Category Archives: Events

Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, USEF, USEF

Endreson Sweeps National Junior Dressage Championship at 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm USEF Dressage Festival of Champions

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Kya Endreson and Pik L. Photo: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – The results of the 2011 National Junior Dressage Championship remained unchanged as Kya Endreson and Pik L swept both the Team and Individual Tests to win Endreson’s very first National Championship title.

Pik L is a very experienced 18-year-old Hanoverian stallion, who has been an incredible small-tour horse for nearly a decade. Endreson rode him to Team Gold at the 2011 Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North this summer, but took her first national title at Gladstone today.

“It was awesome,” said the 16-year-old from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. “I feel so lucky to be able to ride such a great horse… he’s just so awesome and he’s helped me so much.”

Pik L’s son Pikko del Cerro HU contested the Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship this weekend, finishing eighth. Pik L’s career includes two Pan American Games and scores of wins at the Intermediaire level. He is now happily showing Endreson the ropes and their two-day score of 70.612% rewarded the only combination to go over 70% in either test.

“I feel like it went pretty well,” said Endreson. “He was a little strong at some points and he was a little tired from yesterday but he stayed with me.”

Endreson is a full-time working student at Hassler Dressage.

Continue reading Endreson Sweeps National Junior Dressage Championship at 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm USEF Dressage Festival of Champions →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, USEF

Coudray Leads the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team as They Jump Their Way into the Top 10 at Fidelity Blenheim International Horse Trials

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Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo: Stockimageservices. com

Lexington, KY – With three riders in the top 10, the Land River U.S. Eventing Team had everything to play for in the show jumping on the final day of the 2011 Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials in Woodstock, U.K.

And Tiana Coudray played the game the best for the U.S. throughout the week, adding nothing to her dressage score of 49.4 to finish second on Jaital, Inc.’s, Ringwood Magister, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding.

“Today it was pretty much textbook,” said Coudray after the show jumping.

The California native has had a rough spring. After falling at their first CCI4* at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone in April, they then struggled at the Luhmühlen CIC3*, but Coudray made the decision to stick it out in England over the summer and regain the form that saw her win the Jersey Fresh CCI3* with her flashy grey in 2010.

She found it at Blenheim.

“I am so, so pleased,” said Coudray. “It’s extra special because things have been so tough for quite a while. I was a pretty good way to finish off the season.”

Continue reading Coudray Leads the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team as They Jump Their Way into the Top 10 at Fidelity Blenheim International Horse Trials →

Competitions, Events, Pan American Games, Show Jumping, USEF

USEF Names Show Jumping Team for 2011 Pan American Games

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Gladstone, NJ – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has recommended the following athlete/horse combinations to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to represent the United States on the U.S. Show Jumping Team at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The USOC will make the following entry of athlete/horse combinations today (they are named in ranked order):

Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, NY) will ride Coral Reef Ranch’s Coral Reef Via Volo

McLain Ward (Brewster, NY) will ride Grant Road Partners LLC’s Antares F

Christine McCrea (East Windsor, CT) will ride Candy Tribble and Windsor Show Stables’ Romantovich Take One

Laura Kraut (Wellington, FL) will ride Happy Hill Farm’s Cedric

Lauren Hough (Wellington, FL) will be the travelling reserve with Laura and Meredith Mateo’s Quick Study

The following four athlete/horse combinations have been named as ranked substitutes and will be submitted as part of the Nominated Entry:

Margie Engle (Wellington, FL) with Garber, Griese, Hidden Creek Farm and Gladewinds Farm’s Indigo

Kent Farrington (Chicago, IL) with RCG Farm’s Uceko

Mario Deslauriers (New York, NY) with Jane F. Clark’s Urico

Kirsten Coe (Johnston, SC) with Ilan Ferder’s Tristan

Kate Levy (Wellington, FL) with Kate Levy LLC’s Vent du Nord

The 2011 Pan American Games will run October 14-30, 2011 in Guadalajara; more information about the Games is available here: http://www.guadalajara2011.org.mx/ENG/01_inicio/.

Follow the USEF Riders on the USEF Network: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2011PanAmGames/.

Competitions, Dressage, Events, Pan American Games, USEF

USEF Names Dressage Team for the 2011 Pan American Games

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Gladstone, NJ – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has recommended the following athlete/horse combinations to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to represent the United States on the U.S. Dressage Team at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The USOC will make the following entry of athlete/horse combinations on Monday (they are named in ranked order):

1. Steffen Peters will ride Jen and Bruce Hlavacek’s Weltino’s Magic

2. Heather Blitz will ride her own Paragon

3. Dr. Cesar Parra will ride Michael and Sarah Davis’ Grandioso

4. Marissa Festerling will ride her own Big Tyme

The following four athlete/horse combinations have been named as ranked substitutes and will be submitted as part of the Nominated Entry:

5. Endel Ots will ride Kristin Cooper’s Toscano

6. Shawna Harding will ride her own Rigo

7. Heather Mason will ride her own Warsteiner

8. Lisa Wilcox will ride Horses Unlimited’s Pikko del Cerro HU

The 2011 Pan American Games will run October 14-30, 2011 in Guadalajara; more information about the Games is available here: http://www.guadalajara2011.org.mx/ENG/01_inicio/.

