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*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

Farrington and Voyeur Win Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Spruce Meadows

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Kent Farrington and Voyeur. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z Capture $85,000 TD Cup

Calgary, AB, Canada – July 5, 2014 – The ‘North American’ Tournament CSI 5* at Spruce Meadows featured the $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday with an exciting win for USA’s Kent Farrington and Voyeur. With an incredible resume of wins, this was Farrington’s first time winning the prestigious competition. He finished ahead of Paulo Santana (BRA) and Taloubet, and Quentin Judge (USA) and HH Copin van de Broy, who finished second and third respectively. The $85,000 TD Cup 1.50m winning round competition was also held on Saturday with a win for McLain Ward (USA) and HH Carlos Z.

Watch highlights from Saturday’s competition!

Course designer Leopoldo Palacios (VEN) set a big challenge for the horses and riders in Saturday’s $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup. The competition was held in a two-round format with a final jump-off if needed. Thirty-one entries jumped in round one with 14 clears to advance over the second round course, but a jump-off was not necessary as none of the competitors were able to finish round two without fault. Kent Farrington took the win with one time fault in 77.40 seconds aboard Amalaya Investments’ Voyeur, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding by Tolano van’t Riethof x Goodwill.

“It felt great to win this class today. I have never won the Queen’s Cup before,” Farrington said after his victory. “I have had a lot of good seasons before, and I have come close, but I have just never won this class. I have come third and fourth and probably every other ribbon. That was really exciting for me today. I think I have a very special horse in Voyeur, and I look forward to big things from him in the future.”

Find out more about Kent and Voyeur in this “One on One” video!

“I was excited to show,” Farrington said of his mindset coming into the competition. “I really think a lot of this horse. I was really angry with myself the first week. I thought I gave away the grand prix, making a mistake in the jump-off. I wanted to be very focused today and give him the best shot to win it.”

Finishing behind Farrington, three competitors had four faults each in round two and were placed based on their round one time. Paulo Santana (BRA) and Taloubet took the reserve honors with four faults in round two and a first round time of 87.86 seconds. Quentin Judge (USA) and Double H Farm’s HH Copin van de Broy also had four faults in round two and placed third with their first round time of 88.18 seconds. Sameh el Dahan (EGY) took the fourth place prize with four faults and a round one time of 90.27 seconds with Joanne Sloan Allen’s WKD Pepperpot.

Course designer Leopoldo Palacios set tough tracks for both rounds of competition and explained his strategy and reaction to the results, stating, “I wanted the first round as the qualifier for the second round. I don’t like to have a jump-off with two rounds. It’s not fair to horses jumping big, big fences to go two rounds and jump-off. I want to congratulate Kent and Paulo and Quentin for what they did. This second round was a very, very serious course.”

The riders agreed on the difficulty of the course, and Farrington noted that his horse was definitely up to the challenge. “He’s a very versatile horse,” the rider stated. “The second round today was as big as almost any course in the world, and I think that he showed that he is on par with those horses.”

Paulo Santana and Taloubet
Paulo Santana and Taloubet

Second place finisher Paulo Santana praised Palacios on stepping up the level of competition with his courses outside of Europe, stating, “I think America and Latin America have to thank Leopoldo for pushing the level of competition over here for the last ten years. I think it’s very good for our sport to stay on a level close with Europe. We can see riders like Kent Farrington and Beezie Madden who are always in the top ten in the world jumping here and then staying competitive worldwide. In this course, your horse needed to be clever, be brave, and have power.”

Santana jumped second in the first phase of round one of competition at 9 a.m. this morning and had to wait most of the day to return last in round two. Although it was a long day for the rider, he was happy with the end result.

“Coming in the last round, I thought, ‘Oh this is a good position, but there is so much pressure,’” Santana noted. “I didn’t know if I could make a clear round. My horse had an old injury and he was not supposed to jump this horse show, and I had broken my ankle five weeks before we came here, but I rode and he was improving all of the weeks. He got all the support from the veterinarian team at Spruce Meadows, and it came together at the right moment.”

Quentin Judge finished third with a fairly new mount in HH Copin van de Broy and was quite happy with his result as well.

“It’s really special to do well in the grand prix here, especially as prestigious a class as this, with this much history,” Judge acknowledged. “I can’t say enough good things about the horse. He has miles and miles more experience than I do, so to have a horse like that going into a second round with tricky jumps, it gives me confidence as a rider. I have been really fortunate to have Hunter and Jeannie Harrison invest in this horse and believe in me. McLain Ward and his team gave me really good advice this summer. It has been great. He has been consistent, but it has been a slow progression to get to this. This really proves that we have done the right thing and done our homework, so I am really happy for him.”

Commenting on the competition, Judge added, “I think the courses were difficult. The first round was difficult, but not impossible. It was a qualifier and the right horses got into the second round – veterans like Kent and McLain, and then people like myself who are just getting into it. It was a good mix of riders. The second round was a hard test. Coming to Spruce Meadows, it’s going to be hard, and I thought it was a great course.”

Ward Wins TD Cup

The $85,000 TD Cup 1.50m competition was held earlier on Saturday in a winning round format with the top 10 out of 24 combinations returning for round two. McLain Ward and Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z were the only pair to jump clear in both rounds of competition. They completed the fastest of three clears in round one, making the pair last to go in the winning round, where they had the fastest clear in 44.58 seconds to take top honors.

Mexico’s Jaime Azcarraga was the first rider to jump clear in round two with Matador in 46.26 seconds and had the rest of the field chasing his time, eventually finishing second. Elizabeth Gingras (CAN) and B Gingras Equestrian Ltd.’s Zilversprings were clear in 46.56 seconds to place third. Antonio Chedraui of Mexico also cleared the second course in 46.64 seconds to finish fourth with Fortin. Ian Millar (CAN) and Team Works’ Star Power were fifth with a clear round in 49.61 seconds.

McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z
McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z

“The first round was difficult. The time allowed was tight again, but he has been performing really well,” Ward said of HH Carlos Z, a 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Chellano Z x Voltaire). “We just tried to jump a nice, clear round and get under the time. Certainly being the fastest one helped, being able to watch Eric (Lamaze) and Quentin (Judge) go before me. It was certainly nice to be in that position. It was a little bit of a better position than we have been all week. This horse has been trying to win big classes the whole time here; it just came together today.”

Ward stated, “He can kind of do everything. I almost put him in the grand prix today, but my stallion needs the experience. Carlos can do anything you want, basically. He’s a bit of a younger version of my old mare Goldika. When you need her, she goes, kind of an ATM machine. I really like him.”

HH Carlos Z will jump two classes in next week’s ‘Pan American’ Tournament to conclude the summer series at Spruce Meadows and will then have a nice break while Ward hopes to be headed to France for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. He then plans to come back to Calgary for the ‘Masters’ Tournament in September.

The ‘North American’ Tournament concludes on Sunday with the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic 1.50m Derby and the $85,000 Enbridge Cup 1.50m. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

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

Spruce Meadows Media Services
caroline.weilinger@sprucemeadows.com
403.974.4232
sprucemeadows.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

Lamaze and Fine Lady 5 Top LaFarge Cup at Spruce Meadows

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Eric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Darragh Kenny and Wilton Porter Win 1.45m Jump-Offs

Calgary, AB, Canada – July 4, 2014 – The Spruce Meadows ‘North American’ Tournament continued with wins for two of this summer’s top riders as well as an exciting first for a young up-and-comer in the International Ring on Friday. Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Fine Lady 5 topped the $50,000 LaFarge Cup 1.50m, Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Chin Quidam VDL won the $33,500 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m, and Wilton Porter (USA) and Diamonte Darco were victorious in the $33,500 Friends of the Meadows Jumper 1.45m.

