Adam Prudent and Vasco Victorious in $6,000 Shell Energy Cup
Calgary, AB – July 11, 2013 – The ‘Pan American’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows kicked off on Thursday with featured competition including a win for French rider Adam Prudent and Vasco in the $6,000 Shell Energy Cup 1.45m as well as a victory for USA’s Kent Farrington and Zafira in the $35,000 G&C Farm Cup 1.50m.
The ‘Pan American’ Tournament runs July 11-14, 2013, featuring CSI 5* competition and $625,000 in total prize money. The week will continue with the $15,000 CIBC Cup and $33,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup on Friday, the $40,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup and $33,000 ASHCOR Technologies Cup on Saturday, and the highlight event, the $400,000 PAN AMERICAN Cup presented by ROLEX, to wrap up competition on Sunday.
The $35,000 G&C Farm Cup was the highlight competition on Thursday with 62 entries jumping a challenging course set by Peter Grant of Vancouver, BC. Jumping in the beautiful Meadows on the Green, nine entries went clear to advance to the jump-off and just three were able to clear the short course without fault. First in the order of go and therefore first to return for the jump-off, Kent Farrington and Haity McNerney’s Zafira set the pace with what would prove to be the winning clear round in 37.88 seconds.
Canada’s Tiffany Foster and Victor, owned by Torrey Pines and Artisan Farms LLC, finished second with a clear jump-off round in 39.61 seconds. Mexico’s Nicolas Pizarro and Polasko placed third with a time of 43.81 seconds. Reed Kessler (USA) qualified two horses for the jump-off, finishing fourth with Ligist with four faults in 37.80 seconds. Kessler was also fifth with Iron Works Partners’ Wolf S with four faults in 42.23 seconds.
Class winner Zafira is a nine-year-old KWPN mare by Nassau x Cappucino van Berkenbroek. Zafira is gaining some valuable experience showing in the big rings at Spruce Meadows this summer and Farrington is very pleased with the mare’s progression.
“Zafira is a green horse to come to Spruce Meadows,” Farrington remarked. “It started out a little hairy. A year ago in the fall she was just doing 1.35m. She was a little behind, so I have come here and just tried to give her really strong miles. I started in the 1.45m and that went a little up and down, but now having been here for a while, she is getting more comfortable and she has steadily been improving.”
“Jumping a division higher in the 1.50m and being able to win is a great last week for the horse,” Farrington smiled. “Today she jumped great. That was her first class this week, so to march right into a big class like that, I was thrilled with her.”
Zafira has made a big step up this year and Farrington hopes to see continued success with the talented mare.
“I think she is just right on track,” he noted. “My goal was to bring her here and to give her lots of mileage and hopefully she stepped up and jumped some good classes and that is exactly what she is doing. I think leaving here she will be a much better horse where she will be comfortable walking into a lot of different venues and jumping some different classes.”
Farrington has a nice string of horses right now and is letting Zafira decide for herself where she will fall in the line-up.
“Like all of them, I get them when they are young and sort of produce them along the way and see how good they want to be,” he explained. “I think she is already a nice grand prix horse. She is only nine years old and where she goes from there I don’t know. The horses will decide if they want to be a superstar or they want to be a good second horse or a grand prix horse or what they want to do, but that is sort of always the unknown. You don’t know until you do it, but so far she is progressing nicely and I am happy with where she is.”
Zafira will show again later this week and then Farrington will make the decision about whether she will go to Europe or continue on to the Hampton Classic Horse Show in New York at the end August.
Prudent and Vasco Show Early Speed for Victory in the $6,000 Shell Energy Cup
Thursday’s schedule began with the $6,000 Shell Energy Cup 1.45m competition, held in the All Canada Ring, with 32 entries jumping a course set by Cristina Larangeiro of Portugal. The one round speed competition saw nine clear rounds with a win for Adam Prudent (FRA) riding Katie Prudent’s Vasco, an eleven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Andiamo x Clinton. The pair took an early lead, seventh in the order of go, and could not be beat with their faultless round in a blazing fast time of 69.62 seconds.
Brianne Goutal (USA) and Cloverleaf Farm’s Uata made a great effort in 70.68 seconds to finish in reserve. Leslie Howard and Peter Howard’s Lennox Lewis 2 had the first clear round of the class in 73.22 seconds to place third. Belgium’s Francois Mathy and Opus PSG cleared the course in 74.20 seconds and finished in fourth place.
Adam Prudent and Vasco
“Vasco is a new horse that I just purchased before Calgary, so I have had him for six weeks now,” Prudent said of his winning mount. “He has come up quite well. We started him out in the 1.30m and now he is winning in the 1.45m. He has had results in every division since I have moved him up. He was doing 1.45m, 1.50m in Europe, but this is the first time I have shown him at this height and he is doing great.”
Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam was the only rider to top Prudent’s time, completing the course in 67.10 seconds aboard Spy Coast Farm LLC’s Cyklon 1083, but four faults left the pair out of the ribbons. Prudent explained that his speed with Vasco came easily.
“I just let him open up his stride,” Prudent stated. “I didn’t even really try to go fast. He is just a naturally fast horse I think and it worked out for the best.”
“He is a very careful horse, very scopey, a great horse all in all,” Prudent added. “He is very calm. Once you start jumping he becomes a little hotter and goes towards the rail, but he is a very easy horse to deal with. I haven’t shown him on anything but grass so far, but he loves the big open fields and he loves opening up his stride.”
Prudent and Vasco will head back to Europe after this week’s competition where they will compete in Dinard and then Valkenswaard.
“He is a sale horse, so if he is not sold after that I might go to Arezzo for two weeks and then there is a month tour in Morocco that I might take him to. He will definitely step up. He is a horse that I bought to possibly do 1.60m. He has a lot of potential and a lot of scope.”
The ‘Pan American’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows will continue on Friday with the $15,000 CIBC Cup 1.40m and $33,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.60m in the Meadows on the Green Ring. For more information and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the brainchild of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Calgary, AB – June 16, 2013 – The ‘Continental’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows finished with a fantastic day of competition, including another big victory for Kent Farrington and Uceko in the $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix CSI-W, the second week in a row that they have won the grand prix. Beezie Madden (USA) and Coral Reef Via Volo won the $60,000 Great-West Life Cup 1.50m. The Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments will continue on June 25-30 with the ‘Canada One’ Tournament CSI-W 4*.
Course designer Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela tested the riders today with a technical track, but six were able to find the clear path to the jump-off. First in was McLain Ward (USA) on Rothchild, owned by Sagamore Farm. They were the fastest pair of the day in 44.327 seconds, but it came at the price of four faults at the second jump. They would finish in fifth place.
Reed Kessler (USA) and Cylana were clear in 46.810 seconds, but it wasn’t quite enough to pull out the win today. Kessler has had a string of second place finishes at this year’s Spruce Meadows, including one earlier in the morning in the 1.50m with Mika.
She laughed, “I’m living under some kind of a curse; I’ve been second about 25 times in a row now! I actually had a feeling he would beat me, going after me. I came in a little fast to that combination in the first round, and she was quite good to me. I wanted, out of that big gallop, to really make sure I gave her a better chance this round. He did the big 10 strides to (fence) 10c, which I could have done. But that’s kind of the way it goes early in the jump-off. It’s just making me hungrier I guess!”
Reed Kessler and Cylana
Kessler praised Cylana, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Skippy II x Darco, and their teamwork. “She was fantastic. I thought I wasn’t totally spot-on in the first round. It’s part of being a team. She was definitely on today and she carried me through the first round. I’m happy with my second place finish. I wish I could have beaten him, but there are still a few weeks left,” she said with smile.
Farrington and Uceko were next in the jump-off, and they set out in a huge gallop before they even crossed the start timers. Everything came up smoothly for them, and they left out a stride to a wide oxer, the second to last fence in the jump-off. They stopped the timers in 44.469 seconds to take the lead, which no one would be able to catch.
Farrington said rather than trying to only catch Kessler’s time, he was also trying to think about the fast horses and riders who would follow him. “Beezie was on the horse that won the World Cup Finals and is one of the best riders in the world on a fast horse. Charlie Jayne has a very big gallop on that horse, similar to mine. I thought they were both real threats coming after me,” he acknowledged. “It was more about sticking to my own strategy (and) using my horse’s strengths, which are his bravery and his great gallop. I just let him open up right from the start and didn’t let up.”
Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner’s Simon wouldn’t threaten Farrington’s time. They were clear, but their slower time of 48.197 seconds would leave them in fourth place.
Charlie Jayne and Alex R. Jayne’s Chill R Z, a 10-year-old Zangersheide stallion by Chellano Z x A Lucky One, had a dramatic start to their jump-off with a long gallop around the ring before the first jump, but it didn’t quite work out as planned. After drifting right after the first jump, they added in a stride from what Farrington did in the first line. Following that, Jayne let off the gas pedal a bit.
