Category Archives: Competitions

Telluride Farm Awarded Top Prizes at Spruce Meadows “North American” & “Canada One”

Caitie Hope and La Paz took home the first place prize in the $1,000 CN Amateur Welcome class at the Spruce Meadows Tournament. Photo by: Kenneth Kraus

Calgary, AB – July 16, 2010 – Recently, top trainer Diane Carney traveled with Richard Rinehart and riders of Telluride Farm to compete at the Spruce Meadows Tournament. The riders competed during the “Canada One” week, which began July 1 and ran through July 4, 2010, and the “North American” week, held July 7-11, 2010. Rinehart, Caitie Hope, Michael Burnett, Virginia Bartholomay, and Morgan Dvorkin all scored top ribbons and had the opportunity to ride in the Spruce Meadows victory gallops.

Rinehart earned a victory during “Canada One” with Iron in the 1.20m Open Jumper Welcome Class. He also showed Total Touch, owned by Kathleen Hope to a second and fourth place finish in the 1.20m Open Jumper classes. “Richard is a brilliant rider and might not have taken the big step to compete at Spruce Meadows without this opportunity,” noted Carney. “If you can ride and understand horsemanship then you will leave Spruce Meadows encouraged and fulfilled.” Rinehart was the winner of the Maxine Beard Award in 2001.

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Lauren Hunkin Leaps to Victory aboard Larry 0146 in FEI Open Welcome at Jumping Blainville

Lauren Hunkin leaps to victory aboard Larry in FEI Open Welcome at Jumping Blainville. Photos © 2010 Lindsay McCall for PMG.

Blainville, QC – July 16, 2010 – Two top equestrians, Lauren Hunkin and Christine McCrea, battled for the top award at Friday night’s FEI Open Welcome Class during the Classique Internationale de Blainville (Jumping Blainville).  Hunkin and Larry 0146’s ambition and speed would earn them the winning rosette after flying through the jump-off in 31.96 seconds. McCrea aboard Baloubet Junior Z’s time would hold up for the second place position.  This evening’s class took place in the Grand Prix Ring at the Equestrian Park of Blainville and was watched by a large crowd of enthusiastic onlookers.

Today’s challenging first round track and jump-off course were designed by Linda Allen. The opening round featured a liverpool, a triple bar and three double combinations. Many riders accrued faults at the final oxer-vertical double combination which came just a few strides after the wide spread of the triple bar. One of the most difficult aspects of the first round proved to be the time allowed, with only five riders breaking the beam without time faults.

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Video Footage of Youth Olympic Games Horses’ Arrival in Singapore

16 July 2010 – Free-to-view video footage of the horses for the Youth Olympic Games departing their Australian base at Glen Haven Park and arriving in Singapore ahead of the Games is now available at www.feitv.org and FEI YouTube Channel.

Media Contact:

Grania Willis
FEI Director Press Relations
Tel: +41 787 506 142
Email: grania.willis@fei.org

Chicago Equestrians for a Cause to Host $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Presented by CN

Chicago Equestrians for a Cause Logo. Photo © Chicago Equestrians for a Cause.

Chicago, Illinois – July 16, 2010 – Chicago Equestrians for a Cause is pleased to announce the return of the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby (Chicago Hunter Derby) Presented By CN to Annali Farm in Antioch, IL, on August 29, 2010. The net proceeds generated by this prestigious competition will benefit Children’s Memorial Hospital of Chicago, IL, as well as the United States Hunter Jumper Association Foundation (USHJA Foundation).

Unique in nature, the Chicago Hunter Derby will feature a vintage hunt course set out on Annali Farm’s beautifully landscaped steeplechase course in-field. The course will be co-designed by Jimmy Torano and Bobby Murphy, and will welcome the nation’s top equestrians as they vie for top honors in this prestigious event.

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Horses for Youth Olympic Games Arrive in Singapore

15 July 2010 – The horses for the equestrian events of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG) arrived safely in Singapore at 11.50 local time this morning. After an eight-hour flight from Brisbane, Australia all the horses are reported to be in good health and have now been transported to their new home, the YOG Equestrian venue at the Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre.

The horses’ journey started from their training centre at Glen Haven Park, two hours north of Brisbane. Transportation of the YOG horses was arranged by International Race Horse Transport and loading of the horses onto the plane took almost two hours. The horses were accompanied on the flight by the YOG Head Veterinarian, Dr Roshni Selvam, three grooms and two riders from Glen Haven Park. Two additional grooms and two more riders from Glen Haven Park arrived on a separate flight.

Post Arrival Quarantine for the horses starts tomorrow at 9.00 and continues until 12.00 noon on 30 July. During the quarantine period the horses will still be trained and looked after by their Glen Haven Park riders and grooms. The Glen Haven Park grooms, together with local grooms, will continue to look after the horses throughout the Games.

