Category Archives: Championships

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Endurance Riding, Events, FEI, World Equestrian Games

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 Endurance Championship Report

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Spain's Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton and Nobby on their way to securing individual gold in the Endurance Championship at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA today. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

MIGHTY MARIA WINS ENDURANCE GOLD, UAE SCOOP TEAM TITLE by Louise Parkes

Lexington, 26 September – Spain’s Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton and her super-horse, Nobby, wrote their names into the history books of the sport of Endurance today when adding the individual gold medal at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky to their 2008 World Championship and 2009 European Championship titles.  The hat-trick has never been done before, and Nobby’s extraordinary recovery-rate proved key to their success once again. But Ponton herself is something of a super-woman.  Only seven weeks ago she gave birth to her daughter, Maria, yet she had the stamina, skill, physical fitness and concentration to win the coveted title against the sharpest competition today.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took the silver medal with Ciel Oriental while his son, His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan Bin Al Maktoum took bronze, and it was no surprise when the UAE claimed the team title as His HE Sheikh Hamdan joined with HE Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum to finish well ahead of the French in silver medal position and Germany in bronze.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, Western/Reining, World Equestrian Games

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010 Reining Team Championship Report

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The US team claimed team gold for the third consecutive time in the Reining Championship at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA today. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHTS TAKE TEAM REINING TITLE FOR THE THIRD TIME by Louise Parkes

Lexington, 26 September – The host nation and defending double-champions from the USA scooped the first gold medals of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games when spinning, slide-stopping and galloping to a convincing victory in the Reining Team Championship at The Horse Park in Kentucky today.  They dominated the leaderboard when filling first, third, fourth and ninth places and their final score of 674.5 left them almost 10 points clear of Belgium in silver medal position while Italy took bronze.  And it was an historic moment for the Belgians as they claimed their first World Championship title in this discipline.

“We were always trying for third place, so silver is a dream come true!” said Belgium’s Cira Baeck afterwards.  However the team effort produced by the Americans was exceptional and, as US Chef d’Equipe Jeff Petska said, “we came here under a lot of pressure – reining is a big sport on our home soil, but my boys really rose to the occasion.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Community/Charity, Competitions, Disciplines, Dressage, Driving, Events

Shelly Temple Crowned USEF National Champion – Single Pony Combined Driving

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Shelly Temple and Cooper gallop through the water hazard at the Laurels. Photo credit: Diana Rowland.

Shelly Temple and her 12 year old Morgan gelding LR Ami B-Line (“Cooper”) won the USEF Single Pony Champion in combined driving for the second time in four years.  Held this year at the Laurels of Landhope in Kennett Square, PA, the first day of competition began with dressage.  Shelly and Cooper held a comfortable lead with a score after dressage of 43.73.  Shelly remarked that “Cooper was responsive and willing throughout the day.”  Day two consisted of the cross country marathon with an overall distance of 16 kilometers.  Shelly and navigator/husband Fran Doto drove a solid marathon to maintain their lead into day three, the cones competition.  The cones competition saw Temple maintain her overall lead to follow up her 2009 reserve champion in the single pony championships.

“Cooper felt on top of his game the entire competition.  He was fit and willing.  We appreciate the support of our sponsors like including Charles Owens, Kombat Boots, Kentucky Equine Research, and Sheetz.  Their products and services allow us to compete at a high level.”

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Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping, USEA

Final Wrap-Up of 2010 Land Rover/USEA American Eventing Championships

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Becky Holder and Courageous Comet on their way to the 2010 Advanced Championship. Leslie Threlkeld photo.

It was all about the upper levels today at the 2010 Land Rover/USEA American Eventing Championships. Five divisions including Advanced, Intermediate, and all three Preliminary divisions show jumped today in the beautiful arenas at Chattahoochee Hills.

