Dutch Driver IJsbrand Chardon and his four-in-hand team on their way to victory in the first competition of the FEI World Cup Driving Final 2014 at Bordeaux (FRA). Photo Rinaldo de Craen/FEI.
Bordeaux (FRA), 9 February 2014 – IJsbrand Chardon (NED) is well on his way to secure his third FEI World Cup Driving champion title. The experienced Dutch rider won the first competition of what has turned out to be a very exciting FEI World Cup Driving Final 2014, which got under way in Bordeaux (FRA) last night. Daniel Schneiders (GER) finished second ahead of title holder Koos de Ronde (NED). Australia’s Boyd Exell (AUS) came in fourth.
The enthusiastic spectators attending the Jumping International de Bordeaux enjoyed a thrilling competition despite an incident suffered by the first starter. Wildcard driver Thibault Coudry (FRA) tipped over after the fourth obstacle, but his horses, his grooms and Coudry himself were not injured. The Frenchman will start in the Final on Sunday afternoon but has little chance to make the podium.
The rule, according to which 50% of the score differential converted into seconds are carried forward to the final competition on Sunday, was introduced to ensure that all the competitors did their best from the start and guarantee an excellent show.
Budapest and London Olympia winner IJsbrand Chardon held on to his strong performances with his Lipizzaner horses and drove a very fast and fluent round around the course designed by FEI O-course designer Gabor Fintha (HUN) who had also officiated at last year’s Final. Chardon, who won the FEI World Cup Driving Final in 2005 alongside Michael Freund (GER) and again in 2006, took some significant risks by using a shortcut in the last phase of the course. He managed to overtake by six seconds Daniel Schneiders, who had been in the lead until that moment, and won the competition.
Daniel Schneiders drove his mixed team of German and Dutch warm blood geldings in a safe manner and managed to beat Koos de Ronde’s time by 0.59 seconds taking second place. The 33-year-old farrier thoroughly enjoys the FEI World Cup Driving circuit in which he competes for the first time. Schneiders praised the Bordeaux organisers for putting on a wonderful event with excellent facilities for the horses, the competitors and their teams.
Reigning FEI World Cup Driving Champion Koos de Ronde used his new chestnut gelding Zimba for the first time in the wheel at an FEI World Cup Driving event. Zimba is replacing the experienced piebald gelding Mario, who was injured halfway through the season. De Ronde’s performance was on the safe side but the Dutch driver was nevertheless pleased with his third place.
Four-time FEI World Cup Driving champion Boyd Exell found the right speed and was well on his way to victory when his left leader horse hit a ball off the last pair of cones dropping the team to fourth place. The time difference between Exell and leader Chardon is however only 4.17 seconds which guarantees an exciting Final.
Tomas Eriksson (SWE) drove a clear round but failed to reach the necessary speed whereas European and Dutch national champion Theo Timmerman was a bit too impatient and had a knockdown dropping to sixth place.
Seconds carried forward By winning the first round, IJsbrand Chardon will be the last starter in the Final this afternoon at 17.00 CET. Runner-up Daniel Schneiders will have to make up only 2.61 seconds to catch up, closely followed by third-placed Koos de Ronde who is 2.96 seconds behind the leader.
Chardon is well aware he cannot take anything for granted as his rivals are very focused and one knockdown can make or break a champion.
The course in the FEI World Cup Driving Final will remain the same as during the first competition. The course for the Winning Round, for which only the best three drivers will qualify, will also remain unchanged.
Quotes:
IJsbrand Chardon (NED): “My team has been performing well all season. This is the Final and there is no room for hesitation, so I decided to give it my best. I am very happy with my results, but I know that the differences are very small so I will see if I have to drive even faster.”
Daniel Schneiders (GER): “My goal was not to drive too fast and be safe. I really enjoyed the course and I will see what I can improve in the Final. My horses are a good team and I am very pleased with them.”
Koos de Ronde (NED): “I think I drove a bit too safely, but I did not want to make any mistakes. Zimba did very well and I am pleased with him. I know I can drive faster and in the Final I will have to drive faster, but I also realise that one knockdown can make a big difference.”
Timetable and live broadcast on FEI TV The FEI World Cup Driving Final will begin on Sunday 9 February at 17.00 CET and will be broadcast live on the FEI online official video platform FEI TV.
For more information on FEI World Cup Driving, please check the FEI website and the series’ comprehensive press kit.
Olivia Woodson Claims THIS Children’s Medal 14 & Under at FTI WEF
Wellington, FL – February 8, 2014 – Scott Brash and Ben Maher proved once again why they are the number one and two ranked riders in the world on Saturday night as the British superstars battled it out for top prize in the $370,000 FEI World Cup Grand Prix CSI-W 5*, presented by Rolex, at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Competing in front of a large, enthusiastic crowd at the Palm Beach Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, the FEI World Cup Qualifier saw an exciting victory for Maher and Cella, with Brash and Ursula XII finishing second, and up-and-coming U.S. star Lucy Davis guiding Barron to the third place prize.
FTI WEF week five, sponsored by Rolex, will conclude on Sunday with the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic to begin at 11 a.m. (NEW REVISED TIME) in the International Arena at PBIEC. Schedules have been revised for some rings, so please check www.showgroundslive.com for an updated schedule of Sunday’s competition. The FTI WEF features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.
Great Britain’s Robert Ellis set a difficult track for Saturday night’s class, with 45 competitors and seven clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Artisan Farm’s Verdi III were the first pair to qualify for the jump-off, and cleared the short course in 38.61 seconds to earn the sixth place prize. McLain Ward (USA) and Sagamore Farms’ Rothchild had an unfortunate stop on course for four faults in the jump-off in 47.36 seconds to place seventh.
Audrey Coulter (USA) and Copernicus Stables’ Acorte were next to jump-off, and cleared the course in 37.52 seconds for a fifth place finish. Scott Brash took the lead next in 35.70 seconds aboard Lord and Lady Harris and Lord and Lady Kirkham’s Ursula XII, but eventually settled for second place. Lucy Davis and Old Oak Farm’s Barron placed third with a time of 35.98 seconds. Charlie Jayne and Chill R Z jumped into fourth in 37.04 seconds.
Last to go in the jump-off, Ben Maher and Jane Clark’s Cella cleared the course in an electrifying 35.30 seconds to secure the victory. The crowd exploded as the pair took a huge leap to the final Rolex oxer and raced through the finish line. They had done it again.
Maher has had an incredible FTI WEF circuit so far with wins aboard several of his talented horses. He and Brash had their first duel of the season in week three’s $125,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI 3*, where the results were the same – Maher and Cella first, Brash and Ursula XII second. As the results prove, Maher and Cella, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Cento x Chin Chin, have become quite the dream team.
“It’s been an incredible start to the year so far,” Maher acknowledged after Saturday’s win. “Cella had quite a long rest after the European Championships last year and she came back to do a couple of shows towards the end of last year, and actually has not jumped so much. She seems to love WEF here. She loves the ring, and she feels fresh and on form. She is just an incredible horse to ride.”
“I think Bob Ellis did a great job with the course tonight,” Maher noted. “I think a few riders were walking the course tonight and saying it looked big, or it looked technical and quite tight in places, but with $370,000 I didn’t really expect any less. That’s huge prize money, and he was definitely going to make us work for it. I think the course was great. Obviously it suited me. It had everything; faults all over the course, and again, this arena seems to provide some of the fastest jump-offs anywhere in the world. Luckily for me, I had a good draw tonight, and seeing Scott go, he was obviously fast. I was lucky enough to watch them, and it was definitely a big help to me tonight.”
