Tag Archives: Grand Prix

Competitions, Dressage, Events, Jennifer Ward

David Marcus Dominates CDI-W Dressage at Devon

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David Marcus and his Olympic mount Chrevi’s Capital won the World Cup Qualifying Grand Prix. Photos – Sue Stickle

October 3, 2012 – Devon, Pennsylvania – Canadian Olympian David Marcus of Campbellville, ON, won three grand prix tests to dominate CDI-W Dressage at Devon held September 27 to 30 in Devon, Pennsylvania.

Riding his Olympic mount Chrevi’s Capital, Marcus took victory in the World Cup Qualifying Grand Prix and swept both the Grand Prix for Special and Grand Prix Special riding Don Kontes.

In Friday night’s World Cup Qualifying Grand Prix, Marcus topped a starting field of 11 entries to win with a career-best score of 71.213%.  Victory was especially sweet for Marcus, who suffered an unfortunate elimination at the 2012 London Olympics when Chrevi’s Capital spooked during a heavy downpour and was unable to continue the test.

“The best part was the reliability; Capital let me ride him and did everything I asked of him,” said Marcus of the 12-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding.  “I was able to show the crowd what I had wanted to show them at the Olympics, which is just how great this horse can be.”

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Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Tracy Fenney and MTM Centano Capture the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix at the Culpeper Final

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©ESI Photography. Tracy Fenney and MTM Centano on course in the $40,000 HITS Grand Prix

CULPEPER, VA (October 2, 2012) – Tracy Fenney finished another year of HITS horse shows doing what she does best – winning! The Flower Mound, Texas native has found Grand Prix success throughout the year at HITS Ocala, Saugerties, and Culpeper and made her third appearance in the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix this past September. As another year at HITS Culpeper comes to an end, Fenney aboard MTM Farm’s MTM Centano sealed a victory in Sunday’s $40,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, to earn her ninth Grand Prix victory at HITS in 2012.

“There’s no better way to end a year than with a win,” said Fenney. “Even though the course was challenging with some difficult turns and questions all across the field, this turned out to be such a good class.  Overall, I’m just really happy that we had such a great summer both here in Culpeper, as well as in Saugerties, and it’s nice to finish up victorious before heading back down to Texas. I’m so lucky to have great horses who work very hard to compete and win.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Events, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Laura Kraut and Cedric Cash In at the GCT Grand Prix of Switzerland

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Laura Kraut riding to victory in the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Switzerland. Photo By: SportFot/GCT

Lausanne, Switzerland – September 21, 2012 – It was a thrilling night for the United States as Laura Kraut and Cedric rose to the top of the leader board during the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Switzerland. Kraut left nothing to chance on Saturday night, surpassing the two forerunners of the GCT championship race, Edwina Tops-Alexander and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson. The event proved to be one of the most thrilling Grand Prix of the season.

The class was consisted of two rounds, with the second round timed, and then a demanding jump off. Only six of the 44 entrants were able to make it into the short track where they were faced with a large course designed by Rolf Ludi/Gerard Lachat SUI. The course was comprised of eight obstacles from the original two rounds of competition. It began over a large oxer, and as the timer began to tick, the horse and rider combinations had to move over a vertical and then toward the liverpool set on the inside of the arena. With a hard right rollback, they then moved forward over s single vertical and then made a left rollback to the oxer-vertical shortened combination. Having to utilize the space of the ring, riders then moved their agile mounts forward over the final two oxer obstacles to break the beam in the time allowed of 56 seconds.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, Jennifer Ward

David Marcus Dressage Shines in Saugerties

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David Marcus and Don Kontes placed third in the Grand Prix Special. Lisa Slade/The Chronicle of the Horse Photo

September 18, 2012 – Saugerties, New York – Canadian Olympian David Marcus of Campbellville, ON, enjoyed a successful weekend at the CDI-W NEDA Fall Festival held September 13-16 in Saugerties, New York.

In the Grand Prix, Marcus placed third with Chrevi’s Capital, who scored 67.957% to finish just ahead of barn mate Don Kontes, who earned 67.532% from the five-member panel of international judges.  A total of 15 horses competed in the Grand Prix.

“I was really happy to get in the ring again, and I was very pleased with Capital’s performance,” said Marcus, who was competing with Chrevi’s Capital for the first time since the 2012 Olympic Games in London.  “My goal was to go in and ride conservatively and build his confidence again, which I think worked well.  I didn’t really know what to expect, but I wanted to give him the best experience possible.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Events, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Laura Kraut and Cedric Capture First-Ever Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Switzerland Victory

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Laura Kraut and Cherry Knoll Farm's Cedric set a blazing time of 42.53 seconds, riding to the victory in the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Switzerland. Photo By: SportFot/GCT

Lausanne, Switzerland – September 15, 2012 – The GCT championship race intensified dramatically tonight with only five points between Edwina Tops-Alexander and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson after one of the most electrifying Grand Prix of the season.

American rider Laura Kraut won the first-ever Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Switzerland on the 14-year-old grey Cedric, owned by Cherry Knoll Farm of West Grove, PA – even beating her partner and Olympic gold medalist Nick Skelton in the jump off. Laura admitted she was “over the moon” and the jump off had a nail biting twist with Australian rider Edwina facing a tough challenge for the No.1 ranking spot from Swedish rider Rolf.

The smooth Swede cranked up the pressure dramatically by jumping clear in 45.37 on his champion horse Casall La Silla. Edwina came into the ring on Cevo Itot du Château but notched up 4 faults putting her in third place. Laura was next in and set off at a dazzling pace on Cedric, putting in a brilliant turn to the double and chasing down Rolf’s time to finish in 42.53 seconds.

