Tag Archives: Eventing/H.T.

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Pan American Games, USEF

Mandatory Outing for the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Set to Begin

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Lexington, KY – The journey to the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico makes its next eventing stop in Richland, Michigan. Fourteen of the 15 horses currently short-listed by the USEF head to the Midwest to contest their Mandatory Outing at the Richland Park CIC and Horse Trials August 25-28.

The Pan American Games will be contested at the CCI2* level in 2011, which gives many riders who have never before represented the United States the chance to ride on the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the first time. They will contest a modified division made up of the CCI2* dressage test, the Advanced cross country course and an Advanced height show jumping track.

Allie Slusher withdrew her horse Pierre on August 23, which moved Jennifer Taxay Kelly onto the Short list as the first ranked substitute. The second ranked substitute, Matt Flynn, also withdrew Breakthrough from consideration. This leaves 15 horses on the short list, all of which will contest the Mandatory Outing except for Cold Harbor. Boyd Martin and Cold Harbor were excused from the event as Martin prepares Neville Bardos for the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in England next week. Michael Pollard will ride his wife Nathalie’s Schoensgreen Hanni at Richland Park before he joins Martin in England to ride Icarus at Burghley.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI

FEI European Young Riders Eventing Championship, Blair Castle (GBR)

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BRITAIN CLAIMS TEAM TITLE, GERMANY’S FULLGRAEBE IS INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION by Louise Parkes

Germany's Freya Fullgraebe and Oje Oje claimed individual gold at the FEI European Young Riders Eventing Championship at Blair Castle (GBR). Photo: FEI/John Grassick.

Lausanne (SUI), 23 August 2011 – Great Britain secured team gold, while Germany’s Freya Fullgraebe took the individual title at the FEI European Young Riders Eventing Championship 2011 which was staged against the spectacular backdrop of Blair Castle in Scotland (GBR) over the weekend.

The British record in these Championships in more than impressive, with six team titles in the last seven years and joint-victory with Germany in 2010.  This time around it came down to an exciting climax on the final afternoon when they held off a strong challenge from the Irish who had to settle for silver, while Germany took bronze.

Fullgraebe’s individual success was well-deserved as she was the only competitor, from 57 starters, to finish on her dressage score.

A total of eight nations lined out in the Team Championship and seven fielded full teams including the host country, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France and Poland while Russia sent out just three riders.  Russia’s team chances were dashed when Elizabeta Radionova and Rafiner were eliminated.

The cross-country course proved influential as expected, with 10 eliminations and only four horse-and-rider partnerships returning within the time allowed. The arrowhead at 9c proved the most influential fence on Roland Alexander’s track.

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Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI

Johnstone Clinches FEI World Cup Eventing 2011 Series Victory

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Lausanne (SUI), 23 August 2011 – Clarke Johnstone (NZL) was celebrating with a large bottle of champagne, part of his spoils from Haras du Pin (FRA), where he finally sealed victory in the FEI World Cup Eventing 2011.

“I’ve just flown five horses from New Zealand to England, so I’m not really in credit at the moment!” joked Johnstone. “But this is a very satisfying result and I’m going to enjoy it.”

Johnstone is perennially successful in FEI World Cup Eventing – he finished fifth overall last year – but this time the 24-year-old World team bronze medallist set an unmatchable target right from the start of the season. He scored a win and a third place in his native New Zealand, at Kihikihi, and when he also triumphed in the next event in the series, at Sydney (AUS), the dye was cast.

For good measure, Johnstone completed Haras du Pin (FRA), the seventh and final event in the 2011 series, in sixth place on Kihikihi winner Orient Express, but his overall series victory was assured even before the competition started at the French venue.

Another of the younger riders, Christopher Burton (AUS), tracked Johnstone all the way, only finishing four points shy to take second place in the series.

Burton put up a magnificent fight. Having slotted into second at Kihikihi (NZL) and second and fifth at Sydney (AUS); riding the same two horses, Newsprint and Holstein Park Leilani, he then finished second and third at Haras du Pin to close the gap. But even if he had won the series climax, he would still have been an agonising one point in arrears behind Johnstone.

