bulgarians who just missed out on the medals here.

Course designer, Olaf Petersen Jr., set a 1.30m track for the opening competition in which Alexandros Fourlis and his 12 year old bay mare GZS Cappucino Z, by Calvaro Z, raced home quickest in a time of 61.39 seconds.  From a start-list of 22 runners, it was Croatia’s Denis Gugic (Davita) and Filip Rozmaric (Cezar BB) who slotted into the next two places while Hanna Roberson-Mytilinaiou (Natacha Delaunay) from Greece was close behind in fourth spot.

Continue reading FEI Balkan Jumping Championships 2011 – Zagreb (CRO) →

Championships, Competitions, Driving, Events, FEI, FEI

First European Title for IJsbrand Chardon

Leave a comment
Dutch champion IJsbrand Chardon won his first European four-in-hand title in Breda this weekend. Photo © Rinaldo de Craen.

Breda (NED), 1-4 September 2011 – Four-time world four-in-hand champion IJsbrand Chardon (NED) has added a new title to his long list of successes. Chardon won the first FEI Open European Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand since 1981, which were held in Breda, the Netherlands this weekend. Jozsef Dobrovitz from Hungary won the silver medal; the bronze medal went to Chardon’s fellow country- and teammate Koos de Ronde. The Dutch team took the lead from the very beginning and won the European team gold ahead of Hungary and Germany. Reigning world champion Boyd Exell from Australia won the Open category.

Determined
Although the emphasis of the competition was obviously on the European Championships, IJsbrand Chardon had another goal in Breda and that was to beat Boyd Exell. Exell managed to beat Chardon at every event where both drivers competed this year. Chardon is a winner at heart and is determined to beat Exell. In Breda, he came very close. Exell took the lead after a beautiful Dressage test whereas Chardon won the marathon. The difference between the rivals after the Dressage and Marathon competitions was only 0.10 penalty points in favour of Exell. In the final obstacle driving competition, second to last starter Chardon knocked a ball off the last pair of cones which gave Exell a wider margin, which the world champion did not even need in the end. Exell drove an excellent clear round within the time allowed and was declared winner of the Open category of FEI European Driving Championships for Four-in-Hands.

Risky
IJsbrand Chardon had mixed feelings afterwards. On one hand, he was happy to have won his first European Championships and on the other he was not pleased with his second place behind Boyd Exell. “I am a top sportsman and I like to win,” Chardon said. “I opened the attack on Boyd and focussed completely on beating him, which was very risky. Luckily, it went well and I did not lose but I would have preferred to compete against him in an equal battle.” Chardon, whose eldest daughter Jeannette rode in the two-star Eventing competition at Breda at the same time, competed with the 15-year-old Swedish warmblood Tango and the KWPN geldings Whooper, Zion and Darco in Dressage. KWPN-gelding Tomasson replaced Zion in the Marathon and Cones competitions.

Continue reading First European Title for IJsbrand Chardon →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI, Para-Equestrian

Freestyle Gold Medals Bring British Haul to a Magnificent Eight

Leave a comment
Denmark's Stinna Kaastrup and Labbenhus Snovs added Freestyle Grade Ib gold to Team and Individual silver at the FEI European Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships 2011 at Moorsele, Belgium yesterday. Photo: FEI/Liz Gregg.

Moorsele (BEL), 5 September 2011 – With the Team and three Individual titles already under their belt, the British brought their gold medal haul to a magnificent eight when adding victory in Freestyle Grades Ia, II, III and IV to their tally on the final afternoon of the FEI European Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships 2011 at Moorsele in Belgium yesterday.  Only Denmark’s Stinna Kaastrup prevented them from making it a complete whitewash in the closing stages of the event that produced fantastic competition and presented many new stars of the future.

