Laura Kraut and Bonito R Capture $10,000 Open Jumper Stake
Wellington, FL – December 1, 2013 – Equestrian Sport Productions’ Holiday & Horses competition concluded at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Sunday afternoon with a win for Molly Ashe and Kennzo in the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. Laura Kraut and Bonito R ended the week with a victory in the $10,000 Open Jumper 1.40m Stake class.
The $15,000 Holiday & Horses USHJA International Hunter Derby was held in the Mogavero Ring at PBIEC featuring two rounds of competition over a course set by Jasen Shelley. The judges included Danny Robertshaw, Kitty Barker, John Barker, and Jim Zulia.
Molly Ashe jumped Kristen Abbatiello-Neff’s Kennzo, an eleven-year-old Finnish Warmblood gelding by Coriano, to victory with two beautiful rounds of competition. Ashe and Kennzo earned the high score of 183 in the classic round and then received the second highest score of 199 in the handy course to finish with 382 points overall.
Kelley Farmer and David Glefke’s Skorekeeper had the high score in the handy round with 200.5 points, which combined with their classic score of 173.5 to give the pair a 374-point total and second place honors.
Kennzo mainly shows in the hunter derby classes with Ashe and has proven himself with several wins in the last couple of years, including top honors at Horse Shows by the Bay this summer. He was also third in the derby at the Hampton Classic in August and has not shown since then. Despite the time off, Kennzo came out like a pro on Sunday.
“Clearly he has done a lot of eating,” Ashe joked after the class. “He is really cool that way. You can pull him out and go right out there and he is on it. He is like a pony. You turn him out, and you can’t catch him. Riding him is like pulling teeth. He is a firm believer in me working as hard as he does. In the schooling area he won’t go. You canter the jump, and he will land trotting and stopping. But then he goes in the ring, and he knows his job. He is perfect in the ring.”
“He is so much fun,” she affirmed. “He is so scopey, and he has a great jump. He has really turned into such a great show horse. I have had him since he was seven, and he started out as a jumper and then we started doing the hunters. He really knows his job now, and he is all business every time. He takes no preparation. He literally walks to the ring and off he goes.”
Ashe also placed third in Sunday’s class riding Elisee Browchuck’s Original du Rietz. The pair earned scores of 171 and 184 for an overall score of 355.
“I was very proud of him,” the rider smiled. “He was doing jumpers with his owner and got a little scared and unhappy about it, so we made him a hunter. He marched right out there. He had not done anything since Southampton either, and he laid it down right from round one.”
Havens Schatt and Bruce Duchossois’s Just Fred finished fourth with scores of 163 and 190.5 for a score of 353.5 overall. Jennifer Bliss earned fifth and sixth place honors riding Harris Hill Farm LLC’s Poker Face and Extraordinary. Poker Face earned scores of 156 and 186 for a total of 342 to place fifth. Extraordinary received a 145 and a 183 for a 328-point total and the sixth place prize.
Laura Kraut and Bonito R
A $10,000 Open Jumper 1.40m Stake class concluded the competition on Sunday with a course set in the International Arena by Anthony D’Ambrosio. Twenty-eight entries showed in round one with five clear rounds to advance to the jump-off and five double clears over the short course. The fastest time of 37.946 seconds earned top prize for U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Laura Kraut riding Stars and Stripes’ Bonito R, an eight-year-old Hanoverian gelding by El Bonito x Rhytmo.
New Zealand’s Grant Wilson finished second riding Octavia de Beaufour, owned by Emmanuelle Mille and Grant Wilson. The pair cleared the short course in 38.411 seconds. Denmark’s Henrik Gundersen finished third riding Adlanteur through the timers in 39.609 seconds. Young U.S. rider, Sydney Shulman, took home both the fourth and fifth place honors. Shulman and Marcus Hagglund’s Quirado finished fourth with a time of 39.932 seconds. Riding Back Country Farm’s HH Narcos du Marais, Shulman placed fifth in 40.661 seconds.
Sunday’s competition concluded the 2013 Holiday & Horses event. Equestrian Sport Productions will host its Year End Awards Show next at PBIEC. The competition will run December 7-8, 2013, featuring a $10,000 Open Stake on Saturday, December 7, and the $25,000 Year End Grand Prix (2 p.m.) and $5,000 USHJA 3′ Hunter Classic on Sunday, December 8. The ESP Year End Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday, December 7, at approximately 6:00 p.m. in the PBIEC Special Events Tent. For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello won the third leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Western European League series. Photo: FEI/Roland Thunholm.
Stockholm (SWE), 1 December 2013 – It was smiles all round in Stockholm, Sweden today where Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven clinched victory in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage qualifier on home turf for the second year in a row. Riding the brilliant Don Auriello, the 46-year-old rider headed The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and the exciting Glock’s Voice, while the Dutch duo of Hans-Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Romanov slotted into third.
It was an important day for Vilhelmson-Silfven, underpinning the strength of her relationship with the 11-year-old gelding who continues his impressive upward curve of confidence and capability. It wasn’t all plain sailing, with a few stumbles interrupting an otherwise excellent performance, but such is the quality of this horse’s work, and of his belief in his rider, that they quickly recovered to come out on top.
Sweden fielded five of the 15 contenders in today’s class, but it was Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Millibar who finished fourth ahead of Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Unee B in fifth.
These two young riders are making a big impression this season, the former also finishing fourth on home ground at the opening leg of the 2013/2014 Western European League qualifying series at Odense in October, while von Bredow-Werndl has been making her presence felt in every leg so far.
Held the lead
It was Skodborg Merrald who held the lead at the halfway stage of the competition after posting 76.425 following a performance filled with life, and lightness of movement. The Danish-bred Millibar wasn’t the only horse to be a little spooky in the atmospheric Ericsson Globe arena, and might have scored even higher if he hadn’t broken his stride on the final line. But his talented 24-year-old rider clearly demonstrated the skill that has earned her six national titles and which saw her take a double of wins with this good horse in the Under-25 classes during this summer’s ECCO FEI European Championships in Herning, Denmark.
Von Bredow-Werndl put in a strong challenge with a powerful and polished ride on the handsome Unee BB who lined up fifth in yesterday’s Grand Prix. But their score of 76.325 left them trailing their Danish rivals with just four horse-and-rider combinations left to go.
The Netherlands’ Hans-Peter Minderhoud then set a new target with Glock’s Romanov who posted 78.750, only to be immediately overtaken by Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello who racked up a massive 81.950. That was always going to be a big score to overtake, but the result was still far from assured as, last in, Edward Gal set off with Glock’s Voice.
The Dutchman has been riding this horse for some time, but the stallion missed 12 months of competition due to injury before returning this season to win both the Grand Prix and Freestyle at Rosendaal and at Arnhem in The Netherlands in the spring. He was subsequently purchased to join Gal’s large string, and today the 11-year-old son of De Niro made his FEI World Cup Dressage debut an impressive one, scoring 79.275 to clinch runner-up position.
Clear-cut victory
For six-time Olympian Vilhelmson-Silfven however, it was a clear-cut victory and a most satisfactory result. “He felt so good before we went in, but then there was a stumble at the start and I wondered if maybe it might not be as good as I thought – and then it happened again! Today we had good preparation and he felt even more secure so it was hard to say why he stumbled. But I had a super feeling!” she said afterwards.