Jayne remarked, “I started galloping about 50 strides away and the wrong one happened to show up. The 16 foot rails are very impressive here. That was the one jump in the first round that he didn’t jump well, the CN oxer that was jump three in the first round. It was fence one in the jump-off, so I was a little worried that he was going to be backed off. He didn’t back off, but I got a little too deep and shifted right.”
He continued, “I just made a decision after I got 12 (strides) to fence two that I was going to try and go for a clear round. I was really happy with the way he went. He’d been knocking on the door the last two weeks. I’ve been making little rider errors, so I was happy that I fixed those for today.”
Jayne added, “I wanted to say thank you to CN for being such a long-time sponsor for the sport. They’ve done amazing things for this sport, along with Spruce Meadows, so thank you.”
The final horse in the jump-off was Ilan Ferder’s Baronez with Kirsten Coe. They had a rail at the second to last jump to finish with four faults in 47.821 seconds for sixth place.
Uceko, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Celano x Koriander owned by RCG Farm, is a horse that knows what he’s doing now and “doesn’t need experience,” Farrington said. Before the competition, “he felt wild; that’s how he’s at his best,” he added. “We keep him fresh and don’t over-show him. My job is to manage his career and make it last as long as I can,” Farrington commented.
By winning the first two grand prix competitions of the season, Farrington won a CN Bronze Spike and a $50,000 bonus through the CN $1,000,000 Precision Series. If Farrington and Uceko are victorious in the Atco Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup during the ‘North American’, they will receive a CN Silver Spike and $450,000. The million dollar series will conclude with the CN International Grand Prix during the ‘Masters’, where an additional $500,000 bonus will be on the line if Farrington can come up with the winning formula once again.
Regarding the Series, Farrington said, “It’s a great start, now we have to keep being great. We have to see if we’re up for the challenge, but we’ll give it our best shot.” When asked how he’ll spend his bonus money, he said, “I’ll put it away and forget about it for a little while and just stay focused on what’s still left to do here. I’ll buy a few rounds at the pub for everybody! It’s difficult to win anywhere, especially here in these classes with top competitors and big jumps. Two rounds of a serious course at Queen Elizabeth and the Masters, it’s certainly not going to be easy.”
Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo
Madden Shows How It’s Done in 1.50m
Of the 37 entries in the competition and nine in the jump-off, it was Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo, a 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Clinton x Heartbreaker, who rose to the top of the competition in the $60,000 Great-West Life Cup 1.50m. They put down a clear round in a time of 42.10 seconds for victory. Second place went to Reed Kessler and Mika, who were clear in 43.31 seconds. Katie Dinan (USA) and Glory Days were third with no faults in a time of 43.78 seconds.
Madden smoothly executed an inside turn after the fourth jump, which set her up for a good line to the next skinny vertical. “I thought it would be faster,” she said. “I went in and looked at it when I went in, so I could see it from a horse and it for sure gave you a better line after the skinny so you didn’t have to slow down so much, in order to make the turn after it. I know she turns left so well, that she would jump a little left after that and spin inside there, and I would end up being able to do that fast.”
Madden said that the first round course was hard for Via Volo “because a lot of the lines were steady,” but if she can “just keep hunting along, she’s usually pretty fast.” She explained, “She has a big stride and the less I can fight with her, the better. She really handled it well. When I asked her to do something, she responded.”
While Via Volo can be quirky about her surroundings, she was all business today. “She’s always looking around; she doesn’t miss much,” Madden agreed. “For sure, she gets looking at things other than the fences sometimes and you have to try and keep her focus on the fence. Today she felt great. She was a little funny from (fences) one to two in the first round, but then she was right down to business.”
The next week of competition is the ‘Canada One’ Tournament on June 25-30, which will include the $50,000 RBC Royal Bank Cup and the $100,000 Esso Imperial Oil Challenge CSI-W. For more information on Spruce Meadows and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the brainchild of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Ashlee Bond Speeds to Victory in $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse; Katie Dinan Tops ConocoPhillips Junior/Amateur Cup 1.40m
Calgary, AB – June 8, 2013 – The biggest prize money purse on offer at the ‘National’ Tournament was in today’s $400,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix, CSI-W 5*, and it was Kent Farrington (USA) who took home the winner’s share for the second year in a row with Uceko. Reed Kessler (USA) Cylana finished second, while Charlie Jacobs (USA) and Flaming Star were third. Earlier in the day, Ashlee Bond (USA) sped to victory in the $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse 1.45m with Cadett 7. In the All Canada Ring, Katie Dinan and Sandro won the $10,000 ConocoPhillips Junior/Amateur Cup 1.40m.
The ‘National’ Tournament concludes on Sunday, June 9. Tomorrow’s highlight is the $175,000 Nexen Cup 1.60m Derby on Sunday, June 9, at 2:30 pm. The Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments continue next week on June 13-16 with the ‘Continental’ Tournament CSIO-W 5*.
There were 36 entries in the grand prix, but only four were able to clear the first round course set by Werner Deeg of Germany. Fifth place went to Kirsten Coe (USA) and Baronez, who had two time faults.
First to return in the jump-off was Eric Navet of France on Quanto Fino 2, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Quick Star x Stutbuch 1 owned by Signe Ostby. They had an unfortunate rail at fence 10b and finished with four faults in 54.99 seconds for fourth place.
The next three riders would all be clear and the winning time fell with each start. Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star, a 14-year-old Swiss Warmblood gelding by Fairman owned by CMJ Sporthorse LLC, would put in a neat clear round in 53.62 seconds, which slotted them in third place.
Jacobs was “extremely pleased” with his horse. “Flaming Star I thought was fantastic today,” he acknowledged. “For me, this is great for him to come and jump a 1.60m class. This is our second time ever in Spruce Meadows (together). We came briefly in 2011 and jumped in some amateur classes. He was great today. My hats off to these two to my right (Reed and Kent), but I think it was lights out for him. I could have pushed the gas a little more, frankly. With the times that these two put in, I could have gone a lot faster.”
Reed Kessler and her Olympic partner Cylana were next in, and they galloped through the timers in 50.05 seconds. They would have to wait and see what the final rider would do.
Kessler said she couldn’t rest easy knowing Farrington still had to go after her. “Definitely not – I knew Kent would come, he would be clean, and he would be really fast,” she agreed. “I just tried to go as fast as I could without making any silly mistakes. I’ve made that mistake of having the vertical down into the combination a couple times with her, like at World Cup Finals, so I maybe took an extra stride than he did there. I could have been sharper down the last line. Watching Kent in those two places, that’s definitely where I think he got me.”
Cylana and Kessler competed at the FEI World Cup Finals in April, and Cylana, a 2002 Belgian Warmblood mare by Skippy II x Darco, had not shown since then until earlier this week. “She was really begging to jump this week,” Kessler said with a smile. “She’s one of those horses that if she doesn’t jump frequently, she’s miserable. She was very happy that it was as massive as it was today; she likes to work hard. She couldn’t have gone much better.”
Entering the ring as reigning champions of the competition, Farrington and Uceko, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Celano x Koriander owned by RCG Farm, picked up a quick pace going to the first jump and never looked back. They had to stretch over a wide oxer halfway through the course, and then went flat out across the ring in the long run to the last two fences. Their speed paid off as they stopped the clock in 48.73 seconds for victory.
Farrington said that Uceko is at his best when he’s fresh and has a lot of energy. Although he stands under 16 hands, Farrington said he rides like a “very large horse.” He described, “He actually goes best in big venues like here. He has a massive stride and he’s probably the smallest horse in the class, but he has the biggest stride. He’s pretty unique like that. He has exceptionally long legs for his body. I think that’s why his gallop is so big.”
Farrington was very happy with his win on Uceko, a reliable, successful partner of his for years. “Right now in his career, he’s basically learned everything there is to learn. Now it’s my job as a rider and a horseman to manage his career, to pick the right venues and the right classes to aim him towards so I can make his career last as long as possible. With as much money as there is now in the sport, it’s a matter of managing horses so that they can be at their best when it counts,” he said.
Speed Is Key for Ashlee Bond
Ashlee Bond and her veteran partner Cadett 7, a 16-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Cor de la Bryere x Capitol I owned by Little Valley Farm, flew through the 16 numbered obstacles on today’s course for the $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse 1.45m to take the top prize in 100.059 seconds. John Perez (COL) and Utopia set the early winning pace and finished second in 103.505 seconds. Third place went to Francois Mathy (BEL) on Elvis van de Vrunte in 103.962 seconds. There were 18 entries in today’s competition over a faults converted track that included the derby bank and grob.
Ashlee Bond and Cadett 7
Today’s competition was a perfect warm-up for Bond and Cadett 7, who will also take a shot at tomorrow’s $175,000 Nexen Cup 1.60m Derby. On today’s ride, Bond said, “It worked out. That is his forte. This is not as big as he normally jumps, so it was a little bit easier on him, which was kind of the idea. He could go in and have a not so tough day. He felt super and he was on it.”
Her plan was to establish pace before the first jump. She explained, “It’s better to just pick up a good gallop and stick with it, rather than running and whoa-ing. He was on the muscle. We tried to maintain that throughout. He’s game for everything.”