For the winner’s share, Maher earned an impressive $122,000 for the night’s victory. He gave it everything in the jump-off, and the effort certainly paid off. Maher was so focused, he admitted that he was not even sure where he made up the fractions of time.
“I don’t know, everything was going so fast to be honest!” he laughed. “I actually planned to take a stride out and do six on the bend from the first to the second jump (the plank), but when I rode in I was a little nervous with the trees on the side that if I angled the plank, she might stop (and) not look where she was going, so I decided to not take too much risk there. I think the way I can gallop Cella to a double like that and a liverpool afterwards is like no other horse. I can gallop her and she kind of stops, backs up, jumps up and that’s where I can make up the time.”
“It probably looked erratic to the last fence, almost hurtling I guess, but it wasn’t by choice,” he said. “I turned back tight to the vertical, and she cut left on me, which I was ready for, but she did it a little harder than I thought and she landed a little flat-footed. I knew I had to be committed from the first stride, and I was going, and I got four strides down there and that oxer looked like it was still on the other end of the arena, but I kept going. I don’t know how she jumped it, but she did it. I knew if I pulled to the last fence I would be giving it to Scott, so I gave it my best shot.”
Scott Brash and Ursula XII
Brash also gave it his best shot with Ursula XII, a 13-year-old Scottish Sport Horse mare by Ahorn x Papageno, and was happy with his finish.
“Ursula jumped fantastic tonight,” Brash smiled. “The first round, everything went according to plan until she jumped the triple bar, and I don’t know, she stumbled or something but I got the six strides very late to the combination and I was very late going in, and she was really good to jump the combination. Everything else went according to plan. She jumped amazing. My jump-off, I was really happy with. I have been working on my jump-offs with her, and when I first got her it felt like I was going too fast and out of control, then I would go fast for the first half and have to make an adjustment half way around. That was the first time of being able to ride a very smooth jump-off and be very quick. She has kept her head, and I am very pleased.”
Maher and Brash have become show jumping superstars and see huge crowds and great fans in Europe. They spoke about the fantastic attendance for Saturday night’s class in Wellington and how great the competition was.
“I think it’s great wherever we go, we are very fortunate to have a lot of fans,” Brash stated. “It is great; it gives you an extra boost when you are in the ring with a lot of people cheering you on, and it just makes you want it more. It was good to see such a busy crowd tonight.”
Maher added, “I think it’s important not to forget to thank Rolex for the sponsorship tonight. It is unbelievable the money and support that they are putting in to the sport over here, and especially in Wellington. I think it certainly looked like one of the biggest crowds to come out for the first major Rolex grand prix here. It was full from every side, and Bob Ellis did a good job of using the whole arena so the whole crowd could watch. We have the best riders here in the world. It is great sport and great entertainment for a Saturday night.”
California’s twenty-one-year-old Lucy Davis finished third with her horse, Barron, a ten-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding by For Pleasure x Nabab de Reve. Davis, who trains with Germany’s Meredith-Michaels Beerbaum and Markus Beerbaum, earned the biggest victory of her young career this past September when she won the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Lausanne with Barron. The young rider continued to make her mark on the world of show jumping Saturday night with a close finish behind two of the world’s best.
“I have a very, very special horse,” Davis praised after the class. “We have been together for a year now, and he has improved so much over the year and I have improved with him. It is really special to be able to ride in competitions like this, and being behind two Olympians is very inspiring. It makes me believe my goals and dreams are possible.”
“I’d ideally like to do the world championships at the end of the year, but that’s a long shot and that’s a lot of people’s goal right now and it is very early in the year,” Davis said of her plans. “My immediate goal is to keep consistent with what we are doing, and we’ll see what happens!”
Olivia Woodson Claims THIS Children’s Medal 14 & Under at FTI WEF
Olivia Woodson and Victor V.D. Sent
Fourteen-year-old Olivia Woodson, of Wellington, FL, finished on top of the THIS Children’s Medal 14 & Under class on Saturday morning at the FTI WEF. Woodson and her horse Victor V.D. Sent were one of the final horse-rider pairs to contest the first round before qualifying for the test with a high score of 87.
The top four riders from round one were called back to test over fences. In addition to Woodson, Maria Moore qualified after laying down an 83 and ultimately finished second. Third place went to Gina Kumar, who earned an 83 in the first round, and Ava Stearns rounded out the top four with a first round score of 86.
Victor V.D. Sent, shortened to “Victor” in the barn, has been partnered with Woodson since October of last year, and she has quickly fallen in love with the handsome bay gelding.
“He’s the best horse in the world. He saves my butt all the time!” Woodson grinned.
Woodson, who trains with Geoff Teall, described Victor’s willingness to take care of her as one of his most endearing traits, along with his brave attitude and natural talent.
“I really like his jump; it’s really scopey. He has a huge stride, and he never looks at anything. He jumps anything; he would jump out of the ring if you wanted him to! He does everything you ask him to,” Woodson detailed.
Going late in the class and last in the test didn’t make Woodson nervous, which doesn’t come as a surprise considering the accomplishments she has to her name, even at her young age. Woodson won the USEF Pony Medal Finals last summer to cap off her pony career and, now that she’s moved up to horses, is already trying her hand at “big eq” classes like the ASPCA Maclay Medal and the Washington International Horse Show Equitation Medal.
The test in Saturday morning’s class was short and relatively simple, asking riders to canter jump three, a single oxer on the diagonal, before counter-cantering jump four, a vertical on the quarter line, and trotting jump five, which had been part of a troublesome diagonal line in the first round.
Woodson immediately formulated her plan for the test, which focused on the counter-canter that she admits is her and Victor’s weakness.
“After the first jump, I was planning on landing right since we have trouble holding the counter-canter sometimes. So I wanted to land right and go through the turn on the right lead, and then when I got straight to the jump I would change to the counter-canter,” Woodson detailed.
When Victor landed on the left lead and was already in the counter-canter, Woodson had to quickly readjust.
“I landed [left], and I tried to do the inside turn and fell off the lead. I was able to fix it, though,” Woodson explained. After returning to the walk and picking up the counter-canter with a few strides to spare before the next fence, she finished the test as the final rider to go. All four riders had suffered from minor missteps in the test, and Woodson was ultimately crowned the winner.
Hunter competition continues for the FTI WEF on Sunday morning with the Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunter 15-17 division. The $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic will begin in the International Arena at 11 a.m. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
About FTI Consulting, Inc.
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.
Sarah Segal and Tilghman. Photos by: Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group.
Wellington, FL – February 8, 2014 – McLain Ward and Dulien Van De Smeets returned to the Ridge at Wellington’s 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix to defend their turf, but they were met with a challenger as the fifth week of the series got underway. Sarah Segal and Tilghman rose to the test today, riding the jump off round with blazing speed. They rode to a double clear effort in 32.574 seconds, proving untouchable and taking the victory.
Roosje Brouwer took an early lead with Cisco’s Zidane as the sun rose over Wolfstone Stables. She guided the gelding around the Pierre Jolicouer designed course for a clear first round, then riding to the first of only four double clear rounds. Christine McCrea and Win For Life posted a conservative time of 38.703 seconds, but had one rail down. Karyn Foley and Falco also posted a four-fault round, but their time of 43.457 seconds proved too careful for a top three finish. It seemed as though Brouwer’s time would hold as the day continued; however, McLain Ward would soon challenge her time of 36.150 seconds.
