Category Archives: Competitions

Callan Solem Wins the Richard E. McDevitt Style Award at the Devon Horse Show

Callan Solem was presented with the Richard E. McDevitt Style Award after placing second in the $100,000 Wells Fargo Grand Prix of Devon aboard VDL Torlando. Photo By: James Parker/The Book LLC.

Devon, PA – June 7, 2011 – With its home base just a few miles away in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, Callan Solem Show Stables competed at the prestigious Devon Horse Show this past week. Professional rider Callan Solem showcased her two leading mounts under the lights in the historic Dixon Oval, during the $100,000 Wells Fargo Grand Prix of Devon.  Solem placed second aboard VDL Torlando, and eighth with Magic Cruise. Following the Grand Prix ride for ribbons, Solem was pleased to be named the winner of the Richard E. McDevitt Style Award. “It has always been a goal of mine,” she said. “So many amazing riders have won it before; it certainly is an honor to win that award, it added to a very exciting week.”

Designer Olaf Peterson presented the country’s leading riders with a challenging grand prix course, but Solem had clear first rounds on both of her horses. She went in the first slot to show in the jump-off with VDL Torlando, and the duo paved the way with a second clear effort, which would eventually garner them the second place honors. Solem then tackled the track with Magic Cruise to score the eighth place award.

“It is such a great show and a really special place to do so well, so I was very happy,” commented Solem. “I think Olaf did a great job with the course, it was difficult but he got the result he wanted. VDL Torlando is just turning 11 years old, so he’s entering the prime of his life. I’ve had him since he was six and he has so much experience now; it’s fun to have developed him. He’s starting to go like a professional. He came out there and knew exactly what he needed to do, he felt very knowledgeable.”

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California’s Young Horse Talent on Display during Dressage at Flintridge CDI*/Y/J

John and Lisa Seger of Markel Insurance present the Markel/USEF 5-Year-Old Western Selection Trial championship ribbon to Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo (Photo courtesy of Genia Ply Photography).

Burbank, CA – Young dressage horses were the stars of the weekend in the historic and pastoral setting of the Flintridge Riding Club for Dressage at Flintridge CDI*/Y/J, May 26-29, 2011 in La Cañada-Flintridge, CA. As host of the Markel/USEF Young Horse Western Selection Trial for the FEI/WBFSH World Breeding Championships in Verden (GER) and the final Pan American Games qualifying competition for Southern California, competitors made the most of the opportunity to try to earn scores worthy of securing an invitation to represent their country on an international stage.

In the Five-Year-Old division of the Markel/USEF Young Horse Western Selection Trial, the standout performer was Sanceo, a brown Hanoverian stallion (San Remo x Rivera by Ramiro’s Son II, bred in Germany by Gerhard Dustmann) ridden by Sabine Schut-Kery of Thousand Oaks, CA, for owner Alice Womble-Heitman of Hempstead, TX. Winner of last fall’s California Dressage Society (CDS) Young Horse Futurity as a four year old, Sanceo impressed the judges to earn 8.12 in the Preliminary Test (40%) and 8.30 in the Final Test (60%) for an overall score of 8.23, the championship ribbon, and a possible ticket to Verden.

“This stallion is such an elegant and light type of horse,” noted judge Natalie Lamping (4* USA). “He’s just what we’re looking for in this division.”

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SBS Farms and Jersey Boy Dominate 2011 Devon Horse Show

Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy won the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby of Devon for the second year in a row. Photo Credit: Jessica Nemzoff/ PhelpsSports.com.

Devon, PA – June 6, 2011 – For the second year in a row, SBS Farms’ leading duo of Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy proved unstoppable by scoring the winning title during the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby of Devon. Alfano and Jersey Boy led the competition from start to finish by scoring a 184 during the first round and a 200 during the handy round for a total of 384. Their incredible success at the 2011 Devon Horse Show also included the High Performance Working Hunter Championship, and Alfano was presented with the Leading Lady Hunter Rider award for excellent effort during the professional hunter divisions.

“When Jersey Boy wants to win, he really wants to win, and today, he intended on winning,” smiled Alfano after her winning ride in the Derby. “He was a little frisky in the first round, but he came back in the second round and he was just on. He is a great handy horse – his gallop is so loose and natural and he turns so easily, so it’s really fun to do the handy rounds on him, because he’s one of those horses that can gallop and turn at the same time, which I think is rare.”

Owner and trainer Susie Schoellkopf added, “Developing that kind of handiness isn’t something that happens overnight, but is definitely a huge part of being successful in the derbies. Rodney Jenkins always said, ‘When you’re going to do the hard options, you better do them really, really well.’ I think that is a really good point that I have always believed as a judge and a trainer and I think that you have to know how to do it and you have to be able to do it well and make the turns happen.”

