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*Featured/Spotlights, Awards, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping, Training/Clinics, USEF

Equestrian Federation of Finland Honors George H. Morris with Gold Badge of Merit

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George H. Morris with his Gold Badge of Merit from the Equestrian Federation of Finland. Photo courtesy of EFF.

Ypäjä, Finland – U.S. show jumping legend George H. Morris received a Gold Badge of Merit from the Equestrian Federation of Finland (EFF) on May 5, for his work with the Finnish show jumping athletes. Morris, who is the Chef d’Equipe for the U.S. Team, has globally impacted the sport of show jumping.

Tom Gardin, a representative of the Scandinavian country’s Federation, awarded the Badge to Morris at the conclusion of a three-day clinic. The presentation took place in Ypäjä, a small village 80 miles northwest of Helsinki best known for horses and its equine college that hosts Finnderby, an international competition that takes place annually.

Morris has been making almost annual trips to Finland since 1984. He has been highly appreciated by the hundreds of riders and trainers, including participants from the Baltic countries, who he has taught and inspired throughout his years of training and conducting clinics.

“I like coming to Finland… I value this badge highly and feel honored,” said Morris.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping

King Reigns Supreme at Second Leg of HSBC FEI Classics in Kentucky

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Mary King (GBR) finishes first and second in the second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics in Kentucky (USA). (c) Amy Dragoo/FEI

Lexington, KY (USA) – Mary King (GBR), a regular visit to the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event for many years, at last goes home with a coveted Rolex watch, plus the lion’s share of the prize-money. In a superb display of cool horsemanship, she finished first and second and now has a convincing 10-point lead over Badminton winner Mark Todd (NZL) after the second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.

King, 49, who was third at Badminton last weekend on Imperial Cavalier, has made history as the first rider in modern times to win a CCI4* on a home-bred horse, Kings Temptress by Primitive Rising, coincidentally the sire of last year’s winner, Cool Mountain, out of King’s own mare Kings Mistress.

In addition, King joins an elite band of riders – Ian Stark (Badminton 1988), Mark Todd (Burghley 1987) and Blyth Tait (Burghley 1998) – to finish first and second at a CCI4*.

She jumped clear on both her horses, and, having ridden out of order on the Davies family’s 10-year-old Fernhill Urco, at his first CCI4*, had the luxury of knowing she was unbeatable before she entered the stadium on Derek Baden’s Kings Temptress.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping, USEF

King Crowned Champion of 2011 Rolex Kentucky CCI4*

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Halpin Takes USEF National CCI4* Championship on First Try

Mary King and Kings Temptress. Photo by Shannon Brinkman/USEF.

Lexington, KY – Mary King was not going to be stopped in her quest to take a Rolex watch back to Great Britain. Lying first and second after the cross-country at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone –  with Kings Temptress and Fernhill Urco – she did not flinch in the final show jumping phase and jumped an immaculate double-clear round on both horses.

For the first time in history, the champion and reserve champion of America’s only CCI4* was the same rider. King was confident and excited coming into the show jumping, and she rode with a professionalism that was inspiring.

Kings Temptress added nothing to her fourth-placed dressage score of 47.7, they jumped immaculately around Saturday’s cross-country course and then sealed the win over today’s jumping track. King took home top honors with her 11-year-old homebred mare, who is now owned by Derek Rostron Baden. Her closest competition was her stablemate, Fernhill Urco, who emerged from his first CCI4* with second-place honors after only adding eight time faults to his dressage score. The Portuguese-bred grey gelding owned by Sue and Edwin Davies and Janette Chinn, jumped an immaculate clear round and really proved himself at the level. His clear round, jumped out of order due to the proximity of the placings, gave King great confidence to know that whatever happened with the second horse, the top honors were going home with the British veteran.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping, USEF

Americans Hang Tough: Three Jump into Top 12 at the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final

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Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo. Photo by Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group.

Leipzig, Germany – The Rolex/FEI World Cup Final came to a close Sunday afternoon in Leipzig, Germany, with two final rounds of jumping. The U.S. had strong representation in this competition as they sent seven of the 27 riders into the ring. In the third and final competition, riders jumped two rounds over Frank Rothenberger’s demanding 1.60m courses. The entire field would contest the first round, with 19 riders returning to the arena one last time to determine who would be crowned champion.

Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, NY) and Coral Reef Via Volo jumped two impressive clear rounds to tie for the win of the class as well as tie for fourth place in the overall World Cup Final ranking on a score of 12. Coral Reef Ranch’s exciting Belgian Warmblood mare made easy work of the 12-obstacle course. In the second round, Madden made an incredible save heading to the double combination, fence 11, after Coral Reef Via Volo spooked at the crowd heading to the double combination after fence 10.

“She went amazing,” Madden said. “There’s probably nothing she can’t jump, and I had a lot of confidence in that when I went out there.”

Continue reading Americans Hang Tough: Three Jump into Top 12 at the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping

Mary King Takes 1st and 2nd at Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

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Mary King, riding Kings Temptress. Photos credit Stock Image Services.com, provided by Rolex.

Mary King (GBR) today, Sunday 1st May 2011, held her nerve, and her overnight lead, to finish in first and second position after the final Show Jumping phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, in Lexington.

William Fox-Pitt riding Neuf Des Coeurs finished in 4th position and Oliver Townend riding ODT Sonas Rovatio was 6th, with both riding clear rounds in the Show Jumping.

Quotes from Mary King/Kings Temptress: “I was much too excited to get much sleep last night – I ended up watching a film at 2am in the morning! I was fairly calm today, I always feel that with three day events that yesterday is the big day, you want to get through it and your horses to be well, and today whatever will be will be – you just have to go in there, try and keep calm, ride each fence and try and forget about all the crowds around, and you sort of feel whatever’s going to happen is going to happen and hope they are going to pick up their feet and that it all works out!”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Ahlmann Claims Rolex FEI World Cup in Thrilling Finale

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On the winners' podium for the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping final at Leipzig, Germany today: Eric Lamaze, Christian Ahlmann, and Jeroen Dubbeldam. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Leipzig (GER), 1 May 2011 – Germany’s Christian Ahlmann claimed the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2010/2011 title in a thrilling finale on his home ground in Leipzig today with superb jumping from his stallion, Taloubet Z.  Sharing the lead with fellow-countryman Marco Kutscher, the 36-year-old rider added just four faults to an otherwise foot-perfect performance to finish ahead of reigning Olympic champion Eric Lamaze from Canada, while The Netherlands’ Jeroen Dubbeldam rocketed up from overnight 11th to finish third when producing one of only two clear double clears on the final afternoon.

There was huge disappointment for Kutscher who had the world’s most prestigious indoor title in his sights until his luck ran out at the very end.  Such was the unforgiving nature of Frank Rothenberger’s testing courses however that the slightest of errors proved very costly indeed.  Today’s jumping was about scope, speed, courage, accuracy and, most importantly, the rideability of the horses.  In the end it was Ahlmann’s 11-year-old Taloubet Z who put all the ingredients together to create the winning formula.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=13781

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI, USEF

Jan Ebeling and Rafalca Finish Eleventh in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final

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Jan Ebeling and Rafalca. Photo by Aly Sanderford/ Phelps Media Group.

Leipzig, Germany – A strong field of 15 riders from nine nations contested Saturday evening’s Grand Prix Freestyle, to bring the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final to a close. There were three nations that qualified three riders each for tonight’s class: the United States, The Netherlands and Germany. America’s Catherine Haddad-Staller, Shawna Harding and Jan Ebeling performed up-tempo freestyles in front of a large audience in Hall One of the Leipzig Exhibition Center.

Haddad-Staller (Vechta, Germany) and her own Winyamaro started the evening’s competition with an impressive freestyle. The music selection played up the Hanoverian gelding’s expressive gaits and allowed for his character to shine through. Highlights of Haddad-Staller’s test included expressive lateral work and her one-handed canter extension. The pair rode to a score of 70.161% and finished the Grand Prix Freestyle in 12th place.

Fellow American, Shawna Harding, followed Haddad-Staller into the ring with an equally fun ride, scoring 67.625%. Harding (Aiken, SC) and her own Come On III started their test with a high degree of difficulty by performing tempi-changes upon her entrance on the centerline. Come On III was more relaxed in his extended walk tonight than he was during Thursday’s Grand Prix test and had beautiful half-passes in both the trot and canter. This pair ended their test with an exclamation point by finishing completely in sync with their music. Harding and Come On III finished in 14th place.