Ward navigated the first round track with straightforwardness, riding new mount Dulien Van De Smeets to the top of the leader board with a jump off time of 34.031 seconds. Ward used a forward pace to move the mare through the turns, he negated an inside turn that left hope for competitors. His time was fast, but not entirely untouchable.
“It was a good course. I thought it was actually a little bit bigger than last week, but it was in a little easier ring, going in the sand. She went great out there and did great today,” Ward said. “We are going to keep moving her along, and hopefully jump her in some grand prix soon enough.”
McLain Ward and Dulien Van De Smeets
Ward continued, “It is nice to be able to compete for good prize money, not going up against 200 horses running around like maniacs. If you are trying to develop a horse in the 1.40m division, it is very hard at the Winter Equestrian Festival; you almost need a ringer in those classes now.”
Emmanuel Camilli took his turn at the track with Zacca Zoeloe, chasing Ward’s time. He was able to guide the bay gelding to a time of 33.617 seconds, but a rail fell at fence 7 to make him the fastest of the four-faulters. It wasn’t until Sarah Segal took the reins aboard Tilghman that defeat seemed plausible.
Segal posted a speedy first round course, and continued into the jump off. Using Tilghman quick foot speed, she covered the ground with seconds to spare, breaking the beam in 32.574 seconds. She was a full two seconds quicker than Ward’s leading time.
“I got him as a 6-year-old, and he is 10 now, so I have had him for a while. He won a bunch of these grand prix last year, and we came so close to winning the finale, but he had a rail down at the last fence of the jump off,” Segal explained. “He is a fantastic 1.40m horse. This is a niche for him. He can jump it really easily, and is really quick on his feet. Even if you go slow, he goes fast.”
Segal continued, “It is a little hard to get the context for if McLain would be able to hold the lead, but I tried to follow his track. My horse is just a little quicker. We made the inside turns, and although I added a stride to the last fence, my horse is so quick that I knew we had it. This is his game; he’s a great jumper and very quick in the air.”
Ben Meredith took the fourth place finish with Bernadien Van Westuur, jumping clear, but not quite fast enough with a time of 36.444 seconds. Ward finished in the second place position, while Brouwer completed the day with the third place award.
The stakes are increasing each week as top riders, amateur and professional, vie for their invitation to the $24,750 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix Series Finale on Saturday, March 22, 2014, as well as the coveted Leading Rider Bonus. The Wellington Turf Tour will return to the International Polo Club Palm Beach next week for its Wednesday and Friday events.
Meadowbrook Horse Transport will provide transportation to and from the horse show and other locations throughout Wellington for both the Wednesday and Friday events. The transportation is a nominal fee of $50 per horse, and will be calculated into the final show fees. To make a reservation for one of the three pickup times, 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., please call Peter Tufano of Meadowbrook Horse Transport at (954) 415-7217, or call Nona Garson at (908) 500-0996.
This approaching week The Wellington Turf Tour will return to the International Polo Club Palm Beach. The Wednesday will return to the field with the 1.30m-1.35m Jumper divisions. The Grand Prix is set to happen this Friday, February 14, 2014. Riders are encouraged to get their entries in as soon as possible for the approaching classes. Turning in entries early will ensure that they get the time that they desire. Show Net will provide the live scoring for the Ridge Winter Tour II, as well as video all rounds. All recorded rounds and results are available at: www.shownet.biz.
The Ridge at Wellington Horse Show Series Fast Facts
Events:
The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour offers their popular 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix for its second year, with an open in gate format taking place once a week at beautiful venues throughout Wellington. The Ridge at Wellington Grand Prix Finale will take place March 22, 2014.
The Turf Tour also will host 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers every Wednesday beginning January 8, 2014 and running until March 19, 2014.
Young Jumper Classes and both Children’s/Senior Jumper Classics will find their home intermittently throughout the Wellington Turf Tour.
The Ridge at Wellington offers Equitation Shows every Tuesday of the month from January – March 2013. There will also be a series of schooling shows at the Ridge at Wellington for all experience levels.
Two USHJA International Hunter Derbies will take place February 7, 2014 and March 21, 2014.
What:
The Ridge at Wellington series includes several weeks of competition throughout the Winter Season with USEF Rated Equitation Shows. This winter will also feature five two-day schooling shows. The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour will offer 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers, 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix, Young Jumpers, Children’s/Senior Classics, and two hunter derbies.
Barn & Show Phone 561-791-1471 | Barn Fax 561-791-1543
When:
Wednesday, January 8, 2014 – 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Friday, January 10, 2014 – 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Hours:
8:30am-5pm daily
Directions:
From the Florida Turnpike: Take the exit for LakeWorth Road West. Continue on Lake Worth Road approximately 6 miles to South Shore Blvd. Make a left on South Shore Blvd. Continue to the stop sign at 50th Street. Make a Right on 50th Street. Continue to Stables Way and make a right. Continue to the end of Stables Way and make a right on Palm Beach Point Blvd. Driveway to farm is 50 feet on the left.
From Route 95: Take the exit for Forest Hill Blvd West. Continue on Forest Hill Blvd to South Shore Blvd. Make a left on South Shore Blvd. Once on South Shore Blvd, continue straight at light at Pierson Road and again straight through the intersection at Lake Worth Road, to the stop sign at 50th Street. Make a Right on 50th Street. Continue to Stables Way and make a right. Continue to the end of Stables Way and make a right on Palm Beach Point Blvd. Driveway to farm is 50 feet on the left.
Information:
Before Show – (561) 791-1471, Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
During Show – Telephone: (561) 791-1471, Fax: (561) 791-1543
Marcus Ehning receives his prize of a Longines watch from Alain Henry, Longines France after the German rider won the penultimate qualifying leg of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Western European League at Bordeaux, France tonight with Cornado NRW. Photo: FEI/Fred Chehu.
Bordeaux (FRA), 8 February 2014 – Germany’s Marcus Ehning cruised to victory with Cornado NRW tonight in the penultimate qualifying round of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping 2014 Western European League series at the Parc des Expositions de Bordeaux in France. Ehning’s horse, an 11-year-old son of his former super-star ride, Cornet Obolensky, was making his debut at this level of the sport but showed his extraordinary class when galloping home to snatch victory from the European Championship winning partnership of Roger Yves Bost and the brilliant mare Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois from France.
Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer steered his Zurich winner, Toulago, into third in the 13-horse jump-off while Ireland’s Billy Twomey and the veteran Tinka’s Serenade finished fourth ahead of Great Britain’s Michael Whitaker in fifth with Elle van de Kolmen.
Many riders were desperately chasing those elusive qualifying points for the Final tonight, and for fourth-placed Twomey and Britain’s Joe Clee who lined up sixth with Diablesse de Muze it was relief at last as they have now clearly made the cut. However there are many more top riders still outside the top-18 qualification zone going into the last leg at Gothenburg, Sweden in three weeks’ time where the pressure will be at boiling point.
Quality field
With a quality field of 37 that included 12 of the top 20 riders on the current Longines Rankings, course designer Uliano Vezzani was always going to face a challenge in weeding out the best from the rest tonight. And for many, disappointment came in the shape of just a single first-round error over a track that had all the hallmarks of the Italian maestro.
It was neither complicated nor trappy, but many fences were at maximum height and each line needed to be accurately ridden to achieve the ultimate goal of a clear round. There were no major bogey fences, with poles falling all around the course which started over a vertical and moved on a bending line to an oxer at fence two and a water-tray vertical at three before a turn-back to the vertical at four which invited riders to jump at an angle in order to get a quicker line to the oxer at five. The two-stride opening distance in the triple combination was not over-generous so the following verticals quite often hit the floor before riders kicked on to the oxer at fence seven and the water-tray oxer at eight which was followed by a double – vertical to oxer – at nine. A long left-handed sweep led to the oxer at fence ten and the vertical at 11 before riders turned down the long side of the arena one last time to be faced by tall, thin red planks and then the final oxer.
