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Championships, Dressage, FEI, FEI, Para-Equestrian

Dramatic Day of Competition at JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships in Herning

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Germany’s Angelika Trabert steered Ariva Avanti to victory in the Grade II (team competition part 1) with a mark of 71.853% at the JYSK FEI Para-Dressage Championships in Herning (DEN) today. (Photo: Kate Houghton/FEI)

Herning (DEN), 22 August 2013 – It was a dramatic day of team competition at the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships in Herning (DEN) today, with the Grades Ia, II and III riders being put through their paces.

London 2012 triple gold medallist Sophie Christiansen (GBR) and compatriot Anne Dunham dominated the Grade Ia competition. Christiansen and Janeiro 6 claimed the honours on a score of 76.391%, while Dunham, who has won 12 gold and countless silver and bronze medals at World, European and Paralympic level, slotted into second with LJT Lucas Normark with 75.435%. Italy’s Sara Morganti gave a strong performance on Royal Delight to finish third with 74.947%, her best score in an international competition.

Germany’s Angelika Trabert upset the Grade II form book to take the win on Ariva Avanti with a mark of 71.853%. Great Britain’s double London 2012 gold medallist Natasha Baker was second with an excitable Cabral to finish on 69.765%, ahead of Britta Napel (GER) on Aquilina 3, scoring 68.971%.

The form book was also thrown out in the Grade III contest, when Dutch rider Sanne Voets steered Vedet Pb to victory with 70.947% ahead of Germany’s double London 2012 individual and freestyle gold medallist Hannelore Brenner on Women of the World in second place on 69.684%. The French combination of José Letarte and Warina scored 69.185% for third.

The Grade II competition saw plenty of drama, which appeared to stem from the horse of Dutch rider Demi Vermeulen becoming agitated in the warm-up arena and, subsequently, spooking a number of other horses.

While Vermeulen managed to calm her horse and score a respectable 68.176%, the excitement distracted Denmark’s Caroline Cecille Nielsen and Leon, sadly resulting in the horse stepping out of the arena for elimination.

Natasha Baker explained that the increased tension also affected Cabral: “He started his warm-up really well and then the Dutch horse was spinning and cantered out of the arena and went backwards into the hoardings. That totally set him off and he was on edge and then everything else got on top of him. I got him back in the walk and he was starting to feel good. He took a breath and relaxed a bit and then some people walked into the stands, he spotted them, stuck his head up in the air and that was it.”

Baker remained philosophical, however, and added: “It’s not the rider’s fault; nobody can help that. You’ve got to just shrug it off. The good thing is the team have got three amazing scores, so mine was the last one and we have the individual classes to go so I’ve got a chance to pull it back up.”

Germany’s Trabert, a 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games gold medallist and London 2012 silver and double bronze medallist, said of her day: “I was very pleased with her. She stayed with me. I don’t know if my scores were a little low. I felt like it was a little better than the percentage I got. I will see my score sheet and have a look at that and hope that in two days we’ll do better. I’d like to do better than today and we’ll see where we end up. I can work to be more precise and accurate and I think we can do a little more.”

Speaking after the Grade Ia competition, Sophie Christiansen said: “It wasn’t quite London standard as I was playing it a bit safe in this environment with all the people around. But I’m really pleased with him and it means I can go up a gear at the weekend. I would have liked a bit of a higher score for the team, but you can’t have it all.”

The JYSK FEI European Championships represents a return to international competition for Anne Dunham, who became the first British athlete to win gold at four consecutive Paralympic Games when she took individual followed by team gold at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in Hong Kong. She is here to defend her two individual European titles.

“It’s lovely to be back competing at international level,” she said. “It feels as fresh as ever every time I qualify and come to one of these. It’s a challenge to get here. It’s a challenge when you’re here and I don’t really want to give it up yet.”

The biggest smile of the Grade Ia competition was worn by Italy’s Sara Morganti. “I am very, very happy,” she said. “My horse was cool and calm. I dream of medals, but I am not going to be disappointed if it does not happen.”

After her win in the Grade III competition, The Netherlands’ Sanne Voets said: “When I got on my horse he really felt willing to work. Since we arrived on Sunday he has become more and more fit. On the way up to the arena he felt like ‘come on, we can do it’, so I felt really confident and knew we could do it. I didn’t expect to win the class, especially since Hannelore Brenner is so good and has won so many times before.”

“I am very satisfied with my horse, because it is not easy to ride here,” Hannelore Brenner said. “There is so much outside of the course and the horses have difficulties concentrating. I was nervous and rode the wrong way, which I also did in London. In London I won anyway, but I don’t think I have enough points for that today. This is my third European Championship and the competition has been wonderful. I love Denmark and the Danish people.”

Great Britain end the second day in a strong position in the team competition, but the start of tomorrow’s individual tests could still affect the results.

The Grade Ib stars Pepo Puch (AUT), Great Britain’s Ricky Balshaw and Denmark’s popular Stinna Tange Kaastrup return to the arena for the Grade Ib individual test, followed by a re-match for London 2012’s Grade IV gold and silver medallists, Belgium’s Michele George and Great Britain’s Sophie Wells.

Follow the action: http://european-herning.dk/GB.aspx.

Live results: http://results.scgvisual.com/2013/herning.

Get social:
www.facebook.com/EuropeanChampionships2013
https://twitter.com/EMChampionships
www.facebook.com/the.fei
www.twitter.com/myfei_home

FEI TV: key performances and interviews with medal winners will be available as video-on-demand from the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships on www.feitv.org.

By Rob Howell

Media Contacts:

At Herning:

Britt Carlsen
Press Officer
bc@wiegaarden.dk
+45 96 570 580

At FEI:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

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

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Dressage, USEF

Rebellienne HVH, DG Dancing Queen and Zandor Seize Early Leads

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DG Dancing Queen (Carolynn Bunch Photography)

Wayne, IL – The 2013 Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse Dressage National Championships presented by HorseShow.com kicked off Thursday at the Lamplight Equestrian Center under intermittently stormy skies. The first three of five divisions completed their Qualifying Classes in front of the judging panel comprised of Janet Foy, Bill Warren, and Linda Zang. In the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Four-Year-Old National Championships presented by HorseShow.com Rebellienne, HVH holds the lead following day one. DG Dancing Queen has jumped out to the early lead in the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Five-Year-Old National Championships presented by HorseShow.com. Championship competition came to a conclusion Thursday afternoon with Zandor seizing the pole position in the Markel/USEF Developing Grand Prix Horse Dressage National Championships presented by HorseShow.com.

“At the beginning of this year, I thought we had a really talented and exciting group and I’m really pleased with how they have continued to develop. The quality here is great; I’m honestly blown away. I think you are really seeing horse that will come through the pipeline,” said USEF Young Horse Dressage Coach Scott Hassler. “You saw the same thing in the Developing Grand Prix. A couple of these horses came through the Young Horse Program. I am really excited about this group.”

Four-Year-Old Championship

The day got underway with four-year-old competition beneath grey skies, which opened up following the mid-morning break to soak the second half of the division in a deluge of rain. Despite the inclement weather, all 14 entries put their best efforts forward in the USEF Dressage Test for Four-Year-Old Horses to earn the first 40% of their championship scores.

Brandi Benedict (Lovettsville, VA) and Rebellienne HVH (Rotspon x EM Whitney/Welser) entered the championship arena in some of the worst weather of the morning. However, the pair, which has only been together for two weeks, was undeterred by the pouring rain as it stormed to an overall score of 8.820 and an early lead. High Valley Hanoverians’ Hanoverian mare was rewarded for her impressive trot and walk gaits, scoring 9.5 and 9.0, respectively. They also earned 7.5 for the canter.

The mare also was praised highly for her submission and general impression, being rewarded with scores of 8.9 and 9.2.

Earning second-place honors on Thursday were Amy Miller (Fullerton CA) and her own KWPN gelding Encore (Jazz x Aloha SE/Sir Sinclair). The pair impressed the judging panel as the last entry before the break earning an overall 8.760. They earned 9.0, 8.5, and 8.8 for their trot, walk, and canter.