Watch highlights from Friday’s competition!

The ‘North American’ Tournament continues through July 6, featuring the $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday and the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic 1.50m Derby on Sunday.

Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela is the course designer in the International Ring for the week and set some challenging tracks on Friday. In the $50,000 LaFarge Cup, Palacios saw 25 entries with five clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Eric Lamaze and Artisan Farms LLC’s Fine Lady 5 got the win with the only double clear round in 53.16 seconds. Richie Moloney (IRL) and Equinimity LLC’s Freestyle de Muze were clear over the jumps and finished with one time fault in 57.68 seconds. McLain Ward (USA) and his own and Susan Heller’s d’Ulien van de Smeets had the fastest jump-off time of 46.63 seconds, but incurred four faults to finish third.

Lamaze and Fine Lady 5, the 11-year-old Hanoverian mare by Forsyth x Hauptstutbuch, are already on their third international victory this summer in a brand new partnership that solidified quickly.

“I didn’t know her very much before I came here, so I really got to know her on this summer tour,” Lamaze stated. “What I found out about her is that she is absolutely 100% reliable. She really wants to stay off the fences. She gets a little excited and moves right to left very quickly sometimes, so it took me a little bit to adjust to her, but she’s a total class horse for the 1.50m division. Who knows what else is in the future for her, but at this height I feel like I’m on the very best horse I can have for this.”

Fine Lady came to Artisan Farms when Lamaze needed a horse to fill the 1.50m speed classes in his string of top mounts, and the purchase has proved to be an excellent investment. Although they have only done a few jump-off rounds together, Lamaze knew he could trust his horse completely.

“It was wide open, and she’s really careful,” he stated. “The double was the trick to jump after the long gallop from one to two. I knew if McLain was to be clear, I was going to have a harder night. He had an unfortunate four faults, so things became a little bit easier. With one time fault to beat, I felt pretty good about things, but you never know about things in this sport. You could have the first jump down, the last fence, a light rub and it comes down. It’s not because all you have to do is go clear that it works every single time. I’m very happy with the result. I felt that I was on the right horse to accomplish this mission.”

“The great thing about this mare is that she is really fast, and she goes fast, but you can always push,” Lamaze added. “That’s why she is so good. Great horses, it doesn’t matter how fast you get to the fence, if they’re asking for leg when you get there, they are very competitive horses. In the jump-off tonight, I didn’t really have to hold her back. She always asks for more leg. I just sort of maintained a rhythm that I thought would be under the time allowed, and that’s all I had to do.”

After another great win, Lamaze looks forward to jumping Fine Lady 5 in Saturday’s $85,000 TD Cup 1.50m. He will also compete in the $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup 1.60m with Powerplay.

Darragh Kenny and Chin Quidam VDL
Darragh Kenny and Chin Quidam VDL

Kenny Can’t Be Beat

Ireland’s Darragh Kenny continued an incredible summer at Spruce Meadows with another win on Friday afternoon, this time taking the $33,500 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m aboard Hyperion Stud LLC’s Chin Quidam VDL, an eight-year-old KWPN stallion by Chin Chin x Quidam de Revel. Including Friday’s win, Kenny has now had eight individual FEI victories over the course of four weeks at Spruce Meadows as well as a team Nations Cup win for Ireland.

In Friday’s Pepsi Challenge, course designer Leopoldo Palacios set the track for 42 entries and saw 10 advance to the jump-off with four double clear rounds. Eric Lamaze went first over the short course with Artisan Farms LLC’s Check Picobello Z in 39.78 seconds, but Kenny stole the lead with Chin Quidam VDL in 35.63 seconds a few rounds later. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) then moved into second with Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Mimosa in 36.97 seconds. Last to go, Leslie Howard (USA) went for the clear round in 40.87 seconds with Moormann, Rolf u. Paul Schockemohle’s Balboa 6 to finish fourth. Frances Land (USA) had the time in hand with Vieanne in 35.21 seconds, but had four faults at the final fence to place fifth.

“I didn’t know what exactly I was doing when I went in the ring,” Kenny admitted after his round. “He’s very quick, and he’s very careful. I didn’t know if he was going to spook on the inside turn from one to two in the jump-off, but he didn’t at all. Everybody had said to me that it was going to be very difficult to do six strides to the double (combination), but I knew that he had such a big stride that it was going to be easy for him. I just cut inside, did the six, and then I knew I was one stride ahead at that stage, so then I just kept going. I tried to do seven to the last, but I got caught wide, so I had to do eight (strides), but it turned out to be good enough.”

“I was very lucky that Frances Land hit the last jump because she could have done 11 strides to the last jump and still beaten me,” Kenny added with a laugh.

Chin Quidam VDL is a breeding stallion for Hyperion Stud in Virginia. Kenny started riding the horse in Florida over the winter and has been stepping him up this summer.

“He’s a really, really nice horse, and he only started doing the 1.45m here at Spruce,” Kenny noted. “He has really come a long way. He won a national 1.45m here also and was second in another. Today was only his second time in the big ring, and he really performed well. He is quite competitive.”

In addition to his own success throughout the summer series, Kenny has coached many of his students to top ribbons. One student, Taylor Alexander, finished ninth with her horse G&C Flash in the Pepsi Challenge. Kenny explained that it is a big job to make sure all of his horses and riders are prepared in the same classes throughout the day, but showing together also keeps him on top of his game.

“For me, I really enjoy working with students,” he acknowledged. “I really enjoy helping people get to their goals in their careers. I know from my own experience, I ask nearly all the top riders questions all the time, so I think it’s good for my students that they also have someone that’s riding in the ring and can get on the horse and feel what they feel, and have an idea of what’s going on.”

“It’s a huge balance when you’re walking the course,” Kenny pointed out. “You have to teach every person differently because of how they ride and the horse that they are on. I really try in my training to individualize the horses. I don’t try to use the same idea for every horse. I see what each horse needs to improve on and do that, whether it’s my own horses or my clients’ horses.”

Wilton Porter and Diamonte Darco
Wilton Porter and Diamonte Darco

Porter Wins Big with Diamonte Darco

Twenty-year-old Wilton Porter (USA) got his first International win at Spruce Meadows Friday morning riding Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Diamonte Darco in the $33,500 Friends of the Meadows 1.45m. Porter got the nine-year-old mare, a Great Britain Sport Horse by Unbelievable Darco, this winter. The pair first showed in Florida for a few months and then traveled to Europe in May before starting up in Calgary last week. Jumping in the world-renowned International Ring, they made their first win together a big one.

Forty-three entries showed in the first competition of the day with nine clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Porter and Diamonte Darco had the advantage of being last to go over the short course. When no one else was able to finish without fault, they only had the round of two time faults in 52.37 seconds from Christine McCrea and Candy Tribble’s Win For Life to beat. Porter explained that he thought he was almost not fast enough, but he galloped down to the final fence and jumped clear in 50.33 seconds to take top honors.

“It was a good jump-off to go last in,” the rider smiled. “I was right at the in-gate when Chris went, and I watched her round. It wasn’t super slow, but it wasn’t all out. I knew that I didn’t need to race and have a rail down because I was trying to go too fast. Actually, once I started doing the course and I was coming around to the second to last jump, I thought, ‘I’m pretty slow. I might be slower than her.’ So I had to kind of race to the last (jump), but it was a wall. Horses tend to back themselves off of that, so it worked out well.”

“It’s really exciting,” Porter said of his momentous win. “I have been coming to Spruce for four years and competing in the International Ring for three years. I have had some good placings in here, but I had not gotten that victory yet, so it is really special to have all of the hard work pay off.”

