Lausanne (SUI), 20 April 2010 – The FEI press conference, held on 17 April in Geneva, on the disqualification of the horse Sapphire ridden by McLain Ward (USA) in the FEI World Cup Jumping Final, is now available free-to-view on FEI TV in English. Visit www.feitv.org and register to watch for free.
The opening statement by the FEI President is available here.
Media Contact:
Malina Gueorguiev
FEI Press Manager
+41 78 750 61 33
Geneva (SUI), 18 April 2010 – An urgent appeal/protest was lodged this morning by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), McLain Ward (Person Responsible) and Dr Tim Ober (USEF Team Veterinarian) against the disqualification of Sapphire from the FEI World Cup Final. The FEI Tribunal heard the case for emergency relief to allow the horse to compete today. Following the hearing, the FEI Tribunal Chair Ken Lalo (ISR) denied the request for emergency relief on the grounds that the FEI Tribunal did not have jurisdiction to overturn the Ground Jury’s decision. This means that Sapphire remains disqualified from today’s final round of the FEI World Cup.
Sapphire, the horse ridden by McLain Ward (USA), was eliminated from the second round of the FEI World Cup Final on Friday night (16 April) and disqualified from the rest of the event following a positive hypersensitivity test.
Media Contact:
Malina Gueorguiev
FEI Press Manager
+41 78 750 61 33
BIRTHDAY-BOY EHNING TAKES HIS THIRD ROLEX TITLE
Geneva (SUI), 18 April 2010 – Germany’s Marcus Ehning will celebrate his 36th birthday tomorrow as the newly-crowned 2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping champion. In the Palexpo arena in Geneva, Switzerland this afternoon he kept the coolest head despite an early mistake and won through when those ahead of him faltered. This was his third time to take the prestigious Rolex title and he said, “It’s really unbelievable – I thought I was too far behind going into the last round but this is how it works out – I am so happy!”
Germany dominated the winner’s podium when Ludger Beerbaum produced one of just four double-clear performances in today’s competition to finish joint-runner-up with Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer. And the thrilling class highlighted some great characters and new arrivals, but shattered the dream of America’s Mario Deslauriers who it seemed was about to re-take the title he first claimed 26 years ago in Gothenburg, only to see it slip from his grasp in the fading moments.
CLASSIC TESTS
Course designer Rolf Ludi presented two more classic tests, but only seven of the 29 starters got it right in the first round and when Deslauriers and his brilliant nine year old Dutch gelding Urico were amongst them it further bolstered their position at the top of the leaderboard after the first two legs. The flimsy planks at fence four, the vertical following a tight left-hand bend at seven and the water-tray oxer at fence 10, ridden on a three-stride distance from the previous 1.60m FEI vertical, proved the bogeys here but when Ehning’s Plot Blue clipped the very last – a wall with beautifully-carved Swiss cows decorating the top of it – then it seemed his chances were scuppered. With only four points separating the top four riders going into the final day every mistake was critical, but third-placed Schwizer lowered the bogey planks while fourth-placed Patrice Deleveau of France kicked out the oxer at fence two, so Ehning only slipped one place to third at the end of the opening round of jumping.
Continue reading Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2010 Final – Third Final Competition
Wellington, FL – April 16, 2010 – PhelpsSports.com, the world’s most popular, most talked about, and fastest growing equestrian news website, is pleased to announce an exciting addition to this season’s comprehensive event coverage. Members of the PhelpsSports.com team will be traveling to Lexington, Kentucky, next week to cover the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event as well as the Kentucky Cup Show Jumping and Dressage Test Events in preparation for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Held in conjunction with the Rolex Three-Day Event, the WEG Test Events will feature some of the biggest stars in the sport competing at the Kentucky Horse Park’s brand new venues.
Following this special coverage, Phelps Sports.com will be offering comprehensive coverage of a vast array of important summer equestrian events across the United States and around the world this summer. Key stops along the summer trail will include the Spring and Summer horse shows in Kentucky, the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair in Devon, Pennsylvania, the inaugural Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix in Saugerties, New York, the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships at the Horse Park in Lexington, plus all of the action from five weeks of action at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada.