The gelding demonstrated maturity beyond his four years as he continued to settle after spooking while circling the arena. For his submission and overall impression, he earned 8.5 and 9.0.

Rounding out the top three are Anna Marek (Williston, FL) and AJ Stapleton’s Elain (Sir Oldenburg x Barliane/Santano) with a score of 8.58. The KWPN gelding earned 8.5, 8.5, and 8.6 for his trot, walk, and canter. He was rewarded for his rideability, scoring 8.5 for submission, and earned a mark of 8.8 for his overall impression.

The Four-Year-Old Championship comes to a conclusion on Saturday as entries again perform the USEF Dressage Test for Four-Year-Old Horses to earn the final 60% of their overall championship scores.

Five-Year-Old Championship

Rain welcomed in the afternoon session and the first few entries of the Five-Year-Old Championship before the skies cleared for the remainder of the 2008 foal crop. The field of 13 earned the first 40% of their overall scores in the FEI Five-Year-Old Preliminary Test.

As the last combination in the championship arena, Ashlyn De Groot (Hanford, CA) and DG Bar Ranch’s KWPN mare DG Dancing Queen (Jazz x Princes Lincom/Junior) earned the best score of the division, 9.0, with a polished performance. The talented mare was rewarded for her impressive gaits that demonstrated great swing and athleticism, earning 9.7, 9.0, and 8.6 for the trot, walk, and canter, respectively.

The mare not only showed great potential for the future in her gaits, but also with her rideability and harmonious work, for which she was rewarded an 8.7 on submission. For her quality work Thursday afternoon, DG Dancing Queen earned an overall impression mark of 9.0.

Second place in the Five-Year-Old Qualifying class went to Nadine Burberl (White House Station, NJ) and Michael Davis’ Fashion Design O.L.D. (Faustinus x Forst-Design/De Niro). The Oldenburg gelding was also rewarded for quality gaits, earning scores of 9.7, 9.0, and 8.5 for the trot, walk, and canter.

The gelding earned a Qualifying Class score of 8.94 on Thursday after being rewarded with an 8.5 on submission and 9.0 for overall impression.

Third place went to Silva Martin (Unionville, PA) and Melinda Walton’s Hanoverian gelding Benefactor RRS (Bonheur x Heidekleid/Rubenstein I) with a score of 8.62. For the trot, walk, and canter, he received 9.5, 9.0, and 7.8. Additionally, they earned 8.3 for submission and earned an overall impression score of 8.5.

The Five-Year-Old entries return to the arena on Saturday for the Championship Class and the remaining 60% of their overall scores in the FEI Five-Year-Old Final Test.

Developing Grand Prix

Thursday’s Championship competition came to a close under clear skies with a field of six performing the FEI Intermediaire II Test for the first 40% of the overall score.

Zandor (Carolynn Bunch Photography)
Zandor (Carolynn Bunch Photography)

Heading the field following the first of two days of competition is Laura Wharton-Mero (Woodstock, GA) and her own Zandor (Florencio x Nancy BS/Amulet). The nine-year-old KWPN gelding demonstrated a great amount of presence throughout the test to cruise to a score of 66.974%.

The talented gelding’s test was highlighted by an impressive canter tour including accurate pirouettes and clean changes. A break to the canter at the first trot extension held Zandor from achieving an even higher score.

Second place went to Kathy Priest (Versailles, KY) and her own gelding Wild Dancer (Florett AS x Reality B). The 10-year-old KWPN demonstrated a solid foundation in the Grand Prix movements and a particular aptitude for the one-and-two-time changes to score 65.570%.

Zanzibar (Consul x Juventafee/Farmer) was ridden to third place by Katie Riley (White House Station, NJ) as the final horse down centerline. Michael Davis’ nine-year-old KWPN stallion earned a score of 65.351% on Thursday.

The 2013 Champion will be crowned Saturday as the final 60% of the overall score will be earned in the USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix Test.

By Helen Murray

To learn more about the 2013 Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse Dressage National Championships presented by HorseShow.com, visit: http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsDisciplines/discipline/alldressage/DressageChampionships.aspx.

To see scores from the 2013 Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse Dressage National Championships presented by HorseShow.com, visit: http://www.foxvillage.com/fvdshowresults/(zdt2hk55gccd1aiflg5fmk45)/ClassList.aspx?sh=1484&st=1.

Championships, Competitions, FEI, Show Jumping

Olympic Champions from Great Britain Claim European Team Title in Thrilling Cliff-Hanger

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(L to R): Scott Brash, Will Funnell, Chef d’Equipe Rob Hoekstra, Michael Whitaker and Ben Maher.  Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Herning (DEN), 22 August 2013 – In a thrilling final showdown, the Olympic gold medalllists from Great Britain added the PSI FEI European Team Jumping Championship title to their honours list when pipping the defending champions from Germany in Herning, Denmark tonight. And a gutsy Swedish side battled through to snatch the bronze in a competition that kept spectators on the edges of their seats.

It could hardly have been better scripted, with last-man-in, Britain’s Scott Brash, using up all his luck before finally clinching the result.  He had one fence in hand going into the arena, and when the first element of the triple combination fell he couldn’t even afford a single time penalty if his side was to stay out in front. He joked afterwards that his team-mates had provided him with some leeway by their great performances: “These are fantastic lads to ride with, and they gave me a window of one fence down so I thought I’d make it even more exciting and use it!”

But he managed to leave the rest of the course intact to bring the title back to Britain for the first time in 24 years.

Team-mate, Michael Whitaker, was on that winning side in Rotterdam in 1989 alongside his older brother John, Nick Skelton and the late Joe Turi. “Was it really that long ago?” asked Michael Whitaker when he was reminded of that achievement this evening.

Final Round

There were 13 clear rounds over Frank Rothenberger’s new track, and only the top ten teams went into this final round of the Team competition. There was plenty for them to think about, all the way from the opening triple bar to the final massive oxer.  The bending line from the vertical at two to the oxer at three had to be accurately ridden, and the open water at fence four came up very quickly after a left-handed turn.  There was little time to adjust for the following vertical at five, and even if they made it clear to there, several horse-and-rider combinations made a mistake at the offset vertical at fence six.

Now it was right-handed to the difficult line that included the oxer at seven and triple combination – vertical, oxer, oxer – at eight.  This claimed a large number of victims and had a long two-stride stretch to the third element.  The vertical at night and oxer at ten led on to the double of oxer to vertical at 11 before a long gallop across the middle of the arena to the penultimate wall.  And then it was down the long side and back towards the ingate over the final oxer.

Wheel of Fortune

It was like a wheel of fortune as the competition played itself out, the advantage swinging wildly in one direction and then another.  The real battle was fought between the leading five teams, and with three clear rounds each the fifth-placed Swedes and fourth-placed Germans held their ground.  Sweden’s Jens Fredricsson had a bad day with the normally reliable Lunatic yesterday but he bounced back with a vengeance tonight while those who saw Angelica Augustsson’s elimination on Tuesday and yesterday’s wilder-than-wild ride with the mare Mic Mac du Tillard could hardly believe their superb improvement for a clear round today.  The rider confirmed a change of bit had done the trick, and the difference was more than remarkable.  Henrik von Eckermann and Gotha were one of the many victims of the triple combination so it was Rolf-Goran Bengtsson’s clear with Casall Ask that kept the Swedish side so competitive.

But it looked at one stage as if Germany, lying fourth overnight, might just clinch it.  Carsten-Otto Nagel and Corradina were the only ones to fault as Daniel Deusser (Cornet Amour), Christian Ahlmann (Codex One) and Ludger Beerbaum (Chiara) were all foot-perfect to keep them on their second-day running tally of 12.77.

By now the third-placed French had already fallen by the wayside. Despite clears from Patrice Delaveau (Orient Express HDC) and Roger Yves Bost (Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois) they were obliged to add the four faults collected by Aymeric de Ponnat and Armitages Boy when anchorman Kevin Staut ran into trouble toward the end of the track with Silvana HDC, lowering both the second element of the double at 11 and the final oxer.

