Jupiter ISF, by Maeije 440 Sport, was named Reserve Champion Colt/Gelding at Dressage at Devon, 2013. Photo credits: Stacy Lynne Photography.
Coatesville, PA – In the final 2013 standings, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) ranked Iron Spring Farm as the #1 breeder for Dressage Breeding. Both warmbloods and Friesians bred by the farm accrued points by successfully competing in dressage breeding competitions. Point earners included Floraya ISF, by Florianus II, who was Reserve Grand Champion, Champion Young Horse and Champion Filly at Dressage at Devon, and Jupiter ISF, by Maeije 440 Sport, who was Reserve Champion Colt/Gelding at the same show.
“North American dressage breeders have worked hard to produce top quality sport horses,” said Mary Alice Malone, owner of Iron Spring Farm. “To be ranked number one amongst these dedicated breeders is a great honor.”
A standout among the horses earning points toward the ranking was Darling ISF Star. Now owned by Cara Kettenbach, the 2008 mare, by Sir Sinclair out of Saigon Elite by Jazz Preferent, had a fantastic show season. At the 2013 NEDA Fall Festival, Darling ISF was named Mare Champion and the GAIG/USDF Breeders Mare Champion. She also won the NEDA Dressage Stallion Auction Futurity with a 79%, as well as the Dutch Warmblood class.
Four of the horses that contributed points to the number one ranking were blue ribbon winners at Dressage at Devon: Izara ISF and Heavenly ISF both by UB40, Hailey ISF by Florianus II and Melody ISF by Uwe 458.
Floraya ISF, by Florianus II, earned Reserve Grand Champion, Young Horse Champion and Filly Champion at Dressage at Devon
Izara ISF and Isadora ISF, both by UB40 out of Watch Me by Sir Sinclair, impressed at Dressage at Devon. Isadora ISF was named Champion Foal and the Reserve Foal Champion in GAIG/USDF Breeders East Coast Finals. Izara ISF was Reserve Champion Foal and Foal Champion in GAIG/USDF Breeders East Coast Finals. The sisters were produced by embryo transfer.
For more than 35 years, Iron Spring Farm has been importing and breeding high quality sport horses. Iron Spring stands nearly a dozen warmblood and Friesian stallions and offers programs to help breeders produce, raise and market exceptional athletes of their own. Visit www.ironspringfarm.com for complete information.
Wellington, FL – January 26, 2014 – Spain’s Juan Matute, Jr. collected another blue ribbon prize after winning the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle presented by Chespeake Dressage Institute on Sunday at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). Sixteen-year-old Matute, Jr. and the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Don Frederico finished on a score of 74.400% for victory.
Second place went to American Heather Mason and Zar for their score of 73.275%. Tom Dvorak (CAN) and Ribot scored 70.400% for third place.
The FEI Intermediaire Freestyle concluded competition for the third week of the AGDF, presented by the US P.R.E. Association and the Chesapeake Dressage Institute. The AGDF 4 National will run February 1-2.
Sunday was the first time Matute, Jr. had done this particular freestyle with Don Diego Ymas, but he couldn’t have asked for a better performance from the gelding.
“It was great. It was our first freestyle in the small tour, so I was a bit nervous, but it turned out perfectly! It was fun. I enjoyed it a lot,” Matute, Jr. beamed.
Matute, Jr. produced his freestyle music himself, scouring YouTube for the perfect soundtrack.
“I went through a lot of YouTube videos!” he laughed. “I went through a lot of searching, just for soundtrack. Sometimes, you choose a song just because you like it, but it doesn’t specifically fit the horse. It was a bit hard to find the right music that fits Don Diego, but we did it.”
He continued, “I think the major point in the freestyle is that both the horse and the rider like the music and like to ride to the music. The music makes the horse lighter; it makes him dance to the music.”
Don Diego Ymas’ greatest strength is his canter work, which is where Matute, Jr. incorporated the more difficult elements of their choreography.
“I think the most difficult movements I did today were the pirouettes with one hand. He’s a big horse with a big canter, so sometimes it’s hard to control that, especially with just one hand. I think we were able to pull it off. The twos and the serpentine and the threes were a bit tricky as well, but we did it!”
Don Diego Ymas has been with the Matute family for years, and Matute, Jr. has enjoyed how their relationship has progressed.
“We had our barn with the top horses and the young ones, and he was always the last one [to be worked with]. He was the ugly one, the big one, the naughty one! He was so naughty when he was young,” Matute, Jr. laughed. “But he was always nice. He’s super noble. We’ve known each other since I was eight or nine, so it’s funny how [our relationship has progressed]. From walking down the barn aisle and saying ‘Oh, hi buddy!’ to now being able to perform in these competitions and do well. I think it’s a great development.”
The AGDF continues for nine more weeks of world-class dressage competition, running through March 30. For full results and more information, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.
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.
Shockwave and Vivian Yowan Are Best in EnTrust Capital Small Junior Hunters 16-17
Wellington, FL – January 26, 2014 – Week three of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Fidelity Investments, concluded at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Sunday with a win for Quentin Judge (USA) and Double H Farm’s HH Dark de la Hart in the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic.
FTI WEF will continue with its fourth week of competition, sponsored by Ariat, on Wednesday, January 29, through February 2. The FTI WEF, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.
Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge set the course for Sunday’s 1.50m with 53 entries and 13 clear rounds to advance to the jump-off with seven double clears. Quentin Judge and HH Dark de la Hart completed the fastest clear round over the short course in 38.21 seconds for the win.
Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Spruce Meadows’ Quiz finished second in 38.84 seconds. Tim Gredley (GBR) and Unex Competition Yards’ Unex Omega Star placed third in 39.09 seconds, and fourth place honors went to Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Artisan Farms LLC’s Melody des Hayettes Z in 39.67 seconds.
HH Dark de la Hart is an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Kashmir van Schuttershof x Nonstop that Double H Farm purchased last winter. Judge has had many top finishes with the horse, including a win in the $35,000 Husky Energy Cup 1.50m at Spruce Meadows this summer. The pair was also a part of the winning U.S. Team in the eighth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Division 2 series in Bratislava, Slovakia, in August.
Commenting on their partnership, Judge noted, “I have had him for a little bit over a year, and he was my main horse last year. This year we have a few new horses to kind of share the work load with him, so I was able to drop him down to do the 1.50m and some smaller classes. He is so fast, and he has been great.”
“It took me a little bit of time to figure him out because he is not a huge horse, and I am a tall rider,” Judge detailed. “I used to put a little bit too much pressure with my leg on him, and he would get a little angry and antsy. Now I try to sit still and keep him relaxed, keep him straight, and just try to have good position and he does the rest.”
Judge spoke about Sunday’s course and the skills that helped his horse earn the top time. “I thought the course was great,” he stated. “It was not huge, but it was technical. In general it was a nice course and the time allowed was tight, but not killer, so that suited everyone well, and it suited my horse really well. The jump-off was great because it gave me a chance to gallop, and my horse is really good at jumping on angles. I can really slice into the double and slice an oxer and he sights the jumps really early and jumps them clear, so it was good for me.”
One of HH Dark de la Hart’s charming qualities is the fact that he shows a lot of character on course. On the way to Sunday’s winning round, he was his usual enthusiastic self.