The only major drama of the first round was the retirement of Steve Guerdat and Nasa when things went awry at the double at nine.
Door wide open
Pathfinders against the clock were Germany’s Marco Kutscher and Cash who left the door wide open with two fences down. The new track was all about turn-backs as it snaked its way through three looping lines across the ring. The turn from the oxer at fence two to the water-tray oxer at eight was pivotal to success, but Kutscher’s first mistake came at the following oxer after which riders had to circle right-handed back to the second two elements of the former triple combination which had now both been raised. Then it was a left-handed circle to the vertical at fence four before the long gallop to the final oxer.
British rider Clee, who finished second in Zurich two weeks ago, set the first target when clear in 38.20 but, two horses later, Ireland’s Billy Twomey shaved more than two seconds off that to take the lead with a superb run from the veteran 17-year-old mare Tinka’s Serenade. The French supporters were hoping Patrice Delaveau, winner of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping qualifiers at both Helsinki (FIN) and Leipzig (GER) this season, could deliver once again, but Carinjo HDC dropped a pole at the double of verticals three fences from home where Portugal’s Luciana Diniz and the fabulous Fit for Fun also faulted.
Pius Schwizer made no mistake however as he steered his Zurich winner, the nine-year-old Toulago, to snatch the advantage with a brilliant round in 35.83 seconds and that really put it up to the remaining combinations. Ukraine’s Katharina Offel and Lacontino hit the penultimate vertical, and although Britain’s Michael Whitaker and Elle van de Kolmen were clean and clear their time of 37.37 wasn’t a threat to the leading pack.
But the round produced by the duo who claimed the individual title at the ECCO FEI European Championships in Herning, Denmark last summer certainly was. Roger Yves Bost set off at a cracking pace with his brave and brilliant mare and the French crowd jumped to their feet with delight when Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois galloped through the finish to re-set the target in 35.66 seconds. It seemed now that it must be all over, and when Ludger Beerbaum’s Chiara caught the back bar of the oxer halfway around the track then there were only two between the Frenchman and those coveted maximum points.
Marcus Ehning can never be discounted however, and the three-time FEI World Cup Jumping champion set off on a mesmerising tour of the track with Cornado NRW picking up fractions of seconds at every turn despite his hugely extravagant jump to break the beam in 35.45 seconds – just 0.21 seconds quicker than Bost. So when Ireland’s Cameron Hanley and Antello Z posted a clear in 39.39 it was done and dusted. Ehning was delighted with the result.
First World Cup
“This was my first World Cup qualifier with this horse and I’m really happy, not just with the win but with how much the horse is improving,” said the 39-year-old rider who currently lies fourth on the Longines Rankings. “Over the last few months we have competed in three Grand Prix classes and finished third, second and first – he’s getting better and better all the time,” he added.
He couldn’t disguise his excitement at the potential of Cornado NRW after the big grey won a class in Verona, Italy last November when he described the stallion as “a special one”. He said then, “We have been together now for two years, and he has more power, more quality and more gallop to show – it is important to take time to develop a horse like this. He’s definitely one for the future.” After his success tonight, it seems the future has already arrived.
When asked tonight if he thought Cornado would be his horse for the forthcoming Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, Ehning replied, “I don’t know yet; I’m just happy with how things are right now,” but he has decided to take him to the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final in Lyon in April. “I have three horses qualified for the Final but my first choice is Cornado,” Ehning pointed out.
Meanwhile Roger Yves Bost was stoic about finishing in runner-up spot. “Even though Marcus beat me I am happy because we did not go at full speed. My objective today was to qualify for Lyon and we have done that so I am extremely pleased! The plan is to take Myrtille to Lyon and also to the World Equestrian Games. Nippon is also qualified for Lyon, but it is more likely that I will take Myrtille,” he explained.
Ehning has now overtaken Patrice Delaveau at the top of the Western European Leaderboard while Schwizer lies third ahead of Britain’s Scott Brash in fourth and Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat in fifth. The battle between those further down the line who are still in contention for a top-18 finishing spot in order to qualify for the Final will be at fever pitch when the action resumes at the last qualifying leg in Gothenburg on 2 March.
For more information on the ninth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Western European League at Bordeaux, France, visit website www.jumping-bordeaux.com or contact Press Officer Marie-Sol Fournier, Email ms.fournier@bordeaux-expo.com, Tel: + 33 556 119943.
The last qualifying leg in the Western European League will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden on Sunday 2 March 2014. For all information on the Swedish fixture, check out website www.goteborghorseshow.com or contact Press Officer Mayvor Thorin, Email mayvor.thorin@gotevent.se, Tel:+46 705 838 420.
Bordeaux, France presented the penultimate qualifying leg of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping 2014 Western European League tonight.
37 starters from 15 countries, including 9 horse-and-rider combinations from the host nation of France.
Course designer was Italy’s Uliano Vezzani.
13 went into the jump-off against the clock.
A total of 12 riders picked up just four faults in the first round.
Winning rider was Germany’s Marcus Ehning with the 11-year-old grey stallion Cornado NRW, by Cornet Obolensky.
Tonight’s victory has promoted the German rider to the top of the Western European League leaderboard.
Runner-up was the reigning FEI European Championship winning partnership of Roger Yves Bost from France and the mare Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois.
12 of the top 20 riders in the current Longines Rankings competed in tonight’s qualifying leg.
The last qualifier in the Western European League series will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden on 2 March.
Quotes:
Marcus Ehning GER, when asked if he could compare Cornado NRW to his sire Cornet Obolensky – “They are both exceptional horses but they are very different.”
Marcus Ehning GER – “Cornado is getting faster and faster in his turns and that’s my kind of horse. I’m not normally fast in straight lines but I am quick on the turns.”
Marcus Ehning GER, when asked about a foal he won at Bordeaux a few years ago – “He is now five years old and is jumping in Young Horse classes with Maria Gretzer in Sweden.”
Marcus Ehning GER, during the press conference – “I would like to point out that we were not being disrespectful to the French public when we didn’t take off our hats during the prizegiving ceremony – we were just obeying the new rules.”
Pius Schwizer SUI, when asked to explain his recent success with his young horse Toulago – “This is a nine year old horse and I am a good rider who has been doing the job of producing good young horses for 20 years now. That is my job!”
Longines Live Timing Jumping application: available free for download from The App Store (iPhone) & Android Markets. Combining precision and performance, this is a detailed and exclusive application designed especially for Jumping fans – follow live results, see latest Longines Rankings, view competition schedules, obtain exclusive information and alerts on your favorite riders and get all the latest FEI news.
Longines has been based at Saint-Imier (SUI) since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations.
Longines’ passion for equestrian sports began in 1878, when it produced a chronograph engraved with a jockey and its mount. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1912, Longines was proud to partner with its first Jumping event, the Grande Concurso Hippico Internacional, in Portugal.
Today, Longines’ involvement in equestrianism includes Jumping, Endurance and flat racing.
Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 130 countries.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Winter Classic opened Wednesday as droves of despite less than desirable weather that kicked off the six weeks of horse shows, the show grounds are buzzing with energy.
The inclement weather was everywhere last week, but the skies have cleared and it is absolutely beautiful this weekend.