Follow the USEF Riders on the USEF Network: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2011PanAmGames/.

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, USEF, USEF

Weltino’s Magic Sweeps USEF National Intermediaire I Dressage Championships

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Steffen Peters and Weltino's Magic. Photo: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – The top three placings in the Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship never changed throughout the week at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm Dressage Festival of Championship and Steffen Peters dominated with Weltino’s Magic finishing on a three day average of 78.661%.

Riding for Jen Hlavacek, Peters owned the Dick and Jane Brown Arena this morning, and to music by Seven and Five, he showed off the 9-year-old Westphalian gelding’s strengths and was rewarded with a freestyle score of 81.250%. This was the only score over 80 in this division all weekend.

“It is fairly new,” said Peters about his Freestyle. “I’ve only done three freestyles with Magic. The music is by a group called Seven and Five, it’s not too dramatic but it’s not too much like elevator music. It was fun, there are some days where it is a little more work with Magic, but today it was fun.”

Weltino’s Magic was started by Peters’ wife Shannon, who rode him to reserve championship honors in the 2008 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Championships as a 6-year-old. He is a strong horse and Peters knows that managing that strength is a major part of his job.

“He’s a powerful horse and he can be once and a while a little strong,” said Peters. “I have to be careful that I break things up a little bit (in the freestyle)… The changes have become straighter that is why I did them down the center line and the trot work is stronger than the canter work which is why I put it at the end.”

Continue reading Weltino’s Magic Sweeps USEF National Intermediaire I Dressage Championships →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, USEF, USEF

Peters Maintains His Lead in the Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship

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Steffen Peters and Weltino's Magic. Photo: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – The third day of the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions meant the second day of the USEF Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship. The results remained unchanged as Steffen Peters won his third class in a row taking the top spot in the Intermediaire I test on Weltino’s Magic with a score of 76.421%.

He fought back from a couple of mistakes early on and overcame a couple of misunderstandings to duplicate his win in yesterday’s Prix St. Georges.

“It wasn’t quite as easy,” said Peters. “There were a couple of misunderstandings. When I asked for the left half-pass he thought extended trot. In the two-tempis one of the changes felt short behind. Where I think we won it was with really good pirouettes and the walk.”

Peters explained that when things aren’t going to plan in the test, he tries not to let it distract him from the task at hand.

“He’s a pretty straightforward horse,” said Peters. “If I don’t screw up, he doesn’t screw up.”

The Intermediaire I Championship also serves as the USEF Selection Trials for the 2011 Pan American Games, and Peters, despite being an Olympic and World Championship veteran and medalist, has never ridden on a Pan American Team. He and Jen Hlavacek’s 9-year-old Westphalian gelding have been winning at a record pace not only on the West Coast but they also swept the small tour in Aachen this summer. Peters has been nearly invincible with this horse and with Ravel in the Grand Prix and lead a dressage resurrection in the United States.

Continue reading Peters Maintains His Lead in the Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Endurance Riding, Events, FEI, FEI

FEI Open European Endurance Championships 2011 – Florac (FRA)

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PHENOMENAL PONTON TAKES INDIVIDUAL TITLE WHILE FRANCE TOPS THE TEAMS by Louise Parkes

The phenomenal Spanish partnership of Maria Alvarez Ponton and Nobby added the FEI European Endurance Championships 2011 Individual title to their remarkable record when taking gold in Florac, France yesterday. Photo: FEI/Gilly Wheeler.

Lausanne (SUI), 11 September 2011 – Spain’s record-breaking partnership of Maria Alvarez Ponton and Nobby took their fourth Championship title in a row when putting in another phenomenal performance at the FEI European Endurance Championships 2011 in Florac, France yesterday.  And the host nation had plenty to celebrate too, as Virginie Atger, Julien Goachet, Sunny Demedy and Benedicte Santisteva claimed the team honours for France.

Concerns about the intense heat in the days leading up to the event dissipated when a cooling mist shrouded the mountainous course as the riders set off with a racing start at 4.30am.  And it was an extraordinary sight as their headlamps guided the 76 competitors from 17 countries through the darkness over the early stages of their 160 kms challenge.  Florac is recognised as one of the toughest Endurance tracks in the world, with a climb to 1,665 metres at its highest point, and a completion, let alone a victory here, is a coveted achievement in this most demanding of equestrian sports.