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Community/Charity, Eventing/H.T., Phelps Media Group

Bruce Duchossois and ACE Private Risk Services Make $20,000 Donation to USET Foundation in Memory of Horses Lost

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Bob Courtemanche (Division President ACE Group Private Risk Services) hands the donation in honor of the fallen event horses to Bruce Duchossois, co-chair of the USET Foundation's Development Committee, flanked by Boyd Martin and Kirk James (COO Hub International) and Phillip and Evie Dutton. Photo: Lauren R. Giannini.

Gladstone, NJ – August 22 2011 – The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is honored to announce that USET Foundation Trustee Bruce Duchossois and ACE Private Risk Services have made a generous donation to the organization following the tragedy at True Prospect Farm. On May 31, fire destroyed the barn rented by international event rider Boyd Martin from Phillip Dutton of West Grove, PA. Of the 11 horses stabled in the wood and stone bank barn, six perished in the blaze.

In the aftermath of the fire, the entire eventing community rallied. Bruce Duchossois, who competes in the Amateur-Owner hunters, has owned several of Dutton’s top three-day horses, including Connaught. Dutton, who earned Olympic Team Gold in 1996 riding for Australia, became an American citizen in 2006. In 2007, he earned Pan American Games Team Gold and Individual Silver riding for the USA. In 2008 he piloted Connaught to first place in the prestigious four-star Kentucky Rolex Three-Day Event. About five years ago Duchossois became partners with Dutton in the ownership of True Prospect Farm.

Duchossois learned that ACE Private Risk Services, the high-net worth personal lines company of global insurance carrier, the ACE Group – who settled the claim quickly and gracefully – planned to make a donation in honor of the six horses. Several of those horses were being considered to represent the USA for the 2011 Pan American Games and now would never have a chance to prove themselves. Duchossois happens to be co-chair of the USET Foundation’s Development Committee, which raises funds for the USA’s elite equestrian athletes. He was involved to the nth degree with the horses and people at True Prospect Farm and with the USET Foundation. He offered to match whatever amount ACE Private Risk Services donated to the USET Foundation.

“I think that what ACE Private Risk Services is doing is phenomenal,” said Duchossois. “Insurance – you can’t live with it, you can’t live without it – and what these ACE people have done really is above and beyond. It was a beautiful old stone barn, and the horses – well, they were priceless. To settle the way they did and then to come back and make a donation to the USET Foundation in the memory of the horses – well, it’s unheard of. It opens eyes that they are good people and that they want to give back. I was blown away.”

Continue reading Bruce Duchossois and ACE Private Risk Services Make $20,000 Donation to USET Foundation in Memory of Horses Lost →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI, Olympic Games

Who Will Make History at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships?

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Kristina Cook leads Great Britain to Gold at HSBC FEI European Championships 2009 in Fontainebleau (FRA). Image: Kit Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 22 August 2011 – The hand of history will be resting heavily on some of the 71 riders heading for this week’s HSBC FEI European Eventing Championship in Luhmühlen (GER) on 25-28 August, as anticipation mounts for what promises to be an enthralling competition.

Host nation Germany, the reigning Olympic Champions, were World Champions in 2006, and their superstar rider Michael Jung (GER) is widely tipped for yet more individual honours. But they are making no secret of their longing to win European team gold on home ground for the first time – they had to settle for silver last time in Luhmühlen in 1999.

German team trainers Hans Melzer and Christopher Bartle have some of the world’s most talented and experienced riders from which to choose a dozen representatives – the home side is allowed 12 places.

Most notable among them are the World Champion Jung, riding his fabulous horse La Biosthetique Sam, and a quartet of Olympic gold medallists: Ingrid Klimke, Frank Ostholt, Peter Thomsen and dual CCI4* winner Andreas Dibowski.