Jersey Strong!
Neither wind nor rain could dampen Devin Ryan of Long Valley, New Jersey’s efforts to secure the win in the opening $5,000 Open Jumper Welcome Stake Thursday aboard Sima Morgello’s Chantilly.
The Friday night margarita party and tacos were a hit in the vendor pavilion and everyone enjoyed the complimentary hospitality that typifies all Classic events. “It was really nice,” commented Dylan Thomas of Hassinger Equine. “It’s always nice to see everyone and the margaritas and tacos were awesome!” she added.
The weather has cleared and tomorrow looks to be a winner for the $25,000 Johnson Horse Transportation Grand Prix set to kick off tomorrow afternoon. And where will you watch world class show jumping on the most beautiful grass turf in the country? How about the VIP club? Grand prix tables are only $325 a week for a table of 8 and features some of the best food on the Gulf and a complimentary bottle of champagne every Sunday. Restaurant partners Back Bay, The Dock, Look Out Steak House, Salute and The Shed are the Gulf Coast Winter Classic’s Official Restaurant Partners and will be serving up the best the Gulf has to offer. Make sure to see Jonathan in the show office to secure your table today!
If you have special stabling requests or have any questions about this winter, please contact Jonathan Rabon at jonathan@classiccompany.com. Don’t forget the five new barns, extra wide aisles and pristine stalls will be awaiting you. And with over a million dollars in prize money and awards, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Winter Classic will be jumping!
The Gulf Coast Classic Company and the Classic Company is a USHJA’s Members Choice Award winner, recognized for producing top quality show jumping events in the United States. Together, they offer the best exhibitor-friendly, top quality hunter jumper events each winter. Please visit them at www.gulfcoastclassiccompany.com and 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
THERMAL, CA (February 8, 2014) – Francie Steinwedell-Carvin admits that her goal for the 2014 HITS Desert Circuit is to qualify and excel in the AIG $1 Million Grand Prix on March 16 with her 14-year old gelding Taunus. They got one step closer to the highlighted class with a win in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal – a qualifier for the big-money event.
Florencio Hernandez, hailing from Mexico City, designed Friday’s course, and while he didn’t build big, he made up ground with technicality. “When I walked it, I thought the size was appropriate for $25,000, but after seeing the first line, I knew it would ride very technical,” said Steinwedell-Carvin before admitting that Taunus thrives over technical courses. “He came out with his jumping shoes on today and I have never seen this horse so happy.”
Steinwedell-Carvin, a Just World International rider, plans to save some jump for the AIG Million and will show Taunus sparingly over the coming weeks.
With 12 obstacles and 16 jumping efforts, Hernandez made use of every square inch of the expansive Strongid C 2X Grand Prix Stadium, giving riders many opportunities to leave out or add strides. “I think, unlike some of the other courses we’ve seen this circuit, it was better to leave [strides] out – the majority of the people who left out did better.”
Hap Hansen of Encinitas, California, chasing his 100th grand prix victory, was first to best the track and was eventually joined by 11 to set the stage for a 12-horse jump-off from an original order of 43. The lead changed three times after Hansen and Linda Smith’s Archie Bunker set an immediate Great American Time to Beat at 45.95 seconds.
Thanks to the likes of John Pearce, Ashlee Bond Clarke and Rusty Stewart, the time to beat got increasingly faster as the jump-off progressed. Bond Clarke of Hidden Hills, California and Little Valley Farm’s Agro Star were the next to jump clean in 43.29 seconds to take the lead, before Stewart of Camarillo, California bested her time in 42.40 seconds aboard Bristol for Grey Fox Farm. Pearce of Bermuda Dunes, California and Son of a Gun finished crossed the timers in 42.31 seconds for Forest View Farm and Allison Moore.
Steinwedell-Carvin rode next and felt the pressure. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to be as fast as some of those riders, but I just went as fast as I felt comfortable,” she said. “We had a rub in the middle, but I heard someone scream ‘go’ from the sidelines and I went for it.”
She and Taunus posted a time of 41.68 seconds for the win. Susan Hutchinson of Temecula, California jumped to second in the irons of SIG Zuleika, owned by SIG International, Inc. in a time of 42.20 seconds. Pearce and Son of a Gun finished third, Stewart was fourth on Bristol, and Bond Clarke landed fifth with Agro Star. Hansen and Archie bunker capped the top six.
As the off-week at HITS Thermal approaches, riders will have one more opportunity for early-circuit qualifying for the AIG Million as grand prix competition continues Sunday with the $50,000 GoRentals Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis. Visit HitsShows.com to view current preliminary rider standings for the AIG Million. Also highlighting the weekend in the Strongid C 2X Grand Prix Stadium is the SVS Sport Horse Auction taking place today at 4pm. Visit www.svshorsesales.com for more information.
About SmartPak SmartPak powers healthy horses and happy riders. The patented SmartPak Supplement Feeding System makes it easy for riders across the country to take the best care of their horses. Founded in 1999, with the purpose of simplifying the administration of nutritional supplements and medications to horses, the system has been adopted by thousands of barns and horse owners across the country, who value knowing that their supplements will be fed correctly.
About Zoetis Building on 60 years of experience as Pfizer Animal Health, Zoetis delivers quality medicines and vaccines, complemented by diagnostics products and genetics tests and supported by a range of services. They work every day to better understand and address the real-world challenges faced by those who raise and care for animals in ways they find truly relevant. Zoetis produces a comprehensive range of safe and effective products, including equine vaccines, dewormers and sedative analgesics, to help professionals and individual horse owners keep their animals healthy. Both veterinarians and horse owners know and trust the Zoetis will help their horses live longer, healthier lives.
Bordeaux, France – Kimberly and Cassidy Palmer closed out the 2014 FEI World Cup Vaulting Final in fourth-place in the Pas de Deux Championship following a fourth place finish in Saturday’s second round on competition. The Palmers made history over the weekend as pas de deux competition was held for the first time ever as part of the Finals which were hosted at the Bordeaux Exhibition Centre in Bordeaux, France.
The Palmer sisters (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) and lunger Wolfgang Rentz’s Leon 36 scored 7.451 in their second and final round of the Finals. They finished on an overall score of 7.606, less than 3/10ths of a point behind the third place combination.
Austria’s Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha were victorious in the Pas de Deux Championship on an overall score of 8.783. In the Individual Female division Italy’s Anna Cavallaro was the winner on a score of 8.522, while France’s Nicolas Andreani won the Individual Male competition on a score of 8.826.
The “Saturday Night Lights” grand prix season continues tonight at 7 p.m. at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Watch 45 of the world’s best show jumpers compete in the $370,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI-W 5*, presented by Rolex.
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.
Kelly Layne and Udon P Excel in FEI Grand Prix Freestyle 3*; Juan Matute, Jr. Rides to Another Small Tour Victory in FEI Prix St. Georges
Wellington, FL – February 7, 2014 – The 2014 Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) hosted a full day of fantastic competition at The Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Friday featuring CDI 4* and 3* competition presented by The Dutta Corp. and Havensafe Farm. The feature class of the day was the “Friday Night Stars” FEI Grand Prix Freestyle 4*, presented by The Dutta Corp., with a win for Lars Petersen (DEN) and Mariett. A FEI Grand Prix Freestyle 3* was held earlier in the day, also presented by the Dutta Corp., with a top ride for Kelly Layne (AUS) aboard Udon P. Juan Matute, Jr. (ESP) and Don Diego Ymas took another win in the FEI Prix St. Georges presented by Havensafe Farm.
