Tag Archives: Olympia

*Featured/Spotlights

World Famous Horse Whisperer to Headline Olympia

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July 8, 2015 – The world’s biggest equestrian Christmas party, Olympia, The London International Horse Show, has announced an impressive line-up of displays for this year’s show, which takes place from 15-21 December 2015.

French Horse Whisperer, Jean-François Pignon, will return to centre stage this year and wow the crowds with his skills of natural horsemanship with his Liberty Horses.

The 90,000 visitors will also be treated to performances from The Household Cavalry Musical Ride and all the old favourites including The Shetland Pony Grand National, The Kennel Club Dog Agility and The Olympia Finale.

Jean-François Pignon said: “I’m so excited to be returning to the UK with my horses to showcase our skills for the crowd at Olympia.

“London is such a special show with a wonderful atmosphere and I can’t wait to return and perform our latest routine.”

Show Director, Simon Brooks-Ward, said: “Olympia, The London International Horse Show, is the ultimate celebration of equestrianism. Every year we endeavour to bring the very best horsemen and women from around the world to London for this truly special occasion.

“The enormously talented Jean-François Pignon has been a real crowd pleaser in the past and I’m sure he will once again dazzle the audiences with his magical performance.”

Living up to its reputation as one of Europe’s premier indoor equestrian events, Olympia 2015 will once again host three FEI World Cups™ in Carriage Driving, Dressage and Show Jumping. The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage leg takes place on 15 and 16 December, the FEI World Cup™ Driving leg presented by Dodson & Horrell on 18 and 19 December and the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping leg presented by H&M on 20 December. The climax of the seven day equine extravaganza will finish with the Olympia Grand Prix on Monday 21 December.

For more information on Olympia and to purchase tickets to this year’s show, please go to www.olympiahorseshow.com or telephone the box office on 0871 230 5580.

For more information, please contact Hollie Bostock hollie@revolutionsports.co.uk or +44 (0)207 592 1207.

Olympia, The London International Horse Show
The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 15-21 December 2015 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for charity. The show’s official charity for 2015 is World Horse Welfare.

Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Show Jumping

Tickets Now on Sale for Olympia, The London International Horse Show 2015

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30 April 2015 – CHRISTMAS has come early for fans wanting to get their hands on tickets to this year’s Olympia, The London International Horse Show, which will take place from 15th to 21st December.

After a virtual sell-out show last year, organisers are urging fans to apply for tickets early to avoid missing out on the chance to see the world’s top riders compete at the week-long equine extravaganza.

Over 90,000 spectators visited the show in 2014 and were wowed by world class performances across the board, including:

• Two magical and memorable Dressage World Records from Charlotte Dujardin
• An impressive number of victories from our top British show jumpers who felt the effects of the home advantage, culminating in Ben Maher taking the Olympia Grand Prix and H&M Leading Rider Award in style on the final night
• Thrilling entertainment from the Ukrainian Cossack riders and the Metropolitan Mounted Police – both acts were returning to the famous West London venue for the first time since 2009

“We’re delighted that we can offer equestrian fans the best in world class sport and family entertainment – this is what has made Olympia one of the most sought after events to attend and we’ll be pulling out all the stops to make sure that 2015 is even bigger and better.”

Olympia is one of Europe’s premier indoor equestrian events and will once again host three FEI World Cups™ in driving, dressage and jumping. The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ dressage leg takes place on 15th and 16th December, the FEI World Cup™ driving leg on 17th and 18th December and the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping leg presented by H&M on 20th December.

In addition to the FEI World Cups™, Olympia will feature a mix of top class equestrian competition – including the famous Alltech Christmas Puissance on the Thursday evening performance, international equestrian displays (to be announced), an outstanding shopping village, the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National, the Kennel Club Dog Agility and an amazing selection of bars and restaurants.

For more information on Olympia and the performances at 2015, please go to www.olympiahorseshow.com.

For more information or imagery, please contact Hollie Bostock, Revolution Sports + Entertainment
E: hollie.bostock@revolutionsports.co.uk or T: +44 (0)207 592 1207.

Olympia, The London International Horse Show

The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 15-21 December 2015 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Kennel Club Dog Agility.

Awards, Community/Charity, Publications/Media

London Olympia Wins Best Press Office Award for Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Series

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FEI Director of Press Relations Grania Willis presents Jo Peck, press officer for the London International Horse Show, Olympia, with the Best Press Office award for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Western European League 2014/2015. (Photo: Dirk Caremans/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 21 April 2013 – The London International Horse Show, Olympia (GBR) has been unveiled as the “Best Press Office” for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Western European League 2014/2015, following voting by global media.