Porter was also excited to get the win with a relatively new horse in Diamonte Darco. He had a great round in the competition with his veteran partner Paloubet as well, but had one time fault to finish just out of the ribbons.

Porter explained that the mare has been gradually stepping up to bigger classes, and that although she is only nine years old and a little green at this level of competition, she handled it very well.

“She’s pretty fiery; a fiery personality, and she’s definitely very sensitive,” he said of the ride. “I have adjusted to that. She is very different from my other horse, Paloubet, who is really strong and powerful. I am just sort of trying to hold on to him, whereas with her, it is more of a finesse to it. She’s very careful. The distance at the jump is very important for her.”

With a fantastic win under his belt, Porter has big plans for the rest of the summer. Diamonte Darco will travel to Kentucky to be his mount at the Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships while Paloubet will fly over to Europe to give Porter the ride in his first senior Nations Cup team on the United States Under 25 tour in Bratislava, Slovakia.

The ‘North American’ Tournament continues on Saturday with the $85,000 TD Cup 1.50m and the $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup 1.60m. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

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

Spruce Meadows Media Services
caroline.weilinger@sprucemeadows.com
403.974.4232
sprucemeadows.com

Competitions, FEI, Show Jumping

Czech Republic Reigns Supreme in Europe Division 2 Furusiyya Qualifier at Budapest

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History was made today with a first-ever Nations Cup win for the Czech Republic at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Europe Division 2 qualifier in Budapest, Hungary. A double-clear performance from Zuzanna Zelinkova and Caleri ll cemented that victory. Photo: FEI/Krisztina Hajdu.

Budapest (HUN), 4 July 2014 – On a day full of surprises, the Czech Republic pipped Norway for pole position in the fifth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Europe Division 2 League at Budapest in Hungary. The 13 teams in the first round were whittled down to just eight by a challenging track designed by Germany’s Werner Deeg, and the Norwegians and Czechs slogged it out when going into the second round as joint-leaders.

There was drama right to the end, with big scores for the second-line riders on both sides threatening their chances and only a single fence separating the two teams in the final analysis. And there was great joy in the Czech camp as they celebrated their first-ever Nations Cup victory. “We are so very happy!” said Czech pathfinder Zuzanna Zelinkova whose double-clear with the fabulous stallion Caleri ll was pivotal to the result. “Today was a big and special day for us; it is historic because it is the very first win for a Nations Cup team from Czech Republic and we are all very proud!” she added.

Such a winner

Today was also another great example of the success of this newly-designed series which proved such a winner in its inaugural 2013 season. Many nations were testing promising newcomers, and once again relatively unknown horse-and-rider combinations rose to the occasion in great style. Another team that demonstrated the unique spirit of determination that epitomises the sport of Nations Cup Jumping was the Slovak side who, lying joint-fifth at the halfway point, stood firm while others around them fell by the wayside and improved to finish fourth behind a good Belgian foursome.

Denmark finished fifth ahead of Germany in sixth, Argentina in seventh and Austria in eighth place.

From the 13 nations, there were seven in the hunt for points towards the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2014 in October, but Hungary and Turkey missed their chances when failing to make the cut into the second round along with Italy, Hong Kong and Slovenia. The Turkish team, convincing winners at the previous Europe Division 2 leg in Sopot, Poland last month, were in trouble from the outset when their star partnership of Derin Demirsoy and Harry K opened with 16 faults, and despite a clear from Husnu Dinc (Chellachic Z) they couldn’t recover and finished ninth.

Uncompromising

Werner Deeg’s track was uncompromising, with many fences approached off corners and complete concentration required from start to finish. The Budapest fixture takes place in the Nemzeti Lovarda, the Hungarian National Riding School which is located in the heart of the beautiful city, and some horses seemed distracted by their surroundings, while the intense heat added to the intensity of the occasion.

The first four fences presented little difficulty in the first round but, second time out, the triple-bar at fence three saw the second-line riders for both Czech Republic and Norway both grind to a halt in front of it. It was followed by a wall and then riders took a short left-hand turn to the double at five before running left-handed again to the 3.80m wide open water.

Deeg’s questions were all about control, and the next three fences really tested that as riders had to collect their horses after another left-hand bend to tackle the 1.60m vertical at fence seven and then take a sharp right-handed turnback to the oxer at eight and vertical at nine which were complicated by their proximity to the hospitality area and entry-gate as well as by the fact that they were off-set from each other. Continuing right-handed the triple combination was next and this proved highly influential before riders turned right-handed again down the final line of a 1.60m vertical to a big 1.50m-high oxer that had a 1.80m spread.

Czech Republic’s Zelinkova described the principle challenges on the track. “Fences 7, 8 and 9 were difficult mainly because, after the water which was really wide, it was difficult to get horses back and then there was a really short turn from the vertical (fence 7) to the oxer (fence 8) which was close to the tribune and the exit – a lot of horses lost their concentration there,” she explained.

Walk in the park

Her 11-year-old Holsteiner stallion made it all look like a walk in the park however and when last-line Czech rider, Ales Opatrny, also stayed clear with VDL Fakir then only one of the eight faults collected by Ondrej Zvara (Carmen Arcus) and Emma Augier de Moussac (Danthe RDPF) had to be counted at the end of round one.

The Norwegians were also on eight faults at the halfway point, discounting the eight picked up by Margrethe Hartmann (Laeticia) and counting just single errors from both pathfinder Ole Kristoffer Meland (CC Top) and anchorman Dag Ove Kingsroed (Dimaro vd Looise Heide) when Therese Henriksen and the big bay, Alimero van’t Roth, were footperfect.

Belgium and Denmark went into round two carrying 12 faults each while Germany and Slovakia carried 16 and Austria and Argentina carried 20. But the real battle for supremacy was played out between the two leading nations, and it was a mighty one.

Zelinkova’s second clear boosted Czech chances but that was followed by 17 from Zvara whose stop at fence three was followed by a pole off the double at five and mistakes at both the vertical at nine and the penultimate vertical too. Norway opened round two with a double-error from Meland and when Hartmann then racked up a huge tally of 44 faults on a nightmare tour of the track with Laeticia it seemed their day was done.

Window of opportunity

However, one score always has to be discounted so when Czech Republic’s Augier de Moussac double-faulted the window of opportunity seemed to re-open for the Norwegians once more. If Henriksen could stay clear then they would be back on level-pegging with their rivals. She didn’t quite manage to do that, leaving the vertical at nine on the floor, but still the pressure was on Opatrny when last to go for the Czech side. If he went clear then victory was in the bag because his side would complete on 16 faults while the Norwegians were already on 20, but the second element of the double at five hit the sand to leave Czech Republic on a final total of 20.

As Norway’s Dag Ove Kingsroed returned to the ring as last man to go he knew a clear would force a jump-off, but it wasn’t to be when Dimaro vd Looise Heide hit the vertical after the water. It would the Czech Republic’s day today.

Zelinkova talked afterwards about her show-stealing ride, Caleri ll. For her today was extraordinary on many levels, as this is a horse she knew as a youngster and who found his way back into her career just a year ago.

A little bit amazing

“It’s a little bit amazing!” said the 30-year-old Czech rider who is based in Bratislavia, Slovakia and whose equestrian career began when she rode a pony at a circus when she was just five years old.

“Caleri came to Slovakia when he was two-and-a-half years old; he was bought at an auction and I rode him as a four- and five-year-old; he was in my stables but was sold. Then I was working for another owner and I got him 14 months ago when he was a 10-year-old. We started out again together, first competing in 1.30m classes and immediately we were happy together again – he was fantastic and we jumped in Herning (Denmark) last year in the 3-Star classes. He’s so scopey and so calm and quiet – it’s just like he is playing when you are riding him around the course – it’s just great fun!” she said.

