Tag Archives: Charlotte Dujardin

Outstanding Line-Up as Olympia Close to Sell Out

Charlotte Dujardin. Photos: Kit Houghton/Hpower.

8 December 2014 – An exceptional line-up of equestrian athletes are set to compete at this year’s Olympia, The London International Horse Show which takes place on 16-22 December, including the three FEI World No. 1s in Dressage, Show Jumping and Carriage Driving.

The definite entries, which were published today, reveal Dressage supremo Charlotte Dujardin, Show Jumping sensation Scott Brash, and Australian Driving legend Boyd Exell will head the incredible quality of competitors during the week-long event. In addition, seven out of the Top 10 Longines FEI World Ranked Show Jumpers will also compete at London’s premier horse show.

This year, organisers have seen the fastest ever sale of tickets, with 11 out of the 12 performances sold out before the doors even open on Tuesday 16 December.

Show Director Simon Brooks-Ward said: “As well as maintaining the Olympia tradition of staging family entertainment in the build-up to Christmas, our challenge has always been to put on world class sport, and the fact that we now stage three FEI World Cups™ clearly shows how far Olympia has developed over the years. When you add three World No. 1 competitors to this mix – Charlotte Dujardin, Scott Brash and Boyd Exell – it provides a compelling proposition.”

DRESSAGE

Charlotte Dujardin will compete Valegro in front of a UK audience for the first time this year in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Leg supported by Horse & Hound which takes place on the first and second day of Olympia. Dujardin has had a momentous year since smashing the world record in freestyle at last year’s Olympia, by adding the FEI World Cup™ Finals and the World Championship titles to her already impressive collection of achievements. She was recently announced on the shortlist for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Joining Dujardin at Olympia will be her mentor and GBR team mate Carl Hester who will be riding 10-year-old gelding, Nip Tuck on whom he won Team Silver at the World Equestrian Games. Completing the British line-up are Spencer Wilton, making his Olympia debut with his exciting new ride Numberto, Nikki Crisp with her own mare Pasoa and Hannah Biggs with stallion Weltzin.

Dutch riders Edward Gal and Danielle Heijkoop, who were placed second and third respectively behind Dujardin last year, are confirmed to compete again this year with the same horses, Glock’s Undercover and Kingsley Siro N.O.P.

There are several exciting riders making their Olympia debuts this year. These include Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who was star of Junior and Young riders and twice German Champion. The 28-year-old broke into the highest senior level competition with the stallion who she rides at Olympia, Unee BB. The pair was seventh in the FEI World Cup Final in April and they have since won their last three competitions. Fellow German, Sonke Rothenberger, is also confirmed to compete at Olympia for the first time. The 20-year-old business student won Team Gold at the European Young Riders and was seventh in his World Cup debut in Odense this year. Completing the German line-up is Dorothee Schneider, who was part of the German team to take Team Silver at London 2012. Schneider makes her Olympia debut on Silvano 71. Spain’s Morgan Barbanςon Mestre, aged 22, will make his first Olympia appearance with Anky van Grunsven’s former ride, Painted Black. The pair was placed 10th at the FEI World Cup Finals and 15th at the World Equestrian Games this year.

SHOW JUMPING

Seven of the Top 10 riders in the Longines FEI World Rankings are among the definite entries for the five-star Show Jumping at Olympia, including World No.1, Scott Brash.

The Scotsman, who has now held the top spot for over twelve months, will be joined by some of the biggest international names in the sport, including an incredibly strong team of German riders. This includes Ludger Beerbaum, Daniel Deusser and Marcus Ehning, who are three, four and five in the world rankings respectively. Three times FEI World Cup Final winner, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, also competes for Germany.

Dutch riders, Maikel van der Vleuten and Jur Vrieling, who were part of the team who won Team Gold at the World Equestrian Games this year, are both on the confirmed list. Regular Olympia visitor, Pénélope Leprevost (FRA), is on the list and is joined by her French teammates, Kevin Staut and Patrice Delaveau, who won Team Silver at the World Championships. New kid on the block 19-year-old Bertram Allen (IRL) will compete with the mare that propelled him into the limelight at the World Equestrian Games this year, Molly Malone V.

John Whitaker
John Whitaker

It would not be Olympia without the Whitaker dynasty competing en masse and this year Michael, John, Robert and William are all confirmed to ride with a team of top horses. The youngest, William, is currently in remarkable form, having won the fifth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup series in Stuttgart in November. The UK’s No.1 female rider Laura Renwick returns to defend her H&M Leading Rider title which she scooped in 2013 and last year’s Olympia Grand Prix winner Ben Maher brings a strong team of horses, including Puissance specialist, Noctambule Courcelle. Tim Gredley, Spencer Roe, and Guy Williams complete the British line-up.

Last year’s Olympia Christmas Puissance winner, Luca Moneta (ITA), will return to the capital to defend his crown, but will face strong competition from Puissance specialists, Jean-Christophe De Grande and Karline De Brabander, both from Belgium, and Irish riders David Simpson and Liam O’Meara. British rider Joe Clayton, who shared the Puissance victory at the Horse of the Year Show in October with David Simpson, also lines up for the nail-biting high jump competition.

Show Jumping takes place during every performance from Thursday 18 December to Monday 22 December. Highlights include the Alltech Olympia Puissance on Thursday 18 December, the Longines FEI World Cup™ Leg on Sunday 21 December, and the Olympia Grand Prix on Monday 22 December.

DRIVING

Current World Champion, Boyd Exell (AUS), and last year’s Olympia winner, IJsbrand Chardon (NED), head the quality line-up for the FEI World Cup™ Driving Leg presented by Dodson & Horrell.

A total of seven of the world’s leading four-in-hand drivers will attempt to manoeuver their horses in the fastest time round the twists and turns of the Olympia arena on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 December, with the Final taking place on Saturday 20 December.

IJsbrand Chardon
IJsbrand Chardon

Triumphant from winning the gold medal at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy in August, in-form Boyd Exell will be bringing his usual masterly rein-handling skills and split-second timing which always thrills the Olympia crowd. Last year’s Olympia winner, IJsbrand Chardon, himself many times World Champion, will no doubt be looking to defend his title, but Chardon will face strong competition also from his fellow countrymen Theo Timmerman and Koos de Ronde. Together these three took the Team Gold medal at this year’s WEG with Timmerman claiming Individual Bronze.

Representing Great Britain as a wild card is Daniel Naprous, who previously competed at Olympia in 2012. Naprous, who combines his sport of carriage driving with a successful career in stunt riding and driving, will have the support of the home crowd as the only Brit competing in the competition. Completing the competitive line-up are Fredrik Persson (SWE) and Glenn Geerts (BEL), both highly accomplished and successful four-in-hand drivers.

For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit the website at www.olympiahorseshow.com or telephone the box office on 0871 230 5580.

For more information, please contact Hannah Grissell hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk or +44 (0)207 592 1207

Olympia will broadcast live on BBC2 on Sunday 21 December and available to view on Eurosport, the BBC Red Button, online and connected TV on Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Monday 22 December. In addition a special highlights program will be aired on BBC2 on Tuesday 23 December at 13:45.

Olympia, The London International Horse Show
The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 16-22 December 2014 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Kennel Club Dog Agility. The show’s official charity for 2014 is The Injured Jockeys Fund.

