Tag Archives: FEI Classics

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Can Germany Keep Luhmühlen Crown at Home?

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Andrew Nicholson and Qwanza. (Eventing Photo/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 16 June 2016 – The good news for competitors at Luhmühlen CCI4* presented by DHL, penultimate leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, is that Michael Jung (GER) can’t win it: the runaway series leader, winner of Kentucky and Badminton, does not have a ride at his country’s premier event.

However, this doesn’t mean that it won’t be a German victory; although many leading riders, including last year’s winner Ingrid Klimke (GER) are running their Olympic prospects in the CIC3*, previous winners Andreas Dibowski and Bettina Hoy plus younger riders Julia Krajewski, Claas Romeike and Kai Rüder are flying the flag for the hosts.

A New Zealand win is also well on the cards, with former winners Andrew Nicholson (2013) and Tim Price (2014) returning to the scene of previous successes.

Price, who could rocket up the FEI Classics™ rankings from current 10th place, rides the experienced Ringwood Sky Boy, a runner-up at Badminton in 2014.

Nicholson, clearly back to his best form after a serious fall last year, comes here on the back of a brilliant CCI3* win at Bramham (GBR) at the weekend. The 54-year-old rides the bright chestnut Perfect Stranger, whose support team can’t be missed in their orange clothing, and the lovely Spanish-bred mare Qwanza.

Australia is represented by Andrew Hoy on the veteran Rutherglen, Emma Dougall (Belcam Bear) and Bill Levett (Alexander NJ and Improvise).

Hoy, a triple Olympic gold medalist, says Luhmühlen is one of his favourite events. “Julia [Otto, Director] does a great job, the organisation is excellent and I love Mark Phillips’s courses here.”

Oliver Townend heads the British contingent, with the New Zealand Thoroughbred Black Tie, which he retired near the end of the course at Badminton when going well, and Dromgurrihy Blue, and Joseph Murphy (Sportsfield Othello) the Irish squad.

There are also riders from Italy, Belgium, Sweden and the US and don’t be surprised if we have Luhmühlen’s first French winner: a trio of in-form Frenchmen, Arnaud Boiteau, Maxime Livio and Geoffroy Soullez, all have winning claims.

After 12 years, this is Captain Phillips’ last year as Course-Designer – he will be succeeded in 2017 by the dual Olympic designer Mike Etherington-Smith (GBR).

The track will go in the same direction as last year, but riders shouldn’t be complacent. “Last year’s course went well and if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” he said. “The questions are still very different, though. The first three fences are the same, after that it’s all new.

“I think the course is very fair to the horses. As ever it’s a true CCI4* test and the riders have to concentrate all the way round. I don’t think there will be one influential fence but a number of significant questions spread evenly throughout the course. Again, we have used frangible devices in every place possible but the most important safety aspect is the riders’ respect for the jumps. It’s a question of the balance between forgiving fences for the horses and questions that are taken seriously by riders.”

The action starts Thursday, with the first horse in the Dressage arena at 1400 local time. Follow the competition with live coverage on FEI TV (www.feitv.org) and live results on www.luhmuehlen.de.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics #Eventing

See FEI Classics™ hub: www.fei.org/fei/events/fei-classics.

By Kate Green

Luhmühlen CCI4* Media Contact:

Dr. Friederike Stüvel-Huck
media@luhmuehlen.de
+49 (0) 171 5382900

FEI Media Contacts:

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

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Show Jumping

Michael Jung Rides into History at Badminton

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Michael Jung (GER), riding La Biosthetique Sam FBW (Sebastian Oakley/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), May 8, 2016 – There were happy scenes at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, as a sell-out crowd watched the phenomenal Michael Jung (GER) La Biosthetique Sam FBW make history.

He is the first German to win the 67-year-old event and, in the process, has become only the second winner of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.

The top four riders after Cross Country all went clear in a tense final Jumping phase, but Jung was the clear winner by a huge nine-penalty margin, and his final score of 34.4 was the lowest in Badminton history.

When asked the secret of his success, the Olympic champion and world number one said simply: “I just like riding horses. It’s not only my job; it’s my hobby.”

And when asked if he felt like shedding a tear, he smiled and said: “I think I might. Sam is more than just a good horse to me; we’re a special partnership.”

He added: “I need a bit of time for this to sink in, but it is a special moment for me, especially when you think of the history and tradition of Badminton and all the great riders who have won it before.

“We [my family] agreed that we would treat this as a normal competition but now I can realise what it means. It’s not just for me; it’s a win for my whole team.”

Jung’s extraordinary run of success began with victory at Burghley (GBR) last September on his parents Joachim and Brigitte’s La Biosthetique Sam FBW, followed by the European title a week later on FischerTakinou, his potential ride at the Rio Olympic Games, and, last weekend, a repeat win at Kentucky with FischerRocana FST.