Gal said his ride on Glock’s Voice was “better than yesterday, still a bit tense but now you can choose your own line with him,” he explained. After finishing second yesterday he said his horse was “not paying attention to me; he was everywhere and nowhere but I had some really nice things as well as things that could be better. It’s his first time since summer in competition, and with stallions that’s always difficult,” he pointed out.
Minderhoud said this evening, “Like yesterday (in the Grand Prix in which he finished second) I am super happy! He was really with me, and very good. Unfortunately today I made two small mistakes in the changes – and I really wanted that car!” he said with a laugh. Winning rider Vilhelmson-Silfven was presented with a brand new Volkswagen as part of her prize. “But,” said the Dutchman, “I have done my best two tests with him here at this show so I am very happy.”
When asked his opinion of the winning horse, Minderhoud paid Don Auriello and his rider the highest of compliments. “He’s super; he goes in such a nice frame and he’s a very happy athlete as we all can see.” Vilhelmson-Silfven agreed. “He’s the perfect horse to compete on because he loves to be in the arena. He loves attention. He’s at his happiest when everyone is looking at him and telling him he’s lovely and that he’s done a good job!”
In that case then, Don Auriello should be one of the happiest horses in the world tonight.
For further information on the third leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2013/2014 Western European League series at Stockholm, Sweden on Sunday 1 December 2013, check out website www.stockholmhorseshow.com or contact Press Officer Lotta Amnestal, Email lotta.amnestal@ridsport.se, Tel +46 709 795 635.
The next leg of the series will take place at Olympia, London on Tuesday 17 December. For details of the British fixture, go to www.olympiahorseshow.com or contact Press Officer Jo Peck, Email JoPeck@hpower.co.uk, Tel +44 1753 847 900.
Today’s third leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Western European League 2013/2014 series took place at the famous Ericsson Globe, the largest hemispherical building in the world.
Shaped like a large white ball, the Globe has a seating capacity for 16,000 spectators, and is a popular venue for shows, concerts and ice hockey.
Today’s winners, Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello, also won the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage qualifier at the same venue during the 2012/2013 season.
It was a local win for the rider who lives near Stockholm.
A total of 15 competitors from eight nations – Australia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Russia – lined out in today’s competition.
The host nation of Sweden was represented by five horse-and-rider combinations.
The Ground Jury for today’s competition was: At C, Gustaf Svalling (SWE); At E, Annette Fransen Iacobaeus (SWE); At H, Susanne Baarup Christensen (DEN); At M, Peter Holler (GER); At B, Isabelle Judet (FRA).
Quotes:
Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE) (when asked if she will compete with Don Auriello in Florida, USA this winter, as she is now moving there for the winter months and is taking him with her): “I might as well while I am there!”
FEI Director of Dressage, Trond Asmyr: “We have allocated the World Cup qualifiers for the next two seasons; we are in a position to do that because we have the fantastic support of Reem Acra, so we can plan ahead. There will be an addition to the calendar in 2015/2016 when Salzburg, Austria will be a new organiser.”
Hans-Peter Minderhoud (NED) (talking yesterday after finishing second with Glock’s Romanov in the Grand Prix): “Today was the best test I’ve had with him so far, and the highest score I’ve had with him. He’s in quite a good shape for a long time, but I have not been riding him for the last eight or nine months. (Edward Gal was competing the horse instead.) I can ask him a lot but still I have to know him better, but he’s getting more like my horse! The last shows have been pretty good but with a few stupid mistakes. Today there were no mistakes, so I was very happy with him!”
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.
Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star. Photos (c) Mancini Photos.
Wellington, FL – November 30, 2013 – The $50,000 Holiday & Horses CSI-W 2* Grand Prix was held on Saturday night at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, with a win for Charlie Jacobs (USA) and CMJ Sporthorse LLC’s Flaming Star. In an exciting four-horse jump-off with over 4,000 fans cheering them on, Jacobs and Flaming Star topped Tim Gredley (GBR) and Unex Chamberlain Z, Jessica Springsteen (USA) and Vindicat W, and Catherine Pasmore (USA) and Bonanza Van Paemel for the win.
Holiday & Horses competition concludes on Sunday with the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby (12 p.m.) in the Mogavero Ring and $10,000 Open Stake 1.40m at 1 p.m. in the International Arena.
Anthony D’Ambrosio set a challenging course for Saturday night’s grand prix. Forty-four entries showed in round one and just four were able to advance to the jump-off. All of the jump-off competitors then had faults through the short course. Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star finished on top with one rail down in the fastest time of 48.62 seconds.
Tim Gredley and Unex Competition Yard’s Unex Chamberlain Z also had one rail and finished second with their time of 51.43 seconds. Jessica Springsteen (USA) and Stone Hill Farm’s Vindicat W had eight faults in 49.59 seconds to earn third place honors. Catherine Pasmore and Pasmore Stables LLC’s Bonanza Van Paemel had three rails down in the short course to finish fourth with 12 faults in 52.78 seconds.
“I felt like Anthony did a great job with the course,” Jacobs said following his win. “It was a delicate track, to say the least, and also quite technical in my opinion. The time allowed was quite tight, and I think it got some people that were maybe rushing a little in their heads. With the number of competitors that entered, to have four clean obviously was a reflection of the difficulty of the course. You don’t necessarily have to build an entire 1.60m track to make it difficult, and he accomplished that with the technicality of the course.”
Jacobs has had a lot of success this year with Flaming Star, a 14-year-old Anglo-European gelding by Fairman.
“My horse likes the arena,” Jacobs acknowledged. “I think we have had some really good success here in 2013. Under the lights I wasn’t sure what we were going to get tonight. I had a few moments in the schooling area when I was going sideways and I wasn’t counting on it, but he was quite good in the ring. He loves it. I wish it were the rider, but I have to tell you, it’s the horse. He is doing a great job out there.”
Tim Gredley has had his mount, Unex Chamberlain Z, for about a year and a half, but the gelding is coming back from an injury, so the rider was pleased with his performance. “He has been out for about a year, and he just started four or five months ago,” Gredley explained. “He has just been getting better and better. I think he just needed to get fitter, and I needed to get fitter, and it is all just starting to come together with him a bit now.”
Jessica Springsteen and Vindicat W
Finishing third, Jessica Springsteen was happy with her round aboard Vindicat W. Springsteen has been busy in her senior year at Duke University and has not ridden in almost four months. She was also presented with a special Leading Lady Jumper Rider Award, sponsored by Martha Jolicoeur of Illustrated Properties in memory of Dale Lawler.
“He has been amazing,” she smiled. “My last show with him was in July, so it has been awhile, but Laura (Kraut) and Mary Elizabeth (Kent) have been riding him and he is in amazing shape. He jumped incredibly tonight, so I was really happy.”