AGDF 5 CDI 4*/3* competition, presented by The Dutta Corp. and Havensafe Farm, continues through February 9 at The Stadium at the PBIEC. Saturday’s competition will feature the FEI Intermediaire I, sponsored by Havensafe Farm, in the morning. The afternoon session will highlight the FEI Grand Prix Special 3* and 4* classes, each sponsored by The Dutta Corp.
Denmark’s Lars Petersen and Mariett, owned by Marcia M. Pepper, have been on quite a roll this week at AGDF. The pair topped Friday night’s $80,000 FEI Grand Prix Freestyle 4* with a score of 76.400%. Tina Konyot (USA) and Calecto V placed second with an overall score of 75.500%, and Mikala Munter Gundersen (DEN) guided Janne Rumbough’s My Lady to a 72.825% to place third.
Mariett, a 16-year-old Danish Warmblood mare by Come Back II out of Zendi, was a bit hot for Petersen in Thursday’s Grand Prix class, but the rider noted that she was on her game tonight and felt great.
“I thought she was really good to ride tonight. I was very, very happy,” Petersen stated. “Yesterday she was maybe not so easy to ride, but tonight she was with me. She came down a bit.”
Petersen spoke about Mariett’s sweet demeanor and how she enjoys performing in the impressive atmosphere under the lights at AGDF. “In the stable, she’s like a dog,” he described. “She’s a really sweet horse, all the way around. She’s a little bit more ‘up’ here (than at home). Otherwise it’s the same. The lights, the music, the people. In some ways, that’s also what makes them good, when they come in and they get up a little bit.”
Tina Konyot was happy with her ride aboard Calecto V Friday night after a difficult day on Thursday with the 16-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion (Come Back II out of Bahera). She explained that the pair had many frustrating mistakes in the Grand Prix, but came back better after a little reevaluation and some words of advice from U.S. Dressage Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover.
“I had so many mistakes yesterday. I was a little bit frustrated with it,” Konyot admitted. “One of them I can definitely attribute to myself because I was frustrated with some of the other ones because I didn’t understand why they happened. You always have to concentrate on the moment, and I lost my moment. It was a bad day yesterday. I thank God that Robert is such a huge support behind us. He said to forget about it and concentrate on what the horse can do, and he was so much better than yesterday.”
“He’s not quite as fit as he could be,” Konyot noted. “I’m just getting back into the show program here for the winter. He needs a little bit more fitness level to him, to be a little bit sharper, but overall I was happy with him. It was a great evening. Thank you Tim Dutta for all of this wonderful support, and thank you to everyone.”
Third place finisher, Mikala Munter Gundersen, enjoyed her freestyle with My Lady, a 14-year-old Danish Warmblood mare by Michellino out of Marion.
“She felt really good today as well,” Munter Gundersen stated. “I’m really impressed with the mare. When we got her two years ago, she was terrified. We had to feed her sugar to get her in the ring. We would go and practice during the week and feed her sugar from the tent just to get her over here. Now she walks in there by herself. She loves to go in there and present herself. I’m very thrilled. I think that’s the most important thing, that the horses have fun doing what they are doing. These tests are really hard, and it’s just amazing to have a horse who really wants to do it.”
Judge Lilo Fore spoke about the evening’s fantastic performances and the level of competition that the top three exhibited.
“I was very happy tonight because all three of these top horses showed themselves today really very well,” Fore stated. “Yesterday I was a tad worried there because all three had just a little mistake here and there. They were all a little hot under the collar, but I think tonight they were all really with the rider. When you look at these three horses, all three are amazingly talented. They have three wonderful gaits, they have really super minds. A really good grand prix horse has to be a bit hot because if they’re not, you’re not going to get through a grand prix test.”
“They have to have that special desire to be a little on the explosive side,” Fore continued. “If you can channel that kind of energy and you put it into the movement you need to do, put it under your seat and saddle and into your own riding, it’s an amazing horse to ride. That is the kind of horse which is only able to go to the international circuit. I think they are top horses. It doesn’t matter which country you’re talking about. I think all of us judges agreed totally.”
Tim Dutta, CEO of The Dutta Corp. was on hand for Friday night’s beautiful freestyle performances and spoke about the incredible growth of the AGDF.
“We dreamt about this three and a half years ago over dinner,” Dutta stated. “Dressage were stepchildren to show jumping at that time. (Equestrian Sport Productions CEO) Mark (Bellissimo) said, ‘If I can find commitment from you guys, we will build the finest facility in the world and we will create a circuit second to none.’ The next afternoon, we had raised the first round of funding, and seven months later, we opened.”
“This is incredible,” Dutta praised. “We have great sponsors. This is truly a state-of-the-art, world-class facility. I think it will truly be a global destination for dressage. I think next year we will entice the best of Europe to come for the richest prize money. I hope one day we have Spruce Meadows for dressage in Wellington, Florida. That’s my dream. You have a great corporate sponsor in Adequan who believes in us, who has put a lot of money in the sport. Tonight’s production was incredible.”
Allyn Mann, Director of the Animal Health Division at Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc., was also there for the wonderful night of freestyle performances on behalf of Adequan, and greatly enjoyed the competition.
“This evening was just unbelievable,” Mann acknowledged. “When you bring riders and horses of this caliber to this kind of a venue and look everywhere, the bleachers were full, people standing on the far side three or four deep. The VIP tent was packed. It has exceeded my expectations for what I was looking for. I can’t say enough about it. It is only going to get better, and we are just really blessed to be part of it.”
Kelly Layne and Udon P
Kelly Layne and Udon P Excel in FEI Grand Prix Freestyle 3*, Presented by The Dutta Corp.
The afternoon’s competition at AGDF featured a FEI Grand Prix Freestyle 3*, presented by The Dutta Corp., with a top finish for Kelly Layne (AUS) riding Whistlejacket Farm LLC’s Udon P, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding by Hierarch, out of Maleida. The pair earned their highest score ever with a 73.625%. Germany’s Kim Jesse and Dirk Haese’s Charming 8 finished second with a score of 70.200%. Susan Dutta (USA) and Currency DC placed third with a 69.925%.
Layne and Udon P finished second in Thursday’s FEI Grand Prix 3*, and the rider explained that her horse felt very relaxed for this afternoon’s freestyle. “He warmed up as calm as he ever has for a competition,” she stated. “He was very concentrated, very focused. He is starting to know his music cues and that is kind of cool. It makes the whole routine feel much smoother and then I can be more harmonious with the horse and really ride to my music. I think that just comes from more experience in the ring.”
Layne was very excited to get the freestyle win and earn her best score yet with Udon P. “It was awesome,” she smiled. “It was certainly exciting to win a CDI in Wellington. I could not be happier with the horse and also with the result. It was my best score absolutely in a grand prix and for the freestyle my best score again today. The horse is steadily improving all of the time. I think it will certainly help with our plans to go to Europe for the summer and campaign for a position on the Australian team (for the World Equestrian Games).”
Layne spoke about Udon’s strengths in his freestyle, noting that this was only his fourth freestyle ever. “For sure the piaffe/passage is very good for him,” she described. “With the choreography, we try to make it so that we can show that off to all of the judges from all of the views, which is important. I think that suits him very well. He is also very strong on the flying changes, and they were very good today.”
“He is 18.1 hands high and he is a bit of a scaredy cat,” Layne said of Udon’s personality. “He kind of clings to me, but he is not super affectionate. He is one of those horses that has to come to you; you can’t go to him. If you go to put your hand to him, he doesn’t know what to do, but if you stand there and he touches you first, then you can touch him anywhere. He has a real character, real personality.”