“He has a lot of personality,” Judge noted. “He is very quiet and very chill at home, but when he gets in the ring he is very fast and he loves to buck. He loves to put on a little bit of a show. If he jumps a hard jump, he always lands and bucks afterwards. Now I know that it is coming, it just means that he is trying hard and jumping well, so it’s a good feeling.”
HH Dark de la Hart will now have a few weeks off as Judge focuses on some of Double H Farm’s new horses and up-and-coming young talents, and will continue in the 1.50m classes.
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival will host its fourth week of competition, sponsored by Ariat, from Wednesday, January 29, to Sunday, February 2. The week will feature the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 4 on Thursday, the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Friday afternoon, the $10,000 Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Team Event presented by The Dutta Corp. in Association with Guido Klatte at The Stadium at PBIEC on Friday night, the FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments on Saturday night, and the $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI 2* on the derby field at The Stadium at PBIEC on Sunday afternoon.
Shockwave and Vivian Yowan Are Best in EnTrust Capital Small Junior Hunters 16-17
Sixteen-year-old Vivian Yowan and her 13-year-old Warmblood gelding Shockwave were division champions of the EnTrust Capital Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division at FTI WEF on Sunday morning. The pair won both over fences rounds on the first day of competition for the division before placing third under saddle and first and third in the final over fences rounds. Yowan also received the Champion Owner/Rider Award for her win with Shockwave.
The reserve champion for the division was Bravado, owned and ridden by Kelsie Brittan. Brittan also took home Reserve Champion Owner/Rider honors. The pair were second in three over fences classes and won the under saddle class.
Shockwave used to be a familiar face in the junior jumper divisions, but Yowan believes the big bay gelding is transitioning smoothly into life as a hunter.
“He’s only been doing the junior hunters for a year. He’s definitely figured it out now that he’s supposed to be doing the hunters, so he’s gotten pretty good at it. I think he likes his job better now,” Yowan explained.
Yowan, of Lexington, KY, made the switch with Shockwave to the hunters with the help of trainer Kelly Goguen of Boggs Hill Farm, also based in Lexington. The hardest task was simply getting Shockwave to take it easy, especially in combinations or long lines.
“At first, he got quick down the lines or in the doubles because he was so used to being ridden at the jumps in the jumper ring. We were just trying to get him to really relax,” Yowan detailed.
While the pair had to practice a lot of jumps at first, Yowan said now she simply jumps a few jumps at home and can be set for competition. The raw talent that brought him to the hunter ring in the first place has actually proved useful for hunter divisions.
“It doesn’t matter what the course is, he’s always straight-forward. He obviously has the scope, so you feel comfortable doing anything out there. Especially the handy rounds!” Yowan smiled.
She continued, “He has such a big stride that if you’re a little long or a little [slow] in the lines, he can cover it up. He goes slow around the course, but he has so much stride that it makes it really smooth. He jumps really well.”
Yowan and Shockwave’s victory concluded hunter competition for the third week of the FTI WEF.
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.
Juan Carlos Capelli, Head of International Marketing for Longines, presents Pius Schwizer with a Longines watch after the Swiss rider, riding Toulago, won the eighth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Western European League 2013/2014 series. Photo: FEI/Valeria Streun.
Zurich (SUI), 26 January 2014 – Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer looks well set for a place at the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final in April after recording an emphatic victory in the eighth leg of the Western European League qualifying series on home ground in Zurich today. With just two further opportunities to make the cut still remaining, the pressure is building to boiling point. But Schwizer’s result has moved him well within reach of the coveted qualification zone as the closing stages approach.
Runner-up today was Belgian-based British rider Joe Clee with the talented Diablesse de Muze, while 2011 FEI World Cup Jumping champion and winner of the third leg of the current series at Verona, Italy, last November, Christian Ahlmann from Germany, slotted into third with Aragon Z. A total of nine went through to the jump-off against the clock, and Schwizer clinched it with a brilliant effort from his nine-year-old horse when third-last to go.
Quite a test
The first-round track proved quite a test despite its apparent simplicity. It required forward riding from beginning to end, and even more so once the time-allowed was lowered from 66 seconds to 63. Course designer Gerard Lachat was assisted by fellow-Swiss, Rolf Ludi, in creating a track that increased in difficulty as it progressed, and which demanded significant commitment from both horse and rider.
The oxers, including at the opening obstacle, were wide and square, asking horses to open out and riders to ensure they arrived on a good stride. The vertical at fence two was followed by another big oxer at three before the track swept left-handed to the London 2012 Bus wall at four which was followed by the triple combination – vertical, oxer, oxer. This fell frequently throughout the competition, and the following vertical at six came up very quickly after another left-handed sweeping turn. From here the degree of difficulty increased with every jump, riders having to land and run from the vertical at six to the triple bar at seven before tackling the water-tray vertical of planks at fence eight.
From there it was another left-handed swing to a big oxer at nine and a forward ride to the double at ten where the big opening oxer took its toll. There wasn’t a moment for hesitation ahead of the white vertical at 11 which was followed by seven strong strides to the big penultimate red oxer and another long five strides to the final oxer at 13.
As the class began it seemed perhaps it was all too easy because Switzerland’s Paul Estermann was only second into the ring when recording the first clear with Castlefield Eclipse, and his foot-perfect performance was followed by another from South Africa’s Oliver Lazarus and Pour le Poussage. Just seven more would join them in the race against the clock however before the first round concluded.
It would be a quality jump-off, but few could have expected that two men placed well down the Longines rankings would give some of the sport’s biggest stars a real run for their money.
Led the way
Estermann led the way with a four-fault effort from his lovely Irish-bred mare. And despite the fact that he lies 345 on the latest Longines rankings table, South Africa’s Oliver Lazarus showed he is quite comfortable in elite company when doing likewise with the 11-year-old Pour le Passage. From Capetown, and in the saddle since he was a very small child, this 26-year-old who has trained with German ace Ludger Beerbaum has learned his trade well, and his fast time of 34.47 seconds would eventually secure fourth place.
Great Britain’s Joe Clee is ranked 112, but once again this is indicative more of opportunity than talent as the Yorkshire-born 36-year-old really ratcheted up the pressure with a fabulous clear from the handsome Diablesse de Muze, setting the first true target in 34.79 seconds. And that wouldn’t be easy to beat.
Switzerland’s Jane Richard Philips and the slightly unruly Pablo de Virton set off at a cracking pace but arrived too deep to the penultimate vertical at 11, and despite a great gallop to the last would have to settle for fifth in the final analysis. Christian Ahlmann opted for a slightly cautious tour of the new course, and Clee could be seen taking a deep breath of relief as the German raced his grey through the finish-line, clear but a little slower than the British rider in 35.56 seconds. And when last week’s winners in Leipzig, Germany – Patrice Delaveau and Lacrimoso HDC from France – left two on the floor the British rider’s grin just kept getting bigger.
Third-last to go however, Schwizer and the nine-year-old Toulago, made no mistake, and their turn of speed was spectacular. Schwizer seemed surprised by just how much pace he could pick up between the opening oxer and the next, which was originally the first fence on the track. Not even the tricky double at fence ten could stop them in their tracks as they stormed home to break the beam in 34.65 seconds and soar into the lead. And when Germany’s Marcus Ehning and Plot Blue hit the very first fence and the final partnership of Kevin Staut and Estoy Aqui de Muze HDC from France lowered the vertical which was now third on the track it was all over. Schwizer had it in the bag and it was time for a big Swiss celebration.
