Tag Archives: Driving

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

The EQUUS Foundation and the USEF Launch America’s Favorite Equestrian

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WESTPORT, CT – December 17, 2010 – America’s Favorite Equestrian is an interactive fundraising effort presented jointly in partnership by The EQUUS Foundation and The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to raise funds to advance the equestrian sport on an annual basis.

Using mobile texting, you can vote to select America’s Favorite Equestrians and support The EQUUS Foundation with a $5 gift. 100% of all donations will be used to support charitable causes. A minimum of $10,000 in “sport welfare” grants will be awarded, with an additional $5,000 grant awarded to the equestrian discipline generating the most votes.

The objective is for the America’s Favorite Equestrians to be an ongoing program with all equestrian disciplines/breeds represented and the winners recognized in a permanent “Hall of Fame”. The original intent was to launch the inaugural program in conjunction with the World Equestrian Games, which is why initially the eight disciplines of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, jumping, para-dressage, reining, and vaulting were selected. The affiliates of the United States Equestrian Federation representing these disciplines selected the equestrians.  But, there were some logistics involved in establishing the mobile texting system and developing the website, which delayed the launch until December.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12751

*Featured/Spotlights, Breeds, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Driving, Events, JRPR

Lusitanos Light Up the Season at West Palm Beach’s Waterfront Holiday HorseFest

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Cherri Reiber and the Lusitanos Zerbino Interagro and Visitor Interagro presented a tandem driving exhibition at the Fidelity Investments Holiday HorseFest. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

West Palm Beach, FL (December 17, 2010) – Two magnificent Lusitanos, driven in tandem by Cherri Reiber, kicked off the holiday season in style at Fidelity Investments Holiday HorseFest at the Meyer Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach’s downtown waterfront.  With more than four thousand spectators in attendance, the Lusitanos’ thrilling demonstration lit up the holiday show, which was presented as a fun and festive afternoon of show jumping, musical performances, pony rides, holiday fun, prize giveaways and a competition for the 2011 $1 Million Great Charity Challenge.

“The crowd really enjoyed the tandem driving exhibition and the two Lusitanos, Vistor Interagro and Zerbino Interagro, piloted by Reiber put on a fabulous performance,” said Peter Van Borst, the United States representative for Interagro Lusitanos, the largest breeder and exporter of Lusitano horses in the world. “Tandem driving is considered by driving aficionados to be one of the most difficult forms of the driving discipline due to the fact of minimal control over the lead horse. These two horses have only been working together for a few weeks, and despite the imposing venue Vistor Interagro and Zerbino Interagro put on a show that the crowd will remember for a long time.”

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12749

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, Endurance Riding, FEI

FEI President Names Executive Board Members

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Sheikh Khalid

Lausanne (SUI), 13 December 2010 – FEI President HRH Princess Haya has today named Chairman of Geographical Group VII Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa (BRN) and Chair of the Driving Committee Richard Nicoll (USA) as members of the FEI Executive Board.

Sheikh Khalid and Mr Nicoll will serve on the Executive Board alongside First Vice President John McEwen (GBR) and Second Vice President Pablo Mayorga (ARG), who were approved at the General Assembly.

Sheikh Khalid, whose carrier as a sports administrator began in 1987, is an international judge in Endurance. He has been Chair of Group VII since 2006. He has been the Vice President of the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation and the Bahrain Olympic Committee since 2009. This year he became the Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain Olympic Committee. In the past he has been involved at the senior level in international sports clubs and committees for motor sports, Jumping and Endurance.

Continue reading FEI President Names Executive Board Members →

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

Exell Back on Track in Geneva

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Boyd Exell (AUS) crossing the exciting water splash on the course in Geneva. Photo: FEI/Rinaldo de Craen

Boyd Exell is back on track after winning the fifth qualifier of this season’s FEI World Cup Driving in Geneva. Exell was too strong for IJsbrand Chardon and Tomas Eriksson and claimed his only victory rewarded with World Cup points this season. This is Boyd Exell’s third victory at Geneva’s Palexpo after his win in 2008 and the series’ Final last April.