Bond said that Cadett 7 had a splint in his leg before this year’s FEI World Cup Finals in April, so she left him at home and took her newer horse Wistful. Since then, she has been slow in bringing him back to top form. “He’s 16, so a couple weeks is like a couple of months for him. It takes a while to build him back up,” she remarked. “This is his fifth class. He feels better and better each class. I’m building up to the bigger stuff in the second half (of circuit). (But) he’ll tell me if he doesn’t want to jump 1.50m, 1.60m anymore and I’ll keep him in 1.45m.”
Bond finished second in the Nexen Cup in 2010 and knew that she would have to let Cadett 7 practice the grob jump so that he is prepared for tomorrow. “That was my main concern today, but he was dragging me through it and didn’t care!” she said. “I’ve done that course before and he has too. He’s really smart. When he’s feeling strong and healthy, he’s really fast. We can’t go as fast because he’s got to jump bigger, but I think we’ll have a pretty good shot tomorrow, I’m hoping.”
Dinan Tops ConocoPhillips Junior/Amateur Cup
Katie Dinan (USA) brought home the win as the last horse in the jump-off in the $10,000 ConocoPhillips Junior/Amateur Cup 1.40m. They sped through and made a daring jump up the bank to save time in a rollback turn, which helped them stop the timers in 42.88 seconds. Second place went to Kara Chad (CAN) and Alberto II in 43.49 seconds. Meagan Nusz (USA) and Vesuvius were third in 44.42 seconds.
Katie Dinan and Sandro
Dinan explained her jump-off ride: “In the jump-off, after the skinny (jump), you went around the bank to jump the plank (fence). I couldn’t leave (a stride) out to the skinny because he doesn’t have a huge stride and I wanted to do the seven (strides) there instead of six. He’s so brave that we planned on just jumping up the bank, which wasn’t flagged or anything, to save time. That almost gets him more excited.”
She noted, “I think a lot of people think the All Canada Ring is one of the more difficult rings to ride in here because it’s so hilly and there are so many natural obstacles that they use in all the classes, but funnily enough, the three years I’ve had him here we’ve mostly shown in the All Canada Ring. Sandro and I are kind of used to it and I like showing him here.”
Dinan and Sandro, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Larino x Casimir, have been together for two and a half years, and this is their third Spruce Meadows. Although he has won classes here, they had never won this class. This was their second victory of the week.
Dinan said Sandro is “a lot of fun.” She went on to say, “He definitely has the most personality of any horse you’ve ever met. He’s a little bit of a troublemaker, but just in the most playful way possible. He always is the one kicking his stall door at the barn demanding 100% of everyone’s attention. But I think that that personality really shows in the ring.”
She added, “He goes with his head up a little bit; he’s fast. He looks a little bit like a pony in the ring, but he’s ready to go and he thrives on it. He’s competitive and wants to do the right thing. He’s a great horse to be in that situation, like when I went last in the jump-off. I knew there were some fast people before me. You always feel like you can win when you go in with him.”
The ‘National’ Tournament CSI-W 5* concludes tomorrow with the $175,000 Nexen Cup 1.60m Derby at 2:30 pm. Also in the International Ring will be the $40,000 ATCO Structures & Logistics Speed. For more information on Spruce Meadows and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
What Can You Do at Spruce Meadows?
Spruce Meadows includes affordable fun for the whole family. With admission starting at only $5 per person, and children (12 & under) and seniors (65 & up) free, it is the perfect venue to unwind and enjoy a day of show jumping, activities, delicious food, and shopping.
From Friday through Sunday, there will be a number of activities for the whole family (all included in your admission to Spruce Meadows) such as Pony Rides, presented by Kozy Shack, the Spruce Meadows Prairie Dogs, presented by RE/MAX, Wagon Rides, Face Painting, children’s games in the Garden Court Restaurant and more! Delicious food is offered throughout the grounds, featuring a healthy menu at the Garden Court Restaurant, a wide range of options at the Time Faults Public House, and International Fare in the Plaza.
Looking to test your luck? Spruce Meadows has several contest options for those wanting to win excellent prizes, including the Jump to It contest, with a chance to win a full set of jumps, the CN/Sun Media Name the Foal contest, and the Win a Year contest, with a chance to win a year of access to all Spruce Meadows events. If you are looking for some retail therapy, vendors in the Gallery on the Green and Vendor Village offer an excellent variety of gifts and services, both equine and non-equine in nature.
Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the brainchild of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Calgary, AB – June 5, 2013 – The 2013 Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments began today, and riding on new turf footing, riders contested four FEI-level competitions. For the third year in a row, Kent Farrington (USA) captured victory in the $33,000 ATB Financial Cup 1.50m, this year with Blue Angel. In the $33,000 Enbridge Cup 1.45m, McLain Ward (USA) was victorious with Super Trooper de Ness. Christine McCrea (USA) and Romantovich Take One won the $33,000 Bantrel Cup 1.45m, while Francois Mathy (BEL) on Polinska des Isles won the opening competition of the day, the $33,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.60m.
The $33,000 ATB Financial Cup 1.45m was the highlight competition of the day and the final one in the International Ring. The course designer in the International Ring this week is Werner Deeg of Germany. There were 49 entries in the ATB Financial Cup, but only one made it through the first round without faults. With a tight time allowed in the first round, it was difficult to go clear without jumping or time faults, and nine entries finished with one time fault.
Farrington and Blue Angel, an 11-year-old Warmblood mare by Luidam x Ascendent owned by Robin Parsky, posted a clear round in 77.968 seconds for victory. Darragh Kerins (IRL) and E Muze Yek, owned by Kerins and Maarten Huygens, were just over the 80-second time allowed in 80.899 seconds. Third place went to Charlie Jacobs (USA) on CMJ Sporthorse LLC’s Flaming Star, who crossed the timers in 81.918 seconds.
“Basically it just turned into a speed class, more or less,” Farrington remarked. “Everyone was trying to go as quick as they could and leave the jumps up. That horse is fast all by itself, so that probably played a big advantage today. I don’t think there was anything special that I did except use the horse’s natural speed and really watch my turns.”
Farrington said that Blue Angel is “an experienced horse that can win at a lot of places.” He continued, “I have big hopes for her in the future and it will be fun to see what she can do. She likes it here and the ground is great. It’s always tough competition and I’m happy to win.”
Blue Angel will compete in her first team competition in next week’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup at the ‘Continental’ Tournament.
McLain Ward and Super Trooper de Ness
Ward’s Early Speed Stays at the Top
It seemed like the rest of the field was going for second place after McLain Ward and Super Trooper de Ness, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Vigo D’Arsouilles x Polydor owned by Grand Road Partners, galloped through the speed course in the $33,000 Enbridge Cup 1.45m. They went fifth in the order and stopped the timers in 64.310 seconds for victory, one second faster than second place finishers, Cadett 7 and Ashlee Bond (USA). Bond and Cadett 7, owned by Little Valley Farm, made a solid effort in 65.353 seconds and came closest to Ward’s time. Third place went to John Perez (COL) on Utopia, who finished in 67.474 seconds.
When asked if he thought his time would hold up, Ward replied, “I knew there would be a chance to be beat and it’s always nice to win, but I was really happy with the way the horse went in his first time in the big ring here. Everything is a bit new for the first time for him this year. It was nice to win.”
Ward explained that the reason Super Trooper is so speedy is thanks to his ability to keep the rails up without slowing down before the fence. “He felt really relaxed, and he’s naturally an incredibly careful horse, so you could let him go a little bit,” he said. “I loved the way he covered the ground because he’s a very, very careful horse. Sometimes he gets a little frozen and doesn’t cover the ground. But he felt loose in there and it’s wonderful footing, which helps. He’s a horse you never have to set up anywhere, you can kind of just stay on a lick. I think in the end, that makes him a faster horse than most horses. As long as you don’t make some kind of gross error, he’s going to get out of the way.”
Ward will continue to show Super Trooper de Ness this week with the aim toward preparing him for next week’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup.
Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One
McCrea and Romantovich Take One Find the Fast Path
The $33,000 Enbridge Cup 1.45m was held in a speed format with 48 entries starting. The fastest clear round was posted by Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding by Numero Uno x Karandasj owned by Candy Tribble. They finished faster by a large margin in 64.855 seconds. Second place went to Remarkable Farms LP’s Nice de Prissey and Brianne Goutal (USA) in 68.266 seconds, while Reed Kessler (USA) and Wolf S, owned by Iron Works Partners, were third with a time of 68.478 seconds.
McCrea did not watch anyone go before her since she was competing in another ring, but luckily she had the ride on Wannick WH earlier in the order, which gave her a good idea of how she could be faster with Romantovich Take One.
“It was a very nice course,” McCrea said. “You got to jump all over the field in the different parts of the ring. It wasn’t enormous; it was just a nice welcome back into the ring. The footing is just outstanding and it’s just perfect. I know him so well that I decided to go for the win and it worked out.”
This win marks yet another in a string of grand prix victories that McCrea has had over the past month, which included two at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows and two at HITS Saugerties. McCrea attributed her success with Romantovich Take One to three things, “He likes cooler weather, a little excitement, and he likes to travel around. I think all of those things have come into play the last couple of months, which has kind of perked him up a little bit. He loves it here.”