Today’s impressive result will not be enough for her country to earn a place at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final because Czech Republic has only one further opportunity to collect points when the series visits Zelinkova’s home-town of Bratislava next month. But it has been a hugely encouraging experience for the riders and team connections.

“This is our team for the World Equestrian Games, so everyone is very happy with how things went today,” Zelinkova said. “Now we can really look forward to Normandy!”

For further information on round 14 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 series at Budapest, Hungary, go to website www.csiobudapest.hu or contact Press Officer Nora Zajonskovsky, Email info@csiobudapest.hu, press@csiobudapest.hu or Tel +36 20 956 3737. The next leg to take place is Round 6 of the Europe Division 1 series at Falsterbo, Sweden on Friday 11 July. For all information on the Swedish fixture, go to website www.falsterbohorseshow.com or contact Press Officer Malin Fredriksson, Email press@falsterbohorseshow.com.

Full result here.

Facts and Figures:

Budapest, Hungary presented the fifth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Europe Division 2 League.

The event took place in the Nemzeti Lovarda, the Hungarian National Riding School, which is located in the heart of the beautiful city of Budapest and which was established in 1861.

Course designer was Germany’s Werner Deeg.

13 nations competed – Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey.

7 nations were chasing points towards the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final – Austria, Norway, Denmark, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Turkey.

8 horse-and-rider combinations jumped clear in the first round.

2 double-clear rounds in the competition, from Czech Republic’s Zuzanna Zelinkova (Caleri ll) and Belgium’s Hendrik Denutte (Green Sleeps Orage).

The best 8 teams qualified for the second round.

Norway, who finished second today, have now moved into the lead in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Division 2 League.

A total of 15 nations are competing in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Europe Division 2 series which has three remaining legs – at Gijon (ESP) on 2 August, at Bratislava (SVK) on 8 August and finally at Arezzo-San Marino (ITA) on 19 September.

The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping world final will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 9 to 12 October 2014.

Quotes:

Zuzanna Zelinkova CZE, when asked why the Czech Republic team did not compete for Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping points at Sopot, Poland last month – “It was bad timing two of the four riders were away in Ebreichsdorf at a 4* competition preparing for Normandy. However, it was a great competition here in Budapest; we love to ride in Budapest and love the site and city and we are happy with the victory.”

Ales Opatrny CZE – “I came here (to Budapest) first 14 years ago so I’m not all that young now! But I like to come and I have been here both in indoor and outdoor.”

Full standings here.

For further information on the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series, check out this link.

“Furusiyya” (Arabic: فروسيه) this single Arabic word conveys so much, embracing the idea of horsemanship, chivalry, and equestrian knowledge in general. The term is a derivation of faris, or horseman and faras, a horse.

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 a timepiece was made with a horse and jockey engraved on the watch face. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1926, for the first time, the brand was involved as timekeeper for the Official International Equestrian Competition of Geneva.

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 Budapest:

Nora Zajonskovsky
Press Officer
Email: press@csiobudapest.hu
Tel: +36 20 956 3737

At FEI:

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

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

*Featured/Spotlights

Olympia Horse Show Announces 2014 Line Up

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The organisers of the world’s biggest equestrian Christmas party, Olympia, The London International Horse Show, have announced a dazzling new line up of displays for this year’s show, which takes place on 16-22 December 2014.

The headline acts include the unique Ukrainian Cossack Stunt Riders and the magnificent Mounted Branch of the Metropolitan Police – both of whom haven’t performed at Olympia for four years. In addition, all the old favourites which make London’s premier horse show magical, such as The Shetland Pony Grand National, The Kennel Club Dog Agility and The Olympia Finale, will be back once again to delight the 90,000 visitors expected to attend this year’s show.

Taking centre stage at Olympia 2014 will be the Mounted Branch of the Metropolitan Police* who will be bringing their fabulous Activity Ride back after a four year break. The Metropolitan Police had to temporarily stop performing their famous display to carry out their role in the London 2012 operations. The Mounted Branch have been able to regroup this year to bring back its ride which demonstrates the high level of skill and agility required from both horse and officer. Key moments include jumping through fire, crossovers and crashing through a solid paper wall.

The world famous Ukrainian Cossack Stunt Team from Kiev will be making a rare visit to the UK to demonstrate their legendary riding skills, originating from battlefield tactics used over 300 years ago. The 11 man strong team of Cossack riders, who have not performed in the UK for over two years, are sure to thrill the Olympia crowds with their daredevil stunts, including standing on a horse whilst galloping at full speed, hanging from a stirrup with just one leg and riding two horses at the same time.

Show Director Simon Brooks-Ward said: “Olympia, The London International Horse Show is the ultimate celebration of equestrianism. Every year, we endeavour to bring the very best horse men and women from around the world to London for this truly special occasion.

“Both the Ukrainian Cossacks and the Metropolitan Mounted Police have been real crowd pleasers in the past and are the perfect complement to Olympia’s world class competitions in Dressage, Show Jumping and Carriage Driving. It is very exciting to have such a phenomenal line up at Olympia once again.”

Living up to its reputation as one of Europe’s premier indoor equestrian events, Olympia 2014 will once again host three FEI World Cups™ in Carriage Driving, Dressage and Show Jumping. The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage leg takes place on 16 and 17 December, the FEI World Cup™ Driving leg presented by Dodson & Horrell on 19 and 20 December and the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping leg presented by H&M on 21 December. The climax of the seven day equine extravaganza will finish with the Olympia Grand Prix on Monday 22 December.

Tickets start at £24.50 each with discounts for groups, children and concessions applying for certain performances. For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit the website at www.olympiahorseshow.com or telephone the box office on 0871 230 5580.

Visit the www.olympiahorseshow.com for a full programme of events.

*subject to contract

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

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.

FEI, Publications/Media, World Equestrian Games

FEI Focus Goes behind the Scenes at Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

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Lausanne (SUI), 4 July 2014 – The latest edition of FEI Focus, the official magazine of the Fédération Equestre Internationale, is now available online and the spotlight is on the FEI’s flagship event, the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy.

The Games will be the largest sporting event in France this year, on the back of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping and Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Finals in Lyon, with eight world championships held at spectacular venues including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mont Saint-Michel and the historic Haras du Pin.

A Life in a Day talks to Mathieu Collet, Venue Manager of the Games Village, and reveals what a typical day holds for the man in charge of the 110,000 m2 area where around 30,000 people are expected daily. “Our aim is to create a place where people will want to come again and again – to sit down, to have a drink, eat, meet people and make discoveries,” says Collet.

All those travelling to Normandy will want to discover exciting new things, and the attractions of the Alltech Pavilion and the FEI Pavilion both feature in the magazine. FEI Focus also goes behind the scenes and checks out preparation work on the stables, which were extremely well received at this month’s test events in d’Ornano Stadium, and how the well-being of the 1,000 competing horses will be assured. Normandy is renowned as an important gastronomic region in France, so the Organising Committee also gives tempting insider recommendations for great restaurants in the area.

A touching piece tells the stories of two Vaulters: South Africa’s Bongani Mvumvu, who clearly remembers what it meant to have nothing in his early years, and young Lambert Leclezio, the only Mauritian Vaulting athlete to have reached such a high level. Both will represent their countries for the first time at World Championship level thanks to FEI Solidarity funding that helped them on the road to Normandy, financing their training and travel to qualifying events. “FEI Solidarity was 100 per cent behind me and I really appreciate it,” Mvumvu says.

Back to the past and Memory Lane travels to 1990, the year of the inaugural FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Stockholm, and shows that some things never change. “We worked like hell for the last six months with lots of late nights and early mornings,” remembers Wiveka Lundh, now Sport Director for the Swedish National Federation. “Colleagues became family,” she says.