Advanced

The Advanced show jumping was the first to go in the Grand Prix arena this morning. The WEG Short Listed riders who did not run cross-country yesterday show jumped both before and after the actual competition which created a different atmosphere in the arena. After the dust settled, overnight leader Becky Holder and Courageous Comet knocked only a single rail during the Marc Donovan designed course. However, they had a rail in hand over the two competitors nipping at their heels, Nate Chambers and Will Faudree, and the experienced pair remained gracefully atop the leaderboard.

“I’m so proud of him,” sighed Holder happily after her round. “The show jumping has always been rough for me. I always get rattled in there and get in a hurry… but we’ve both come a long way.”

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12106

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Community/Charity, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, Phelps Media Group

Katherine Poulin and Brilliant Too Garner GAIG/USDF Region 2 FEI Grand Prix Dressage Championship

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Katherine Poulin and Brilliant Too won the FEI Grand Prix Championship at the 2010 GAIG/USDF Region 2 Dressage Championship. Photo © 2010 Lauren Fisher/PMG.

Traverse City, MI – September 12, 2010 – The sun came out for a gorgeous day in Traverse City, Michigan on Sunday as the 2010 Great American Insurance Group/USDF Region 2 Dressage Championships and Dressage by the Bay Fall Classic concluded their final day of competition. Ending the show with an exciting victory were Katherine Poulin and Brilliant Too who won the FEI Grand Prix Championship.

From Chagrin Falls, OH, Katherine Poulin and Brilliant Too had the highest score in today’s Grand Prix Championship, scoring a 62.766% from the judges, Sandra Hotz at ‘E’ and Gary Rockwell at ‘C’. Judy Kelly and Leonardo finished in second with their score of 62.600%, Amanda Johnson and Pip earned third place honors with a 62.234%, and Brad Cutshall rode Pointjack to a score of 61.277% to finish in fourth place.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, Show Jumping

FEI Balkan Jumping Championships 2010

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Bulgaria's Ivelin Valev (Equita) won the Senior title at the FEI Balkan Jumping Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Photo: Milena Dragisic

BIG HAUL OF GOLD FOR TURKEY AND GREECE, BUT VALEV WINS SENIOR TITLE FOR BULGARIA
Historic result for Croatia

8 September – Turkey and Greece divided the majority of the gold medals between them at the 2010 FEI Balkan Jumping Championships staged at the Voivodinovo Equestrian Centre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria where the host nation’s Ivelin Valev claimed the Senior Individual title.

Underlining the increasing development of the sport in this region, the 36th Balkan Championship attracted a bigger entry than ever before with 139 riders from six nations, including Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Croatia.  And it was an historic moment for the Croation athletes, as they marked their debut in these Championships by securing their nation’s first-ever medals in equestrian sport, including individual gold in the Ladies division and team bronze and individual silver in the Children’s section.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12078

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group

Molly Braswell Wins 2010 ASPCA Maclay Southeast Regional Championship aboard El Campeons Danish

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Molly Braswell and El Campeons Danish won the 2010 ASPCA Maclay Southeast Region 3 Championship. Photo © 2010 Flashpoint Photography.

Green Cove Springs, FL – September 7, 2010 – Seventeen-year-old Molly Braswell, of Ocala, FL, celebrated her birthday this weekend with an exciting victory in the ASPCA Maclay Southeast Regional Championship. Competing at the 2010 North Florida Hunter Jumper Association’s Labor Day Horse Show in Green Cove Springs, FL, Braswell topped 44 competitors to earn the Region 3 title for the 2010 season. Region 3 includes riders from the Southeastern states of Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.

The ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship class has been held since 1933, and it is one of the most prestigious competitions for junior riders in the United States. From each Regional Final a percentage of all winners will advance to the year-end National Championships. Its winners are some of the biggest names in equestrian sport. Previous winners include: William Steinkraus in 1941, Frank Chapot (1948), George Morris (1952), Leslie Burr Howard (1972), Stacia Klein Madden in 1987, and Nicole Shahinian Simpson in 1992. The 2008 ASPCA Maclay National Championship winner was Jessica Springsteen of Colts Neck, NJ, and in 2009 Zazou Hoffman, of Santa Monica, CA, was named the winner.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Driving, Events, FEI, Para-Equestrian

FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships for Singles 2010

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Germany's Heiner Lehrter on his way to securing individual and team gold at the 2010 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships for Singles in Breda. Photo: Rinaldo de Craen.