Equestrian Sport Productions’ Holiday & Horses competition will conclude on Sunday. For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
IJsbrand Chardon (NED) won the fourth leg of the FEI World Cup Driving 2013/2014 in Budapest, his second successive win at the Hungary event. (Rinaldo de Craen/FEI)
Budapest (HUN), 1 December 2013 – IJsbrand Chardon (NED) has won the fourth leg of the FEI World Cup Driving 2013/2014 in Budapest, Hungary. Chardon drove his experienced team of Lipizzaner horses to victory ahead of his compatriot and European Champion Theo Timmerman and local favourite József Dobrovitz (HUN).
Hungarian O-course designer Gábor Fintha had laid out a very nice course in the Lászlo Papp Sports Arena with fast and technical parts, which was much appreciated by the drivers.
Back to basics After a less than satisfactory first competition in Budapest on Saturday evening, Chardon decided to go back to basics and switched his new leader horse, with which he finished third in Hannover, for the experienced Inci. This resulted in two amazing clear rounds, which contributed to a fantastic atmosphere in the arena, and Chardon and his team of Hungarian Lipizzaner horses had great support from the enthusiastic spectators, many of which had seen him win the FEI World Cup Driving in 2012. And this time he finished more than 23 penalty seconds ahead of Timmerman and Dobrovitz.
According to plan Theo Timmerman had set himself the goal of using the first competition in Hannover and his wild card start in Verona to get into the right rhythm for his next four events. After his fifth place in Hannover and his second place in Verona, his aim was to do well in Budapest.
He started off very fast in the first round and an unfortunate ball off the last cone luckily did not stop him qualifying for the Winning Round, in which he was second to go. The reigning European and Dutch Champion has been driving his indoor team for several years now and the experience was paying off. After a flying start, Timmerman slowed down a bit after he had a knock down in the second marathon obstacle and he finished just over one second faster than Dobrovitz, securing his second place.
New leader horse József Dobrovitz, who is from the town of Vecsés, around 20 kilometers away from Budapest, had strong local support. He qualified for the Winning Round despite knocking two balls in the first round, thanks to the magnificent high speed of his team. The successful Hungarian driver used a new Lipizzaner horse in the lead of his team, but the speed resulted in another two knockdowns, and he had to settle for third place.
Safe round Stuttgart-winner Daniel Schneiders decided to go for a safe round. He took his mixed team of German, Dutch and English horses through the course at a good speed, but unfortunately had one ball down, to finish in fourth place.
Family affair Fifth place went to József Dobrovitz junior who, like his father, also drove a new horse in the lead of his team. József’s nephews, Mark and Kristof Osztertág, both received a wild card in Budapest, resulting in a true family affair, with four Dobrovitz family members on the start list.
Kristof, who finished sixth in Budapest, competed as an individual at the FEI European four-in-hand Championships in Izsák and competed in the horse pairs and pony pairs classes this season. The 21-year-old was also a member of the bronze-medal-winning Hungarian team at the FEI World Pony Championships in Pau (FRA), where he finished 15th individually.
His 23-year-old brother Mark came seventh. He drove both a pair and a four-in-hand this season, competed as an individual at the FEI World Pair Championships in Topolcianky (SVK) and at the FEI European four-in-hand Championships in Izsák (HUN).
Quotes: IJsbrand Chardon (NED): “With Inci I was able to drive two fantastic rounds; my team of horses went extremely smooth. I hope he stays like this. He is a good horse, but sometimes he does not do what I ask him to do, which makes him unreliable. In the Winning Round I decided to go safe and even then I was one second faster than in the first round.”
Theo Timmerman (NED): “I was not too pleased with my performance on the first night, but today it all went according to plan. I started off very fast, but I decided to take more control after the knockdown to prevent more balls falling. I learn every time and my team is getting better every time as well.”
József Dobrovitz (HUN): “I am very pleased with the spectators, who helped me to get this result. It was a super course. My left leader does not have the routine yet; it was his first time at an indoor competition. I tried to do my best in the marathon obstacle, but unfortunately I had two knockdowns. But I am confident that this horse will get better next time.”
Chile’s Matias Vial (1) and his horse turn into a shot with Team USA’s Jeff Hall (4) defending. Photos by Scott Fisher.
Nic Roldan Named MVP
WELLINGTON, FL – Nov. 30, 2013 — Team USA dominated Chile from start-to-finish to capture the USPA International Cup with a convincing 13-8 victory Saturday at windswept Grand Champions Polo Club.
It was the second consecutive year Team USA has won the coveted trophy in front of a hometown crowd that included VIPs and dignitaries including Chile Consul General Juan Luis Nilo in the final game of the 2013 fall season.
In last year’s game, Team USA defeated England, 8.5-6.
“Always when you play for your country there is a different element to it,” said Nic Roldan of Wellington, a Cardinal Newman High School alum, who was named Most Valuable Player for the second straight year.
“It’s an honor and it feels great to represent the United States again and to take home the trophy,” Roldan said.
Team USA held Chile scoreless in the opening chukker to lead 4-0 and never let Chile back in the game. Team USA led 6-1 after two chukkers and 10-3 after three chukkers.
Roldan finished with five goals and teammate Jeff Hall scored a game-high six goals, including five in the first three chukkers. Marc Ganzi added two goals and Carlitos Gracida played well defensively turning back several Chile scoring attempts.
“We came out with a plan and we came out really strong,” Roldan said. “I think we took them by surprise. It’s always an advantage when you are playing on your own home soil.
“The Chileans are world-class players and they are sportsmen,” Roldan said. “It was fun having them here and it was a good match.”
For Roldan it was a successful end to an outstanding fall season, winning both the USPA North American Cup and USPA National 20-Goal Tournaments for the second year in a row with Audi.
Team USA’s Nic Roldan (3) shows his Most Valuable Player winning form
“The 20-goals were our main focus and the international game and we took home all three,” Roldan said. “I can’t complain; Marc can’t complain. We are all really happy with the way the team played. We are happy with the way Carlitos is advancing and we’re getting ready for the big season and ready to go.”
The victory avenged a one-goal loss for Hall, 33, of America’s top players, the last time he represented the U.S. against Chile in Santiago.
“You always want to come out and start strong,” said Hall, who easily could have shared MVP honors with Roldan. “I think we broke their back right off the bat. We pretty much out-played them all around.
“Representing the U.S., you are representing your country and you want to do the best you can,” Hall said. “We went out there to do that.”
Jose Antonio Iturrate, making his first U.S. appearance since 2003, made his final appearance as a member of the Chile national team. The former 8-goaler said he will continue to play in Chile.
“They have a good team and first I have to congratulate them,” Iturrate said. “They are a tough team; they play really well. I know Marc is not a high-goal player but he understands polo and played very well. He was tough with the plays.
“It was just a shame how the refereeing went the first chukker,” Iturrate said. “That changed the game completely. They blew many ridiculous fouls for us and we became very disappointed and let down. After the second chukker we tried our best. But I think the fouls hurt us.”
While Chile has a solid polo resume including the 2008 FIP World Championships and 2013 BMW International Polo Series, the team was no match for Team USA which had both chemistry among its players and horses which they changed frequently during the five-chukker game.
Chile had its share of penalties early in the game which seemed to frustrate them on both ends of the field.
“It’s tough for them,” Hall said. “They don’t know the horses or how to play them. They were complaining a lot about the fouls and they were legit big fouls but for some reason I think there is a big difference in rules between Chile and the U.S. I think they let people get away with more in Chile than they do here.”