And the second-placed Swiss were out of it too, with single mistakes from Pius Schwizer (Picsou de Chene) at the oxer at seven, for Paul Estermann (Castlefield Eclipse) at the oxer at 10 and for Steve Guerdat whose Olympic ride Nino des Buissonnets put a foot in the water.  Janika Sprunger and Palloubet D’Halong were yet again sensational, but their single time fault had to be into account and when they finished with a total of 17.85 the Swiss slotted into fifth behind France in the final analysis.

Hanging in the Balance

It was all hanging in the balance as Scott Brash entered the ring with his Olympic team gold medal winning ride Hello Sanctos.  Michael Whitaker was the only member of the British team to fault today when Viking hit the vertical after the water but Will Funnell galloped to the rescue with a clear that more than made up for his three fences down yesterday with Billy Congo.  As Funnell said tonight it was just the right time for him to produce his best work: “Tomorrow would have been too late, wouldn’t it?” he said with a smile.  With their nearest rivals slipping down the order, and Maher having set them up with yet another pathfinding clear from Cella, Brash had that fence in hand as he set off on his mission, but he admitted afterwards that he was taken aback when he heard the first element of the triple combination hit the dirt.

“I was surprised when he had it (hit the fence) but looking back on it now, I came down on six strides and was a bit off it.  I knew before I started I had to be careful of the time so I wasn’t really worried about the clock,” he explained.  And as he galloped through the finish the crowd roared their approval for the British success.

British Chef d’Equipe, Rob Hoekstra, said afterward, “Obviously I’m delighted; it was 60 years since we won Olympic gold last year.  We’ve been making an effort to win a Championship title for a long time, but the Germans have been fantastic at Championship level. Now we want to be as good as them or to overtake them!  Congratulations to Sweden for making a great comeback today by the way,” he added.

German Chef d’Equipe, Otto Becker, was gracious in defeat. “We could win or be sixth until the end; it was very close; we had to wait to see how it would be.  My team really fought and I’m totally happy with silver.  Congratulations to the English for this win, they deserved it, and to Sweden too.  This was great advertising for showjumping today – everyone enjoyed it!”

Fantastic

Looking back on how things had unfolded, Funnell said, “I had two bad rounds and then jumped clear.  To be part of a gold medal team is fantastic.  I didn’t know it had been such a long time since we won the last one and I hope we won’t leave it so long the next time!”

Ben Maher admitted he had been unsure about the end result.  “I didn’t know if we could hang on today because the other teams came back so strong.  I was glad to give the team a good start.  Scott had us a bit worried having that fence down but he came through when it mattered; he’s a great guy to have on our team,” Maher said.

With Olympic and now European team gold already ticked off his wish-list, Brash joked tonight that when it comes to medals he’s a bit spoiled.  “I’m used to gold, so any other colour wouldn’t be as good now!”

Maher goes into Saturday’s Top-25 Individual Final still at the top of the leaderboard but with only the smallest advantage. When asked what he thought of his chances, he replied, “European Championships in my eyes are more difficult to win than Olympics because every round counts.  But Cella is an unbelievable horse to ride; she has her own style and she’s wonderful.  There’s still a long way to go and a lot of riders close together, but if I have two more clear rounds that will be enough….”

Result after Second Competition – First round of Team Final and second Individual – here.

Facts and Figures:

10 teams qualified for today’s deciding round of the PSI FEI European Jumping Championship in Herning, Denmark.

Great Britain took gold ahead of Germany in silver and Sweden in bronze medal position.

It is 24 years since Great Britain last won European Jumping team gold at Rotterdam, Netherlands in 1989.

Michael Whitaker was also on that team 24 years ago along with his brother John, Nick Skelton and Joe Turi.

13 horse-and-rider combinations jumped clear today.

There was one elimination: Italy’s Piergiorgio Bucci and Casallo Z for two refusals.

Britain’s Ben Maher remains in the lead going into Saturday’s Top-25 Individual Final with Roger Yves Bost from France now lying second ahead of defending European individual champion Rolf-Goran Bengtsson from Sweden in third, Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Ludger Beerbaum in fourth and fifth and Olympic individual champion Steve Guerdat from Switzerland in sixth place.

There is less than a fence between the top five riders.

Quotes:

Jens Fredricsson SWE, talking about his much better ride with Lunatic today that helped Sweden to bronze medal position – “Everything that wasn’t there yesterday was there today!”

Angelica Augustsson SWE – “It was a good feeling today.  Yesterday she ran, but today she was better and sharper – she was really great.  Yesterday and today we just gave our everything!”

Michael Whitaker GBR, after returning a five-fault result tonight – “I think he (Viking) was a bit shocked by the light – it was not really dark or light it was somewhere in between.  He was not as certain today, but he settled down.  I am disappointed but not with the horse; he jumped well.  It was a big course.”

Swedish team manager Sylve Soderstrand – “We are very happy to be so close and it doesn’t happen so often.  Rolf (Goran-Bengtsson) did very well at the last European Championship, but this year it has been good for all our riders.”

Angelica Augustsson SWE – “We tried a different bit today; we got it this morning from Henk Nooren.  I was really happy with the result and really happy with the horse.”

Michael Whitaker GBR – “Coming here I thought we could get a medal but I didn’t think it would be a gold one! You have to have horses on form at the right time.  Viking used to be difficult but he’s getting much more consistent; I was very pleased with him here. Will really pulled it out when we really needed it today.”

For further information on the ECCO FEI European Championships 2013, go to website: http://european-herning.dk/GB.aspx.

FEI Online Press kits

Extensive information on the P.S.I. FEI European Jumping Championships, Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championships and JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships, can be found in the FEI’s Online Press Kit Zone: www.feipresskits.org. Each press kit includes an event preview, athlete biographies, competition timetable, Championships history and key contact details.

FEI TV

The P.S.I. FEI European Jumping Championships and Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championships will be live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official online video platform, starting on 20 August at 16.45 local time – see the complete live schedule here: www.feitv.org/live. Key performances and interviews with medal winners will be available as video-on-demand from the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Herning:

Britt Carlsen
Press Officer
bc@wiegaarden.dk
+45 96 570 580

At FEI:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

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

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Jacqueline Steffens Drives Away a Winner at CSI2* Orangeville International

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Jacqueline Steffens guided Wupicor Warwick to victory in the NationWide Auto Warranty ‘Win a Car’ Series Final. Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photography.

Orangeville, Ontario – Jacqueline Steffens drove away a winner at the CSI2* Orangeville International Show Jumping Tournament held August 14 to 18 in Orangeville, ON. The 19–year-old won both the NationWide Auto Warranty ‘Win a Car’ Series as well as the Martha W. Jolicoeur Illustrated Properties Leading Lady Rider Award. Steffens of Harriston, ON, was awarded a brand new 2013 Kia Rio, hers to keep, after winning the final event in the NationWide Auto Warranty 1.20/1.30m ‘Win a Car’ Series on Sunday, August 18. Steffens competed in all four qualifying events before claiming the car in Sunday’s ‘Winner Take All’ Final aboard Wupicor Warwick. She and the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by her family’s Double C Farm, put in the only double-clear performance over the tracks set by two-time Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela to take the top prize.

“It was so exciting competing in the Final,” said Steffens, who was the top-placed Canadian at the recent 2013 North American Young Riders’ Championship in Lexington, KY. “Wupicor is just coming back from an injury he suffered last season, and we specifically went to the qualifying events with the purpose of getting into the Final. I didn’t expect to win the car, but I’m sure glad I did!”

She continued, “It’s an amazing Series that allows amateurs to ride for some fantastic prizes, which is really rare.”

Steffens also captured the Martha W. Jolicoeur Illustrated Properties Leading Lady Rider Award after several impressive performances, including a third place finish in the $50,000 CSI2* Zucarlos Grand Prix, presented by Kubota Canada and Stewart’s Equipment, on Sunday, August 18, against a field of top professionals and Olympic veterans. The Leading Lady Rider title was presented to the female rider who earned the most prize money in the Open Jumper divisions at the Orangeville Show Jumping Tournaments, comprised of the Summer Tournament in July and the CSI2* Orangeville International in August.