Equestrian Champions Dominate National All-Sports Awards Nominations in Year of the Horse

(L to R) Olympic, World and European Dressage champion Charlotte Dujardin (GBR), World Jumping champion and Sydney 2000 Olympic champion Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED), and Para-Equestrian Dressage double world gold medallist Rixt van der Horst (NED) are some of the equestrian athletes nominated for national all-sports awards in 2014. (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)

Lausanne (SUI), 2 December 2014 – Equestrian champions are taking on athletes across all sports in the Year of the Horse in bids to claim top national sports awards in the Netherlands, Great Britain and Ireland.

The Netherlands’ traditional Sport Gala 2014 announced its nominees on Sunday night, with equestrian heroes featuring in four of the six categories. Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin has already claimed one award and is nominated for two others, while Ireland’s teenage sensation Bertram Allen has been nominated for the Irish Independent Young Sports Star of the Year award.

Jeroen Dubbeldam, double gold medallist at the Alltech World Equestrian Games™ 2014 and the Netherlands’ first ever Jumping world title holder, has been nominated for the Best Male Athlete award. The Sydney 2000 Olympic Jumping champion will battle it out against football legend Arjen Robben, world champion in gymnastics Epke Zonderland and four Olympic Winter Games gold medallists in speed skating.

Dubbeldam and his team-mates have also been nominated in the Best Team category. The orange quartet of Dubbeldam, Jur Vrieling, Maikel van der Vleuten and Gerco Schröder claimed gold in Normandy and booked a slot at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and then went on to score a sensational victory at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona (ESP) just over five weeks later.

Chef d’equipe Rob Ehrens, responsible for so many “orange-gold” medals, has also been recognised and is nominated in the Best Coach category. The former rider has steered the Dutch Jumping to multiple successes, and also helped the Eventing team secure its qualification for Rio 2016.

Another equestrian hero has been nominated for these famous awards, with Para-Equestrian Dressage athlete Rixt van der Horst, double world champion, featuring in the Best Paralympic Athlete category along with three other nominees. She collected two individual gold medals and a silver team medal in Normandy on her international debut.

Winners in each of the six categories will be selected by a jury of former Olympic athletes, coaches and sports journalists. The Sport Gala 2014 ceremony takes place at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center on 16 December.

Dubbeldam has another nomination, as the emotional moment when his daughter Nina jumped into his arms crying after seeing her father crowned World Champion is one of 10 selected for the Sport in Beeld award. This television award for the best sporting pictures of the year is chosen by public vote and will be presented at the Sport Gala 2014.

Anky van Grunsven won the Best Female Athlete in 1994 and took the Fanny Blankers Koen all-time achievement award in 2012. The Dutch Jumping team was previously nominated for the Best Team award in 2006.

Dancing with the awards

Dressage star Charlotte Dujardin (GBR), last year’s Reem Acra Best Athlete in the FEI Awards, has already scooped the Sunday Times & Sky Sports Sportswoman of the Year award for 2014, and is now nominated for two other all-sports awards: the BBC Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) and the BT Sport’s Action Woman of the Year award.

The London 2012 double Olympic champion has had an incredible year, winning two individual gold medals and team silver at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014, and the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in Lyon (FRA), where Dujardin and her dancing horse Valegro enchanted the public once again.

For the SPOTY award, Dujardin has been shortlisted by a panel of sports specialists and will be taking on an all-star cast of Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1), Gareth Bale (football), Carl Froch (boxing), Kelly Gallagher and guide Charlotte Evans (skiing), Rory McIlroy (golf), Jo Pavey (athletics), Adam Peaty (swimming), Max Whitlock (gymnastics) and Lizzy Yarnold (skeleton). Nominees will compete for the public vote live on television on 14 December.

Previous equestrian winners of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award are The Princess Royal, Princess Anne (1971), her daughter Zara Phillips 25 years later, and David Broome (1960).

Dujardin has also been nominated for the BT Sport’s Action Woman of the Year Award, where each candidate is supported by someone from the world of sport or entertainment. Dujardin is supported by former England footballer Michael Owen. “My daughter Gemma is a keen dressage rider and Charlotte Dujardin is one of her heroes so we have often watched her compete and for sheer control and movement Charlotte really is as good as it gets,” he said.

The public vote closes today, 2 December, and the winner will be presented with the trophy during a live broadcast on BT Sport on 10 December.

Teen superstar

The 19-year-old Jumping athlete Bertram Allen (IRL), who has been taking the Jumping world by storm with phenomenal successes this year with the mare Molly Malone, was nominated yesterday for the Irish Independent Young Sports Star of the Year award, along with four other nominees.

“Bertram is, unquestionably, the biggest sensation in international jumping right now,” the Irish Independent newspaper said about his nomination. Allen is currently 19th in the Longines Jumping Rankings after a sensational year during which he won the Verona qualifier for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Final in Las Vegas, as well as victories in the Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland and the Grand Prix in Lummen (BEL). He was also a member of the Irish team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, where he finished seventh individually.

In September, Allen and the seven-year-old mare Barnike became the first combination in history to score back-to-back wins at the FEI World Breeding Jumping Championships for Young Horses 2014 at Lanaken (BEL).

The Irish Independent Young Sports Star of the Year award winner is chosen by public vote, which closes on 17 December.

Sport Gala 2014 – More information about Sport Awards 2014 here.

SPOTY Awards – More information about SPOTY Awards 2014 here.

BT Sport Action Woman of the Year 2014 – More information about BT Sport’s Award here.

FEI Media Contacts:

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

Denise Devillaire
Manager Press Relations
Denise.devillaire@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 57

Dujardin and Valegro Weave Their Magic to Win Freestyle Gold

L to R: Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg (silver), Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin (gold) and The Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen (bronze). (Dirk Caremans/FEI)

Normandy (FRA), 29 August 2014 – Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro were the stars of the show once again today when collecting their second gold medal of the week in the Dressage Freestyle at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy. The pair now holds the full complement of world Dressage titles, having already strutted to glory at Olympic, European and Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ level during their extraordinary three-year career together.

Mirroring Wednesday’s Grand Prix Special result, it was Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg who claimed silver with Damon Hill NRW, but this time around, the Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen nudged Germany’s Kristina Sprehe off the podium to take the bronze.

“It’s absolutely incredible,” said Dujardin this evening. “After London (2012 Olympic Games) I didn’t think it could get much better, but I took two gold medals at the European Championships last summer and to do this at my first World Equestrian Games is amazing. Any medal is a great achievement, but two gold and team silver here this week – I couldn’t ask for anything more!” the 29-year-old rider said.

Set the pace

Morgan Barbancon was first to go of the 15 qualified for today’s Freestyle, and the 22-year-old produced a lovely test to set the pace with Painted Black, one of three 17-year-old horses in the field. The black stallion, formerly competed by Dutch superstar Anky van Grunsven, has established a really nice partnership with the young Spanish rider, and the pair looked relaxed and happy as they racked up the first target mark of 74.393.

Hans Peter Minderhoud bettered that when posting 75.554, but the Dutch rider wasn’t so happy. “The horse was confused and thought the test was finished halfway through!” he said afterwards. “It was hard to get him to concentrate but he is still young and needs to develop more power and gain more experience. And we mustn’t forget he made it into the final 15.”

Carl Hester was next in with Nip Tuck, and once again the British veteran produced some wonderful work from the 10-year-old bay gelding who is clearly still on an upward learning curve. “There are still a few technical things that need adjusting, obviously, but he is going to grow up and he is such a big hope!” Hester said after his test. “He doesn’t really mind the different situations, the noise and all that. I have a confident horse now. The three extended trots were great, even though they are not his usual highlights. We’ll have a tip top programme for next year!” said the horseman extraordinaire after temporarily taking the lead on 76.589.