Juan Sanchez, a member of the Chile team that defeated the U.S., 6-5, in the 2011 FIP Polo World Cup, knew the U.S. would be tough to beat on its home turf.
“They were so quick in the first chukker and we were behind four goals before we knew it,” Sanchez said. “It is very hard winning here.”
When a fan walked up to Matias Vial and said Chile needed one more chukker, he shook his head and said, “We needed five more chukkers. They were too tough and too fast.”
The chase is on with Chile’s Max Silva (2) in control of the ball with support from teammates Juan Sanchez (3) against Americans Jeff Hall and Nic Roldan
Added Max Silva, “They played very well. We were so slow in some plays. It’s okay. The horses were very good and easy. It is hard to be here and win on their horses in their country but that’s okay. It was a good game.”
Vial led Chile scoring with four goals, Iturrate had two goals including the last one of the game and Silva and Sanchez each had one goal.
In the opening game, polo fans took a trip down memory lane watching some of polo’s greats including former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida and former 9-goalers Julian and Howard Hipwood in the Legends of Polo game.
With Grand Champions Gray leading, 5-3, with 2:47 left in the game, Grand Champions Blue came back with goals from Joey Casey and Juan Bollini to end the game in a 5-5 tie.
Brit Howard Hipwood was named Most Valuable Player. His team featured his brother Julian, Carlos Gracida and his cousin Ruben Gracida. Hector Gallindo and Peter Rizzo joined Casey and Bollini on the Grand Champions Gray team.
Carlos Gracida led the Gray team with three goals and Julian and Howard Hipwood each had one goal. Galindo led with three goals and Casey and Bollini added one apiece.
“I wasn’t concentrating on the game because I was having too much fun,” said Carlos Gracida. “We want a rematch.”
Grand Champions ended its fall season in grand style with lavish white tents lining both sides of the field, an array of international flags hanging from flagpoles that could be seen from Lake Worth Road, a dance floor in the VIP tent, music and DJ, tailgaters with buckets of champagne and Argentine food truck Che Grill.
Added Rizzo, USPA executive director: “Grand Champions has really taken off. I think Marc and Melissa Ganzi really wanted to do everything the right way, doing these international matches and so much more. We need more people like that. There are so few people that have that kind of interest in the sport. They have so many great players and look at the facility they set up. It’s all for everybody to come enjoy. How many times do you see this around the world? We are very lucky and all of this is the expression of what they want to do in polo.”
The biggest winner of the day was the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth. Proceeds from the doubleheader went to the museum which is in the midst of expanding. It is the only polo museum of its kind in the world.
The museum is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the development, history and tradition of the sport of polo by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport.
GRAND CHAMPIONS POLO CLUB
WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 561-644-5050.
INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro teams Audi and Piaget. Everyone is welcome to watch high and medium goal polo in a relaxed atmosphere during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the International Cup in November, Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament in March, Women’s Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League International Tournament, both in April.
Sharon Robb for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax) pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
American Jeff Hall defends Chile’s Jose Antonio Iturrate (4) during Friday’s practice game. Photos by Scott Fisher.
WELLINGTON, FL – Nov. 29, 2013 — With a majestic view of the world’s flags blowing in the brisk breeze at Grand Champions Polo Club, Chile veteran player Jose Antonio Iturrate and his teammates practiced together for the first time on Friday against the U.S. team.
With the friendly practice game behind them, the two countries will renew their rivalry in polo when they compete Saturday for the coveted USPA International Cup at 3 p.m. at Grand Champions.
It will be part of a polo double-header with the Legends of Polo game kicking off the biggest fall polo event of Wellington at 1 p.m.
Gates open at 12:30 p.m. and tickets, benefitting the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, are still available and will be on sale at the gate.
Iturrate, a former 8-goaler and one of Chile’s polo legends, will be making his final appearance as a national team member with teammates Matias Vial, Max Silva and Juan Sanchez Unzurrunzaga.
“This will be the last time I wear my country’s colors,” Iturrate said, tugging at his team jersey. “It will be an emotional game for me. I have been traveling for the last thirty years around the world and I think it is time to retire. What better time to do it than against America. I have played many years in the U.S. so I feel very at home here.”
Iturrate will be making his first U.S. appearance since 2003. It will also be the first time Iturrate will compete with his teammates.
“This is our first time we play together as a team; we know each other but we never played as a team,” Iturrate said. “This was our first practice today so we will see tomorrow. I think the American team is very strong, very well-mounted and powerful.
“This is a big game for Chile,” Iturrate said. “When you play England, America and Argentina, the strongest teams in the world, it is very important for us. I am hoping the horses go well tomorrow and we can have a level game. Everyone knows how to hit the ball so the horses will be the difference.”
It will be the final fall game at Grand Champions Polo Club after a highly-successful fall tournament season that started in September.
Eight-goaler Nic Roldan, a Cardinal Newman High School graduate from Wellington, heads Team USA. He will be joined by 7-goaler Jeff Hall, 3-goaler Carlitos Gracida and 1-goaler Marc Ganzi, ranked 49th overall in the world.
All four players have extensive international experience. Roldan and Ganzi are coming off the Westchester Cup in July which Team USA narrowly lost to Great Britain, 12-11 in overtime on British soil.
Hall, 33, one of America’s top-rated players, has competed against Chile for the U.S. losing to them by one goal in Santiago, Chile.
Chile, 2008 FIP World Champions, won the 2013 BMW International Polo Series on August 25th. In March 2012, Chile knocked off England, 11-9, in the Alfonso Rozas Ossa international match in Santiago.
It is the second time Grand Champions Polo Club will host a major international men’s game in its eight-year history.
The 20-goal men’s championship game is sanctioned by the United States Polo Association and Chile Polo Federation.
In last year’s game in front of a sellout crowd, Team USA defeated England, 8.5-6. Roldan was named Most Valuable Player.
Chile’s Matias Vial (2) dribbles downfield
“I have represented Chile many times,” said Matias Vial, a former shot putter in track and field and now one of Chile’s top players rated at 6 goals.
“It has been many years Chile has played in the U.S.,” Vial said. “We have a good team and three of us (Sanchez, Silva and Vial) have played together and know how each other play. We hope the game is going to be close and I hope we win.”
Juan Sanchez, a member of the Chile team that defeated the U.S., 6-5, in the 2011 FIP Polo World Cup, knows the U.S. will be tough to beat. The last time Chile played in the U.S. was two years ago in a 14-goal tournament in St. Louis which Chile won.
“For sure this is going to be competitive, it is a 20-goal game,” Sanchez said. “We are real excited to play against the U.S.
“We have a really balanced team; three of us have played together for most of the year and ‘Tono’ Iturrate has played with each member of the team so we know each other very well and we are friends which gives us a really nice chemistry,” Sanchez said.
While Argentina is king when it comes to polo, Sanchez said the sport is growing in popularity in Chile.
“It’s big at the main polo club where there are 42 teams and outside of Santiago plenty of new clubs with new players are growing,” Sanchez said. “I think the federation is doing a very good job of promoting polo and supporting the new clubs.”
