Tag Archives: Driving

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Driving, Events, FEI, FEI

First FEI World Cup Driving Points for IJsbrand Chardon

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IJsbrand Chardon (NED), winner of the first FEI Word Cup Driving 2011/2012 qualifier held in Hannover (GER) this weekend. © Rinaldo de Craen/FEI

Hannover (GER), 23 October 2011 – IJsbrand Chardon (NED) won the first FEI World Cup Driving competition of the season held in Hannover, Germany, this weekend. His compatriot Koos de Ronde finished second, ahead of Tomas Eriksson (SWE) who was struck by fate in the winning round.

Misfortune
Second starter in the winning round Tomas Eriksson was well on his way to putting Chardon under serious pressure, driving his team of Swedish warm blood horses very fast, when fate struck. In the corner just before the last gate, Tomas’s left leader horse slipped and fell down. His right leader horse and his left wheeler horse also fell down which forced Tomas to stop. With the very fast help from his fellow competitors and his grooms, Tomas’s horses got back up and were lead out of the arena without major injuries.

Safe round
Chardon knew he had an advantage of nearly 10 seconds over Koos de Ronde when he entered the arena. The four-time world champion drove a fast but safe round and secured his first victory of the season despite one knock down. Chardon is competing with his team of Lipizzaner horses for the third season and feels they are getting better at every competition.

Continue reading First FEI World Cup Driving Points for IJsbrand Chardon →

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Dressage, Driving, Endurance Riding, EQUUS Foundation, Eventing/H.T., National Horse Show, Para-Equestrian, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping, USEF, Vaulting, Western/Reining

Who Will Be Inducted into the America’s Favorite Equestrian Hall of Fame? Voting Closes on October 31st!

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WESTPORT, CT – October 21, 2011 – Who Will Be Inducted into the America’s Favorite Equestrian Hall of Fame? Voting ends on October 31, 2011. America’s Favorite Equestrians will be selected based on the athletes with the highest number of votes recorded in each of the eight disciplines.

The announcement will be made at the America’s Favorite Equestrian Victory Celebration on Friday, November 4, 2011, at 9:30 p.m., at the Alltech National Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky.

This is it! Keep Voting! All it takes is a $5 gift to The EQUUS Foundation to insure that your favorite is America’s favorite. Click here to see the equestrian entries and to vote.

For information on The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., visit the EQUUS website at www.equusfoundation.org or contact The EQUUS Foundation, Inc., at (203) 259-1550 or equus@equusfoundation.org.

Continue reading Who Will Be Inducted into the America’s Favorite Equestrian Hall of Fame? Voting Closes on October 31st! →

Competitions, Driving, Events, JRPR, Media/Radio/TV Sources

2011 CHIO Aachen Marathon Driving to Air on HRTV

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Chester Weber competing at the CHIO Aachen. (Photo courtesy of Franz Steindl)

Ocala, FL (October 19, 2011) – On Thursday, October 20th, HRTV will air the 2011 CHIO Aachen Marathon Driving followed by a re-airing of “Holding the Reins,” which showcases Chester Weber, America’s most decorated competitor in the sport of Combined Driving.  The show will air at 9:30pm Eastern and Pacific, in addition to a 1:30am air on Friday morning, 10:30pm Pacific.  The two shows highlight the sport of Combined Driving at its most competitive.

HRTV, The Network for Horse Sports, will run the CHIO Aachen Marathon, the most demanding phase of Combined Driving that combines agility, teamwork, and stamina. “Holding the Reins” is a 24-minute look at the exciting world of combined driving – which is considered one of the fastest growing sports in the industry – and features the story of how Weber grew up on a Thoroughbred racehorse farm to become one of our country’s leading drivers.

Weber has had great success both nationally and internationally, bringing home numerous wins under the American flag.  At the 2011 CHIO Aachen, Weber won the dressage phase and finished third individually at the prestigious competition.  On the same European tour Weber won the CAI Vecses, CAI Altenfelden, and the CAI Riesenbeck.  Most recently, the decorated driver served as Chef d’Equipe to the Pony and Pony Pairs Teams at the 2011 World Pony Driving Championships in Lipica, Slovenia, where Pony Team USA took home the Team Bronze Medal and Suzy Stafford, competing as an individual for Team USA, took home the Individual Bronze Medal.  The goal-oriented Weber has his sights set on being the best in the world and during the HRTV show the United States Driving Chef d’Equipe, Ed Young, discussed Weber’s ambitions. “I think we will see Chester become the World Champion,” Young said.