But his silver medal winning team-mate, Michael Eilberg, quickly took over at the top of the leaderboard when posting 79.696 with Half Moon Delphi. The charming grey mare showed lovely, rhythmical work and increased in confidence every time she entered the arena this week.

Second half evolved

The lead continued to change hands and the scores continued to rocket upwards as the second half of the competition evolved. Austria’s Victoria Max-Theurer and Augustin posted the first score over 80 per cent at 81.036 only for that to be improved upon by one of the most exciting new partnerships in action at these Dressage Championships.

America’s Laura Graves has appeared almost out of nowhere to place herself amongst the elite of the sport this summer, and her success is all the more heart-warming for the fact that she is riding a horse that cost her just €1,000. Hers is a story of deep dedication and a lot of hard work, and once again today the 27-year-old rider and her 12-year-old Dutch gelding were completely at one when throwing down a great mark of 82.036 in just the third Freestyle of their career.

That would prove good enough for fifth place amongst a field of champions. Graves said this evening that her recipe for success is to keep things methodical, and that her result proves “that just being patient and doing what you know is right can get you to where you want to go!”

Grand Prix Special bronze medallist, Germany’s Kristina Sprehe, followed with a superb performance from Desperados FRH who simply sparkled to bring the target mark to 83.125. But two horses later, and with just three left to go, Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW raised the stakes even higher with a test that was smooth as silk.

Primeval roar

The target was now standing at 88.286, but that was never going to faze Dujardin and Valegro, who arrived into the arena to yet another primeval roar from the crowd before setting off to weave their magical spell once more and put the result beyond doubt when posting 92.196.

It wasn’t easy for The Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival to follow. But as the Dutch rider said afterwards her wonderful chestnut horse “feels like he’s seven years old, not 17. He’s amazing and he just keeps doing his best over and over again.” Posting 85.714 the pair easily slotted into bronze behind Langehanenberg, and Cornelissen was filled with emotion because her gelding has returned from ill-health to place himself amongst the best of the best once again at this late stage in his career.

“A lot of people said his best days were over, but a bronze medal in the World Championships proves that they were wrong!” said Cornelissen this evening. “It’s not easy to ride after Charlotte; there was a lot of noise but I thought ‘take it easy and just do your own thing’. Now it is just about keeping him fit and happy and he will still be there for the Olympics (Rio 2016). As long as he still loves the games, we won’t be stopping,” the Dutch rider said tonight.

And Langehanenberg was also delighted with her result. “This is my first world championships and I’m going home with team gold and two individual silver medals. I’m so proud of Dami; I enjoy him every time I go in the arena and he always does his very best for me. Dami can speak and read. He’s more than any other horse. He’s just perfect. He had the best character you could have.”

Dujardin meanwhile joked that retirement may now be her only option now after taking all the top titles available in the sport. “I have such a fantastic horse and this week I had some of my very best rides I’ve ever had in the Grand Prix and the Special. Today I went out there to have fun, it’s only the third time we’ve used this music and I just couldn’t be happier!”

Result:

Freestyle Grand Prix: GOLD – Valegro (Charlotte Dujardin) GBR, 92.161 ; SILVER – Damon Hill NRW (Helen Langehanenberg), GER 88.286; BRONZE – Jerich Parzival (Adelinde Cornelissen), NED 85.714.

Full results and startlists at www.normandy2014.com.

Facts and Figures:

15 horse-and-rider partnerships started in today’s Dressage Freestyle.

Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro made it double-gold today when adding the Freestyle title to victory in Wednesday’s Grand Prix Special at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy.

The 29-year-old world no. 1 rider now holds Olympic, European and World titles.

The Freestyle silver medal went to Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg with the 14-year-old stallion Damon Hill, and bronze was claimed by The Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen riding the 17-year-old Jerich Parzival.

There were two other 17-year-old horses in today’s competition: Digby, who finished 13th for Denmark’s Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, and Painted Black, who slotted into 15th spot with Spain’s Morgan Barbancon.

The youngest horse to qualify for today’s Freestyle finale was the 10-year-old Dutch gelding Nip Tuck, who finished 12th for Great Britain’s Carl Hester.

The Ground Jury for today’s Freestyle was: At H, Liselotte Fore USA; At E, Francis Verbeek NED; At K; Dietrich Plewa GER; At C, Isabelle Judet FRA; At M, Susan Hoevenaars AUS; At B; Elizabeth McMullen CAN; At F, Stephen Clarke GBR.

Quotes:

Kristina Sprehe GER (4th) – “It was really demanding and hard today but he good and relaxed spirit is still there after three days of competition. This is my first World Championships and I already have two medals so I’m already extremely satisfied!”

Victoria Max-Theurer AUT (6th) – “I think I had three good tests this week. It’s amazing for the horse and for me to be here in this big, full stadium. I have to say a big thank you to the team and I’m very proud of my horse!”

Carl Hester GBR (12th) – “We almost felt at home in the arena today; it’s just rocking and rolling in there! It shows the popularity of Dressage, and that’s what people want. Yesterday we had an easy day. I let Nip Tuck relax, but he wanted to work. He is an absolute worker so I can teach him a lot, but I had to tell him to take it easy yesterday. I didn’t want him to get too tired.”

Charlotte Dujardin GBR (gold) when asked about working with her mentor and trainer Carl Hester – “Like every trainer it’s frustrating when i make a mistake but he’s the best trainer in the world, the opportunities he’s given me, well no-one could ask for any more.”

Steffen Peters USA (10th) – “Different parts of the test went well and my horse felt more relaxed today so was able to push him a bit more in the extended walk and he went nicely into the piaffe. The one-tempis are always a bit tricky but they went well too event if we made a small mistake I think. Piaffe/pirouette and piaffe were all planned and I heard the crowd react to it. It’s amazing my horse still had so much energy after three days (of competition). We always hope for 80 per cent, but 77 per cent at the WEG is already fantastic.”

By Louise Parkes

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA) on 23 August – 7 September brings together close to 1,000 riders and 1,000 horses from 74 nations for 15 days of world-class competition in Jumping, Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining.

For more information, see: www.normandy2014.com.

History Hub

The FEI World Equestrian Games™ are held every four years in the middle of the Olympic and Paralympic cycle. They were first hosted in Stockholm (SWE) in 1990 and have since been staged in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez (ESP) in 2002, and Aachen (GER) in 2006. The first Games to be organised outside Europe were the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky (USA) 2010.

Visit the FEI History Hub here.

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 Organising Committee:

Amélie Patrux
Press Officer
presse@normandie2014.com

Charlotte Dujardin Takes Gold in Freestyle Grand Prix Dressage at WEG

(FRA, 29 August 2014) Charlotte Dujardin, riding Valegro, took the Gold medal in the Freestyle Grand Prix, with Helen Langehanenberg (GER) riding Damon Hill NRW taking Silver, and Adelinde Cornelissen (NED) riding Jerich Parzival N.O.P. in Bronze at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, in Normandy.

Double Gold for Dujardin and Valegro

Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and her magnificent Valegro reigned supreme at the Stade D’Ornano in front of a packed crowd, taking her second Gold medal of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, winning the Freestyle Grand Prix with a score of 92.161%. This now makes Dujardin the current Olympic, World Champion and European Champion holder – a feat never held before in dressage. Helen Langehanenberg riding Damon Hill NRW went into the stadium before Dujardin and rode a stunning test with a superb score of 88.286%. Dujardin followed straight after and knew she had to pull everything out, which she did.