“It’s a huge honour to be named the Leading Lady Rider,” said Steffens. “I was really shocked that I won against so many top riders. I knew about the award, but hadn’t really considered that I was a contender for it. It didn’t click that I had won until they were presenting me with the award! I had so much success this season in Orangeville. It was such a fantastic series.”

Realtor Martha Jolicoeur of Illustrated Properties, based in Wellington, FL, and specializing in equestrian properties, generously sponsored the award.

“It’s an added bonus for the competitors,” said Jolicoeur, a former top amateur rider whose competitive and hard-working attributes now serve her customers well in the real estate market. “I like sponsoring the Leading Lady Award because it was one of my favourite awards to win when I was competing. It is a fun award, and it gives recognition to the women in our sport.”

While 19-year-old Steffens rode away with two major titles to her credit, 64-year-old Hugh Graham won the week’s highlight event, the $50,000 CSI2* Zucarlos Grand Prix, presented by Kubota Canada & Stewart’s Equipment. The Canadian Olympian battled it out in a seven-horse jump-off, emerging victorious with Distant Star 3E, owned and bred by KingRidge Stables. Rogers Television offers show jumping fans an opportunity to relive the excitement with a two and a half hour broadcast on Sunday, August 25, beginning at 8 p.m.

Colombia’s Roberto Teran took the top two spots in Friday’s $25,000 Hayes Co. Open Welcome riding Woklahoma to victory for the ARK Partners LLC and also finishing second with ADC Chef Z. Karina Aziz of Hamilton, ON, topped a three-horse jump-off riding Iron Horse Farm’s Fleur Rooster van Betz to win Saturday’s $10,000 1.40m Highland Meadows Modified Grand Prix, edging out Ryan Roy of King City, ON, and Jay Hayes of Orangeville, ON.

The champions across all divisions comprising the CSI2* Orangeville International were recognized before the start of Sunday’s Grand Prix in the Iron Horse Farm Parade of Champions. Each champion was presented with a cooler by Equitex, the official cooler of the Orangeville Show Jumping Tournaments.

The Antares Leading Junior/Amateur Rider Awards recognized the top four competitors, whether in jumper or hunter competition, with a $500 Antares gift certificate for the winning rider and $200 each to the second, third and fourth placed competitors. Margaret ‘Muffie’ Guthrie of Guelph, ON, was awarded a $500 gift certificate from Antares as the leading amateur rider while Megan Donati, Ashley McInnis and Karley Hopwood received gift certificates in the amount of $200 each.

Building on the success of its inaugural event at the Orangeville location in 2012, the CSI2* Orangeville International attracted top competitors, including numerous Olympians, to the 84-acre Orangeville Agricultural Society (OAS) Event Center. More than $200,000 in total prize money was awarded over the five-day show jumping tournament, which earned rave reviews for its grass grand prix field, which is not only the largest competition arena in eastern Canada measuring 400’ x 300’, but is also the only grass grand prix field currently in use.

Orangeville resident Terrance Millar, former chef d’equipe of the Canadian Show Jumping Team, noted, “I think it is a great ring with excellent footing. It’s a good size, well-proportioned, has a nice slope, and is deep-rooted grass on a sandy base that drains well. It’s one of the nicest rings in Ontario to hold a show jumping tournament. It’s nice to be able to show your jumpers on grass, and it’s also wonderful to see the hunters showing on grass again; we don’t see that very often. Let’s face it: hunters are supposed to be able to jump on grass!”

The Orangeville Show Jumping Tournaments are produced by Hayes Co., the family run business headed by two-time Olympian Jay Hayes and his wife, Shawn, who Co-Chair the show jumping events. Their three daughters Lauren, Ainsley and Regan all play vital roles in the organization, as does son-in-law Johan Letimonier. After mounting competitions in Sutton, Collingwood, and Ottawa, the Hayes family was proud to celebrate its 29th anniversary at home in Orangeville.

“We had a great week of competition, culminating with a gorgeous weekend featuring top sport,” said Ainsley Hayes, Event Coordinator of Hayes Co. “The OAS is a great facility, perfect for showcasing both hunter and jumper competition. Our staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to make this event possible, from set-up to tear-down, and we are very grateful for their contributions. And we can’t thank our exhibitors enough for their continued support of our events.

“I would also like to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to each and every one of our sponsors,” continued Ainsley Hayes. “We’re very fortunate to have such loyal and generous support from a wide variety of diverse businesses and individuals. Our family of sponsors is ever expanding, and that truly means a lot to our family, our event, and our sport.”

Hayes Co. would like to thank all of the sponsors who make the Orangeville International possible through their generous support: Antarés, Best Western Inn & Suites Orangeville, Blackbird, Casillero del Diablo, Cavalier Transportation Services, Champion Shavings, Dutch Masters, Equestrian Factory Outlet, Equitex, Friends of the Tournaments, Glen Echo Nurseries, Greenhawk, Hearn Veterinary Services, Henry Equestrian Insurance, Highland Meadows, Highlands National Leasing, Horse Sport, Iron Horse Farm, Kubota Canada, Luke Proulx Farrier Services, Martha W. Jolicoeur/Illustrated Properties, McKee-Pownall, Mill Street, NationWide Auto Warranty, Nobleton Feed Mill, Olive Media, Omega Alpha, Orangeville Citizen, Patrón XO Café, Pommies Dry Cider, Premier Marine, Rock Garden Farms, Rogers TV, Sarkis Equine Design, St. Remy, Stewart’s Equipment, Stonewood Construction Management, the Mitton/Lewtas Family, Thompson, Tooze, McLean & Elkin, and Wentworth Stables.

As Jay Hayes said, “Without our sponsors, we couldn’t have sport!”

Hayes Co. was proud to donate a portion of proceeds from the CSI2* Orangeville International to this year’s charity partner, the Headwaters Hospital in Orangeville, ON.

For more information on the Orangeville Show Jumping Tournaments, including full results, please visit www.hayesco.ca, or e-mail info@hayesco.ca.

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Dressage, FEI

Germany Takes Team Gold While Britain’s Dujardin Breaks Yet Another World Record

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(L to R) are team-members Fabienne Lutkemeier, Kristina Sprehe, Helen Langehanenberg and Isabell Werth. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Herning (DEN), 22 August 2013 – Germany claimed team gold for the 22nd time at the Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championship in Herning, Denmark today. In a tense battle, it fell to reigning Reem Acra FEI World Cup Champion, Helen Langehanenberg, to clinch it with her last-to-go ride.  And she did so with cool conviction when steering the brilliant Damon Hill to a score of 84.377 which gave her country a narrow advantage over the silver medallists from The Netherlands while the defending champions from Great Britain had to settle for bronze this time around. Just 1.111 points separated the three medal-winning nations in this super-tight battle of the giants.

Despite the fact that they didn’t repeat their historic 2011 victory, the British had plenty to celebrate along with their well-earned step on the podium, as Olympic double-gold medallist, Charlotte Dujardin, produced a stunning test from Valegro to break the Grand Prix world record once again.  She set the previous record of 84.477 percent at Olympia in London (GBR) last December, but today the 28-year-old rider raised the bar even further when posting a colossal 85.942.

Strong Performances

Germany already had a substantial lead following strong performances from Fabienne Lutkemeier and Isabell Werth yesterday, while Denmark and The Netherlands lay close together in second and third places.

Today’s action kicked off at 08.00 and was fascinating from the outset, Sweden’s Patrik Kittel demonstrating his professionalism with a lovely test from Toy Story when second into the arena.  The 13-year-old gelding’s summer holiday was disrupted last Monday when stable-mate, Watermill Scandic, had to be withdrawn after picking up an injury in Herning.  The call went out for Toy Story as replacement so the big bay horse was loaded into the lorry at Kittel’s base near Munster, Germany and although perhaps a little surprised to find himself trotting up in front of the veterinary panel the following morning, he quickly got down to work and breezed calmly and comfortably to a mark of 73.283 this morning.

