Alexandra Röder (GER) and the exceptional 11-year-old mare Evi 29 took individual gold in Grade II. Photo: Marie de Ronde-Oudemans/FEI.
Sandringham (GBR), 30 June 2014 – Sandringham Estate (GBR), the much-loved country retreat of HM The Queen, provided the gorgeous backdrop for the ninth FEI World Para Equestrian Driving Championships which took place last weekend. Germany was the strongest nation taking home the team title as well as individual gold in Grade II thanks to the 27-year-old Alexandra Röder. Jacques Poppen representing The Netherlands was crowned champion in Grade I and added a second world title to the one won in 2008.
During three days, 24 competitors from eight nations took part in the FEI World Para Equestrian Driving Championship at Sandringham, located in Nothfolk, 150 km north of London. The beautiful estate is well used to Driving competitions, having hosted FEI World Championships on two occasions: the first time in 1985, followed by the first edition of the FEI World Championship for pony four-in-hand drivers held in 2001.
Germany won team gold followed by The Netherlands in silver and the USA who took the bronze.
Alexandra Röder (GER) and the exceptional 11-year-old mare Evi 29 were unbeatable in Grade II. They took the lead from the very beginning and won the dressage competition. Röder was also the best in the marathon and with three knockdowns in the cones on Sunday, she took home a well-deserved individual gold for the first time in her career. “This is a dream come true,” the 2013 German champion said. “Of course I knew I had medal chances but this was more than I ever expected.”
US driver Robert Giles, who makes a living as a driving horse trainer, surprised everyone by winning individual silver in Grade II with the Dutch pony Solo, which he leased. “For me it is financially not possible to bring my own horse,” he commented. “Winning individual silver and team bronze with a leased horse is just amazing, this is everything I came to Sandringham for. It won’t be a once in a lifetime experience, however. My medal collection doesn’t contain gold, so I want to come back. This was thrilling,” he pointed out.
The bronze in Grade II went to Mick Ward representing the home side. Ward, who won the British Para-Driving Open Championships at Sandringham in 2013, moved up from sixth after the marathon onto the podium by scoring the second best performance in the cones.
Defending champion Heiner Lehrter from Germany was eager to keep his title in Grade I but after the dressage, the difference between him and Jacques Poppen driving the Arabo-Friesian PP was huge. Lehrter, who has competed at all previous FEI World Para Equestrian Driving Championships, won the marathon with the 11-year-old gelding Dashwood. This brought him closer to Poppen in the standings, but with a perfect double clear round, the Dutch driver came out on top in Grade I. Lehrter took silver followed by teammate Markus Beerhues in bronze.
Princess Haya Hand in Hand Trophy
Teams combining para-equestrian and able-bodied drivers competed for the HRH Princess Haya Hand-in-Hand Trophy. Donated by FEI President, the trophy depicts holding hands and was presented to the pair formed by para-driver Lindsey Tyas Paice (GBR) and Barry Capstick (IRL), who competed in the CAI2* held at Sandringham at the same time as the world championships. The winning pair’s combined scores were the lowest of the competition.
Spectators watch a class on Thursday night. Photo by Randi Muster.
Jacksonville, FL – June 29, 2014 – The organizers of Southeast Medal Finals, Stadium Jumping and James Lala, expect an increased turn out for the event this year. Modeled after the well-attended New England Medal Finals, the show will be held for its third consecutive year at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center on Sept. 18-21. It will host the Region Three ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay Regionals and several finals that have been growing in popularity, including the Phelps Media Group Southeast Junior Medal Finals and the Southeast Adult Medal Finals. The Grand Prix of Jacksonville will be held on Friday night.
This year, the organizers plan to add both a Southeast 3′ and 2’6″ hunter finals and a 2’6″ Southeast Medal Finals. For vendors, and advertisers this means a fantastic business opportunity to market to riders, parents and trainers before they head off to indoors.
Vendor booths are offered indoors within the coliseum concourse. Several outdoor spaces are available for self-contained mobile boutiques. Due to the huge success last year and the high demand for vendor booths this year, it is important that vendors submit their requests early. Locations in prime areas are limited and will go quickly.
WHERE:
The Jacksonville Equestrian Center, Jacksonville, FL, featuring a large indoor coliseum with 3,000 seats, two outdoor rings and 500 permanent stalls.
13611 Normandy Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32221
FEATURES:
4-Day Premier “A”/Jumper Level 3 USEF-Rated Horse Show
The Phelps Media Group Southeast Junior Medal Finals
Southeast Adult Medal Finals
$25,000 Jacksonville Grand Prix & $5,000 Welcome
Region 3 ASPCA/NHSAA Maclay
$3,500 WIHS/NAL Child/Adult Jumper Classic
Southeast Medal Finals Children & Adult 3′ Hunter Finals
Southeast Medal Finals Children & Adult 2’6″ Hunter Finals
Will Simpson and Geledimar Top $33,500 West Canadian Cup 1.50m
Calgary, AB, Canada – June 29, 2014 – The ‘Canada One’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows concluded on Sunday with a win for Mexico’s Nicolas Pizarro Suarez and Colasko in the $125,000 Imperial Challenge 1.55m in the Meadows on the Green. Will Simpson (USA) and Geledimar were victorious in the $33,500 West Canadian Cup 1.50m earlier in the day.