The Olympia press office, led by Jo Peck, who has worked in the equestrian events industry for 12 years and in the wider events industry for 20 years, first represented her team when they won this coveted award in 2013. This same team was celebrated by media at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Las Vegas (USA) last weekend.

“In 2014 we invested in a better working environment for the media at Olympia and our team was very focused on making the media experience as easy and user-friendly as possible,” said Jo Peck.

“This work has paid great dividends and this award is testament to all our efforts. Olympia is the Christmas highlight of the prestigious Longines series, attracting large numbers of visitors and the media centre is always a hive of industry, generating significant international coverage for the event.”

“The media teams working to raise awareness of our sport and the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping do a tremendous job, making sure that media have all the latest information and tools necessary to put our athletes and sponsors into the limelight,” said FEI Director of Press Relations, Grania Willis.

“The Best Press Office award is hard-fought, and the media who voted for Olympia were really enthusiastic, highlighting their positive experiences of working at the event. To win this award once is fantastic, but to win it twice is seriously impressive and very well deserved.”

The Stuttgart Masters was the first to win the Best Press Office Award when it was introduced in 2011. Jumping Verona then took the award in 2012, with London Olympia winning the media accolade in 2013 and Gothenburg talking the honours in 2014.

Media Contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Kutscher Is King at Longines Leg in Olympia

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Germany’s Marco Kutscher steered Cornet’s Cristallo to victory at the seventh leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at Olympia in London (GBR) today. (FEI/Jon Stroud)

Olympia, London (GBR), 21 December 2014 – German riders dominated the prizewinner’s line-up at the seventh leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at Olympia in London, Great Britain, where Marco Kutscher steered Cornet’s Cristallo to victory ahead of defending series champion Daniel Deusser riding Carriere.

Excitement is always guaranteed at the hugely popular pre-Christmas fixture staged in the Grand Hall, where the proximity of the spectators and the tight confines of the arena combine to create an electric atmosphere. And today’s competition sizzled from start to finish, with 13 of the 38 starters qualifying for the second-round jump-off against the clock.

Deceptively uncomplicated

Britain’s Robert Whitaker made the first-round course designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade look deceptively uncomplicated when foot-perfect as first rider into the ring. However, it quickly became clear that the track was best suited to horses requiring minimal adjustment to their stride pattern, while the time-allowed of 72-seconds took its toll. And for three of today’s starters – Britain’s Ben Maher and Michael Whitaker and Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander – it was utterly frustrating to miss out on the deciding round when collecting just a single time fault each.

Wade tested control of pace all the way, and the tall vertical at four was influential as was the following triple combination of a double of oxers followed by a vertical. The next line of three fences also proved testing, the vertical at six requiring caution before kicking on to the wide oxer at seven and then a tricky three-stride distance to a water-tray vertical at eight which came up very quickly for onward-bound horses. Wade also set them a challenge on the last line of fences, with the oxer at 11 followed by a double of verticals before the run down to the final oxer. The was a huge moan from the crowd when long-time World No. 1, Britain’s Scott Brash, made it all the way here only to leave it on the ground with Hello Sunshine.

A little careful

Robert Whitaker and Catwalk IV set the jump-off target with a clear in 40.49 seconds, while the normally super-fast Italian combination of Luca Moneta and Connery were also a little careful when leaving all the poles in place in 42.10. Norway’s Geir Gulliksen and Edesa S Banjan were fault-free in 41.42, but Sweden’s Malin Baryard-Johnsson and H&M Tornesch raised the temperature when first to break the 40-second barrier in 39.70 seconds, and that result was always going to count.

Last year’s Olympia winners, The Netherlands’ Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Sapphire B, hit the penultimate vertical, formerly fence four, which played a major role this time out. Located close to the arena entrance and on an angle to the remaining two elements of the former triple combination which brought this second course to a close, it caught a number of horses off-balance including the fabulous 8-year-old stallion, Singular LS La Silla, who looks another real star-ride for Germany’s Marcus Ehning.

Took command

With five left to run, defending Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Daniel Deusser, took command with a superb run from the 11-year-old mare Carriere who broke the beam in 38.44 seconds, but his lead was short-lived, because fellow-countryman Kutscher galloped through the timers in 37.66 seconds despite an unsettling moment at the double at 9, now three from home. “The beginning of the jump-off wasn’t perfect and I wanted to do one less to the double but he was a bit behind me – he really helped me there. I was very deep, very close – but he made it!” Kutscher said afterwards.