Then came Great Britain’s Carl Hester and Uthopia, with much weight on their shoulders.  A disappointing opening effort from Gareth Hughes and DV Stenkjers Nadonna was followed by a commendable 72.264 from Michael Eilberg and Half Moon Delphi yesterday, but it would take two big scores from team-mates Hester and Dujardin to keep British team medal hopes alive as they were in seventh place as this morning’s action got underway.

Uthopia began with his signature flamboyance, and with 9 awarded for their first extended trot things were looking very promising indeed.  But the stallion struggled in piaffe and broke in the two-tempi during a performance of highs and lows, and the London 2012 Olympic Games team gold medallist’s score of 75.334 seemed to have dashed all hope of a team podium placing.

Swept into Lead

Then came Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover who swept into the individual lead with a score 81.763.  The promise this horse has shown in recent months suggested a big result very soon, and the Dutchman’s control and accuracy produced seamless transitions and powerful passage and piaffe, good enough to earn a 9.5 average score at the start of the test.  Putting 81.763 on the board the pair promoted The Netherlands to the top of the team table, and now it was up to the rest to topple them.

Germany’s third-line rider, Kristina Sprehe, wasn’t entirely happy with her test with Desperados FRH.  “He got too hot for me in the arena which gave us some mistakes in the piaffes,” said the talented 26-year-old after posting 75.061 which didn’t alter the standings but was a very solid score.

Britain’s Dujardin arrived into the arena to a hush of expectation.  Was she riding for a good individual score now or could she actually keep her side in the medal race by producing something very special?  It has been a turbulent year for herself and Hester due to uncertainty about the future of both of their horses, but she put all that to the back of her mind as she steered her Olympic partner, Valegro, to a breathtaking performance that included glorious extended trot and fabulous piaffe.  The scores kept soaring and as she posted an amazing 85.942 the knowledgeable spectators gasped with delight. She had broken her own Grand Prix world record and the British were right back in the race.

Something of a Storm

The Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival have been through something of a storm this season.  The great chestnut gelding who clinched gold in both the Grand Prix Special and Freestyle at the 2011 European Championships in Rotterdam (NED) underwent an operation for a heart condition earlier this summer but has made a remarkable recovery, and they did themselves proud today with a score of 80.851 to bolster the Dutch position.  “I was really happy with Parzival.  It’s only a few months ago that he wasn’t so well.  I didn’t expect him to be here because of his heart problem, and he just went in and did it,” she said.

But Langehanenberg and Damon Hill could oust the Dutch from the top of the medal table if they could achieve a score of 83.964 percent or better.  As the elegant partnership set off in the closing stages it was all hanging in the balance, and spectators anxiously watched the score monitors as they executed each movement.  The stallion was elevated and attentive throughout the test that included some magical extended trot, and when 84.377 went up on the board there was a roar of delight.  Germany would take the gold ahead of the Dutch in silver and the British in bronze medal position while the host nation of Denmark would finish just outside the medal placings in fourth.

Nice Shine

Isabell Werth knows a thing or two about winning medals, but today’s golden collection had a particularly nice shine to them. “We came here with the dream of gold but we knew we would have a hard fight.  Helen did such a great job; I think she had the ride of her life until now; it was really fantastic that we can all have the feeling of team gold; it’s something very special and great to share with the younger riders,” she said looking at team-mates Lutkemeier and Sprehe.  “Maybe this was a piece of European Championship history here today, the best we’ve ever had,” said the multi-medalled German veteran who added, “And Germany is back!”

Langehanenberg knew that she had given it her best shot today and was delighted it paid off.  “I just knew I had to ride for a lot of points and that it wouldn’t be easy but we gave everything and tried our very, very best.  Dami (Damon Hill) did a great job to really fight for me,” she said.

German Chef d’Equipe, Klaus Roeser, said, “The Netherlands and Great Britain put us under big pressure but it was amazing sport, absolutely fabulous,” and no-one was arguing with that.

Dutch Chef d’Equipe, Wim Ernes, said, “We tried for gold but the Germans were better today.  We had two riders over 80 percent and I’m very satisfied with my riders, and the team is very happy with the silver medal,” while British team manager, Richard Waygood, congratulated the other teams.  “It was a great competition today and obviously Charlotte was super.  I’m thrilled to bits with our performance,” he pointed out.

Continues to Astound

Dujardin meanwhile continues to astound. “I had a fantastic ride; I went in there and I wanted to enjoy it.  I only did two competitions with Valegro this year and this was a bit like the Olympic Games, coming through the tunnel into the arena, but he feels even better and stronger this year than last year,” she said this afternoon.  She put in a lot of work since her performance in the pilot FEI Nations Cup Dressage series at Hickstead (GBR) a few weeks ago.  “Carl murdered me after that, and told me I needed to sharpen up! I knew today that if I didn’t I’d be murdered again when I came out of the ring, but Valegro is an amazing horse – he gives me more and more confidence every time,” she added.

And when asked if there is a limit to the scores she can achieve with her wonderful horse, she replied with a typically upbeat answer and almost an air of surprise.  “No, there’s no limit; I’m going to keep going – there’s 100 percent out there somewhere and we are going to find it!” she declared with conviction.

Today’s individual leaderboard showed her at the very top followed by Langehanenberg in second, Gal in third, Cornelissen in fourth and Denmark’s Nathalie Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein and Anna Kazprzak in fifth and sixth places. But as the top-30 go through to tomorrow’s Grand Prix Special they all start again on a zero score, so Dujardin has another opportunity to chase that ultimate scoreline.

Result: Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Team Championship – here.

Facts and Figures:

This was Germany’s 22nd victory in the history of the FEI European Dressage Championships.

Their last success was in 2005 at Hagen, Germany.

Just 1.111 points separated the gold, silver and bronze medal winning teams today.

Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro broke the Grand Prix world record they registered at Olympia in London (GBR) last December when scoring 85.942 today.

The top 30 horse-and-rider combinations have qualified for tomorrow’s Grand Prix Special.

Just 15 go through to Sunday’s Freestyle finale at the Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championships 2013.

Quotes:

Denmark’s Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein – “It is very special to ride on home turf but it also puts a lot of pressure on one’s shoulders.  Today Digby was a little tense in the beginning of the test, but I feel that I rode every percent out of him, so we succeeded.  As a team we are satisfied with fourth place but as we had the chance to win a medal we obviously hoped it would happen!”

Edward Gal (NED) – “I am really happy with my ride today.  I felt some tension from my horse in the beginning of the test, but it went really, really well.”

For further information on the ECCO FEI European Championships 2013, go to website: http://european-herning.dk/GB.aspx.

FEI Online Press kits

Extensive information on the P.S.I. FEI European Jumping Championships, Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championships and JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships, can be found in the FEI’s Online Press Kit Zone: www.feipresskits.org. Each press kit includes an event preview, athlete biographies, competition timetable, Championships history and key contact details.

FEI TV

The P.S.I. FEI European Jumping Championships and Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championships will be live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official online video platform, starting on 20 August at 16.45 local time – see the complete live schedule here: www.feitv.org/live. Key performances and interviews with medal winners will be available as video-on-demand from the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Herning:

Britt Carlsen
Press Officer
bc@wiegaarden.dk
+45 96 570 580

At FEI:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

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

HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, USHJA

Nora Jodrey and Cashmere Win USHJA Zone III Junior Equitation Finals

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©ESI Photography. Nora Jodrey and Cashmere jump their way to a USHJA Tad Coffin Zone III Junior Equitation Finals win.

CULPEPER, VA (August 22, 2013) – The USHJA Tad Coffin Zone III Junior Equitation Finals returned to HITS Commonwealth Park in Culpeper, Virginia this weekend and welcomed Nora Jodrey and Mark Bone’s Cashmere to the winner’s circle. Jodrey of Bethesda, Maryland trains with Virginia Edwards at Hidden Hollow Farm and topped a field of 29 competitors over a courses designed by Ken Krome of Westminster, Maryland.

Saturday marked the eighth year HITS Culpeper has hosted the USHJA Tad Coffin Zone III Junior Equitation Finals. Qualified riders traveled from Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia for the popular final and competed in 3’ and 3’6” sections with one overall set of results. Riders competed in an over fences with the top 12 returning on the flat and a final test of the top riders.