Last to go in the class of the 15 competitors was the experienced Adelinde Cornelissen, riding her 17-year-old Jerich Parzival N.O.P, who was thrilled with her test, riding a Bronze medal winning score of 85.714%.

The Freestyle Grand Prix concludes a magnificent week for Dressage at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, with Dujardin and the young all-female German riders dominating the three competitions.

Quotes:

Charlotte Dujardin (GBR):

I always knew it was possible [to achieve what I have achieved this week] – he is such a fantastic horse. Coming here he felt on top form and with the Grand Prix and the Special that I had, those rides were incredible, probably the best I have ever had. Then coming in here today, I just thought “you know what, I love the music – it’s where I can have fun.” It was only my third time riding that music and he just felt absolutely fantastic. I’ve only had one bad ride with him in eight years – that was at Aachen; he is just one in a million. [Being current Olympic, European and now World Champion] just feels so surreal. After London I never thought it could get better; then there was the Europeans and then I was looking forward to coming here to my first World Equestrian Games and to come away with two Gold and a Team Silver – I just can’t believe it!

Helen Langehanenberg (GER):

I’m absolutely happy – my horse is the best! The rider focuses on the test. We can’t predict the results, but it was better than we expected, perfect work. It’s a lot of fun, a perfect team, celebrating our team medals. I will keep this in my mind during my whole life!

Adelinde Cornelissen (NED):

17 years old and look at him! A lot of people said his best days were over but a Bronze medal in the World Championship proves that they were very wrong! I am very, very happy. It is not easy to ride after Charlotte, there was a lot of noise but I thought “take it easy and just do your thing.” Now it is just about keeping him fit and happy so he will still be there at the Olympics (Rio 2016).

Kristina Sprehe (GER):

I am very happy with Desperados; today he was a bit tired so I had to work a little bit more than yesterday, but it was a fantastic week – to win a team Gold and a Bronze. Desperados has been fantastic. The atmosphere was wonderful and my horse loves it – it was like London and the audience was really great too.

Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven (SWE):

Don Auriello was a bit tense as I put everything into doing the best test possible. I am really pleased with him and with all three days of the competition.

Rolex Testimonee Isabell Werth wins Gold with Team Germany

Earlier in the week on Tuesday 26 August, Isabell Werth took her seventh Gold medal for Germany in the Team Dressage riding her mare Bella Rose 2, with a fantastic test and score of 81.529. Werth was t hird to go for Germany and her brilliant ride helped secure Germany their 11th Dressage gold medal success since the team competition was introduced into the World Championship programme in 1996. Great Britain took the Silver medal and defending champions The Netherlands took Bronze.

By finishing on the podium, all three nations have now qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Talking of the all-female Germany team, Isabell Werth said, “It’s one of the strongest teams we have ever had for Germany. Being drawn first wasn’t good, but in 25 years of these championships, we’ve never been drawn first, but it was bound to happen at some point. Bella Rose is a ‘diamond’ – it was clear from the beginning she was special by her charisma and attitude. She has become a diamond. I’ve been lucky enough in my career to have two other diamonds – Gigolo and Satchmo.”

For more information on the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and full results, please visit www.normandy2014.com.

Rolex and the World Equestrian Games

Rolex’s association with the World Equestrian Games began in 2002 in Jerez, Spain and the brand is at the forefront of the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which takes place between 23 August and 7 September in Caen, France where a record 74 nations intend to take part.

The exceptional bond between Rolex and the World Equestrian Games has no doubt been instrumental in attracting 12 new countries to make their debut this year; a glorious achievement in the development of the sport on a global scale. Across the 15 days, approximately 1,200 media will follow 1,000 competitors as they compete across eight official disciplines including the Olympic sports of Show Jumping, Dressage and Eventing in front of over 500,000 spectators.

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
team@revolutionsports.co.uk
www.revolutionsports.co.uk

The Horse with a Heart of Gold Wins Grand Prix Special for Britain’s Dujardin

L to R – Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg (silver), Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin (gold) and Germany’s Kristina Sprehe (bronze). (Dirk Caremans/FEI)

Normandy (FRA), 27 August 2014 – In a competition that buzzed with excitement from start to finish, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro claimed Dressage Grand Prix Special gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, France today. It wasn’t a flawless performance from the dynamic British duo, with mistakes that Dujardin afterwards described as “silly”, but such was the quality of the rest of the work she produced with her extraordinary gelding that she still headed silver medallist Helen Langehanenberg with Damon Hill NRW, whose German team-mate, Kristina Sprehe, earned bronze with Desperados FRH.

“We made three expensive mistakes and I thought ‘Oh it’s cost me the medal!’, so I knew after each one that I had to go for a bit more to try and catch up on what I had already lost,” she said afterwards. “But he’s such a fantastic horse; he’s got a heart of gold. If I need to go for a bit more he tries to go for a bit more, he never says ‘no, I can’t do it’,” said the rider who now holds the Grand Prix Special title at Olympic, European and World Championship level.

They almost fell victim to their own enormous popularity, however, as Dujardin found the enthusiasm of the spectators in the D’Ornano Stadium quite distracting throughout her test.

The hardest thing

“It was really hard with the crowd,” she said afterwards. “Probably that was the hardest thing because when you were doing good and bad you could hear ‘ooooh’ or you could hear people talking. I wanted to turn round and say ‘shut up!’ When you’re trying to ride, you’re trying to think where to go and to think of what you’re doing, and all you can hear is the crowd talking and gasping – it’s very, very tough. Obviously you don’t experience that very often. I know I had it in Herning (FEI European Dressage Championships 2013 in Denmark) last year and a bit in Aachen this year, but otherwise you can normally only hear the music or it’s silent, so I found it really difficult out there today,” she explained.

It was her fellow countryman, Michael Eilberg, who held the lead in the early stages of the competition after showing much better form with his grey mare, Half Moon Delphi, when seventh of the 30 starters this morning. On the first day of the team competition on Monday their performance was below par, but today they produced their best ever Grand Prix Special mark and Eilberg was well pleased.

“I had to set up every movement to get her up a bit more,” he explained. “I knew what to expect after yesterday, and how to adjust my riding. She was more on her hind legs, more up and positive, especially in the passage and piaffe. I could get her more balanced, and also got more extension in the trot. Half Moon is only 12 years old, and getting better every year.”

Overtaken

He was overtaken for the lead by fellow Briton, Carl Hester, who was also a member of yesterday’s team silver medal winning side, whose gelding, Nip Tuck, is growing in confidence every time he comes into the ring. “He was nervous after the prizegiving yesterday so it just shows the genuine side of this horse. He is so desperately trying to please me all the time and today I had a personal best with him so I’d nearly like to stop now and not do anymore!” Hester said, having posted 75.532.

“It’s difficult when a horse is that sensitive to get your leg on him, you can’t move on him, he’s still so inexperienced, but it’s all going the right way. It will take one more year to produce him in the ring the way he is at home,” said the 47-year-old whose own performance today was nothing short of a master-class in the art of horse production.

The scores subsequently kept growing however, with America’s Laura Graves continuing her spectacular run to head the leaderboard on a score of 77.157 before the final tranche of riders took their turn. The 27-year-old rider and her lovely 12-year-old gelding Verdades seemed to be in a world of their own as they executed each movement with quiet precision. Graves’ stillness in the saddle and Verdades’ attention to her every instruction suggests an unusually powerful bond in this partnership that has lasted almost the entire length of the horse’s lifetime.