Today’s success was McCrea’s first win in the International Ring at Spruce Meadows. “That was my first time and it was so fun!” she said with a smile. “I’m really proud of it actually! It’s really cool.”
Francois Mathy and Polinska des Isles
Mathy Takes Opening Win
It was a fast jump-off for the opening competition, the $33,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.60m, in the International Ring for the ‘National’ Tournament with Belgium’s Francois Mathy Jr. galloping to the win on Polinska des Isles, a 10-year-old Selle Francais mare by Diamant de Semilly x Valespoir Malabry owned by Team Harmony and Francois Mathy.
Mathy was one of five double clear rounds in a jump-off of nine entries. He and Polinska crossed the timers in 39.356 seconds, just edging out Olympian Reed Kessler (USA) and Cylana, who posted a time of 39.496 seconds. Third place went to Enrique Gonzalez (MEX) on Criptonite, who had a time of 41.892 seconds.
Polinska was successful at her last show, the La Baule CSIO 5*, in May. They placed fifth in the grand prix. Mathy said, “She’s been quite competitive since I’ve had her, so I’m really happy. She won her first grand prix at end of year at a three-star when she was eight. One year ago she started to do the big classes.”
Mathy competed with Polinska at the 2012 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament, so he felt comfortable taking her in the 1.60m in her first start out. “She knows the ring, which is a help when you start directly in a big class. The course was quite open, so I think that helped us get a bit into the rhythm,” he noted.
Although he didn’t see anyone go before him in the jump-off, Mathy planned to keep his turns tight and pace steady. “Daniel (Bluman) was in the lead and I knew he was quite fast. I just tried to keep everything tight and it seemed to work. I think where I had a good turn was to the double (combination). I think there I was quite tight and I think that helped me make up a bit of time. I didn’t see Reed’s round, but I saw she was just a little bit slower than me. That could have made the difference.”
Mathy plans to compete at all five weeks of the Summer Tournaments and was happy to win his first competition. “It’s a big investment for us when we come from Europe, so it’s super to start like that,” he remarked.
The ‘National’ Tournament CSI 5* continues tomorrow with three main events: the $33,000 Prairie Mines & Royalty LTD Cup 1.50m, the $33,000 ATCO Pipelines Cup 1.45m, and the $35,000 Spectra Energy Cup 1.60m. For more information on Spruce Meadows and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the brainchild of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.
Kent Farrington won Thursday’s $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic with Venus at the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, and currently leads the 2013 Hagyard Challenge Series. Photo: Rebecca Walton/PMG.
Lexington, KY – May 22, 2013 – Kent Farrington has taken over the lead in the 2013 Hagyard Challenge Series after winning the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic during the Kentucky Spring Classic. The talented rider showed Raylyn Farm’s Venus to the victory by overtaking the jump-off with two seconds to spare and a clear effort.
Richie Moloney maintains the second place position in the standings after earning second with Slieveanorra during the first event, and then going on to place seventh, eighth and ninth with Equinimity LLC’s Carrabis Z, Call Me Number One, and Slieveanorra. Venezuela’s Pablo Barrios is currently ranked third in the standings after winning the first event aboard Zara Leandra with the fastest double clear effort.
The Hagyard Challenge Series is a summer-long series of seven show jumping events at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. The rider who accumulates the most points in the series will receive a $50,000 Leading Rider Award, presented during the Kentucky National Horse Show in September. The second event in the series will be next Thursday during the Kentucky Spring Classic at the Kentucky Horse Park.
“I think any kind of rider incentive iss great for the sport, especially at the professional level,” commented Farrington. “There is so much money in the junior and amateur divisions at the shows. We have to keep the true professional sport and people have to be able to win money. I think having rider incentives for the people that are consistently successful is a great thing. I am huge supporter of any kind of incentive or bonus like that for riders that are consistently successful.”
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is one of the oldest and largest equine veterinary practices in the world. Founded in 1876, the institute offers a staff with qualifications unparalleled by any single non-university veterinary group in the equine industry, and Hagyard veterinarians have dedicated themselves to the health and well-being of the horse for more than 130 years.
The facility at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute offers 13 Digital Radiology systems, 1.5 Tesla Siemens MRI, Nuclear Scintigraphy, a high speed treadmill, an on-site laboratory, an on-site pharmacy, full surgical services, 24-hour emergency services, and Hyperbaric Medicine. The institute has practiced veterinary medicine for more than 133 years and is currently composed of over 60 experienced veterinarians, with 12 board certifications in specialty areas of Medicine, Surgery, Critical Care, and Theriogenology.
Several generous sponsors have helped make this exciting series event happen. These gracious supporters include: title sponsor MWI Veterinary Supply, and presenting sponsor Zoetis, as well as Audi of Lexington, Dean Dorton Allen Ford, Hagyard Flex-tra HA, Johnson Horse Transport, Hallway Feeds, Kirk Horse Insurance LLC, Pike and Preston, and Stoll Keenon Ogden.
For more information about the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, please visit http://hagyard.com.
Lexington, KY – May 16, 2013 – Although thunderstorms disrupted competition throughout the day at the Kentucky Horse Park, the clouds parted as the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic got underway during the Kentucky Spring Classic. Sixteen horse and rider combinations advanced to the tiebreaker, creating a speed duel for the winning prize. Kent Farrington proved to have all the answers with Venus, blazing an uncatchable clear track that was almost two seconds faster than second place finisher Andrew Bourns of Ireland. Reed Kessler and Mika were the pathfinders to take home the third place honors.
Fifty-four entries showed over Conrad Homfeld’s opening course, which featured multiple bending lines, a vertical-oxer double combination, and an oxer-vertical-vertical triple combination. It yielded 16 clear rounds, all of whom returned for the short course, which began over a vertical-oxer bending line with a roll back to a single vertical followed by another oxer. Riders then galloped to the double combination before doubling back to finish over the final oxer away from the gate.
Reed Kessler of Lexington, KY, was the second rider on the start list and first to complete the course without fault. She and her top mount, Mika, also proved to be pathfinders during the jump-off, completing a clear effort in a speed of 36.217 seconds that would eventually place third.
Andrew Bourns and Gatsby
Seven rounds later, Kessler’s clear round was caught by Andrew Bourns aboard Gatsby. They were able to shave time through the rollback and took a long distance to the oxer before the double combination. Their risks paid off, and they broke the beam at 35.877 seconds with all the rails intact for the second place honors.
“Thankfully, I watched Reed, and I noticed she steadied up a lot for the double combination, and she was easy to the last, so I figured that’s where I could make up some time,” noted Bourns. “For sure from the first fence to second fence she was faster than me because she did one less stride, but I think I got a better turn after. This is the biggest class my horse has jumped so far. He’s been very successful, but now I am trying to up his level a little bit and have him jump a bigger track. I was very happy with him today.”
It was the next rider on course that would prove to have the winning round. Kent Farrington and Venus, owned by Raylyn Farms of Frederick, MD, were up to the speedy challenge. They quickly zipped from one to two and took a big risk to the combination. The mare easily cleared the obstacles and cut inside Bourn’s track to the final oxer with a clear round in 33.878 seconds for the win.
Five other riders had double clear rounds, with Ramiro Quintata coming the closest to Kessler’s time with Whitney, owned by St. Bride’s Farm of Upperville, VA, for the fourth place prize. Quentine Judge and HH Dark De La Hart, owned by Double H Farm of Wellington, FL, placed fourth, followed by Ian Millar and Team Works’ Star Power in sixth place for Canada.
Ireland’s Richie Moloney qualified three mounts for the jump-off for owner Equinimity LLC of Wellington, FL. Carrabis Z and Call Me Number One picked up seventh and eighth by producing matching clear rounds, while Slieveanorra proved to be the fastest four-faulter over the short course for ninth place.
Farrington and Venus were partnered together during last year’s Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, and he was ready to pull out all the stops for a win today. “The plan for the jump-off was to try to win,” he smiled. “Venus is a fast horse. She is my type of horse, a really thoroughbredy type of horse with a lot of blood. She’s naturally fast across the ground, and I think I just picked up a very fast gallop. I turned very quickly to the vertical at the end of the ring, and I just let her run to the last jump.”
Although champion eventer and show jumper Marilyn Little normally rides the horse, Farrington took over the ride for the last two weeks. “It was sort of a last minute thing,” explained Farrington. “Lynn [Little] called me up and asked me if I wanted to show the horse and if I did they were dropping it off in an hour at my farm, so that was that. I rode him last year and then Marilyn rode it this winter, but they asked if I would ride Venus for these shows.”
Tonight’s class was the second event in the seven-part Hagyard Challenge Series, which features a $50,000 Leading Rider Bonus to the top rider at the end of the season. Farrington has won the award twice already, and is a strong supporter of the series. “I think any kind of rider incentive is great for the sport, especially at the professional level,” he commented. “There is so much money in the junior and amateur divisions at the shows. We have to keep the true professional sport and people have to be able to win money. I think having rider incentives for the people that are consistently successful is a great thing. I am huge supporter of any kind of incentive or bonus like that for riders that are consistently successful.”