After finishing the three phases on top, which included an 86 in the over fences, Jodrey was awarded a Tad Coffin Performance Saddle, as well as a cooler donated by Gary Baker, among other prizes, for her win. “Nora is one of the most dedicated kids I have ever met,” said Edwards. “Whether it’s at the barn or in school, she is not afraid to work hard and today it paid off.”

Krome’s course included 11 obstacles and 13 jumping efforts, including a pair of double combinations at fence four and 11.One of the more technical elements presented by Krome was an option in the first line, which could either be ridden in a direct seven strides or a bending eight strides.

“Nora added the shape and did eight beautifully,” commented Edwards. “The course was great for this type of class. It is hard to design for two heights because it has to be tricky enough, but also safe enough. Ken did a great job.”

Edwards stars the Zone III Junior Equitation Finals on her calendar each year because of its proximity to her farm as well its similarities to the big equitation finals. “This encompasses a lot of the areas that we focus on all year, so I point my riders at it every year,” she said.

Behind Jodrey, Alyson Gurney of Washington D.C. was second in the irons of Heathfield Hunters’ The Golden Compass and scored a pair of custom leather half chaps, donated by Chuck Pinnel’s Custom Leather. Devan Graham of Chevy Chase, Maryland was third with her own Delorian. Graham won a show bridle, donated by Edwards’ Hidden Hollow Farm. Alexandra Gilbertson finished fourth on her own Luxurious and was awarded a leather show halter and lead shank, donated by The Tack Box. Ellie Williams of Woodbine, Maryland capped the top five with Lisa Boettner’s After FX.

For their participation in the annual final, each of the riders who finished in the top ten received a $75 gift certificate to Champion Saddlery, a selection of saddle pads, courtesy of Clifton Saddlery, as well as ribbon sashes and medals, donated by Tom Struzzieri.

All of the qualifiers for the class donned boutonnieres during competition, which were donated by Jonelle Mullen Stern and TuDane Farm. They also received gift bags from Dover Saddlery, as well as embroidered caps from H&R Embroidery. Trainers of the top three competitors were presented with cash awards equaling $300, $200 and $100, respectively. Additional sponsors included USHJA Zone III and Hazel River Farm.

HITS, Inc. • 319 Main Street • Saugerties, NY 12477-1330
845.246.8833 Tel • Media_Info@HitsShows.com • HitsShows.com

Championships, Competitions, Dressage, USEF

Talented Combinations Line Up for 2013 Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse Dressage National Championships

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Michael Bragdell and Hemmingway (PhelpsPhoto.com)

Lexington, KY – The future of U.S. Dressage will be on display this week at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois, as 59 of the most exciting rising stars go to task in the 2013 Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse Dressage National Championships presented by HorseShow.com. National Titles will be up for grabs in four-, five-, and six-year-old divisions as well as at the Prix St. Georges and Grand Prix levels.

The 2013 Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse Dressage National Championships presented by HorseShow.com will be held in conjunction with the Dressage At Lamplight August show, August 22-25. All horses will compete in a Qualifying Class which accounts for 40% of the overall score and a Championship Class which will determine the remaining 60%.

Young Horse Dressage Championships: Four-Year-Old Division

In the Four-Year-Old Division, 14 horse-and-rider combinations will kick off their championship competition with the Qualifying Class on Thursday. In their first class, entries will perform the USEF Dressage Test for Four-Year-Old Horses. They will close out their championship on Saturday and once again ride the USEF Dressage Test for Four-Year-Old Horses.

The combinations occupying the top two spots on the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Ranking List presented by HorseShow.com in the Four-Year-Old Division both head to Lamplight. Amy Miller (Fullerton, CA) has ridden her own KWPN gelding Encore (Jazz x Aloha SE/Sir Sinclair) to an overall average of 8.580. Occupying the second spot on the ranking list is High Valley Hanoverians’ Rebellienne HVH (Rotspon x EM Whitney/Welser). The Hanoverian mare has been piloted by Brandi Benedict (Lovettsville, VA) to an overall average of 8.410.

Young Horse Dressage Championships: Five-Year-Old Division

A field of 13 of the best from the 2008 foal crop line up for the 2013 Five-Year-Old Championship. Competition in this division gets underway on Thursday with the FEI Five-Year-Old Preliminary Test. They will return to the arena on Saturday for the Championship Class and display their talents in the FEI Five-Year-Old Final Test.

Last year’s Four-Year-Old champion, Hemmingway (Hofrat x SPS Alsonara/Archipel), returns to Lamplight and again looks to secure a National Title. Theresa Schnell’s Oldenburg stallion will once again be ridden by Micahel Bragdell (Colora, MD).

Ashlyn DeGroot (Hanford, CA) brings the top two horses from the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Ranking List presented by HorseShow.com in the Five-Year-Old Division. DG Bar Ranch’s KWPN mare Dalina DG (Jazz x Satina/Contango) tops the Ranking List with an overall average of 8.440, while DG Bar Ranch’s KWPN mare DG Dancing Queen (Jazz x Princes Lincom/Junior) ranks in second place on an overall average of 8.140.

Charlotte Jorst and Vitalis (McCool Photography)
Charlotte Jorst and Vitalis (McCool Photography)

Young Horse Dressage Championships: Six-Year-Old Division

Twelve entries will go head-to-head in the Six-Year-Old Championship, which begins Friday with the Qualifying Class and the FEI Six-Year-Old Preliminary Test. Competition will come to a close on Sunday with the FEI Six-Year-Old Final Test.

Headlining the Six-Year-Old Championship are Charlotte Jorst (Reno, NV) and Skagen Holdings’ KWPN stallion Vitalis (Vivaldi x Tolivia/Donnerschwee). The pair has recently returned from Verden, Germany, where they represented the U.S. at the FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses. The pair also head to the Lamplight on top of the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Ranking List presented by HorseShow.com for Six-Year-Olds.

Last year’s Five-Year-Old Reserve Champion, Elfenfeuer (Florencio x Elfensonne/Sion), looks to go one better in 2013. Alice Tarjan (Oldwick, NJ) will ride her own Oldenburg gelding and hopes to showcase his progression over the last 12 months.

Developing Horse Prix St. Georges Championship

A talented group of 14 developing horses have traveled to Lamplight with their sights set on earning National Titles over the weekend. Competition kicks off Friday with all entries performing the FEI Prix St. Georges Test. Championship competition comes to a close on Sunday with the USEF Developing Horse Prix St. Georges Test.

Emily Wagner and Wake Up (Chuck Swan/Swan Studios LLC)
Emily Wagner and Wake Up (Chuck Swan/Swan Studios LLC)

Last year, Emily Wagner (La Cygne, KS) and her own Wake Up (Wagnis x Maiden Montreal/Macho) were the second place finishers in this championship and will look to claim the Championship Title in 2013. The eight-year-old American Warmblood gelding already has a National Title to his name; in 2011 he earned top honors in the Six-Year-Old Championship. The pair currently stands second on the 2013 Markel/USEF National Developing Horse Prix St. Georges Dressage Championship Ranking List presented by HorseShow.com.

The top-ranked combination on the 2013 Markel/USEF National Developing Horse Prix St. Georges Dressage Championship Ranking List presented by HorseShow.com will also head to Lamplight this weekend. Karen Lipp (Ball Ground, GA) has piloted Melody Jackson’s nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding Fortune and Fame (Florencio x Hauptstutbuch Rinette/Bonjour) to an average score of 73.971.

Developing Horse Grand Prix Championship

A small but mighty field of six will vie for National Title honors in the Developing Horse Grand Prix Championship set to begin with the Qualifying Class on Thursday. The Championship comes to a close on Saturday with Championship Class. On Thursday, competitors will complete the FEI Intermediaire II Test and on Saturday combinations perform the USEF Developing Horse Prix St. Georges Test.

The top-ranked combination on the 2013 Markel/USEF National Developing Horse Grand Prix Dressage Championship Ranking List presented by HorseShow.com, Zandor (Florencio x Nancy BS/Amulet) and Laura Wharton (Woodstock, GA), look to showcase his talent over the weekend. Owned and ridden by Wharton, the nine-year-old KWPN gelding has an overall average of 70.657. The pair was eighth in last year’s Prix St. Georges Championship.