The track did not follow the modern “clover-leaf” formula often used in the sport today, in which the loops return to a central base during the course of the race.  In contrast, the six loops on the Florac track stretched out over fresh ground and, while helping maintain the interest of the horses throughout, this presented a significant logistical challenge to the hard-working support crews and officials.

THE STUFF OF LEGEND
Ponton and Nobby are already the stuff of legend however.  The Spanish rider and her little 148cms super-champ broke all previous records with their hat-trick that included the 2008 World title, 2009 European title and then their gold medal winning performance at last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA.  And, a year later, they have now raised the bar even higher with their fourth extraordinary success.

Continue reading FEI Open European Endurance Championships 2011 – Florac (FRA) →

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

Coudray Leads the Way for the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials

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Lexington, KY – The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team served notice today at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials that their next generation of horses and riders are going to be very competitive on the world stage. Four of the six American starters completed the cross-country in the top 14. Piggy French occupies the top two spots on Lemington Lett Dance and DHI Topper W for Great Britain adding nothing to her dressage mark on either horse to take over the lead from dressage winner Bettina Hoy who finished with 7.6 time penalties.

Led by Tiana Coudray (Ojai, CA) who has returned to the form that saw her win the 2010 Jersey Fresh CCI3* last spring, she rode a determined and calculated round on Ringwood Magister to gallop into fourth place, adding nothing to her dressage score of 49.4.

The flashy 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse has had an inconsistent 2011, and Coudray has been in the U.K. since June – determined to get back on track after an unsuccessful Luhmuhlen CIC3*. She succeeded at Blenheim and delivered on the expectation that she has always had for her striking grey gelding.

“The track rode as expected,” said Coudray. “I executed my plan. It was perfectly suited for what we needed to do. My horse was amazing.”

Veteran stalwart Phillip Dutton (West Grove, PA) is having a changing of the guard within his stable, as some of his seasoned campaigners have been retired. Today, Mighty Nice proved to him and owner Bruce Duchossois how classy he is and at only 7 years old, gives them a lot to look forward to. The recipient of a Land Rover Competition and Training Grant, Dutton was pleased with his round.

Continue reading Coudray Leads the Way for the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, USEF, USEF

Caroline Roffman Named First USEF National Dressage Champion at 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions

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Caroline Roffman and Beemer. Photos: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – Just over 3/10ths of a point decided the Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ champion – the first Championship awarded at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions at the USET Foundation Headquarters.

Caroline Roffman and Beemer edged out Olivia LaGoy-Weltz for the top spot with a two-day combined score of  65.822% to LaGoy-Weltz’ 65.518%.

Roffman has had a very successful Young Rider career and has done very well training and producing young horses, but Beemer is showing her the Grand Prix ropes and has given her the first Brentina Cup win of her career.

“I’m honored to be here and feel lucky to have the opportunity to ride this horse,” said Roffman about Lars Petersen and Global Dressage Sales’ 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding.

Because Beemer has been for sale this year, Roffman didn’t know if she would still have him in the barn to be able to bring him to contest these championships. She capitalized on the opportunity of him not getting sold.

“It was cleaner,” she said about her performance in the Young Rider Grand Prix test. “I wanted to have a clean ride. It lacked a lot of the brilliance from Thursday, but I did a better job.”

Continue reading Caroline Roffman Named First USEF National Dressage Champion at 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions →

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

Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Dressage Success Continues at Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials

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Lexington, KY – Good fortune in the dressage ring continued for the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at the 2011 Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials. The final two U.S. riders drew Friday times and both of them produced very competitive efforts.

Clark Montgomery led the day for the USA with a score of 45.4. He rode Holly Becker, Kathleen Kraft and Carole Montgomery’s Loughan Glen to a score of 45.4. The CCI3* winners at the Bromont International Horse Trials in June, Loughan Glen and Montgomery received a Land Rover Competition and Training Grant to test their form in the U.K.

Montgomery and the 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse had two mistakes, keeping them from an even better score, and there was more than a 20-point differential in the judges’ marks. They sit in seventh place heading into the cross-country.

“I was very happy with Glen today,” said Montgomery. “Overall, I felt the quality of work has improved from Bromont. Unfortunately, I made a mistake in the extended trot and then forgot my halt so I am a couple of points higher than I should be. I am really looking forward to the cross-country tomorrow. The course is beautiful and the ground is perfect.”

They are less than a point and one place ahead of teammate Jules Stiller who rode a stellar test on Thursday on Headley Stud Eventing’s Enjoy Me. They head to the cross-country on a score of 46.2, just a few marks ahead of California Rider Tiana Coudray and Jaital, Inc.’s Ringwood Magister on a 49.4.

Continue reading Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Dressage Success Continues at Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials →