Tag Archives: featured

Dressage, Training/Clinics

Katherine Bateson-Chandler Pays It Forward

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Katherine Bateson-Chandler and Carl Hester demonstrating how to produce a young Grand Prix Horse (Photo Credit – Kevin Sparrow).

Wellington, FL (December 22,2014) – Katherine Bateson-Chandler knows she is lucky to ride exceptional horses and to have experience training with Olympic athletes Carl Hester, Debbie McDonald, and Robert Dover. In order show her gratefulness for being able to live out her dressage dreams, Bateson-Chandler is giving back to the equestrian community by helping others pursue their own successful dressage careers.

The Grand Prix rider recently spent her sixth summer training with Hester, whom she works with for part of the year while working with USA’s McDonald during the rest of the year. She was also Robert Dover’s assistant trainer and groom before taking over Dover’s position of riding and training Jane Forbes Clark’s impressive horses. Now, the internationally acclaimed Bateson-Chandler is using her talents to help teach others.

She recently acted as a demo rider for Hester at educational events throughout the United Kingdom. The events included The Dressage Convention at Bury Farm in England on October 18-19, and Your Horse Live at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, England on November 8-9. For Bateson-Chandler, providing educational opportunities in England was a sort of homecoming — the equestrian was born and raised in the U.K., and is now a U.S. citizen based out of Wellington, Florida.

“We showed everyone how we produce a young Grand Prix horse using Carl’s system,” Bateson-Chandler said about her experience as a demo rider with Hester. “We touched on most aspects of the Grand Prix, and showed how good basics can make life much simpler as you move up the levels.”

She rode Alcazar, a nine-year old KWPN gelding owned by Jane Forbes Clark. Alcazar (Contango x Polina, Ferro) recently won the prestigious 2015 Adequan/USDF Dressage Horse of the Year Award in the Intermediate II level after putting in some impressive scores. Bateson-Chandler has been competing on the dark bay gelding for the past two years when she took over the ride from Dover after he retired from competition.

While Bateson-Chandler enjoyed helping her British mentor, Hester, by riding in the educational demonstrations, she also thought it was good experience for Alcazar.

“Both master classes were amazing experiences for my horse as they gave me the unique opportunity to ride him in an electric environment where the audience claps on a regular basis through the ride,” she said. “He, of course, was a little tense in the beginning but got better and better the more we rode.”

Bateson-Chandler is eager to see where the coming year of equestrian competition season will lead her, and is looking forward to more opportunities to pass on her talents to others. For more information about Katherine Bateson-Chandler and her star equine partners, visit www.kbcdressage.com or follow the international competitor on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katherine-Bateson-Chandler-Dressage/651928248221736?ref=hl&ref_type=bookmark.

Contact: Katherine Bateson-Chandler
Kbcdressage@me.com
908-391-9096
www.kbcdressage.com

FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Kutscher Is King at Longines Leg in Olympia

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Germany’s Marco Kutscher steered Cornet’s Cristallo to victory at the seventh leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at Olympia in London (GBR) today. (FEI/Jon Stroud)

Olympia, London (GBR), 21 December 2014 – German riders dominated the prizewinner’s line-up at the seventh leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at Olympia in London, Great Britain, where Marco Kutscher steered Cornet’s Cristallo to victory ahead of defending series champion Daniel Deusser riding Carriere.

Excitement is always guaranteed at the hugely popular pre-Christmas fixture staged in the Grand Hall, where the proximity of the spectators and the tight confines of the arena combine to create an electric atmosphere. And today’s competition sizzled from start to finish, with 13 of the 38 starters qualifying for the second-round jump-off against the clock.

Deceptively uncomplicated

Britain’s Robert Whitaker made the first-round course designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade look deceptively uncomplicated when foot-perfect as first rider into the ring. However, it quickly became clear that the track was best suited to horses requiring minimal adjustment to their stride pattern, while the time-allowed of 72-seconds took its toll. And for three of today’s starters – Britain’s Ben Maher and Michael Whitaker and Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander – it was utterly frustrating to miss out on the deciding round when collecting just a single time fault each.

Wade tested control of pace all the way, and the tall vertical at four was influential as was the following triple combination of a double of oxers followed by a vertical. The next line of three fences also proved testing, the vertical at six requiring caution before kicking on to the wide oxer at seven and then a tricky three-stride distance to a water-tray vertical at eight which came up very quickly for onward-bound horses. Wade also set them a challenge on the last line of fences, with the oxer at 11 followed by a double of verticals before the run down to the final oxer. The was a huge moan from the crowd when long-time World No. 1, Britain’s Scott Brash, made it all the way here only to leave it on the ground with Hello Sunshine.

A little careful

Robert Whitaker and Catwalk IV set the jump-off target with a clear in 40.49 seconds, while the normally super-fast Italian combination of Luca Moneta and Connery were also a little careful when leaving all the poles in place in 42.10. Norway’s Geir Gulliksen and Edesa S Banjan were fault-free in 41.42, but Sweden’s Malin Baryard-Johnsson and H&M Tornesch raised the temperature when first to break the 40-second barrier in 39.70 seconds, and that result was always going to count.

Last year’s Olympia winners, The Netherlands’ Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Sapphire B, hit the penultimate vertical, formerly fence four, which played a major role this time out. Located close to the arena entrance and on an angle to the remaining two elements of the former triple combination which brought this second course to a close, it caught a number of horses off-balance including the fabulous 8-year-old stallion, Singular LS La Silla, who looks another real star-ride for Germany’s Marcus Ehning.

Took command

With five left to run, defending Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Daniel Deusser, took command with a superb run from the 11-year-old mare Carriere who broke the beam in 38.44 seconds, but his lead was short-lived, because fellow-countryman Kutscher galloped through the timers in 37.66 seconds despite an unsettling moment at the double at 9, now three from home. “The beginning of the jump-off wasn’t perfect and I wanted to do one less to the double but he was a bit behind me – he really helped me there. I was very deep, very close – but he made it!” Kutscher said afterwards.

However, he had to watch three strong challengers take their turn before he would be assured of victory. Constant van Paesschen has enjoyed a tremendous season with Citizenguard Toscan de Sainte who was recently named Horse of the Year in Belgium, but a mistake at the third-last, the oxer at fence 3, was followed by two more for 12 faults. The penultimate contender was Bertram Allen who had already racked up a double of wins at the London fixture over the last few days and the 19-year-old Irish sensation who clinched victory on his World Cup debut in Verona, Italy last month looked set to do it again until his mare, Molly Malone, clipped the penultimate vertical before crossing the line in what would be the fastest time, 36.81 seconds.

Tantalising maximum points

Now only Britain’s John Whitaker stood between Kutscher and those tantalising 20 maximum qualifying points, but the 59-year-old maestro’s stallion, Argento, stood too far off the oxer at fence three to also return a four-fault result. It would be his son, Robert, who would fly the flag for family and country when slotting into fourth behind Baryard-Johnsson in third and Germany’s Kutscher and Deusser in first and second spots respectively.

“It’s my first press conference here this week. I normally have a good show in London but so far it wasn’t great, so I was a bit disappointed until today!” said Kutscher afterwards. “I knew if I was in the jump-off I’d have a good chance and it worked out for me,” he added. He congratulated his fellow-countryman Deusser who borrowed Carriere to compete in London. “It was his first time to ride the horse and he had a very good class today. Even with a horse he doesn’t know he’s always dangerous,” he pointed out.

Deusser, who competes for Stephex Stables, explained that two of his horses were injured last week. “I really wanted to come to London so I said to my boss that I have two options. Either I stay at home or I take two others, and he said on Tuesday just try this horse one time. So I rode her on Tuesday morning and she was on the truck on Tuesday afternoon!” said the man who is pre-qualified for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final as defending champion.

Super-happy

Baryard-Johnsson said, “It’s my second time in three years to finish third! He (her stallion H&M Tornesch) had a very, very good round; he’s in great shape and we really tried today, both of us, so I’m super-happy!”

Fourth-placed Robert Whitaker was delighted to finish best of the British. He reflected on his bad luck at the previous leg in Madrid, Spain where he had victory in his grasp only to lose control of Catwalk who ran past the final fence. “We should have won that day!” he said. “The last few shows he’s been jumping very well and the course really suited him today,” said the rider who is getting married in Barbados next month.

With just five of the 12 qualifying legs remaining, the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League now moves on to Mechelen in Belgium where the action takes place on Tuesday 30 December.

For further information on the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 leg at Olympia, London (GBR), go to www.olympiahorseshow.com or contact Press Officer Jo Peck, JoPeck@hpower.co.uk, +44 1753 847 900.

The next leg takes place at Mechelen, Belgium on 30 December. For details of the Belgian fixture, check out website www.jumping-mechelen.com or contact Press Officer Edith de Reys, Email edith.dereys@skynet.be, Tel +32 475 659281.

Full result here.

Facts and Figures:

The Grand Hall at Olympia in London (GBR) was the venue for Round 7 of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League today.

38 horse-and-riders started in the competition won by Germany’s Marco Kutscher and the 11-year-old Corent’s Cristallo.

13 qualified for the second-round jump-off against the clock.

6 horse-and-rider combinations jumped double-clear rounds.

3 horse-and-rider combinations picked up just a single time fault in the first round.

Course designer was Ireland’s Alan Wade.

4 German riders qualified for the jump-off.

Runner-up in today’s competition was reigning Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion Daniel Deusser from Germany.

2 of the riders who qualified for the jump-off were Belgium’s Jos Verlooy and Ireland’s Bertram Allen who are just 19 years of age and a full 40 years younger than British legend, John Whitaker, who was last to go in today’s deciding round.

With 40 points or more now accumulated, 5 riders are confirmed for a place at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA next April – Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders, Germany’s Marco Kutscher and Daniel Deusser and Kevin Staut from France.

There are 5 remaining rounds of the series, and the next takes place at Mechelen in Belgium on Tuesday 30 December 2014.

Quotes:

Marco Kutscher GER, talking about the challenge of riding in a small arena like Olympia: “It depends on the course builder, it was really nice to ride all the courses so far.”

Daniel Deusser GER: “As I live in Mechelen I can walk to the arena next week! That’s my next show, then Basel. I don’t really need the points as I’m pre-qualified for the Final, but it’s always a better feeling if you have a few points and know you’re in the game. I don’t know which horse I’ll ride in the Final but I will try and get a few more points.”

Robert Smith GBR, when asked if he would have gone quicker if his draw in the jump-off was different: “I would’ve won! Actually I wouldn’t have changed anything.”

Daniel Deusser, talking about the course: “I didn’t think we’d get 13 clears, the fences came up very very quick, I thought it was a really difficult course and the time was really short.

There were a lot of good horses, the ground is good and the atmosphere is good. This was a super class with a great jump-off!”

Alan Wade, course designer: “Every night in the 1.50m classes we had plenty of clear rounds, so I knew they were jumping well. In the jump-off today I thought my countryman (Bertram Allen) could win! We put up the fences in the jump-off. We believe to keep the standard. We know they’re capable of going fast, but don’t want them to go flat out every day, we want jumpers to win, as well as fast jumpers.”

Full standings here.

FEI YouTube: http://goo.gl/wqYuei

Longines Live Timing Jumping application: available free for download from The App Store (iPhone) & Android Markets. Combining precision and performance, this is a detailed and exclusive application designed especially for Jumping fans – follow live results, see latest Longines Rankings, view competition schedules, obtain exclusive information and alerts on your favorite riders and get all the latest FEI news.

Rider biographies: view online and download from http://fei.org/fei/your-role/media/biographies.

Longines has been based at Saint-Imier (SUI) since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations.

Longines’ passion for equestrian sports began in 1878, when it produced a chronograph engraved with a jockey and its mount. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1912, Longines was proud to partner with its first Jumping event, the Grande Concurso Hippico Internacional, in Portugal.

Today, Longines’ involvement in equestrianism includes Jumping, Endurance and flat racing.

Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 130 countries.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Olympia:

Jo Peck
Press Officer
JoPeck@hpower.co.uk
+44 1753 847 900

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Driving, FEI

Exell Extraordinary Again at London Olympia

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Australia’s Boyd Exell claimed his fourth win of the FEI World Cup™ Driving season with victory at London Olympia (GBR) tonight. (Trevor Meeks/FEI)

London (GBR), 21 December 2014 – Boyd Exell (AUS) put down an extraordinary performance again to win his fourth consecutive FEI World Cup™ Driving competition of this season at London Olympia (GBR). Exell had already won at Stuttgart, Stockholm and last week in Geneva, where he competed with three borrowed horses to spare his own team for his wild card start in London. The Australian’s biggest opponent IJsbrand Chardon (NED) finished second, while Sweden’s Fredrik Persson drove very steadily for third.

It was the first time this season that the three favourites – Boyd Exell and Dutchmen IJsbrand Chardon and Koos de Ronde had competed against each other. Dutch level 4 course designer Johan Jacobs had laid out a very good course with fast and technical elements, which remained exciting until the very last moment. All drivers were extremely happy with the event in Olympia, for which the tickets were sold out five weeks in advance. The stands were full with enthusiastic fans, who supported the drivers throughout the whole competition.

Regular team
Exell drove his regular team of horses at London Olympia and admitted he could have been a bit more accurate in the first round, where one of his leader horses knocked a ball off one of the cones. But his speed in the second round, which ran over the same course, was unbelievable and Exell flew round the arena, leaving all elements in place, to secure his fourth win of this season.

Risk-free rounds
IJsbrand Chardon, last to go in the Winning Round, had driven a new leader horse in the two previous classes in Olympia, but decided to take no risks and put his experienced leader horse in for the FEI World Cup™ competition. The four-time individual World Champion gave everything he had and drove a clear round, but was unable to beat Exell’s time to slot into second place. As Exell was competing with a wild card and was therefore not entitled to points, the 10 points went to Chardon, moving him up to second in the standings behind Exell. Both top drivers have already secured their ticket for the Final in Bordeaux.

Confident
While Exell, Chardon and de Ronde fought it out, it was Fredrik Persson who used tactics and a steady pace to claim the third place in the Winning Round. Persson drove his team of old horses, the youngest at 17 years old, clear and at good speed through the course. In the Winning Round the driving teacher from Sweden’s National Stud, Flyinge, took a bit too much risk and knocked three balls down in the last phase of the competition, but he was still happy with his performance.

Fine-tuning
Koos de Ronde competed with the same team of horses that he steered to victory in the FEI World Cup™ Driving competition in Budapest (HUN). The team gold medallist from the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy (FRA) put down the second fastest time in the first round, but three knockdowns prevented him from getting into the Winning Round. De Ronde is aware that his new team still needs some time for fine-tuning.

Lack of speed
Young driver Glenn Geerts (BEL) started off in flying form at London Olympia by winning the first class, which did not count for the FEI World Cup™. But he was unable to get his special indoor team of Lipizzaner horses into the right speed in the qualifier to finish fifth ahead of bronze individual medallist in Caen Theo Timmerman (NED). Timmerman, who will move to a new yard in Varsseveld in the Netherlands next month, swapped his leader horses around, but didn’t have the necessary speed in the marathon type obstacles and came sixth.

Film horses
Daniel Naprous (GBR) earned the second wild card by winning the British indoor qualifiers at Merrist Wood, Bury Farm and the British Masters at Addington Manor. The 37-year-old stuntman previously had a wild card at Olympia in 2012. Boyd Exell kindly lent Naprous a bay leader horse for his indoor team at Olympia, which was made up of two of his film horses and an older outdoor horse. Naprous really enjoyed competing in Olympia and was pleased despite the fact that he had no front brakes on his carriage during his round. This resulted in four knockdowns and a seventh-place finish.

Quotes
Boyd Exell (AUS): “This indoor team is going to become like my old and famous indoor team with Bill. They have got the top line speed that Bill brought to my team. I’ve just got to have a bit more accuracy and a bit more reliability. The second round I could drive safe and fast whilst in the first round I fumbled a few loops. I didn’t give them their best ride, but they got me out of trouble. The second round I gave them a good ride and they operated.”

IJsbrand Chardon (NED): “I could not go any faster with this team in order to stay clear. Today’s competition was very important for me; I needed the World Cup points so that is why I decided to use my experienced leader horse again. At the moment it is very difficult to win from Boyd. I gave everything I had and I am now in the Final so I can test my new leader horse at my last competition in Leipzig.”

Fredrik Persson (SWE): “I tried to stay clean in the first round and I was lucky that I did. In the Winning Round I took some risk and had several knockdowns, but I am still very happy. The feeling in the arena at Olympia is amazing, the spectators are fantastic, they really help you by creating such a great atmosphere. The feeling is in the air.”

Results in detail can be viewed here.

Video
Watch Boyd Exell’s round on FEI TV.

Audio
Listen to Boyd Exell (AUS) talking about his win.

The 2014/2015 FEI World Cup™ Driving series now moves on to Mechelen (BEL) on Tuesday, 30 December.

The FEI World Cup™ Driving competition in Mechelen will be broadcast live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official video platform, on 30 December at 21.50 CET.

For information on Mechelen, go to www.jumping-mechelen.com or contact Press Officer Edith de Reys, edith.dereys@skynet.be, +32 475 659 281.

By Cindy Timmer

Media contact:
Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

At London Olympia:
Jo Peck
jopeck@hpower.co.uk
+ 44 1753 847 900

Jennifer Wood

Partnership Led by Mark Bellissimo Signs Contract to Acquire the Colorado Horse Park

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Photos courtesy of the Colorado Horse Park.

Parker, CO – December 19, 2014 – Mark Bellissimo announced today that a new partnership has been formed and has signed a contract to acquire the Colorado Horse Park (CHP) in Parker, Colorado. The 148-acre Colorado Horse Park was founded by Helen Krieble in 1992 and is the largest horse park west of the Mississippi. It hosts over 40 events per year, has 11 competition arenas, 100 Boarding Stalls, an RV Park, 2 Covered Arenas, 300 permanent stalls, and enough portable stalls for over 1,000 competing horses. The partnership is also contracted to acquire an additional 47 acres zoned as residential that abuts CHP.

CHP’s “Summer in the Rockies” series is one of the most prominent hunter/jumper equestrian circuits in the United States and spans over six weeks. CHP hosts all types of equestrian events including Hunter/Jumper, Eventing, and Dressage competitions and has hosted the North American Young Rider Championships three times. CHP also has a long term contract on 276 contiguous acres which hosts a cross-country course designed by Eventing Olympian David O’Connor.

Mark Bellissimo commented, “Helen has been one of the great visionaries in equestrian sport and has done an amazing job in creating the Colorado Horse Park. Her passion for the facility and her impact on the community over 23 years is inspirational. We are honored to continue Helen’s legacy.”

Helen Krieble added, “I am thrilled that Mark and his partners have contracted to acquire the Horse Park. It has been my passion for 23 years, and I am confident that it will be in good hands. It was important to me that the Horse Park was kept intact. The contract includes the purchase of an additional 47 acres that abuts the horse park. I believe this will ensure CHP has the ability to operate effectively and preserves the area from future residential development. This is a great day for Colorado equestrians, residents, and businesses.”

The partnership, to be named Colorado Equestrian Partners, includes Mark and Katherine Bellissimo, Roger and Jennifer Smith, Howard and Gwen Dvorkin, Lisa Lourie, and Diana and Jenji Mercer, who are also partners in the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, which operates the world-renowned Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and the Global Dressage Festival (GDF) in Wellington, Florida, and the newly established Tryon International Equestrian Center in Tryon, NC.

chp2WEF is the world’s largest and longest running equestrian festival which spans 12 weeks and hosts participants from 50 states and 33 countries and has over $8 million dollars in prize money. The GDF is the world’s largest dressage competition and includes seven CDI competitions over the winter. The WEF and GDF events contribute close to $200 million dollars in annual economic impact on Palm Beach County and generate over 120,000 bed nights for local hotels.

Bellissimo added, “We are excited about the future of equestrian sport, and we believe the CHP facility can be a significant central hub to serve all disciplines and to continue to develop the hunter/jumper, dressage, and the eventing disciplines as well as a catalyst to develop the next generation of horses and riders. Colorado has a great equestrian tradition, and we hope to cultivate that market as well as bring new riders into the sport. We contemplate great investments in the park over the next few years and making it one of the premier facilities in the world.”

Consistent with its other facilities, the partners will be developing philanthropic initiatives as well as developing outreach programs to work with community schools to raise awareness to the opportunities in horse sports.

Information Contact:
Jennifer Wood Media
jennifer@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

Ian Millar and Star Power Top $25,000 ESP Holiday II Grand Prix

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Ian Millar and Star Power. Mancini Photos.

Wellington, FL – December 19, 2014 – Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) hosted its Holiday Festival II this week on December 16-18, 2014, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. The week featured the $10,000 Equiline Open Stake on Tuesday with a win for Ronan McGuigan (IRL) and Capall Zidane, and the $25,000 Holiday II Grand Prix on Thursday with a win for Ian Millar (CAN) and Star Power.

Hector Loyola of Wellington, FL set the courses in the International Arena for the Holiday II competition. In Thursday’s $25,000 Holiday II Grand Prix, Loyola saw 29 entries with six clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Three entries jumped double clear over the short course, where Canada’s ten-time Olympic veteran, Ian Millar, completed the fastest time of 49.84 seconds aboard Team Works’ Star Power to earn top honors for the second week in a row. Millar also won the $25,000 Equiline Holiday I Grand Prix with Baranus last Sunday.

Christine McCrea and Candy Tribble’s Win for Life finished second in 52.52 seconds, and Wilhelm Genn and Eduardo Leon’s Bugatti stopped the clock in 53.42 seconds to place third.

Earlier in the week, the $10,000 Equiline Open Stake was held on Tuesday with a win for Ronan McGuigan and his own Capall Zidane. Eighteen entries showed in the class with five in the jump-off and four double clear rounds. McGuigan and Capall Zidane won in a time of 40.25 seconds. Wilton Porter and Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Paloubet finished second in 41.40 seconds, and Gemma Paternoster and her own and Julia Harrison Lee’s Osiris placed third in 42.31 seconds. Ian Millar and Star Power geared up for their win later in the week with a fourth place finish in 44.31 seconds.

The 2014 ESP Holiday Series continues immediately into the Holiday Festival III on December 19-21, 2014. Friday, December 19, will feature the $10,000 Equiline Open Stake and Sunday, December 21, will highlight the $25,000 Holiday III Grand Prix. For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com
803.240.7488

*Featured/Spotlights, Driving, Show Jumping

David Simpson Strikes It Rich

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David Simpson. Photo: Kit Houghton/Hpower.

Young Irishman David Simpson took the Alltech Christmas Puissance at Olympia, The London International Horse Show, by storm, wowing a packed house with a bravado display of riding.

The contest, an annual favourite, went all the way to five rounds, with Simpson, riding puissance specialist Ricci Rich, clearing 7ft 3in (2.20m) in superlative style. He took over the ride on the 13-year-old grey gelding from Britain’s Guy Williams, who the Olympia puissance on him in 2011.

Simpson was matched all the way by Karline De Brabander on her home-bred Fantomas de Muze, a compact bay gelding by Marcus Ehning’s top ride Sandro Boy. The enthralled crowd took the Belgian rider, the only girl in the class, to their hearts, and her horse tried his heart out with a massive leap, just catching the top bricks with his hind legs on landing.

This was Simpson’s first outright win in a puissance and he received his prize from the Duchess of Cornwall, who was paying her annual visit to the festive family show.

“It gives you the tingles when you land,” he said. “You don’t get a better wall jumper than my horse and, for atmosphere and intensity, this win is right up there as one of my best moments in show jumping. I really wanted my first proper win to be here at Olympia.”

De Brabander, 27, who works for her father, leading stud owner Joris De Brabander, was also elated. “I kept saying to my horse that we were just going to have fun,” she said. “I’m really happy to have got so far. It’s only my third time in a puissance and this is the highest I’ve jumped. My parents thought I was mad to come over to England with just one horse, but I told them Olympia was my dream.”

Four riders got through to the fourth round, at 7ft 1in (2.15m): Britain’s Joe Clayton on Rockim, Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer (Armani the Gun CH), Norway’s Geir Gullikson (Grand Balou) and Austria’s Markus Saurugg (What Ever).

Earlier, 59-year-old John Whitaker, the senior rider of the show, showed he had lost none of his magic when winning the inaugural class of the show, the Levy Restaurant Snowman Stakes, on the stallion Argento, and the charismatic young Dutchman Maikel Van der Vleuten set the arena alight when winning the first evening class, the Kingsland Christmas Pudding Stakes, a speed contest, on VDL Groep Eureka.

Maikel won last year’s Longines FEI World Cup Qualifier on VDL Groep Sapphire and has brought the horse back for another crack at the competition on Sunday. “I really like this show,” he said. “Everyone’s happy and the audience really lifts the riders.”

The Dodson & Horrell Extreme Driving top score competition kicked off the FEI World Cup Driving Leg qualifier with a promise of considerable excitement to come. It also produced a surprise winner. All drivers collected penalties on the complex course but it was the youngest and least experienced of them, 25-year-old Glenn Geerts from Belgium, who galloped home with the best score.

In only his second year of World Cup competition, he has been driving horse four-in-hands for just four years. He beat the most experienced driver in the competition, the much-medalled IJsbrand Chardon from the Netherlands, who was the winner of the qualifier here last year. Frederick Persson from Sweden took third place.

Later in the evening, show director Simon Brooks-Ward and his brothers James and Nick gathered in the main arena to present the Raymond Brooks-Ward Memorial Trophy, for the most promising British rider under 25, in memory of their father. The recipient was Spencer Roe, 21, who has made a brilliant debut on senior show jumping teams this year.

To view the full results, click HERE.

For more information, please contact Hannah Rawdon-Mogg, hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk, +44(0)7786 052926 or +44(0)207 592 1207.

Olympia will broadcast live on BBC2 on Sunday 21 December and is 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.

Dressage, Para-Equestrian, Phelps Media Group

Rebecca Hart and Schroeters Romani Start Season with High Score at White Fences

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Rebecca Hart and Schroeters Romani rode to the high score of 78.382% during the Polar Express Show at White Fences.

Success Continues with Katie Cooper and Sandlot Winning First Year Green Hunter Championship

Wellington, FL – December 17, 2014 – Rebecca Hart and Schroeters Romani shined Saturday afternoon during the Polar Express show held at the White Fences Equestrian Center in Loxahatchee, Florida. The talented duo rode to the score of 78.382 percent for the FEI Para Team Grade II test during the national show, kick-starting their season as they prepare for the Global Dressage Festival CPEDI3* in January 2015.

Hart traveled to Florida in early December to work with Wellington-based international dressage trainer Todd Flettrich out of Cherry Knoll Farm, which is also a partial owner of Romani. Hart and Flettrich have worked consistently on warm-up and preparation with Romani after taking a break from showing when the mare returned from the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Normandy, France. White Fences offered the ideal venue for Hart to prep for the upcoming CPEDI3*.

“She felt really good,” Hart smiled. “We wanted to come out and use this show as a schooling session to get her ready for the CPEDI3* that we have in about three weeks. I just wanted to get her out and about because she had a little bit of a break after WEG. This was her first time out at a recognized show since then.”

Hart continued, “I am really happy with the direction we are going. She was looking at the atmosphere and looking at everything, but she was able to keep her focus, which was really nice. We are definitely growing as a pair. I am more confident in my ability and my cues with her. It’s nice to be able to give her that confidence.”

The pair rode a fluid test with great relaxation and expression, and they earned the highest score of the weekend at White Fences. Hart, a two-time Paralympic dressage rider, has her eyes set on the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There are still many more strides to make before their journey to the podium, but Hart feels confident in their growing partnership.

“Leading up to the next event, I have been working on getting the rhythm, the cadence and the relaxation in order to sustain it through the test. I am working on really getting her to focus on me during the ride. I want to get us into our own little bubble out there so that we can block out everything. We are really going in the right direction, and I want to keep building on what we did here. I think this is a good baseline, but we can be even better,” Hart concluded.

The success for Cherry Knoll Farm didn’t stop with Hart, however. In Charlottesville, Virginia, Katie Cooper and Sandlot captured their second First Year Green Working Hunter Championship in two weeks. They showed at The Barracks Horse Show, putting in four consistent rounds over fences to take home two first place ribbons, two second place ribbons and a fourth in the under saddle.

“It was very good competition this week,” Cooper said. “There were so many people that the schedule was delayed and we had to show much later than expected, but I think it was a good test for his maturity. He handled it really well. Truthfully, he jumped probably the best he has ever jumped. He was very careful, thoughtful, he measured and really made it easy. He was a delight and really is just the best jumper.”

For more information on Cherry Knoll Farm, please visit http://www.cherryknollfarminc.com/.

Media Contact: Kendall Bierer
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Competitions, Dressage, FEI

Dujardin and Valegro Hit the Heights of Another World Record Score

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Charlotte Dujardin. Photo: Kit Houghton/Hpower.

It was another World Record breaking night at Olympia, The London International Horse Show. Crowd favourites and World Champions Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro not only duly won the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Freestyle, supported by Horse & Hound, but broke their own World Record score that they set here last year as well as claiming their third successive victory at the Show.

The pair entertained the full house with their practically foot-perfect programme to a compilation of emotive music from the soundtrack to the film ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, the same music that won them the World Championship title at the World Equestrian Games in August. They made piaffe-pirouettes, passage half passes and bold daring extensions look easy and the test that has to be the best freestyle ever ridden, received a standing ovation from a full house and a mark of 94.3% from the judges.

“He is the most incredible horse; he just keeps giving and giving,” said Charlotte, who in April this year became the first Briton to win the World Cup title since the inception of the series in 1986. “I was absolutely thrilled with my ride – the last piaffe pirouette I was nearly in tears he was with me all the way.”

As last year, leading Dutch rider Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover were second, with a test that made the most of Undercover’s rhythmic passage and piaffe. It was Edward Gal who in 2009 set the standard in freestyle, breaking the then world record score when winning at Olympia with Totilas.

“Charlotte, I know how you feel,” said Edward. “A standing ovation is a really great feeling because we work really hard and it makes the work worthwhile.”

Olympia debutante Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, a former European Young Rider Champion, gained third place with Beatrice Burchler-Keller’s Unee BB – an elegant black stallion by Gribaldi.

“It was a privilege for me just to sit next to Charlotte and Edward,” she said. “While I have not had a World Record feeling yet I am working on it.”

Danielle Heijkoop and Siro N.O.P., trained by Anky Van Grunsven, winner of the World Cup on nine occasions from 1995 to 2008, were fourth.

“Charlotte’s test was just out of this world – I honestly thought in 2009 that we would never see the same again,” said Stephen Clarke, President of the Ground Jury. “I am not sure what it is about this show that produces such dressage – the horses are incredible here.”

To view the full results, click HERE.

For more information, please contact Hannah Rawdon-Mogg, hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk, +44(0)7786 052926 or +44(0)207 592 1207.

Olympia will broadcast live on BBC2 on Sunday 21 December and is 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.

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, FEI

Dujardin and Valegro Set Olympia Alight with a Double of New World Records

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Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro produced a performance close to perfection when winning tonight’s fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League at Olympia in London (GBR) with yet another world-record-breaking score. (FEI/Kit Houghton)

Olympia, London (GBR), 17 December 2014 – Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro produced a performance close to perfection when winning tonight’s Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League qualifier at Olympia in London (GBR) with yet another world-record-breaking score. They set the previous record at the same venue 12 months ago when posting a mark of 93.975, but this evening earned 94.300 for an even more spell-binding display of harmony between horse and rider. And this latest triumph came just 24 hours after the dynamic duo beat their own world record in the Grand Prix in which The Netherlands‘ Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover also had to settle for runner-up spot.

Dujardin admitted tonight that Valegro’s performance this evening almost brought her to tears. “When we were doing the last piaffe/passage I was welling up and I had to say to myself, ‘Don’t cry, don’t cry!’” she said. “He tries so hard to get it right; it’s an incredible feeling when you go in there in front of all those thousands of people and he just wants to perform and to give you his best,” she added.

A little history

There was a starting field of 14, and The Netherlands‘ Katja Gevers and Thriller took the early lead with a score of 72.276 before Irish national champion, Judy Reynolds, made a little history as the first rider from her country to qualify for the Freestyle at the prestigious British fixture, posting a creditable 70.000. Talented young German, Soenke Rothenberger, was out in front at the halfway stage with Favourit on a mark of 77.825, but that would only prove good enough for sixth place at the end of a magical night.

Gal gave it his best shot with Glock’s Undercover, but after a solid start the horse’s tension increased to leave them on a final score of 83.550, and Dujardin and the 12-year-old gelding she calls Blueberry just blew that away when following with a stunning test during which they picked up 25 maximum scores of 10. From the moment they set off, horse and rider were as one, gliding seamlessly from movement to movement and perfectly synchronised to their musical score from “How to Train Your Dragon”. The first time they performed to it was last April when they added the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2013/2014 title to the staggering list of successes they have racked up during their relatively short career together. But tonight their musical interpretation was in a different league altogether.

Hit everything on time

“I felt that I got into the music and he got into the music, and it felt like everything seemed to flow and to fit, and I hit everything on time,” Dujardin said afterwards. The crowd thought so too, rising to give the phenomenal partnership a standing ovation.

Ground Jury President, Great Britain’s Stephen Clarke, said, “I didn’t honestly think we’d get that feeling again. In 2009 Edward (Gal) broke the world record here and it was the most magical evening I can ever remember, then Charlotte does it tonight and it’s just out of this world! I don’t know what it is about this show, but the horses are incredible here!” he pointed out.

He teased Dujardin about her spectacular performance. “The walk tonight wasn’t quite as relaxed… and there was 9.5 for paces, 10 for harmony, 10 for choreography, 9.5 for difficulty and 10 for the music. Charlotte you’d better sharpen up a bit!” he said.

Runner-up Gal, who was 2010 series champion with the great Totilas, joked that he needs to “practice a little bit more – I’m just 10% behind!”, while Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, whose third-place finish tonight with Unee BB leaves her sharing the lead on the Western European League table with fellow-countrywoman Fabienne Lutkemeier, said, “I haven’t had a world record breaking feeling yet, but I’m working on it!”

The Netherlands’ Danielle Heijkoop steered Siro NOP into fourth ahead of Dujardin’s great friend and mentor Carl Hester whose 10-year-old gelding, Nip Tuck, was the youngest horse in the competition.

Dressed as a chicken

Dujardin first appeared under the spotlights at Olympia back in 1996 when taking part in the traditional Christmas finale – dressed as a chicken. She cut a rather more elegant figure tonight sitting on the fabulous 12-year-old gelding who has more than realised all her dreams.

“When I first started Grand Prix I had three goals,” the 29-year-old rider explained, “to ride at Olympia, be on a team with Carl (Hester) and to get to London (2012 Olympic Games). The first year I got here I won and I couldn’t believe it. Last year I broke my final world record here, and this year to break two in one show is absolutely outstanding!” she added.

When asked if she thought she could achieve an even higher score that the one she laid down tonight, the Olympic, World and European champion replied, “I don’t know, I just keep doing these tests and things just get better and better… my confidence and his confidence are just growing and growing and it makes you be able to ride more and more and go for more. I get braver as a rider and he gets more confident as a horse.” And when asked if she thought it possible to earn a maximum 100% sometime in the future, she laughed and said, “It’s not far off now; I’m getting there!”