Sanchez said it took time to adjust to the horses during Friday’s practice game in windy conditions. Chile is being mounted by host Grand Champions.
“For sure it is an advantage when you play in your country that you play your own horses,” Sanchez said. “The horses are very important in the game. We know from the first moment we are not using our own horses but that’s okay.”
The Legends of Polo, the first game of the double-header at 1 p.m., features some of polo’s greats including Hall of Famer and former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida in the four-chukker match.
Gracida will team with brothers Julian and Howard Hipwood, two of Britain’s top players once rated at 9-goals, and cousin Ruben Gracida on the Grand Champions (Light Blue) team. The team carries a 17-goal rating.
Hector Galindo, Joey Casey, Juan Bollini and Peter Rizzo make up the Grand Champions (Gray) legends team with a total rating of 16 goals.
Jim Sackett, former news anchor for WPTV NewsChannel 5 who retired after 33 years at Florida’s top-rated television station, will present awards to players in the Legends of Polo match.
Juan Luis Nilo, Consul General of Chile based in Miami, will present the USPA International Cup to the champions and awards to all players in the featured game.
Chile’s Max Silva (2) goes for the big hit during a practice game against the U.S.
Proceeds from the double-header will benefit The Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, a non-profit educational organization.
The museum is dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the development, history and tradition of the sport of polo by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport. It is the only polo museum of its kind in the world.
Grand Champions Polo Club co-owner Melissa Ganzi is a board member and vice president of the Board of Directors for the museum.
Tickets are on sale and various sponsorship packages are still available. They are:
$20 General Admission per person. Be sure to bring your own seating. Che Grill will be at field side with delicious food, snacks and drinks, and tented seating will be available to enjoy your meal. Field side parking not included.
$250 Signature Tailgate Package: Includes admission for one car and your guests can enjoy a field side view of the game. The Signature Tailgate Package includes a reserved tailgate spot with parking for one car, a 10 x 10 tent and one table with 4 chairs. Bring your own food or buy some delicious food, snacks and drinks from Che Grill, field side.
$500 Grand Champions Tailgate Package: Includes admission for one car and your guests can enjoy a field side view of the game. The Grand Champion Tailgate Package includes a reserved, preferred tailgate spot with parking for one car, a 10 x 10 tent, one table with 4 chairs, a bottle of champagne with an ice bucket with 4 glasses and 4 sport Grand Champions Polo Club hats. Bring your own food or buy some delicious food, snacks and drinks from Che Grill, field side.
VIP Pavilion Tickets: $200 Per Person: Includes one VIP admission ticket to the comfortable Grand Champions Lounge with a field side view of the game. Enjoy specialty cocktails and fabulous bites from Aaron’s Catering of the Palm Beaches, and relax to DJ music.
$1,500 VIP Corporate Sponsor: Includes one table and 8 VIP admission tickets to the comfortable Grand Champions Lounge with a field side view of the game. Enjoy specialty cocktails and fabulous bites from Aaron’s Catering of the Palm Beaches and relax to DJ music.
WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 561-644-5050.
INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro teams Audi and Piaget. Everyone is welcome to watch high and medium goal polo in a relaxed atmosphere during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the International Cup in November, Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament in March, Women’s Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League International Tournament, both in April.
Sharon Robb for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax) pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
Frances Land and Vieanne. Photo (c) Mancini Photos.
Wellington, FL – November 29, 2013 – Nineteen-year-old Frances Land (USA) and Vieanne were the winners in Friday’s $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic at Equestrian Sport Productions’ Holiday & Horses competition in Wellington, FL, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).
Holiday & Horses continues through Sunday, December 1, with the feature $50,000 Holiday & Horses CSI-W 2* Grand Prix on Saturday, November 30, at 5:30 p.m. Competition concludes on Sunday with the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby (12 p.m.) and $10,000 Open Stake 1.40m.
Anthony D’Ambrosio, of Red Hook, NY, is the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC this week. For Friday’s $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic, D’Ambrosio set the course for 38 entries with just four clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. First to go, Frances Land and Vieanne set a blazing fast pace of 35.09 seconds over the short course that could not be topped.
Ireland’s Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane gave it their best effort, but finished second with a time of 35.85 seconds. Karen Polle (USA) and With Wings were third with a clear jump-off round in 40.62 seconds. Last to go, Lauren Tisbo (USA) and Tequestrian Farms’ Darcon Scheefkasteel Z had eight faults in 41.11 seconds to place fourth.
Class winners, Frances Land and Vieanne, have had an incredible year together since pairing up for the first time one week ago last year. Land and the 11-year-old KWPN mare (Andiamo x Voltaire) won the $33,000 Pepsi Challenge 1.45m at Spruce Meadows this summer, topped the $50,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Series Championship Grand Prix in Kentucky in October, and won the $45,000 EMO Grand Prix in Georgia just last week. Friday’s victory adds another great accomplishment to their season.
“She has just been on fire this year,” Land smiled after her win. “She has been the most amazing horse for me.”
First to go in the class and therefore first to jump-off, Land explained that her plan was go out with a bang. “I love going first,” she explained. “It is so easy because you can go in and you do your plan, and you don’t have time to get nervous. I just ride my horse the way she is. I like being first or last in a jump-off, and today, going first worked out really well.”
Although she put down a very fast time, Land was not sure if it would hold up. “Ronan is really fast. He is a brilliant rider and the horse is fast as anything, so I was a little nervous,” she acknowledged. “He almost caught me.”
Vieanne is a mare that takes a particular kind of ride, but Land has formed a fantastic partnership with the horse and knows exactly how to get her best effort in the show ring. “I’ve always ridden horses that are quieter and she has a lot of blood,” Land said. “She is a mare, and she is incredibly feisty. She has so much power and so much scope and really takes you, but wants a lot of leg off the ground. I always have to worry about the back rail of oxers. She will take care of the front rail. I have to constantly think about staying up with her so I don’t get jumped loose, so I can give her enough scope to clear the back rail. That has been so great because she is teaching me how to ride a horse with more scope. She has been amazing for my riding. She is teaching me everything.”
Land is currently a sophomore at Emory University in Georgia and will now head back to school. She plans to return to Florida for the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival this winter.
Equestrian Sport Productions’ Holiday & Horses competition will continue through December 1 with a full schedule of exciting competition. For the prize list and more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
Eight-goaler Nic Roldan will be heading Team USA. Photos by Scott Fisher.
Tailgate Space, Tickets Still Available
WELLINGTON, FL – Nov. 28, 2013 — The much-anticipated international match for the coveted USPA International Cup, pitting Team USA against the Chile national team will highlight a full day of polo on Saturday at Grand Champions Polo Club.
The featured six-chukker match, part of a polo doubleheader, begins at 3 p.m.
The opening game, the Legends of Polo at 1 p.m., features some of polo’s greats including Hall of Famer and former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida and brothers Julian and Howard Hipwood in the four-chukker match.
Gates open at 12:30 p.m.
The Chile national team and its contingent arrived on Thanksgiving Day and was scheduled to practice on Friday.
Both teams have strong lineups to challenge for the Cup which has become the biggest fall polo event of Wellington.