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Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

HITS Dishes Out $1.75 Million Dollars and Crowns New Grand Prix, Hunter and Equitation Champions

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©ESI Photography. McLain Ward and Antares F capped a banner year with a win in yesterday’s Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix

SAUGERTIES, NY (September 10, 2012) – While the tunes of concert headliner Michael McDonald played in the background, McLain Ward soaked in another Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix victory last night. After riding to a win in the inaugural event in 2010 aboard the famed mare Sapphire, Ward returned to glory, this time in the irons of Grant Road Partners, LLC’s Antares F, who is fresh off the Olympic Games in London.

“With being injured and trying to qualify for the Olympics, our schedule was a little unpredictable this year, but I knew that I wanted to be a part of this class and it was a great thing to aim this horse to at the end of his year,” said Ward. “The jumps were beautiful and the course was hard. You needed a real Olympic caliber horse to jump a lot of those obstacles.”

Ward of Brewster, New York was one of three riders to produce clear rounds over Olaf Petersen, Jr.’s intimidating track. Petersen tested riders with scope, turns, distances and everything in between. The 14-obstacle course offered several options for both approaches and striding, but specifically tested riders at a one-stride to a one-stride triple combination at fence 11. He also included a four-meter wide water element and a long two-stride double combination early in the course.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

Olivier Philippaerts (BEL) Won the CN International Grand Prix at the Spruce Meadows Masters

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Photo credit Kit Houghton/Rolex

9 September 2012 – Riding Cabrio van de Heffinck, 19 year old Philippaerts won the prestigious title and prize money of CAN$335,000 / €265,000, ahead of second place Beezie Madden (USA) riding Simon, and Olivier’s father Ludo Philippaerts (BEL) riding Challenge VD Begijnakker.

On a tough track from course designer Leopoldo Palacios, Olivier Philippaerts was the only rider to jump two clear rounds, though he incurred one time penalty in each to finish on a total score of two faults. Both Beezie Madden and Ludo Philippaerts incurred four faults in the first round and went clear in the second, but Beezie was the quicker of the two in the first round and captured second place overall.

Speaking about his horse Cabrio van de Heffinck, Olivier Philippaerts said, “He has a very good character and he wants go and he wants to win, and this is very important.”

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Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Lillie Keenan Rises to the Top of the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final after Winning Today’s Second Round

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©ESI Photography. Lillie Keenan and C Coast Z posted some impressive scores during the first two rounds of the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final to sit in the first spot going into tomorrow’s final two rounds

SAUGERTIES, NY (September 8, 2012) – Today Lillie Keenan proved, as she often does, that age isn’t always indicative of skill or experience. The 15-year-old from New York, New York piloted Chansonette Farm, LLC’s C Coast Z to the top of an impressive group of 66 qualified riders in the Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final.

“This is my go-to horse and this course was really about knowing your horse,” said Keenan. “It’s great to have another final like this with so much support – it brings a lot of excitement to the ring.”

Keenan combined a first round score of 180 with a notable 186 in the second round to sit in first place with an overall score of 366. All bets are off tomorrow, however, as scores are wiped clean and competition moves from the Outside Course to the Strongid C 2X Grand Prix Stadium where the top 25 will compete in the third round before the top four scores move to the final round and the winner is crowned.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Classic Company, Classic Company, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

The Gulf Coast Classic Company Praises the Efforts of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community

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The Grand Prix Field immediately after Hurricane Isaac left the region

September 7, 2012 – The Gulf Coast Classic Company praises the efforts of the Mississippi Gulf coast community on the massive clean up the area continues to experience after Hurricane Isaac visited the region late last week. The Mississippi Gulf coast towns are not foreign to hurricanes and bad weather, and the Classic Company salutes the strong and resilient character and sense of community that embody the coastal region.

This resiliency reaches from the coast to the Gulf Coast Classic show grounds. For, despite the wild nature of the Gulf Coast weather, the Classic Company is looking forward to kicking off five weeks of AA competitions this winter. Classic Company invests in improving the facility each year and 2012 is no exception. As a matter of fact, the magnificent Grand Prix field was seeded with Celebration Sports Turf in July. This top quality turf builder is popular for its strong root base. “The Harrison County Fairgrounds, Harrison County Board of Supervisors and the Gulf Coast Classic Company all agreed that planting this turf would make our already incredible grass field even better,” commented Gulf Coast Classic Coordinator Janet McCarroll. “Our goal is to add improvements each year that will make a positive impact on our clients’ experience here. We always look to better the environment for our equine partners as well as the riders,” she added.

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Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

John Pearce and Chianto Capture the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix Just One Week before the Pfizer Million

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©ESI Photography. John Pearce and Chianto jumped perfectly during the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix and walked away with the win.

SAUGERTIES, NY (September 3, 2012) – Canadian Olympian and show jumping star and HITS Thermal regular John Pearce brought his talents to the East Coast once again as he pursues the coveted Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix. Pearce arrived for HITS-on-the-Hudson VII and easily gained his footing in the Strongid C 2X Grand Prix Stadium with a win in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, on Sunday aboard Allison Moore’s Chianto.

Sunday’s course was designed by Jerry Dougherty of Bokeelia, Florida and 27 horse-and-rider combinations attempted to challenge the track. At the end of the first round, the playing field was trimmed to five, and set up an exciting jump-off with a mix of some of the best athletes coast-to-coast.

“I thought today’s course was good – it had some different lines and the jump-off was quite a challenge. I pretty much had to throw all caution to the wind to leave out the strides and go fast enough to win,” said Pearce. “Chianto jumped great today and he is in perfect condition for the [Pfizer] Million.”

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