Cristina Larangeiro of Portugal was the course designer for Sunday’s main event, which saw 30 entries in total with five advancing to the tie-breaking jump-off. Pizarro and Monica Burrillo Eguia’s Colasko completed the fastest of two double clear rounds in 43.40 seconds to take their first major international grand prix victory.
The top two belonged to Mexico, as Santiago Lambre and Johnny Boy completed the only other clear round over the short course in 43.77 seconds to finish in reserve. Venezuela’s Pablo Barrios had the fastest jump-off round with ZL Group, Inc.’s Zara Leandra in 42.54 seconds, but dropped a rail at the final fence to finish third.
As Pizarro was on course in the jump-off, he heard the announcer state that he was ahead in the intermediary time, but explained that he thought he was behind. “They said I was one-tenth ahead, but when I heard that I thought I was one-tenth behind, so I did a sharp turn,” the rider detailed. “When I came out of the turn I just followed to the last jump, but I can never focus on the blue and white rails. I saw a distance that was far too long, so then I pulled back and he really came back quickly and I had to push up again. Then I was a little bit deep. I was a little lucky, but in Mexico we have a saying that there is no champion without luck. Sometimes you have to have a little bit of luck, but today it came and it was a really fantastic day.”
Pizarro (35), the number one ranked rider in Mexico for over two years, has had two top Nations Cup finishes, earning a silver medal in Wellington and a bronze medal at the ‘Masters’ here in Calgary, but noted that this was his biggest individual placing.
Pizarro has had his winning mount Colasko, a nine-year-old Oldenburg stallion (Coleman x Granus), for four years and hopes to continue developing the talented horse to championship quality.
“It is really fantastic. I made this horse. I bought him when he was five and he was super green, so it is really amazing to build him up,” the rider stated. “He is really a stallion. He has a very good attitude, but at the end he is always a stallion, so you have to always give him a good ride. The minute he feels that you are forcing him to do something, he doesn’t like it at all, but he is always trying to do his best. The first week here I was just coming back from surgery for a broken collarbone. I could not even hold my hand, but he was always jumping well for me. He was right there. This week he was amazing since the first day.”
Pizarro has been showing at Spruce Meadows for the last six years and was really hoping to get an international win this summer. As he was getting started with his day on Sunday, he was thinking about when the moment would come.
“This morning I was watching a student in the All Canada Ring and I was thinking. I always try to be patient, but this is my sixth year here at Spruce Meadows and I just thinking that there had to be a day that I would have an international win here,” Pizarro said. “I have been second and third, but I have never won. Then I went by the barns and I saw the ribbons that people have won and I thought one day I could have one, and it was today.”
Pizarro began riding at a young age and then became a professional 18 years ago. He also has many students and explained that it is important to jump at the very best competitions and push yourself to improve.
“I always try to do really good shows, and this is one of them,” he acknowledged. “I try to go to Wellington during the winter and spend the summers here because then you are in the real sport.”
As the summer continues, we will see more of Pizarro and Colasko next week. He plans to show in the 1.50m on Thursday and will then jump Saturday’s $210,000 ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Will Simpson and Geledimar
Simpson Guides Geledimar to Victory
The first competition in the Meadows on the Green on Sunday was the $33,500 West Canadian Cup 1.50m with a win for Will Simpson (USA) and Monarch International’s Geledimar, an 11-year-old Zangersheide mare by Grosso Z x Lord Z. Cristina Larangeiro set the track for 44 starters with seven advancing to the jump-off and five double clear rounds.
Kara Chad (CAN) and Stone Ridge Farms’ Alberto II jumped the first clear round over the short course in 42.81 seconds to eventually finish third. Ben Asselin (CAN) and Attache Stables’ Makavoy jumped next and stopped the clock in 45.17 seconds to finish fifth. Angel Karolyi (VEN) upped the ante in 42.41 seconds next with Hollow Creek Farm’s Indiana 127 to take second place honors. They were followed by Will Simpson and Geledimar, who clocked the winning time of 42.25 seconds. Eric Lamaze (CAN) and Artisan Farms’ Fine Lady 5 were last to go and finished fourth in 43.10 seconds.
Geledimar has shown mostly with her owner, Hannah von Heidegger, but after the rider had a fall earlier in the week, Simpson took over the reins.
“I haven’t had a whole lot of rounds with the horse,” Simpson noted. “I have ridden her for a while and I know her well from training Hannah. She had a little bobble on another horse the other day, so she’s out for a little while, but she’ll be back. In the meantime, the mare has been a little bit of a handful. She has gotten to where she thinks she is queen of everything, so I thought it would be good to put the pedal to the metal a little bit and it has been great. She is a competitor and she is really coming into her own here, so Hannah is going to be anxious to get back on. She is kind of ironed out and going strong.”
Simpson had a fast time to beat following Angel Karolyi and Indiana 127, but he and Geledimar blazed through the course to take the winning edge. Commenting on his round, Simpson detailed, “I thought I was lickety-split everywhere. That is just the way it goes at Spruce Meadows. You have to go flat out everywhere. It was just the pace; I don’t think you could take much off. You had to be on it everywhere.”