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute is one of the oldest and largest equine veterinary practices in the world. Founded in 1876, the institute offers a staff with qualifications unparalleled by any single non-university veterinary group in the equine industry, and Hagyard veterinarians have dedicated themselves to the health and well-being of the horse for more than 130 years.
Several generous sponsors have helped make this exciting series event happen. These gracious supporters include: title sponsor MWI Veterinary Supply, and presenting sponsor Zoetis, as well as Audi of Lexington, Dean Dorton Allen Ford, Hagyard Flex-tra HA, Johnson Horse Transport, Hallway Feeds, Kirk Horse Insurance LLC, Pike and Preston, and Stoll Keenon Ogden.
The next event for Farrington and Venus will be Saturday night’s $75,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington. The jumper action at the Kentucky Spring Classic concludes on Sunday with the $20,000 Bluegrass Classic in the Rolex Stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Lexington, KY – May 11, 2013 – Capturing a ribbon was no easy task during today’s $20,000 Bluegrass Classic at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show. Forty-two entries gathered at the Rolex Stadium to compete in the 1.45m Open Jumper event, but when 23 qualified for the tiebreaker the results came down to a foot race. Besting the clock and the course was Kent Farrington aboard Zidane, breaking the beam at 38.879 to take home the winning prize. Ramiro Quintana, riding Largo to second place, followed him, and Emanuel Andrade placed third with Walter 61.
Richard Jefferys set a very inviting course for today’s event at the Kentucky Horse Park. The first round included an open water option, an oxer-vertical double combination, and a vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination. Twenty-three were able to master the track and advance to the jump-off, where speed and accuracy were the keys to winning. “That was probably more than Richard expected, but he’s not building it to be the grand prix,” stated Farrington after his win. “I think he just maybe under built for the class today, but that just meant the jump-off turned into a speed class.”
The short course began with two oxers to a vertical-oxer line before winding back to just the oxer at the open water option. Then riders galloped to the double combination because finishing over a single oxer. Competitors could opt to jump-off directly after their first round or return at the end of the class. Schuyler Riley was one of the riders opting to stay in the ring with Andretti, owned by Southbeach Stables of Wellington, FL. She set the clear pace to beat at 41.468 seconds, but that would only be good enough for eighth place when 17 riders produced double clears.
On the return list, young rider Victoria Colvin and Waminka, owned by Rivers Edge of Wellington, FL, were able to best Riley’s time by breaking the beam in a clear 40.877. Their early lead was short lived though, when Kent Farrington entered the arena with Zidane, owned by Windward Farm of Milford, NJ. They spun through the turns and with a huge open gallop managed to leave out strides and zip through the timers in 38.879 seconds, proving to be the best and claim the victory.
Ramiro Quintana and Largo
Ramiro Quintana was right on Farrington’s heels with Largo, owned by Maverick ventures LLC of Fox Point, WI, as the next in the ring. The pair stayed right on track and just missed the winning target, clocking in at 38.882 seconds, just 1/100th second short of Farrington for second place. Emanuel Andrade is well known for his quick mounts, including Walker 61 owned by Hollow Creek Farm of Aiken, SC. He was next to challenge and came very close in 39.019 seconds for third.
Young rider Wilton Porter had a great showing with Patriot, owned by Sleepy P Ranch of Bartonville, TX, pressing the gas to finish in 40.296 seconds. The only other rider to complete a clear round in less than 40 seconds was Ireland’s Andrew Bourns riding Gatsby. They were very quick and stopped the clock at 39.043 seconds for fourth place. The last rider to show was Andrew Welles, who rounded out the top six with XM, owned by Peter Welles of Boulder, CO. Their clear time of 40.737 seconds sealed Farrington’s victory.
“Zidane is a pretty fast horse,” explained Farrington. “This is only the second time I’ve shown him. Peter Wylde showed him in Florida with a lot of success in speed classes. He’s pretty experienced at that. He’s a big striding horse and covers a lot of ground. He’s brave, and I took a real shot at the second fence, leaving really far away, but he stretched and tried hard. The rest was just him; he’s a quick horse and he’s very careful so you can run him at the jumps.”
Although Zidane is a new mount for Farrington, he knew that he could take a risk in the jump-off to win with the experienced mount. “I felt confident that the horse is perfectly capable of winning the class, but I don’t really know him so I am still figuring him out as I go,” he noted. “Obviously it’s a very nice horse and good horses always make the job easier.”
When Wylde changed his plans for the year, he recommended Farrington take over the ride, and now the new pair is aiming for the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic next week during the Kentucky Spring Classic. “Usually when the horses are going and winning like that you don’t have them too long, so I am just going make the most of it while I have the ride,” he expressed.
Tomorrow, Farrington will return to the Rolex Stadium to try and pick up another win during the $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix aboard his top mounts Zafira and Venus. The Kentucky Spring Horse Shows are always a stop for the top rider, who is happy to be back at the Kentucky Horse Park.
“It’s a great venue and I think they really make the most of that during these shows,” noted Farrington. “There are a lot of different classes in the Rolex Stadium. I bring a lot of young horses here and students here; it’s a great place for horses and riders to move up. There are some classes that feel like a mini grand prix like this, and there is a good water jump in the ring. It’s impressive, and it’s good for the horses to get that experience. The footing is great, so even if it rains you always know the ground is going to hold well.”
Later tonight, the hunter riders will take over the Rolex Stadium during the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby, which gets underway at 5 p.m., immediately followed by the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby. The weekend concludes tomorrow with the $75,000 Commonwealth Grand Prix at 4p.m. in the Rolex Stadium, but the riders will return to the Kentucky Horse Park for the Kentucky Spring Classic, scheduled for May 15-19, 2013.
Mario Deslauriers and Ardeche van de Zelm Win $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic; ASPCA Maclay Awards Two Sections
Wellington, FL, March 3, 2013 – Week eight of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by G&C Farm, concluded on Sunday afternoon with an exciting victory for Kent Farrington (USA) and Robin Parsky’s Blue Angel in the $150,000 CSIO 4* Grand Prix, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). In an 11-horse jump-off, Farrington and Blue Angel were 1/100th of a second faster than Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner’s Cortes ‘C’ who finished second. Conor Swail (IRL) and Lansdowne, owned by Ariel and Susan Grange, placed third.
Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY, was the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC for the week. In Sunday’s feature class, 53 entries showed and eleven went clear to advance to the jump-off. In the second round, six cleared the short course without fault, and it was a race to the finish as the times got faster and faster.
Charlie Jayne (USA) and Chill RZ, owned by Alex Jayne and Maura Thatcher, showed the way to a clear round in the jump-off and eventually placed sixth with their time of 41.02 seconds. McLain Ward (USA) and Grant Road Partners’ Antares F went next and improved on that time in 38.83 seconds to place fourth. Germany’s Janne Friederike Meyer and Cellagon Lambrasco, owned by Meyer, Friedrich and Anne Sophie, were just 2/100ths of a second slower in 38.85 seconds to take the fifth place prize.
Conor Swail and Lansdowne went next and put on quite a show as they stopped the clock in 38.57 seconds to eventually place third. Beezie Madden and Cortes ‘C’ upped the ante once more as they completed their round in 38.25 seconds. Just when it seemed like Madden might not be beat, Kent Farrington and Blue Angel raced through the timers in 38.24 seconds, just 1/100th of a second faster, to grab the top spot.
Watch an interview with winning rider Kent Farrington
Farrington’s winning mount, Blue Angel, is an eleven-year-old Anglo European mare by Luidam x Ascendant. Farrington just started riding her in Wellington this winter and as he put it, the pair “sort of jumped into the deep end of the pool,” going for the big classes right away.
“We did the 1.30m, 1.40m, and then we were off and running,” Farrington stated. “Winning with her gives me confidence in what I’ve been doing. I want to continue to try to grow with the horse and really get her into my system and get to know her better.”
“She is a special horse that’s actually the type of horse I grew up riding, more Thoroughbred-type,” Farrington described. “We had a lot of horses off the racetrack and I used to race ponies as a kid, so I’m used to riding really hot, small horses like that. That’s sort of right up my alley.”
In their short time together, Farrington and Blue Angel have had several top finishes, including a second place in this week’s $43,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 8.
“I haven’t ridden it that long, but it’s naturally a fast horse,” Farrington point out. “I have actually practiced a few jump-offs in here. We have come close to winning a few classes – the WEF on Thursday was a speed round and she was second. McLain (Ward) won with a spectacular round that was unbeatable. Today was our day and we got a little redemption.”
Commenting on Sunday’s course, Farrington remarked, “I didn’t think there would be as many clear as there were, but I think that shows the strength of the field today.”
Farrington and second place finisher Beezie Madden are fresh off a win for Team USA in Friday night’s $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm. Madden and her mount Cortes ‘C’ have had a great season, also including a win in the $125,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix, CSI 3*-W presented by Spy Coast Farm during week six.