Continue reading 2011 CHIO Aachen Marathon Driving to Air on HRTV →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Driving, Events, FEI, FEI

Eleventh Season of the FEI World Cup Driving Attracts World Class Field

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FEI World Cup Driving title holder Boyd Exell of Australia. © Kit Houghton

Lausanne (SUI), 12 October 2011 – After an exciting outdoor season with the FEI Open European Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand in Breda (NED) as its highlight, the sport of four-in-hand Driving moves indoors for the 11th season of the FEI World Cup Driving.

Ten top class drivers will battle it out for the ultimate title of FEI World Cup Driving champion. Germany, who was absent from the series for the past two seasons, is making a significant comeback and will now be represented by two drivers, Rainer Duen and Georg von Stein.

New comer
The qualification season consisted of 14 competitions held throughout Europe with the top 10 drivers qualifying for the 2011-2012 season. Amongst these, there is one new comer: Georg von Stein from Germany. Von Stein competed as a wild card in the FEI World Cup Driving Final 2011 in Leipzig where he finished sixth.

Continue reading Eleventh Season of the FEI World Cup Driving Attracts World Class Field →

Breeds, Championships, Competitions, Driving, Events, JRPR

Champion Driver Suzy Stafford and Sjaantje Take Home National Championship Title at the 2011 International Friesian Show Horse Association World & Grand National

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Suzy Stafford and Sjaantje took the National Championship in the Friesian Carriage Driving Open class at the IFSHA World and Grand National. (Photo courtesy of Rick Osteen)

Lexington, VA (October 17, 2011) – Decorated driver Suzy Stafford hasn’t let her success at the 2011 World Pony Driving Championships in Lipica slow her down.  Recently returned from Slovenia where she drove the half-Arabian mare Miss Josephine to an Individual Bronze Medal, Stafford hasn’t been back in the United States for a month before earning another championship title.  She drove Sjaantje, a 6-year-old Friesian mare, to the National Championship in the Friesian Carriage Pleasure Driving Open division at the International Friesian Show Horse Association (IFSHA) World and Grand National.  The mare’s owner, Gail AuMiller of Dreams Come True Farm in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, drove Sjaantje to top honors in the Amateur Carriage Pleasure Driving division and the pair also took the Reinsmanship Championship.

The IFSHA World and Grand National took place October 5-9, 2011 in Lexington, Virginia.  The IFSHA is dedicated to the promotion, showing, and exhibition of the Friesian horse and its derivatives, and the Championships featured a wide range of disciplines.  This year’s carriage driving classes were the largest driving classes to date at the Friesian National Championships, and Sjaantje, also known as “SJ”, proved her mettle by earning top placement while showing against some of the top members of her breed.

Continue reading Champion Driver Suzy Stafford and Sjaantje Take Home National Championship Title at the 2011 International Friesian Show Horse Association World & Grand National →

Community/Charity, Driving, Eventing/H.T., JRPR, Training/Clinics

Canadian Eventer Kim Logue Wins Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience to Train with Chester Weber through Gift of the Horse Website Contest

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Kim Logue is Chester Weber’s biggest fan and won an essay contest for an opportunity to train with the legendary combined driver. (Photo courtesy of Ze’ev Gedalof)

Ocala, FL (September 8, 2011) – Canadian rider Kim Logue may just be the biggest fan of Combined Driver Chester Weber, a fact she proved when she won a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend two days on Weber’s Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, Florida, training with the legendary combined driver. Logue won the contest on the Gift of the Horse website by writing an award winning essay explaining why she is Weber’s biggest fan.

In her winning essay she said, “Chester Weber is a champion many times over, but there are other reasons I am his number one fan. He has been the introduction to the sport of Combined Driving, not just for me, but also for countless enthusiasts. I can vividly remember an entrancing demo during the Symphony of the Horse Charity Fundraiser in Gainesville, Florida where he was wearing a headset mic and whipping around the arena describing the sport in general, as well as the specific methods he was using moment by moment, with his team in action, to give a taste of the sport.”