The other side of gives an insight into the multiple Olympic, World and European medallist William Fox-Pitt. “The first persons I send text messages after a competition are my wife, my horses’ owners and my mother, if they are not there,” Fox-Pitt says.

Seen from the outside looks at how non-equestrian athletes view the equestrian world. “I am staggered at the communication between rider and horse – it gives a whole added dimension of complexity,” says Jonathan Edwards, Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth Games gold medallist and triple jump world record holder.

The latest edition also features stunning photos from the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final and the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in Lyon, and Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping at Coapexpan (MEX), which made a memorable first appearance on the Nations Cup calendar thanks to a crew that worked overnight to repair extensive damage caused by an earthquake, hurricane-force winds and torrential rain.

Check out the latest edition of FEI Focus: http://www.fei.org/fei/about-fei/publications/fei-focus.

About FEI Focus

Launched in 2009, FEI Focus is the official magazine of the Fédération Equestre Internationale. Through stunning photography, exclusive features, interviews and news articles, it portrays and promotes the many facets of the FEI’s seven disciplines and numerous topics surrounding the equine industry.

The magazine shares news from the FEI’s 132 Member Federations, turns the spotlight on equestrian athletes and major events and explores the life and work of grooms, volunteers, event officials, veterinarians and all the other people who make the sport possible. The magazine is produced three times a year and is available as a free iPad application from the Apple Newsstand and online at www.fei.org.

FEI media contacts:

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

Denise Devillaire
Manager Press Relations
denise.devillaire@fei.org
+41 787 750 6157

Community/Charity, Dressage, Publications/Media

Exclusive Opportunity to View Valiant’s Legacy Living On

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Jeanette Sassoon with Cherokee and Valiant.

The lights dimmed and a quiet hush fell over the 2014 American Horse Publications (AHP) Annual Awards Banquet as a movie illuminated the room. The attendees of the 2014 AHP Annual Awards Banquet were the first to witness a preview to the Valiant Documentary, but now the opportunity to share in the journey of Jeanette Sassoon and the blind dressage horse named Valiant that captured the hearts of a nation is available for you to view.

Valiant wasn’t always a champion dressage horse competing with the best of the best on a national and international level in Wellington, FL. After he went blind he ever so slowly rehabilitated his body and mind and regained his trust with the unconditional love and care of his owner. He never recovered his sight but through the eyes of his human companion he surpassed all expectations of ever reaching a normal life – he reached the impossible dream by anyone’s standards. Sassoon was invited to the 2014 American Horse Publications Annual Awards Banquet, where she presented Silke Rottermann with the Valiant Human-Animal Bond Award, sponsored by Luipold Animal Health, manufacturers of Adequan® (Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan). The preview for the feature length documentary was a success, with tear filled eyes and a standing ovation resounding as it concluded. Everyone is talking about the documentary, and Valiant’s legacy; it’s time for you to join the conversation by visiting http://valiantdocumentary.com/.

Please view the final performance given by Valiant at the Rolex 3 Day Event, held at the Kentucky Horse Park in the Alltech Arena in 2013. You will also see Cherokee’s first performance from the opening “Polo West Brings Western to Wellington” event, located in Wellington, FL, in May 2014.

Sassoon stated, “Valiant’s message of hope and inspiration transcends all equine disciplines, all geographic locations, all people and all periods of time. His story is an example of how all types of relationships work best, without confrontation and without force and with the right intention coming from honesty. Acceptance of what life offers, and understanding there are lessons to learn from all these trials and tribulations, was an important personal awareness of our journey together.”

Valiant passed in November 2013, but he certainly will be remembered through the Valiant Human Animal Bond Award and his best buddy and stablemate ‘Cherokee,’ who is also blind. Cherokee was passed the torch and will carry on in Valiant’s memory and legacy.

PoloGear® is the exclusive supplier of the Valiant Collection. The Valiant Collection of apparel is inspired by the blind dressage horse named Valiant and designed by his loving owner Sassoon and dedicated to him and all the wonderful messages and virtues he acknowledged throughout his lifetime. The Valiant Collection is made exclusively by the prestigious company that makes clothing and equipment for all disciplines throughout the equestrian world. PoloGear® has been a staple in the Wellington equestrian community since 1993.

PoloGear’s dedication to quality and attention to detail is never lost in their production. For more information on PoloGear® USA and to order products, visit www.PoloGearusa.com.

For more information about the Valiant Feature Length Documentary, and to join the conversation, please visit http://valiantdocumentary.com/.

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

Uceko Makes a Comeback in Progress Energy Cup 1.55m at Spruce Meadows

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Kent Farrington and Uceko. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Kenny and Picolo Win $35,000 PwC Cup 1.50m; Ward and Zander Take $33,500 Suncast Cup 1.45m

Calgary, AB, Canada – July 3, 2014 – RCG Farm’s Uceko quickly returned to the winner’s circle with Kent Farrington (USA) at this week’s Spruce Meadows ‘North American’ Tournament after nearly six months out of competition for a well-deserved rest. Farrington and Uceko jumped to an impressive victory in Thursday’s $85,000 Progress Energy Cup 1.55m over McLain Ward (USA) and HH Carlos Z (second), and Pablo Barrios (VEN) with Zara Leandra (third). Ward settled for second in that class, but got a win earlier in the day in the $33,500 Suncast Cup 1.45m aboard Zander. The $35,000 PwC Cup 1.50m was also held on Thursday with a victory for Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Picolo.

Watch highlights from Thursday’s competition!

The ‘North American’ Tournament continues through July 6, featuring the $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday and the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic 1.50m Derby on Sunday.

Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela is the course designer in the International Ring for the week and showcased another day of fantastic show jumping in Thursday’s competition. In the $85,000 Progress Energy Cup, Palacios saw 42 entries with nine in the jump-off and six double clear rounds. Kent Farrington and Uceko stopped the clock in 36.93 seconds for the win.

McLain Ward and Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z clocked in at 38.49 seconds to finish in reserve. Pablo Barrios and ZL Group Inc.’s Zara Leandra placed third in 38.57 seconds.

Thirteen-year-old Uceko, a KWPN gelding by Celano x Koriander, has had an illustrious career with Farrington including some big wins at Spruce Meadows. Following a fantastic 2013 season, Farrington decided to give Uceko a rest while he focused on some of his other horses. Uceko has not shown since December and came out for the first time this week looking immediately back on form.

“That horse has worked really hard for me for four years,” Farrington explained. “Now that I have some other horses that have stepped up to be competitive, I thought he deserved a break. I gave him six months to not even look at a jump and forget about showing for a while. This is his first week out. He feels really fresh and better than ever and really excited to be back at a show. I could not be happier with him.”

Commenting on their winning round, Farrington noted, “My horse has a very big stride, so the field really suits him. He is also quite brave, so he can kind of go on the attack at the jumps. With him, it’s really just playing to his strengths as a horse.”

Often a consistent winner at Spruce Meadows each year, Thursday’s win was actually Farrington’s first victory at the Summer Series. He has gotten a lot of good experience in with his younger horses, but was happy to finally take a round of honor.

“That’s sometimes our sport and how it goes. It’s a game of inches and half-seconds,” Farrington acknowledged. “I had a couple things not break my way so far, so it is good to get a win under our belt, so to speak. I didn’t bring as many experienced horses as in the past. I really just brought Voyeur for the bigger classes. I have a bunch of younger ones that are getting a lot of miles and they are competitive, but they aren’t really ready to win. When you have an experienced horse like Uceko, it is really nice to go in a class and know that you can put the pressure on, put the hammer down, and go to really compete and not have to hold back.”