Leader of the standings
After his wild card wins in Hannover and Stuttgart for which he did not receive World Cup points, Exell claimed ten points in Stockholm where he came second behind wild card driver Tomas Eriksson. In Budapest, it was Switzerland’s Werner Ulrich who beat the Australian World Cup and World four-in-hand Driving Champion. Thanks to his victory in Geneva, Exell has taken over the lead in the standings and has secured his ticket for the FEI World Cup Driving Final in Leipzig at the end of April 2011. Exell will start once more this season in Mechelen, Belgium, where he will compete with his third wild card for the season.

The older the faster
Boyd Exell competed with the same four horses in all five competitions he has done so far. The Britain-based Australian title holder has been travelling with seven horses in order to be able to replace one if any injuries occurred during the long trips between World Cup events. But the geldings, which on average are 17-and-a-half years old, went faster and faster at every competition. Boyd noticed this in Budapest last week and cut down their feed supplies to help them slow down.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12696

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

Ultimate Win for Ulrich in Budapest

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Werner Ulrich set a solid base for his victory as first starter in the Winning Round. Photo: FEI/Rinaldo de Craen

What nobody expected in Hungary’s capital city happened today: Switzerland’s Werner Ulrich stayed ahead of top favourite Boyd Exell from Australia and won the FEI World Cup Driving competition in Budapest. Exell made two mistakes and came second, ahead of Ulrich’s compatriot Daniel Würgler. This was the second FEI World Cup Driving win in Ulrich’s 31 year long driving career. His first World Cup win came in Mechelen back in 2005.

Heart for Driving
The Papp Lászlo Budapest Sportarena was filled with enthusiastic driving fans this afternoon. In Budapest you feel that driving has a special place in the people’s hearts. The driving sport is extremely popular in Hungary, stimulated even further by the Lázár brothers who are very successful in both pairs and team driving and who enjoy celebrity status in Hungary.

Hungarian O-course designer Gábor Fintha had designed one of the best courses of the season for today’s competition, with technical challenges and fast lines, including a bridge with fireworks.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12661

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

Home Favourite Eriksson Beats Exell in Stockholm

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Tomas Eriksson on his way to victory in Stockholm Photo: FEI/Rinaldo de Craen

History repeated itself in Stockholm on Sunday when local driver Tomas Eriksson beat favourite Boyd Exell on home soil in the third leg of the FEI World Cup Driving.

Exactly one year ago at the same venue, Eriksson triumphed and this year he was again too strong for the Australian FEI World Cup Driving Champion. However, Exell still claimed the full ten points because Eriksson drove with a wild card. Hungary’s Jozsef Dobrovitz came third in the Ericsson Globen Arena.

Volkswagen

For the first time in the history of the FEI World Cup Driving in Stockholm, a winning round for the top three drivers was included in the event, which resulted in two exciting rounds.  The drivers revelled in the competition and commented that they hoped next year they would be able to win a Volkswagen, like those competing in Jumping and Dressage in Stockholm.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12623

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, Events, FEI, FEI

Exell Flies to Victory in Stuttgart

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by Cindy Timmer

Boyd Exell (AUS) flew to his second victory of this season in the FEI World Cup Driving competition in Stuttgart. The World Cup and World champion drove an impeccable and extremely fast round with his new indoor marathon carriage and new harness, cheered by the enthusiastic crowd in the Schleyer Halle.

Dutch force
Dutch drivers Koos de Ronde and IJsbrand Chardon qualified for the Winning Round and their main goal was to put the pressure on Boyd Exell, whose parents had come over from Australia to watch their son perform. Kentucky silver medallist Chardon set a fast time but knocked a ball down, giving his compatriot Koos de Ronde some air. De Ronde however was a bit confused by the different course in the Winning Round and drove an extra circle in the marathon obstacle. But being a true sportsman, De Ronde decided to keep driving as fast as he could and beat Chardon’s score by almost three seconds.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12591

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Disciplines, Dressage, Driving, Events

Shelly Temple and Pony Pair Finish 2010 Season with a Win at Katydid CDE

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Shelly Temple and groom Dottie Paul competed in the driven dressage on day 1, Katydid CDE. Photo credit: Pics of You.