The final fall game at Grand Champions Polo Club is expected to be one of the most competitive. It will be Chile’s first appearance on U.S. soil in more than 20 years.
Eight-goaler Nic Roldan, a Cardinal Newman High School graduate from Wellington, heads Team USA.
Roldan will be joined by 7-goaler Jeff Hall, 3-goaler Carlitos Gracida and 1-goaler Marc Ganzi. All four players have extensive international experience.
Roldan and Ganzi are coming off the Westchester Cup in July which Team USA narrowly lost to Great Britain, 12-11 in overtime on British soil.
Hall, 33, one of America’s top-rated players, has competed against Chile for the U.S.
“They are going to be good; they are always good,” Hall said. “We played them once in Santiago and lost by a goal. We were over there and on their horses.”
Chile, former FIP Polo World Champions, won the 2013 BMW International Polo Series on August 25th. It was Chile’s first victory in six tries on South Africa soil in Johannesburg. Chile won, 9-7.
In March 2012, Chile knocked off England, 11-9, in the Alfonso Rozas Ossa international match in Santiago, Chile.
It will be the second time Grand Champions Polo Club will host a major international men’s game in its eight-year history.
The 20-goal men’s championship game is sanctioned by the United States Polo Association and Chile Polo Federation.
The U.S. roster is:
Marc Ganzi, 1 goal: Ranked 49th in the World Polo Tour rankings, Ganzi is one of the world’s top amateur players. The Audi team captain is coming off back-to-back 20-goal tournaments wins in the USPA North American Cup and USPA National 20-Goal Tournaments. He has won nearly every major U.S. polo tournament including the 2009 U.S. Open.
Carlitos Gracida, 3 goals: The son of Hall of Famer and former 10-goaler Carlos Gracida is a rising young star. He is one of the youngest players to qualify for the U.S. Open semifinals at 15, was third in the World Cup in Mexico and is coming off back-to-back 20-goal tournament wins this past fall.
Nic Roldan, 8 goals: The highest ranked American player on Team USA has represented the U.S. in several matches including the Westchester Cup. At age 15, became the youngest player to win the U.S. Open with Escue in 1998. The following year the Cardinal Newman alum was named polo’s Young Player of the Year.
Jeff Hall, 7 goals: Another top American player, Hall has competed in every major tournament in the U.S. including the U.S. Open in 2003 with C-Spear, competed internationally including the Argentine Open and represented the U.S. including a match against Chile in Santiago.
The Chile roster features:
Matias Vial, 6 goals: A former shot putter in track and field, he is one of Chile’s top players and known for his agility and horsemanship. He was a member of the winning national team that knocked off England, 11-9, in the Alfonso Rozas Ossa international match.
Jose Antonio Iturrate, 5: Has been ranked as high as 8 goals. Known as a tactician and astute passer. Is technical director for the Chile selection committee. Was a member of the Chile team that defeated England in 1998.
Juan Sanchez, 5: Was a member of the Chile team that defeated the U.S., 6-5, in the 2011 FIP Polo World Cup. Was featured on ABC’s The Bachelor earlier this year. Named MVP at the NSLM Polo Match in Middleburg, Va. in September.
Max Silva, 4: One of his country’s young up-and-coming players was a member of the winning team in the Alfonso Rozas Ossa international match and played in last year’s World Polo Championships.
Carlos Gracida will be leading the Grand Champions Light Blue Team in the opening Legends game
In the opening Legends game Gracida will be joined by brothers Julian and Howard Hipwood, two of Britain’s top players once rated at 9-goals, and cousin Ruben Gracida on the Grand Champions (Light Blue) team. The team carries a 17-goal rating.
Hector Galindo, Joey Casey, Juan Bollini and Peter Rizzo make up the Grand Champions (Gray) legends team with a total rating of 16 goals.
In last year’s game in front of a sellout crowd, Team USA defeated England, 8.5-6. Roldan was named Most Valuable Player.
Jim Sackett, former news anchor for WPTV NewsChannel 5 who retired after 33 years at Florida’s top-rated television station, will present awards to players in the Legends of Polo match.
Juan Luis Nilo, Consul General of Chile based in Miami, will present the coveted USPA International Cup to the champions and awards to all players from the featured game.
Proceeds from the double header will benefit The Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the development, history and tradition of the sport of polo by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport. It is the only polo museum of its kind in the world.
Grand Champions Boutique will be field side for both games for all your holiday shopping needs.
Tickets are on sale and various sponsorship packages are still available. They are:
$20 General Admission per person. Be sure to bring your own seating. Che Grill will be at field side with delicious food, snacks and drinks, and tented seating will be available to enjoy your meal. Field side parking not included.
$250 Signature Tailgate Package: Includes admission for one car and your guests can enjoy a field side view of the game. The Signature Tailgate Package includes a reserved tailgate spot with parking for one car, a 10 x 10 tent and one table with 4 chairs. Bring your own food or buy some delicious food, snacks and drinks from Che Grill, field side.
$500 Grand Champions Tailgate Package: Includes admission for one car and your guests can enjoy a field side view of the game. The Grand Champion Tailgate Package includes a reserved, preferred tailgate spot with parking for one car, a 10 x 10 tent, one table with 4 chairs, a bottle of champagne with an ice bucket with 4 glasses and 4 sport Grand Champions Polo Club hats. Bring your own food or buy some delicious food, snacks and drinks from Che Grill, field side.
VIP Pavilion Tickets: $200 Per Person: Includes one VIP admission ticket to the comfortable Grand Champions Lounge with a field side view of the game. Enjoy specialty cocktails and fabulous bites from Aaron’s Catering of the Palm Beaches, and relax to DJ music.
$1,500 VIP Corporate Sponsor: Includes one table and 8 VIP admission tickets to the comfortable Grand Champions Lounge with a field side view of the game. Enjoy specialty cocktails and fabulous bites from Aaron’s Catering of the Palm Beaches and relax to DJ music.
WHERE: 13444 Southfields Road, on the corner of South Shore Boulevard and Lake Worth Road, Wellington, 561-644-5050.
INFORMATION: There are great field side views for tournament action at the home base of pro teams Audi and Piaget. Everyone is welcome to watch high and medium goal polo in a relaxed atmosphere during the spring and fall tournament season and other special events including the International Cup in November, Buzz Welker Memorial Junior Tournament in March, Women’s Championship Tournament and Gay Polo League International Tournament, both in April.
Sharon Robb for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax) pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
Susan Treabess and Kamiakin. Photos by Lindsay McCall.