Fantastic record
Schwizer has a fantastic record in the FEI World Cup Jumping series, so it’s no surprise that today’s result gave him particular satisfaction.
“I’m really pleased and I will definitely be going to be Final!” he said this afternoon. Talking about his winning ride, Toulago, he said, “We bought the horse at the PSI Auction as a six-year-old. Karin Haber, who owns the horse, rode it for a while before I noticed it had a lot of potential. I tried the horse for the first time on the Saturday morning of CSIO St Gallen last year and it has been a success ever since. We finished second in the Grand Prix at Humlikon, and 10th in the Global Champions Tour legs at Valkenswaard and Lausanne, so 2013 was a great year for us!” the 51-year-old Swiss rider explained.
Second-placed Clee was also more than happy with his result. The 36-year-old Yorkshireman moved to Belgium ten years ago where he met his Dutch wife. “I worked in the South of England for a while and rode at national Grand Prix level there, but I came to Belgium ten years ago to try to make my way in the sport because it wasn’t easy to get the chances at home,” Clee explained today. “It’s not easy in Europe either but I’m very fortunate to have the support of Ludwig and Jasmin Criel now for the last six years,” he added.
Talking about his horse, he said, “We saw Diablesse when she was just coming five and bought her – she’s now 11. We have quite a nice string of horses that we have produced ourselves, and I’m really ambitious for Diablesse so we will keep going and see where we can get with her. I’m really lucky with my owners because they are in it for the sport – it’s their hobby and their passion!” he explained.
Today’s result moves winning rider, Schwizer, up to eighth place on the Western European League from which the top-18 will qualify for the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final at Lyon, France in April. Clee now lies 14th, but with 28 points still has a lot more to do if he is to hold his position because, over the last two legs at Bordeaux, France in two weeks’ time and in Gothenburg, Sweden two weeks later, there will be many more top riders also chasing down those elusive qualifying points.
For more information on the eighth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Western European League at Zurich, Switzerland, go to website http://www.mercedes-csi.ch or contact Press Officer Roman Gasser, Email roman.gasser@mercedes-csi.ch, Tel +41(0)79 635 5005.
The next leg takes place at Bordeaux, France on Sunday 9 February. For all information on the French fixture, visit website www.jumping-bordeaux.com or contact Press Officer Marie-Sol Fournier, Email ms fournier@bordeaux-expo.com, Tel: + 33 556 119943.
Zurich, Switzerland presented Round 8 of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping 2013/2014 Western European League series.
Just two further qualifying rounds remain in this league – at Bordeaux, France on Sunday 9 February, and at Gothenburg, Sweden on Sunday 2 March.
The Longines FEI World Cup Jumping 2013/2014 Final takes place in Lyon, France from 17-21 April.
38 starters in today’s competition.
Course designer was Gerard Lachat, assisted by fellow-Swiss, Rolf Ludi.
3 double-clear performances – Toulago (P Schwizer) SUI, Diablesse de Muze (Joe Clee) GBR and Aragon Z (Christian Ahlmann) GER.
3 horse-and-rider combinations finished with just a single first-round time penalty – Ireland’s Jessica Kuerten (VDL Zapatero) and Billy Twomey (Tinka’s Serenade) and Germany’s Lars Nieberg (Leonie W).
9 qualified for the second-round jump-off against the clock.
The youngest horses in today’s competition were all 9-year-olds including the winner, Toulago (Toulon x Carthago) competed by Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer.
French rider Patrice Delaveau, winner at the previous leg in Leipzig, Germany a week ago, moved to the top of the Western European League leader board today when finishing 8th with Lacrimoso HDC.
Longines World No. 1, Great Britain’s Scott Brash, now lies second ahead of Olympic champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, in third place.
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.
Heather Mason and Zar Triumph in FEI Intermediaire-I
Wellington, FL – January 25, 2014 – Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven finished first for the second time with Divertimento during the third week of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), this time winning the FEI Grand Prix Special presented by US P.R.E. Association on Saturday evening. Vilhelmson-Silfven and Divertimento, a 12-year-old Westphalian owned by Lövsta Stuteri, topped the class with a score of 74.882%.
The third week of the AGDF concludes tomorrow with the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle along with a full complement of national classes.
American riders finished second and third, with Adrienne Lyle and Wizard placing second with their score of 70.549% and Katherine Bateson Chandler earning the third place finish with Wellnetta. The pair’s final score was 69.686%.
Vilhelmson-Silfven felt Divertimento was tenser in the ring than he had been earlier in the week in the FEI Grand Prix, but was still pleased that she could keep his focus and rideability.
“Thursday he was more relaxed; I had an easier ride. He got a bit tense [tonight but] I could still ride him and he still let me ride him and he trusted me and got relaxed during the test. Educationally, I’m very happy. I think he’s getting better and better,” Vilhelmson-Silfven commented.
Vilhelmson-Silfven is focused on maintaining the frame of mind Divertimento is currently in for future competitions.
“He’s working very well, and he’s technically much easier to ride this year than last year. I’ll just keep training. He’s in a good mood and in a good feeling right now, so I’m going to try to keep him soft and happy in that way,” Vilhelmson-Silfven explained.
Lyle was also quite satisfied with Wizard’s performance in the class, chalking up any lost points to pilot error. Despite not having as clean of a test as she did Thursday, Lyle was happy to see the gelding’s piaffe-passage work improve.
“I haven’t ridden the special in a really long time, so I have to say a couple of the errors I think were a little rider error. I was quite happy with parts of it. We had some errors, but the quality I thought of the rest of [the test] was going in the right direction,” Lyle detailed.
Third place finisher and fellow American Bateson Chandler was full of praise for her mare Wellnetta, especially since the two have not been together for long.
“My horse is amazing! She has an incredible work ethic. She goes in the ring, she has her ears up on go,” Bateson Chandler grinned.
Wellnetta’s tireless attitude does occasionally result in having a bit too much ‘go’ during the test, but Bateson Chandler would much prefer that to a mount she would have to constantly push along.
“You’re going to get tension when you have that much go in a horse. She is a workhorse. She doesn’t quit the whole time. [She wants to do] more, more, more and you have to tell her ‘less, less, less,'” Bateson Chandler explained.
Heather Mason (USA) and Zar won the FEI Intermediaire-I presented by Chesapeake Dressage Institute on Saturday afternoon. Mason and Zar also won the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle during the first week of competition and topped week three’s class with a score of 71.842%.
Second place went to Brittany Fraser of Canada and All In for their score of 71.053%. Fellow Canadian Chris Von Martels rounded out the top three with Zilverstar. The pair finished on a score of 70.868%.
Heather Mason and Zar
The 2014 AGDF was Mason’s first, but she and Zar certainly made the most of their trip south. Her goal for the year was to qualify Zar of the Festival of Champions (Ky.), which, thanks to her multiple wins at AGDF, she has already accomplished. Mason worked with Lars Petersen while in Wellington, who she credits with putting them on the path to success.