Andreas Ostholt (GER) scored a career best in second place on the 13-year-old Westphalian gelding So Is Et and said: “It’s like a win for me. My only expectation after two unlucky times at Badminton was to finish in a good way, so this is much more than I could have wished for.”

Gemma Tattersall (GBR) thrilled the home crowd in third place on the fabulous Cross Country horse Arctic Soul and looks to have a good chance of securing a place on the British team at the Olympics.

“I’ve had such a journey with this horse, managing to keep him when he was going to be sold, so this is a dream come true,” she said.

“What a fantastic horse – he was still racing over fences when he was six years old. He has been in the form of his life this spring and I knew it was just a case of us competing at the top of our game. He did a personal best in the dressage and he’s finished on that score, so I could not be more proud of him.”

The New Zealanders showed what a force they will be in Rio. The legendary Sir Mark Todd was a popular fourth on Leonidas ll and Badminton first-timer Clarke Johnstone’s journey from New Zealand paid off with fifth place on Balmoral Sensation – he is now second, behind Jung, in the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016.

Jock Paget was sixth on Clifton Lush, Jonelle Price 10th on Classic Moet and Blyth Tait, riding at his first Badminton for 13 years, 13th with a double clear on Bear Necessity V.

The British selectors also have interesting choices to make. Kristina Cook (GBR), a medalist in Beijing and London, has three horses qualified for Rio and, although Star Witness, on which she finished eventual seventh at Badminton, is considered the weakest in the Dressage phase, he rose 35 places as the fastest horse across country and jumped a double clear.

Izzy Taylor, a great-niece of the 1962 Badminton winner Anneli Drummond-Hay, could also be going to her first Olympics after finishing ninth on the CCI4* first-timer Allercombe Ellie, the highest-placed mare.

The French, who had such a good day on the Cross Country, fared less well in the Jumping. Astier Nicolas (Quickly du Buguet), Gwendolen Fer (Romantic Love) and Jean Teulere (Matelot du Grand Val) each hit two fences to drop to 14th, 16th and 17th places, respectively.

Worryingly for everyone, Michael Jung joked that he was not ready to retire Sam yet. “He was like a three-year-old this morning and I like to think that Tokyo (the 2020 Olympics) might be his retirement event!”

About the winner

Michael Jung (GER), 33, is the first rider in history to hold Olympic, World and European titles simultaneously and was the first to win four championship titles consecutively. He came to prominence in 2009, when he won the Luhmühlen CCI4*, the FEI World Cup™ Eventing final in Strzegom (POL) and an individual European bronze medal in Fontainebleau (FRA), all on La Biosthetique Sam FBW.

The pair went on to win the world title in Kentucky (USA) in 2010, double European gold in Luhmühlen in 2011 and double Olympic gold in London (GBR) in 2012. In 2013, they were second at Badminton CCI4*; last year they finished third at Kentucky (USA) and now they have added the Burghley and Badminton CCI4* titles to their collection. Jung has also won Kentucky twice in succession on FischerRocana FST.

Jung has equaled Ginny Elliot’s (GBR) record of three European titles on three different horses: in 2011 on La Biosthetique Sam FBW, in 2013 on Halunke and in 2015 on FischerTakinou. He also won world team gold and individual silver medals on FischerRocana FST in 2014. He lives in Horb, Germany, where his parents, Joachim and Bridgette, own a riding establishment.

La Biosthetique Sam FBW is a 16-year-old by Stan The Man out of a Heraldik mare. He is owned by the Jung family, Erich Single and DOKR.

Full results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Media Contact:

Julian Seaman
Head of Media
J.Seaman2@sky.com
+44 7831 515736

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Olympic Champion Jung Reigns Supreme at Badminton

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Michael Jung (GER) and La Biosthetique Sam FBW (Sebastian Oakley/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 7 May, 2016 – For the second time in a week, Michael Jung (GER) showed exactly why he is world number one, producing an outstanding display of sympathetic horsemanship to retain his lead after the Cross Country phase at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016.

He has a wonderfully trusting partnership with La Biosthetique Sam FBW and the pair gave a masterclass in bold, accurate jumping and galloping over what was to prove an influential course.

The Olympic champion now has two Jumping fences in hand, not only to win Badminton for the first time, but also the Rolex Grand Slam following victories at Burghley 2015 and Kentucky last weekend.

“Wow,” was the Olympic champion’s initial reaction. “It was an amazing feeling. Sam is so beautiful to ride. I had many options in my head in case I didn’t get a good jump anywhere, but Sam was so powerful and strong and knew what he had to do. I am so proud of him.”

Andreas Ostholt, who is celebrating his first clear Cross Country at Badminton, made it a German one-two at the top of the leaderboard after collecting 5.2 time penalties on So Is Et. “What a lovely pony,” he said elatedly.

“I am not disappointed with my time penalties. I wanted to complete so I went quite steadily to begin with, but the horse was really fresh in the end and I am very happy with my result.”