This was Simpson’s first international victory at Spruce Meadows since winning a World Cup qualifier with Archie Bunker in 2010. “It has been too long,” he smiled. “It was nice to get back out here and get a win.”
Competition at the Spruce Meadows Summer Series continues next week with the ‘North American’ CSI 5* Tournament, running July 2-6. The competition will feature the $210,000 ATCO 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 Sun Life Financial ‘Reach for the Sun’ 1.55m competition on Wednesday, July 2, and 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. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
The winning German team at Strzegom (mounted, left to right): Michael Jung, Sandra Auffarth and Dirk Schrade with their chef d’equipe Hans Melzer. (Photo: Leszek Wojcik/FEI)
Lausanne (SUI), 30 June 2014 – A powerful German team cruised to an easy victory in the fourth leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2014 held at Strzegom, the Polish venue which is still in celebratory mode after being awarded the 2017 FEI European Eventing Championships earlier this month.
The winning team included three of the world’s best combinations, notably Michael Jung (GER) who had his Olympic, World and European (2011) champion La Biosthetique Sam back at his very best to lead from the outset.
Sandra Auffarth’s Opgun Louvo, European team gold and individual silver medallist in 2011 and Olympic team gold medallist in 2012, is also back from a spell on the sidelines and finished second, and Dirk Schrade was third on his 2013 European team gold medallist, the delightful chestnut Hop And Skip.
The Germans, who won the inaugural FEI Nations Cup™ in 2012 and were second last year, missed the first two legs of this season but are now back in winning mode and are third on the leaderboard.
“We certainly had the ‘A team’ out and it’s great that they went so well,” team manager Christopher Bartle said. “It’s lovely to have Sam and Louvo back and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that they all stay in good form.”
Great Britain, the only nation to have fielded a team at each leg so far this season, made the long journey to Strzegom, where they finished second of six teams, a result good enough to take them to the top of the leaderboard, nine points ahead of France.
Britain’s chef d’equipe Philip Surl has a deliberate policy of drawing from a pool of young riders who have not been on senior championship squads. Sarah Bullimore on Valentino V, Ros Canter (Zenshera) and newcomer Katy Hurst (Weston lV) put up solid performances to finish fourth, fifth and eighth respectively.
The Netherlands’ in-form Elaine Pen was sixth on Under Cover and led her team to third place, despite the loss of Tim Lips who withdrew Concrete Oncarlos when in 10th place after Dressage.
Denmark and Italy swapped places after Cross Country, with the Danes moving ahead into fourth. The home side, Poland, had the misfortune to have two horse falls, both at the third fence.
Twenty-five of the 31 Cross Country starters completed German designer Rudiger Schwarz’s track, with 14 clear rounds, only three of which were within the optimum time of six minutes 44 seconds: Dirk Schrade plus two Dutch team members, Elaine Pen and Theo Van de Vendel on Zendane.
Germany’s Julia Krajewski, who was second after Dressage on London-Return OLD, became her team’s discard score after two refusals at fence 21.
All the top five riders, plus Katy Hurst, went clear in the final Jumping test.
The next leg of the FEI Nations Cup™, at Aachen (GER), marks the halfway stage of the series and it’s expected that the competition will hot up as teams gear up for August’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy. The Germans, for whom Aachen is a final team trial, will be going all out for a strong showing in front of their home crowd.
The FEI’s team Eventing series, the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing, is open to all nations fielding one team composed of 3 or 4 riders at each leg, and runs under FEI Eventing rules at CICO and CCIO 3* level with riders accumulating points under a dedicated system detailed here.
Visit the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing series hub here for rules, results and Organiser details.
Gemma Paternoster and Figarro D won the $35,000 Antares Sellier Grand Prix to close out the Atlanta Summer Classics. Flashpoint Photography.
The Georgia International Horse Park was jumping with activity from June 9 through the 22nd during the Atlanta Summer Classic when more than a thousand horse and rider teams competed for prize money both in the hunter rings and the Olympic Grand Prix Stadium.
The $35,000 UlcerGard Grand Prix and the $35,000 Antares Sellier Grand Prix were both winners with top riders and horses competing for the championship. A special congratulations goes to Gemma Paternoster of Wellington, Florida and Figarro D. The $35,000 Antares Sellier Grand Prix was not only Figarro’s first grand prix, but his first grand prix win! Kudos!
Week One of the Atlanta Summer Classics opened with Anne Kursinski as the clinician during the USHJA Emerging Athletes Program and there were more than 40 participating in it each day.
Week II started out with horseman and clinician Pat Bostwick conducting a riding clinic compliments of Zone 4. The clinic was well attended and everyone had a great time.
The Hunt Scene
The $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby saw more than 30 horse and rider teams both weeks compete over the hunter courses designer by Official Course Designer Allen Rheinheimer of Zionsville, Indiana.
Brigadier, ridden by Hunt Tosh, won the Week II $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby. Flashpoint Photography
World renowned hunter rider Hunt Tosh of Milton, Georgia won the class the second week in the irons of Mr. and Mrs. Doug Wheeler’s Brigadier. During Week I, Timothy Maddrix of Birmingham, Alabama rode Abigail Beaty’s Third Day to the win. Week II saw Pansy Winters of Social Circle, Georgia and her own Wheels of Fortune take second place and Maddrix received a third place in the irons of Missy Nolen’s Special.