However, he had to watch three strong challengers take their turn before he would be assured of victory. Constant van Paesschen has enjoyed a tremendous season with Citizenguard Toscan de Sainte who was recently named Horse of the Year in Belgium, but a mistake at the third-last, the oxer at fence 3, was followed by two more for 12 faults. The penultimate contender was Bertram Allen who had already racked up a double of wins at the London fixture over the last few days and the 19-year-old Irish sensation who clinched victory on his World Cup debut in Verona, Italy last month looked set to do it again until his mare, Molly Malone, clipped the penultimate vertical before crossing the line in what would be the fastest time, 36.81 seconds.

Tantalising maximum points

Now only Britain’s John Whitaker stood between Kutscher and those tantalising 20 maximum qualifying points, but the 59-year-old maestro’s stallion, Argento, stood too far off the oxer at fence three to also return a four-fault result. It would be his son, Robert, who would fly the flag for family and country when slotting into fourth behind Baryard-Johnsson in third and Germany’s Kutscher and Deusser in first and second spots respectively.

“It’s my first press conference here this week. I normally have a good show in London but so far it wasn’t great, so I was a bit disappointed until today!” said Kutscher afterwards. “I knew if I was in the jump-off I’d have a good chance and it worked out for me,” he added. He congratulated his fellow-countryman Deusser who borrowed Carriere to compete in London. “It was his first time to ride the horse and he had a very good class today. Even with a horse he doesn’t know he’s always dangerous,” he pointed out.

Deusser, who competes for Stephex Stables, explained that two of his horses were injured last week. “I really wanted to come to London so I said to my boss that I have two options. Either I stay at home or I take two others, and he said on Tuesday just try this horse one time. So I rode her on Tuesday morning and she was on the truck on Tuesday afternoon!” said the man who is pre-qualified for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final as defending champion.

Super-happy

Baryard-Johnsson said, “It’s my second time in three years to finish third! He (her stallion H&M Tornesch) had a very, very good round; he’s in great shape and we really tried today, both of us, so I’m super-happy!”

Fourth-placed Robert Whitaker was delighted to finish best of the British. He reflected on his bad luck at the previous leg in Madrid, Spain where he had victory in his grasp only to lose control of Catwalk who ran past the final fence. “We should have won that day!” he said. “The last few shows he’s been jumping very well and the course really suited him today,” said the rider who is getting married in Barbados next month.

With just five of the 12 qualifying legs remaining, the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League now moves on to Mechelen in Belgium where the action takes place on Tuesday 30 December.

For further information on the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 leg at Olympia, London (GBR), go to www.olympiahorseshow.com or contact Press Officer Jo Peck, JoPeck@hpower.co.uk, +44 1753 847 900.

The next leg takes place at Mechelen, Belgium on 30 December. For details of the Belgian fixture, check out website www.jumping-mechelen.com or contact Press Officer Edith de Reys, Email edith.dereys@skynet.be, Tel +32 475 659281.

Full result here.

Facts and Figures:

The Grand Hall at Olympia in London (GBR) was the venue for Round 7 of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League today.

38 horse-and-riders started in the competition won by Germany’s Marco Kutscher and the 11-year-old Corent’s Cristallo.

13 qualified for the second-round jump-off against the clock.

6 horse-and-rider combinations jumped double-clear rounds.

3 horse-and-rider combinations picked up just a single time fault in the first round.

Course designer was Ireland’s Alan Wade.

4 German riders qualified for the jump-off.

Runner-up in today’s competition was reigning Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion Daniel Deusser from Germany.

2 of the riders who qualified for the jump-off were Belgium’s Jos Verlooy and Ireland’s Bertram Allen who are just 19 years of age and a full 40 years younger than British legend, John Whitaker, who was last to go in today’s deciding round.

With 40 points or more now accumulated, 5 riders are confirmed for a place at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA next April – Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders, Germany’s Marco Kutscher and Daniel Deusser and Kevin Staut from France.

There are 5 remaining rounds of the series, and the next takes place at Mechelen in Belgium on Tuesday 30 December 2014.

Quotes:

Marco Kutscher GER, talking about the challenge of riding in a small arena like Olympia: “It depends on the course builder, it was really nice to ride all the courses so far.”

Daniel Deusser GER: “As I live in Mechelen I can walk to the arena next week! That’s my next show, then Basel. I don’t really need the points as I’m pre-qualified for the Final, but it’s always a better feeling if you have a few points and know you’re in the game. I don’t know which horse I’ll ride in the Final but I will try and get a few more points.”

Robert Smith GBR, when asked if he would have gone quicker if his draw in the jump-off was different: “I would’ve won! Actually I wouldn’t have changed anything.”

