Category Archives: Competitions

Community/Charity, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Products/Services, Show Jumping

The Alltech National Horse Show Announces the Barnmice Contest to Celebrate Equestrian Social Media Partnership

Leave a comment

Lexington, KY – October 20, 2011 – The Alltech National Horse Show is proud to announce that it has become the most recent event to join the Barnmice online equestrian social community. Barnmice is an online video and social community for horse fans from over 200 countries who share a love of horses and horse sports. Barnmice incorporates the best of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Blogger into one dynamic destination for horse enthusiasts of every background.

In order to stay up to date with the most recent and exciting news from the Alltech National Horse Show, create a free profile at Barnmice.com today. Also, be sure to enter the “Barnmice Alltech National Horse Show Contest” where participants will be eligible to win four general admission tickets to the prestigious Alltech National Horse Show for Sunday, November 6, 2011.

Simply create a profile on Barnmice, and when asked “Where did you hear about Barnmice?” add “Alltech National Horse Show” to be entered for your chance to win. The contest will occur October 20-30, giving contestants the chance to not only win tickets, but also stay updated right up to the start of the show.

Continue reading The Alltech National Horse Show Announces the Barnmice Contest to Celebrate Equestrian Social Media Partnership →

Championships, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, USEF

Riders Head to Lexington, KY for USEF National CCI1* Eventing Championship

Leave a comment

Lexington, KY – The 2011 National Championship season for eventing comes to a close this weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park with the USEF National CCI1* Eventing Championship. More than 30 horse-and-rider combinations will be vying for top honors in the championship which is held in conjunction with the Hagyard MidSouth Three Day & Team Challenge, October 21-23.

Four National Championships will be up for grabs this weekend in Lexington, KY. Riders will have the opportunity to be crowned USEF National CCI1* Eventing Champion, USEF National 19-21 Year Old Eventing Champion, USEF National Junior Eventing Champion and USEF National Amateur Eventing Champion.

The first horse inspection for all CCI1* competitors will take place Thursday, October 20. Competition officially gets underway for the one star division and National Championship Friday, October 21.

For more information about the Hagyard MidSouth Three Day & Team Challenge including schedules, ride times and results visit: http://www.kyevents.net/shows/info/tchallenge.

Visit http://usefnetwork.com/featured/EventersinEurope/ to keep up with the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team.

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, Pan American Games

USA Dominates Dressage at Pan American Games

Leave a comment
L to R - Heather Blitz (silver), Steffen Peters (gold) and Marisa Festerling (bronze). Photo: FEI/ Stockimageservices.com

Lausanne (SUI), 20 October 2011 – American Dressage riders swept all before them when returning a record-breaking fourth consecutive team victory and filling all the steps of the individual medal podium at the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.  On Sunday they cruised confidently into pole position in the team event ahead of the silver medallists from Canada while Colombia claimed the bronze.  And yesterday Steffen Peters steered Weltino’s Magic to individual gold ahead of Heather Blitz with Paragon in silver and Marisa Festerling and Big Tyme in bronze.

It was a convincing performance at all levels, and anchorman Peters was the linchpin of the American side.  But, as he pointed out in the aftermath of the team success, he was under considerably less pressure than usual due to the highly-competitive performances of his team-mates.  “Over the past few years I have always had to carry a lot of weight on my shoulders as the very last rider, but the team did an awesome job – every single horse, every single rider,” he pointed out.  The silver medallists from Canada and bronze medallists from Colombia had plenty of reason to celebrate too, as their second and third-place finishes have provided them with qualifying spots for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

TEAM MEDALS
A total of 12 nations battled it out for the team medals, and the combined US score of 75.754 gave them a clear five-point victory. Peters and Weltino’s Magic produced the only score over 80% – his 80.132 setting a new Pan-American Games record – and he was awarded the leading mark by all five members of the Ground Jury – Great Britain’s Stephen Clarke, Raphael Saleh from France, Canada’s Cara Witham, Argentina’s Gabriel Armando and President, Lilo Fore, from the USA.

Continue reading USA Dominates Dressage at Pan American Games →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, Pan American Games, USEF

US Dressage Team Invincible in Individual Medals 2011 Pan American Games

Leave a comment
Steffen Peters and Weltino's Magic Celebrate Gold (Photos: Shannon Brinkman)

The U.S. Dressage Team continued to own the Guadalajara Country Club’s beautiful dressage arena, continuing their medal run at the 2011 Pan American Games. They added Individual Gold, Silver and Bronze to the Team Gold they won on Sunday and they all scored over 80 percent in today’s freestyle.

Steffen Peters (San Diego, CA) wasn’t sure it would be possible to top Heather Blitz (Wellington, FL) and Paragon’s score of 86.650%, but he rode with a fierce determination and got every point out of Weltino’s Magic. They scored 87.300% for their freestyle to music by Seven and Five for a combined average of 82.690%. Jan and Bruce Hlavacek’s 9-year-old Westphalian gelding gave Peters his second Gold medal of these Games.

“What an amazing day and an amazing competition,” said the Olympic veteran. “I still have to think about the moment that I came out of the arena and when the scores were announced it probably took 30 seconds but it seemed like three hours. It is a very exciting day, congratulations to my teammates. The big score that Heather pulled in – I don’t think I’ve ever had that much pressure going into the arena knowing that there was an 86% in front of me.”

Continue reading US Dressage Team Invincible in Individual Medals 2011 Pan American Games →

Competitions, Driving, Events, JRPR, Media/Radio/TV Sources

2011 CHIO Aachen Marathon Driving to Air on HRTV

Leave a comment
Chester Weber competing at the CHIO Aachen. (Photo courtesy of Franz Steindl)

Ocala, FL (October 19, 2011) – On Thursday, October 20th, HRTV will air the 2011 CHIO Aachen Marathon Driving followed by a re-airing of “Holding the Reins,” which showcases Chester Weber, America’s most decorated competitor in the sport of Combined Driving.  The show will air at 9:30pm Eastern and Pacific, in addition to a 1:30am air on Friday morning, 10:30pm Pacific.  The two shows highlight the sport of Combined Driving at its most competitive.

HRTV, The Network for Horse Sports, will run the CHIO Aachen Marathon, the most demanding phase of Combined Driving that combines agility, teamwork, and stamina. “Holding the Reins” is a 24-minute look at the exciting world of combined driving – which is considered one of the fastest growing sports in the industry – and features the story of how Weber grew up on a Thoroughbred racehorse farm to become one of our country’s leading drivers.

Weber has had great success both nationally and internationally, bringing home numerous wins under the American flag.  At the 2011 CHIO Aachen, Weber won the dressage phase and finished third individually at the prestigious competition.  On the same European tour Weber won the CAI Vecses, CAI Altenfelden, and the CAI Riesenbeck.  Most recently, the decorated driver served as Chef d’Equipe to the Pony and Pony Pairs Teams at the 2011 World Pony Driving Championships in Lipica, Slovenia, where Pony Team USA took home the Team Bronze Medal and Suzy Stafford, competing as an individual for Team USA, took home the Individual Bronze Medal.  The goal-oriented Weber has his sights set on being the best in the world and during the HRTV show the United States Driving Chef d’Equipe, Ed Young, discussed Weber’s ambitions. “I think we will see Chester become the World Champion,” Young said.

Continue reading 2011 CHIO Aachen Marathon Driving to Air on HRTV →

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping, Washington Int'l Horse Show

WIHS Regional Horse Show & Zone 3 Finals

1 Comment

Washington, DC – October 17, 2011 – Polish your boots and spiff up your horses because The Washington International Regional Horse Show & Zone 3 Finals starts this week. This popular show is the sister event to the Washington International Horse Show, the country’s leading metropolitan indoor horse show, held the following week at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C. In addition to being a top show in its own right with a broad selection of classes for riders of all levels, the WIHS Regional Show offers several last-minute ways to qualify for the big event at Verizon Center.

The Regional will take place Friday through Sunday, Oct. 21-23, at Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. The U.S. Hunter Jumper Assn. (USHJA) Zone 3 Finals, hosted by the Regional, will be held on Sunday. A warm-up day on Thursday, Oct. 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., will give horses and riders a chance to acclimate to the indoor and outdoor arenas before the show begins.

Riders across the country compete year-round to earn enough points to qualify for Verizon Center. The Regional Show provides a great opportunity for top riders from our local area as well. The Regional Show’s Children’s and Adult Hunter champions will qualify for the WIHS Children’s and Adult Championship held Tuesday evening, Oct. 25, and the top Regional Horses and Ponies owned by exhibitors living within 100 miles of Washington, D.C. will qualify for the Regional Hunter Finals on Sunday, Oct. 30.