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Germany’s Anja Plönzke Tops Nürnberger WDM Rider Rankings

Anja Plönzke on Le Mont d'Or at the Exquis World Dressage Masters in Falsterbo, Sweden in mid-July. Photo: © 2010 Ken Braddick

Anja Plönzke of Germany is atop the latest Nurnberger World Dressage Masters Rider Rankings after the first two of five CDI5* events on the 2010-11 lineup in which Nurnberger Versicherungsgruppe awards €25,000 (US$31,800) to the winner.

So far this year in the events which count toward the award, the finished 2nd in the Grand Prix and 3rd in the Grand Prix Special at Cannes, France and 3rd in the Grand Prix in mid-June and 4th in the Grand Prix Freestyle at Falsterbo, Sweden last week.

Her results accumulated 1,090.5 points, with Poland’s Michal Rapcewicz in second place on 855 points and Anky van Grunsven of The Netherlands in third place with 765 points.

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Virginia Is Vale! Aaron Vale and Paparazzi 10 Win the $40,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix at HITS Culpeper

© ESI Photography. Aaron Vale and Paparazzi win the $40,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, at HITS Culpeper.

CULPEPER, VA (July 13, 2010) — HITS Grand Prix Veteran Aaron Vale and Paparazzi 10, owned by Thinkslikeahorse and Norman Peterson, won the $40,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health.

Vale, of Morriston, Florida, was one of 22 horse-and-rider teams to compete over a course designed by International Course Designer Olaf Petersen, Sr. of Paehl, Germany. Only three riders jumped clean in what turned out to be a very challenging first round which featured a double and a triple combination, as well as an open water obstacle.

“It was a tricky course,” said Vale. “You don’t come to Culpeper expecting to jump open water and Olaf [Petersen, Sr.] makes it challenging. You needed to do some real horseback riding on this course.”

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Gold Medalist Lauren Sammis Judges at Lendon Gray’s Youth Dressage Festival

Grand Prix dressage rider Lauren Sammis judged young riders recently at Lendon Gray’s Youth Dressage Festival in Saugerties, New York. (Photo by SusanJStickle.com)

Saugerties, NY (July 13, 2010) – Pan Am Gold Medalist Lauren Sammis, who is back in the Grand Prix show ring with Al Guden’s Sagacious HF, spent time with young dressage riders recently when she served as a judge at Lendon Gray’s Youth Dressage Festival at Hits-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York. Sammis, who worked for Gray as a working student starting in her early years, was thrilled to take part in Gray’s annual Youth Dressage Festival, an event that attracts young riders from around the world.

“I judged the 7-9 year olds and the 16-17 year olds and they were unbelievably cute and adorable,” Sammis said. “This is exactly what you want your children to be involved with because they were braiding their own horses and ponies, taking written exams and taking part in an equitation class series.”

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American Shetland Pony Club Gearing Up for 122nd Shetland Congress Show August 2-6

Photo courtesy of Washburn Photography

Free Admission – Family Fun in Ardmore, Oklahoma

Morton, IL (July 12, 2010) – Small equines and fans from throughout the nation are preparing to attend one of the biggest events in their industry. This year the 122nd Shetland Pony Congress Show will be held in Ardmore, Oklahoma on August 2-6th at the Hardy Murphy Coliseum. Participants will have the opportunity to compete in classes for driving, halter, jumping, youth, and costume. Competitors will be looking to win not only National Championship titles and show off their versatile ponies to the world!

The Shetland Pony Congress spectators can enjoy a diverse array of Shetland Pony classes. Admission is free to everyone at the show and spectators will have the chance to learn more about the American Shetland Ponies.

“We are excited to bring the American Shetland Ponies to Ardmore. Each time we come to a new show venue we are able to share our ponies with a new local audience. Since admission is free and classes run all day and into the evening, the Shetland Pony Congress is perfect entertainment for families, horse lovers and children of all ages,” says Johnny Robb, Director of Marketing for the American Shetland Pony Club.

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Anky & Painted Black Win Falsterbo World Dressage Masters Freestyle for 5th WDM Title

Anky van Grunsven receiving the Exquis World Dressage Masters trophy from WDM CEO Anthony Kies and daughter, Renee. © 2010 Ken Braddick

FALSTERBO, Sweden, July 10 — Anky van Grunsven gave a display of her trademark Queen of the Freestyle when she rode IPS Painted Black to victory in the Exquis World Dressage Masters Grand Prix Kür presented by Axel Johnson Group for her fifth WDM CDI5* title in two years of the richest lineup of competitions on the globe.

Competing in the inaugural €100,000 (US$126,400) WDM at the Falsterbo Horse Show and her first time at this summer beach resort, Anky and the 13-year-old stallion posted a score of 82.40 per cent. The freestyle that was presented by Axel Johnson Group had total prize money of €60,000 (US$75,800) with first place earning €16,000 (US$20,200).

Germany’s Ulla Salzgeber and the 10-year-old mare Wakana showed none of the spookiness from shows earlier this year and placed second on 75.90 per cent with Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven and Favourit awarded 75.40 per cent. They were the hometown favorites of the enthusiastic Swedish crowd that numbered 3,000 paid spectators and many hundreds more who crowded every available place around the arena in sunny weather with temperatures above 80 degrees (27C).

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