“I’ve been working with Lars [twice a week] since I’ve been here. We’ve been working on more power and more engagement, especially in the extensions. I need to keep going like this and build the strength now. Our goal coming here was to qualify for the Festival, which now he’s pretty sure to be in [since] his average is over 70,” Mason explained.
Following the Festival of Champions, Mason’s focus with Zar will be moving him up to the grand prix level. It’s time for her “backburner horse” she’s owned since he was four months old to step into the big leagues.
“It’s been a challenge,” Mason admitted when asked about her and Zar’s journey. A habitually spooky horse that Mason describes as “an honest to goodness chicken,” Zar has certainly tested Mason’s fortitude. It all came together Saturday afternoon, although the 10-year-old KWPN gelding was briefly unnerved as the test began.
“Zar was more relaxed than yesterday, so I could go for a little bit more. We did have one major spook at A. But everything else was good. After the spook, I upped the ante a little bit more and pushed a little bit harder to make up the points,” Mason commented. “He was much more rideable, minus the spook, which actually surprised me.”
When Mason first arrived in Florida, she hadn’t had a lesson with Petersen on Zar for some time. Not wanting to push the gelding too quickly, they played it conservative during AGDF 1 before going for more week three.
“This show I definitely pushed for more. It helps to have Lars standing out there yelling at me,” she joked. “We played it low-key at the last show, but we knew we could ask for more. Yesterday, I had to be conservative again, but today, Lars was like ‘Go for it!'”
The final test for Mason and Zar at the 2014 AGDF will be the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle, which will wrap up competition for the third week of the AGDF. Mason and Zar will head back to Mason’s Flying Change Farm, based in Lebanon, NJ, at the end of the month, but the AGDF carries on with nine more weeks of world-class dressage competition through March 30.
Competition concludes with the FEI Intermediaire Freestyle on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. for the AGDF 3 CDI-W, presented by the US P.R.E. Association and the Chesapeake Dressage Institute. AGDF 4 Dressage National runs January 29 – February 2.
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.
Lexi Maounis and Sienna Collect Top Honors in Bainbridge Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters at FTI WEF
Wellington, FL – January 25, 2014 – The world’s best battled it out at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Saturday night with a one-two finish for Great Britain in the $125,000 Fidelity investments Grand Prix CSI 3* at the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Ben Maher and Scott Brash, the top two ranked riders in the world, finished on top of an impressive field of horses and riders in an exciting ten-horse jump-off.
Maher, the number two ranked rider in the world, came out on top with his mount, Cella. Brash, the current number one ranked rider in the world, finished second behind his Olympic teammate with Ursula XII. Alvaro de Miranda (BRA) and AD Norson placed third.
Week three of the FTI WEF, sponsored by Fidelity Investments, concludes on Sunday, January 26 with the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. 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.
Guilherme Jorge of Brazil set the course for 45 competitors on Saturday night with ten clear rounds and a difficult jump-off, in which the top two were the only combinations to clear the short course. Scott Brash and Ursula XII, owned by Lord and Lady Harris and Lord and Lady Kirkham, were the first pair to clear the course in 39.05 seconds, but had to settle for second place when Ben Maher and Jane Clark’s Cella took the challenge and bested their time in 38.68 seconds. Alvaro de Miranda and AD Norson, owned by de Miranda and Victory Equestrian, completed the fastest four-fault round in 39.61 seconds to place third. McLain Ward (USA) and Sagamore Farm’s Rothchild finished fourth with four faults in 40.06 seconds.
Not only did Saturday night’s class feature the top two riders in the world, it saw four of the top ten, with Beezie Madden (USA) who is currently fourth, and Kent Farrington (USA) who sits in tenth on the Longines FEI World Ranking list. Fourth place finisher McLain Ward ranks 20th in the world; third place finisher Alvaro de Miranda sits 29th.
Maher began riding Cella, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Cento x Chin Chin, during the FTI WEF circuit last winter and got his first big win with her in last year’s Fidelity Investments Grand Prix, a $100,000 CSI 2*. Maher commented on their success, stating, “It’s a lucky place here for me and Cella at the moment. She had a long break after Geneva and then our first class was this week in the ‘WEF’ (Challenge Cup), where she felt better than ever. I decided not to do the jump-off because I knew it was going to be fast, and save her for this evening. She’s certainly a once in a lifetime horse so I want to save her for the big occasions. Luckily, between the whole team, we made a good decision because she jumped great tonight.”
“She’s just a phenomenal jumper. She does it in her own style, and the more I let her get on with it, the better she is,” Maher said of Cella’s style. “It was a good course tonight. I thought it was big for a 3*, but it has to be big with the horses and competition there is here. In the jump-off there were not too many options. I thought the first round was a great course, very technical, and the jump-off was relatively plain and simple. A lot of horses looked tired and had a lot of faults from running early on, but the course was very suited to Cella. I did what I could do and not what I couldn’t. It was a race between me and Scott tonight.”
Scott Brash and Ursula XII
Brash’s mount, Ursula XII, is a 13-year-old Scottish Sport Horse mare by Ahorn x Papageno. Brash got the ride on Ursula just after the Olympics in 2012, but explained that it took some time for them to figure each other out.
“It took us probably six months to a year to just gel as a partnership, and I wanted it to change her a bit to my style, and I tried to adapt to what she likes, but I have to say she’s a joy to ride and she’s such a sweet horse in every way. She’s a real top horse,” Brash stated.
Saturday night’s jump-off was a fun rivalry for Brash and Maher, and they explained that it keeps them competitive.
“Ben and I are very good friends,” Brash acknowledged. “I think it’s a rivalry in a really good way. He wants to beat me as bad as I want to beat him. It’s good for Great Britain.”
“Scott and I were the only two clears tonight. If we had known it was going to work out like that, perhaps we should have spoke before and come to an arrangement to slow down a bit,” Maher point out with a laugh. “I’ve been lucky, same as Scott, with my team, my horses behind me now, and the support from Jane Clark. It has made all the difference in the past 12 months. It just proves how much we need the owners and the sponsors to support us and how much success that can bring, and we both work hard.”
De Miranda was happy with his third place finish aboard AD Norson, a 13-year-old Selle Francais stallion by Quidam de Revel x Grand Veneur, that he has ridden since the horse was four years old. The top placing was a happy end to a bad day for de Miranda after getting news about an injury in one of his top horses. The rider shared that AD Rahmannshof’s Bogeno, who he won last year’s $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix CSI 5* with, has sustained an injury that will keep him out of competition for a minimum of six months. Despite the bad news, de Miranda had a good night with AD Norson and has high hopes for his season.
“He’s a very nice horse,” de Miranda said. “In the beginning I was using him as a speed horse, and then since 2010 I started upgrading him to the bigger classes and he did very well. He was in the Pan American Games where we had a silver medal with the team, but the ground was not too good and after that he wasn’t coming back too strong to this level. Here he is jumping really good, and he’s back to what he was before. He’s a really nice horse, very competitive, and I love to ride him.”
De Miranda commented on the level of competition at this year’s FTI WEF, stating, “I like to come here for two reasons: to build up horses, and to bring along young horses. When you come here for three months it is like spending one year in Europe. You can do a lot, and you can get to know the horse. They come back to Europe in very good shape. It is top level sport. You have the best horses and riders here. It is very competitive.”
