Tag Archives: FEI World Cup

Chardon Victorious over Exell in Third FEI World Cup Driving Leg in Budapest

IJsbrand Chardon (NED) won the FEI World Cup Driving qualifier in Budapest (HUN) ©Rinaldo de Craen/FEI

Budapest (HUN), 2 December 2012 – The unexpected happened in Budapest (HUN) this afternoon as IJsbrand Chardon (NED) beat top favourite Boyd Exell (AUS) and won the third leg of the FEI World Cup Driving 2012/13. Exell finished in third place behind Chardon’s fellow Dutch driver Theo Timmerman.

The competition that took place in the Hungarian capital’s Papp Lászlo Sport arena was of the highest quality and was held in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd. Hungarian O-course designer Gábor Fintha had laid out a fast and technical course, which included the traditional spectacular fireworks coming on after the drivers had crossed the bridge.

Clear rounds
Despite the knockdowns in the previous FEI World Cup Driving events, today four-time world champion Chardon went clear in both rounds. He was competing in Budapest for the first time since 2007 when he had taken part in the World Cup test event driving the four-in-hand Lipizzaner horses borrowed from József Dobrovitz (HUN), which he would later buy. And exactly like five years ago, he was victorious over Exell.

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Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven Triumphs on Home Turf at Stockholm

Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Don Auriello being presented with the Reem Acra Cup by Reem Acra representative Heather Schmidt. Photo: FEI/Peter Zachrisson.

Stockholm (SWE), 2 December 2012 – Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven set the crowd alight when claiming victory with her 10-year-old gelding, Don Auriello, at the fourth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2012/2013 series in her home town of Stockholm today.  And the host nation had further reason for celebration as Swedish riders clinched three of the top-five finishing spots.

Germany’s Kristina Sprehe and her handsome stallion, Desperados FRH, lined up second ahead of Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and Watermill Scandic HBC in third, while young Danish talent, Anna Kasprzak finished fourth with Donnperignon, pinning Sweden’s Minna Telde and Santana into fifth.

Today’s result is the perfect conclusion to a special week for Swedish equestrian sport. Last Thursday, the Swedish Equestrian Federation marked its centenary at a gala evening in Stockholm City Hall, with HM Queen Silvia as guest of honour.  And it was a particularly special occasion for dressage judge and honorary FEI Bureau Member Eric Lette who received a Lifetime Achievement Award.  Today Mr Lette announced that he is retiring from judging duties, but that he will remain in the sport in a supervisory capacity.  “I’m retiring because I want to give some younger judges a chance, and because I think it is better for the sport if we don’t have too many older judges still in place,” he pointed out.  And he was delighted to be in a position, for once, to express his pleasure at the success of riders from his own country.  “I was really happy to see two Swedish riders on the podium today!” he pointed out.

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Super Staut Reigns Supreme in Stuttgart

Kevin Staut and Silvana HDC clinched victory for France in the fifth leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2012/2013 Western European League series. Photo: FEI/Karl-Heinz Freiler

Stuttgart (GER), 18 November 2012 – Kevin Staut broke German hearts today when, despite all the odds being in favour of a home-side win, it was the Frenchman who came out on top in the fifth qualifying round of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2012/2013 Western European League series at Stuttgart.  Partnering the on-form grey mare Silvana HDC, Staut snatched what looked like certain victory from Germany’s Marcus Ehning and Noltes Kuchengirl when quicker by a margin of just one-hundredth of a second in an action-packed 11-horse jump-off against the clock.

Third place went to Portugal’s Luciana Diniz and Winningmood, while Sweden’s Jens Fredricson and Lunatic slotted into fourth.  Today’s result leaves Staut with the same number of points as Western European League leader Sergio Alvarez Moya from Spain who went out of contention this afternoon with a single mistake in the opening round of the competition.  The Spaniard, however, continues to head the league table going into the next round at Geneva, Switzerland in December because he has had more consistently strong results so far throughout this Rolex indoor season.

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Langehanenberg and Damon Hill Secure Impressive Victory at Stuttgart

FEI Director of Dressage, Trond Asmyr, presents the Reem Acra Trophy to Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg. Photo: FEI/Karl-Heinz Freiler.

Stuttgart (GER), 17 November 2012 – Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW recorded an impressive victory in the third leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Western European League series at Stuttgart, Germany today where the host nation dominated the line-up.

With a smooth Freestyle performance that oozed confidence and teamwork, the winning partnership finished more than four full marks ahead of German counterparts Kristina Sprehe and Desperados FRH in second place.  And it was a big day for Italy’s Valentina Truppa.  She registered runner-up spot at the previous leg in Lyon, France two weeks ago, but although she had to settle for third with Eremo del Castegno this time around, she has risen to the top of the Western European League table with a significant margin of advantage after today’s result.

The placings of the top three mirrored those of yesterday’s Grand Prix in which Langehanenberg’s score of 82.766 was a personal best.  But fourth place today went to Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven thanks to a much-improved effort with Don Auriello who inched The Netherlands‘ Imke Schellekens-Bartels and the gigantic black gelding, Toots, down to fifth.

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Boyd Exell Wins Second FEI World Cup Driving Qualifier in Stuttgart

Boyd Exell (AUS) was unbeatable again in the second leg of the FEI World Cup Driving in Stuttgart (GER) ©Rinaldo de Craen/FEI.

Stuttgart (GER), 17 November 2012 – Boyd Exell (AUS) went fast in the first competition of the second leg of the FEI World Cup Driving in Stuttgart, Germany. He went even faster in the first round of the World Cup and was the fastest driver in the Winning Round in the fully packed Schleyer Halle. Exell proved unbeatable once again and recorded his second victory of the season in as many participations. IJsbrand Chardon (NED) tried to put Exell under pressure but did not succeed and finished second, ahead of Jozsef Dobrovitz (HUN).