As Uceko continues to get back in shape, Farrington will likely jump him one more time this week with the ultimate goal of competing in the final grand prix of the Summer Series, the $400,000 Pan American Cup presented by Rolex on Sunday, July 13. He plans to jump Voyeur in Saturday’s $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

“Voyeur has done more, so that was my plan,” Farrington stated. “I think he is really a great horse as well, but he doesn’t have as much experience. This is one of the best venues not just for the top horses, but also to produce a horse. If they jump here in this ring over these jumps, you can feel pretty comfortable that they can go almost anywhere in the world.”

Darragh Kenny and Picolo
Darragh Kenny and Picolo

Kenny and Picolo Win Again

The $35,000 PwC Cup 1.50m was held on Thursday with a win for Ireland’s Darragh Kenny aboard Oakland Ventures LLC’s Picolo. Thirty-eight entries jumped the first round track followed by a seven-horse jump-off with three double clear rounds.

Eric Lamaze (CAN) was first to go over the short course with Artisan Farms LLC’s Zigali P S and set the time to beat at a very fast 38.69 seconds, but eventually settled for second place when Kenny and Picolo took the challenge, next to go. They blazed through the course in 37.33 seconds to take the lead. Kevin Babington (IRL) and Shorapur LLC’s Shorapur completed the only other double clear round in 40.00 seconds to finish third. Quentin Judge (USA) and Double H Farm’s HH Dark de la Hart had the fastest four-fault round in the jump-off in 37.96 seconds for a fourth-place finish.

Kenny and Picolo have been on quite a roll this summer, including a win in Wednesday’s $33,500 AON Cup 1.45m as well as two victories in the ‘National’ Tournament. Although Kenny has many fantastic mounts, he owns Picolo himself through his Oakland Ventures LLC, and has a special appreciation for the talented gelding.

“He’s my pet,” Kenny smiled. “He’s my favorite. He is not a 1.60m horse; he never will be a 1.60m horse, but I gave everything I had to buy him. I got him, and he has never put a foot wrong for me. He goes in the ring every day and tries harder than any horse I know. Today I turned back to the second to last jump in the jump-off and I was at no distance, no anything, and I was like, ‘Ok, here you go,’ and he was like, ‘I got it, it’s no problem.’ When you have a horse like that, it’s an incredible feeling. It is also great because he is my own. That makes it even more special.”

Kenny spoke about his winning round in Thursday’s competition, explaining that although he won, Picolo was a big help in the jump-off.

“The course was quite tough. The time allowed was very tight in the first round,” he noted. “I went very early on before the break, so he had a lot of time to rest, which seems to be working for him. It’s difficult to keep your concentration for that length of time and go back in, but the horse is an incredible horse. I don’t think today was one of my best rides in jump-off rounds, but I think he saved me a lot. I don’t think I have ever ridden something so careful that wants to win so much. I stepped him up a little bit today to 1.50m, which isn’t a huge problem for him. I have been using him in the 1.45m classes because I know he definitely wins those! He coped super today. I was a little worried about Eric. Zigali is one of his best horses. He went first and he went very fast, so I had a lot to do, but when you have a horse like that, it’s easy.”

Kenny has had a phenomenal summer and praised his great horses. “I’m very happy! I have been very lucky,” he smiled. “All of my horses have been going great. They seem to like it a lot here. Like everyone, confidence is a huge thing. It doesn’t matter who you are, from me to Eric Lamaze to somebody in the 1.20m division, it’s all about confidence. If you can believe in yourself and believe in the horse, when you win classes, you get more confident, and then you just get on a roll. When you’re winning, it’s a lot easier to put the bad rounds behind you. It is a massive advantage to have a lot of nice horses. I have eight horses that I’m showing in the FEI division here. It’s an incredible opportunity and I think that is the main key to my success, that I have super, super horses.”

McLain Ward and Zander
McLain Ward and Zander

Ward and Zander Secure Victory in Suncast Cup

The $33,500 Suncast Cup 1.45m was the first competition of the day in the International Ring with a win for McLain Ward (USA) and the 10-year-old KWPN gelding Zander (Cantos x Saygon), owned by Ward and Grant Road Partners LLC. The pair was incredibly fast over Leopoldo Palacios’ speed track, setting the winning time of 63.61 seconds out of 78 competitors. In total, the course saw 17 clear rounds.

Ward finished almost three seconds faster than second place finisher Will Simpson (USA) aboard Monarch International’s Warrant with a time of 66.50 seconds. Nick Dello Joio (USA) and Coker Farm’s Contiki finished third in 67.38 seconds.

Ward and Zander have already had a great summer at Spruce Meadows with a win in the $33,500 Westmoreland Cup 1.50m during the ‘National’ Tournament in June as well as a second place in the $85,000 ATB Financial Cup 1.55M that same week.

Kicking off this week’s ‘North American’ Tournament, Zander jumped in Wednesday night’s 1.55m competition, but had some trouble on course that resulted in elimination. Ward chose to step down to the 1.45m track on Thursday to give his horse a positive experience.

“We went at a funny time of the day, and obviously it wasn’t a great round,” Ward acknowledged. “He was very backed off in that line on the side (of the ring). It was a different kind of test, and I would have handled some things different in my preparation. I went with a small spur; I should have had something bigger. I made a few errors in my prep, but actually, I had a feeling he would come back pretty strong today. I did decide to put him in this class because of it, to try and get him to even out a little bit. The speed class is normally pretty good for that.”

Ward had Zander revved up and flying from the start for Thursday’s 1.45m round. The first fence was set straight at the side of the ring where they had an issue the night before, but the rider was on it.

“It was going up into that same kind of slot that he struggled with yesterday,” Ward noted. “Yesterday was a little bit darker when I went, but I wanted him in front of my leg. He had a really good warm-up today. He’s the type of horse where you set the pace, and he’s careful enough to stay on it like that.”

The pair also went 35th out of 78 entries, and Ward knew that he had to set an unbeatable time to maintain the lead to the end.

“There were 40 coming behind me. Here, when you have those kind of numbers, you have to keep that in mind,” he detailed. “It’s not like a jump-off where I typically go with the philosophy, ‘beat what’s in front of me, the chips will fall where they are.’ That’s my way of thinking. This is a situation where you have to be aware of what’s coming behind you in a class. Forty entries, at this level, if you just beat what’s in front of you, you end up in the middle of the pack.”

“Zander was great,” Ward stated. “He is great at these speed competitions. He is careful, and he has a huge stride. I knew it was a big field, and I knew there were some fast ones coming behind, so I was going to try and set a pace that was a challenge for them, and fortunately it held up.”

The ‘North American’ Tournament continues on Friday with the $33,500 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m and the $50,000 LaFarge Cup 1.50m in the International Ring. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

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

Spruce Meadows Media Services
caroline.weilinger@sprucemeadows.com
403.974.4232
sprucemeadows.com

Community/Charity, Dressage, Fundraisers

Almost $10,000 Raised at C-DAAP’s ‘Dressage Soiree’

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Dinner was delivered to guests by pony-drawn carriage at the ‘Dressage Soiree’ fundraising event. Photo by Mary White, Lone Oak Equine Photography.

Cedar Valley, Ontario – Close to $10,000 was raised in support of the Canadian Dressage Athlete Assistance Program (C-DAAP) at the ‘Dressage Soiree’ fundraising event held Saturday evening, June 21, during the CDI3* Equivents competition.

Held at the Royal Canadian Riding Academy in Cedar Valley, ON, the venue was transformed through a country picnic theme expressed in the décor and menu. Guests were treated to dinner ringside during the Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle competitions, showcasing dressage sport at its highest level.