It was a day of mixed fortunes for British riders, but Gemma Tattersall gave the huge crowd plenty to cheer about with her thrilling performance on the classy thoroughbred Arctic Soul. She has moved up 13 places to third, a career best at CCI4* level, after finishing inside the optimum time of 11 minutes 58 seconds.

“He skips over the fences and is like a racehorse to ride,” said Tattersall, 31, who is hoping to secure her first place on a senior British team.

“I actually laughed after the Vicarage Vee [fence 21, the most influential obstacle] because he was so amazing and then had to remember to concentrate. It’s everyone’s dream to get to an Olympics and I’m going to give it my best shot.”

Sir Mark Todd, a four-time Badminton winner and dual Olympic gold medalist, showed all his experience when surviving a dramatic near unseating from Leonidas ll at the Shogun Hollow (fence 23). The horse twisted over the second curving brush and pitched Todd right out of the saddle, but a combination of long legs and determination got him back in place and the pair galloped on to complete a clear inside the time to move into fourth place.

“It was an amazing ride, but I did have a couple of lives,” admitted Todd, who is aiming for a seventh Olympics. “The horse is so brave and does tend to over-jump, but it shows that he wants to do the job. He travelled very easily.”

His fellow New Zealanders, Jock Paget (Clifton Lush) and Clarke Johnstone (Balmoral Sensation), are in fifth and sixth places ahead of speedy Frenchman Astier Nicolas on the aptly named Quickly du Buguet, seventh. The equally dashing Gwendolen Fer (FRA) is 10th on Romantic Love and, in a good day for the French, the much-respected veteran Jean Teulere, 62, is 12th on Matelot du Grand Val.

Oliver Townend (GBR) retired Black Tie, eighth after Dressage, after a refusal near the end of the course, but he proved an inspired pathfinder on the 17-year-old Armada. The athletic chestnut which looks as if he is just stepping over the fences, made a spectacular sight as he strode towards the finish, and the pair rose 16 places to eighth.

This will be the horse’s last Badminton and Townend said: “I’m so pleased that this is the way people will remember him. We’ll have to find something for him to do though. He jumps out of his field when he’s bored and he’s not much fun as a hack!”

Izzy Taylor (GBR) was the first of 13 riders to fault at the Vicarage Vee (fence 21), a historic bogey fence at Badminton, and retired KBIS Briarlands Matilda, but she is in ninth place on CCI4* first-timer Allercombe Ellie with six time penalties.

Forty-eight of the 75 Cross Country starters finished, with 32 clear rounds, 11 of them inside the optimum time.

The experienced Kristina Cook (GBR) rose 28 places to 14th on Star Witness, a thoroughbred bought as a three-year-old at Doncaster bloodstock sales. They had the fastest time of the day, an impressive 54 seconds under.

“I’m 45 years old and have been riding here for 20, and it still means so much,” said Cook, a triple Olympic medalist. “But this morning I did wonder why, as a middle-aged mother, I wasn’t watching it on television!”

There was a tearful end to Emily King’s Badminton debut when the 20-year-old Dressage runner-up, who was earning praise from the commentators for her dream ride on Brookleigh, had a fall at the penultimate fence, the double of logs at the Rolex Crossing. The horse tried to fit in an extra stride, got too close to the second log and abruptly sat down, tipping off King in the process.

World number two Christopher Burton (AUS), fifth after Dressage, was also going beautifully when he had a fall with Nobilis 18 at the Shogun Hollow.

Dani Evans (GBR), equal sixth after Dressage on Raphael ll, fell at the Vicarage Vee, as did Boyd Martin (Cracker Jack, USA) and New Zealanders Lucy Jackson (Bosun) and Tim Price (Ringwood Sky Boy). Price’s wife fared much better and is now in 11th place on Classic Moet.

At the end of an exciting day, the overnight leader appeared to be keeping a cool head, and wasn’t ruling out a few celebratory beers. “I will treat it like any other day and hope it goes well,” he said.

Don’t miss Sunday’s excitement on www.feitv.org (geo-restrictions may apply for certain territories. Please check on FEITV.org for further details).

Live results and Radio Badminton available on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Media Contact:

Julian Seaman
Head of Media
J.Seaman2@sky.com
+44 7831 515736

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Emily King Challenges Jung at Badminton

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Emily King (GBR) and Brookleigh (Sebastian Oakley/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 6 May, 2016 – Emily King (GBR), the youngest rider at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, produced the performance of the day and is in second place behind first-day leaders Michael Jung (GER) and La Biosthetique Sam FBW at the end of the Dressage phase.

King scored 36.8 in a beautiful test on the 13-year-old Westphalian Brookleigh and is 2.4 penalties behind the Olympic champion, who retains pole position going into Saturday’s Cross Country.

King’s riding was calm and mature and she and the hogged black gelding made an elegant picture. “I feel really proud,” said the 20-year-old.

“Brookleigh can do a good test, but he also has a tendency to get behind the leg or be lively, and it was great that this time he was exactly as good in the arena as he had been in the warm-up.