Winters, CA – November 27, 2013 – The terms camaraderie, team, collaboration, and community were continuously noted throughout the 2013 U.S. National Para-Dressage Training Symposium West Coast. Scheduled November 20-23, 2013, trainers, riders, and auditors had an opportunity to dive into the world of para-equestrian dressage, build upon fundamentals, develop themselves and their horses, and move to the next level. Between the “Train the Trainer” session and the “Rider Symposium” attendees were educated within the classroom and interactive demonstrations. Equestrians rode their own or borrowed first-class horses in individual and collaborative coaching sessions with gold medal para-dressage coach from Great Britain, Clive Milkins, and high-performance U.S. Grand Prix rider Dennis Callin, who is currently competing in Europe. Educational instructors besides Milkins and Callin included David Schmutz, FEI 4* Para-Equestrian Judge and USEF ‘S’ Dressage Judge; Gil Merrick, Former High-Performance Dressage Director; Hope Hand, Paralympian and United States Para-Equestrian Association (USPEA) President; Mike Tomlinson, DVM, MBA, FEI 5* Veterinarian; Tina Wentz, Physical Therapist and Para-Equestrian Classifier; Joann Benjamin, Physical Therapist and Para-Equestrian Classifier; and Lindsay McCall, who is the Public Relations Manager for the USPEA and other equestrian clientele. The 2013 Para-Dressage Symposium took place at Somerset Farm in Winters, CA. The four-day event was organized by Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports (the education partner of the USPEA) and sponsored by the USPEA and United States Equestrian Federation.
FEI Para-Dressage equestrian Susan Treabess, who was also a 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games rider, took part in the rider symposium with her own Kamiakin. He is a 2005 PRE Stallion, owned by Susan Treabess in partnership with Katie and Scott Hill of the Netherlands. Treabess commented, “This event was inspirational. As a rider I really felt the camaraderie, the sense of community and the feeling that we are all in this together. All of the trainers that accompanied their riders felt welcome and there was a lot of back and forth between clinician and trainer. It was truly about the riders. In addition, the coach collaboration sessions were exactly what we needed for our U.S. athletes. It was great to have a top-shelf grand prix rider who is competing in Europe (Dennis Callin) and a top-shelf British para-dressage coach (Clive Milkins) training gold medal riders, working together with all of the different grades. There were riders that want to be Paralympians in 10 years and there were riders trying for the World Equestrian Games in 2014. The collaboration between the two was a balance that I could not have imagined. It’s really inspiring! Some of the borrowed horse owners were watching their horses during the symposium and they were blown away with what was being done. If something like this was available when I started six years ago, I would have had a very different impression about para-dressage. When I began this sport, I had to learn all of the information provided over the week on my own. This was like law school in four days for para-dressage riders. We are fast tracking people but providing them the tools they need to succeed in the correct environment.”
For 22-year-old Ashleigh Flores-Simmons of Elk Grove, CA the symposium was beneficial for her and her mount Verite, owned by Dana Williams. Flores-Simmons explained, “Clive and Dennis were great to ride with. Each sees things that the other one may or may not have seen. This was beneficial because I got great feedback on my riding. With Clive we worked on getting the quality to come out of our gaits. We even worked on simple things like my breathing while I was riding. It was really cool because it doesn’t occur to you as a rider to use your breath as a tool but it works. Clive is very knowledgeable and it was nice to have someone like that around to pick his brain. I really enjoyed working with him.”
She continued, “Dennis was good because he pushes me and my horse to see how much we can do. Each coach had really valuable things to take away. I am excited for the future and thankful to Dennis, Verite’s owner Dana Williams and Susan (Treabess). I couldn’t have done this clinic without each person. Having someone like Susan there to support and help me is phenomenal. Dana is also supportive and so wiling to give up her horse for me to ride. She is there with me one-hundred percent.”
Flores-Simmons is aiming to qualify for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France. Her long-term goal is to represent the U.S.A. at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.
A new para-dressage equestrian that is on a fast track to a hopeful qualification for the 2014 World Equestrian Games is 26-year-old Cambry Kaylor of Lehi, Utah. Kaylor rode Martinelli, owned by Julie Young, during the symposium due to her horse being unavailable that same week. Kaylor noted, “I was hesitant and nervous coming out, especially since my own horse couldn’t come out. After meeting everyone and being at the clinic I felt completely different; I am really happy I attended and I have learned so much. Everyone was welcoming and the symposium felt like it built camaraderie between athletes. That camaraderie will make the competitive edge within the U.S. better, elevating the U.S. Para-Dressage Team.”
Paralyzed 8 years ago, Kaylor, a past top vaulter, is enjoying the high-performance para-dressage journey. Kaylor came to the symposium wanting to attain tools to take back to her trainer David MacMillan. Kaylor explained, “When you are paralyzed, you have to have trust in your partner. Just by spending that time with Clive, learning the horse’s buttons and what to do to gain the control and trust quickly is crucial.”
Kaylor headed back to Utah after the symposium where she is studying to be an Occupational Therapist at the University of Utah, while working with her brand new international para-dressage horse.
“Thank you to Julie Young, my parents, my trainer, and everybody that put the symposium on,” said Kaylor. “I was not able to attend the one in Maine and I was fortunate to attend this one on the west coast with Dennis and Clive.”
U.S. Grand Prix equestrian Dennis Callin was impressed with the symposium he explained, “I thought this event was a very good idea and a well-executed format. I was not sure about working with Clive and it worked out better than I ever thought it could have. We complement each other really well. I learned from him and hopefully he learned from me. It was easy and fun and we produced a lot of successful moments. The horses were brilliant, the riders learned so much, and we did a lot of hard work without stressing anyone out. It raised the bar for everyone, was educational, and humbling for me. If the able-bodied U.S. Dressage Team does this with Robert Dover, then they will win gold medals.”
Clive Milkins, Great Britain para-dressage gold medal coach, agreed. “I hadn’t realized Dennis was as apprehensive as I was working with a stranger. I am surprised how easily we dovetailed into each other. It could have very easily gone horrible wrong. This was phenomenal and interesting as an auditor, coach, and rider.”
Milkins continued, “With two coaches the riders learned so much and the audience did not get left out. There were times where I could do some work with the rider and Dennis could talk to the audience about his philosophy. We would then swap over and everybody from the outside learned far more than just a lesson. That worked really great.”
Milkins, coach of multiple gold medal para-dressage rider Sophie Christansen, has seen the United States Para-Dressage Team over the past years. He believes, “All though there have been some challenges in the past for the U.S. Team I think they are on the right track. The riders must be the center of what we are doing. The rest of us need to push and help the riders in their achievements.”
Susan Treabess agreed. “We have new riders that are going to be future stars. I am really motivated by what we did at this symposium. It makes me happy to have hosted this event and I feel proud to have given the environment to produce this amazing experience. I think a symposium like this is critical to all riders as long as we can reproduce it again and again.”
During the four-day event riders enjoyed the collaborative coaching sessions between Dennis and Clive. Clive Milkins also gave the riders and auditors important educational lectures. Those sessions included talking about three main riding techniques: rhythm, straightness, and shoulders. Those three points were emphasized throughout the week. Milkins also discussed his five stages of training which takes a rider from a beginning para-dressage rider to a high-performance international athlete.
For Nathan Asby of Portland, Oregon, the symposium was his chance to learn about the discipline of para-dressage and showcase his skills in front of both coaches. Asby rode Luke Skywalker, owned by Gundi Younger, during the experience. “I had a great time riding,” exclaimed Asby. “At first I was a little nervous but as I became more relaxed I could concentrate on my riding. I enjoyed working with Clive on my seat and establishing control. I wish he was my regular trainer at home. I want to thank everyone for putting on this symposium. I really enjoyed it.”
