Three days of coverage from the Red Hills Horse Trials in Tallahassee, Florida. Chris provides coverage today of the Cross Country with the top name competitors. Take a listen….
Eventing Radio Episode 124 by Bit of Britain – Show Notes and Links:
Thank You: Thank you to the organizers of the Red Hills Horse Trials for inviting us to cover the event live. Tune in live on Sunday from 5 – 6 pm Eastern.
News: The Eventing Radio Show and HORSES IN THE MORNING live from Rolex Kentucky 3DE: April 27 – May 1, 2011
Three days of coverage from the Red Hills Horse Trials in Tallahassee, Florida. Chris provides coverage today of the Dressage with the top name competitors. Take a listen….
Eventing Radio Episode 123 by Bit of Britain – Show Notes and Links:
Thank You: Thank you to the organizers of the Red Hills Horse Trials for inviting us to cover the event live. Tune in live on Saturday and Sunday from 5 – 6 pm Eastern.
News: The Eventing Radio Show and HORSES IN THE MORNING live from Rolex Kentucky 3DE: April 27 – May 1, 2011
TUCSON, AZ (March 11, 2011) — Competition at the HITS Arizona Winter Festival at the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson, Arizona was highlighted by big wins for Michelle Parker in the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and Gretchen Lof in the $2,500 Devoucoux Hunter Prix.
Maryland’s Ken Krome set a twisting course which had 16 efforts, including a triple combination and a liverpool mid-way through the track, with a time allowed of 90 seconds for Sunday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health.
The first of the two clear rides came three trips in when Janine Weatherby of Bellevue, Nebraska rode flawlessly through the course aboard Laurel Lachowiez’s Allegro. Parker, who had two mounts in the class, followed immediately with a clean round aboard her own Lassila De Moyon to ensure a jump-off. The rest of the class was unable to follow suit, which kept it a head-to-head jump-off battle between Weatherby and Parker.
Wellington, FL – March 11, 2011 – Kent Farrington (USA) and Valhalla were the fastest today in the $31,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic. The class was the feature event on Friday at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which is in its ninth week of competition.
The G&C Farm 1.45m Classic is part of an initiative to increase FEI ROLEX ranking classes at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Thanks to the support of G&C Farm, owned by Gustavo and Carolina Mirabal, the FTI WEF was able to add eight new FEI ROLEX ranking classes to the schedule. There are now 27 ranking classes during the FTI WEF. G&C Farm has kindly sponsored the 1.45m Jumper division, which adds five of the additional FEI ROLEX ranking classes.
The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival’s ninth week of competition continues through Sunday, March 13. Sponsored by Bainbridge Companies, the week will feature the $231,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix presented by Bainbridge Companies on Saturday at 7 p.m. and the Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic on Sunday at 1 p.m. The 2011 WEF will continue through April 3 and award more than $6 million in prize money.
Steffen Peters and Ravel performing their rock n' roll freestyle to a sold out house. All photos: Susan J. Stickle for Phelps Media Group.
Wellington, FL – March 11, 2011 – The 2011 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Palm Beach will be remembered for breaking records, and the results of Friday night’s Grand Prix Freestyle finale are no exception. Olympic and World Equestrian Games medalist and 2009 World Cup Final Champion Steffen Peters danced his way to the highest score ever awarded at the WDM Palm Beach. Riding to a collection of rock songs including Sympathy for the Devil and Viva la Vida, Peters and Akiko Yamazaki’s 13 year old Dutch Warmblood gelding Ravel captivated the sold out audience and received a winning score of 84.550% from the FEI ground jury.
Having won the Grand Prix at both the 2009 and 2010 WDM Palm Beach but having then settled for third and then second place, Peters was thrilled to have finally achieved a WDM freestyle victory. “Maybe there is some truth to ‘three is a charm’,” he said. “Last year was very close between Salinero and Ravel. Certainly it was one of my goals to win World Dressage Masters and I’m happy that it happened tonight.”
If Peters’ victory was a decisive one, such was not the case between second and third places, where there was a close contest between Tina Konyot of the US and Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmsson Silfven. Konyot had finished second in Thursday’s Grand Prix and Vilhelmsson Silfven third, but after two strong performances with exciting music and choreography, the two riders switched places in the Freestyle. Vilhelmsson Silfven and Antonia Ax:son Johnson’s 12 year old Danish gelding Favourit performed an elegant program to a collection of Eurhythmics tunes, receiving a score of 77.975%. Konyot’s powerful black Danish stallion Calecto V was shown off to a contemporary score that included, appropriately, the song Black Horse in a Cherry Tree. A score of 76.775% was not quite enough to put Konyot into second place for a second time, but she wasn’t disappointed with the outcome.
Arenus will be sponsoring the polo portion of the competition which takes place March 12 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, Florida. (Photo courtesy of Sue Stickle)
Wellington, FL (March 10, 2011) – Arenus, a premier provider of innovative health and nutrition products for pets and horses, is pleased to announce they are sponsors of The Challenge of the Americas, a Grand Prix International Musical Freestyle Quadrille Team Challenge and Polo Extravaganza to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Play for P.I.N.K. (Prevention, Immediate diagnosis, New technology, Knowledge). The Challenge of the Americas will be held at the International Polo Club Palm Beach on March 12.
“The Challenge of the Americas is well known in the equestrian world for its spectacular performances and the fact that it raises money to fight breast cancer. Arenus is pleased to be part of the 10th Anniversary of The Challenge of the Americas and we are excited to announce that we are sponsoring the polo playing during the event,” said Kristen Galvan, an Arenus Sales Specialist for the southeast.