“I’m excited rather than nervous – at the moment! This will be his longest course but the good ground should suit him.”

King, whose mother, Mary, won Badminton in 1992 and 2000, finished fourth on her CCI4* debut at Pau (FRA) last year. She said: “I’ve been coming to Badminton every year since I was born, and this has always been the most important event to me.”

Andreas Ostholt (GER) and Francis Whittington (GBR), who performed their Dressage tests Thursday, are now in third and fourth places.

As anticipated, Christopher Burton (AUS) and the 11-year-old Nobilis 18, a horse originally produced by Jung, are among the leaders, in fifth place on 40.3. Their test had some lovely moments, with just the odd mistake coming in the half-pass and one flying change.

Although the absence of two of Britain’s best riders, former winners William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Pippa Funnell (GBR), who was injured in a fall last weekend, the younger generation have certainly risen to the occasion.

Dani Evans (Raphael ll) and Izzy Taylor (Allercombe Ellie) are in joint sixth place and Oliver Townend is eighth on the New Zealand Thoroughbred Black Tie, once a winning racehorse on the flat.

Several experienced riders are clustered together on scores in the mid-40s, just a little off the pace of the leaders, and some have expressed disappointment with their performances.

Bettina Hoy (GER), 14th on a score of 44.0 with Designer 10, lost marks for tension and a mistake in a flying change, and Sir Mark Todd (NZL), 17th on 44.8 penalties, reported Leonidas ll to have been “uptight”.

Laura Collett (GBR), 37th on 48.2, looked as if she would challenge the leaders with Grand Manoeuvre before mistakes crept in, and Zara Tindall (GBR), 36th on 48.0, who is chasing Olympic qualification on High Kingdom, said the 15-year-old was “a bit too jolly” after an 18-month absence from major competition.

Beautiful sunny weather has created a relaxed atmosphere at the famous British venue, but the atmosphere is expected to hot up Saturday when riders tackle Giuseppe della Chiesa’s (ITA) challenging Cross Country course. Oliver Townend (GBR) will show the way on one of the world’s most experienced horses, Armada, at 11.30am (local time).

See how this thrilling competition unfolds on www.feitv.org (geo-restrictions may apply for certain territories – please check on FEITV.org for further details).

Live results and Radio Badminton available on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Media Contact:

Julian Seaman
Head of Media
J.Seaman2@sky.com
+44 7831 515736

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI

German Duo Steals Early Lead at Badminton

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Michael Jung (GER) riding La Biosthetique Sam (Sebastian Oakley/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 5 May 2016 – No German rider has won the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, in its 67-year history, but two of them are currently heading the leaderboard after the first day of Dressage and few would bet against this being the year that history is made.

Michael Jung (GER), who flew straight to Badminton after his victory at Kentucky (USA) on Sunday, and La Biosthetique Sam FBW lead Andreas Ostholt (So Is Et), the two German riders earning the only sub-40 marks of the day.

Last to go, Francis Whittington (GBR) gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about when scoring 40.0 penalties on Hasty Imp to slot into third place at this stage.

Jung has become a great favourite in Britain and a packed crowd gave him a warm reception after his test, which was obedient and soft with some expressive canter work. The Ground Jury, President Marilyn Payne (USA), Andrew Bennie (NZL), and Angela Tucker (GBR), gave him nines for his riding.

“It’s the ease of it all that makes him such a pleasure to watch,” explained Olympic Dressage gold medalist Carl Hester, who was commentating.

“Sam was really good,” said Jung of the 16-year-old gelding that has given him Olympic, world and European titles as well as victory at Burghley last year.

“Before today, I felt he was quite nervous and that I hadn’t done enough work with him, but in the end he was very relaxed. I must thank all the people who have been looking after him while I was ‘on holiday’ in Kentucky.”

Ostholt, 38, who has not competed at Badminton for five years, is only 3.8 penalties behind, on a mark of 38.2 on So Is Et, a 13-year-old Westphalian gelding. “I have not scored in the thirties for two years, so it’s a good feeling,” he said.

Ostholt, whose brother Frank was placed at Badminton in 2007, is Head of the Riding Unit at the German Military Sports School at Warendorf.

Whittington said he was “over the moon” but was not going to allow his achievement to go to his head at this early stage of the competition. “I came here with no expectations,” he said.

“The horse has to work hard at this level and I am going to focus on one thing at a time. The main thing is that I need to concentrate [in Saturday’s Cross Country] and ride forward.

“I’ve changed my mindset following a great conversation with Joseph Murphy (IRL) in Ballindenisk recently. It’s cleared my mind and reminded me why I do this – for the fun of it. I’ve been here before [well placed after Dressage] and know it can all change overnight so I’m just going to enjoy the moment.”

Clarke Johnstone (NZL), who has returned to his home country to live, is in fourth place on the 12-year-old grey New Zealand Sport Horse Balmoral Sensation with a mark of 40.8.

