Tag Archives: FEI

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Show Jumping

British Trio Have the Edge after Dressage at Badminton

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Ruth Edge (GBR) on Two Thyme takes the lead on Day 2 of Dressage at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2011 – first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2011 © Kit Houghton/FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 23 April 2011 – A trio of British girls head the leaderboard after the Dressage phase at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), the first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2011.

Ruth Edge (GBR), in pole position with the excellent score of 33.3 penalties on the 17-year-old Two Thyme, winner at Luhmühlen in 2007, is no stranger to the limelight in this phase – indeed, she regularly wins national titles in this discipline.

“There’s always a lot of pressure on me here and I’m anxious not to let anyone down because it’s a lot of work to get this horse here,’ she said. “But he was awesome today and belied his age. As he’s older, I hadn’t done much work with him this week and, as a result, he felt physically fresh.”

Piggy French (GBR), second, had the distinction of scoring the only 10 of the competition, awarded by Ground Jury President Anne-Mette Binder (DEN) for her halt on Jakata, and it was greeted by a deafening roar of approval from the packed stands.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Show Jumping

Dream Start for Young Laura Collett at Badminton – Opener for HSBC FEI Classics

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Laura Collett (GBR) on Rayef in the lead after Day 1 of Dressage at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2011 - opener for the HSBC FEI Classics 2011 © Kit Houghton/FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 22 April 2011 – Laura Collett (GBR) made a dream start to her debut at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), the first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics, when heading several more experienced riders at the end of the first day of Dressage.

Collett, 21, is renowned for having a cool head and a tidy style – she was a successful rider of show ponies as a child – and she presented a neat and pleasing picture on the 12-year-old Dutch-bred Rayef, the horse on which she won Junior and Young Rider European titles in 2007 and 2009.

“That’s his best test ever,” said a delighted Collett on learning of her score of 36.5 penalties, which gives her a 3.3 lead over Germany’s Marina Köhncke. “Yogi Briesner (trainer) told me to ride as if I was at home. Rayef didn’t make any mistakes and he was soft and attentive. It was nice to sit on.

“My whole life has been about getting to Badminton, so to be here for the first time on such a good horse feels amazing.”

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Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Endurance Riding, Events, FEI

FEI Nations Cup 2011 Series Goes Ahead

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Lausanne (SUI), 20 April 2011 – The FEI Nations Cup 2011 series will go ahead with its prize money unchanged from last year. The agreement with series title sponsor Meydan came to an end in 2010 and the Dubai-based company has chosen to refocus its cooperation with the FEI and is currently negotiating terms to move into an exciting new partnership in Endurance.

Whilst negotiations with potential partners for the FEI Nations Cup Top League are still ongoing, the FEI has guaranteed that prize money to the athletes and funding for the Organising Committees is safeguarded.

“The FEI Nations Cup is our top product and the FEI is delighted to announce that the 2011 series will go ahead with its prize money maintained at the 2010 level,” FEI President HRH Princess Haya said. “We are happy that discussions are ongoing with several partners for the series.

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Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Show Jumping, USEF

Land Rover US Eventing Team Ready for CCI4* Challenge at the 2011 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials

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Lexington, KY – All 84 horses presented at the first Horse Inspection at the 2011 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials were accepted by the Ground Jury without incident. This includes three American horses: Mandiba, BallyNoe Castle RM, and The Good Witch.

With their riders, Karen O’Connor, who contested her first Badminton in 1979, Buck Davidson, whose father Bruce was the first U.S. winner in 1995, and Jennifer Wooten-DaFoe, who looks to cross Badminton off the list of CCI4*s to complete with her diminutive mare, these horses are trying to do something that has only been done twice before by Americans:

Win.

Karen O’Connor and Mandiba are the most experienced combination having represented the U.S. at both the 2008 Olympic Games and as part of the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. O’Connor’s husband David was the second U.S. rider to win the prestigious event, when he took the honor with Custom Made in 1997.

“Mandiba is in great form,” said O’Connor of the 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse. “He has never had a better run up to a CCI4*. He’s fit, he’s well, he’s sound and he is ready and I am really excited about the weekend. It’s all out there for me to give this horse the chance he deserves.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, Western/Reining

Strong Entries in Principle for Inaugural FEI Reining World Final

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Rudi Kronsteiner (AUT) aboard Smart Spook, winners of the 2007 FEI World Reining Masters. Rudi was the first non-US rider to win the prestigious event. (c) Tonya Garrison/FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 21 April 2011 – The entries in principle for the inaugural FEI Reining World Final, which will be held in exactly one month’s time on 21 May 2011 at the renowned equestrian facility of Bökeberg, just outside of Malmö (SWE), are the strongest in the sport’s history. Reiners from 20 nations will be vying for the coveted title of FEI Reining World Champion and the US$ 100,000 prize pot.

The nations intending to field athletes are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA.

The definite entries will be announced on 18 May 2011.

The FEI Reining World Final is the new-look FEI World Reining Masters. It will be the first time since 2005 that this annual individual final will be held outside North America.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Show Jumping

HSBC FEI Classics Opener Attracts Lucky Seven Line-Up for Badminton

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Paul Tapner (AUS), winner of the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in 2010 with Inonothing, rides Kilfinnie in this year’s event and opener for the HSBC FEI Classics 2011 © Kit Houghton/FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 21 April 2011 – The HSBC FEI Classics 2011, an exciting series linking five of the world’s top level events, begins in style today (Thursday 21 April – Monday 25 April) at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR).