Second place finisher, Kim Jesse, is back in the ring after some time off from competing with her mount Charming 8, a 16-year-old Rheinlander stallion by Champus out of Lesley S, and was very happy with her ride on Friday.
“He is just two days out from quarantine, so we did not really have enough time for training, but he did a good job,” Jesse noted, going on to describe her horse’s strengths and personality as well. “For a stallion, he is pretty clear in the head and he likes his music. We change it sometimes and now it fits very good. He is always focused and always concentrated on what he is doing and what I want from him. He is a very supple horse. He is always using his body and always loose in the muscles. He has good strength behind. Pirouettes are absolutely his favorite; he loves to do pirouettes.”
“I was out for nearly half a year not riding because I was ill, and now we are just trying to get back together and do some competitions,” Jesse explained. “Today was the first day where we were together again in the ring and had a good feeling together.”
This is Jesse’s first year competing at AGDF and she has liked the stability of showing in one location for an extended period of time.
“I really enjoy it. It is super conditions for the horses,” she stated. “The footing is very good, and the weather is good. In Europe now it is pretty cold and the option to ride so many international competitions in one spot is great. It is a win-win situation. It is absolutely good to ride here with your horses, train them, and ride and compete in one place. It is absolutely amazing.”
Jesse also had the convenience of flying her horses to Florida for the competition through AGDF sponsor, The Dutta Corp. She thanked them for their great service.
“The traveling was great,” she acknowledged. “They picked us up from the airport, and we didn’t have to do anything. It was only one journey. In Europe you have to load the horse every second weekend, so thank you to them.”
Susan Dutta finished third with her horse, Currency DC, a 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Clintino, out of Cinderella. Dutta was happy with how her freestyle finished out after having to restart due to a musical problem.
“He was good,” Dutta stated. “We had an unfortunate mishap with the music, and you always wonder how they are going to feel when you have to start again. He is really sensitive, but he handled it so well.”
Dutta is no stranger to the AGDF competition and explained that the venue is very comfortable for her. “I feel really settled as a rider at this horse show and for him, I feel like we are in a rhythm,” Dutta said. “That is the really nice thing of having all of these shows here. You get in a rhythm and you get relaxed and then you start to ride better in the ring. It is so nice. Then you can improve and fix things and get better quality and new feelings.”
“We are so lucky,” she smiled. “This is quite a venue. I compete all over the world, and we have a lovely venue here. It has a lot of atmosphere. You can put it against anything in the world.”
Juan Matute, Jr. Rides to Another Small Tour Victory in FEI Prix St. Georges
Juan Matute, Jr. and Don Diego Ymas
Juan Matute, Jr. has made the most of his 2014 debut on the small tour with Don Diego Ymas, picking up another first place prize on Friday morning in the FEI Prix St. Georges, presented by Havensafe Farm, during the AGDF 5 CDI 3*/4*.
Matute topped the class with a score of 71.184% aboard his family’s 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Second place went to American Christopher Hickey and Ronaldo, an eight-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Cecelia Stewart. Canadian Brittany Fraser rounded out the top three with a 69.296% with her own All In, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.
Matute was not expecting his first year of competing to start with such success. The 16-year-old, who rides for Spain but is based in Wellington, has collected four victories with Don Diego Ymas in three weeks of showing at the AGDF. Friday marked his second FEI Prix St. Georges win with the horse.
“I think Don Diego and I really work together great and fit together,” Matute noted. “He can do the movements perfectly. I don’t think the level was a problem for him, but at a CDI, [you have] big riders and great horses as well, so it was not expected to do so well.”
Matute felt the best part of his test with Don Diego Ymas was their trot work and was understandably pleased with how he and the horse are progressing.
“I thought [the test] was great. I think there’s always stuff to improve on. Show after show, I believe Don Diego and I are creating a strong bond with more confidence in each other. We’re completely partners,” he commented.
He continued, “The trot work was a bit more solid this morning. We had a little bit of mistakes in the canter with the contact. The pirouettes were maybe a little bit too small. The trot work was the highlight today.”
Don Diego Ymas has been in the Matute Family’s barn for years, and the two essentially grew up together. The Matutes purchased Don Diego Ymas when Matute was only nine years old. Now 16, he appreciates knowing the horse inside and out.
“When you build up a horse [from a young age], you get to know each other better. You have more knowledge about him. You know his highlights, his weaknesses, his personality. You know maybe he will spook here, and he might not spook there. It’s a little bit like brothers, when you grow up together,” Matute described.
The youthful Matute beat out veteran dressage competitor Christopher Hickey, but Hickey was happy to have competition from an up-and-coming rider.
“I think it’s super for us to have young riders coming along and riding so exquisitely. He’s a beautiful, elegant rider, and when you see riding like that in the warm up from one of the ‘kids,’ it makes us all proud, but it also makes a beautiful picture,” Hickey detailed.
He continued, “It makes the old guys be like ‘Oh my god, we have to be careful,’ because here are some young people coming along. There’s more than just [Juan] and his sister looking like that at horse shows. I think that’s a huge piece. We all talk about our country getting stronger and getting better. We need these people to come in and come through the ranks and be in the open classes with us and kick our [butt] for us to have to rise to the occasion.”
Hickey was pleased with how his young horse performed in The Stadium, noting the atmosphere was good exposure for Ronaldo. The gelding was quite impressed by the arena’s setting, but Hickey simply chalked it up to a young horse learning his way.
“My horse is not spooky, but today coming around in the first turn he was startled by the surroundings. That doesn’t bother me because he’s young, and he’s never been in this environment before,” Hickey explained.
He continued, “He’s such a big mover, and he has so much elasticity. I feel that those horses sometimes take a little bit longer to develop. He lost his balance and his rhythm in the extended trot which is an expensive mistake, and that will get better with strength and age.”
One of Hickey’s favorite moments of competition happened entirely by coincidence during the jog on Wednesday.
“He followed his mother (in the jog), who is here competing in the grand prix division. When I went into the jog and they announced her name, she jogged literally right before him, which was totally an accident. I thought that was pretty cool that at his first CDI, he jogged after his mother,” Hickey smiled.
Watching Ronaldo’s progress has been especially meaningful for Hickey, who brought the horse up through the ranks after owner Stewart bought him as a four-year-old. Hickey has trained several of his most successful horses from the time they were young, including Regent and Cabana Boy. It’s an experience he relishes.
Historically, he’s been more successful on horses he’s brought up himself. Hickey believes this is a result of the irreplaceable bond created between a horse and rider over such an extended period of time.
“When you purchase horses, you can buy great horses. It’s easy to pick out a lovely moving horse, but you don’t know their true temperament. And when you buy a young horse, it’s such a risk. You have the risk of [whether] this horse will take the work physically and mentally. When you buy a mature horse, you have proof. The horse will take the work. The horse is taking the work. But you don’t have the information you have when you bring them along yourself,” Hickey explained.
Hickey was especially grateful for the support of the sponsors that make the AGDF possible each year.
“The sponsorship here is great. I personally thank my owner every day and the sponsors that get together and help support this show. I hope everybody appreciates what all these people do for us,” Hickey concluded.
Earlier on Friday, Tanya-Strasser-Shostak (CAN) won the FEI Young Rider Team class aboard Action Tyme. The pair earned a 65.921%.
Competition for the AGDF 5 CDI 3*/4* will continue Saturday morning with the Intermediaire-I, sponsored by Havensafe Farm at 8:30 a.m., followed by the FEI Grand Prix Special 3*, sponsored by The Dutta Corp., at 2:30 p.m. Saturday will wrap up with the FEI Grand Prix Special 4*, also sponsored by The Dutta Corp., at 4:10 p.m.