Badminton first-timer Jesse Campbell (NZL), lying fifth, had the doubtful privilege of going into the arena after Jung, but he didn’t let that affect his concentration and the 13-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred Kaapachino, a reliable performer in the Dressage phase, produced a good test for 40.8.

“I’m a little on edge,” admitted Campbell, one of the tallest riders on the circuit, who revealed that things got off to a frenetic start when he lost his car keys and had to squeeze into Jock Paget’s suit for the first Horse Inspection.

“Kaapachino’s walk is always on the delicate side and I mucked up the halt, but I have to be pleased. Badminton is the reason you do this sport. I’ve wanted to come here ever since I sat up all night to watch Mark Todd win on Bertie Blunt in 1996.”

Five nations are represented in the top seven, with the 2014 winners Sam Griffiths (AUS) and Paulank Brockagh in sixth place ahead of Ireland’s Sarah Ennis on BLM Diamond Delux in seventh.

Riders have been making early assessments of Giuseppe della Chiesa’s (ITA) Cross Country course, which follows the same anti-clockwise direction as in 2015. It’s the Italian designer’s third year at Badminton and German team trainer Christopher Bartle considers “the pendulum has swung back to 2014,” which was generally considered a tougher course than last time.

He comments: “There is a lot to jump out there and you have to take confidence from fence to fence, but at the same time it is definitely doable.”

Blyth Tait (NZL), currently 17th after scoring 48.5 on Bear Necessity V, is also well placed to offer an interesting perspective on the track, as this is the first time he’s ridden at Badminton for 13 years, having retired from the sport in 2004.

“I feel as if I’ve never been away,” said the former Olympic and world champion. “I’m feeling pretty brave now, but that may have changed by Saturday! The course is strong all the way and I’m not so keen on all the left turns – at Huntsman’s Close, the Gatehouse New Pond, and the Lake, among others – where it would be easy to run out.”

Tait finished runner-up at Badminton three times in the 1990s. “I’d be thrilled with a top 10 finish this week, but I must admit it would be nice to nail this event before I retire… again.”

There are several smart combinations yet to perform their Dressage tests – the penultimate rider Friday, Christopher Burton (AUS) on Nobilis 18, is strongly fancied to challenge Jung – and Carl Hester expressed the opinion that the competition was still wide open for “a mistake-free, expressive test” to take the lead.

See how this thrilling competition unfolds on www.feitv.org (geo-restrictions may apply for certain territories – please check on FEITV.org for further details).

Live results and Radio Badminton will also be available on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Full results: www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Media Contact:

Julian Seaman
Head of Media
J.Seaman2@sky.com
+44 7831 515736

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Eventing/H.T., FEI, FEI

Olympic Hopefuls Head to Badminton

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Sir Mark Todd, 4-time Badminton winner and double Olympic champion, heads to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, with Leonidas II (pictured here together at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014) (Arnd Bronkhorst/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 4 May 2016 – There is always an extra frisson of excitement surrounding the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, in an Olympic year, and 2016 will be no exception as the historic event has received an exceptionally star-studded entry from 14 nations.

In modern times, Olympic champions Mark Todd (NZL), Matt Ryan (AUS), Blyth Tait (NZL), David O’Connor (USA), Leslie Law (GBR) and Hinrich Romeike (GER), along with many other Olympic medalists had all won, or been highly placed, at the world’s oldest CCI4*. As Event Director Hugh Thomas says, “No rider ever got left off an Olympic team for winning Badminton!”

This year’s field ranges from the experience of 62-year-old former world champion Jean Teulère (FRA), riding Matelot du Val, and 60-year-old Sir Mark Todd (Leonidas ll), bidding for his seventh Olympic appearance at Rio, to first-timers, including Danish amateur rider Hanne Wind Ramsgaard (Vestervangs Arami) who works full-time in the renewable energy business, and 20-year-old Emily King (Brookleigh, GBR), the youngest competitor entered and daughter of six-time Olympian Mary King.

Blyth Tait (Bear Necessity V, NZL) is back at Badminton for the first time in 13 years – he has finished runner-up here three times – and leading American rider Boyd Martin (Cracker Jack) makes his very first visit.

Zara Tindall (GBR), another former world champion and on the bronze medal winning team at London 2012, will be trying to return to the British team for Rio with High Kingdom, which spent last season on the sidelines after sustaining an injury at Kentucky.

She will face strong competition for a team place in Rio from fellow British riders Izzy Taylor, Gemma Tattersall, Nicola Wilson, Laura Collett, Kristina Cook and Oliver Townend, and the home crowd especially will be willing Alice Dunsdon (GBR) to finish on Fernhill Present – if they do so, Dunsdon will be the first rider to complete the world’s six CCI4*s on the same horse.

German superstar Michael Jung – the reigning Olympic champion and current FEI Classics™ 2015/2016 leader – is fresh from his back-to-back victory on FischerRocana in Kentucky last weekend. He will ride his 2015 Burghley winner La Biosthetique Sam, and will be bidding for the elusive Rolex Grand Slam hat-trick.

