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Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 Day 5 Dressage Grand Prix Special

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The Netherlands' Edward Gal and Moorlands Totilas produced another stunning performance to win individual gold in the Grand Prix Special at the Alltech FEI WEG. Photo FEI/Dirk Caremans.

GAL AND TOTILAS WIN THE SPECIAL IN STYLE – CAN THEY MAKE IT A HAT-TRICK OF GOLD? by Louise Parkes

Lexington, 29 September – The sensational partnership of Edward Gal and Moorlands Totilas made Dutch dressage history today when becoming the first combination from The Netherlands to win the World Championship Grand Prix Special title at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA.  But this extraordinary pair is also on the brink of adding another record to the list they just keep on compiling.  If they can add Friday’s Freestyle to their haul, then they will become the first partnership ever to take both titles, and on present form they look well-set for a hat-trick of gold after yesterday’s team victory.

Silver medallist Laura Bechtolsheimer set a new British record when beating the score she set at the Alltech FEI European Championships in Windsor (GBR) last summer, while Steffen Peters and Ravel took bronze for the USA.  Peters was emotional afterwards.  “I’ve been counting the days and hours since I missed that bronze medal in Hong Kong (Beijing 2008 Olympic Games),” he pointed out, “so this means a lot to me.  I can’t believe how lucky I am, what he (Ravel) did for me today was unbelievable.” And Bechtolsheimer also became the first British rider ever to take World Championship silver in the Special.  The previous best British result was bronze for Jennie-Loriston Clarke and Dutch Courage back in 1978 at Goodwood (GBR).

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Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 Day 4 Dressage Team Grand Prix

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The Dutch team pictured on the podium after becoming World Dressage Champions for the first time at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA today. Left to right - Adelinde Cornelissen (Jerich Parzival), Imke Schellekens-Bartels (Hunter Douglas Sunrise), Hans Peter Minderhoud (Exquis Nadine) and Edward Gal (Moorlands Totilas). Photo: FEI/Dirk Caremans.

THE DUTCH DRESSAGE DREAM COMES TRUE DESPITE HEARTBREAK FOR ADELINDE by Louise Parkes

Lexington, 28 September – Dutch courage was tested to the limit at The Horse Park in Kentucky today but, despite everything that was thrown at them, The Netherlands came through to take Dressage team gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.  It was an historic victory as they at last broke the stranglehold of the long-dominant Germans who, this time around, had to settle for bronze while the British rose magnificently to the occasion and claimed silver with considerable style.

In the midst of today’s celebrations however there was also heartbreak in the Dutch camp, as Adelinde Cornelissen was eliminated early in her test when the judges noticed blood in the saliva of her gelding Jerich Parzival.  Strong favourites for an individual medal later in the week and key players in the Dutch side, the Dutch partnership were just moving forward after completing the rein-back when Ground Jury President Stephen Clarke (GBR) intervened to tell the rider that she could not continue.  Cornelissen said afterwards that she thought she must have been doing the wrong test, but she put a brave face on it at a mid-day press conference. Asked how she was feeling after this shocking disappointment she said, “I have felt better I must say!  On one hand it’s such a shame that you can’t finish your test and he was in really great shape…. but on the other hand I’m happy he’s (Parzival) OK and there’s nothing seriously wrong with him.”  In fact the big chestnut gelding had bitten his tongue during his warm-up, and veterinary examination showed only a very slight injury.  “There was just a tiny spot on the tip of his tongue,” Cornelissen explained, “and it had already stopped bleeding on the way back to the stable, but it ended my test.”

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Qualifying Complete for Reining Individual Finals at Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

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Lexington, Ky., Sept. 28 — Great Britain dominated the second individual qualifying round at the World Reining Championship, presented by John Deere, today at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The top qualifying score of 217.5 went to Great Britain’s Lee Rutter, riding Setting Off Sparks, while his countryman Doug Allen with Don Julio Whiz had the second-highest score of 216.5.

Twenty horses were given this second chance at qualifying for Thursday’s individual finals. Sixteen horse-and-rider teams had already qualified by posting high marks during the team reining competition.

Other riders qualifying Tuesday included Fredrik Thomsson of Sweden, marking the first time his country has ever sent a rider to the individual finals. Australia’s Warren Backhouse and the Netherlands’ Hubertus Heule rounded out the qualifiers.

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Dutch Team Wins Gold Medal for First Time at Dressage World Championships

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Lexington, Ky., Sept. 28 — The teams from the Netherlands and Great Britain each did something they’ve never done before in the Dressage World Championships, presented by Alltech, at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

The Netherlands won the team gold medal (229.74) for the first time ever, and Great Britain won the team silver medal (224.67), the first team medal they’ve ever won in the World Games.

Germany earned the team bronze medal (220.59), marking the first time they have not won the team gold medal since 1970.

The United States finished close behind in fourth (218.12).

As expected, superstar Moorlands Totilas, with Edward Gal, led the Dutch team to victory by topping the individual standings with a score of 84.04 percent. Teammates Imke Schellekens-Bartels, on Hunter Douglas Sunrise, and Hans Peter Minderhoud, on Exquis Nadine, provided scores of 73.44 percent and 72.25 percent to secure the gold medal.