Up and Coming Hunt Scene
World renowned hunter rider Hunt Tosh watched his daughter Maddie Tosh show in her first short stirrup class during the Atlanta Summer Classic. Maddie rode Hillcrests Ima Blue Too in the Short Stirrup Hunter and Equitation classes as well as the Short Stirrup Classic! Congratulations to Maddie and the next generation of hunter riders! “I was really nervous because it was my first time showing but I had a great time doing it because I have the best pony ever!” she said.
Six Bar a Success!
More than a thousand flocked to the ring to watch the inaugural $10,000 Six Bar class and the Outback Steakhouse Charity dinner was a sold out success with funds benefiting the Hope Clinic for its eighth consecutive year.
Classic Company Gives Back to the Hope Clinic
The $10,000 Six Bar class coincided with the Annual Outback Steakhouse Charity Dinner to benefit the Hope Clinic. The Hope Clinic was founded in 2002 by Dr. William Martin to provide an affordable alternative to the hospital emergency room for the primary care medical needs of the uninsured. The clinic is a vital part of Gwinnett’s healthcare safety net and supplies over half of the available charitable primary care capacity in the county. Dr. Martin and the team of providers at the Hope Clinic specialize in internal medicine and chronic care diagnosis. The Classic Company has supported the Hope Clinic for the past 8 years. “This is an incredibly worthy group. They provide a tremendous amount of services to the local community and provide the less fortunate with needed medical services. The Classic Company is one of their largest fundraising groups and we are so happy to work with them and help make a difference.”
As the Classic Company bids farewell to the Georgia International Horse Park until November, when it returns for the Atlanta Fall Classic, it is already en route to the Charleston Summer Classic where sun, fun and beaches and show jumping converge to make the best show-cation of your life!
In other news… show-cation!
Did you book your beach condo? The Show-cation destination is coming up at the Charleston Summer Classic which starts July 8 through 19. Beach front condos a few minutes from the show grounds are where the riders stay, so don’t miss out on the best show-cation of your life! Bring the family, friends, dogs and horses! Minutes from the beach and only a short drive to historic Charleston, this is the show that offers something for everyone from fishing to kayaking, to shopping to wave jumping, from walk-trot to weekly grand prix and hunter derbies. This is your Show-cation destination!
Anyone who has shown with the Classic Company knows what sets them apart from the rest: Classic Shows are FUN! Friday night exhibitor parties, Saturday night grand prix, complimentary ringside Saturday pizza and luncheons all with the exhibitor in mind! And remember, Classic Company does not charge extra office fees for credit card transactions nor is there a scratch or add fee! Classic Company wants to make your showing experience the best ever!
The Classic Company is a USHJA’s Members Choice Award winner, recognized for producing top quality show jumping events in the United States. For more information on Classic Company and its exhibitor-friendly, top quality hunter jumper events, please visit them at www.ClassicCompany.com or call them at 843.768.5503.
All sponsorship, marketing and press inquiries should be directed to Lisa Engel, Sponsorship, Marketing and Public Relations Director, at lisa@classiccompany.com.
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See you at the ring,
Bob Bell
The Classic Company, Ltd. www.ClassicCompany.com
Phone/FAX: (843) 768-5503
Post Office Box 1311 Johns Island SC 29457
Calgary, AB, Canada – June 28, 2014 – The ‘Canada One’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows continued on Saturday featuring the $33,500 McDaniel & Associates Cup 1.55m with a win for Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and Alpha VDL. The small margin of six one-thousandths of a second separated Kenny from second place finisher Kirsten Coe (USA) aboard Czardas 30.
The $8,000 Francis Family Cup 1.45m was also held in the Chinook Ring in the morning with another win for USA’s Richard Spooner, giving the rider three major wins with three different horses this week. The ‘Canada One’ Tournament concludes on Sunday, June 29, with the $125,000 Imperial Challenge 1.55m.
Cristina Larangeiro of Portugal was the course designer for the McDaniel & Associates Cup, which saw 17 first round entries, and seven advancing to the jump-off in the Meadows on the Green. Darragh Kenny and Eva Castegren’s Alpha VDL jumped the first clear round over the short course in 39.661 seconds for the win. Last to go, Kirsten Coe and Ilan Ferder’s Czardas 30 came incredibly close to taking over the lead, but finished just shy in 39.667 seconds. Ben Asselin (CAN) and Linda Southern-Heathcott’s Doremi completed the only other double clear round in 46.29 seconds to finish third.
Alpha VDL, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Corland x Emilion, has had great success with Kenny in the irons this year and continued his progression by jumping to victory over his first 1.55m track on Saturday. Kenny knew that his horse had the foot speed to win and went for a fast, clear round after the first three riders had rails.
“He is naturally a quick enough horse, and he has won some good classes already,” Kenny noted. “I knew there were places I could be quick. I left out a stride in one line. I did six where most people did seven. I wanted to just have a good round and see where I ended up with that.”
Commenting on Alpha VDL’s rise to the top, Kenny smiled, “His progression has been incredible. The horse has gone from jumping 1.40m classes at the start of Florida to winning grand prixs. He won a grand prix in Ocala, he won a grand prix in Saugerties, and now he won this 1.55m here. This is the biggest class he has ever had to jump, and he coped extremely well. It was great. His owner is here this week, so she got to see him, and it all worked out pretty well.”