Guests were seated so close to the action that their dinner was delivered via ‘pony express’, with a pony-drawn carriage distributing meals to the box seats. Guests were served fruit and cheese from Vince’s Market, ribs provided by Cobblestone Farms, and mashed potatoes and salads from Reser’s Fine Foods.

“I heard from several people that brought non-horsey friends that they fell in love with our sport and were completely smitten by the magnificence of the animals and the harmonious partnerships,” said event organizer, Kim Goodyear. “The juniors and young riders seating people and helping to deliver food was also a highlight for many, and everyone raved about the food! Overall, we were successful financially while providing our guests with a unique experience.”

As for the competition, Megan Lane of Loretto, ON wowed the audience by winning the Grand Prix Special with a score of 72.98% riding Caravella while Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON and the handsome chestnut Devon L performed their musical freestyle routine to win the Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 72.05%.

In addition to their share of the prize money, the top-placing riders were invited to select items from the Butternut Ridge Prize Table. Prizes included Go-Pro video cameras, a 50″ Samsung Smart TV, a Nespresso coffee machine, a Breville kitchen mixer, and many more fabulous prizes.

Founded by Deborah Kinzinger, the Canadian Dressage Athlete Assistance Program (C-DAAP) is an Equine Canada/Dressage Canada fundraising program developed to support Canadian high performance riders at all levels – senior, young rider, and junior. Last year, grants of $15,000 each were provided to Jacqueline Brooks and Jaimey Irwin to attend the 2013 World Cup Final. This year, the Dressage Canada High Performance Committee awarded five C-DAAP grants of $20,000 each to Brittany Fraser, Megan Lane, Karen Pavicic, Belinda Trussell and Chris von Martels to help off-set the costs of training and competing in Europe. Grants for junior and young riders are also expected to be awarded this year, helping to develop the pipeline of up-and-coming athletes.

About the Canadian Dressage Athlete Assistance Program (C-DAAP)

The Canadian Dressage Athlete Assistance Program (C-DAAP) is a donor-driven program dedicated to supporting and advancing Canada’s junior, young rider and high performance riders. The program solicits contributions and will award grants to eligible Canadian dressage riders. C-DAAP’s goal is to provide supplemental funding to Canadian dressage athletes to off-set training, competitive and educational expenses incurred during their quest for excellence, thus creating a bridge to high level national and international competition.

Contact: Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439
www.startinggate.ca

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

Fellers and Flexible Top ‘Reach for the Sun’ 1.55m at Spruce Meadows

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Rich Fellers and Flexible. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Lamaze and Fine Lady 5 Win 1.50m Jump-Off; Simpson & Axl-Rose, Kenny & Picolo Triumph in 1.45m Speed Rounds

Calgary, AB, Canada – July 2, 2014 – The Spruce Meadows ‘North American’ Tournament CSI 5* kicked off on Wednesday with a big schedule in the International Ring to continue a fantastic summer series in Calgary. The $85,000 Sun Life Financial ‘Reach for the Sun’ 1.55m competition was the feature event of the evening with a win for Rich Fellers (USA) and Flexible. Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Fine Lady 5 got a win in the $33,500 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup 1.50m, Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Picolo won the $33,500 AON Cup 1.45m, and Will Simpson (USA) and Axl-Rose began the day with victory in the $33,500 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m.

Watch highlights of Wednesday’s competition!

The ‘North American’ Tournament continues through July 6, featuring the $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Saturday, July 5, and the $210,000 Cenovus Energy Classic 1.50m Derby on Sunday, July 6. Highlights also include the $85,000 Progress Energy Cup 1.55m on Thursday, July 3, as well as the $85,000 TD Cup 1.50m on Saturday, July 5, and the $85,000 Enbridge Cup 1.50m on Sunday, July 6.

Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela is the course designer in the International Ring for this week’s ‘North American’ competition. In Wednesday’s highlight $85,000 Sun Life Financial ‘Reach for the Sun’ 1.55m, Palacios saw 44 entries with eight very fast horse and rider combinations advancing to the jump-off and four double clear rounds.

Pablo Barrios (VEN) and ZL Group Inc.’s Zara Leandra were the first pair to clear the short course without fault in 46.28 seconds to eventually finish second. Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Hyperion Stud LLC’s Imothep jumped clear in 49.32 seconds to place fourth. Jonathan McCrea (USA) and Candy Tribble’s Special Lux stopped the clock in 47.01 seconds to take third place honors. Last to go, Rich Fellers and Harry and Mollie Chapman’s Flexible raced to the winning time of 45.35 seconds.

Flexible, the amazing 18-year-old Irish Sport Horse stallion (Cruising x Safari) and 2012 FEI World Cup Finals Champion, proved that he has still got it. Fellers explained that the win was even more incredible as Flexible came back this year after a big set back after last summer’s ‘Continental’ Tournament.

“I have been trying to sort out some things with him, and obviously age is not one of those things,” Fellers stated. “He had a real serious problem last year with a blood clot. They said he was finished, but it has been sorted out. He had a huge blood clot in his aorta and femoral artery going to his right hind leg, and he would exercise about two and a half minutes at the trot and go crippled lame. His right hind leg would cramp up. I think that’s behind him.”

“The hard part is that, emotionally, it has been difficult for me to put all that behind me and just not worry,” Fellers admitted. “I’m very attached to the horse. I’ve had him a long time and the last thing I want to do is put him through any kind of pain. It’s just sorting out the blood clot issue, and it took a lot of time. Then thinking about why am I even doing this? He’s 18 years old, but he just loves it. He craves it; it’s all he knows. Fortunately I have an incredible vet. It didn’t take long to diagnose it. When he was seven, he had a blood clot in the front leg. It was a similar thing. It was pretty easy to figure out.”

Flexible had excellent veterinary care and eventually, Fellers and the Chapmans opted not to perform any kind of risky surgery. The horse went on blood thinners that have gotten him back to the show ring.

“We sent him down to UC Davis, and he was there for four weeks,” Fellers detailed. “They had human cardiologists involved, and we had conference calls. They basically said, ‘No horse has ever recovered from this. We can lay him down and do a five-hour surgery. He could possibly retire comfortably to stand at stud. The clot won’t go away. We can slow down the clotting so it doesn’t get bigger, but we can’t get rid of it, other than going in surgically.’ They said there was no chance. I told Harry and Mollie, the owners, that I think if you lay him down for five hours, I don’t think he’s gonna get up. That’s tough on a horse. So I said, ‘Why don’t we just put him on blood thinners and see what happens?’ And it worked, miraculously. They still can’t believe it at UC Davis. They’ve never seen it. 60-70% of the clotting just disappeared. They don’t know where it went.”

After getting Flexible back in the ring, winning Wednesday’s class was very momentous for Fellers. It has also been quite a while since he won a class in Spruce Meadows’ International Ring.

“It’s difficult to describe. It’s almost unreal,” the rider acknowledged. “You look at the history of the sport, and an 18-year-old horse at the top of the sport is so rare. You see them occasionally, but they’re not usually winning those kind of classes. I just feel so fortunate. I can’t even explain how lucky and fortunate I feel to have him going as well as he’s going.”

Heading into the jump-off, Fellers did not get a chance to watch the leader, Pablo Barrios, over the short course. He just went with his plan.

“I didn’t really have any kind of feel other than experience, and I have a lot of that,” Fellers smiled. “My wife said Pablo was fast everywhere, so I just went fast everywhere. Flexible is fast. There’s just no getting around it. If I let him gallop and I don’t mess things up for him, he is fast across the ground and he is fast in the air and he turns very quickly. He’s easy to ride at speed because he likes to go fast. There weren’t a lot of options in that jump-off course. To the last fence, you could have cut inside and angled to it, but I had enough momentum over the yellow oxer that I just didn’t feel like it was fair to 18-year-old Flexible to crank him to the right to get inside there, so I just let him sweep around.”