Logue went on to write that she admires that fact that Weber believes in cross training his horses and she added that she is his number one fan, “because of the respect and appreciation he has shown for his carefully selected staff team. I am his number one fan because he is known to provide horses to students from time to time, including Canadians! I am his number one fan because he is known to invest in horses being shown in other sports, including by Canadian riders. I am his number one fan because some of the most amazing photographs published of him are taken by his wife.”

Continue reading Canadian Eventer Kim Logue Wins Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience to Train with Chester Weber through Gift of the Horse Website Contest →

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Dressage, Driving, Endurance Riding, EQUUS Foundation, Eventing/H.T., National Horse Show, Para-Equestrian, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping, USEF, Vaulting, Western/Reining

The Final Round of America’s Favorite Equestrian Is Underway. Vote for Your Favorite!

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WESTPORT, CT – October 1, 2011 – The results of Round 4 of America’s Favorite Equestrian are in. Three equestrians in each of the eight disciplines that participated in the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games have moved onto the Final Round.

“America’s Favorite Equestrian is an innovative and contemporary concept designed to engage the equestrian community,” said John Long, CEO, United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). “It is an exciting project to be a part of because the proceeds benefit so many worthy causes supported by The EQUUS Foundation.”

“Like any new program, getting the word out is always a challenge”, said Lynn Coakley, President, The EQUUS Foundation. “We hope that the America’s Favorite Equestrian program will help us build grass roots support within the equestrian community to improve the quality of life of horses and promote the use of horses to enrich the lives of those in need. A $5 donation multiplied by the many who already know the magical and powerful impact of horses in our lives will go a long way.”

Who Will Win?
Voting ends on October 31, 2011. America’s Favorite Equestrians will be selected based on the athletes with the highest number of votes recorded in each of the eight disciplines.

This is it! Keep Voting! All it takes is a $5 gift to The EQUUS Foundation to insure that your favorite is America’s favorite. Click here to see the equestrian entries and to vote.

Continue reading The Final Round of America’s Favorite Equestrian Is Underway. Vote for Your Favorite! →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Events, FEI, JRPR

Pony Team USA Drives to Team and Individual Bronze Medal at the 2011 FEI Pony Driving World Championships

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Chef d’Equipe Chester Weber (far left) with Pony Team USA at the 2011 World Pony Driving Championships in Lipica, Slovenia. (Photo courtesy of Marie de Ronde-Oudemans)

Lipica, Slovenia (September 30, 2011) – The United States’ reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the sport of combined driving just got stronger thanks to a stellar performance at the 2011 FEI Pony World Driving Championships.  After the marathon, the US Pony Team was placed third and they defended that finish through the cones, bringing home the Team Bronze Medal.  Their total of 402.3 earned them the medal behind Germany with a 359.4 and The Netherlands with a 375.4.  Suzy Stafford, who was competing as an individual for the United States, brought home her second consecutive Individual Bronze Medal after a brilliant cones phase boosted her from fourth to third.  Stafford won an Individual Bronze Medal in Germany in 2009 and an Individual Gold Medal at the 2005 World Pony Driving Championships in England.

Chef d’Equipe Chester Weber was pleased with the US Teams’ successes.  “The single Pony and Pony Pairs and pony teams all put in excellent performances here in Lipica,” Weber stated.  “Team Bronze is a fantastic achievement for the Pony Team, and is highlighted by Stafford’s Individual Bronze Medal.  The Pairs Team also had a great show, and both Teams gained invaluable experience showing and training on the international level.”

Weber, who finished second in the FEI World Cup Standings this year for Four-in-Hand Combined Driving, also served as Chef d’Equipe for the Pony Team in 2007 and 2009, and this was his first year as Chef for the Pairs Teams.  Weber is a seasoned international competitor in the Four-in-Hand, and returned to the States to win the US Four-in-Hand Reserve National Championship.  While competing in Europe he was mentored by the US Four-in-Hand Chef d’Equipe, Ed Young.  “I have been working with Ed since 2006, and with Michael Young, the Team Coach, since 1998,” Weber said.  “We were determined to use our knowledge and experience to improve the US Pony and Pairs Teams, and I think we did just that.  My hopes were that we could create a medal finish for the US while exposing our drivers to the sport at the highest level and increasing their depth of experience.  Clearly the standings for both Teams and Suzy Stafford medaling in the individual competition are a mark of our success.”

