Beezie Madden and Cara Raether join us this week to discuss the importance of horsemanship to the future of the sport. Dr. Tania Cubitt on Omega 6 Fatty Acids and Ashlee Bond is in the co-host seat from Wellington so take a listen right here…
OCALA, FL (March 4, 2011) — Texas native Tracy Fenney made her return to the HITS Ocala Grand Prix winner’s circle after capturing her first victory of the season aboard MTM Farm’s MTM Centano in Thursday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health. As the legendary competitor rose to the top of the class, Germaine Edelmann, a relative newcomer at the Grand Prix level, made an impact of her own with a nail-biting, second-place finish.
Thirty-two starters challenged the course set by Course Designer Danny Foster of Canada, as seven returned for the jump-off.
“The fences were wider than usual,” explained Fenney of Flower Mound, Texas. “The course required you to come in to the combinations quiet, but you had to push hard to come out of the in-and-out and the triple.”
Fenney has had one of the most impressive careers in the history of the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit, including a victory in last year’s $100,000 DeLuca Toyota Tundra Grand Prix, presented by Great American Insurance Group. She and MTM Farm’s MTM Timon were one of the illustrious pairs to compete in the 2010 Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix and finished in the top 20. This year, she’s earned numerous ribbons throughout the Circuit and also captured a win in the $10,000 Devoucoux Hunter Prix two weeks ago.
Steffen Peters will compete with Ravel. Photo Credit: Susan J. Stickle, Phelps Media Group.
Wellington, FL – March 4, 2011 – The World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI5* presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach is now just five days away. The American edition of the world’s premier dressage series will begin on March 9th with the FEI Horse Inspection, followed by two days of world class competition. Five top European dressage horses arrived in Miami from Amsterdam on March 3rd. They are expected to move from quarantine to the competition venue, the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, on Saturday.
The WDM Palm Beach is the richest dressage competition in North America, with 100,000 Euros in prize money. It will take place in combination with the Wellington Classic Dressage Classic II CDI3*. Both competitions are produced by Wellington Classic Dressage.
Also now in South Florida, having arrived by air from California, is the most successful dressage horse in US history, Akiko Yamazaki’s Ravel. With his rider, Olympic medalist Steffen Peters, Ravel won the 2009 World Cup Dressage Final and two individual bronze medals at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
GULFPORT, MS — Mar. 5, 2011 — A very positive minded 23-year-old Sarah Mechlin of Cincinnati, OH partnered with Yes Indeed took the top spot over 50 competitors in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the fourth week of the Gulf Coast Winter Classics.
Fifty equine athletes were being braided before dawn and began lunging at 5:30 Friday morning in preparation for their first big test, the official presentation and jog before the panel of judges: Mike Rosser, Ray Francis, Betsy Perry, Tucker Erickson, and show veterinarian Juan Gamboa. Once soundness was established, riders donned Shadbelly jackets, shined their boots and mounted up for one last trip in the warm up ring before entering the arena to take on the first round course of 10 obstacles [12 efforts], comprised mostly of natural materials such as logs, brush, and gate planks, all from the creative minds of co-designers Paul Jewel and Allen Rheinheimer. Within the track riders encountered four optional fences offering a height choice up to 4’ which provide the opportunity to score bonus points, as well as bending and broken lines, an in and out, at least one line with an unrelated distance, and a fence with a long approach. The two panels of judges’ scores were combined to determine the top 12 who would be invited back for round two.
Wellington, FL – March 3, 2011 – USA’s Mario Deslauriers and Vicomte D were victorious in Thursday afternoon’s $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 8 following a competitive class at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center during international CSIO week at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).
The FTI WEF’s eighth week of competition, sponsored by G&C Farm, continues through Sunday, March 6. Friday will feature the $75,000 FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm at 7 p.m. The $31,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers and the $25,000 ESP Jumper Stake will be held on Saturday afternoon followed by the PRO Derby Cross at 5:30 p.m. and the $35,000 Hermès Puissance. The Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic will be held on Sunday followed by the $150,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty CSIO 4* Grand Prix at 1 p.m. The 2011 WEF will continue through April 3 and award more than $6 million in prize money.