Kenny explained that the course was good for Alpha VDL’s first track at that level, noting, “Although it was big, it was a little bit spread out. That was good for him because it gave him time between the jumps. He is a very good horse. He is only nine years old, and he has just been getting better and better. Every time we step him up he just seems to do really well.”
“He is quite conventional to ride,” Kenny added. “He is very careful, and he has a good style. Whatever way I ride him, he seems to like it, so it works good for both of us. He tries really hard to leave the jumps up and that is very important in this sport.”
Second place finisher Czardas 30 is also stepping up his game this summer, and rider Kirsten Coe was very happy with his finish.
“It felt really good,” Coe stated. “That horse has really been knocking on the door. He has been coming along really nicely and jumping a lot of clear rounds. He felt very confident tonight, and I took a chance. He has been progressively moving through the divisions since we have been here. We are just building him up, but we really think a lot of him.”
Coe took over the reins on Czardas 30 this winter after the 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion (Contendro x Grannus) showed briefly with McLain Ward. She explained that it has been a great match ever since, and her mount really stepped up in Saturday’s final round.
“The jump-off was quite fast. There was plenty of room to gallop,” Coe noted. “I didn’t see Darragh go, but obviously it was very close. It was nice to have a top finish.”
Spooner Scores a Hat Trick
Competition kicked off in the Chinook Ring Friday morning with the $8,000 Francis Family Cup 1.45m where Richard Spooner (USA) got his third win in a row this week. Held in a faults converted format, the competition saw 30 entries jumping a course set by Manuel Esparza of Mexico. About halfway through the order, Spooner and Tuxedo cleared the course in a time of 66.44 seconds that would hold on for the win. The 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Gentleman x Hamilcar) is another brand new mount for Spooner riding for Legacy Stables LLC.
Darragh Kenny (IRL) guided Hyperion Stud LLC’s Chin Quidam VDL to second place honors in a time of 68.71 seconds. Frances Land (USA) and Vieanne placed third in 69.04 seconds. Kenny also took the fourth place prize in 69.48 seconds with Oakland Ventures LLC’s Fantasy.
Richard Spooner of USA riding Tuxedo
“I don’t know what I ate, I don’t know what I ran into, but something happened right and I just have to try to figure out what it was,” Spooner smiled, commenting on his three-day sweep. He also won Thursday’s $33,500 Cargill Cup 1.50m with Cristallo and topped Friday’s $33,500 Duncan Ross Cup 1.50m aboard Uraguay. Although winning with veteran mount Cristallo is nothing new for the rider, Legacy Stables’ Uraguay and Tuxedo are both brand new horses that he has quickly figured out.
“Tuxedo is a wonderful horse,” Spooner stated after his win. “He is a top, top speed horse. I just got the ride of course, so we are still going through a little bit of growing pains, but today we felt great.”
“I am just learning the things he likes and the things he doesn’t like. He lets me know, which is nice of him,” Spooner said. “I think once I figure out the things that he is fond of we should hopefully have some success because he is unbelievably fast and careful and powerful. He actually really gets into it. He is a fascinating horse because you can feel him almost take over and he gets it. He gets that the goal is not to knock anything down and go as fast as you can, and if you get a horse that gets it like that, then they will be getting a lot of top ribbons.”
Detailing his round with Tuxedo, Spooner explained, “It was quick. I wouldn’t describe it as hair on fire, going 100% for broke, but it was quick and tidy. The horse is quite catty and his brakes are great, so you are able to really hit the gas when you land and stay off the brakes for longer than you can on other horses. Then you can kind of tap the brakes just a stride or two in front of the jump, and he settles right back into position. That gives you about a two-tenths of a second advantage at a good five or six jumps out there, and those tenths add up over the length of the course.”
Tuxedo is finished showing this week after a great win and will rest up for next week’s ‘North American’ Tournament.
Competition at the ‘Canada One’ Tournament will conclude on Sunday with the $33,500 West Canadian Cup 1.50m in the morning followed by the highlight $125,000 Imperial Challenge 1.55m in the afternoon in the Meadows on the Green. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Eric Lamaze Takes One-Two Finish in $33,500 Westjet Cup 1.45m
Calgary, AB, Canada – June 27, 2014 – It has been two days and two major victories for Richard Spooner (USA) at the Spruce Meadows ‘Canada One’ Tournament in Calgary, AB, Canada. Following a win with Cristallo on Thursday, Spooner jumped to top honors with brand new mount Uraguay in Friday’s $33,500 Duncan Ross Cup 1.50m. Eric Lamaze (CAN) also got a win on Friday with new horse Fine Lady 5 as well as taking second place honors aboard Check Picobello Z in the $33,500 Westjet Cup 1.45m. The ‘Canada One’ Tournament runs through Sunday, June 29, concluding with the $125,000 Imperial Challenge 1.55m.
Cristina Larangeiro of Portugal set the course for 28 entries in the Duncan Ross Cup 1.50m with six starters advancing to the jump-off and five double clear rounds. Richard Spooner and Legacy Stables LLC’s Uraguay blazed through the short course in 33.45 seconds for the win.
Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and Postage Stamp Farm LLC’s Prof de la Roque finished second in 34.05 seconds. Egypt’s Nayel Nassar and Lordan placed third in 35.75 seconds, and USA’s Quentin Judge and Double H Farm’s HH Donnatella finished fourth in 36.31 seconds. Paige Johnson (USA) and Salamander Farm’s Cambito completed the fifth double clear round in 39.67 seconds.
Uraguay, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Nairobi x Colino), is a brand new ride for Spooner, but the duo proved a promising partnership with a bold jump-off round and a huge effort to the final jump on course this evening.
“It was pretty exciting actually because Sandy and Bob Mockoviak were here, and it was the first time that they had ever seen me ride one of their horses and they just flew in,” Spooner noted. “That was pretty exciting to go clear, and then to really risk everything in the jump-off and risk again going to the last jump because that was crazy long, and he did it. I don’t know how he jumped from that far away. The wall and that corner were coming up pretty quick, but I was so happy with him.”
Spooner first rode Uraguay in Florida just before the start of the Spruce Meadows Summer Series in June and has only shown the horse two weeks before this competition.
“I don’t know much about him,” he admitted. “He is super careful; he is fantastically careful. He is very fast, and he is a real trier. He is also just beautiful to ride. He is lovely, and he has a fantastic mouth. Todd Minikus rode him before me and Mario Deslauriers before that and Albert Zoer before that, so I am lucky getting to follow up some pretty top riders. I am happy that I can do him justice.”
After a fantastic evening, Spooner has chosen to compete Uraguay in this week’s feature class on Sunday, and looks forward to seeing what they can do at the next level.
Lamaze Finishes Top Two in $33,500 Westjet Cup 1.45m
Larangeiro set the track for Friday’s Westjet Cup with a very tight time allowed that caught many of its 93 competitors in the Meadows on the Green. In the end, nine entries finished with one time fault and three more had two faults on the clock. Only seven advanced to the jump-off, where Canada’s Eric Lamaze finished first and second with the only double clear rounds. Lamaze completed the fastest round in 31.84 seconds to earn victory aboard Artisan Farms LLC’s Fine Lady 5. He took second place honors with Artisan Farms’ Check Picobello Z in 35.91 seconds. Ireland’s Richie Moloney guided Equinimity LLC’s Freestyle de Muze to a third place finish with two time faults over the short course in 37.04 seconds.
Eric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5
Fine Lady 5, an 11-year-old Hanoverian mare (Forsyth x Hauptstutbuch), is a brand new mount for Lamaze. “We just got her a little bit before coming to Spruce Meadows,” the rider explained. “My first show with her was Rome. The horse has been winning her entire career, so I knew she was a winner, but you still have to get along with the horse and I was really impressed. I was happy.”
“I really click with that horse. The moment I tried it, I knew that she was my type of horse,” Lamaze stated. “I had a gap to be filled in the 1.50m speed competition in Europe and things like that, so that’s how she came around, and then so quickly we made a good team.”
Lamaze plans to show Fine Lady 5 again in Sunday’s 1.50m competition as well as next week and will go from there. He had high praise for the mare and looks forward to continuing their partnership.
“She is modern,” he described. “She is light, careful, she has blood. Everything you want in a modern show jumper, she has. She is very simple. To go fast, she is a little complicated. She is so fast. She is actually one of the fastest horses I have ever sat on, so you have to just not think so fast.”
A technical course with a tight time allowed kept a lot of the riders out of the jump-off, and Lamaze knew it was not going to be easy when he walked the course, but he expertly qualified both of his mounts for the jump-off.
Heading into the short course early with Fine Lady 5, Lamaze completed what would turn out to be the winning round. He then guided Check Picobello Z into second at the end.
“I went second in the jump-off with her and there were fast riders behind me, so I just played my game with her,” he stated. “Then my next horse was easier because I was the only double clear, so I just wanted to make sure I didn’t have a time fault, which I was close.”
“[Check Picobello Z] is an 8-year-old, and I think a lot of him,” Lamaze declared. “I think it is a horse for the future, so I have been taking my time. I think the world of this horse. I think you will see a lot of him in the future.”
Competition at the Spruce Meadows ‘Canada One’ Tournament will continue on Saturday featuring the $33,500 McDaniel & Associates Cup 1.55m in the Meadows on the Green. The $8,000 Francis Family Cup 1.45m will be held in the Chinook Ring in the morning. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Tommi Clark and Exupery, Grand Hunter Champions at the 2012 Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Photo by Al Cook.
San Marcos, CA – June 27, 2014 – Exupery, the talented hunter who claimed numerous championship titles while earning dedicated fans and admirers, has sadly succumbed to cancer.
With trainer Tommi Clark in the irons, Exupery was Grand Hunter Champion and High Performance Hunter Champion at the 2012 Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA. Clark also earned the title of Leading Hunter Rider there thanks to her success with Exupery, fittingly nicknamed “Super.”
The Hannoverian gelding (Escudo I-Waldglocke) was highly successful in California and consistently finished atop the year-end USHJA Zone 10 rankings as well as the Pacific Coast Horse Shows Association (PCHA) rankings. Previous rider Keri Kampsen paired with him to win the Regular Working Hunter Championship at the 2008 National Horse Show in Syracuse, NY, and devoted owner Stephen Borders also competed him successfully in the amateur divisions.