His compatriots Bettina Hoy (Designer 10), has been going brilliantly on the British circuit this spring and Andreas Ostholt (So Is Et) and Andreas Dibowski (FRH Butts Avedon) also have winning credentials for Badminton.

In many people’s eyes, however, Jung’s fiercest challenge in Badminton looks likely to come from ‘Down Under’ in the shape of New Zealand’s supremely talented ‘first couple’, Tim and Jonelle Price (Ringwood Sky Boy and Classic Moet), or the stylish Christopher Burton (AUS) with Haruzac or Nobilis 18.

A total of 80 horses will be trotted up at the first Horse Inspection this afternoon (4.30pm local time). The action then starts tomorrow when Oliver Townend is first into the Dressage arena at 9.00am (local time).

See how this thrilling competition unfolds on www.feitv.org (outside the UK), with live results and Radio Badminton on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics #Eventing.

See FEI Classics™ hub: www.fei.org/fei/events/fei-classics.

By Kate Green

Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials Media Contact:

Julian Seaman
Head of Media
J.Seaman2@sky.com
+44 7831 515736

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Eventing/H.T., FEI, FEI, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping

Michael Jung Makes History at Kentucky

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Michael Jung (GER) and FischerRocana (Red Bay Group LLC/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 2 May, 2016 – The packed crowds at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA), third leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, roared their approval of Michael Jung’s (GER) back-to-back victory on FischerRocana, realising they were in the presence of greatness.

The world number one has an unbeaten record at America’s premier venue, having won on all his three visits, which includes the world title back in 2010.

“I like this place a lot,” said Jung, smilingly acknowledging the crowd. “The people are very friendly and my horse, Roxie, likes it as well. She is getting better and better. I’m learning all the time from her.”

Richard Jeffrey’s Jumping track proved influential and any hopes of applying pressure on Jung evaporated when he was left with four fences in hand to win. He did use up one, when the 11-year-old mare just clipped the second part of the double, but his winning margin of 13.3 penalties is thought to be the biggest in Kentucky’s CCI4* history.

Lauren Kieffer (USA) will surely have done her Olympic selection chances no harm with second place – a repeat of her 2014 result – on another mare, Veronica. This was a rise of four places thanks to achieving the only clear round, albeit with one time penalty, in the top 14.

Kieffer won the Land Rover Ride of the Day prize as the US rider nearest the optimum Cross Country time on Landmark’s Monte Carlo but a disastrous five rails down dropped that partnership from seventh to 18th.

Phillip Dutton (USA) also plummeted, from second to 13th, with 20 Jumping penalties on Fernhill Fugitive, but he still finished fourth and fifth on Mighty Nice and Fernhill Cubalawn.

Maya Black (USA) enjoyed a career best in third place on the spring-heeled Doesn’t Play Fair.

The scarcity of clear rounds at the top of the leaderboard meant that four faults was good enough to elevate Boyd Martin (USA) from 10th to sixth on Blackfoot Mystery, Sir Mark Todd from 12th to seventh on NZB Campino and Elisa Wallace from 14th to eighth on Simply Priceless.

As attention turns to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials this weekend, Jung has now risen to taken the lead in the FEI Classics™ as well as setting himself up for the Rolex Grand Slam. His great horse La Biosthetique Sam is already en route for the famous English venue.

“My dream is to win Badminton, of course, but we will have to see what happens,” he said. The rest of the world has been warned.

About the winner

Michael Jung (GER), 33, is the first rider in history to hold Olympic, World and European titles simultaneously and the first to win five championship titles consecutively, culminating in the European title at Blair Castle (GBR) last year on FischerTakinou.

He first came to prominence in 2009, when he won the Luhmühlen CCI4*, the FEI World Cup™ Eventing series final in Strzegom (POL) and an individual European bronze medal in Fontainebleau (FRA), all on La Biosthetique Sam.

The pair went on to win the world title in Kentucky (USA) in 2010, double European gold in Luhmühlen in 2011 and double Olympic gold in London (GBR) in 2012.

In 2013, they were second at Badminton CCI4*, last year they finished third at Kentucky (USA) and then added the Burghley CCI4* title to their collection.

Jung won a second European title, at Malmö (SWE) in 2013 on Halunke, and in 2014 finished second at Luhmühlen and won world team gold and individual silver medals on FisherRocana FST, also the winner of Kentucky in 2015.

He lives in Horb, Germany, where his parents, Joachim and Bridgette, own a riding establishment.

FischerRocana FST is an 11-year-old mare by Ituango XX out of a Carismo mare, owned by Joachim and Bridgette Jung.

Full results on www.rk3de.org.

See full standings: www.fei.org/fei/events/fei-classics.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics #Eventing.

See FEI Classics™ hub: www.fei.org/fei/events/fei-classics.