Stuttgart is one of the favourite shows of the drivers taking part in the series and the enthusiastic crowd, the electric atmosphere and this year’s course, designed by Falk Böhnisch (GER) contributed again to the event’s popularity.

Lipizzaner power in the Winning Round
Jozsef Dobrovitz set the time to beat in the Winning Round with his team of Lipizzaner horses. Dobrovitz’ left wheeler horse felt a little tired after the first round, but recovered in the second round and helped the driver from Vecsés to secure third place. Dobrovitz had made a small adjustment to his carriage in order to go even faster in the open parts of the course and to turn very quickly in the technical marathon obstacles.

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Moya Turns On the Magic in Verona

Sergio Alvarez Moya and Zipper won the fourth leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2012/2013 series in a thrilling 12-horse jump-off. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Verona (ITA), 11 November 2012 – On an afternoon of pure magic in the jumping stadium at Verona, Italy, today Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya produced a stunning victory in the fourth leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2012/2013 Western European League. This competition was special for a number of reasons, not least because the Spaniard was riding a horse that was just eight years old, and because Italy’s Luca Moneta was so proud and yet so humble when filling runner-up spot.

The excitement generated during the 12-horse jump-off was electrifying as horses and riders rose to the occasion to produce a piece of pure theatre that had spectators gripping their seats.  As third-place finisher, Sweden’s Malin Baryard-Johnsson said afterwards, “The sport was amazing; I haven’t competed in a class as exciting as this in a very, very long time!”

Today’s result has left Moya well on the road to the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final in Gothenburg, Sweden next April.  Already at the head of the leaderboard before today’s class began, he has now accumulated a massive 58 points, so has no more worries about qualification.

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One-two Finish for Italy at Opening Leg of FEI World Cup Vaulting

Italy’s Anna Cavallaro was the best female vaulter at the opening leg of the FEI World Cup Vaulting held in Munich. ©Karl-Heinz Frieler/FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 9 November 2012 – Anna Cavallaro (ITA) and Lukas Klouda (CZE) are the first winners of the FEI World Cup Vaulting new 2012/13 season. Cavallaro, 26, and Klouda, 28, received the highest scores after two quality Freestyle-to-Music rounds at the series opening leg held in Munich (GER) last weekend. Italy secured a one-two finish in the women’s competition as Silvia Stopazzini took second place on a final score of 8.602 behind Cavallaro (8.797).

At the top with Pavarotti

In the first round, Anna Cavallaro, performing on the 15-year-old Harley lunged by Nelson Vidoni, executed a high-level gymnastic routine which put her in second place. Her training partner and fellow Italian Silvia Stopazzini, also competing on Harley, took an early lead scoring 0,041 points higher than Cavallaro.

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Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Wins Put Cornelissen Back as World Number One

Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival in the first leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2012/2013. (Annette Boe Ostergard/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 7 November 2012 – Olympic silver medallists Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival are back at the top of the FEI World Dressage Rankings. After two months in the number two slot, the Dutch duo is back on top after brilliant winning performances in the opening qualifiers of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2012/2013 in Odense (DEN) and Lyon (FRA). The defending Reem Acra FEI World Cup champions, the world’s best Dressage combination for 14 months from 30 June 2011 to 31 August 2012, head the rankings once again with 2,879 points.

Olympic champions Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Valegro, who had taken over from Cornelissen and Parzival in September and October, are now back in second with 2,867 points. Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW are third (2,626).

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Super Schwizer Seizes Third Round Victory for Switzerland

Pius Schwizer and Verdi III on their way to victory in the third leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Lyon (FRA), 4 November 2012 – Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer swept to victory with Verdi in the thrilling third leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2012/2013 Western European League series at Lyon, France this afternoon.  The big guns were out in force today including a heavyweight line-up of home runners, but Frank Rothenberger’s course saw just seven of the 40 starters go through to the second-round jump-off.

France and Switzerland were each represented by two riders in the race against the clock, but it was the Swiss who came off best when the ever-more-impressive partnership of Paul Estermann and Castlefield Eclipse slotted into third behind Belgium’s Ludo Philippaerts and Challenge vd Begijnakker.

“I’m very happy”, said Schwizer who has had to ask the 10 year old gelding Verdi to step up to the plate since his top ride, the mare Carlina, was sold earlier this year.  “This was a tough class; Frank (Rothenberger) didn’t make it easy for us and the competition was top level so I’m very pleased about my win today,” he pointed out.

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Adelinde and Parzival Make It Two-in-a-Row at Lyon

Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival being presented with their trophy by Heather Schmidt representing Reem Acra. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Lyon (FRA), 2 November 2012 – Defending champions, Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival, once again stamped their authority all over the opposition when racking up their second successive victory in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Western European League qualifier at Lyon in France tonight.  The Dutch partnership scored a massive 89.375 to leave them well clear of runners-up Valentina Truppa and Eremo del Castegno from Italy, while it was a very satisfying day for Kristina Sprehe who slotted into third with Desperados FRH.

In yesterday’s Grand Prix the 26 year old German rider endured an uncomfortable time as her 11 year old stallion bubbled over with excitement to finish well down the line in eighth place.  Tonight however they produced a much more focused performance to edge ahead of Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and Watermill Scandic HBC in the final line-up.

When asked tonight if competing with Jerich Parzival is a more enjoyable experience these days, Cornelissen, who was described as “The First Lady” during the press conference, referred to the change in the character of her 15 year old gelding.  “Yes, he’s not nearly as spooky as he used to be, he doesn’t worry and he’s much more relaxed so I can work on his self-carriage and suppleness – and it’s nice that everyone is noticing the difference and that they are liking it!” she pointed out.

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