“I do a lot of homework,” Graves said. “I spend a lot of time studying the top riders and I picture in my mind’s eye what I’m trying to do when I’m in the saddle. I shut out what’s going on around us and just concentrate on trying to reflect what I’ve seen them do,” said the American who finished two places ahead of her considerably more experienced team-mate, Steffen Peters with Legolas, when slotting into eighth place at the end of the day.

Built to a climax

The excitement built to a climax as the final group took their turn, with Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven and Don Auriello re-setting the target at 78.235 only for Germany’s Kristina Sprehe and Desperados FRH to go further ahead when posting 79.762 two horses later.

The crowd went wild as Dujardin and Valegro followed them into the ring, and the pure energy of the performance this pair produced had everyone sitting on the edges of their seats. Big scores for extended trot and half-pass were followed by a distracted moment however when a call of nature meant Valegro was unable to immediately respond to his rider’s aids in the first piaffe. But not even a mistake in the two-tempi changes could prevent the judges from awarding them 86.120 which proved an unbeatable score despite a super effort from Langehanenberg and Damon Hill.

“I won’t give up (trying to beat Dujardin and Valegro),” Langehanenberg said afterwards. “I believe in Dami and I’m very pleased with him today.”

There was tension in the Dutch camp as the scores for Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival, last to go in today’s competition, were finally calculated. It seemed quite possible that they might take the bronze, but in the end their mark of 79.328 left them less than 0.5 behind Sprehe to miss a podium placing.

Big plans

Dujardin admitted she had big plans when going into the arena today with Valegro. “I was going out there for a world record, that’s what I was aiming to do. I knew it was possible because he felt so good; it was just a pity because without those mistakes it could have been a world record.”

She said Valegro was “probably the best he’s ever felt. I know I made those mistakes but they were just silly ones. It felt like when you’re driving a Ferrari and you put your foot down. To have that much power underneath you, especially after doing the Grand Prix yesterday, I’m just delighted for him, I’m so happy!”

She’s been working hard on the fitness of both herself and her horse over the last month. “At Aachen it was so hot and I really struggled with it, and he really struggled with it. Obviously we weren’t at full fitness because we wanted to peak here. That’s what we were aiming for and to get him as fit as we could for here, so we went there a bit under-fitness and it affected us greatly when we hit the heat. In normal temperatures we would have got away with it.

“Now I have a personal trainer. I train four or five times a week; she’s fantastic and I do a lot of core work and a lot of cardio work. I felt physically exhausted after Aachen because of the heat so I thought, I cannot have that if I’m coming here and it’s hot; I wanted to be ready for it this time.”

Now she’s looking forward to Friday’s Freestyle, and there’s no doubting the colour of the medal she wants to take home from that. “I love my music. I’ve ridden it at the World Cup Final and in Aachen so I want to go out there and try and nail it, get it to my absolute maximum. I’m not going to give anything away; I’m going to ride for everything. That’s the problem when you ride for everything: you can make mistakes but you know I’m going to risk it because there’s only one chance of the gold!”

And she fully intends to take it.

Result: Grand Prix Special: GOLD – Valegro (Charlotte Dujardin) 86.120; SILVER – Damon Hill NRW (Helen Langehanenberg) GER 84.468; BRONZE – Desperados FRH (Kristina Sprehe) GER 79.762.

Full results and startlists at www.normandy2014.com.

Facts and Figures:

30 horse-and-rider partnerships competed in today’s Grand Prix Special at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy.

Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro have now taken Grand Prix Special gold at Olympic, European and World Championship level.

15 horse-and-rider combinations go through to Friday’s Freestyle which brings the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 Dressage championships to a close.

Quotes:

Laura Graves (8th) USA, talking about her successful arrival at the top end of the sport and her result today: “We didn’t expect to be here so I couldn’t be happier! Today the walk was much better – he can do a 9 or a 10 – he went in the spooky corner, nailed all of his changes and he was nice to ride which is why I do this.”

Talking about her concentration during the test: “There’s a point at the end of canter extension when I just let go and I said to myself, ‘that’s pretty good!’ Three-quarters of the way through the test it’s kind of a relief to come to the pirouette and then to the end.”

Steffen Peters USA (10th): “The Special is a difficult test for this horse. The Freestyle is something Legolas does well; we previously scored 80 per cent in that so I’m hoping for a good result on Friday.”

Edward Gal NED (25th): “It was all very new for this horse. He is also a stallion and has never been away from home for so many days. He was very excited in his stable with many mares passing by and he lost a lot of his energy because of that.”

Diederik van Silfhout NED (9th): “What a success! I only came into the Dutch team after two of our horses were injured and I just went for it! Everything worked great today and even though my horse was getting tired at the end he gave everything he had. He (Arlando NH NOP) is such a talented horse, still young – he only did his first Grand Prix in January and I have great hopes with him for the future!”

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven SWE (5th): “I had a very good feeling today; Don Auriello did his best – he was very light and easy to ride.”

By Louise Parkes

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA) on 23 August – 7 September brings together close to 1,000 riders and 1,000 horses from 74 nations for 15 days of world-class competition in Jumping, Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining.

For more information, see: www.normandy2014.com.

History Hub

The FEI World Equestrian Games™ are held every four years in the middle of the Olympic and Paralympic cycle. They were first hosted in Stockholm (SWE) in 1990 and have since been staged in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez (ESP) in 2002, and Aachen (GER) in 2006. The first Games to be organised outside Europe were the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky (USA) 2010.

Visit the FEI History Hub here.

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 Organising Committee:

Amélie Patrux
Press Officer
presse@normandie2014.com

Charlotte Dujardin Takes Individual Gold in the Grand Prix Special Dressage at WEG

(FRA, 27 August 2014) Charlotte Dujardin (GBR), riding Valegro, took the Individual Gold medal in the Grand Prix Special Dressage, with Helen Langehanenberg (GER) riding Damon Hill NRW taking Silver and Kristina Sprehe (GER) riding Desperados FRH in Bronze at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, in Normandy.

World Gold for Dujardin and Valegro

Double Olympic Champions Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro added a World Champion title to their collection by taking Gold in the Dressage Grand Prix Special Individual competition with an outstanding performance on a score of 86.120%, the highest ever score recorded by a horse and rider at the World Equestrian Games.

In a closely fought contest, Dujardin held on to Gold after a superb test from Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg riding Damon Hill NRW, who finished in Silver on her score of 84.468%.

Quotes:

Charlotte Dujardin (GBR):
It was a great ride and I was very happy with my test. I had no team members to worry about, I thought I’d just go for everything, my horse was just fantastic – he is a Ferrari! The crowd was very hard to deal with – all I could hear were gasps, whether I did a good or a bad thing. I could hear the crowd the whole time.

Helen Langehanenberg (GER):
The test felt very good. He always goes forward and listens very well. He is keen on working with me and knows what to do. I did not know Charlotte’s score before I went into the stadium – I was just concentrating on my preparation and test. I am really looking forward to Friday now – he is a very happy horse!

Kristina Sprehe (GER):
I am really happy. Coming in to these Games I was only focused on Team Gold. I had no thoughts for the Individual at all. This is just fantastic, completely fantastic! My horse was perfect in the test, even if during the passages he lost some rhythm and he has to be more energetic. I had a really fantastic feeling during the whole test.