Continue reading WIHS Regional Horse Show & Zone 3 Finals →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Driving, Events, FEI, FEI

Eleventh Season of the FEI World Cup Driving Attracts World Class Field

Leave a comment
FEI World Cup Driving title holder Boyd Exell of Australia. © Kit Houghton

Lausanne (SUI), 12 October 2011 – After an exciting outdoor season with the FEI Open European Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand in Breda (NED) as its highlight, the sport of four-in-hand Driving moves indoors for the 11th season of the FEI World Cup Driving.

Ten top class drivers will battle it out for the ultimate title of FEI World Cup Driving champion. Germany, who was absent from the series for the past two seasons, is making a significant comeback and will now be represented by two drivers, Rainer Duen and Georg von Stein.

New comer
The qualification season consisted of 14 competitions held throughout Europe with the top 10 drivers qualifying for the 2011-2012 season. Amongst these, there is one new comer: Georg von Stein from Germany. Von Stein competed as a wild card in the FEI World Cup Driving Final 2011 in Leipzig where he finished sixth.

Continue reading Eleventh Season of the FEI World Cup Driving Attracts World Class Field →

Community/Charity, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Alltech National Horse Show Honors Men and Women in Uniform

Leave a comment

Lexington, KY – October 18, 2011 – The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th edition, now just two weeks away from its grand debut at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, announced today that it will pay tribute to men and women in uniform, with a special ticket package on Thursday. November 3rd.

Men and women in the military and members of police and fire departments, who wear their uniforms, can take advantage of a special, money saving two-for-one ticket special during the Thursday afternoon or evening performances. Also, kids 12 and under are admitted free with the purchase of an adult ticket.

The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, will be held from November 2-6, 2011, at the beautiful, new Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

Continue reading Alltech National Horse Show Honors Men and Women in Uniform →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI

Whisper of Excitement as New Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Season Begins

Leave a comment
Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival from The Netherlands won the 2010/2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage title at Leipzig, Germany. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Lausanne (SUI), 18 October 2011 – As the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2011/2012 season gets underway at Odense in Denmark this weekend (21-23 October), there is a whisper of excitement running through the world of international dressage.  This sport, which relies on the technical skills and innate instincts of the riders along with the grace, elegance, willingness and athleticism of their horses and the expertise of a panel of judges, has experienced a tsunami of change in recent years, and the new-found unpredictability of the formerly pedantic discipline has energised it like never before.

For so many years, Dressage was dominated by the same few names, but in the modern era it has grasped the concept of greater engagement with the public without shedding its links to its classical past, and many new stars have been born.  The explosive arrival of the sensational Dutch duo, Edward Gal and the stallion Totilas, blew away the cobwebs and shone a bright light into the future as they blazed a trail through the 2009 and 2010 seasons with displays of pure showmanship and energy.  That partnership no longer exists, but the legacy they have left behind includes the desire to hold onto the massive increase in public interest created by their star quality.

Continue reading Whisper of Excitement as New Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Season Begins →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, Pan American Games, USEF

US Sweep in First Half of Individual Dressage Competition at 2011 Pan American Games

Leave a comment
Steffen Peters and Weltino's Magic. Photos: www.stockimageservices .com

After scoring Team Gold Sunday afternoon, the U.S. Dressage riders went to task again, this time in the first half of the Individual Final. Riding the Intermediaire I test, all four U.S. riders kept the level of their Game high, and continued to thrive in the main arena at the Guadalajara Country Club. They swept the top three places, and head to the freestyle on Wednesday in Medal position.

Read about the Team Gold medal effort here: http://usefnetwork.com/news/7751/2011/10/16/gold_for_us_dressage_team_at_2011.aspx.

Steffen Peters (San Diego, CA) topped the scoreboard again on Weltino’s Magic, this time scoring 78.079% in another valiant effort. Heather Blitz (Wellington, FL) is second on Paragon with a score of 77.184% and Marisa Festerling went one better than in the Team competition, finishing third on Big Tyme on a score of 74.316%.  Cesar Parra (Whitehouse Station, NJ) rounded out the U.S. effort with a sixth place finish on Grandioso on a score of 72.000%.

Weltino’s Magic continues to rise to the occasion for Peters, despite one mistake early in the test, Peters was pleased with Jen and Bruce Hlavacek’s 9-year-old Westphalian gelding. Weltino’s Magic nearly broke to canter in the first trot extension across the diagonal.

Continue reading US Sweep in First Half of Individual Dressage Competition at 2011 Pan American Games →