Category Archives: Championships

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Germany Remains Dominant in Dressage at Eventing World Championships

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October 1, 2010 – Lexington, KY – Germany’s Michael Jung and La Biosthetique-Sam FBW took the lead today in the Eventing World Championships, presented by Reem Acra, at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.  Jung’s score of 33.00 put him in the top spot, while countryman Simone Deitermann, riding Free Easy (36.00), held on to the third spot after leading following day 1.  Italy’s Stefano Brecciaroli, riding Apollo van de Wendi Kurt Hoeve, stands second with a 35.50.

Germany took the lead in the team race, with 114.30 penalty points. Great Britain is next (128.50) and Sweden is third (131.20), followed by Australia (131.80), Italy (135.90), New Zealand (138.30) and the United States (140.00).

Marilyn Payne, president of the ground jury, commented that today’s top rides were especially enjoyable to watch.  “It’s so exciting to give 8s and 9s,” she said.  “What else can I do?  This is the most exciting thing as a judge: to be able to judge horses and riders like this.”

Jung was the third-last rider to start today and performed a beautiful dressage test, despite the fact that his horse is “an absolute bundle of energy.”  “The last few years, he has just performed beautifully,” said Jung.  He also added that the duo competes in dressage competitions at home in Germany, which might have helped his score today.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12255

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Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 Day 7 Dressage Freestyle

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The Netherlands' Edward Gal, who claimed Dressage Freestyle gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA tonight. Photo: FEI/Dirk Caremans.

GAL AND TOTILAS MAKE IT A GOLDEN HAT-TRICK ON A NIGHT TO REMEMBER by Louise Parkes

Lexington, 1 October – The brightest stars in the sport of dressage sparkled again tonight as The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and the amazing black stallion Moorlands Totilas claimed their third gold medal of the week in the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA.  On Tuesday they joined their Dutch counterparts to scoop the team title, on Wednesday they topped the Grand Prix Special, and tonight they made it a hat-trick when taking centre-stage on the Freestyle podium.  They’ve broken so many records over the last year that another came as no surprise – they are now the first partnership ever to win three World titles at a single Championship, but the Dutch duo didn’t steal all the limelight on this extraordinary evening.

Tonight’s silver medallist Laura Bechtolsheimer produced a personal best score of 85.35 with Mistral Hojris to become the first ever British rider to take three medals at a World Dressage Championship – in the Team, Special and Freestyle.  It’s been a sensational week for the 25 year old. And tonight’s bronze medallist, Steffen Peters, “put the icing on the cake,” as he said himself, when topping up the record he set on Wednesday when he became the first American to win an individual Championship medal in Dressage in the 78 years since Colonel Hiram Tottle and his horse, Olympic, took bronze at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1932.

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Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 Day 7 Eventing Championship

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Michael Jung (La Biosthethique Sam) GER took the lead as the dressage phase of the Eventing Championship concluded today at the Alltech FEI WEG. Photo: FEI/Dirk Caremans.

GERMANS CEMENT THEIR POSITION AHEAD OF CROSS-COUNTRY DAY by Louise Parkes

Lexington, 1 October – The German team go into tomorrow’s Eventing Championship cross-country challenge at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with a 14 point lead over their nearest rivals from Great Britain.  Sweden lies third ahead of Australia in fourth but less than 20 penalties separate the top four nations and just 40 penalties, or two jumping errors, separate the top ten teams.

On a day when the standard of dressage just kept getting better and better it was Germany’s Michael Jung who took over at the head of affairs.  He admitted during the post-competition press conference that he regularly competes in pure dressage, “but not at the World Equestrian Games!” he pointed out.  He described his 10 year old gelding La Biosthetique Sam as “a bundle of energy”, and he used that energy today to post a superb score of 33.0 to go out in front.