The $75,000 FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm, $35,000 Hermès Puissance, and $150,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty CSIO 4* Grand Prix will be available for viewing on a live webcast via the USEF Network. To view these incredible events, please go to: http://www.usefnetwork.com/wefcsio2011.
German Eventing Team Member and Grand Prix Dressage Rider, Ingrid Klimke, makes her debut on the show as she explains her priorities as a competitor and mother. Max is back in the co-host chair too with an update from Florida and the early season events. Take a listen right here…
Eventing Radio Episode 121 by Bit of Britain – Show Notes and Links:
Mary Wanless joins Heather Blitz and Chris along with two students who attended a Ride with Your Mind Clinic in Florida last week. We have a report from Glenda McElroy on the Burbank CDI*, and we hear from Pippa Cuckson who revealed the absence of an FEI rule in dressage. Join in with us right here…
News: Reem Acra FEI World Cup Round 9 – Goteburg, Sweden: RESULT: 1, Jerich Parzival (Adelinde Cornelissen) NED 82.875; 2, Watermill Scandic HBC (Patrik Kittel) SWE 81.025; 3, Warum Nicht FRH (Isabell Werth) GER 79.775. Full result at www.goteborghorseshow.com.
Wellington, FL – March 3, 2011 – The eighth week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs through April 3, is well into its second day of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The sun was shinning along with strong gusts of wind as the Green Conformation Hunters made their way into the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring on Thursday morning.
Sandy Ferrell was aboard the new entry from Stephanie Riggio, Moshi, for the championship win in the Green Conformation Hunters. Riggio purchased Moshi, a seven-year-old Belgium Warmblood gelding by Quintus, around the fourth week of competition at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. “He’s a new ride for me, so I get to be the lucky girl, which is nice,” beamed Ferrell.
Moshi and Ferrell secured the championship honor by winning the model and the under saddle classes. The duo went on to win another over fences class and receive a second and two thirds in the division’s remaining classes.
Just some updates… Atlanta Spring (March 23 – April 3) – I know so many of you are in the middle of your winter circuits but if you are planning to attend, we need to hear from you about stall reservations. 843 768 5503
Atlanta Summer (June 15-26) – Lots of new classes and much more prize money this summer. We will have a $25,000 USHJA Hunter Derby this summer again in the Grand Prix ring. We will also have two $35,000 Grand Prix classes. We will have several clinics including a Water Jumper Clinic, a Pony Model Clinic, and an Ask the Judge Clinic. This will be along with the 2nd Annual Freestyle Class in the Grand Prix. Lots planned for the Summer Show in Conyers. The prize list will be out around the 1st of April.
Charleston Summer Classic (July 13-23) – The new schedule is on the web and the prize list will be out around the 1st of April. This will be another fun filled two weeks on the coast. Remember, it’s time to get your condos reserved.
SAUGERTIES, NY (March 2, 2011) — The Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final is the talk of the town this season and its key to qualifying, the Devoucoux Hunter Prix, continues to be one of the most popular offerings at the HITS Winter Circuits in Ocala, Florida, Thermal, California, and Tucson, Arizona. Never before has a purse of this magnitude been offered for hunters, and never before have so many talented riders at all levels of their careers had the opportunity to aspire to such a lofty goal.
United States Chef d’Equipe George Morris was on-site at the HITS Desert Horse Park in Thermal, California this past weekend and got to witness first-hand the excitement and energy of the Devoucoux Hunter Prix.
During his visit, Morris shared in the enthusiasm that’s sweeping the sport. “Doing the Hunter Prix series at 3’3” was genius. It really crosses over to so many different riders and is sure to continue to be overwhelmingly popular. I look forward to being back in Europe and asking my European horse colleagues ‘what sort of prize money is Europe offering now?’ We are jumping for a half a million in the Hunters in the States. I can’t wait to see their faces,” Morris said with an approving smile.