Rolex Testimonee Isabell Werth wins Gold with Team Germany

Yesterday, Tuesday 26 September, Isabell Werth took her seventh Gold medal for Germany in the Team Dressage riding her mare Bella Rose 2, with a fantastic test and score of 81.529. Werth was third to go for Germany and her brilliant ride helped secure Germany their 11th Dressage gold medal success since the team competition was introduced into the World Championship programme in 1996. Great Britain took the Silver medal and defending champions The Netherlands took Bronze.

For more information on the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and full results, please visit www.normandy2014.com.

Rolex and the World Equestrian Games

Rolex’s association with the World Equestrian Games began in 2002 in Jerez, Spain and the brand is at the forefront of the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which takes place between 23 August and 7 September in Caen, France where a record 74 nations intend to take part.

The exceptional bond between Rolex and the World Equestrian Games has no doubt been instrumental in attracting 12 new countries to make their debut this year; a glorious achievement in the development of the sport on a global scale. Across the 15 days, approximately 1,200 media will follow 1,000 competitors as they compete across eight official disciplines including the Olympic sports of Show Jumping, Dressage and Eventing in front of over 500,000 spectators.

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
team@revolutionsports.co.uk
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British Team Comes Up Trumps at Windsor

Charlotte Dujardin. Photos: Kit Houghton/HPower.

British team riders Charlotte Dujardin, Michael Eilberg and Carl Hester delighted a full house at the evening performance of the Royal Windsor Horse Show with a one, two, three in the Grand Prix Freestyle.

Charlotte Dujardin and the stallion Uthopia comfortably topped the leaderboard with an energetic freestyle (83.675%). The Olympic Gold Medallist made full use of Uthopia’s powerful extended trot and passage and produced immaculate passage to piaffe transitions and bold riding to a Tom Hunt compilation of music from ‘How to Train Your Dragon’. The pair left the arena to huge applause from the 4,000 strong crowd.

“Tonight he felt fantastic,” said Dujardin. “I got everything I asked for and couldn’t have asked for more.”

Eilberg and Jon and Julie Deverill’s grey mare Half Moon Delphi (79.4%) produced a personal best score with a foot-tapping freestyle to ‘Shake It Like Shakira’, making best use of her huge passage and flying changes.

“With everything going on at the show she has been really lit up so I gave her a bit more time in the warm up and with more breaks to keep her relaxed which paid off and she went really well,” said Eilberg.

Hester and the huge Nip Tuck (75.725%) took third place with a well-managed freestyle – the same one he used at this venue in 2009 at the European Championships – to a compilation of Tom Jones music.

“It is a freestyle designed for horses starting in Grand Prix,” said Hester who acquired the 18hh gelding as a yearling. “I don’t think anyone thought he was particularly going to be anything but he is really starting to come into his own now. His attitude is priceless; he loves his work and is a pleasure to ride.”

British based Dane, Anders Dahl, took fourth with Wie Atlantico de Ymas (74.60%) with British Young rider Lara Griffith fifth on Andretti H (73.80%) the former ride of her trainer, Laura Bechtolsheimer.

Judge Andrew Gardner, President of the Ground Jury for the class, commented: “The top end was really top. Beautiful rides to lovely programmes and music against a beautiful backdrop – it really was a top class evening.”

It is the first time since 2002 that dressage has been included in the five day show that also includes international show jumping, endurance and driving. Hester, a winner of the Grand Prix here in 1996 and 1997 with Legal Democrat, said: “We need to add venues to the British calendar and it is great that Windsor has stepped back in especially with its great surfaces and packed stadiums. British riders don’t get the opportunity to prepare for Championships in this country so to have this venue is fantastic and long may it stay.”

Royal Windsor Spoils Shared between Two Nations

The second running of the Royal Windsor Endurance 120km CEI** competition resulted in a win shared by His Highness Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum of The United Arab Emirates. The two competitors are brothers-in-law, the former being married to a sister of the latter, and a joint win allowed family pride to be more greatly spread.

Endurance“We wanted to make both fathers happy – His Majesty King Hamad and my father-in-law His Highness Mohammed Bin Rashid – by crossing the line together,” said HH Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad, who was riding Onirik de Becheral. “He [Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, riding Yamamah] was four minutes ahead of me and when I caught him up we had a bit of a chat. We decide to grab hands and cross the line together.”

The start of the ride was blessed with warm early-morning sunshine as a field of 44 started out on the first loop. The course included a stretch on the turf in front of the stunning Ascot Racecourse Grandstand, before sweeping around the edge of Windsor Great Park. The three loops that followed took in iconic landmarks within the park, including Jubilee Statue, Prince Consort Statue and The Long Walk, and also treated riders to spectacular panoramic views of Berkshire and Windsor Castle.

The victorious Sheikhs had been part of the leading pack from the outset. They had broken away from the rest of the field quickly, but their stronghold became particularly evident by the second loop. Towards the end of the race, the leaders, who were predominantly the winners’ fellow countrymen, were averaging speeds of over 24km/h, with the winning average speed recorded as 24.615km/h.

“It was a great race for me, particularly as I was eliminated last year,” said Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad after finishing. “I loved the race, the track and the competition.”

Sheikh Hasher Bin Mohammed Thani Al Maktoum took third for the UAE with Satanik Larzac, while Bahrain claimed fourth and fifth courtesy of Yacoon Yousif Yacoob Al Hammadi (Plage El Milora) and Hood Ebrahim Ali Husain Bucherri (Sheer Arleta FL Ewalraid).

The highest placed Brit was Harry Ingram, who finished 12th on Bronze Nahdir with an average speed of 21.445km/h.

Nick Skelton and Big Star
Nick Skelton and Big Star

International Show Jumping Returns

The international Show Jumping got underway yesterday with the Land Rover Speed Stakes which saw Nick Skelton’s Olympic horse, Big Star, return to competition after an eighth month break due to injury. The London 2012 team gold medallist finished in ninth place after picking up 2 penalties, but the first three spots were all taken by other British riders. Headed by Britain’s no. 1 female rider Laura Renwick on Beluga, with John Whitaker and Uni Stop and Tim Stockdale in third riding Fresh Direct Kalico Bay.

Later on in the day the CSI3* Bahrain Pearl Stakes took place with overseas visitors taking the top spots. Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Al Sharbatly took the honours on Andrea, shaving just over two seconds off Shane Breen’s (IRE) time. Back in third was Laura Kraut, whilst Nick Skelton was the best of the Brits taking 5th on eight-year-old Aristio.

The dressage phase of Land Rover International Carriage Driving Grand Prix was completed yesterday, with the USA’s Chester Weber currently leading World Champion Boyd Exell (AUS) by a narrow margin. With Dutch teammates Theo Timmerman and Ysbrand Chardon snapping on their heels in third and fourth, there is everything to play for in the marathon phase of the competition which takes place around Home Park on Saturday.

Once again a feast of equine entertainment will take place throughout Saturday with performances carrying on into the evening, including the Musical Ride of The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the Musical Drive of The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery.

For tickets or to see a full schedule, visit www.rwhs.co.uk.

For more information or image requests please contact Hannah Grissell at Revolution Sports + Entertainment E: hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk T: 0207 592 1207

Dujardin Wins at Windsor

Photos: Kit Houghton/HPower.

World Number One Thrills Windsor Crowd

The World Number One was especially delighted with the black Dutch-bred stallion. “After our ride at Saumur I was rather disappointed as he was really tricky there but today he let me help him in the ring,” said Charlotte. “I am trying to establish the same bond I have with Valegro – but he is completely different in his mind – although it is also a great opportunity to learn to produce a Grand Prix on a horse that isn’t as easy as Valegro – they are not all as easy as him.”