ROUSING CHEER
However he is closely followed by Italy’s Stefano Brecciaroli whose test with Apollo van de Wendi Kur Hoeve brought a rousing cheer from the crowd after they put 35.50 on the board.  The handsome Belgian Warmblood gelding, which the rider has been competing for the last two years, really rose to the occasion and the 36 year old rider from Rome, who is a member of the Italian police force, the Carabinieri, was delighted with his result. “I competed in Fontainebleau (FEI European Championships) last year and also in Aachen this summer with this horse,” he explained.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12252

Breeds, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, Racing Sources, Western/Reining, World Equestrian Games

Individual Reining Gold Goes to McCutcheon

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At the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, reining’s individual gold goes to U.S.A.’s Tom McCutcheon.

The American Quarter Horse Journal — All week, U.S. reiner Tom McCutcheon has been trying to keep his mount, Gunners Special Nite, fresh and happy. Thursday afternoon, the 6-year-old American Quarter Horse stallion returned the favor by turning in a score of 228 in the individual finals at the FEI Reining World Championship, presented by John Deere, held as part of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. It was enough to earn the gold medal by a margin of five points.

“I knew he was pretty special tonight,” McCutcheon said. “I felt pressure, for sure, because (I) wanted to do him justice. He’s a great little horse.”

Earlier in the week, McCutcheon and his horse helped the U.S. team to a gold medal in the team reining competition. Gunners Special Nite is by Colonels Smoking Gun and is out of Mifs Doll by Mifillena. He is the 2007 National Reining Horse Association Futurity intermediate open champion and has $194,237 in NRHA lifetime earnings

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USA’s Tom McCutcheon Wins Individual Gold at Reining World Championships

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Lexington, Ky., Sept. 30, 2010 — All week, U.S. reiner Tom McCutcheon has been trying to keep his mount, Gunners Special Nite, fresh and happy. Thursday afternoon, the 6-year-old American Quarter Horse stallion returned the favor by turning in a score of 228 in the individual finals at the FEI Reining World Championship, presented by John Deere, held as part of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The score was enough to earn the individual gold medal by a margin of 5 points.

“I knew he was pretty special tonight,” McCutcheon said. “I felt pressure, for sure, because I wanted to do him justice. He’s a great little horse.”

Earlier in the week, McCutcheon and his horse helped the U.S. team to a gold medal in the team reining competition. Gunners Special Nite is sired by Colonels Smoking Gun and is out of Mifs Doll by Mifillena. He is the 2007 National Reining Horse Association Futurity intermediate open champion and has $194,237 in NRHA lifetime earnings

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German Riders Take the Lead in Eventing World Championships, Presented by Reem Acra

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Lexington, Ky., Sept. 30, 2010 — Simone Deitermann and Ingrid Klimke of Germany set the standard today in the first day of dressage in the Eventing World Championships, presented by Reem Acra, at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Deitermann, 29, scored 36.00 penalties aboard Free Easy NRW. Klimke scored 41.30 penalties aboard FRH Butts Abraxxas. Deitermann, competing in her first World Games, is riding as an individual, while Klimke, a veteran of several previous World Games and Olympics, has put the German team in first place. Combined with Dirk Schrade’s score of 42.50 on Gadget de la Cere, Germany stands in first place (83.8), ahead of Australia (91.0), Sweden (91.7), Great Britain (93.2) and the United States (96.5).

William Fox-Pitt of Great Britain rode Cool Mountain into third place (42.00), just ahead of Schrade. Fifth-placed Paul Tapner is leading the Australian charge (43.80).

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Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 Day 6 Eventing Championship

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Germany's Simone Deitermann and Free Easy NRW took the lead on the opening day of dressage in the Eventing Championship at the Alltech FEI WEG. Photo: FEI/Dirk Caremans.

GERMANS TAKE STRONG LEAD ON FIRST DAY OF DRESSAGE by Louise Parkes

Lexington, 30 September – Germany holds the whip hand after the first day of dressage in the Eventing Championship at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky (USA) today.  Individual rider Simone Dietermann holds top spot after a superb test with Free Easy NRW while Ingrid Klimke lies second with FRH Butts Abraxxas and fellow team-member Dirk Schrade is fourth with Gadget de la Cere. Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt and his 2010 Rolex Kentucky 4-Star winner Cool Mountain were the only ones to break the German stranglehold when slotting into third, and his result, combined with that of Nicola Wilson (Opposition Buzz) has ensured fourth place for the British in the team rankings going into tomorrow’s closing stage of the dressage phase.