Madden agreed with Farrington’s comment on Sunday’s class. “I thought it was a good course,” she stated. “In a class like this I would prefer a few less clean, but I thought it tested carefulness and scope and a little bravery at the end with the [brush] box going into the triple [combination]. I think he had a really good feel for the horses. A lot of the riders had their top horses in today, so it makes for some very good jumping.”
Madden commented on her round in the jump-off, explaining, “I saw Conor go before me, so I knew it was very, very fast. I was just trying to use my horse’s big stride. I could set off right through the timers fast; I could trust him to jump the first fence clean and just gallop to that, and hope to be really fast to the second fence. I think I eased up a bit to the fifth fence, the oxer. I think I pretty much matched Kent everywhere else. It’s hard to say where you lost a hundredth of a second.”
Third place finisher, Conor Swail, had a great round with Lansdowne but knew he had some fast riders still to come.
“I certainly didn’t think I had it, but I was very happy to go into the lead,” he noted. “Lansdowne is a fantastic horse. He’s now 10 years old and he has jumped a few of these bigger classes. He knows what to do with himself now. I was delighted. I think the top four riders, those rounds would win most grand prixs. It was crazy.”
With a world-class line-up, Sunday’s class certainly proved the talent of the horses and riders in the jump-off. Swail was happy to be a part of the action.
“It’s nice to ride with these guys and be competitive with them,” he acknowledged. “You learn a lot by being in this company. By riding with the best, it’s how we get better. We all enjoy the competition. Any one of us could win each particular day. We never think we cannot win. We want to be on the top.”
Mario Deslauriers and Ardeche van de Zelm Win $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic
Earlier in the day on Sunday, Mario Deslauriers (USA) and Ardeche van de Zelm, owned by Mario’s wife Lisa Deslauriers, topped the $25,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. In a class of 41 entries, seven cleared the first round course to advance to the jump-off, and Deslauriers and ‘Ardeche’ completed the only double clear round in a time of 34.87 seconds to earn the victory.
Ardeche is a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by Gran Corrado x Darco. After his win on Sunday, Deslauriers explained, “Ardeche is a horse that my wife Lisa rides also, that we have had for several years. It is a great horse. We were having some bad luck with his health for a little while, but we always try to bring him back because we know he is so good and he proved it today. He just had a couple of classes for practice and then he can just go in here and do what he does. He is exceptional.”
“He has won the Queen’s Cup; he has won several grand prixs. We just had a lot of bad luck with him, but touch wood, we keep hoping,” Deslauriers added. “With a horse like that it makes it easy for the rider because you just have to be in range. He is so special and he is just a show horse. He gets in the arena and he hears the bell and he has already picked up the canter. He is very smart and it is just a real joy to ride him.”
Laura Kraut (USA) and A. Lebon’s Jubilee d’Ouilly finished second with four faults in 33.43 seconds. Alonso Valdez Prado (PER) and Quick du Pottier were third with four faults in 34.90 seconds. Daniel Deusser (GER) and Stephex Stables’ Evita van de Veldbalie had four faults in 34.93 seconds. Kraut also took fifth place honors with the Evita Group’s Nouvelle with four faults in 35.51 seconds.
Victoria Colvin and Charlotte Jacobs Put In Blue Ribbon Performances in ASPCA Maclay Sections
The ASPCA Maclay class was split into two sections after entries swelled to over sixty riders during week eight of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Victoria Colvin finished first in Section A, presented by Sidelines Magazine, aboard Asparagus, a 19-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Missy Clark. Caitlin Boyle and her horse Loredo were second followed by Jack Morgan’s third place finish aboard Allison Haupt’s Vangoch.
Charlotte Jacobs rode Catherine Tyree’s Patrick to first place in Section B, presented by Alessandro Albanese. Gabrielle Bausano was second to Jacobs with her own Calito 7. The top three was rounded out by Lucille Green and her horse Accord.
Colvin, of Loxahatchee, FL, barely had time to prepare for her winning round after quickly hopping on Asparagus following her rounds that morning in the jumper ring. “I didn’t even have the chance to walk,” Colvin admitted. “I just got here and went in and rode the course, and it went pretty well,” she smiled.
Not surprisingly, the ever-humble Colvin gave the credit to her experienced mount, Asparagus. “I’ve shown him only a few times at WEF and he’s just perfect!” Colvin described. “He’s done everything so he never sets a foot wrong. He just keeps his head still and has a nice jump that won’t pop you out of the tack.”
A challenging combination that riders were asked to do was a figure-eight through jumps set up with hay bales and it proved too daunting for many riders, however Colvin welcomed the challenge. “I liked the ‘hay bale’ combination because it had so much turning, which I always enjoy,” Colvin commented.
Jacobs, of East Aurora, NY, and Patrick also had no problem navigating the challenging course, designed by Skip Bailey. “The course was fun. I like that there were a lot of natural obstacles included. It’s a different experience,” Jacobs described.
“All of the horses were a little fresh with the weather being a little cold and windy, and Patrick had two weeks off before this,” Jacobs continued. “He was a little bit fresh, but I like that.”
Jacobs is leasing Patrick from barn mate Catherine Tyree, who aged out of junior divisions last year. “He’s been amazing. He’s a lot like my other equitation horse, Stallone VDL, so we clicked pretty much right away. We work really well together,” Jacobs explained.
“Patrick is just perfect. I love him and he’s so much fun to ride. He has the best canter and is just a very nice horse,” Jacobs concluded.
Both Jacobs and Colvin have their eye on ASPCA Maclay Finals in November. Jacobs and Colvin have already accumulated enough points to qualify and look forward to competing in one of the country’s most prestigious equitation competitions.
Sunday’s class concluded hunter and equitation competition for week eight of the FTI WEF, sponsored by G&C Farm. Week nine of competition will run March 6-10, 2013, and is sponsored by The Bainbridge Companies at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
Lauren Fisher and Laura Cardon for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 9 through March 31. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded. For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com.
About FTI Consulting FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 3,800 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.56 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2011. More information can be found at www.fticonsulting.com.
$10,000 G&C Speed Stake Victory Goes to Darragh Kenny and Delilah; LDM Dramatik and Amy Smith Secure Championship Title in Low Adult 2’6″ Hunters Section A
Wellington, FL – March 1, 2013 – The powerhouse U.S. show jumping team of Kent Farrington, Reed Kessler, Laura Kraut and Beezie Madden earned victory in Friday night’s $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm, at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. Teams representing seven different countries participated in the evening’s competition with a win for Team USA over Canada in second and Germany in third.
Week eight CSIO competition runs February 27 – March 3, 2013. The Hollow Creek Farm FEI Children’s, Junior, and Young Rider Nations Cups will be featured on Saturday, March 2. The $150,000 CSIO 4* Grand Prix, presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty, will be held on Sunday afternoon. The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival features 12 weeks of competition running from January 9 – March 31, 2013, and will be awarding almost $7 million in prize money throughout the circuit.
Friday’s nights Nations Cup competition consisted of two rounds shown over a challenging course set by Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY. Teams of four represented the countries of Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Germany, USA, Colombia and Venezuela.
After the first round, each team dropped their highest score. In the second round, all seven teams returned in order of highest to lowest total faults. The winner was determined by the lowest total of each team’s top three riders from each round.
Watch an interview with U.S. Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland
The winning team from the United States was represented by Kent Farrington and RCG Farm’s Uceko, Reed Kessler and her Cylana, Laura Kraut and Cherry Knoll Farm, Inc.’s Cedric, and Beezie Madden riding Abigail Wexner’s Simon under the guidance of new Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland.
In round one, Farrington had four faults aboard Uceko and Kessler, Kraut and Madden all jumped clear rounds to lead the way into the second phase of competition. In round two, Farrington and Kessler each jumped clear rounds, Kraut and Cedric had four faults, and when it was determined that the USA could not be beat, the team decided that Madden and Simon did not have to jump. They finished on a two round total of four faults for the victory.
Beezie Madden had a little trouble at the water in round one but still jumped clear for her team. She noted, “I probably had the most interesting round. Other than the water jump, he felt great. He was fantastic. I looked at the scoreboard afterwards; I thought he was clear of it. I knew he hit the box, but that was probably putting it mildly. I was just happy he recovered from that and he finished off with a clear.”
Eighteen-year-old Reed Kessler had her first win as well as her first double clear in a Nations Cup class and was very excited.
“To ride on the home team in front of the home crowd is a really big honor so I’m thrilled that it went the way it did,” Kessler smiled. “Cylana was awesome. She has shown pretty lightly all of circuit to prepare for this. It’s my favorite thing when I ride her to hear the crowd scream and she gets so animated and so wild. When she heads to the first jump, she has total focus. She could not have done better.”
Kent Farrington had a rail in round one but came back strong for the second round. He commented, “I’ve known that horse a little while and our first ride wasn’t our best. Towards the end of the round he just got too strong and he took over at the last oxer. I was actually pleased with how he came back in the second round. He performed more like himself and was more relaxed.”