Daniel Deusser, talking about the course: “I didn’t think we’d get 13 clears, the fences came up very very quick, I thought it was a really difficult course and the time was really short.

There were a lot of good horses, the ground is good and the atmosphere is good. This was a super class with a great jump-off!”

Alan Wade, course designer: “Every night in the 1.50m classes we had plenty of clear rounds, so I knew they were jumping well. In the jump-off today I thought my countryman (Bertram Allen) could win! We put up the fences in the jump-off. We believe to keep the standard. We know they’re capable of going fast, but don’t want them to go flat out every day, we want jumpers to win, as well as fast jumpers.”

Full standings here.

FEI YouTube: http://goo.gl/wqYuei

Longines Live Timing Jumping application: available free for download from The App Store (iPhone) & Android Markets. Combining precision and performance, this is a detailed and exclusive application designed especially for Jumping fans – follow live results, see latest Longines Rankings, view competition schedules, obtain exclusive information and alerts on your favorite riders and get all the latest FEI news.

Rider biographies: view online and download from http://fei.org/fei/your-role/media/biographies.

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 it produced a chronograph engraved with a jockey and its mount. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1912, Longines was proud to partner with its first Jumping event, the Grande Concurso Hippico Internacional, in Portugal.

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.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Olympia:

Jo Peck
Press Officer
JoPeck@hpower.co.uk
+44 1753 847 900

At FEI:

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

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Competitions, FEI, Show Jumping

Marco Kutscher and Cristallo Shine Brightly in Longines World Cup at Olympia

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Photo: Kit Houghton/HPower.

German Olympian Marco Kutscher riding Cornet’s Cristallo produced a typically virtuoso display of smooth horsemanship to triumph in a thrilling Longines FEI World Cup™ Qualifier presented by H&M at Olympia, The London International Horse Show today.

The 2003 European Champion snatched victory by just 0.78 seconds from his fellow countryman Daniel Deusser on Carriere. Appropriately for H&M day at Olympia, the Swedish company’s rider Malin Baryard finished third on H&M Tornesch.

Britain’s Robert Whitaker didn’t allow being drawn first to put him off and finished fourth with a masterful performance on Catwalk lV, winning a handy €12,450 to put towards his wedding in Barbados next month.

Thirteen of the 38 combinations in the class went through to the jump-off, with the last four riders – Marco, Belgium’s Constant Van Paesschen, Irish teenager Bertram Allen and John Whitaker – all going clear. Constant had 12 faults and Bertram, who is 40 years John Whitaker’s junior, just missed at the penultimate fence with the lovely grey mare Molly Malone V.

John had the packed house on the edge of their seats, but he also had his stallion Argento too far off the second-last fence and, to disappointed groans, it came down. “I had to give it a go,” said John ruefully afterwards.

It wasn’t Britain’s day, as Spencer Roe (Wonder Why), William Whitaker (Fandango) and Tim Gredley (Unex Annika B) all incurred cricket scores and Michael Whitaker (Viking) and Ben Maher (Diva ll) marred clear rounds with an annoying time fault apiece. Scott Brash on the exciting youngster Hello Sunshine had the frustration of hitting the last fence.

“I thought it was good sport and entertainment,” said the course-designer, Irishman Alan Wade. “I knew it was a field of mixed experience and some new combinations and that I had to keep my head. We put up the fences in the jump-off, because we want really good jumpers to win as well as fast jumpers.”

Marco Kutscher, who has now moved up to third place in the Longines FEI World Cup™ rankings with five more rounds to go before the final in Las Vegas, takes home a cheque for €41,085. His ride, Thomas Sagel’s Cornet’s Cristallo, an 11-year-old gelding, is by Cornet Oblensky, the great stallion which whom Marco is perhaps most associated.

The rider admitted that his week had improved dramatically. “So far my show hadn’t been going that well, but I knew that if I could get into the jump-off I would have a good chance,” said Marco, who got the call-up for Olympia only 10 days ago when other German riders dropped out. “It wasn’t the perfect jump-off. I was trying to cut out a stride because my horse is brilliant and can do anything, but I got him in too deep to a fence and he really helped me out.”

The 39-year-old has recently left his long-time mentor Ludger Beerbaum to set up a yard with his girlfriend. “I will be raising a glass to Ludger tonight because he helps me a lot. And it’s partly thanks to him not coming to Olympia that I managed to get in. It’s a really special show that I always want to come to.”

To view the full results, click HERE.

For more information, please contact Hannah Rawdon-Mogg, hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk, +44(0)7786 052926 or +44(0)207 592 1207.