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Sunday’s $75,000 Grand Prix at HITS Saugerties Hands McLain Ward His Third Grand Prix Victory in a Row

© ESI Photography. McLain Ward and Oh' D Eole on course in the $75,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (June 6, 2011) — McLain Ward, aboard Oh’ D Eole, has taken HITS-on-the-Hudson by storm, capturing Sunday’s $75,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and earning his third consecutive Grand Prix victory. Ward also clinched the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson I on his own Oh’ D Eole last Sunday, and Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix aboard Blue Chip Bloodstock’s Domino.

The two-time Olympic Gold Medalist of Brewster, New York, outshined 28 starters on Sunday’s course designed by Danny Foster of Canada.

“It’s been incredible. [Oh’ D Eole] is really gaining a lot of momentum in the Grand Prix ring and this circuit has been great for us so far,” said Ward. “Danny [Foster] has always been consistent with building good courses and proved that again today with a really nice track.”

Foster’s first-round course proved difficult as nearly half the 28-entry class fell victim to his double and triple combinations. The course did not see a clear round until the eighth go, when Ward posted a time of 87.380 seconds – 4.619 seconds faster than the time allowed. Overall, the course only produced three clear rounds. Isabelle LaPierre of Breakeyville, Quebec, Canada in the irons of La Chaudiere Farm’s Vicki Vale joined Ward and posted the second clear round after 13 unsuccessful trips. Darragh Kerins of Wellington, Florida on Miranda Fischer’s Hot Wheels joined Ward and LaPierre in the jump-off after posting the third and final clear ride in the first round.

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Fellers and Flexible Withstand the Rain to Claim Second in the St. Gallen Grand Prix

Rich Fellers and Flexible. Photo by Beatrice Scudo.

St. Gallen, Switzerland – Switzerland’s CSIO St. Gallen ended successfully for the show jumping riders who have been representing the United States at the first three shows of the 2011 FEI Nations Cup Series. In Sunday’s Longines Grand Prix of Switzerland, Rich Fellers and Flexible defied both the tiny chestnut stallion’s size and the weather, jumping impressively to second place behind Great Britain’s Nick Skelton in a deluge of rain. Christine McCrea rounded out a successful U.S. effort with a fantastic third-place effort on Romantovich Take One.

Out of the 36 starters, 10 went forward to the jump-off. Five went clear again so the clock decided the winner. Skelton’s flashy grey Carlo outran Flexible by just over a second, but Fellers and Harry and Mollie Chapman’s Irish Sport Horse stallion’s time of 44.83 proved he was clearly in the right league with his effort in the soaking conditions.

McCrea and Candy Tribble’s Romantovich Take One closed out the top three places with a time of 46.93.

Complete results and more information can be found here: http://www.csio.ch/.

For photos and other highlights visit: http://usefnetwork.com/.

Complete FEI Nations Cup Series information is available here: www.FEI.org.

The next stop on the Nation Cup series is Falsterbo, Sweden, on July 8.

Jenny Fischer and Freedom’s Storm Beat Out 70 Starters to Capture the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Saugerties

© ESI Photography. Jenny Fischer and Freedom's Storm on course in the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix at HITS Saugerties.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (June 5, 2011) — For the second week in a row the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix has been the top draw on the schedule at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York, proving once again that the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final has ignited a new level of excitement in the sport of hunters. A record high of 70 starters competed in Saturday’s feature class for hunters with Jenny Fischer of Montgomery, New York taking top honors aboard Stormy Good’s Freedom’s Storm.

“I still need a few more Devoucoux classes before I’m eligible to be on the point list,” said Fischer, who now has two of the five classes needed to become eligible for the Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final. “Winning today’s class with so many in it is a huge step in the right direction. HITS Saugerties is basically my home this spring and summer, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to qualify to compete for $500,000.”

Ten show rings were in action yesterday, as picture-perfect weather had exhibitors out competing in full force. Rian Beals of Saugerties, New York set a stunning course for the $5,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix which, in addition to drawing record entries, also drew a large crowd of spectators.

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Weber Wins in Vecsés

Chester Weber (USA) won the dressage and stayed in the lead throughout the competition in Vecsés to claim the first CAIO victory of his career. (c) Marie de Ronde-Oudemans.

Vecsés (HUN), 5 June 2011 – Chester Weber, the USA’s top four-in-hand driver, has won the international combined driving competition in Vecsés, Hungary this weekend. Weber took the lead in the dressage and held onto the top spot throughout the weekend. Dutch driver Koos de Ronde was runner-up, ahead of Vecsés-organizer József Dobrovitz, but it was the home side Hungary that won the nations competition, ahead of The Netherlands and Germany.