A special new award was presented before the class on Saturday night. The Engel & Völkers Owner Award recognizes the owner with the highest earnings in prize money each week. The award includes all horses by the same owner in both hunter and jumper divisions.
During FTI WEF 1, Paris Sellon (USA) was the top earning owner. Ronan McGuigan (IRL) was the recipient of the award for FTI WEF 2. Week’s three’s top owner will be tabulated upon completion of competition on Sunday and the award will be presented at the start of next week’s $50,000 Ariat Grand Prix CSI 2* at The Stadium at PBIEC on Sunday, February 2.
An award for the Leading Lady Jumper Rider was presented as well, awarded to Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum after a great week competing with her veteran partner, Checkmate 4. The award is sponsored by Martha Jolicoeur of Illustrated Properties.
Also showing in the International Arena on Saturday, Alexandra Crown and Verona jumped to victory in the $15,000 SJHOF Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, presented by Engel & Völkers, Sollak Carr. Lucy Mitchell-Innes and Casey Curtis’s Riley II were victorious in the Horseware Ireland Don Little Masters speed class, and Emanuel Andrade and Hollow Creek Farm’s Carboni won the Sleepy P Ranch High Junior Jumper speed round.
Lexi Maounis and Sienna
Lexi Maounis and Sienna Collect Top Honors in Bainbridge Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters at FTI WEF
Nineteen-year-old Lexi Maounis and her 12-year-old Hanoverian mare, Sienna, were crowned division champions Saturday morning in the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunter division, sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies, at the FTI WEF. The pair built a solid lead during day one of competition after winning both over fences classes, which they followed up on day two with a third over fences and sixth place finish in the under saddle class.
The reserve champion for the division was Libretto, owned and ridden by Alliy Moyer. Moyer and Libretto were eighth and fourth over fences on day one before riding to the reserve champion title on day two. The pair was sixth in the first over fences class before winning the final over fences round and the under saddle class.
Maounis, of Greenwich, CT, had an early lead after winning their first two classes, but didn’t back off during the second day of the division. Her lead actually made her a little nervous, but she knew she could count on Sienna.
“I get nervous when I do well the first day. I didn’t want to take anything for granted. I was like ‘I have to ride just as well today as I did yesterday,’ and I was just a little bit nervous, but it worked out great. She’s always perfect, there’s never anything that she does that’s quirky or weird in the ring. She’s always the same, which is great,” Maounis detailed.
Sienna is all business in the ring, but Maounis admitted she lives up to the chestnut mare stereotype with her fiery personality in the barn.
“She’s quite the feisty horse! She has a very big personality, and she likes what she likes. She’s very much a chestnut mare, and everyone pretty much knows that!” Maounis laughed.
The way to Sienna’s heart is through her stomach, which puts Maounis’ mother at the top of her list. “My mom is her favorite person because all she does is feed her treats. It’s really funny to see someone come near her and she pins her ears back, and then my mom comes and she’s like ‘Oh, hi treat lady!'”
Sienna’s opinionated personality has its advantages, though. If Maounis ever has a mistake in the ring, Sienna is there to set her straight.
“She takes care of me. She’s really good at just staying calm and being the same every time we go out there. She seems to know what’s right and what’s wrong. So sometimes when I try to do something, she’ll be like, ‘Nope, I’m right. As usual.’ She’s always right!” Maounis smiled. “I kind of have to let her do her own thing. That’s what usually works out best is when I let her do what she wants.”
Maounis, who trains with Heritage Farm, is looking forward to a shorter commute this year to the FTI WEF. Instead of traveling back and forth each weekend from Connecticut, she only has an hour drive from the University of Miami, where she is a freshman majoring in advertising.
Now in her second year of competing as an amateur, Maounis has no qualms about leaving her junior days behind her and is adjusting well to life in the amateur divisions.
“I really like it! Everyone is so friendly and so nice. It makes me really happy,” Maounis beamed.
Week three of the FTI WEF concludes on Sunday with the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic in the International Arena. Hunter competition wraps up with the EnTrust Capital Small Junior 16-17 Hunter division. 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.
Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro made it two-in-a-row when winning today’s fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Western European League series at Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Photo: FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst.
Amsterdam (NED), 25 January 2014 – Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro were like an unstoppable force as they marched to another spectacular victory at the fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Western European League series in Amsterdam, The Netherlands today. With a mark of 91.275, the Olympic double-gold and individual European Championship winning partnership were 2.7 points short of the world-record Freestyle score they posted at the previous leg at Olympia, London in December. But today’s result underpins their position at the very top of their game, and sets them firmly on the road to the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final at Lyon, France in April.
The Netherlands’ Edward Gal had to settle for runner-up spot once again despite a lovely performance from Glock’s Undercover, while Denmark’s Anna Kasprzak and Donnperignon really impressed when lining up third. Former FEI World Cup Dressage champion, Isabell Werth, headed German counterparts Fabienne Lutkemeier (D’Agostino FRH) and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Unee BB) when slotting into fourth with Don Johnson FRH, while Frenchman, Marc Boblet, produced a charming test from Noble Dream Concept Sol to stand seventh in the prizewinner’s line-up.
The start-list was reduced to 14 when The Netherlands’ Hans-Peter Minderhoud withdrew Glock’s Romanov, but it was another day of sparkling competition. The Dutch crowd was captivated by the British duo who continue to take the sport of Dressage by storm, and there is no doubt that their presence is having a very positive effect as so many others have been encouraged to raise their game again this season, bringing a freshness and energy to the prestigious and long-established indoor series.
Great start
The competition got off to a great start when Dutch rider, Madeleine Witte-Vrees, posted a score of 74.500 with the 11-year-old Vitana V, and that remained the target until the French partnership of Boblet and Noble Dream Concept Sol set sail. This pair, who finished seventh at Olympia last month, soared into the lead when scoring 76.125, and the spectators showed their appreciation of this expressive performance filled with lightness and enthusiasm.
When the German contingent went into action however they were instantly demoted, firstly by Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Unee BB who edged them out with a score of 76.650 and then again by Fabienne Lutkemeier and D’Agostino FRH who posted 77.575.
With only four left to run the Dutch took back the advantage. The 12-year-old Glock’s Undercover produced a focused, calm and concentrated test for Edward Gal whose relationship with this horse seems to be cementing with every outing. They looked rock solid as they strode purposefully to a mark of 85.125 which would now be the one to beat.
With just three riders per nation permitted to compete at the Final, the battle for a qualifying spot amongst the German contingent is a fierce one, but double FEI World Cup Dressage champion, Isabell Werth, threw down the best German score of 80.850 to stake her claim with Don Johnson FRH before Denmark’s Anna Kasprzak took her turn as the penultimate contestant.
The 24-year-old rider and her 15-year-old horse, Donnperignon, have developed into a dynamic duo over the last two years and were impressive from the moment they entered the arena today. Confident and composed, they produced a very classy test for a mark of 82.000 that would always keep them well within the frame. But the best was saved until last.
Magic
There’s a magic about Dujardin and Valegro that is difficult to explain, and such is their appeal that every time they appear in competition something sensational is expected to happen while their very presence is an occasion in itself.