It was one of the stalwarts of the sport who took the first Freestyle title on offer in Grade Ia when British veteran, Anne Dunham, claimed top of the podium after a test with the ever-reliable Teddy that earned her a personal best score of 79.200.  “He was just brilliant!” Dunham said of the horse that also helped her take team and individual honours.  Freestyle Silver went to British team-mate Emma Sheardon with Purdy’s Dream on a score of 74.100 while Sweden’s Anita Johnsson and Donar took bronze with 73.950, heading a strong challenge from Helen Kearney who became the first-ever Irish rider to claim a medal at the FEI European Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships the previous day. The 22 year old competitor, who hails from Dunlavin in County Wicklow and who only began riding three years ago, took Individual bronze in Grade Ia, and Irish Chef d’Equipe, Naomi Donoghue, said afterwards, “It was a tremendous day for Helen and the Irish Para Equestrian squad.  We have achieved our first European medal and I firmly believe there will be many more to come.”

CONVINCING MARGIN
Kaastrup won Freestyle Grade Ib by a convincing margin, pinning Austria’s Pepo Puch (Good Boy’s Feeling) into silver medal position ahead of Finland’s Katja Karjalainen (Rosie) in bronze.  The 17 year old Danish rider, double bronze and silver Freestyle medallist at last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, lives on Fyn, the third-largest of Denmark’s islands, and she trains intensively with the help of coach Lotte Straarup.  She began riding as a therapeutic pursuit and learned to really enjoy it with her first pony, whom she said, “was very nice, but a bit big!”

Continue reading Freestyle Gold Medals Bring British Haul to a Magnificent Eight →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Maclay, Show Jumping

Déjà Vu Molly Braswell – 2011 ASPCA Maclay Southeast Regional Champion

Leave a comment
Molly Braswell & El Campeons Danish ©Flashpoint Photography

Green Cove Springs, FL — September 4, 2011 — Molly Braswell of Ocala, FL is celebrating her Birthday weekend the same as last year, by besting 30 top competitors to capture the ASPCA Maclay Regional Championship (Region 3, the Southeast), held during 2011 North Florida Hunter Jumper Association’s Labor Day Horse Show at the Agricultural Center in Green Cove Springs, FL.

Michael Rheinheimer designed a technical 12 fence first round course to aid judges Patricia Harnois and John Roper in narrowing the field of 30 down to one winner – or in this case a repeat victory for Molly Braswell. “It was a good course, for me a little long coming out of the first line, but otherwise I was really happy with it,” Braswell said.

Turning 18 years old today made this competition bittersweet for Braswell as it marks the countdown of her final season as a “Junior” rider.  She trains at Terrapin Hill Farm with her father Bob Braswell and assistant trainer Courtney de Hechavarria and has been partnered with the Elizabeth Dove owned El Campeons Danish a little over a year. When asked for some specifics, such as age on her mount, Braswell giggled and said, “I’m not gonna tell you! He’s a Danish Warmblood and I love him!” A little encouragement and compliments of their performance brought out a confession from a proud Braswell that this stellar gelding is twenty-four years old and in amazing form, and keeping his stride.

Continue reading Déjà Vu Molly Braswell – 2011 ASPCA Maclay Southeast Regional Champion →

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

Neville Bardos Leads U.S. Eventing Horses on Cross-Country Day at Burghley

Leave a comment
Boyd Martin and Neville Bardos. Photos: www. stockimageservices. com.

Lexington, KY – The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team have two cross-country superstars in their midst as both Boyd Martin on Neville Bardos, and Sinead Halpin on Manoir de Carneville looked poised and confident as they galloped through Burghley Park. These pairs represented an inspiring future American Eventing over a course that was deemed a ‘throwback’ as the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011.

Clear rounds were difficult to come by over Capt. Mark Phillips boldly designed, old-fashioned feeling track. But Martin and Neville dominated their first Burghley – flying home to an emotional 11th place after the first two phases. They backed up their dressage score of 49.7 with a flawless performance in Neville’s favorite phase. They were one of nine double-clear rounds of the day.

“Neville gave me a great round cross country,” said Martin (Cochranville, PA). “He was strong and bold throughout the course which is wonderful at this sort of event… he loves charging at all the big fences. He pulled up with plenty of energy.”