GERMAN PARA-EQUESTRIAN DRIVERS REIGN SUPREME

7 September – German drivers dominated the 2010 FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships for Singles at Breda, The Netherlands. Heiner Lehrter and Josef Sauerwald took individual gold and silver respectively and they joined up with Hubert Markett to also secure team gold.

At the previous World Championship in Greven two years ago, the Germans were beaten on their home soil by the Dutch.  This time around however the tables were turned as the Germans were strongest on Dutch territory. The host nation took team silver, Great Britain won the bronze and defending double gold-medallist, Jacques Poppen from The Netherlands, earned individual bronze.

Perfect Integration

It was the first time the FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships took place at a regular international driving event, and this new formula turned out to be a great success. The atmosphere was wonderful and all competitors enjoyed the superb competition site at The Prinsenhoeve Estate in Breda.  Every year this versatile venue hosts the only Nations Cup in Four-In-Hand Driving in The Netherlands, as well as an international driving competition for pony teams, an international eventing competition and the Dutch eventing Championships and national jumping and dressage competitions. The FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships was perfectly integrated into the Driving programme. Due of the limited number of competitors – 15 entries from 4 nations – it was decided to create one class including Grade 1 and Grade 2 drivers. Grade 2 drivers have greater functional ability than their Grade 1 counterparts.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation

Happy Birthday Molly Braswell – 2010 ASPCA Maclay Southeast Regional Champions

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Molly Braswell & El Campeons Danish © Flashpoint Photography

Green Cove Springs, FL — September 5, 2010 — Molly Braswell celebrated her 17th Birthday weekend by besting 44 top competitors to capture the ASPCA Maclay Regional Championship (Region 3, the Southeast), held during 2010 North Florida Hunter Jumper Association’s Labor Day Horse Show at the Agricultural Center in Green Cove Springs, Fl.

Touted as the ultimate junior hunter accomplishment, the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Trophy is the top award presented to one rider age 18 or under who has competed in a series of qualifying classes and earned enough points to participate in a regional contest. From each Regional Final a percentage of all winners will advance to the year-end National Championships at the Syracuse Invitational Horse Show, with the deciding final held on November 7th. Region 3-Southeast includes athletes from Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. 2010 marks the fourth year the Southeast Regional Final has taken place in Florida.

This year’s 12-fence course was designed by Michael Rheinheimer who said his was a test of the intellect, gracefulness and poise of riders. One missed or added stride or forgotten lead change could end the dream of advancing. “The horse I rode tonight, Danish, this is really our first big event together and overall I think it went great,” a smiling Molly said. Great indeed as birthday presents go!

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12069

Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Show Jumping, World Equestrian Games

Michael Jung Is New HSBC FEI World Cup Champion as Germans Dominate Schenefeld

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The HSBC FEI World Cup Eventing Champion for 2010 Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam. (Photo: Ute Goedecke)

29 August 2010 – Michael Jung was crowned the HSBC FEI World Cup Eventing Champion for 2010 at the last event of the season, Schenefeld (GER), where he emphasised his domination of the series by finishing second, third and fourth behind the winner, Julia Mestern (GER) on FRH Schorsch.

After 12 events in 10 countries and three continents, Jung, who is being hailed as one of the world’s most exciting young riders, emerged supreme as the only rider to have won two events, at Marbach (GER) and Strzegom (POL).

His reaction on learning that he has won US$50,000 of HSBC prize-money was: “This is wonderful for me because as a professional rider I am always thinking about earning money. This will now allow me to relax and prepare my top horse, Sam, for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky next month.

Continue reading Michael Jung Is New HSBC FEI World Cup Champion as Germans Dominate Schenefeld →