Geneva (SUI), 15 April 2010 – The FEI Bureau today gave its unanimous approval to new Stewards’ guidelines on warm-up techniques produced by the Working Group formed after the round-table conference held in Lausanne on 9 February 2010.
One of the key stipulations in the Working Group’s report was that all unacceptable training methods and techniques must be stopped immediately. The Working Group was also insistent that abuse of the horse should be avoided and, in particular, stressing the horse, aggressive riding and inflicting pain and/or discomfort on the horse must be prevented.
The current guidelines for FEI Stewards already include instructions covering aggressive riding, but the Working Group has created a new Annex (XIII) that includes clear instructions on action to be taken if necessary relating to flexion of the horse’s neck during pre and post-competition training.
Continue reading FEI Bureau Approves New Stewards’ Guidelines on Warm-Up Techniques
This is special audio update on Courtney King-Dye’s condition by her good friend and trainer Lendon Gray. This was recorded April 15, 2010. Listen in as Lendon shares some great news…
Dressage Radio Courtney King Dye Great News Update – April 15, 2010:
_______________________________________________________________
Listen, Download or Subscribe:
April 15, 2010 – Lexington, KY – ABC 36 WTVQ-DT has announced a partnership with Horse Capital Productions to be the Official Local Media Partner for the 2010 International Equestrian Festival (IEF), held this fall in the city’s centrally-located convention center beside the iconic Rupp Arena. The sponsorship by ABC-36 of the multi-million dollar festival comes in anticipation of the television network’s new schedule to include equestrian-related news and special interest programming.
“This is such a synergistic sponsorship for our equestrian festival,” commented Anne Buchanan, CEO of Horse Capital Productions. “ABC-36 has always done a tremendous job of providing full coverage of our area’s events and their interest in highlighting the horse industry to the general public made this a natural fit for us.”
“The entertainment and international line-up that the IEF will be showcasing is very exciting,” said Rebecca Price, ABC-36 Marketing Director. “We will be there in full force with a whole new way to get the community involved on screen and in person. This event exemplifies the innovativeness and forward-thinking approach to building excitement around horse sports and that is paramount in our community, especially during 2010. It’s great to know that the IEF is an event for our audience too.”
Continue reading ABC-36 WTVQ to Broadcast and Sponsor 2010 International Equestrian Festival
April 15, 2010 – (Wellington, Florida) – On April 3, the Village of Wellington played host to the world’s first international gay polo tournament. Two days later, Village Attorney Jeffrey Kurtz rejected a local gay rights group’s request to revise the Village’s employment policies to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“The people who bring their horses — and their dollars — to Wellington are extremely gay friendly,” said Rand Hoch, President of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council.
The Council is a local non-profit organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
“Gay men and lesbians have long been a very visible part of Wellington’s equestrian community,” said Jamie Todd Foreman, an openly gay attorney who lives in nearby Lake Worth.
Continue reading Wellington Welcomes Gay Polo, but Not Gay Rights
When your horse tilts his head, it’s often a sign that he isn’t “through”. So, if you’re tracking right and his right ear is lower than his left ear with his mouth going to the left, you’ll need to supple the left side of his poll. (Supple the right side of his poll if he tilts the other way with his left ear lower.)
Remember, you can’t use your connecting aids successfully if he’s locked anywhere including the poll. (Suppleness comes before Connection on the training scale.)
Geneva (SUI), 13 April 2010 – “If your horse is found to have a banned substance in its system, you are looking at a two-year suspension,” FEI Veterinary Director Graeme Cooke warned riders competing at this week’s Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final.
The warning came at the riders’ briefing before the start of five days of competition in Geneva (SUI) as part of the FEI’s drive to raise awareness of the Clean Sport Campaign.
The Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping and Driving Finals are the first major competitions since the new Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations and Veterinary Regulations came into effect on 5 April 2010.
Riders were provided with Clean Sport Information packs containing an updated Athlete’s Guide and a brochure outlining How Testing Works, both of which are also available online at www.feicleansport.org. These publications have been sent to all National Federations for distribution to stakeholders.
Continue reading Riders Warned of a Two-Year Ban for Doping Positives