Borders, of San Marcos, CA, purchased Exupery at the 2001 Hannoverian Elite Auction when he was 4 years old. Bred in Germany by Helmut Repp, Exupery was being shown in the dressage section of the auction, but Borders saw his potential for success in the hunter ring.
“During the training time before the auction, I caught sight of him when someone was walking him over to lunge him,” Borders recalled. “I saw him on the lunge and was really impressed. I thought he had incredible quality of movement for a hunter.”
“I could see he was having a hard time with the new surroundings at the auction, and he’d come down with a cold,” Borders continued. “Later on, when he was feeling a little better, I came back. I talked someone into getting on him and trotting a cross-rail, and he jumped it incredibly. I had no idea what he was going to become, but I just knew he was special. Something called me from the very beginning.”
Borders put Exupery in jump training in Germany for a short while before bringing the horse back to the United States to begin his hunter career. He made an instant impression in the hunters with his spectacular jump and beautiful, ground-covering movement.
Outside of the show ring, he earned legions of fans with his kind, engaging personality. He quickly connected with the people around him and was adept at training visitors to scratch his favorite spot on his neck.
“He was one of the sweetest horses you’ll ever meet,” Clark said. “If kids walked into the barn for the first time, not knowing anything about horses, he would convince them to scratch him. He made everyone feel special.”
Borders agreed, noting the gelding could win anyone over.
“Everyone loved the horse – the grooms, the braiders at the horse show, the trainers who watched him go,” he said. “He was a very affectionate horse and just loved people.”
Those who witnessed Exupery in the show ring were impressed at his powerful, stylish jump, and his willing personality carried over into competition.
“He could have jumped around a grand prix easily,” Clark said. “It didn’t matter if they set the high performance at 4′ or 4’6″ – he walked in the ring, and he really didn’t care. The higher the jumps, the higher score he would get. And he really enjoyed his job. His main objective was to please you.”
Clark recalled the Grand Hunter Championship at Harrisburg as a career highlight and was especially thrilled with Exupery’s win in the handy class there, clinching championship honors.
“The handy was not his strong point when I first got him,” Clark explained. “I was most proud of him for walking into that night class and jumping around so confidently.”
Borders said he was happy with how well Exupery adapted to showing at indoors after traveling all the way from California and being met with a different environment and different jumps.
“At the National Horse Show in 2008, he jumped spectacularly that entire show,” he remembered. “Then at Harrisburg with Tommi, he jumped the most unbelievable four rounds I’ve ever seen. He moved so beautifully and lightly despite his size, and then he just exploded off the ground.”
While he was affectionate with everyone, Exupery had a special connection with his owner.
“He really loved Steve,” Clark said. “It was amazing to watch when Steve would walk into the barn. He made everyone feel special and he loved everyone, but when Steve walked in, you could see how he lit up.”
Borders looks back on his first encounter with Exupery as a fortunate chance meeting, and while he is heartbroken at the horse’s passing, he feels privileged to have had the chance to ride him, to care for him, and to watch his career unfold.
“How did I get so lucky to be standing there at the auction and see him walking by?” Borders asked. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”
Mary Adelaide Brakenridge for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
Frances Land and Vieanne Speed to Victory in $8,000 Thompson Family Cup 1.45m
Calgary, AB, Canada – June 26, 2014 – Show jumping competition at the Spruce Meadows ‘Canada One’ Tournament continued on Thursday with a win for Richard Spooner (USA) and Cristallo in the $33,500 Cargill Cup 1.50m. The day’s feature event in the Meadows on the Green, Spooner and Cristallo topped an eight-horse jump-off to beat out Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Fineman for top honors. Egypt’s Nayel Nassar and Lordan made a big bid at the end to finish third. The ‘Canada One’ Tournament runs through Sunday, June 29, concluding with the $125,000 Imperial Challenge 1.55m.
A total of 39 entries jumped the course for the $33,500 Cargill Cup 1.50m set by Cristina Larangeiro of Portugal. Eight combinations cleared the first round track to advance to the jump-off where an exciting race against the clock ensued. Richard Spooner and Show Jumping Syndication International’s Cristallo were the winners in 33.51 seconds. The pair went second to last in the jump-off and had some very fast times to beat, including three very fast rounds from the men of Ireland.
In the end, Shane Sweetnam and Sweet Oak Farm’s Fineman finished second in 33.60 seconds. Nayel Nassar and Lordan jumped into third in 33.87 seconds, and Conor Swail (IRL) and Susan and Ariel Grange’s Martha Louise placed fourth in 34.14 seconds. Kevin Babington (IRL) and Mark Q rounded out the top five with a time of 35.41 seconds.
“Those guys were not messing around,” Spooner smiled after his win. “It wasn’t my plan to go that fast, but once you graduate into the jump-off, you want to try to win. I didn’t have a plan. The thing around here is that the jump-offs get so ridiculously fast that it is a no brainer. You just have to go out there and go as fast as you can.”
Spooner and his veteran partner have had many incredible moments together and at 16 years of age, Cristallo is the horse that keeps on giving.