This was Lara Oles’ third para-dressage symposium. “The connections and education you make at these symposiums are amazing,” stated Oles. “You get to talk to other people and find out how they have done things in the past, you learn about compensatory aids, you hear how other people found their horses, and you make new friends. We are a community and when you attend a symposium you know it is about the team. I attend these to improve myself but it is also fun to get validated by people that know the sport.”
Lara Oles received rave reviews about her partner American Quarter Horse Slater (AQHA registered name CD Request). Oles is looking forward to continuing her training with Annie Sweet at home in Utah. She is also hoping to qualify for the 2014 World Equestrian Games.
For beginning para-equestrian Emily Sheffield of Utah, the symposium was a chance to jump-start herself as an amateur rider. “I have enjoyed the experience and I have learned a lot about how my riding,” noted Sheffield. “I have learned how to move forward in my riding and the next stepping stone on that path. I enjoyed riding with both coaches and liked their various styles. I thought each had different personalities and unique ways of training, and I loved that. I also enjoyed riding Seth, owned by Jan Oakes. I wanted to thank her for allowing me to ride her adorable yet experienced horse.”
“I also want to thank the owner of George, who is Debbie Ross,” added rider Pam Hardin of Evans, Georgia. “George was an excellent ride and I could not have done this clinic without Debbie. I was overwhelmed when I first arrived at this symposium and I didn’t know what to expect. I was so blown away by the sport and coaches Clive and Dennis. I look forward to my future within the discipline.”
The 2013 U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Symposium West Coast was hosted by Somerset Farm in Winters, CA. Attributions to “Train the Trainer” included Hanneke Gerritsen 5* ‘O’ Judge 5 * PE technical delegate 3* PE steward.
The event was organized by Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports and Sponsored by USPEA & USEF. For more information about Para-Dressage, please visit www.USPEA.org. Select riders attended the clinic on behalf of the USPEA and the Carlisle Charitable Foundation.
About Carlisle Charitable Foundation:
The mission of the Carlisle Charitable Foundation is to raise scholarships for students with disabilities who participate at Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports. Additionally, the Foundation supports ongoing research, promotion of medical reimbursement, and professional education in the field of equine-assisted therapy.
The Foundation is able to fulfill this mission through donations from individuals, foundations, corporations and the building of its endowment fund. Carlisle Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in Maine. All gifts are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. For more information, please visit www.carlislecharitablefoundation.org.
About Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports:
Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports is a comprehensive organization offering our hallmark equestrian hippotherapy and adaptive programs, new offerings of Para-Equestrian sport, and traditional equestrian training opportunities for educators, practitioners and riders alike. The mission of Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy and Sports is to transform lives through horses through its distinctive services – rehabilitative through recreational – within an inclusive environment that fosters learning, growth and overall well-being. For more information, please visit www.carlisleacademymaine.com, call 207-985-0374, email info@carlisleacademymaine.com, or check us out on Facebook.
The USPEA is a network of riders, judges, national federation board members, and equestrian enthusiasts. The association gives athletes the ability to get involved and expand their knowledge and experience in the Para-Equestrian sport. The USPEA encourages para-athletes to participate in all disciplines under the para-equestrian umbrella.
The USPEA is a recognized affiliate of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) which serves as the National Governing Body for the equestrian sport. This relationship between the USPEA and USEF is to encourage para-equestrian competitors, leisure riders, coaches, fans and enthusiasts to network and get involved with the entire equestrian sport.
Ultimately the goal of the USPEA is to foster growth in the para-equestrian discipline. From growth in the number of participants to growth as a team, and growth in the experience and knowledge of all involved. From local horse shows to international Olympic Games, the USPEA will provide para-equestrians the knowledge of what they need to succeed. The USPEA connects with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the United States Dressage Federation (USDF), and USEF which provides Para-Equestrians the top equestrian resources.
In June 2010, the USPEA earned its 501 (c)(3) status which has encouraged supporters to help supply funding to the Para-Equestrian Team as a recognized affiliate of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF).
For more information about the USPEA, please visit www.USPEA.org or contact USPEA President Hope Hand by e-mail: Wheeler966@aol.com or by phone: (610)356-6481.
Todd Minikus and Quality Girl. Photo (c) Mancini Photos.
Wellington, FL – November 27, 2013 – Equestrian Sport Productions’ (ESP) 2013 Holiday & Horses competition began on Wednesday, November 27, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center with a win for Todd Minikus (USA) and Quality Girl in the $33,000 Nutrena Holiday & Horses Opener.
Holiday & Horses competition will continue through Sunday, December 1. Upcoming highlights include the $33,000 G&C Farm 1.45m FEI class on Friday, November 29; the $50,000 Holiday & Horses CSI 2*-W Grand Prix on Saturday, November 30 (5:30 p.m.); and the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby (12 p.m.) and $10,000 Open Stake 1.40m on Sunday, December 1.
A total of 46 entries showed in Wednesday’s $33,000 Nutrena Holiday & Horses Opener jumping a course set by Anthony D’Ambrosio, of Red Hook, NY. Thirteen competitors were able to clear the first round course without fault, and ten of those were also clear through the short course. The fastest time of 34.23 seconds belonged to Todd Minikus and Quality Girl, a 10-year-old Oldenburg mare by Quidam’s Rubin x Dobrock, for the win.
Finishing second, Ronan McGuigan (IRL) and Capall Zidane stopped the clock in 35.37 seconds. Charlie Jacobs (USA) and CMJ Sporthorse LLC’s Flaming Star finished third in 35.60 seconds. Lauren Hough (USA) and The Ohlala Group’s Ohlala were fourth in 36.52 seconds, and Quentin Judge (USA) guided Double H Farm’s HH Donnatella to fifth place honors in 37.18 seconds.
“It was a blistering fast jump-off and it kept getting faster and faster, which is always fun,” Minikus detailed. “I’m not a big planner for the jump-offs; I kind of wing it, but I think the two rollbacks were the trick today. I got lucky that it came up where I could just keep continuing, so that was probably where I made the time.”
Quality Girl showed throughout the indoor horse show circuit this fall and had some rest before competing in Wednesday’s class. Minikus thought she felt fresh and ready to go coming back outdoors.
“She had a couple of weeks off and it didn’t hurt her any,” the rider noted. “It seemed like she stayed right in form from the National in Kentucky. She had a couple of funny classes in Harrisburg and Washington D.C., but in Kentucky she really was on the game, and then she was awesome today.”
“Transitioning back outdoors seemed to be no problem,” Minikus added. “She really went nice in the first round. She always goes well in the jump-off for some reason, but the first round she really jumped fresh, so that was good. She is sometimes quieter in the jump-off. The first round settles her a little bit and just knocks the edge off of her.”
There was an impressive group of horses and riders in Wednesday’s class to kick off the winter competition as the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival quickly approaches. As Minikus pointed out, Wellington draws many of the best in the sport, and the competition is never easy.
“It’s welcome to Wellington,” he laughed. “You might as well get used to it because that’s the way it is. It is always a who’s who. Nothing is ever going to come easy, so even at these pre-season shows, you have to come with your ‘A’ game. That’s just the way it is here in Wellington.”
Equestrian Sport Productions’ Holiday & Horses competition will continue through December 1 with a full schedule of exciting competition. For the prize list and more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