For further information on the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 leg at Olympia, London (GBR), go to www.olympiahorseshow.com or contact Press Officer Jo Peck, JoPeck@hpower.co.uk, +44 1753 847 900.

The next leg of the series will take place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on Saturday 31 January 2015. For all enquiries about the Dutch fixture, go to website www.jumpingamsterdam.nl or contact Press Officer Charlotte Gunnink, Email media@jumpingamsterdam.nl, Tel +31 20544 5720 or (mobile) +31 6383 25326.

Full result here.

Facts and Figures:

The London International Horse Show at Olympia presented round five of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League series tonight.

Olympic, World and European champions Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro (GBR) made it a back-to-back double of new world records when following Tuesday’s Grand Prix record-breaking result of 87.460 with tonight’s new Freestyle record of 94.300.

14 horse-and-rider combinations lined out in tonight’s competition.

Runners-up, The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover, finished more than 10 percentage points behind the winning pair.

The Ground Jury consisted of: At E, A Fransen Iacobaeus SWE; At H, B Maurel FRA; At C, S Clarke GBR; At M, P Holler GER; At B, I Wessels GBR.

Dujardin recently won The Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswoman of the Year 2014 award.

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who finished third tonight with Unee BB, shares the lead on the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League table with fellow-German Fabienne Lutkemeier.

The next leg of the series will take place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on Saturday 31 January 2015.

Quotes:

Charlotte Dujardin GBR, talking about tonight’s standing ovation: “It’s emotional just to walk out and have that feeling with all those people standing up, to ride in front of them; we don’t really get to see the home crowd and let them experience it. Now they’ve witnessed it, it’s very special for them.”

Edward Gal NED, talking about his performance with Glock’s Undercover: “The first part I was really happy until he started cantering and he got a bit too excited. We had mistakes in the two tempis and one pirouette was not so good, but we got better again.”

Charlotte Dujardin GBR, comparing the pressure of standing up at a Sports Award ceremony to competing at Olympia tonight: “Coming here is the easiest thing in the whole world after standing up in front of 12,000 people; coming here is a breeze! Standing in front of 12,000 people – I’m not used to that. I was like a nappy horse; I wanted to run out! My heart was pounding beyond belief; literally thought it was going to come out through my dress! When I got up on stage I was okay. Coming here I was like, I can definitely do this; maybe I should do it more often!”

Full standings here.

Reem Acra FEI Hub http://fei.org/fei/sponsors/reem-acra-and-fei gives access to extensive information about the series.

FEI World Cup™ Dressage, the only worldwide series in this discipline, is now in its 29th season. The series, created in 1985, comprises four leagues: Western European, Central European, North American (including Canada) and Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Asia). Each FEI World Cup™ Dressage qualifier consists of a Grand Prix test, which in turn is a qualification for the Freestyle to Music competition, where league points are accumulated towards places in the Final. Judged on both technical and artistic merit, the FEI World Cup™ Dressage combines art, sport and partnership between horse and rider at the highest level and consistently proves a winning formula with audiences all over the world.

The complete rules, calendar, updated ranking and results are available here.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Olympia:

Jo Peck
Press Officer
JoPeck@hpower.co.uk
+44 1753 847 900

At FEI:

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

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage

Dujardin Smashes Grand Prix World Record at Olympia

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Charlotte Dujardin. Photo: Kit Houghton/Hpower.

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro once again delighted a packed house at Olympia, The London International Horse Show, producing a World Record score in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Grand Prix supported by Horse & Hound. The mark of 87.46% beat their previous record, set by the World, Olympic and European Champions at the World Cup Final in Lyon earlier in the year.

Charlotte, who has come to the Show directly from The BBC Sports Personality of the Year in Glasgow, complete with a bad cold, was as equally delighted with the new record score especially as it was their first competition since The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in August.

“We don’t set out to break a record it just happens – we just want to do our best and any record is a bonus,” said Charlotte, who always looks forward to competing at Olympia.

She said, “It is a great end to the season and fantastic to be competing in front of the home crowd and Blueberry never fails to rise to the occasion.”

The pair heads the draw for tomorrow night’s World Cup Freestyle with Charlotte promising to ‘let rip’ to the routine that is set to the music from ‘How to Train Your Dragon.’

Dutch team rider Edward Gal, a regular and popular visitor to Olympia, was second with Glocks Undercover NOP with the high mark of 80.12%, albeit still 7% adrift of the winning score. The Dutchman admitted that having to follow Charlotte was not ideal preparation for a test.

He said, “Glocks got very excited by the clapping and I had to hold him back at the beginning of the test but I was very pleased that he found his one-time changes again as he had totally lost them yesterday.”

Fellow Dutch rider Danielle Heijkoop and Siro NOP were third with British rider Carl Hester and Nip Tuck in fourth.

The top fifteen from tonight’s Grand Prix class will go forward to tomorrow’s World Cup Freestyle starting at 8:10pm.

The opening night saw record attendance figures at Olympia for a Grand Prix competition. The final performance of the evening welcomed Kauto Star and Laura Collett who performed a dazzling dressage display in the famous Olympia arena.

To view the full results, click HERE.

For more information, please contact Hannah Rawdon-Mogg, hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk, +44(0)7786 052926 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.