Add to that mix former Pau CCI4* winner Dirk Schrade and Luhmühlen CCI4* runner-up Sandra Auffarth, who has been taking the circuit by storm, plus a host of other consistently successful competitors, and German supporters could well be celebrating by Sunday evening.

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Championships, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping, USEF, USEF, Vaulting

This Week in International Disciplines – August 18, 2011

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Beezie Madden and Cortes 'C'. Photo by Stefano Grasso/GCT

Jumping
The U.S. show jumpers had a strong showing in the final week of the two-week Horse Festival in Valkenswaard, The Netherlands. Beezie Madden and Cortes ‘C’ claimed victory in the weekend’s most prestigious class; the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Valkenswaard sponsored by the VDL Groep. In only their second grand prix together, Madden and Cortes ‘C’ were the fourth and last pair to go in the jump-off, storming to the win in a time of 38.38 seconds. Ireland’s Denis Lynch riding Lantinus 3 was second and Jur Vrieling and VDL Bubalu of The Netherlands claimed third place.

On Friday, Laura Kraut and Teirra were third in the Medium Tour 1m45 CSI5* against the clock class. Cortright Wetherill and Carlos were second in the Special Invitational 1m35 CSI1*.

On Saturday, Wetherill claimed a fourth-place finish with Whoops in the Special Invitational 1m25 CSI1*. Wetherill finished his competition week by riding Carlos to a second-place finish in the Special Invitational 1m35 CSI1* against the clock.

For more information and results, visit http://www.globalchampionstour.com/events/2011/valkenswaard/results.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI

New Zealand’s Johnstone Has One Last Push in FEI World Cup Eventing

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Clarke Johnstone (NZL) - leader since first leg of FEI World Cup Eventing 2011 in Kihikihi (NZL). Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 19 August 2011 – Antipodean riders Clarke Johnstone (NZL) and Chris Burton (AUS) are making absolutely sure of their FEI World Cup Eventing bonus by travelling to the last event in the 2011 series, which is underway at Haras du Pin (FRA) today.

Both riders are now based in Britain, where they are making quite an impact on the national circuit.

They will be hard to beat in the race to secure the FEI World Cup Eventing 2011 champion title and for Clarke Johnstone this would be a sweet victory after his brilliant wins at the first and second legs at Kihikihi (NZL) and Sydney (AUS).

A strong field of 47 riders representing 12 nations will contest this popular event, including several leading French names and Olympians such as Mark Todd (NZL) and Clayton Fredericks (AUS), so the Antipodean influence is expected to be strong.

Emily Baldwin, who scored a one-two-three on Drivetime at FEI World Cup Eventing’s third leg at Chatsworth (GBR), and was last year’s Le Pin winner, had signalled that she would be returning to the final leg of the 2011 series in her quest for further points. She will be missed after suffering a broken collarbone at Gatcombe.

Follow the event on www.legrandcomplet.com.

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Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping, USEA

Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championship Coming to Atlanta

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“Not Your Average Horse Show!”

Horseback riding tends to have a somewhat sissified reputation — perfectly coiffed men and women in top hats and tails perched prettily on top of overpriced hayburners.  That is so not the case with the Olympic sport of eventing, an equestrian triathlon that is a test of skill, strength, partnership, and just plain guts — definitely not your average horse show. These riders have grit, their horses have more heart than a Disney movie, and more than 500 of them from every corner of the country will descend on Bouckaert Farm at Chattahoochee Hills in Fairburn, September 8-11, for the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC), presented by Bit of Britain, which is slated to rank as one of the biggest competition in the sport’s nearly 100-year U.S. history.

Eventing has its roots in the cavalry, so we’re talking white knuckle, take-your-breath-away feats of athleticism on the part of both horses and riders, who participate in three different phases over several days.  Unlike almost all other sports, men and women compete on equal terms, in the same divisions. The horse is the equalizing factor, and these horses are unlike any you will see in competition. At the top levels during the sport’s signature phase of cross-country, expect to see them leap off banks almost as high as a refrigerator, jump some fences practically as narrow as a doorway, and bound across ditches as wide as your average car.  If you were to compare them to other athletes, think extreme – snow boarders or BMX riders. Think Olympic Games meets X Games.