Once again they didn’t disappoint, setting off in spectacular extended trot to the strains of the very first musical score they used together. Dujardin said at Olympia that she wouldn’t use her Olympic score again, and so decided to go back to where it all began. “I love riding to that music. I know how I am with it, so I could relax and have fun – and my horse did too!” she after posting another whopping mark of 91.275. Stillness and balance, control and rhythm, straightness and lightness – it was all there but for a moment in canter when, according to the rider, Valegro was “spooked by a camera”. In everything they do together, however, this horse and rider seem to be in perfect harmony. And Valegro looked just as happy and satisfied as his rider when it was all over today.
When asked if the gelding she calls Blueberry prefers to perform indoors or in an outdoor environment, Dujardin replied, “It doesn’t really matter to him. I just feel I always have his trust, and if something happens then I just tell him it’s OK and he believes me so we can just get on with what we are doing – I’m so lucky with him!” she said of the horse with which she has enjoyed such phenomenal success over the last few years.
Remarkable
Making today’s result all the more remarkable was the fact that Dujardin has been abroad for the past few weeks so didn’t get to ride her horse. She had a good deputy however, in her trainer and mentor Carl Hester who kept Valegro in work.
“I’ve been away for two weeks in New Zealand and only got back on Sunday so only rode for two days before here and I’m not used to that, but Carl kept him going for me,” Dujardin explained. “Yesterday (in the Grand Prix) he was very good, but today he was even better. I felt we were back in the flow of it again,” she said, adding after a momentary pause, “You know, it’s a massive honour every time I ride this horse!”
Now her sights are set on adding the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage title to their long list of extraordinary achievements. Talking about her plans with Valegro for the coming months, Dujardin explained, “we will go to Den Bosch (NED) and I will ride my new floor plan and music there. Then it will be on the Final in Lyon, and I’m really looking forward to that!” she said.
Lying equal-sixth in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Western European League rankings which continue to be headed by Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven followed by Gal in second, Werth in third and Germany’s von Bredow Werndl and Switzerland’s Marcela Krinke Susmelj in joint-fourth, it seems Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro are well set to make their mark at the Lyon Final where victory would ensure yet another entry into the record books.
Because, in the 28-year history of the FEI World Cup Dressage series, a British rider has never come out on top. The best British result previously registered was second place for Christopher Bartle and Wily Trout at the inaugural Final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands in 1986.
For further information on the fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2013/2014 Western European League series at Amsterdam, The Netherlands, go to www.jumpingamsterdam.nl or contact Press Officer Charlotte Gunnink, Email media@jumpingamsterdam.nl, Tel: +31 205445720, Mobile +31 6383 25326.
The next leg takes place at Neumunster, Germany on Sunday 16 February. For all information on the German fixture, go to website http://pst-marketing.de or contact Press Officer Andreas Kerstan, Email andreas.kerstan@comtainment.de, Tel: +49 430 782 7973/+49 341 678 6012.
Amsterdam in The Netherlands presented Round 5 of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2013/2014 series.
The Dutch fixture is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year.
14 horse-and-rider combinations competed in today’s qualifying leg following the withdrawal of Dutch rider Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Romanov.
Competitors from 7 nations took part – Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.
Just three further qualifying rounds will take place before the series final at Lyon, France in April.
The next leg will take place at Neumunster, Germany on Sunday 16 February.
The Ground Jury for today’s competition was: At E, Adriaan Hamoen (NED); At H, Katrina Wuest (GER); At C, Francis Verbeek van Rooij (NED); At M, Jean-Michel Roudier (FRA); At B, Susanne Baarup (DEN).
Today’s winning horse-and-rider combination, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, won double Olympic gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games, individual gold at the Ecco FEI European Championships in Herning, Denmark last summer and hold all three world records in Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Freestyle. They set the new world Freestyle record at Olympia, London in December 2013.
FEI World Cup Dressage, the only worldwide series in this discipline, has entered its 28th season. The series, created in 1985, comprises four leagues: Western European, Central European, North American (including Canada) and Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Asia). Each FEI World Cup Dressage qualifier consists of a Grand Prix test, which in turn is a qualification for the Freestyle to Music competition, where league points are accumulated towards places in the Final. Judged on both technical and artistic merit, the FEI World Cup Dressage combines art, sport and partnership between horse and rider at the highest level and consistently proves a winning formula with audiences all over the world.
The complete rules, calendar, updated ranking and results are available here.
Spain’s Juan Matute, Jr., Earns Second CDI Win with Don Diego Ymas in the FEI Prix St. Georges
Wellington, FL – January 24, 2014 – Danish rider Lars Petersen and his grand prix mount Mariett won the FEI World Cup Qualifying Grand Prix Freestyle presented by US P.R.E. Association during the third week of competition at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). Petersen rode Marcia Pepper’s 16-year-old Danish Warmblood mare to first place with 77.450%.
Second place went to Canada’s Diane Creech and Devon L. The pair finished on a 73.175%. Mikala Munter Gundersen (DEN) rounded out the top three with My Lady after receiving a score of 72.075%.
The third week of the AGDF, sponsored by the US P.R.E. Association and Chesapeake Dressage Institute, runs through Sunday, January 26. The AGDF hosts nine more weeks of world-class dressage through March 30. The FEI World Cup Qualifying Grand Prix Freestyle was the feature event of the week, and chilly weather and a schedule adjustment didn’t detract from a phenomenal evening of dressage competition.
“Competition was stellar, the horses were beautiful, (and) the riding was exquisite,” commented Allyn Mann of Adequan.
Mann was excited to see the AGDF continuing to flourish, especially under new Sports Director Thomas Baur’s expertise. “As far as this year versus previous years, I think we’ve already exceeded expectations. Thomas is just continuing to do wonderful things to make each of these events a special evening. I would expect that it’s only going to get better and the competition more fierce because I think that’s what keeps each [rider] going, right? You want to get to the top rung on the ladder,” Mann remarked.
The rider at the top of that ladder has often been Petersen with Mariett, and after finishing second with the mare during AGDF 1, Petersen was pleased to see her getting back in the swing of things.
“That was the first show since [Dressage at] Devon [in September]. Now we have one show with a little bit to practice. When you’re on a roll it always gets a bit easier. I think that’s the biggest thing. Also for her, she was in [this ring] before and she was more tense the first show. I think it’s a combination of a lot of things, [but] the main thing is that we showed two weeks ago and now we do it again,” Petersen explained.
Of Mariett’s performance on Friday evening, Petersen said, “I thought she was really good today. I had a very difficult test: high difficulty with my changes and all my transitions from trot to passage. She was with me today.”
Diane Creech and Devon L
Second place finisher Creech debuted a new freestyle routine featuring Capital City’s hit song “Safe and Sound.” Creech’s music was produced by Karen Robinson, who Creech has worked with before.
“We’ve always liked working with each other. It’s not so easy to find the right music for your horse,” she acknowledged. “It needs to suit the temperament and the movement, and I need to like it and he needs to like it. Those are a lot of things to mix into it. It needs to be happy music, and I like it to be a little bit familiar to people.”
The most important thing to Creech is that Devon L takes to the music, which he appears to be doing.
“I just have ridden [the new freestyle] for the second time now, so we’re just getting into the routine, but he seems to like the routine and he seems to like the music,” she described.
Mikala Munter Gundersen and My Lady put on another good show, placing third for the second time in the FEI World Cup Qualifying Grand Prix Freestyle. Munter Gundersen was very happy with her horse’s performance, but admitted she committed a few errors that kept them from the top prize.