Continue reading Jan Ebeling and Rafalca Finish Eleventh in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final →

*Featured/Spotlights, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping

Mary King on Song for a One-Two at the Second Leg of the HSBC FEI Classics

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Mary King (GBR) is lying in both first and second position after the Cross-Country phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. © Amy Dragoo/FEI

Lexington, KY (USA), 30 April 2011 – Great Britain’s Mary King is the one to beat in tomorrow’s final jumping phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics. The Devon-based rider holds the lead aboard Kings Temptress while the Portuguese-bred Fernhill Urco is two penalties behind in second.

“I never dreamed that I would be in this position when I left England,” said King. “They are two very different horses. Kings Temptress is very experienced at this level and was fluent all the way round. Fernhill Urco has no experience at this level and he was a bit green at the first water but he improved the further he went.”

A clear jumping round for 2.8 time penalties sees Australia’s Clayton Fredericks in third with Be My Guest, a rise of seven places through the scoreboard following the Dressage.

“The first time I walked the course this week it was under water but today I thought it was perfect going,” said Fredericks. “After watching Mary spin round inside the time I thought the ground was going to be fast but actually it did take its toll, particularly later in the day.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, USEF

King Is Queen at 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event; Halpin Leads American Effort

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USA's Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Lexington, KY – Great Britain’s Mary King was unstoppable on cross-country day at the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone. She guided two horses around Derek di Grazia’s course to claim the top two places on the leaderboard. Australia’s 2007 winner, Clayton Fredericks, sits third on Be My Guest and Sinead Halpin jumped up to fourth in her first CCI4* with Manoir de Carneville, to lead the assault on the USEF National CCI4* Championship.

King cruised around on Kings Temptress, her 11-year-old homebred mare. She was one of only three double-clear rounds all day and jumped her way from fourth after the dressage, to the top of the leaderboard on a score of 47.7. With her less experienced horse, Fernhill Urco, she used all of her expertise to guide the Portuguese-bred gelding home for owners Sue and Edwin Davies in his first try at this level. Second after the dressage behind American rider Tiana Coudray, Fernhill Urco kept his position even after he picked up eight time faults. His score of 49.7 means his stablemate doesn’t have a rail in hand.

“The mare was pretty fluid all the way around,” said King. “I was amazed, galloping along thinking how good the ground was. The mare had a fairly fault-free round and she was quite easy with the time.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, Events, FEI, FEI

Boyd Exell Claims Hat-Trick in FEI World Cup Driving Final

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Leipzig (GER), 1 May 2011 – Boyd Exell from Australia has successfully defended his FEI World Cup Driving title in a thrilling finish in Leipzig (GER) to become only the second driver to score a hat-trick of World Cup victories. The popular Australian sped to victory in front of an enthusiastic and ecstatic crowd that packed the Leipzig Messe to capacity. Hungary’s Jozsef Dobrovitz drove two brilliant rounds with his team of Lipizzaner horses to finish second, ahead of IJsbrand Chardon from the Netherlands.

Happy to be first
Jozsef Dobrovitz was happy to go first in the Final round. In Budapest he had won the warm-up competition but made mistakes in the Final round, so he felt the starting grid Leipzig would favour him. His only goal in the first round was to equal Boyd’s time on the first night and to stay clear as well. Dobrovitz put in an amazing performance to meet both his goals and pile the pressure on his opponents.

No expectations
Second starter IJsbrand Chardon was determined to make up for his mistake on the first night, but his leader horses started pushing against each other in the warm-up arena and there was not enough time left for IJsbrand to fix it. The result was three knockdowns on course, but Chardon kept on driving at such high speed that he finished in a record time of 113.89 seconds, to slot into second behind Dobrovitz. Chardon had no expectations of making it to the Winning Round but Georg von Stein (GER), Werner Ulrich (SUI), Koos de Ronde (NED) and Tomas Eriksson (SWE) all made mistakes, which kept Chardon in second place. After Exell had conquered the course in a fast time despite one knockdown, it was clear that the colourful trio was going to battle it out in the Winning Round.

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