At the Nutrena AEC, top horses and riders at every level, from juniors and adult amateurs to Olympic veterans, will battle for more than $70,000 in prize money and nearly $100,000 in prizes — not to mention bragging rights, with close to a dozen past Olympic, World and Pan American medalists on hand.

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Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Pan American Games, USEF

Additional Change to the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Short List for the Pan American Games

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Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announces an additional change to the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Short List for the Pan American Games. Sharon White withdrew Rafferty’s Rules on August 16, and the first substitute, Kevin Keane on Fernhill Flutter, has been moved up onto the Short List.

The complete Short List as of August 16:

Emily Beshear/34/Somerset, VA/Here’s to You/11/Thoroughbred/G/Deep Purple Eventing

Hannah Sue Burnett/25/Ocala, FL/Harbour Pilot/8/Irish Sport Horse/G/Jacqueline Mars

Anna Collier/35/Vancouver, WA/Upper Crust D/10/KWPN/G/Anna Collier

Bruce Davidson Jr./35/Ocala, FL/Absolute Liberty/8/Thoroughbred/M/Sharon Will

Jonathan Holling/34/Ocala, FL/ Downtown Harrison/7/Trakehner-Thoroughbred Cross/G/Constance Holling

Kevin Keane/56/Kennett Square, PA/Fernhill Flutter/9/Irish Sport Horse/G/Kevin Keane

Shannon Lilley/32/Gilroy, CA/Ballingowan Pizzaz/9/Irish Sport Horse/G/The Lilley Group

Boyd Martin/32/Cochranville, PA/Cold Harbor/11/Canadian Sport Horse/G/Dana Diemer

Maxance McManamy/19/Templeton, CA/Project Runway/7/Trakehner/G/Maxance McManamy

Michael Pollard/30/Dalton, GA/Schoensgreen Hanni/8/German Sport Horse/M/Natalie Pollard

Kristin Schmolze/28/Califon, NJ/Ballylaffin Bracken/11/Irish Sport Horse/G/ Kristin, Janet, and William Schmolze

Alexandra Slusher/24/Auburn, CA/Pierre/10/Hanoverian/G/Sandy Campbell

Tamra Smith/36/Murietta, CA/Mar de Amor/11/Selle Francais/G/Leigh Mesher

Lynn Symansky/28/Middleburg, VA/Donner/8/Thoroughbred/G/Lynn Symansky

Jolie Wentworth/30/Martinez, CA/Good Knight/9/Canadian Sport Horse/Tracy Bowman

Ranked Substitutes as of Aug. 16:

1. Jennifer Taxay Kelly/47/Agua Dulce, CA/Taboo/7/Thoroughbred/M/Jennifer Taxay Kelly

2. Matt Flynn/27/Potomac, MD/Breakthrough/7/Irish Sport Horse/G/Dr. and Mrs. A Patrick Flynn

More information about the 2011 Pan American Games is available at: http://www.guadalajara2011.org.mx/ENG/01_inicio/.

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Pan American Games, USEF

Changes to the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Short List for the Pan American Games

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Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) announces the following changes to the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Short List for the Pan American Games:

Alexandra Slusher with Last Call and William Coleman III with Obos O’Reilly have withdrawn from consideration for the 2011 Pan American Games.

The first ranked substitute Shannon Lilley with Ballingowan Pizzaz and second ranked substitute, Alexandra Slusher with Pierre have been added on the Short List.

In addition, Boyd Martin and Cold Harbor have been granted permission by the USEF Eventing Selectors to be excused from competing at the Mandatory Outing at Richland Park August 25-28, 2011, for logistical reasons. Martin will be preparing to represent the U.S. on the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials to be held September 1-4, 2011, in the U.K., and will be unavailable to compete at Richland Park.

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