The fact 12-year-old Neville Bardos (owned by the Neville Bardos Syndicate) is alive is incredible, and the fact the Australian Thoroughbred just cruised around the biggest cross-country track in the world is not far short of a miracle.

Continue reading Neville Bardos Leads U.S. Eventing Horses on Cross-Country Day at Burghley →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI, Para-Equestrian

Great Britain’s All-Female Quintet Exceeds All Expectations

Leave a comment

Moorsele (BEL), 3 September 2011 – Britain proved today that they still have the edge and remain the team to beat when it comes to Para-Equestrian Dressage. Indeed, as Britain’s first all-female quintet scooped team gold and 5 of the 15 available medals in the individual test, with three of the grades won by a British rider, there was little doubt left that they are in a league of their own.

Anne Dunham, Great Britain’s most experienced Para-Equestrian Dressage rider who has participated in every Para-Equestrian Dressage event of the Paralmypics since it was introduced on the programme in 1996, went on to win her 15th and 16th gold medals at a Championship (Paralympic, World and European), while new member to the British squad, Natasha Baker, convincingly took gold in Grade II. At just 21 years of age, Natasha is a passionate and determined professional, with four horses on the go and plans for Rio 2016. She has been on a gold medal spree since the beginning of the year, with gold at the national Championships in June, followed by more gold in Hartpury in July and then a spot on the British squad for the Europeans here in Moorsele. She has her sights clearly set one of the few spots on the British squad for 2012, but will be up against some tough competition.

“It’s been a thrilling year for Great Britain to have achieved the success that we have in both Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage. We have exceeded all expectations and now have to focus on getting ready for 2012, both in terms of preparing our athletes and also preparing to host the world’s best equestrians,” said Amanda Bond, Chief Executive of British Dressage, following today’s prize giving ceremony.

Continue reading Great Britain’s All-Female Quintet Exceeds All Expectations →

Championships, Competitions, Events, USEF, Western/Reining

Showdown in Tulsa: Schmersal Takes Home 2011 Adequan/USEF National Open Reining Championship Title with Miss Lil Addy Tude

Leave a comment

Tulsa, OK – A boutique group of fabulous American reining horses went head-to-head on Friday night, in Tulsa, OK, at the 2011 Adequan/USEF National Open Reining Championship, the featured evening event at the Ariat Tulsa Reining Classic.

The National Championship title and top honors in the concurrent CRI3* ended up as a showdown between two teammates from the Gold medal-winning team at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. These two superstar reining riders were also the WEG Individual Gold and Silver medalists.

Friday night in Tulsa they brought two chestnut mares to the occasion and Craig Schmersal turned the tables on his teammate, Tom McCutcheon, and cruised to the win on Miss Lil Addy Tude. Schmersal scored his second USEF National Open Reining Title with a score of 224.5.

The elegant 9-year-old Quarter Horse mare put in an easy and smooth effort, and her confidence in herself and Schmersal was evident.

“I was glad I led Tom in this victory celebration today,” said Schmersal. “He led the last one and the one before that.”

Continue reading Showdown in Tulsa: Schmersal Takes Home 2011 Adequan/USEF National Open Reining Championship Title with Miss Lil Addy Tude →

Championships, Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Twenty-two Nations to Battle It Out at FEI European Jumping Championships in Madrid

Leave a comment

A total of 86 riders from 22 nations have been declared for the FEI European Jumping Championships 2011. The event, which serves as a team qualifier for the 2012 Olympic Games for nations from Olympic Groups A (North Western Europe) and B (South Western Europe) will take place in Madrid (ESP) from 13 to 18 September.

Seventeen nations – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, host nation Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and Ukraine – have entered teams. The Czech Republic, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Russia, and Slovakia will be represented by individual riders.

Venue for this year’s FEI European Jumping Championships is the stunning Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, one of Spain’s oldest and most prestigious country clubs formed in 1929. A brand new all-weather sand footing has been installed especially for the Championships.

Watch FEI TV’s preview at this link.

The full list of the FEI European Jumping Championships definite entries (published today) are available here.

Media contact:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33