For more information on the US Pairs and Pony Team and results from Lipica, visit http://usefnetwork.com/featured/2011DrivingWorldChampionships/. For more information on Weber and his combined driving team, visit their website at www.chesterweber.com.

For more information contact:
Chester Weber
chester@chesterweber.com
www.chesterweber.com
1-352-895-1139

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Driving, Events, FEI, JRPR

Champion Driver Suzy Stafford and Half-Arabian Miss Josephine Cruise to Individual Bronze Medal at 2011 World Pony Driving Championships in Lipica

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Suzy Stafford and Miss Josephine during the cones phase. (Photo courtesy of Bettina Ruckelshaus)

Lipica, Slovenia (September 29, 2011) – Suzy Stafford and registered half-Arabian mare Miss Josephine put in a brilliant performance at the 2011 FEI World Pony Driving Championships in Slovenia where they were awarded with the Individual Bronze Medal, Stafford’s second consecutive Individual Bronze.  Stafford and Miss Josephine were competing as individuals for Team USA, marking the first time an Arabian competed for the United States.

“Josie and I had a great run in Lipica,” Stafford said.  “Josie has an amazing heart and loves a challenge, which makes her a great international competitor.  Arabians are a very versatile breed and they really can excel in any discipline,” Stafford said.  “After all Josie was a lead line horse for a beginner, in addition to being a competitor at the World Pony Driving Championships.  It doesn’t get much more versatile than that!”

Stafford and Josie finished fifth after the dressage and were five points off the leader going into the marathon.  “Josie was awesome in the dressage; she was the best she has ever been.  I couldn’t believe it when we went in the ring,” said Stafford.  “She knew it was a big deal and puffed herself up.  She showed off like a true pro.  We had one mistake at the end of the dressage test that lowered our score a bit, but I could not be happier with how hard Josie tried for me!  These are the moments that remind me why I have made horses my way of life.  Sometimes it’s not about winning; it’s about the partnership.”

The pair moved up to fourth after the marathon followed by a precise and fast cones round that put them in third, securing the Individual Bronze Medal.  “Josie’s strength and character overshadowed her lack of experience in the marathon,” said Stafford.  “The course required a lot of strength and speed.  I still find it amazing how powerful this little horse is!”

Continue reading Champion Driver Suzy Stafford and Half-Arabian Miss Josephine Cruise to Individual Bronze Medal at 2011 World Pony Driving Championships in Lipica →

Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Events, FEI, USEF

Team and Individual Bronze for Pony Team USA at the FEI Pony World Driving Championships

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The U.S. Pony Drivers defended their third-place marathon finish – driving a confident cones phase to secure a Team Bronze medal at the 2011 FEI Pony World Driving Championships in Lipica, Slovenia. Their three-phase total of 402.3 guaranteed Bronze behind driving powerhouse nations, Germany, who won on 359.4, and The Netherlands on 375.4. Additionally, Suzy Stafford – driving as an Individual for Team USA – drove an impeccable cones phase to move from fourth to third and secured her second consecutive Individual Bronze medal.

Single Pony Championship

Finishing just two places behind Stafford (Wilmington, DE) and Josephine, Randy Cadwell (Southern Pines, NC) drove Kabam to sixth in the division, adding just 1.88 penalties in the final phase. Shelly Temple (Windsor, SC) finished just outside the top 10 with LR Ami B-Line, ending up 11th on 130.97.

Pair Pony Championship

Jennifer Matheson (Aiken, SC) drove determinedly all weekend, and finished 10th to lead the U.S. effort in the Pairs division. Wendy O’Brien (Aiken, SC) put in a valiant effort in her first Team appearance, finishing 22nd overall.

“I thought it was great,” said Matheson. “We all worked really really hard. Some of us had personal bests, I was in that category. Wendy and Lisa had outstanding weekends, everyone worked hard. The team worked well together which was really nice and everyone helped everyone out. We worked really hard, at the beginning of the year we thought we had a chance for bronze, we knew that the Germans and the Dutch were really, really strong but we worked really really hard and we succeeded.”

Continue reading Team and Individual Bronze for Pony Team USA at the FEI Pony World Driving Championships →