Laura Kraut had a great night with Cedric and enjoyed winning on home turf.
“I was thrilled with Cedric tonight,” Kraut smiled. “Both rounds he was fantastic. The second round I was maybe a little overly cautious down the last line and he had such a light rub. I think he thinks he was double clear. I think he’s pleased right now. As Reed said, it was very comforting to ride tonight. Normally, I would be very tense about riding in front of the home crowd, but when you have three horse/rider combinations going with you, I felt pretty comfortable that if I did something really stupid they’d be there to back me up. I’m thrilled that we won and I’m really happy for Robert because he was really nervous. He just sort of listened to what we thought we wanted to do and supported us. We’re all getting to know each other and our new system. But I think it worked quite well.”
Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland was very happy with his team and admits to being a little nervous.
“I was told I was pacing a lot,” Ridland laughed. “What do you do? For me, this has been a long journey and great to get here. It was about a year ago that I was named coach and we went through the Olympic trials and all that. At the same time, Furusiyya and the FEI changed the Nations Cup and there are a lot of us that feel this is one of the best things that will have happened to the sport in a long time. It will revive the Nations Cup. We knew this was going to be a really big deal coming in being a qualifier for the Final and we made it a huge priority before the beginning of the year, not only to try to win this, but to be in a good position for the Final.”
Friday night’s Canadian team consisted of Eric Lamaze and Morningside Stud & Torrey Pines Stables’ Wang Chung M2S, Tiffany Foster and Artisan Farm LLC’s Victor, Mac Cone and Chadburn Holdings, Inc.’s Amor van de Rostal as well as Ian Millar and Ariel and Susan Grange’s Dixson with Chef d’Equipe Mark Laskin.
In round one, Lamaze had five faults for a rail and one time fault, Foster and Millar jumped clear, and Mac Cone was eliminated for the drop score. All four riders continued on into round two where Lamaze, Foster and Millar all jumped clear. Mac Cone’s score was once again dropped to leave the team on five faults total for their second place finish.
Third place finisher, Team Germany, included Janne Friederike Meyer aboard Meyer, Friedrich and Anne Sophie’s Cellagon Lambrasco, Johannes Ehning and Nybor Pferde GMBH & Co. KG’s Salvador V, Andre Thieme and his Contanga 3, and Daniel Deusser aboard Stephex Stables & Pedro Veniss’s Cornet d’Amour headed by Chef d’Equipe Dietmar Gugler.
In round one, Germany dropped Ehning’s score of eight and kept Meyer’s four fault score and Theime’s one time fault with a clear round from Daniel Deusser. In round two, Deusser once again jumped clear, Meyer was clear, and Ehning and Theime each had four faults, one of which was dropped. The team finished on five faults from round one and four faults from round two for a nine point total.
The fourth place team from Ireland finished with eleven faults. Other teams included Colombia, who finished on a score of 41 to place fifth, Venezuela, who had a two round total of 48 to finish sixth, and Mexico, who finished on a score of 59 to place seventh.
All in all, there were five double clear rounds for the night, including Reed Kessler, Tiffany Foster, Ian Millar, Daniel Deusser and Cian O’Connor on Splendor. Foster was especially enthusiastic about her performance aboard Victor.
The 2013 season has seen the introduction of a new formula for the FEI Nations Cup. Following a new sponsorship deal with the Saudi Equestrian Fund, this historic series will now be known as the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup. Under the new rules, the world has been divided into six regions for the purpose of qualifying teams for a World Final. The six regions are Europe 1 and 2, North America, South America, Middle East, Asia and Africa.
On behalf of Furusiyya, HH Prince Faisal Al Shalan was present for the class and commented on the evening. “First of all we are very happy for the American team for their win today,” he stated. “They were amazing and they had really good horses coming in. The other teams also performed really well and it was very close.”
“To start off, Furusiyya is a single Arabic word and it is based on embracing the idea of horsemanship, chivalry and equestrian knowledge in general,” he added. “The term is a derivation of ‘faris,’ the horseman and the horse, so it’s a combination of both. In time, Furusiyya will become the brand name under which Saudi Arabian equestrian products will be licensed and marketed. To date, there is a perfume called Furusiyya which is a product for sale in Saudi Arabia. It is our duty in Saudi equestrian to sponsor Saudi equestrian activities for the nobility. Not only in the narrow sense of their history and heritage, but rather in the cultural and behavioral aspects that surround the sport in celebration of the horse. It has instilled chivalry, honor, value and virtue. This is the essence of our mission in the Saudi Equestrian Fund-the connection between horse and rider is universal and we are fortunate that the horse is so noble that they allow us to share their strength and passion.”
Class and weekly sponsor Gustavo Mirabal of G&C Farm also spoke about the evening. “I am very proud to again be the Nations Cup sponsor as well as many FEI classes,” Mirabal stated. “I think we have to do this in America-more FEI classes and more FEI points so we can have more riders in the top of the world. I recognize all of the American riders as amazing riders and people, and I am proud to be the sponsor.”
Also commenting on the class, John Madden, representing the FEI, noted, “I think we witnessed a little bit of history tonight. This is the first Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup here in North America. Last week we witnessed it in Abu Dhabi and we think it’s a really bright future for our sport.”
“I would like to, on behalf of the FEI, thank the USEF as our host federation and ESP, Michael (Stone) and everybody for a great job this evening,” Madden acknowledged. “I think we really have to thank Gustavo and G&C. They really bring the hemisphere together. They bring the Americas together like a family and we really have to thank His Highness Prince Faisal and Furusiyya. Thank you, on behalf of the FEI for bringing the world together.”
Equestrian Sport Productions’ CEO Mark Bellissimo added, “I’d also like to thank the sponsors and His Highness. This is an amazing start of a tradition in the United States and it is great that the U.S. team was able to prevail here. Canada and Germany also did very well and I think we’re just pleased to have top sport in Wellington.”
“I’d like to thank my friend Gustavo Mirabal, who stepped up very early in our ownership of this and has just been an amazing sponsor and supporter through all dimensions of the sport,” Bellissimo said. “It takes great sponsors to elevate the sport in the United States and we hope this is a relationship for many years to come. Again, we thank the FEI and USEF for creating the platform for this great demonstration.”
Darragh Kenny and Delilah Dash to Victory in $10,000 G&C Farm Speed Stake
G&C Farm’s $10,000 Speed Stake was also held on Friday with a win for Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and Delilah, owned by Derbypie, LLC. In a field of 35 international starters, Kenny and Delilah completed the fastest of 9 clear rounds in 59.07 seconds. Germany’s Johannes Ehning and Cayenne 162, owned by Winley Farm LLC, finished second in 59.63 seconds. USA’s Reed Kessler and Ligist were third with a time of 61.54 seconds.
Delilah is a 13-year-old KWPN mare by Lancelot x Gracio owned by young American rider Hasbrouck Donovan, who has shown successfully in the junior jumpers. Kenny explained that he has been keeping the mare fit for her rider over the winter and asked if he could use her as a speed horse this week.
“It is a super horse,” Kenny stated. “She is so easy and brave and uncomplicated and careful. She has a huge stride and you can really gallop with her. She wants to win, so it makes my life really easy.”
Commenting on Friday’s class, Kenny noted, “It was a really nice result. I thought it was a really good course for a speed class. There were enough questions and tight turns, but also a lot of galloping. It was really interesting because in a really good speed class you have to be careful about leaving the jumps up too and a good few people at the start had faults. You just had to be a little bit careful and then you had to go pretty quick.”
Kenny is frequently one of the fastest riders in any class and explained that confidence in his horses is key. “I am lucky; I just know how to go fast,” he smiled. “At this stage I have had a lot of practice. It is a simple thing. If you can trust your horses to jump the jumps clear, then speed comes a lot easier. Delilah is so careful and she tries so hard that when I turn back to anything, even if I am not at the perfect distance or even if I am going too fast, I know she is going to try. That makes it easier; it gives you more room to go faster.”
Also showing in the International Arena on Friday, McLain Ward and Tequestrian Farm’s Coco 135 earned a victory in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge. Johannes Ehning and Appearance 2, owned by Nybor Pferde GMBH & Co. KG, triumphed in the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off class.
LDM Dramatik and Amy Smith Secure Championship Title in Low Adult 2’6″ Hunters Section A
Amy Smith and her newly acquired mount, LDM Dramatik, topped the Low Adult 2’6″ Hunter Section A division during week eight of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Smith and her fourteen-year-old Westphalian mare were fifth and fourth over fences on day one of competition for the division. The pair was second, fourth and first over fences on day two.
Reserve championship honors went to Elizabeth Reed and her own Serenade. Reed and Serenade were third over fences day one and earned a blue ribbon over fences on day two.
Smith bought LDM Dramatik from Lynn Berg only two weeks ago, who was competing the mare in Adult Amateur divisions at the FTI WEF. While their relationship may be new, the pair is clearly a winning match.
“She’s been awesome. Last week, [during World Championship Hunter Rider Week], we were fifth in the classic out of 73 and ninth and eleventh out of 73 in the other two over fences classes,” Smith recalled.