Sweden lies third after Linda Algotsson and the amazing 20 year old Stand by Me slotted into eighth place and Niklas Jonsson (First Lady) finished tenth.  But it is the Australians who are the closest challengers to the leading nation after the opening day.  When Paul Tapner’s fifth place score with his 2010 Badminton winner Inonothing was added to that of Stuart Tinney and Vettori, the total of 91.00 points left the Aussies in second spot, just 7.2 points behind the leaders.

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Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 Day 6 Reining Individual Championship

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On the podium after the final of the Individual Reining Championship at the WEG were (centre) gold medallist Tom McCutcheon (USA), (left) silver medallist Craig Schmersal (USA) and (right) bronze medallist Duane Latimer (CAN). Photo: FEI/Dirk Caremans.

McCUTCHEON GRABS REINING GOLD by Louise Parkes

Lexington, 30 September – America reclaimed the individual World Championship title at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in The Horse Park at Kentucky, USA this afternoon, but it wasn’t the hot favourite, Shawn Flarida, who stood tall and proud as the host nation’s flag was raised.  The loss of a stirrup would cost the 2002 World Champion dearly, and it was team-mate and fellow gold medallist in last Sunday’s team event Tom McCutcheon who stood top of the podium.

Underlining the US domination of the sport right now, US rider Craig Schmersal took silver medal position, while defending World Champion Duane Latimer from Canada had to settle for bronze.

ELECTRIC
The atmosphere in the packed stadium was electric all afternoon as the 21 qualified riders battled it out, and Latimer took the lead when third-last to go in the penultimate group.  However the man who took the FEI World Equestrian Games by storm in Aachen four years ago was not riding his great horse Hang Ten Surprize.  It was a “catch-ride” he picked up earlier in the year, the considerably less-experienced six year old Dun Playin Tag, that put the leading score of 222.5 on the board.

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The Ladies Take the Grand Championships at Dressage at Devon

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Rabiola Grand Champion at Dressage at Devon. Photos by Hoof Print Images.

BLM Mustang Also Makes His Mark

Devon, PA — The Grand Championship at Dressage at Devon is always a nail biter, but this year’s group of champions really impressed with incredible movement, type and conformation as they competed for this big award. To the thrill of the crowd, two beautiful mares trotted away with the show’s most coveted ribbons during the breed division. Wearing the championship neck sash once again was Iron Spring Farm’s Rabiola, the gorgeous KWPN mare who has won more than ten championships at the show over the years. Finishing with the Reserve Grand Championship was Dazzle, a two-year-old mare by Jazz, who also has quality gaits and charisma.

Rabiola kicked off her day by winning the Four-Year-Old and Older Broodmares class. She then trotted to the Mare and Mature Horse Championships before clinching the title of Grand Champion. The mare, by Metall out of Fabiola by Zadok, is not only frequently a big winner at DAD, she’s also a mom of several Dressage at Devon winners. “She’s the Queen,” said a very happy Mary Alice Malone, owner of Rabiola. “This was really amazing. I’m really lucky to own her.”

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Peters Rides to U.S. Bronze Medal at Dressage World Championships, Presented by Alltech

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Lexington, Ky., Sept. 29, 2010 — U.S. rider Steffen Peters made history today when he rode Ravel to the Grand Prix Special individual bronze medal in the Dressage World Championships, presented by Alltech, at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. He is the first American ever to win an individual medal in the World Championships.

Peters, 46, from San Diego, Calif., scored 78.54 percent, to finish behind gold medalist Edward Gal of the Netherlands on Moorlands Totilas (85.70%) and Laura Bechtolsheimer, 25, of Great Britain, on Mistral Hojris (81.70%). The three riders finished yesterday’s team Grand Prix in the same order.

Peters was born in Germany and immigrated to United States in 1992. He rode on his first U.S. team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, winning the team bronze medal. At the 2006 World Equestrian Games, Peters and Ravel, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, led the U.S. team to the bronze medal. They finished a painfully close fourth in the 2008 Olympics, and in 2009 they won the FEI World Cup Final.

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