The cold temperatures in Windsor, South Caroline did not dampen the enthusiasm of Shelly Temple, Cooper and Harry at the Katydid CDE.  Held at Katrina Becker’s Katydid Farm, the Katydid CDE featured four days of combined driving at the training, preliminary, and intermediate levels.  Shelly and her new combination of ponies, reigning National Champion pony Cooper, and former National Champion Harry, finished out their season with win.  Harry is owned by Jack Wetzel of Aiken, South Carolina.

“The ponies continue to come together as a team,” remarked Shelly after winning dressage with a 40.22.  “The boys will have a little time off then will be back to work to build on the foundation we established this fall.”  Saturday saw the team, including Shelly’s husband/navigator, Fran Doto, take 4th place in marathon yet preserve their overall 1st place standing.  Sunday’s cones competition featured another cool but sunny day, and a double clear round for Team Catalyst resulting in a first place in preliminary pair ponies in their second competition.

Continue reading Shelly Temple and Pony Pair Finish 2010 Season with a Win at Katydid CDE →

*Featured/Spotlights, Conferences, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, Events, JRPR

Combined Driver Chester Weber Speaks At CHA Conference at Oaks of Lake City

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Chester Weber, who recently helped his team win the Silver Medal in Combined Driving at the 2010 WEG, spoke and gave a demonstration at Lakes of Oak City Equestrian Center in Lake City, Florida. (Photo courtesy of Susanna Dicks)

Lake City, FL (November 11, 2010) – Combined Driver Chester Weber is passionate about driving and never misses an opportunity to share his passion for the sport. As the reigning eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion, Weber spoke recently at the CHA Conference at the Oaks of Lake City, home of the O’Connor Signature Equestrian Center in Lake City, Florida.

“While at the Oaks of Lake City Equestrian Center I had the chance to introduce the sport of combined driving to everyone attending the conference,” Weber said. “It was an intimate group, so in addition to demonstrating different aspects of combined driving, I was also able to field questions from individuals.”

Weber is fresh off his third time competing in the World Equestrian Games. Weber, along with U.S. Combined Driving teammates James Fairclough and Tucker Johnson, won the team silver medal at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. Weber won the cones phase of the Combined Driving event with an almost record-setting time to help the U.S. Team clinch the silver medal.

Continue reading Combined Driver Chester Weber Speaks At CHA Conference at Oaks of Lake City →

*Featured/Spotlights, Associations/Breeds, Breeds, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Driving, Events, JRPR, World Equestrian Games

Hackney Ponies Added to the Excitement at the World Equestrian Games

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Lieutenant Dan, a Hackney Pony owned by Georgia Blevins, gave a high stepping, action packed driving demonstration at the WEG. (Photo by JRPR)

Lexington, KY (November 9, 2010) – Early Edition, a high stepping Hackney Pony, took part in a driving demonstration at the Equine Village at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, much to the delight of the crowd who gathered around to find out more about the glamorous, eye-catching Hackney. Early Edition, owned by T. J. and Georgia Blevins of Blevins Farm in Bowling Green, Kentucky, is an American and Canadian National Champion Hackney Pleasure Pony.

Blevins said she was thrilled to be asked to perform a demonstration with Early Edition at the World Equestrian Games and was pleased that so many people were introduced to the breed. In addition to winning the Canadian National Champion Pleasure Pony title in 2009, the flashy Hackney, who is trained by Matt Schuckert of Debonaire Stables, also won the Championship at the Indianapolis Charity Horse Show in 2010.

Early Edition was bred by Bent Tree Farms of Virginia and started his career as a Road Pony, becoming the 2002 World Champion Four-Year-Old Road Pony Champion. Under the ownership of the late Jane Mueller, Early Edition switched to the Pleasure Pony division where in 2006 he became the World Grand Champion Pleasure Pony.

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12521