The fifth-placed combination on the 2013 Markel/USEF National Developing Horse Grand Prix Dressage Championship Ranking List presented by HorseShow.com also will be in Lamplight over the weekend. Holly Reimers’ 10-year-old Oldenburg stallion Sandomere (Sandro Hit x Romina DE/Ramiro’s Match DE) has earned an average of 66.063 throughout 2013.

To learn more about the 2013 Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse Dressage National Championships presented by HorseShow.com and find entry lists, visit: http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsDisciplines/discipline/alldressage/DressageChampionships.aspx.

*Featured/Spotlights, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Show Jumping

Pablo Barrios Increases Lead in Hagyard Challenge Series Standings

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Pablo Barrios and Zara Leandra finished second in the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show’s $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic. Photo By: Rebecca Walton.

Lexington, KY – August 21, 2013 – Pablo Barrios and his talented mare Zara Leandra have been almost unstable thus far in the 2013 Hagyard Challenge Series. The pair kicked things off by winning the first class in May, and they then garnered wins in both the third and fourth classes of the series. Most recently, Barrios and Zara Leandra finished second in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show, further increasing their lead in the hunt for the $50,000 Hagyard Leading Rider Award.

The Hagyard Challenge Series is a summer-long series of seven show jumping events at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The rider who accumulates the most points in the series will receive a $50,000 Leading Rider Award, presented during the Kentucky National Horse Show in September. The sixth event in the series will be held this week at the KHJA Horse Show, running August 21-25.

While Barrios leads with 980 points, Richie Moloney maintains the second place position with 660 points after placing third aboard Alsvid and sixth with Carrabis Z during the Kentucky Summer Classic. He also earned multiple other placings throughout the five series grand prixs held thus far. Junior rider Wilton Porter moved into the third place finish this week after riding to the blue ribbon with Paloubet. His win this week moves him up to a total of 400 points, edging out previous third place position holder Kent Farrington.

“It’s a nice opportunity for the riders to compete for more money,” said Barrios, who took home the title in 2010. “It’s a good incentive, and I am definitely trying to win this year.”

Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is one of the oldest and largest equine veterinary practices in the world. Founded in 1876, the institute offers a staff with qualifications unparalleled by any single non-university veterinary group in the equine industry, and Hagyard veterinarians have dedicated themselves to the health and wellbeing of the horse for more than 130 years.

The facility at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute offers 13 Digital Radiology systems, 1.5 Tesla Siemens MRI, Nuclear Scintigraphy, a high speed treadmill, an on-site laboratory, an on-site pharmacy, full surgical services, 24-hour emergency services, and Hyperbaric Medicine. The institute has practiced veterinary medicine for more than 133 years and is currently composed of over 60 experienced veterinarians, with 12 board certifications in specialty areas of Medicine, Surgery, Critical Care, and Theriogenology.

Several generous sponsors have helped make this exciting series event happen. These gracious supporters include: title sponsor MWI Veterinary Supply, and presenting sponsor Zoetis, as well as Audi of Lexington, Dean Dorton Allen Ford, Hagyard Flex-tra HA, Johnson Horse Transport, Hallway Feeds, Kirk Horse Insurance LLC, Pike and Preston, and Stoll Keenon Ogden.

For more information on the Kentucky Horse Shows, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

To learn more about the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, please go to www.hagyard.com.

Emily Riden for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

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Championships, Dressage, FEI, FEI, Para-Equestrian

Team Tests Open JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships

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Pepo Puch (AUT) and Fine Feeling S claimed the top spot in Grade Ib at the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships in Herning (DEN) today. Photo: FEI/Kate Houghton.

Herning (DEN), 21 August 2013 – Grade IV and Grade Ib riders took to the arena for the first day of the team competition at the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships in Herning (DEN), today.

Great Britain’s London 2012 Paralympic team gold and double silver medallist Sophie Wells (Grade IV) and Valerius (74.333%) scored the event’s first win, gaining valuable ground in the team standings, with Belgium’s double Paralympic gold medallist Michele George claiming second on Saganne (70.500%).

Austria’s London 2012 individual gold and silver medallist Pepo Puch claimed the top spot in Grade Ib with Fine Feeling S on a mark of 75.400%, while Great Britain’s Ricky Balshaw on LJT Enggaards Solitaire scored a solid second place with 73.240%.

Host nation Denmark also got off to a good start, with its riders taking third place in both grades. Line Kongensgaard slotted in behind the leading pair in Grade IV, steering Loponio to 70.405%, and Stinna Tange Kaastrup and her new ride Steffi Graf finished on 71.240% in Grade Ib.

A new page in the history books of equestrian sport was turned today, with Para-Dressage athletes competing for the first time alongside their Jumping and Dressage counterparts at an FEI European Championship. The honour of being the first rider to compete in an integrated competition on the European stage fell to Ireland’s Rosemary Jean Gaffney, riding Ustero. “My partnership with this horse is only three months old and it is the horse’s second international start and first big test,” she said. “It’s a great honour to be the first rider at the first integrated competition.”

The three best combined scores from the team and individual test (in the five classifications) will decide the team medallists on Saturday, 24 August.

Speaking after her win, Sophie Wells said: “We came here to have our best possible competition and have had a solid start. It took us three days to travel here, so now my horse can rest for the rest of today and tomorrow, and then we can go out fighting (in the individual competition) on Friday. When we got here I just wanted to get on with it and it’s good to get the first day over with.

“We’ve got a really good support team around us and we definitely wouldn’t be here without the support of UK Sport and National Lottery funding.”

For Belgium’s Michele George, the day’s test was a good sign of the developing relationship with her mare Saganne. At just seven years old, Saganne (who Michele describes as being ‘born in my arms’) is relatively young and inexperienced, and so Michele was more than happy with her performance. “She is just beginning, so it is very exciting to see what this brings,” she said. “She’s a new horse and everybody is looking, but I don’t want to feel pressure. She needs to learn and, for me, she is a horse for the future. I don’t want to put pressure on her, but if the medals come I’ll be happy.”

Pepo Puch is the current Grade Ib world number one and Herning is his first major international event since winning gold and silver at London 2012. He said of his performance: “It’s amazing how positive my mare was. It’s not an easy arena as the people are quite close and in the free walk you have no reins and the horse has to be really settled and positive. I would say thank you to my mare: she did a good job. Our horses have to work to compensate for our disability and it is not easy for her to compensate for my bad hand. For me this is the most difficult test. With the music (in the freestyle competition) you get much more rhythm and that is easier, so I am really happy to get this result.”

For Grade Ib runner-up Ricky Balshaw, Herning marks a return to top flight competition since he suffered a severe injury after winning silver in Hong Kong at the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008. “I’m really pleased with the result,” he said, “as it’s the biggest arena my horse has ever seen. It is only our third international test and, for him, it’s a big learning experience. There were some things in the test where I feel I could pick up a few marks but we can fix those.”

Today’s last words go, however, to the two third placed Danish riders. Stinna Tange Kaastrup, it could be argued, is one of the faces of this competition having won individual gold and silver medals at the 2011 European Championships. Her relationship with her horse, Steffi Graf, is less than six months old and this was their first major international competition. “I had a fantastic ride,” she said. “She has developed incredibly fast and really did her best today. Steffi is a pleaser who does her best to make me happy.

“Riding on home ground is great. I can tell that people are with us. It doesn’t feel like pressure, just support. My goal is to have good rides and if it doesn’t pay off in medals I will not be disappointed. I can’t expect medals when I’ve only had my horse for so little time but, of course, I will be happy if they come my way.”

Stinna’s team mate, Line Kongensgaard, made her major international début in Herning and was the first Danish rider to take to the arena in this championship. She said: “I was very nervous, but it went well. I could have had more power but I rode on the safe side. There was a lot of pressure being the first rider of the team, but it is over now so I can relax and focus on the individual competition.”