The Challenge of the Americas is an annual fundraiser and a one-of-a-kind affair that highlights the equestrian sports of dressage and polo. Riders competing in the event make up a “Who’s Who” of top equestrians from the United States, Canada, Latin American and Europe. The Challenge Gala, an elegant evening of dinner and dancing, gets underway immediately following The Challenge of the Americas competition. An awards presentation will be featured and guests will have the chance to meet and socialize with riders and judges.
Dade City, Florida – Morgans come from behind to take the lead, winning at Little Everglades International CAI in Dade City, Florida February 24-27, 2011. With a strong showing of eight advanced pairs, the Morgans continue to put in a strong showing against larger equine competitors who dominate the sport of combined driving. Standing in 6th place after the dressage and marathon, owner Alan Aulson drove his athletic Morgans with speed and confidence winning the cones competition, pushing him ahead to win the blue in the FEI Pairs Division.
Nordby Coalie’s Duke (Caduceus Falcon x Coal Creek Sabra’s Coalie), Nordby Coalie’s Coal Dust (Ortawn Captain Royal x Coal Creek Sabra’s Coalie), and Nordby Shadow’s Sam Spade (Ortawn Captain Royal x Ribbon Shadow SRD) are all registered black American Morgan Horses. When driving a pair in competition you can alternate three horses in the three phases: dressage, marathon, and cones so all three horses competed. The Morgans are owned by Maureen and Alan Aulson of Georgetown, MA; who are also the owners of the state of the art equine resort Black Equestrian Center in Bronson, Florida.
This is a very important year for the advanced pair drivers as they are all being observed at competitions by United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) officials who will select the best pairs to compete on the United States Team at the World’s Pairs Driving Championship to be held in Conty, France August 24-28, 2011. Earlier this year, USEF held a week long Invitational Clinic at Black Prong Equestrian Center were all pairs, horses and ponies, schooled with the USEF driving coach, Michael Freund. For more information on Team Black Prong visit www.blackprong.com/Team or contact BlackProngCenter@aol.com.
Steffen Peters and Ravel. All photos: Susan J. Stickle for Phelps Media Group.
Wellington, FL – March 10, 2011 – Steffen Peters was in a league of his own at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center on the afternoon of March 10th, as he and Ravel thrilled the audience with a personal best performance in the Grand Prix test at the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI5* presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach.
Riding Akiko Yamazaki’s 13 year old Dutch Warmblood gelding, the Olympic and World Equestrian Games medalist entered the arena last of 17 American, Canadian and European competitors. From beginning to end, the ride stood out for its power and harmony. Peters was rewarded with the win and the highest Grand Prix score of his FEI career, 80.872%. “It was just an amazing ride,” said Peters after the awards presentation. “It will, from now on, be the ride that I compare all the other rides to.”
It was a one-two finish for the United States at the WDM Palm Beach. Tina Konyot and her 13 year old Danish Warmblood stallion Calecto V placed second with 72.213% after a dynamic and harmonious test. “I try to improve every time we go out,” said Konyot. “This was one of my better Grand Prix tests, and it certainly was the right time to do it.”
Marsha Kulak and last week's judges at Dressage under the Stars. Photo Credit: Top Shelf Dressage
Wellington, FL – March 9, 2011 – Tonight marks the sixth week for the exciting Dressage under the Stars, held at the world famous Players Club in Wellington, Florida. Festivities begin tonight 7:00pm, with delicious drinks and fine dining available both patio-side, upstairs on the porch and as always inside the Players Club. The beautiful event will continue for two more weeks and is held each Wednesday at the luxurious venue. This week’s performances will feature top international judge Anne Gribbons and choreographer Ruth Hogan-Poulsen.
Last week’s Dressage under the Stars was great event featuring three Eventing riders performing musical freestyles. Eventing riders do not usually perform freestyles, but their incredible efforts did not disappoint. Last week’s Dressage under the Stars, sponsored by PRO aligned with the Derby Cross event held Saturday night, March 5, during Nations Cup week. Riders from last week included Marsha Kulak, Sara Kozumplik and Ronald Zabala-Goetschel. Olympian Karen O’Connor served as one of the judges for the evening, alongside Mason Phelps, Jr.
“Tonight was a great event for our event riders,” noted O’Connor. “The evening was very interesting, exciting and enthusiastic. They do a wonderful job presenting different disciplines to the public and the music is just so much fun.”
Challenge of the Americas. Photo Credit: Susan J. Stickle
Wellington, FL – March 9, 2011 – The Tenth Annual Challenge of the Americas competition and gala is set for this Saturday, March 12, 2011 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, FL. Beginning at 5:15 pm at the Nespresso Lodge, the 2011 Challenge of the Americas (COTA) will be presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) and will benefit Play for P.I.N.K., a partner of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
This equestrian evening features musical team quadrilles performed by the “who’s who” of top riders in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Europe. COTA will be an exciting evening to benefit an incredible cause. In addition to the team quadrille dressage challenge the evening’s events will feature a special polo match.
COTA Chairmen Mary Ross, along with Georgette Escobar and the Challenge Committee are proud to present an International Musical Grand Prix Dressage Quadrille Team Challenge and Polo Extravaganza. The Challenge Gala, an elegant evening of dinner and dancing, will get underway immediately following the “The Challenge of the Americas” competition. An awards presentation will be featured and guests will have the chance to meet and socialize with riders and judges.