By Kate Green

Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Media Contact:

Marty Baumann
Press Chief
info@classic-communications.com
508-698-6810 x 10

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Kentucky Three-Day

Michael Jung Widens the Gap after Cross Country at Kentucky

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Michael Jung and FischerRocana FST (Red Bay Group LLC/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 30 April 2016 – Michael Jung (GER) and FischerRocana FST were breathtaking to watch across country at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA), third leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, and now hold a commanding lead.

The seemingly unstoppable Olympic and European champion has three Jumping fences in hand over Phillip Dutton (USA), who is in second and third places on Fernhill Fugitive and Mighty Nice.

The world number one gave a masterclass in brave, accurate riding in difficult conditions, as pouring rain and wind made Derek di Grazia’s course a true test of horsemanship.

Jung took the most economic lines and encouraged his gallant mare all the way, finishing the course with a flourish and the most enormous flying leap over the last fence. He was only two seconds over the optimum time of 11 minutes 15 seconds, which was the fastest time of the day.

“When I say ‘Come on, we can do this,’ she trusts me completely. She’s an absolutely great mare,” a visibly thrilled Jung said touchingly. “When you finish a four-star course with a horse that has trusted you like that, it’s a great feeling.”

Jung aside, the leaderboard changed considerably and time proved influential on a track that contained not only big island fences but combinations on continually turning lines and ground that turned from slippery to sticky as the rain poured relentlessly down.

The masterful Dutton, who was first out on course, now has three horses inside the top 10, as Fernhill Cubalawn has risen from 19th to 10th.

Maya Black (USA) put up a great performance on the pony-like Doesn’t Play Fair and has risen from 12th to fourth with one of the fastest rounds of the day. Boyd Martin (USA) is fifth on Shamwari 4 and 10th on Blackfoot Mystery, an inexperienced American Thoroughbred and bred just down the road from Kentucky.

Lauren Kieffer (USA) is in sixth and seventh on Veronica, her 2014 runner-up, and Jaqueline Mars’ home-bred grey gelding Landmark’s Monte Carlo. Buck Davidson (USA) rode a brilliantly determined round on Petite Flower, a horse bred by his father, Bruce, and is in eighth place.

American riders dominate the top of the leaderboard after Sir Mark Todd (NZL) dropped six places to 12th on NZB Campinowith 13.2 time penalties. His compatriot Jock Paget is 15th after a good round on Clifton Signature, while Blyth Tait on Xanthus III had a run-out at 14a, and, disappointingly, Tim Price tipped off Bango at the final combination.

Mention should be made of Daniela Moguel, the first Mexican rider ever to compete at Kentucky; she finished clear on Cecelia with 14.8 time penalties to lay a creditable 24th of the 56 finishers. “I feel amazing!” she said afterwards. “I can’t describe it. My mare was unbelievable. She said: ‘Hold on; I got it!’”

Allison Springer, the runner-up after Dressage on long-time partner Arthur, endured a nerve-racking long wait for her round. She set off at the end of the day amid great expectations, but any chance of her pressing Jung in Sunday’s finale evaporated with a run-out at the flowerbed in the coffin at fence 24c.

Marilyn Little, third after Dressage, also had a bitter disappointment. Somehow, she arrived 53 seconds late into the start box, but this problem became irrelevant when she parted company from RF Demeter on landing over the table fence at 22.

Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp decided to withdraw Fernhill by Night, third after Dressage, because the horse had sustained a minor injury that had required stitches just a few days before the start of the competition.

Boyd Martin summed up a challenging but exciting day: “This is the pinnacle of the sport and it’s not meant to be easy – but I wouldn’t want to do it every weekend!”

Full results: http://rk3de.org/results.

All Jumping action will be on FEI TV (www.feitv.org) and live results on www.rk3de.org.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics #Eventing.

See FEI Classics™ hub: www.fei.org/fei/events/fei-classics.

By Kate Green

Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Media Contact:

Marty Baumann
Press Chief
info@classic-communications.com
508-698-6810 x 10

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Kentucky Three-Day

Michael Jung Leads Dressage at Kentucky

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Dressage leaders Michael Jung (GER) and FischerRocana FST make a superb start to their title defence at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, third leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016 (Red Bay Group, LLC/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 29 April 2016 – Michael Jung (GER) and his wonderful mare FischerRocana FST were in a class of their own at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA), third leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, where their flawless performance has put them at the head of the leaderboard after the Dressage phase.

Last year’s winners have a 5.3 penalty lead over the evergreen American combination of Alison Springer and the 17-year-old Arthur, runners-up in 2012.

“FischerRocana did a wonderful test, very concentrated and nice to ride,” said Jung, the reigning Olympic champion, who has revealed that his first choice for Rio is his 2015 European Champion FischerTakinou.

“I think FischerRocana likes it here. She travelled very well and she likes the stadium. I think it’s a great competition for her. She is a beautiful mare.”