The team competition continues tomorrow with riders in Grades Ia, II, and III competing. Among them will be Great Britain’s triple Paralympic gold medallist Sophie Christiansen (Grade Ia) and double Paralympic gold medallist Natasha Baker (Grade II). Natasha, who has been unbeaten for the past two years, makes her team debut in Herning.

Follow the action: http://european-herning.dk/GB.aspx.

Live results: http://results.scgvisual.com/2013/herning.

Get social:
www.facebook.com/EuropeanChampionships2013
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FEI TV: key performances and interviews with medal winners will be available as video-on-demand from the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships on www.feitv.org.

By Rob Howell

Media Contacts:

At Herning:

Britt Carlsen
Press Officer
bc@wiegaarden.dk
+45 96 570 580

At FEI:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

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

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

Championships, Competitions, Dressage, FEI

Germany Takes the Lead in Blue Hors Dressage Team Championship, but Eilberg Keeps British Hopes Alive

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Isabell Werth and Don Johnson produced the best individual score on the opening day of the Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championship. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Herning (DEN), 21 August 2013 – Two great tests from multi-medalled veteran, 44-year-old Isabell Werth, and team rookie, 23-year-old Fabienne Lutkemeier, have given Germany the advantage after the first part of the Blue Hors FEI European Team Dressage Championship in Herning, Denmark today.  Going late into the evening, Werth stamped her authority on the leaderboard when posting the highest first-day score of 75.213 with a great performance from Don Johnson.  Lutkemeier’s 73.237 with D’Agostino had previously been the one to beat, so the country that has claimed the European team title on 21 previous occasions is well-positioned as the second tranche of riders take their turn tomorrow (Thursday) morning.

Denmark’s Andreas Helgstrand and Akeem Foldager earned individual third place with a score of 72.720 which, along with the 68.875 registered by team-mate Lone Bang Larsen and Fitou L leaves the host nation in silver medal spot, but with only a fractional advantage of 0.014 percent over The Netherlands, while Sweden and Great Britain fill the next two spots on the leaderboard.

Didn’t Start Well

The day didn’t start well for the defending champions from Great Britain when, second into the arena, Gareth Hughes’ 15-year-old mare DV Stenkjers Nadonna produced a nightmare ride that began with her going into reverse at the first halt.  The pair who got a late call-up when Laura Tomlinson had to withdraw her London 2012 Olympic gold medal winning ride Mistral Hojris, were awarded the lowest score of the day, 60.866, and that really piled the pressure on second-line British team member Michael Eilberg.  Hughes said afterwards, “It was the worst test I did for several years.  She is a beautiful mare who tries her hardest, but today the tension got to her.”

Eilberg really rose to the challenge of keeping British hopes alive however with a lovely test from his handsome grey mare Half Moon Delphi, known at home as Maggie, who put things right back on track with a score of 72.264 to leave them in fourth place to date. Son of well-known dressage trainer Ferdi Eilberg, the 26-year-old only turned his attention to the sport four years ago having previously been a jumping competitor.  And he has quickly demonstrated his innate skills by producing one of the most desirable rising stars of the past few seasons – Woodlander Farouche which claimed the talent-spotting 5-year-old and 6-year-old FEI World Breeding Dressage Championship honours at Verden in Germany in 2011 and 2012.

“I arrived hoping to match my personal best of 73 percent (at Hartpury CDI3* in July) which I suppose is a big ask at your first Championship so I’m happy with my score,” Eilberg said this evening.  Talking about the pressure to perform to his best following his team-mate’s difficulties, he explained, “I went in not knowing how hard to push after Gareth’s test with the risk that my mare could boil over too.  I had to think of the team as it was a big atmosphere in there so rode conservatively to start and as our confidence grew, she began to enjoy it – we both did.  Afterwards, dad didn’t talk to me in German so I knew instantly it wasn’t too bad!  I’m chuffed to bits with how she coped; I really love that mare and I can be braver with her next time.  Now Carl and Charlotte have got to fly!” he added.

Repeat the Triumph

The question now is whether London 2012 double-gold medallists Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro and her trainer and mentor Carl Hester and Uthopia who were also on that historic golden team in Greenwich Park 12 months ago can build on Eilberg’s effort in an attempt to repeat the British team triumph enjoyed at the last FEI European Dressage Championships in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, two years ago and, of course, Olympic glory.

There is much more action to take place tomorrow however, and although Germany is in the driving seat there are so many sparkling partnerships yet to take their turn including defending individual double-champions Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival and Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover from The Netherlands that it still looks wide open.  Werth and Lutkemeier will be hoping that Kristina Sprehe (Desperados FRH) and reigning Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage champions Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill can build on their achievements today.

Most Impressed

Werth was most impressed with Lutkemeier’s performance.  “She had a super ride,” Werth said. “The German team had already decided that attack was our best policy and Fabienne did a wonderful job today,” she pointed out.

She was delighted with her own result too.  “I’m very happy.  I started conservatively with the first piaffe because he (Don Johnson) was not enough in front of the aids, but I could ride the test more today and he was really listening to me and responded quickly. I was extremely satisfied with the complete canter tour and I had a super feeling in the last extended trot.  I was also very pleased with the last piaffe and the light-footed passage to the halt,” she explained.

Ireland’s Roland Tong and Pompidou get the action underway tomorrow morning and with Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and Toy Story, Britain’s Hester and Uthopia and Gal with Glock’s Undercover all taking their turn within the first 30 minutes of action it’s going to be a thriller from the start. However the lead is likely to be altered many times before the 2013 Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Team champions are crowned in the early afternoon.

Result: Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championship Part 1 – here: http://results.scgvisual.com/2013/herning/.

Facts and Figures:

14 teams – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland.

Norway fields a team of three while the remaining nations have sent four-member team.

The best three scores of each team count towards the final result.

Total of 65 horse-and-rider combinations from 19 countries.

British team are defending champions.

The inaugural FEI European Dressage Championship was staged at Bernstorff Castle in the Danish capital city of Copenhagen in 1963 when 16 riders from 8 nations participated and Switzerland’s Henri Chammartin took the Individual title riding Wolfdietrich.  There was no team competition.

Today’s Grand Prix was the first part of the Team competition which continues tomorrow at 08.00.

After the first two riders from each team competed today, Germany holds the lead with Isabell Werth and Don Johnson at the top of the individual standings on a score of 75.213 and Fabienne Lutkemeier in second position with D’Agostino on a mark of 72.237.

Germany has won the FEI European Dressage team title 21 times.

Quotes:

26-year-old Danielle Heijkoop, NED who steered Kingsley Siro into seventh place with a mark of 70.228: “Anky (van Grunsven, her trainer) was very pleased.  The only mistakes were in the zig-zag and that she did 17 tempis instead of 15.”

Fabienne Lutkemeier, GER – “I was very happy with my ride and my horse despite a small mistake.  The arena is very acoustic, but really nice to ride in.”

Hans Peter Minderhoud, NED who slotted into fifth place with Glock’s Romanov: “I am satisfied although my ride was not flawless.  He changed the canter just before a pirouette, but, well it can happen.”

Denmark’s Andreas Helgstrand: “I am a bit disappointed because my training up to the Europeans had been going so well, and then today we made so many mistakes, but horses are living animals, so you never know.  My warm-up today did not really go according to plan, and Akeem was just more tense than I expected.”

For further information on the ECCO FEI European Championships 2013, go to website: http://european-herning.dk/GB.aspx.

FEI Online Press kits

Extensive information on the P.S.I. FEI European Jumping Championships, Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championships and JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships, can be found in the FEI’s Online Press Kit Zone: www.feipresskits.org. Each press kit includes an event preview, athlete biographies, competition timetable, Championships history and key contact details.

FEI TV

The P.S.I. FEI European Jumping Championships and Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championships will be live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official online video platform, starting on 20 August at 16.45 local time – see the complete live schedule here: www.feitv.org/live. Key performances and interviews with medal winners will be available as video-on-demand from the JYSK FEI European Para-Dressage Championships.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Herning:

Britt Carlsen
Press Officer
bc@wiegaarden.dk
+45 96 570 580

At FEI:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

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