About the Adequan Global Dressage Festival:
The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits featuring 8 FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations’ Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The AGDF offers more than $400,000 in prize money for the six international competitions, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center facility includes the Van Kampen covered arena (made possible by Kimberly and Frederic Boyer and family) and four outdoor arenas with world-class footing, 200 permanent stalls, and a VIP seating area for the International Arena fully catered for relaxing and having an enjoyable experience.
University of South Carolina’s Katherine Schmidt Tops Collegiate Equitation Championship
Wellington, FL – February 7, 2014 – Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Cyklon 1083 earned their second FEI world ranking win of the 2014 season in Friday’s $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m speed class during week five of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). The pair beat out Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Prof de la Roque and Beezie Madden (USA) aboard Vanilla, who placed second and third respectively.
FTI WEF week five, sponsored by Rolex, runs February 5-9, 2014. The week will continue with the $370,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI-W 5* presented by Rolex on Saturday night, and the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday afternoon. The FTI WEF, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.
Great Britain’s Robert Ellis set the speed track for 70 entries in Friday’s $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m with 20 clear rounds. Beezie Madden and Abigail Wexner’s Vanilla set the pace early on in 67.19 seconds to eventually finish third. Darragh Kenny and Postage Stamp Farm LLC’s Prof de la Roque improved on the time in 65.62 seconds to earn second place honors. They held the lead for 40 rounds before Shane Sweetnam and Cyklon 1083 cleared the course a full second faster in 64.62 seconds for the win.
Sweetnam and Cyklon, a 13-year-old Swedish Warmblood stallion by Cardento x Cortus, also won the $34,000 G&C Farm 1.45m at the beginning of week three during this year’s FTI WEF. The pair was extremely close to a victory earlier this week as well in Wednesday’s $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m, but finished a close second to McLain Ward and Wings. This time, Sweetnam noted that he had the advantage of a course that was very suited to Cyklon’s strengths of speed and tight turns.
“He has had a good week,” Sweetnam stated. “He was unlucky not to win the class on Wednesday, but McLain did a great job. There was one place that I thought I lost time, and McLain definitely took advantage of it. Today I watched a couple go. I didn’t get to see Darragh go, but it looked like a fast time, especially since I saw Tiffany (Foster) go and she was really moving. I had a plan, and he did a great job. We stuck to the plan, and we executed it as well as we could.”
“He is a very quick horse rolling back on the jumps,” Sweetnam explained. “Bob Ellis normally likes to have a lot of rollbacks, even in his grand prix courses, so it definitely played to my advantage with him. You can really turn back tight with Cyklon, and he always tries to leave the jumps up.”
Sweetnam spoke more about Cyklon, noting that the beautiful stallion is very well-behaved at home and at the horse show and has a fantastic drive to win when he gets in the show ring.
“For sure when he is in the ring he goes a little bit more,” Sweetnam detailed. “He still always has a little bit of go with the blood, and he is feisty, but he is quite easy. In the ring, when he sees a jump and he knows he is going fast, he really puts in the extra effort. You do have to fight with him a little bit to get what you want done, he is a little bit more aggressive in the ring, but he also gets the job done.”
Cyklon is done showing now for week five and will have some time off. Sweetnam has not yet decided what week Cyklon will show again, but explained that he tries to keep his top horses on a good rotation to keep them feeling fresh.
“He had the week off last week,” Sweetnam noted. “He had done two weeks in a row before that, so he needed a week off and Solerina went last week and she did great. I try to rotate them as much as I possibly can, those two, because they are both winners.”
In addition to the 1.45m class, competition kicked off in the International Arena on Friday morning with a win for Eugenio Garza (MEX) and Providence in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge. A $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class was also held later in the day with a win for Katie Prudent (USA) riding Michael Smith’s Onisha.
Katherine Schmidt and Striptease
University of South Carolina’s Katherine Schmidt Tops Collegiate Equitation Championship
Twenty-one-year-old Katherine Schmidt, of Ridgefield, CT, emerged victorious from the Collegiate Equitation Championship on Friday evening at the FTI WEF. Schmidt is a junior at the University of South Carolina (USC), where she is a double major in Marketing and Management.
Schmidt made it through the first round of the evening’s competition after beating out Auburn University’s Christina Lin. Schmidt rode David Raposa’s Chanel to a 76 to advance to round two. Schmidt secured her trip to the final round with a score of 87 aboard Ashleigh Stewart’s Coco, jumping past Baylor University’s Samantha Schaefer.
For the final round, Schmidt was up against Oklahoma State University’s Samantha Elser, who ultimately finished second. Both ladies rode Emma Butchard’s Striptease, owned by Emma Butchard, for the final round of competition. Schmidt edged out the victory with a score of 83 to Elser’s 80.
Schaefer was also awarded with the Professionals for NCAA Equestrian High Score Award for her first round score of 90 with Ilan de Taute, owned by Alan Chesler.
The Collegiate Equitation Championship pits the nation’s best varsity level collegiate riders against each other in a head-to-head competition. Riders are organized into brackets, where each bracket must each complete a course on the same horse, which is unfamiliar to them. The rider with the highest score on that horse advances to the next round.
Schmidt, affectionately known as “Schmidty” to her teammates and coach, put in consistent rounds throughout the night before laying down an incredibly handy final course with Striptease.
“I saw Sam go and [Striptease] got a little quick, so I thought I could manage her here and there and try to slip inside [for a few of the turns]. I think I was able to get her back a little bit early and do the inside turns, which I think set me apart from Sam at the end of the day,” Schmidt commented.
Schmidt had total confidence in her final round mount, a 15-year-old Royal Dutch Warmblood mare, despite never getting on the horse before entering the International Arena Friday evening.
“Striptease knows her job. She was happy to be out there. It was nice to kind of relax a little bit and try to show off,” Schmidt explained. “She’s been around the block I think. She was a little bit downhill, so I had to pick her up a little bit, but she was very sweet and would jump from anywhere.”
Schmidt was born into a family of horse lovers; her mother had horses all her life and Schmidt described being born with ponies in her backyard. By the time she was a toddler, she was already in the irons. After showing ponies throughout her childhood, Schmidt went on to the equitation and jumper divisions.
“I started doing jumpers with Darren Graziano. He gave me a lot of rides, and he taught me a lot. He introduced me to Andre Dignelli [of Heritage Farm], and I did my equitation years with him. I have a lot to owe to both Darren and Andre for getting me to where I am,” Schmidt expressed.
Schmidt’s coach, Carol Gwin felt Schmidt also owed a lot of her success to her relentless work ethic and well-grounded demeanor.
“Schmidty’s just a great person. She’s a really hard worker. She’s always the one that’s going to be practicing extra and trying to be better. She’s very modest. I think she rides beautifully, and I can’t say enough nice things about her. She’s definitely someone that deserves this kind of win,” Gwin smiled.
A testament to Schmidt’s humble character is the fact she failed to mention she’s undefeated this season for the USC Gamecocks. Gwin revealed she’s yet to be beat, with her record currently standing at 8-0 before her victory in Wellington.
While Schmidt and her teammates will hit the road to take on the University of Georgia on Saturday, the Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) Children’s Medal will kick off hunter competition for the weekend at the FTI WEF. Jumper action continues tomorrow with the highlight of the week, the $370,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix CSI-W 5* presented by Rolex, at 7 p.m.
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.
