Tag Archives: HSBC FEI Classics

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Triumphant Todd Flies to Kentucky in Hunt for Further HSBC FEI Classics Points

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Lexington, KY (USA), 27 April 2011 – Mark Todd (NZL) has flown to the US for this weekend’s Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event (April 28 – May 1) in a bid to keep up momentum in the HSBC FEI Classics.

Todd interrupted celebrations for his magnificent win at Badminton last weekend and within 24 hours was on a plane en route to Kentucky, where today he will trot up NZB Grass Valley, a horse that knows its way around the Kentucky Horse Park having been a key member of New Zealand’s bronze medal team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games last year.

Both Todd and fellow traveller Mary King (GBR), third at Badminton, have said that the lure of the generous prize-money on offer in the HSBC FEI Classics is making them plan their CCI4* seasons carefully.

King, a member of Britain’s triumphant gold medal team last year, is making a two-pronged attack: she rides her home-bred mare Kings Temptress, seventh at Burghley last year, and the exciting prospect Fernhill Urco, a horse that had clocked up useful CCI3* results before spending most of last year on the sidelines.

Other overseas visitors in the 53-strong field are former (2006) Kentucky winner Clayton Fredericks (AUS) with the German-bred mare Be My Guest, third at Burghley last year, and William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Oliver Townend (GBR) who have three HSBC FEI Classics titles between them.

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Todd Rolls Back the Years to Win a Fourth Badminton

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Mark Todd (NZL) on NZB Land Vision celebrates after winning at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2011 - first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2011 © Peter Nixon/FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 25 April 2011 – It was a special moment in Eventing history as an ecstatic crowd at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics, rose to their feet to salute the achievement of Mark Todd (NZL) in winning for the fourth time here since 1980.

“Thirty-one years’ experience comes in handy sometimes!” joked the ever-relaxed Todd, whose mount NZB Land Vision had never experienced the rarefied CCI4* atmosphere before.

“It is incredibly special, though, right up there with the back-to-back Olympic golds. When I came back to the sport (in 2008) it was to see if I could get back to top level. It has always been my aim to win another big one.”

Long acknowledged as the one of the best horsemen the world has ever seen, Todd is also the oldest winner of Badminton (after Andrew Hoy) by an astonishing eight years; he has matched Mark Phillips’ record of four Badminton victories (only Lucinda Green has more, six) and has achieved this major victory after just three years back in the sport after an eight-year “retirement”.

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Todd Is Back in Pole Position in Closest Ever Finale at Badminton

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Mark Todd (NZL) on NZB Land Vision leads on Cross-Country Day at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2011 – first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2011 © Kit Houghton/FEI

Lausanne (SUI), 24 April 2011 – There was a thrilling climax to Cross-Country day at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials – the first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics – when Mark Todd (NZL) returned to a hero’s welcome, having produced a masterful display of riding to bring the inexperienced NZB Land Vision home clear and into the lead.

However, the three-time Badminton winner and double Olympic champion will need all his renowned skill in tomorrow’s Jumping phase for, in a remarkable result, the price of one fence covers the top 12 riders.

“Land Vision is a good horse but he’s relatively young (10) and he did feel green,” said Todd, whose last appearance in a CCI4* press conference was 12 years ago when he finished second on Word Perfect.

“He definitely felt tired after Huntsmans Close and I had to nurse him home, but he felt really genuine. I had to give him a bit of a shake-up in the Quarry but he picked up and that’s the sign of a good horse.”

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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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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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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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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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FEI Bureau Approves Points System for HSBC FEI Classics 2011

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Lausanne (SUI), 21 March 2011 – The FEI Bureau has approved a revised points system for the HSBC FEI Classics 2011 series.

The new system, which takes on board recommendations from event organisers involved in the series, has now been brought in line with other rankings and standings in Eventing.

Information on the revised points system can be found here.

HSBC has supported the HSBC FEI Classics series since 2008 and will be contributing US$ 1 million in prize money over the next three years, which represents the biggest pot on offer in Eventing on an annual basis.

The HSBC FEI Classics 2011 series, which offers a prize of US$150,000 to the series champion, once again takes in the five four-star events – the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA), Luhmühlen CCI 4* presented by E.ON (GER), The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR) and Les Etoiles de Pau CCI 4* (FRA).

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Dibowski Wins First CCI4* but Fox-Pitt Takes a Second HSBC FEI Classics

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William Fox-Pitt (GBR), 2010 season's winner of the FEI HSBC Classics (c) Peter Nixon/FEI

Pau, 7 November – Andreas Dibowski (GER) finally achieved the CCI4* win he so deserves with an immaculate Jumping round in the most testing of conditions at a rain-soaked Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the final leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.

But William Fox-Pitt’s (GBR) second place on Navigator, who hit three rails, was still good enough to win him a second HSBC FEI Classics title in three years and US$150,000.

Dibowski, who has endured four runner-up spots at CCI4*s, earned a rapturous reception from an excited, if damp, French crowd. “I am really happy and excited,” he said. “After my Dressage (he was 11th), I didn’t expect to win, but everyone needs a little bit of luck at this level and today it was my day.”

Fox-Pitt was generous in defeat. “If someone had told me I’d be second at the start of this week, I’d have thought it was a dream. It’s the first time I’ve had a clear Cross-Country at Pau! And I had to stay in second place to win the HSBC FEI Classics, so I’m very relieved and pleased and pleased with my horse for coping so well.”

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12506

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Fox-Pitt in Line for Double Glory in HSBC FEI Classics Thriller

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Leader after the Cross Country phase, William Fox-Pitt

Pau, 6 November – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) is in line for a memorable double – and a big pay cheque – having leapt into a commanding lead after Cross-Country at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the final leg of the valuable HSBC FEI Classics, in which he also holds top position.

Fox-Pitt showed just why he is one of the world’s best horsemen, his magnificent round coming at the end of a dramatic afternoon’s sport in which Pierre Michelet’s (FRA) technically demanding track and the elusive optimum time of 10 minutes 35 seconds proved hugely influential.

He was only ninth after Dressage on the long-striding chestnut thoroughbred Navigator, who produced the second fastest time of the day despite taking two long routes. However, the pair survived a dramatic moment at fence 14, when the horse jumped strongly over the first of two angled houses and had to stretch over the second.

“He’s still a bit exuberant and tends to jump out of your hand,” explained Fox-Pitt, “but he’s a wonderful galloper and a lovely genuine horse.”

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=12504