The British European team combination of Michael Eilberg and Jon and Julie Deverill’s Half Moon Delphi were second (72.9%). The lovely grey Dimaggio sired mare produce, flowing half passes, impressive off the floor passage and one time changes but small mistakes meant a loss of higher marks. “For one reason or another we haven’t done a lot and we just need to get back in the ring a bit more,” said Eilberg who is hoping to take her to Aachen. “There were a few silly glitches – she spooked at a shadow and can get a bit twitchy at things like that but the passage was good and the one time changes have really come on.”

Carl Hester was third with his new Grand Prix ride, ten-year-old Nip and Tuck (71.6%). The imposing Dutch-bred gelding by Don Ruto, who stands at 18hh, is owned by Hester and Jane De la Mare and made his Grand Prix debut two months ago, albeit he has been trained to the level since a four-year-old by his rider. He produced assured ground covering half passes although modest extensions but the 71+% score was enough to ensure he is now also qualified for consideration for the World Equestrian Games later in the year and is the fourth horse that Carl has qualified for the WEG.

“I am pretty chuffed with his progress,” said Hester who was extremely under the weather and suffering from a flu-like virus. “He used to get very hot but today produced a relaxed mistake free test which is what I wanted at this stage.”

Third place Carl Hester riding Nip Tuck
Third place Carl Hester riding Nip Tuck

Danish judge Lief Tornblad was president of the Ground Jury. He said, “The winner was clear. Aside from a slight mistake in one of the two-time changes they were faultless and produced a very secure test with highlights of passage and extended trot. Delphi is an elastic horse with a wonderful passage and although today they produced a few expensive mistakes, she is a really capable mare. Carl’s new horse was a positive surprise and produced a very secure test in a good rhythm with no irregularities. While he could have more power he will have eventually for sure.”

Thirteen combinations contested the FEI Grand Prix which was part of the evening performance at the show that has an impressive backdrop of Windsor Castle. All will compete in tomorrow night’s FEI Grand Prix Freestyle.

Windsor Favourite – The Nail Biting Shetland Grand National

Aintree came to Berkshire yesterday — albeit on a miniature scale — as the Shetland Pony Grand National took place at Royal Windsor Horse Show. A sea of colour graced spectators at the show as the junior jockeys aged between nine and 14 raced around the specially prepared course in what is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the week.

While the obstacles they had to negotiate may not have been as high as those at Aintree, when you’re on a horse less than half the size of a thoroughbred travelling at full speed, they look just as frightening. The race was huge fun to watch and compete in and as ever, raised charitable funds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The Shetland Grand National took place in the Castle Arena
The Shetland Grand National took place in the Castle Arena

More runnings of the Shetland Grand National will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Castle Arena.

Friday Highlights

The CSI3* Land Rover Speed Stakes take place in the Castle Arena at start if the afternoon session, which is set to be an exciting competition. Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin returns to compete in the CDI3* International Freestyle Grand Prix competition taking place at 18:30 in the Castle Arena.

Once again a feast of equine entertainment will take place throughout the day, including the Musical Ride of The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and the Musical Drive of The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery.

For tickets or to see a full schedule, visit www.rwhs.co.uk.

For more information or image requests please contact Hannah Grissell at Revolution Sports + Entertainment E: hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk T: 0207 592 1207

British Break Records with World Number One Slots in All Three Olympic Disciplines

Scott Brash (GBR), pictured here at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014 riding Ursula XII, heads the Longines Rankings in Jumping. Photos ©FEI/Arnd Bornkhorst.

Lausanne (SUI), 6 May 2014 – British riders have broken all-time records, occupying the world number one slots in all three Olympic equestrian disciplines. This is the first time that athletes from one nation have simultaneously topped the FEI World Rankings in Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing.

In the latest rankings published by the FEI, Scott Brash heads the Longines Rankings in Jumping, Charlotte Dujardin heads the FEI World Individual Dressage Rankings, and William Fox-Pitt tops the FEI World Eventing Athlete Rankings.

“To be the first country whose athletes have simultaneously been world number one in the three Olympic disciplines since the FEI Rankings began in 2002 is a truly outstanding achievement,” FEI Secretary General Ingmar De Vos said.

“Congratulations to Scott Brash, Charlotte Dujardin, and William Fox-Pitt for their remarkable performances, and also to their trainers, owners, grooms, support crews, veterinarians, the British Equestrian Federation, and the British Olympic Association. And of course, I would like to pay a very special tribute to the talented horses that are an integral part of the success story in British equestrian sport.”

Jumping

Scott Brash, the youngest member of Britain’s London 2012 Olympic Games gold medal team, jumped into the world number one spot in the Longines Rankings in December 2013 and has held the position ever since. With 3,266 points, the 28-year-old from Peebles in Scotland is ahead of fellow countryman Ben Maher (2,830 points), and Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum (2,799). Beerbaum and Brash claimed second and third places behind Daniel Deusser (GER) in last month’s Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Lyon (FRA).

Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Valegro, pictured at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2014, head the FEI World Individual Dressage Rankings.
Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Valegro, pictured at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2014, head the FEI World Individual Dressage Rankings.

Dressage

Charlotte Dujardin (28) and the 12-year-old bay gelding Valegro became the first British partnership to head the FEI World Dressage Rankings in September 2012 following their double Olympic gold at the London Olympic Games. The combination reclaimed world number one status last September and has now been in pole position since the beginning of the year. Dujardin and Valegro, winners of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in Lyon, are also the FEI Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special, and Grand Prix Freestyle record holders.

Dujardin and Valegro lead the FEI Dressage Rankings with 3,138 points ahead of Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW (2,917 points), and Edward Gal (NED) and Glock’s Undercover (2,702 points).

Eventing

William Fox-Pitt, multiple Olympic, World and European medallist, and the first British rider to top the FEI World Eventing Rankings in 2002, took over as world number one at the beginning of the month. Triple Olympic team medallist Fox-Pitt (44), who this week bids for a Badminton victory to add to last month’s win in Kentucky, has a 16-point advantage over Andrew Nicholson (NZL), with Bruce O. Davidson Jr. (USA) third in the world rankings.

“This is another historic first for equestrian sport in Great Britain and is wonderful proof of the skill of our riders, the dedication of the owners and staff, as well as the support provided by the Lottery-funded World Class Programme,” British World Class Performance Manager Will Connell said.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR), multiple Olympic, World and European Eventing medallist, pictured here at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is now leading the FEI World Eventing Rankings.
William Fox-Pitt (GBR), multiple Olympic, World and European Eventing medallist, pictured here at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is now leading the FEI World Eventing Rankings.

“Of course ranking lists are a record of what has already happened, but now all of us are focused on the competitions ahead and especially on the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy.”

View the FEI Rankings in the three Olympic disciplines here:
Longines Rankings
FEI World Individual Dressage Ranking
FEI World Eventing Athlete Rankings

Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
Email: malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 133

Dujardin and Valegro Dance to Reem Acra Glory

Charlotte Dujardin (centre) claimed the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2014 title at Lyon, France today after a spectacular Freestyle performance with Valegro. Pictured with her on the prize-winner’s podium are (left) runner-up Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg and (right) third-place Edward Gal from The Netherlands. Photo: FEI/Dirk Caremans.