Springer was last of the 71 competitors into the stadium and had a packed home crowd on the edge of their seats. Her big liver-chestnut gelding is always a magnificent sight in this phase yet few riders can match Jung for sheer fluidity and accuracy.

“Arthur was awesome,” said a breathless Springer afterwards. “One walk section and a couple of flying changes perhaps weren’t great, but it’s just emotional to be here after so many years together. I’m blessed. And tomorrow I’m going to have to ride as dynamically as that German!”

Aside from Jung, Sir Mark Todd (NZL) – who is handily placed in equal sixth place (with Hannah-Sue Burnett on Harbour Pilot) on NZB Campino on 43.2 – and Canada’s Jessica Phoenix, 10th on Pavarotti (44.7), make the top of the scoreboard after Dressage a sea of American flags.

Marilyn Little produced a smart test to lie third on RF Demeter on a score of 42.5, ahead of Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp, fourth on Fernhill By Night.

Another Fernhill horse, Fernhill Fugitive, is in fifth with Phillip Dutton, who has three horses in the top 20, with the handsome Mighty Nice in 11th place and Fernhill Cubalawn in 19th. Dutton is dedicating his performance this weekend to Mighty Nice’s late owner Bruce Duchossois, a great supporter of US Eventing, who died recently.

The 12-year-old Irish-bred gelding is now owned by a syndicate who banded together to keep the horse with Dutton.

Dutton’s former pupil Boyd Martin is also three-handed, with Shamwari 4 the best placed in ninth. The horse is also owned by a syndicate, comprising some 20 people. “I love the chaos and they’re all good friends,” said the always affable Martin. “I’m lucky to have the best horses money could buy.”

Jung, Martin and Springer all mentioned that they thought course designer Derek di Grazia’s Cross Country track looked more difficult and twisty than last year and suggested that it would require considerable mental concentration.

Seventy-one horses go forward to the Cross Country phase, with Dutton the first on course, on Fernhill Fugitive, at 10am (local time). With marks so closely bunched – there are 26 riders with sub-50 scores – it promises to be a thrilling day.

All the action will be on FEI TV (www.feitv.org) and live results on www.rk3de.org.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics #Eventing.

See FEI Classics™ hub: www.fei.org/fei/events/fei-classics.

By Kate Green

Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Media Contact:

Marty Baumann
Press Chief
info@classic-communications.com
508-698-6810 x 10

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Kentucky Three-Day

Olympic Champion Jung Bids for Kentucky Double

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Michael Jung (GER) and FischerRocana FST (StockImageServices/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 27 April 2016 – Germany’s Olympic champion Michael Jung returns to the scene of his 2015 triumph, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA), third leg of the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, in an attempt to score back-to-back wins on the same horse, his brilliant mare FischerRocana FST.

If successful, Jung, who also won the world title here in 2010, would be the first rider to achieve this since Kim Severson (USA) on Winsome Adante in 2004 and 2005. Severson herself is entered this time, on the Irish-bred Fernhill Fearless.

Another big story is the return to CCI4* level of Blyth Tait (NZL), whose glittering career included a win at Kentucky on Welton Envoy in 2000. Tait, now 54, had won Olympic gold (in 1996) and two world titles (1990 and 1998) by the time he retired to pursue a career in the Thoroughbred industry back in his native New Zealand in 2004.

But the lure of the sport proved too great, and a few years ago he returned to Britain, where he has been building up his string, finishing 15th at Pau (FRA) CCI4* last year on Bear Necessity V, which is entered for Badminton next week. Tait brings Xanthus lll to Kentucky following their excellent second place at Boekelo (NED) CCI3* in 2015.

Tait’s welcome return to competition came in the wake of his old team mate Sir Mark Todd’s comeback in 2008. Kentucky is one of very few competitions Todd, 60, has not yet won, and he could easily rectify this omission with NZB Campino, his Olympic team bronze medalist at London 2012.

Another New Zealander, Tim Price, has winning credentials. Runner-up last year on Wesko, which has just been withdrawn from Olympic contention due to injury, Price could go close on the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse Bango, 15th at Luhmühlen (GER) 2015. Both Jung and Price, currently third and fourth in the FEI Classics™ 2015/2016, are likely to be vying for supremacy on the leaderboard at this halfway mark in the series.

Kentucky has received a bumper entry and up to 90 horses from eight nations are expected to start the Dressage phase tomorrow. Phillip Dutton (USA), the last American rider to win America’s premier event, in 2008, is first into the historic stadium at 8.30am local time on Fernhill Fugitive.

Cross Country Course Designer Derek di Grazia is known for producing spectacular competition in the famous Kentucky Horse Park; among his new fences this year is a brand new water complex, one of four waters on the track, at fence 18.

Follow all the action on FEI TV (www.feitv.org) and live results on www.rk3de.org.

Use hashtags #FEIClassics #Eventing.

See FEI Classics™ hub: www.fei.org/fei/events/fei-classics.

By Kate Green

FEI Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38