Birthday present
Chester Weber celebrated his 36th birthday on 3 June with the victory in the dressage competition at Vecsés. The five O-judges, chaired by Dr Franz-Josef Vetter from Germany, were impressed and unanimously awarded Weber’s test first place. Chester used Jane F. Clark’ s two KWPN-geldings Uniek and Splash, which previously formed the pair of US pair driver Keady Cadwell. Before the dressage, Chester had some discussions with his trainer Michael Freund about whether or not to use the new horses at Vecsés, but Chester decided he had to try them somewhere. Chester got his way; the team went beautifully and put down a fantastic performance. József Dobrovitz came second in the dressage, ahead of Zoltán Lázár.

Marathon heat
The marathon was won by Werner Ulrich of Switzerland. Ulrich drove his team of three Lusitanian horses and a Swiss-bred gelding very fast through the eight difficult obstacles, designed by Gabor Fintha from Hungary. The thermometer at the start of the marathon indicated no less than 39 degrees Celsius, but the Portuguese Lusitanian horses proved that they are used to the heat and took Ulrich into first place. Koos de Ronde had to take an extra loop in the last obstacle which cost him precious seconds and the victory in this exciting phase. Zoltán Lázár finished third in the marathon. Weber was further down the order in sixth, but still held onto the overall lead going into the cones.

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The Epsom Derby, England, 5th June, 2011, Won by French Colt – Pour Moi

5th June, 2011 – Queen Elizabeth ll’s dream of finally winning the Epsom Derby with ‘Carlton House’ was crushed by an electric burst of acceleration from a French trained colt ‘Pour Moi’. Carlton House, a gift to the Queen from Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed, carried the hopes of many after widespread media coverage prior to Her Majesty’s 10th attempt to win the world’s greatest flat race.

Pour Moi, trained by Chantilly-based Andre Fabre and ridden by teenage Derby debutant Mickael Barzalona, gave a scintillating performance to stun the crowd of royal supporters, Andre having had nine previous attempts himself to win this greatest of accolades.

Sired by the great Montjeu who now stands at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, Pour Moi is owned by the Tabor, Magnier and Smith partnership who now not only look forward to a slice of the £1.2m prize money but riches much greater in future stud fees that a triumph in this Classic will generate.

By LYNN LAWSON

McLain Ward Captures 2nd Grand Prix Victory in a Row in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix

© ESI Photography. McLain Ward and Domino cruised to victory in Friday's $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (June 4, 2011) — McLain Ward of Brewster, New York proved once again why he is considered one of the best riders in the world when he won his second Grand Prix in a row at HITS Saugerties. Just six days ago he captured the blue in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, aboard his own Oh’D Eole. This time around Ward, riding Blue Chip Bloodstock’s Domino, edged out 35 other starters to take home the top prize in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. Aside from being a coveted Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix qualifier, Friday’s class also benefited the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Canadian Danny Foster set the course which featured 16 efforts in the first round, including a triple combination mid-way through the route that proved troublesome for 16 of the entries in the class. “This was a difficult course and the wind was definitely a factor,” explained Ward, a decorated U.S. Olympian. “But I am excited about how well we did.”

The first clear ride of the afternoon came 11 trips into the class when Jonathan McCrea of East Windsor, Connecticut rode Candy Tribble & Windsor Show Stables, Inc.’s Colorado to a flawless first-round finish. The next two riders to show, Schuyler Riley of Wellington, Florida with South Beach Stables’ Lapacco, and Ward aboard Domino, also went clear, making it three for the jump-off with just about half of the class left to show.

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Dutch Do the Double at St. Gallen

L to R: Peter Stoessel, CSIO St-Gallen President; John Roche, FEI Director of Jumping and Dutch team-members Eric Van Der Vleuten, Maikel Van Der Vleuten, Chef d’equipe Rob Ehrens, Piet Raymakers Jr and Jur Vrieling. Photo: FEI/Katja Stuppia.

St Gallen (SUI), 3 June 2011 – The Dutch team recorded a back-to-back double when topping the third leg of the 2011 FEI Nations Cup series at St. Gallen, Switzerland today.  Just a week after sweeping to victory in Rome (ITA), they produced another stunning performance which promoted them to the top of the leaderboard going to the next leg of the series in Falsterbo (SWE) next month.

The unpredictability of Nations Cup Jumping has rarely been more graphically illustrated than by the swings of fortune in today’s competition.  There were high expectations for the defending champions from France, but once again things did not go their way and pathfinder, Kevin Staut, was eliminated for the second time in the current series.  The German team withdrew when things fell apart for them in the second round and the Irish, heading the leaderboard, struggled to finish in front of the Danes who slotted into eighth place.

The Swiss were the surprise package of the day.  Relegated at the end of last season, they came out with all guns blazing to finish equal-second with the resilient British while the Americans started strongly, but faded in the second round to finish fourth.

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