The first crucial qualifier for the 2012 London Olympic Games has attracted arguably the strongest international field for many years with representatives from 11 nations and seven former winners entered.

Oliver Townend (GBR), 28, the 2009 victor, wasn’t even born when the double Olympic champion Mark Todd (NZL), 55, made his Badminton debut – and won – 31 years ago. Both riders have been in dominant form on the British national circuit this spring. Townend rides the grey Ashdale Cruise Master, fifth at Luhmühlen last year, while Todd has Major Milestone, 11th at Burghley last time, and is last to go on the former Townend ride NZB Land Vision, guaranteeing a gripping end to Cross-Country day on Sunday.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, FEI, Hunter/Equitation, Maclay, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping, USEF, Western/Reining, World Equestrian Games

Eric L. Straus Named to National Horse Show Association Board of Directors to Fill Term of the Late Eugene R. Mische

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Lexington, KY – April 19, 2011 – The National Horse Show Association of America Ltd. announced today that Eric L. Straus has been appointed to the Board of Directors to fill out the term held by the late Eugene R. Mische.

Straus brings a wealth of talent and experience to the National Horse Show Board of Directors.

Straus is a recognized USEF judge, steward and FEI show jumping steward. Recently, at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Straus served as the FEI Honorary Chief Steward General for Reining and previously officiated at the World Equestrian Games in 2002 in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, and again in 2006 in Aachen Germany. He was Chief Judge for Modern Pentathlon at the 1996 Olympic Games and the 1987 Pan American Games.

Straus is a Trustee and Executive Committee member of the American Horse Council in Washington, D.C., and is Secretary and Executive Committee member of the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation. He also served as Executive Director of the United States Equestrian Federation in 1996-1997.

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Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, FEI, Seminars

FEI Media Advisory: Seminar on Judging in Dressage

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Lausanne, 14 April 2011 – We are pleased to inform you that a seminar on judging in Dressage, presented by FEI 5* Judge and President of the 2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Final Ground Jury Katrina Wuest, will be held on Saturday 30 April 2011 in Leipzig (GER). The seminar is open to media representatives accredited for the 2011 FEI World Cup Finals. It will take place in the Presseclub located next to the Press Centre of the Partner Pferd Leipzig Exhibition Centre from 15h00 to 16h30. The Freestyle of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final will follow at 18h00.

A similar session, which received a very positive feedback, was organised during last year’s FEI World Cup Dressage Final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED).

Media wishing to attend the seminar are requested to contact FEI Press Relations Manager Malina Gueorguiev (malina.gueorguiev@fei.org) by Tuesday 26 April at the latest.

Media Contacts:
Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+ 41 78 740 61 33

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Show Jumping

FEI Welcomes Adelaide to HSBC FEI Classics 2012 Season

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Wendy Schaeffer on Koyuna Sun Shine - winner of the 2010 Australia International 3 Day Event 2010 © Jim Hillman InMotion Photography

Lausanne (SUI), 15 April 2011 – The FEI is delighted to welcome the Australian International 3 Day Event to the HSBC FEI Classics 2012 season.

The Adelaide-based event, which in 2002 became the first CCI 4* in the southern hemisphere, will host the second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2012 season against the stunning city centre backdrop of Adelaide Park Lands on 18-20 November 2011.

“The Australian International 3 Day Event is the country’s premier equestrian competition and one of only six 4* events held around the world,” explained Event Director and dual Olympic gold medallist Gillian Rolton (AUS). “For the last 10 years, Adelaide has been the chosen host city of this hallmark equestrian event. We are now extremely proud to take our place in the HSBC FEI Classics 2012 season and we’re looking forward to welcoming visitors and competitors to an action-packed event in our unique City of Adelaide Parkland setting.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2010/2011 – Final Preview

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Marcus Ehning (GER) celebrates being crowned Rolex FEI World Cup 2010 champion in Geneva (SUI) with joint runners up Pius Schwizer of Switzerland (left) and Ludger Beerbaum of Germany (right). Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI

CAN MARCUS OR MEREDITH MAKE IT A RECORD FOURTH TITLE? by Louise Parkes

Lausanne (SUI), 15 April 2011 – With less than two weeks to go to the Rolex FEI World Cup 2010/2011 Jumping Final in Leipzig (GER), excitement is at fever pitch and speculation is rife about whether defending champion Marcus Ehning or his German compatriot Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, can secure a historic fourth victory.

Just four riders have been three-time winners throughout the 32 seasons of this most prestigious indoor tournament, which brings together the leading competitors from 14 leagues staged all around the globe.

Two of those won’t make it to this year’s 33rd annual grand finale as Austria’s Hugo Simon, the first man to hold the coveted trophy aloft back in 1979 and winner again in 1996 and 1997, didn’t make the cut and Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa, who proved unbeatable between 1998 and 2000, has already said he won’t be making the trip to Leipzig.

That leaves only Ehning and Michaels-Beerbaum, members of Germany’s gold medal winning team at last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and multiple champions in their own right, in contention for a record-breaking fourth success.

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