Lyon (FRA), 20 April 2014 – World No. 1, double-Olympic and European champion and the rider who holds all three world records in the sport, Charlotte Dujardin, became the first-ever Briton to win the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage title at Lyon in France today.

To the strains of a newly-created musical score she steered Valegro, the horse that has taken her to the very top and beyond over the course of the last two spectacular years, to a mark of 92.179 that left her well ahead of defending champions Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW from Germany in second place. The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover revealed more of their increasing potential when slotting into third ahead of Sweden’s Tinne Vilhemson-Silfven and the elegant Don Auriello in fourth.

But it was Dujardin and Valegro who owned the stage and clinched the coveted Reem Acra trophy after receiving a standing ovation from the crowd. “I’m over the moon, coming here to my very first World Cup Final – it’s so fantastic! This was my first time with my new Freestyle and it was so much fun; this music is great and it was so emotional – it’s all you can ask for… a dream come true really!” the new champion said.

Rising star

Rising Dutch star Danielle Heijkoop, who celebrated her 27th birthday last Wednesday, set the first strong target when sixth of the 17 starters into the arena. Riding the 15-year-old Kingsley Siro she produced a much more impressive performance than in yesterday’s Grand Prix, the gelding settling to his job to post an impressive 77.946 which would eventually prove good enough for sixth place.

Russia’s Inessa Merkulova opened the second half of the programme with 73.786 from the gracious 10-year-old Trakehner gelding Mister X whose easy passage was complemented by lovely passage toward the end of his programme.

The Netherlands’ Hans Peter Minderhoud then followed with a great presentation from Glock’s Johnson TN who posted 77.625 before Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl went even closer to Heijkoop’s leading score with 77.768 from Unee BB.

Top of the leaderboard

But it took Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello to demote Heijkoop from the top of the leaderboard. The World No. 4 rider and her elegant bay set off with the most extravagant extended trot and powered their way into the lead with a score of 80.946. With three left to go that was now the mark to beat, and third-last in, Gal and Glock’s Undercover did just that, maximising their points potential with strong and consistent piaffe although, as the 2010 champion admitted afterwards, a bit of a muddle towards the end saw him lose a rein which hampered his final sequence.

“He (Undercover) was still a little too excited; it was difficult warming up in this environment; he was too over-active and in end (of his test) I lost my rein!” the Dutchman said. His score of 83.696 was immediately overtaken by the penultimate partnership of Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW, but the defending champions temporarily lost communication at the beginning of their test and their eventual score of 87.339 fell short of expectations.

Langehanenberg remained stoic, however. “I had two mistakes today, and two is too many. In between I had a great feeling but I took risks and when you take a risk then anything can happen. On the centreline we didn’t start together, but that’s the way it goes – but I’m absolutely happy!” the 2013 champion insisted.

Door wide open

That left the door wide open for Dujardin and Valegro whose presence alone sets hearts beating a little faster. There was enormous curiosity about their new musical score, put together by Tom Hunt using the soundtrack from the Dreamworks animated film “How to Train Your Dragon”. And it proved delightful, with Valegro demonstrating all his hallmark grace, balance, strength, obedience and lightness along with no small measure of personal charm as he cruised through passage and canterwork that was joy to watch before finishing with a daring final piaffe/pirouette. The crowd loved it, and roared their approval at the end, while the Ground Jury responded with the winning mark that left the British duo almost five marks ahead of last year’s winners.

“I had only ridden the test twice at home so I wasn’t as confident as I would be with my other music but I definitely think this is better than my old music. We were just messing around at home when I came up with the idea of the piaffe/pirouette at the end which is technically difficult but, being the super-star he is, Valegro can do it!” said Dujardin afterwards.

Some weekend

It has been some weekend for the 28-year-old who yesterday broke her own world record score to win the Grand Prix.

She talked about the importance of her new Freestyle music and floor plan this evening. “I think it really is storytelling and you know, it really highlights his (Valegro’s) highlights, his powerful extended canter; it really kicks in for that and obviously the end was the piaffe/pirouette. I was thinking today, what if we make a fluff of it? You think it’s all a good idea until you’ve actually got to do it in there and you’re like ‘uh-oh, what if it goes wrong?’ but thankfully it didn’t and what a superstar Valegro is,” said Great Britain’s first-ever FEI World Cup Dressage champion as she proudly grasped the prestigious Reem Acra trophy.

The Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final takes place in Lyon (FRA) from 17-20 April 2014. For all information on the French fixture, contact Press Officer Pascal Renauldon, Email p.renauldon@rbpresse.com, Tel +333 44 620 621.

FEI YouTube: http://youtu.be/dnDk28TuUYw

Full result HERE.

Facts and Figures:

World No. 1, double-Olympic and European champion, and the rider who holds all three world records in the sport became the first-ever British rider to win the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage title at Lyon in France today.

The 28-year old rider performed a new Freestyle to music from the Dreamworks animated film “How to Train Your Dragon”.

Going last in the Freestyle Final she posted a score of 92.179, pinning defending champions Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW from Germany into second place.

Third spot went to 2010 FEI World Cup Dressage champion Edward Gal from The Netherlands riding Glock’s Undercover.

17 horse-and-rider combinations lined out in today’s finale to the 2014 Reem Acra series.

The only other British rider ever to stand on the podium at the FEI World Cup Dressage Final is Christopher Bartle who finished second with Wily Trout behind Sweden’s Anne-Grethe Jensen and Marzog at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands in 1986.

Quotes:

Dr Jean-Michel Roudier, Ground Jury President – “The competition was exceptional; from start to finish it was a very high level. The draw was a coincidence (winning rider Dujardin drawn last), but it hinted at the places on the final podium.”

Sylvie Robert, Event Director – “I couldn’t imagine anything better than the Olympic champion in number one spot, last year’s winner in second and Edward Gal in third. You were wonderful, as were your horses!”

Trond Asmyr, FEI Dressage Director – “I’ve been to all the last Finals and we had never had any group of riders of this level on the podium. We have also had some young horses here who are still developing in a very good way and we look forward to seeing them later this year – they can go on for many years to come, so it’s very exciting.”

Charlotte Dujardin GBR – “I’m very excited to be here and I’d like to thank Reem Acra and of course Carl (Hester, her trainer and mentor) and Roly (Luard, co-owner of Valegro) for all their help and support. This has been a special show and to have the crowd behind us was very special.”

Edward Gal NED – “Undercover was still a little too excited; it was difficult warming up in this environment; he was too over-active and in end I lost my rein. I know I can do much better so I’m now looking forward to the next time!”

Helen Langehanenberg GER, when asked about creating the choreography for Freestyle – “You start with the highlights and build it up, fitting it to the music so you create a little story that fits with the music, then you come down a little again before introducing more highlights.”

Helen Langehanenberg GER – “I’m not disappointed at all about second place at the World Cup Final. Yesterday I thought I could have had higher marks but today we made two mistakes and that was it. We (herself and Damon Hill NRW!) are both human after all, and it happens!”

Audio Links:

Charlotte Dujardin
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Lyon_dujardin_end.mp3

Carl Hester Coach to Charlotte Dujardin
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Lyon_hester.mp3

Helen Langehanenberg – German
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Langehanenberg_end_ger.mp3

Helen Langehanenberg – English
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Lyon_langehanenberg_end_eng.mp3

Edward Gal – Dutch audio
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Gal_end_dutch.mp3

Edward Gal – English Audio
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Gal_end.mp3

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By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Lyon:

Pascal Renauldon
Press Officer
P.renauldon@rbpresse.com
+333 44 620 621

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45