“She has had some nice consistency in her test. Tonight, she got a little bit hot for me and I got a little behind the music, so I was chasing to catch up with the music a bit, and I got some mistakes because of that. Those were all mine. She really paid attention to me even though she was hot,” Munter Gundersen recounted.
As for giving Petersen a run for his money, Munter Gundersen says it will all come together in a few weeks at the AGDF 5 Dressage CDI 4*.
“I think in two weeks, we’re going to get Lars. At least we’ll try!” she laughed.
Cesar Parra was the top American finisher for the class, riding Van the Man to a 71.975%. He too sees his routine coming along as the horse continues to mature.
“I’m very, very happy with him. He’s a very hot horse. A very special horse; he’s my special child,” he smiled.
Parra continued, “I think he’s a wonderful horse that is maturing a lot, and I really have big expectations for him. I think very soon everything will come together, and everyone will see his greatness in the ring. I’m very proud to be representing the United States with him.”
Juan Matute, Jr. and Don Diego Ymas
Spain’s Juan Matute, Jr., Earns Second CDI Win with Don Diego Ymas in the FEI Prix St. Georges
In only his second CDI outing with Don Diego Ymas, 16-year-old Juan Matute, Jr., conquered the FEI Prix St. Georges presented by Chesapeake Dressage Institute at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). Matute, Jr., and Don Diego Ymas won the class with a score of 71.421%.
Canadian Britney Fraser took second with All In with a final score of 70.684%, while Heather Mason (USA) and Zar were third with 70.421%.
Matute, Jr. won the Intermediaire-I during the first week of competition for the AGDF and was thrilled to pick up another small tour victory with Don Diego Ymas.
“It feels amazing. We were not expecting it!” Matute, Jr., grinned. “We were just expecting to perform well, and of course getting a good score is always part of that, but our first goal was just to be good and to enjoy [the test] and create a stronger bond with each other.
“We had some mistakes in the threes, so a few parts of the canter were a bit messy, but I think the overall picture was great,” he continued. “The contact was great; the frame was great.”
Matute, Jr. also picked up a blue ribbon earlier in the morning with Dhannie Ymas in the FEI Junior Team Class. Matute, Jr., admitted that both horses enjoy taking in the sights of the winner circle.
“They like it. They like to win! They like the people clapping and the whole atmosphere of victory,” Matute, Jr., commented.
With the season in Wellington off to an exciting start, Matute, Jr. now looks forward to the FEI Nations Cup during the AGDF 7 CDIO, presented by Stillpoint Farm and Peacock Ridge.
“My goal is to do well in the small tour this season in Wellington, and my goal by the end of the year is to move up to the Under 25 [classes]. We’re going to do the Nations Cup, so that’s one of the biggest goals for the small tour this season,” Matute, Jr. outlined.
Matute, Jr. spent two months in Germany training with Oliver Oelrich before returning home to Wellington to resume training with his father, Juan Matute, Sr. Matute, Jr. enjoys having a trainer-student relationship that runs deeper than most.
“I love it. I get to ask questions 24/7. My dad sometimes wants to kill me at the dinner table because I keep asking questions and asking questions,” Matute, Jr. laughed. “But I think it’s great because besides having that relationship as father and son, we keep that relationship in the ring.”
Competition for the AGDF 3 CDI W continues Saturday morning with the FEI Intermediaire-I at 11:00 a.m. followed by the FEI Grand Prix Special at 3:20 p.m. For full results and more information, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.
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.
Tracey Mack-Gorin and Seville Score Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter Section A Division Championship at FTI WEF
Wellington, FL – January 24, 2014 – Frances Land (USA) and Vieanne proved themselves with a win against many of the world’s best in Friday’s $34,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.45m speed class during week three of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). An FEI World Ranking competition, the pair held a significant lead through most of the class, jumping clear and fast to top second place finishers Daniel Bluman (COL) and Apardi, with Ben Maher (GBR) and Aristo Z finishing third.
Week three of the FTI WEF, sponsored by Fidelity Investments continues through Sunday, January 26. The week will feature the highlight $125,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI 3* on Saturday night and the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic on Sunday. 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.
Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge set the speed track for Friday’s Spy Coast Farm 1.45m with 53 competitors and 13 clear rounds. Daniel Bluman and Apardi jumped the first clear round and set the pace at 65.23 seconds, but were quickly pushed into second place when Frances Land and Vieanne cleared the course in 63.97 seconds five rounds later. Eighth to go in the overall order, Land and Vieanne held onto that lead to the end despite the roster of impressive horses and riders that followed.
Ben Maher and Jane Clark’s Aristo Z finished third with their time of 66.60 seconds. Tim Gredley (GBR) and Unex Competition Yard’s Unex Omega Star placed fourth in 68.96 seconds. Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner’s Amadora were fifth in 70.82 seconds.
McLain Ward (USA) and Wings and Brianne Goutal (USA) wi th Uata were the only two pairs to beat Land’s time, stopping the clock in 61.97 seconds and 63.62 seconds respectively, but each had a single rail on course to finish out of the money. For Land, it was easier to go early and stick to her plan, but she then had to wait nervously for the final result.
“I really like going early,” Land said. “I like to just go in and do my plan so that I don’t sit around and get nervous and have to watch a bunch, because then I always end up changing my plan and riding worse. I knew there were a bunch in the class, and I knew I needed to be fast. Naturally, Vieanne is just really fast, so I figured if I was really smooth and made some tight turns, left out a couple of strides, then we stood a good chance of winning. She was just great. Everywhere she was just with me and perfect.”
“I got nervous when McLain went in,” Land admitted. “Him and Brianne were way faster than me. That’s the worst part for me is just afterwards, waiting. You have to wait through 35 rounds, and your head is in your hands and you’re thinking ‘Oh, please don’t beat me!’ But it is good because I also get to watch them. I learn from them because I see where they do go faster than me, and that just pushes me to do better. If they shave a second or two off of my time, that just means that tomorrow I need to be that much fasteieanne will compete again in Sunday’s $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic and will then be back for FTI WEF week four. Land (19) is a student at Emory University in Georgia and commutes back and forth to show during the week.
Also on Friday, the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge was held earlier in the day with 107 entries and double prize money awarded in a ‘California Split.’ Abigail McArdle and David McArdle’s Cosma 20 had the fastest clear round of the class to win Section A. Santiago Diaz and Tizimin La Silla topped Section B.
Tracey Mack-Gorin and Seville
Tracey Mack-Gorin and Seville Score Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter Section A Division Championship at FTI WEF
Tracey Mack-Gorin and Seville jumped their way to the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter Section A division championship Friday morning at the FTI WEF. Mack-Gorin rode Seville, owned by Isabelle Caccamise, to second, fifth, and first places over fences before finishing second in the under saddle class.
The reserve champion for the division was Stephanie Bulger and her own Mariano. The pair won two over fences classes in addition to finishing fourth under saddle.
Mack-Gorin was Circuit Champion of the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter division at the 2013 FTI WEF with Condor and is already off to a good start in 2014, even after only having the ride on Seville for a few weeks.