Smith has enjoyed getting to know her new mount as the two continue their success at the FTI WEF. “My horse that I had for six years was totally different from her – it’s like night and day. She stays consistent, while he would change at every jump. If you saw a long one on him, he might go for it or you might chip. I’m adjusting to her well. She makes it easy,” Smith described.
“She’s such a good girl, she’s really right there for you,” Smith continued. “She helps you out and she never changes unless she needs to.”
Smith also praised LDM Dramatik’s way of going for making her so competitive at a high-caliber competition like the FTI WEF. “A lot of it is the way she goes across the ground. She’s just so smooth and she jumps the same style from any distance. She doesn’t stay in the air too long over jumps and she’s got just the right amount of arc. She can cover up your mistakes, also. If you get a little too deep to a fence, she’ll still jump it very well,” Smith explained.
Smith has been competing at the FTI WEF since 1990. She looks forward to her annual trip south from Nashville for more than just the Florida sunshine. “The facilities are beautiful, first of all. The competition is the toughest in the country which makes me ride better. It makes me more competitive,” Smith commented.
“And of course, who couldn’t love being in Palm Beach in the winter?” Smith added with a smile.
Week eight of the FTI WEF, sponsored by G&C Farm, will continue Saturday, March 2, 2013, with the THIS National Children’s Medal 15-17 class in Ring 8 of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The Hollow Creek Farm FEI Children’s, Junior, and Young Rider Nations Cups will be held in the International Arena. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
Lauren Fisher and Laura Cardon for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival The 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 9 through March 31. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded. For more information, please visit www.equestriansport.com.
About FTI Consulting FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 3,800 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.56 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2011. More information can be found at www.fticonsulting.com.
Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland surrounded by the winning team from the USA, Kent Farrington, Beezie Madden, Reed Kessler and Laura Kraut with HH Prince Faisal Al Shalan. Photo: FEI/StockImageServices.com
Wellington (USA), 1 March 2013 – The host nation secured a convincing win in the second leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series at Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre in Florida, USA tonight. Their final score of four faults belied the fact that Kent Farrington (Uceko), Reed Kessler (Cylana) and Laura Kraut (Cedric) had the result secured without calling on their anchor partnership of Beezie Madden and Simon in the second round, leaving the remaining six teams to battle it out for the minor placings in the closing stages.
Bolstered by foot-perfect performances from Tiffany Foster (Victor) and Ian Millar (Dixon), and despite first-round elimination for Mac Cone (Amor van de Rostel), Canada finished second with a final tally of just five faults, while Germany won through in a battle with the Irish for third place. Venezuela finished fifth, Colombia slotted into sixth and Mexico finished last of the seven competing countries.
Just three nations – USA, Canada and Mexico – are competing for the two available qualifying spots from the North American, Central American and Caribbean League. And the USA now carries the maximum 100 points into the second of the two regional qualifiers at Spruce Meadows, Canada in June where the hosts will be snapping at their heels as they lie just 10 points behind their traditional rivals. For Mexico however it will be a tough ask, as their last-place finish tonight saw them earn just 65 points in the battle for a spot at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 Final in September where just 18 teams from the 22 qualifying rounds over seven leagues will line out.
Improved Performances
Course designer, America’s Anthony d’Ambrosio, had to create a track that would test the best without over-challenging the less-experienced and, as a testament to his skills, there were many improved performances in the second round.
The double at fence three proved relatively trouble-free, the following oxer hit the floor on a number of occasions but the real pressure began after the wall at fence five with the run to the open water at six followed by a double of vertical to oxer at fence seven. Ridden on a right-hand bending line this penalised a number of competitors whose horses were running too freely, while the water-tray oxer and vertical at fences eight and nine also proved influential. However it was the final line from the penultimate double of flimsy verticals at fence eleven to the final oxer at twelve that spoiled the chances of many who looked set to return perfect scores.
Impressively, Colombia’s Mario Gamboa and Unico demonstrated just how much they had learned on their first tour of the track during which they collected 12 faults when registering a really nice clear second time out.
Already in Control
The Americans were already in control by the halfway stage, with the only blemish on an otherwise clean scorecard the final-fence four faults picked up by their opening partnership of Farrington and Uceko. Germany, Ireland and Canada were all next in line with five faults apiece, the time-allowed of 77 seconds playing its part throughout the competition, while Venezuela had 12 on the board, Colombia had 24 and the Mexicans were already bringing up the rear with 30.
Farrington got it absolutely right second time out, and when 18 year old US sensation Reed Kessler followed with the second part of a fabulous double-clear from her London 2012 Olympic Games ride Cylana, the USA looked fairly invincible already.
Eric Lamaze strengthened Canadian chances when improving from a five-fault first round effort with a clear at his second attempt with Wang Chung M25 who was much bolder this time out, while team-mate Tiffany Foster was double-clear with Victor to hold Canadian ground. German pathfinders Janne Friederike Meyer and Cellagon Lambrasco were fault-free in round two, but Johannes Ehning, a member of the winning German side at this fixture in 2011, lowered the oxer at fence four and when third-line rider Andre Theime and the extravagant Contanga added four faults to their tally it seemed the Irish might take advantage.
Vulnerable
But they had become vulnerable when first-line rider Shane Sweetnam withdrew, and although Richie Moloney again picked up just one time fault with Ahorn van de Zuuthoeve and Olympic individual bronze medallist Cian O’Connor completed a double-clear with Splendor, they needed a clear from Darragh Kerins and Lisona to fend off the Germans.
By now, Canadian anchorman and living legend Ian Millar had secured runner-up spot with his double-clear from Dixon which negated another difficult round for Mac Cone, while Daniel Deusser had ensured the final German scoreline of nine faults with his second clear performance of the night from Cornet d’Amour.
The Irish would finish on six faults if Kerins could leave all the fences up, but the very last oxer claimed him as one of its many victims.
It was the first part of the previous double that fell for America’s Laura Kraut, but as she crossed the line with the gallant little grey, Cedric, the crowd erupted in the knowledge that the home team had clinched the Furusiyya honours without even having to call on the services of their final partnership. It was especially significant from a US perspective, as this result brings the host nation onto level pegging with Canada in the roll of honour for this annual FEI Nations Cup clash with five wins each.
Thrilled
The youngest US team-member, Reed Kessler, said afterwards, “It was my fourth time to ride on the team and my first win and my first double-clear in a Nations Cup – I’m thrilled!”
The prodigiously talented young lady, who hails from Kentucky, described it as “a great honour” to compete alongside Beezie Madden and Laura Kraut “because since I was little I’ve always looked up to them,” she said. Kessler has been competing against top US riders since she was 15, but due to her age wasn’t permitted to ride at Grand Prix level until last year when she instantly burst to prominence with Olympic selection. She describes Cylana as “the horse of a lifetime”, and pointed out tonight that although they have turned into an amazing partnership, her early competition experiences with the mare were “a bit of a disaster”.
Talking about their time together she said, “I have her for about a year and three months, she was doing small classes in Switzerland before I got her, she was a speed horse and it took about four or five months for us find our way together. She’s a monster! She has to jump and she has to show – it’s what she loves to do!”
And she added, “Now that I’ve won a Nations Cup it’s really fun – and I’d like to do it again!”.
The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series now moves to Europe where legs will be staged at both Lummen in Belgium and Linz in Austria on Friday 3 May.
Facts and Figures:
The second leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series took place at Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre in Wellington, Florida, USA tonight.
Seven nations competed, but just three – Canada, Mexico and USA – were battling for qualifying points for the Final which will take place at the end of September.
Canada, Mexico and USA are competing in the North American, Central American and Caribbean League and will line out again at the second and final qualifying opportunity for this region at Spruce Meadows, Calgary, Canada in June.
A total of 41 nations will seek a place at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 Final.
The series consists of seven leagues with 22 qualifying competitions.
A total of 18 teams will qualify for the Final.
Course designer at Wellington tonight was America’s Anthony D’Ambrosio.
This was the fifth win for the USA at Wellington, and puts the host nation on level pegging with their rivals from Canada who have also recorded five FEI Nations Cup victories at the Florida venue.
Five riders recorded double-clear performances in tonight’s competition – Canada’s Tiffany Foster (Victor) and Ian Millar (Dixon), Ireland’s Cian O’Connor (Splendor), Germany’s Daniel Deusser (Cornet d’Amour) and the USA’s Reed Kessler (Cylana).
Furusiyya “Furusiyya” (Arabic: فروسيه) this single Arabic word conveys so much, embracing the idea of horsemanship, chivalry, and equestrian knowledge in general. The term is a derivation of faris, or horseman, and faras, a horse.
Longines is the Official Timekeeper of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping series.
Longines has been based at Saint-Imier (SUI) since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations.
Longines’ passion for equestrian sports began in 1878, when a timepiece was made with a horse and jockey engraved on the watch face. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1926, for the first time, the brand was involved as timekeeper for the Official International Equestrian Competition of Geneva. Today, Longines’ involvement in equestrianism includes Jumping, Endurance and flat racing.
Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 130 countries.