“He is amazing,” Spooner praised. “He is like the Eveready bunny. He just never stops being fresh and being strong in the bridle and wanting to run away with me. It is just an unbelievable spirit that he has, week after week after week, his whole career. He is just always there for me. It was a lucky day when he found me.”
Spooner traveled from California to compete at Spruce Meadows with Cristallo and several other horses this summer. He plans to stay through all of the summer series and has enjoyed his time at one of the world’s most renowned venues.
“I think for most riders, we have a fond place in our heart for Spruce Meadows,” Spooner stated. “There is top prize money, super conditions, an incredible venue, and I think the horses really blossom up here. The crowd is also fantastic and so the ambience of the sport here is very memorable.”
Cristallo also seems to enjoy the setting, but Spooner noted that he is not too particular. “He is multi-purpose; he does not discriminate against venues,” the rider smiled. “It doesn’t make a difference to him. He is maybe a little better outdoors, but a big grass field certainly suits him well because he has such a big stride for a little horse, and his rideability is not necessarily his strong suit. He has a lot of strong suits, but that may not be it, so on a big grass field it is far easier to negotiate and kind of work your way around.”
Continuing a fantastic summer, the pair raced their way to victory once again, and Spooner looks forward to competing throughout the next three weeks. Along with Cristallo, he has a great group of up-and-coming horses that will get their shot at a round of honor.
Frances Land and Vieanne
Frances Land and Vieanne Take $8,000 Thompson Family Cup 1.45m
Also competing on Thursday, competition got underway this morning in the Chinook Ring with a win for Frances Land (USA) in the $8,000 Thompson Family Cup 1.45m. Thirty-seven entries contested Manuel Esparza’s (MEX) speed course with seven clear rounds. Land guided her 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Vieanne (Andiamo x Voltaire) to victory in 65.87 seconds. Shane Sweetnam (IRL) finished second aboard Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Mimosa in 68.67 seconds. Ali Wolff (USA) rode John Wolff’s Artemis to third place honors in 69.35 seconds.
A college student at Emory University in Georgia, Land is making the most of her summer break by riding as much as possible. She and Vieanne showed during week one of Spruce Meadows Summer Series, the ‘National’ CSI 5* presented by Rolex, and finished second in the $33,500 ATCO Pipelines Cup 1.45m. The pair took a break during the ‘Continental’ Tournament CSIO 5*, then came back fresh in the third week of competition to kick things off with a win.
“I showed her yesterday in a 1.30m warm-up, so today was just her third class here and she is really fresh,” Land detailed. “She feels great. She is just naturally so fast that I knew that this course was not one to run. I just had to ride the track and be smooth. I knew the straight lines were a bit steady and some of the curves I just needed to be smooth. There were a few leave-outs. I went around the blue oxer when I was planning to go inside after the grob, but I think naturally she is just faster if I am smooth. It just worked in my favor today.”
Thursday was Land’s first time showing in the Chinook Ring at Spruce Meadows, and the ring seemed to play to her favor as well.
“I was surprised because I had never gotten to show out here and I was actually a bit worried because this ring is a little smaller, but it was lovely,” Land acknowledged. “She jumped great. The smaller ring actually helped slow her down a little because she was being a bit wild. The Chinook is great, I love jumping out there.”
Land and Vieanne will continue to compete throughout the Spruce Meadows Summer Series, showing next in Friday’s $33,500 Westjet Cup 1.45m and Sunday’s $33,500 West Canadian Cup 1.50m.
In addition to the Westjet Cup on Friday, the Meadows on the Green will feature the $33,500 Duncan Ross Cup 1.50m.
Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the brainchild of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Lauren Sammis and Lombard V. Photo by Susan J. Stickle.
Sammis to Travel to U.K. to Train with Kyra Kyrklund
Wellington, FL – June 26, 2014 – Lauren Sammis and Lombard V, a 10-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Lobster-Heidi, Diplomat) owned by Hope Greenfield, were on top of their game at the recent Centerline Events at HITS II in Saugerties, NY. The pair scored a 70.658 and a 71.579 percent for first place finishes in the Intermediaire II on both June 14 and 15, and earned the FEI High Score Award on June 14.
“I was very, very pleased with him on Saturday and it was a really solid test,” Sammis said. “The horse is going really well. He’s getting 8s on gaits.”
Sammis and Lombard V, along with another Grand Prix horse, Whitman, will depart for the United Kingdom on July 2 to spend two months training with Kyra Kyrklund in West Sussex. Whitman is an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Rhodiumr-Camora, Saluut) owned by Jane Suwalsky, and Sammis has had the ride on him for about two months.
Sammis said her main goal while there is to train and then to compete in some smaller shows.
“I plan to get the horses going and get as much consistent help as I can,” she said. “I’ve never been in that situation where I have help every day.”
She plans to return in time to compete in Saugerties, NY, in September and hopes to have the scores to participate at Dressage at Devon.
Lauren Sammis and Cinco. Photo by Carol Fraser
Sammis is looking to friends for assistance in subsidizing her European expedition, and will update supporters with exclusive blogs and photos to include them in her adventures as she travels to learn from one of the greats. If you are interested in helping, contact her at lcsammis@gmail.com.
Meanwhile, she is packing and preparing for her two months with Kyrklund.
“I think I will come a long way,” she said. “I’m really, really, really, really excited.”