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Dutch Riders Lead Dressage World Championships, Presented by Alltech

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Lexington, Ky., Sept. 27, 2010 — Dutch riders Imke Schellekens-Bartels and Hans Peter Minderhoud gave the Netherlands a strong lead today over Germany in the Dressage World Championships, presented by Alltech.

Riding Hunter Douglas Sunrise, Schellekens-Bartels, 33, took the individual lead by scoring 73.44 percent. Aboard Exquis Nadine, Minderhoud, 36, moved into third place individually by scoring 72.25 percent. Their team total of 145.70 has put their team more than 5 points ahead of Germany (140.34) at the halfway point of the team competition.

German rider Christoph Koschel, riding Donnperignon, sits between the two Dutch riders, scoring 72.63 percent. Two of the five judges preferred Koschel’s test to Schellekens-Bartels’ test. Teammate Anabel Balkenhol scored 67.70 percent to place 12th.

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UAE Grabs Gold Medal at Endurance World Championships, Presented by Meydan

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Lexington, Ky., Sept. 27 — After their riders finished third, sixth and seventh individually in the Endurance World Championships, presented by Meydan, the United Arab Emirates today accepted their team gold medals in the Main Stadium at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

The UAE team’s total time (23:53:36) was nearly 55 minutes faster than silver medalist France (24:49:46), while Germany surprised the world by claiming the bronze medal (25:34:16). It was Germany’s first medal in endurance at a World Equestrian Games.

The UAE team members were HE Sheikh Hamdan Mohammed Al Maktoum, HE Sheikh Majid Mohammed Al Maktoum, and Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum. They had trained in Newmarket, England, to prepare for the World Games, because the grass training gallops and the climate there are far more similar to Lexington than Dubai, said Jaume Punti-Dachs, one of the team’s trainers.

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FEI World Jumping Championships for Young Horses 2010

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Clement McMahon and NLS Coole Al Clover took Ireland's first-ever title at the FEI World Championship for Young Horses when topping the 6 Year Old division at the 2010 event in Lanaken, Belgium yesterday. Photo: FEI/Dirk Caremans.

DUTCH, IRISH AND BELGIAN-BRED HORSES TAKE THE TITLES AT LANAKEN

Lanaken (BEL), 27 September – The Dutch, Irish and Belgian Studbooks came out on top at the FEI World Jumping Championships for Young Horses at Lanaken in Belgium over the weekend where, once again, up-and-coming stars of the future got their first big chance to shine.

Huge entries and tough competition were the order of the day, and enthusiastic crowds of spectators, breeders, producers and riders enjoyed the annual spectacle which has become one of the most important dates on the international jumping calendar as studbooks compare their merit and undergo scrutiny in the showring.

RIDDEN TO SUCCESS
The 5 Year Old title went the dark bay KWPN gelding Always There which is owned by T & L Collins and who was ridden to success by Brazil’s Camilla Mazza de Benedicto.  Sired by Indoctro, Always There pipped the Westphalian stallion Comme Il Faut – Cornet Obolensky x Ramiro – owned by Gestut Zhaschkow which was steered into silver medal position by Germany’s Franz-Josef Dahlmann.  Third place and bronze in this division went to the Holstein Cortado with Denmark’s Andreas Schou on board.

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Team USA Wins First Gold Medal of 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

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Lexington, Ky., Sept. 26, 2010 — The powerhouse team from the United States took the gold medal at the FEI Reining World Championship, presented by John Deere. Their victory made it a three-peat, since they’ve been victorious in each World Equestrian Games that has included reining.

Belgium won the team silver medal, while Italy earned the bronze.

The order of finish for the remaining top-10 teams was: Austria, Canada, Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Mexico.

U.S. Reining chef d’equipe Jeff Petska noted how tough the competition was at this year’s World Games, but he said the United States “brought a bunch of heavyweights to a heavyweight fight.”

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Team USA Takes Gold at FEI World Reining Championship

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The American Quarter Horse Journal — During the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky, the powerhouse team from the United States took the gold medal September 26, 2010, at the FEI World Reining Championship presented by John Deere, making it a three-peat, with team wins in every World Equestrian Games in which reining has been included.

Belgium won the team silver medal, while Italy earned the bronze. The order of finish for the remaining top-10 teams is: Austria, Canada, Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Mexico.

U.S. Reining Chef d’Equipe Jeff Petska noted how tough the competition was at this year’s games, but he says the United States “brought a bunch of heavyweights to a heavyweight fight.”

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Spain’s Ponton Flies to Endurance World Championship, Presented by Meydan

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Lexington, Ky., Sept. 27, 2010 — Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton of Spain, riding Nobby, literally out-galloped her rivals to win the individual gold medal at the Endurance World Championships, presented by Meydan, at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

But HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, on Ciel Oriental, and his son, HE Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, on SAS Alexis, sprinted through the finish line only 1:55 later to claim the silver and bronze individual medals and lead the United Arab Emirates to their first team gold medal at a World Equestrian Games.

Ponton completed the last loop at an average speed of 29.44 kilometers per hour, while her UAE competitors chased her at an average speed of 31.66 kph. Ponton’s average time throughout the 100-mile race was a speedy 21.07 kph.

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