“He’s really sweet and comfortable,” Mack-Gorin described. “He’s got a really good attitude. Even if I make a mistake, he’s nice about it and never holds it against me. He just goes to the next jump the same as if I didn’t make a mistake.”
Like some young amateurs, Mack-Gorin doesn’t have the ability to have a horse of her own, and is grateful for the opportunity to ride Seville under the guidance of Ashland Farms’ Ken and Emily Smith and Christy Kear.
“I’ve been really lucky. I just finished law school, so I don’t have my own horses anymore. It’s been really nice to have something to ride, and they’ve all been great,” Mack-Gorin expressed.
Mack-Gorin juggled law school with competing at the FTI WEF in 2013, and this year she’s busy studying for the Florida Bar Examination in between riding on the weekends.
“It’s a lot of stuff going on, but it makes showing a lot more fun because it’s like a treat at the end of the week. I know I get to come here and ride and show and be around the horses. It’s a nice break, so it’s more helpful than hurtful,” Mack-Gorin commented.
Mack-Gorin is originally from Noank, CT, and went to school in New York, but her days of flying south for the winter are behind her now that she’s a full-time Wellington resident. Her fiancé travels most of the year while managing international show jumper Richie Moloney’s barn, but spends enough time in Wellington that the couple chose it as the perfect place to settle down.
Hunter competition for Week 3 of the FTI WEF continues on Saturday morning with the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. The $125,000 Fidelity Investments Grand Prix CSI 3* will be the highlight “Saturday Night Lights” event at 7 p.m. in the International Arena. 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.
Wellington, FL – January 24, 2014 – The sun was getting low in the sky at the Ridge at Wellington as Britain’s Olympic Gold Medalist Ben Maher entered the Grand Prix Field. Aboard his most recent mount Diva, Maher, the number two ranked rider in the Longines World Rankings, tackled the track and climbed to the top of the leader board for today’s 1.40m Wellington Turf Tour. It was a moment that marked a solid beginning for the pair, their first win as a team.
The Wellington Turf Tour came home to the Ridge at Wellington for the third week of competition, and with a meticulously designed course by Kenneth Krome, the scene was set for exciting jumper action.
Sweden’s Alexander Zetterman set an early lead this morning as the first rider of the day. He piloted Canora, owned by Pine Hollow Farm, to a clear first round and then blazed around the shortened track. An unfortunate rail at the opening fence of the jump off cost him the win today, but his time of 42.806 seconds set the pace for the remaining contenders.
It was Danielle Goldstein, riding for Israel, who had the first double-clear effort. Aboard Carisma, owned by Israeli Equestrian Partners, she took a conservative approach to the obstacles, finishing in 50.175 seconds. Her lead was short lived as Irishman David Blake entered the scene.
Riding Aischa, owned by Pine Hollow Farm, Blake cleared the first round with ease and moved into the jump off. They finessed the seven efforts with ease, tripping the timer in 41.410 seconds to take over the spot at the pinnacle of the rankings.
“We have had her for about a year, and she has had really good results so far this circuit,” Blake recounted. “It is nice to bring her here, someplace different. It is a little spooky for them, probably because it is so quiet and such a large grass field. I thought it was a nice course. There is a lot of color out there, and a lot of lines. It is the perfect way to educate the horses.”
David Blake and Aischa
Blake laughed, “She pulled a shoe there at some stage of it, so that didn’t make it easy for her. She is a jumper, so she kept going. She went really well, even with three shoes.”
He returned to tackle the course once more with his second mount, Doma Sue, owned by Pine Hollow Farm. She is a 9-year-old that is very new to Blake, just recently out of quarantine. They proved that although their partnership may be young, the potential for more is apparent. They posted the third double clear effort of the day in 42.806 seconds.
“She is still building up and getting fit, so we are just really getting to know her,” Blake stated. “She certainly jumped really well out there today. I think she is one that is going to jump some bigger classes in the future when she gets some more experience. Definitely bringing her out here with these horses and the grass field helps to put her along that path.”
Blake’s time stayed untouched as each consecutive contender attempted to beat his pace. United States based Australian show jumper Ben Meredith fell two seconds shy of Blake’s time with a final score of zero faults in 44.664 seconds. It seemed as though it would be a win for Ireland, but Ben Maher took the gamble and came out with his new mount Diva. The international leader board only continued to grow.
In November of 2013, Tatiana Kosakova purchased Diva from a prominent breeding farm in England. The mare had been bred and raised with the same family, and proved to be an excellent jumper, all she needed was a top rider to help her shine in the show ring. Maher took the reins, and traveled to Wellington for the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), but not without including the Wellington Turf Tour on his calendar.
“Diva is a great jumper, she is just green, and needs time,” Maher explained. “She jumped well in the 1.45m this week at WEF, but I thought it would be a nice change to see what she was like over here on the grass.”
As the penultimate rider of the day, Maher entered the competition with a bit of strategy, utilizing Diva’s careful nature and speed to his advantage. They successfully cleared the first round, moving into the short track. Since the Ridge at Wellington’s Turf Tour uses an open in-gate format, Maher did not have the advantage of seeing Blake traverse the course earlier in the day.
Maher said, “The format is different. Like any jump off, you try to do what you can do, not what you can’t.”
Diva proved that there isn’t much that she can’t do. Maher guided her through the turns with a steady stride, while using her naturally fast pace to shave the seconds. As he landed from the second to last fence, he legged her ahead to the final oxer. The seconds he cut proved crucial. As they landed from the oxer in 39.812 seconds, Maher took the lead and his first win with the new mare.
“I know she is still a green horse, so I took it a little steady through the turns. The ground was very good,” Maher described. “She is a naturally fast horse; she takes a lot of pressure because she is careful. I just rode her around and luckily today it was fast enough.”
He continued, “She can get too careful and jump too high sometimes, especially on the oxers. Every now and then, like that last fence, letting her run and stretch out and jump forward is actually, for her, not bad training at all. Maybe a few other horses, it would get them flat and careless, but it helps her. I am hoping that the circuit over the next couple of months will be the making of her, and she is going to be a good grand prix horse for us in the end.”
Jumpers should race to get their entries in for next week’s Wednesday and Friday events as The Ridge at Wellington’s $15,000 1.40m Grand Prix and 1.30-1.35m Classes head back to the International Polo Club Palm Beach for Week IV of the series.
“This series gives a lot of versatility for the three months that we are here and we will do our best to try to support these shows when we can. I am looking forward to showing at the International Polo Club, it is part of the reason why I came to show her today and see how she goes,” Maher concluded. “It seems like it will be a fun day. It is great experience for this horse because hopefully after this circuit she will do several of the Nations Cup shows behind Cella and Triple X, my other horses. It is nice to feel her in different environments.”
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.
The Wednesday and Friday events will run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 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 still has available sponsorships for the Invitational Series. For more information, call (908) 500-0996 or download information at http://www.theridgefarm.com.
Sponsorships are available for the $25,000 Finale, $15,000 Weekly Grand Prix, $2,000 Weekly Hospitality Text, $3,500 Show Jump Sponsor for series, $750 Ring Banner for the series and $500 Weekly Class Presenter.
All checks should be made payable to the Ridge Farm LLC.
The Ridge at Wellington Grand Prix Series
C/O Eda Tordiff
110 Edwards Rd.
Parsippany, NJ, 07054
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.
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