The pair galloped down to the last fence and cleared it to the cheer of the crowd. With Flexible back in winning form, Fellers looks forward to Saturday’s $210,000 ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup, which the pair finished second in, in both 2011 and 2012. As a good omen for the weekend, they also won this same class leading up to the grand prix both years as well. Fellers plans to stay with the winning formula.

Eric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5
Eric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5

Another Win for Lamaze and Fine Lady 5

The $33,500 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup 1.50m was held in the afternoon with a 16-horse jump-off out of 47 first round starters. Only four competitors were able to clear the short course without fault, where Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Artisan Farms LLC’s Fine Lady 5 took top prize.

Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Victor, owned by Torrey Pines & Artisan Farms LLC, were first to jump off and set the pace at 46.03 seconds to finish fourth. McLain Ward (USA) upped the ante in 44.44 seconds, next to go with Carl Rijcken’s d’Ulien van de Smeets, to eventually place second. He was bested a few rounds later by Lamaze and Fine Lady 5 in a blazing 43.03 seconds. Ian Millar (CAN) completed the only other double clear round in 44.53 seconds with Susan and Ariel Grange’s Dixson to finish third.

Fine Lady 5 is a brand new ride for Lamaze, but the pair has already won two classes with several other top finishes at this summer’s tournaments. The 11-year-old Hanoverian mare (Forsyth x Hauptstutbuch) had lots of success with her previous rider, Holger Wulschner of Germany, and Lamaze explained that he knew they would be a great match.

“She was winning way before she met me,” he stated. “She has been a winner for a long time. With her previous rider, she did nothing but win. I’m just getting what the other rider had. I don’t think I’ve added anything to it. It is a horse that I knew I was going to click with for sure. That type of horse you definitely have to click with, but one thing she knows is how to win, so it took a very short time to get together.”

Detailing his speedy jump-off round, Lamaze noted, “I didn’t see McLain go, but he is really a fast rider. I know him well and I knew that this was going to be a fast jump-off, but I was sitting on the right horse. She is incredibly fast, and she is really careful. I knew that the turn at the top end meant a lot for me. She doesn’t have the longest stride, so the long gallop is the hardest part, but in the roll back and the turns she is extremely quick. I went from fence one to two nicely fast and then I really risked that turn at the top end. The skinny I went quite fast to and then risked that turn again and then got a really forward ride to the last fence to be quick.”

“Sometimes it’s the distance that you see that determines how fast you go,” he continued. “The opportunity is not always in front of you to take, other than doing something really stupid and risking something. This time it was there to be a fast last fence. A vertical or an oxer, it doesn’t really matter for her. She is just so careful.”

“She reminds of riding Hickstead at this height,” Lamaze acknowledged. “She is just so careful and the jumps are sort of just in your way. You don’t have any worries of knocking them down. It’s like she has eyes in her legs. She knows where the poles are, so as a rider you just have to put her in security and not do anything stupid. That’s my job.”

Simpson and Kenny Top 1.45m Speed Rounds

Will Simpson and Axl-Rose
Will Simpson and Axl-Rose

Wednesday’s competition began in the morning with the $33,500 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m in the International Ring. The one round speed course saw 61 entries in total with 21 clear rounds. Will Simpson (USA) completed the fastest clear clear round in 61.98 seconds for the win aboard Monarch International’s Axl-Rose, a 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Ti Amo van het Lambroeck x Forever).

Richard Spooner (USA) and Maxine and Robert Jack’s Zaprilia M finished second in 62.29 seconds. Nick Dello Joio (USA) took third place honors with Coker Farm’s Contiki in 62.85 seconds. Simpson also finished fourth aboard Monarch International’s Warrant in 63.07 seconds.

Axl-Rose is another horse that Simpson is showing for owner Hannah von Heidegger after the rider had a fall last week. Although Simpson has ridden Axl-Rose before, Wednesday was his first time competing the gelding.

“He thinks he’s a rock star. He came with that name, but it fits him well,” Simpson stated after their win. “The last class he rode, he had a little bobble, so I didn’t know what to expect. He’s very game. He was very, very quick across the ground. He’s not shaken up at all, and he is ready to go.”

“He was a little bit rambunctious in the schooling area,” Simpson detailed. “He was acting like he wanted to accelerate after the jump, and I didn’t really want him to. My plan, I said, ‘Ok, I’m just going to let you go,’ and I did. By the end he was waiting for me like a gentleman. It worked out really good today.”

Simpson also had a great round with his mount Warrant and was happy with two top finishes to kick of the ‘North American’ Tournament.

“I can’t even remember the last time I won in International Ring,” he stated. “I am really happy with both of those horses. I’m really happy that Axl is jumping and responding. Warrant – that was the first time I’ve shown him FEI for quite a while. I just got him last year. I was thrilled with him. I just chickened out to the skinny; I made a little bit of a wide turn there. It’s good to be back in the International Ring.”

The $33,500 AON Cup 1.45m speed competition followed with a win for Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Oakland Ventures LLC’s Picolo. Fifty-four entries showed with 20 clear rounds. Kenny and the 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Diamant de Semilly x Alme) stopped the clock in 54.17 seconds. Colombia’s John Perez guided Utopia to second place honors in 56.68 seconds. Venezuela’s Pablo Barrios placed third in 57.24 seconds aboard The Romeo Group’s Romeo.

Before his round with Picolo, Kenny had the opportunity to see some of the competition and plan his ride accordingly. In particular, he watched the very fast round of Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083, who had an unfortunate rail to finish out of the ribbons.

“Picolo is just really fast. I went as fast as he could go, and he was very good today,” Kenny stated. “I knew that Shane had been very fast. He went in 55 (seconds), but had the last jump down. His horse and my horse are quite similar in the speed they can go. The leading time was 56, so I knew if I just stayed on it the whole way, he should be able to do it. I had a plan from the start, and I stuck with it. I think it’s a good way to do it. I just look at someone who’s usually pretty fast and see what their time was, how many strides they did, how fast they were, and what I need to do to be faster. It worked out great.”

“He’s a real winner,” Kenny said of Picolo. “He just keeps doing as much as I ask him. The horse was a genius when I bought him. He teaches me things. From the day I got him, he has always been a winner. He doesn’t need to improve on anything. I might need to improve, but he doesn’t. He is so fast that a couple of the days I went too fast. I just figured out that to be really fast on him, I actually don’t need to go so fast at the start. I need to not think about it too much, just get going at a nice pace and he picks it up.”

Picolo jumped his first 1.50m competition at Spruce Meadows in last week’s ‘Canada One’ Tournament and Kenny hopes to step him up to that height again this week.
The ‘North American’ Tournament continues on Thursday with a full schedule of competition in the International Ring starting with the $33,500 Suncast Cup 1.45m. The day will also feature the $35,000 PwC Cup 1.50m and the $85,000 Progress Energy Cup 1.55m. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

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

Spruce Meadows Media Services
caroline.weilinger@sprucemeadows.com
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Training/Clinics, Vaulting

Mahan Farm Trick Riding & Vaulting Camp

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ALL AGES – Adults Welcome!

July 21st-25th

An amazing opportunity to learn the disciplines of trick riding, bareback, vaulting, and Roman Riding.

Students will learn from seasoned performers and trainers on experienced performance horses. Enjoy this incredibly rare opportunity to learn tricks in a step by step process.

No experience is necessary, just a desire for fun and adventure!

Click here for all the info on trick riding camp.

TrickRidingCall or text Lindsay with any questions: 850-528-1267.

Contact Mahan Farm: MahanFarm@gmail.com