Olympia, The London International Horse Show
The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 16-22 December 2014 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Kennel Club Dog Agility. The show’s official charity for 2014 is The Injured Jockeys Fund.

*Featured/Spotlights, Driving, FEI

Exell Extraordinary Again at London Olympia

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Australia’s Boyd Exell claimed his fourth win of the FEI World Cup™ Driving season with victory at London Olympia (GBR) tonight. (Trevor Meeks/FEI)

London (GBR), 21 December 2014 – Boyd Exell (AUS) put down an extraordinary performance again to win his fourth consecutive FEI World Cup™ Driving competition of this season at London Olympia (GBR). Exell had already won at Stuttgart, Stockholm and last week in Geneva, where he competed with three borrowed horses to spare his own team for his wild card start in London. The Australian’s biggest opponent IJsbrand Chardon (NED) finished second, while Sweden’s Fredrik Persson drove very steadily for third.

It was the first time this season that the three favourites – Boyd Exell and Dutchmen IJsbrand Chardon and Koos de Ronde had competed against each other. Dutch level 4 course designer Johan Jacobs had laid out a very good course with fast and technical elements, which remained exciting until the very last moment. All drivers were extremely happy with the event in Olympia, for which the tickets were sold out five weeks in advance. The stands were full with enthusiastic fans, who supported the drivers throughout the whole competition.

Regular team
Exell drove his regular team of horses at London Olympia and admitted he could have been a bit more accurate in the first round, where one of his leader horses knocked a ball off one of the cones. But his speed in the second round, which ran over the same course, was unbelievable and Exell flew round the arena, leaving all elements in place, to secure his fourth win of this season.

Risk-free rounds
IJsbrand Chardon, last to go in the Winning Round, had driven a new leader horse in the two previous classes in Olympia, but decided to take no risks and put his experienced leader horse in for the FEI World Cup™ competition. The four-time individual World Champion gave everything he had and drove a clear round, but was unable to beat Exell’s time to slot into second place. As Exell was competing with a wild card and was therefore not entitled to points, the 10 points went to Chardon, moving him up to second in the standings behind Exell. Both top drivers have already secured their ticket for the Final in Bordeaux.

Confident
While Exell, Chardon and de Ronde fought it out, it was Fredrik Persson who used tactics and a steady pace to claim the third place in the Winning Round. Persson drove his team of old horses, the youngest at 17 years old, clear and at good speed through the course. In the Winning Round the driving teacher from Sweden’s National Stud, Flyinge, took a bit too much risk and knocked three balls down in the last phase of the competition, but he was still happy with his performance.

Fine-tuning
Koos de Ronde competed with the same team of horses that he steered to victory in the FEI World Cup™ Driving competition in Budapest (HUN). The team gold medallist from the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy (FRA) put down the second fastest time in the first round, but three knockdowns prevented him from getting into the Winning Round. De Ronde is aware that his new team still needs some time for fine-tuning.

Lack of speed
Young driver Glenn Geerts (BEL) started off in flying form at London Olympia by winning the first class, which did not count for the FEI World Cup™. But he was unable to get his special indoor team of Lipizzaner horses into the right speed in the qualifier to finish fifth ahead of bronze individual medallist in Caen Theo Timmerman (NED). Timmerman, who will move to a new yard in Varsseveld in the Netherlands next month, swapped his leader horses around, but didn’t have the necessary speed in the marathon type obstacles and came sixth.

Film horses
Daniel Naprous (GBR) earned the second wild card by winning the British indoor qualifiers at Merrist Wood, Bury Farm and the British Masters at Addington Manor. The 37-year-old stuntman previously had a wild card at Olympia in 2012. Boyd Exell kindly lent Naprous a bay leader horse for his indoor team at Olympia, which was made up of two of his film horses and an older outdoor horse. Naprous really enjoyed competing in Olympia and was pleased despite the fact that he had no front brakes on his carriage during his round. This resulted in four knockdowns and a seventh-place finish.

Quotes
Boyd Exell (AUS): “This indoor team is going to become like my old and famous indoor team with Bill. They have got the top line speed that Bill brought to my team. I’ve just got to have a bit more accuracy and a bit more reliability. The second round I could drive safe and fast whilst in the first round I fumbled a few loops. I didn’t give them their best ride, but they got me out of trouble. The second round I gave them a good ride and they operated.”

IJsbrand Chardon (NED): “I could not go any faster with this team in order to stay clear. Today’s competition was very important for me; I needed the World Cup points so that is why I decided to use my experienced leader horse again. At the moment it is very difficult to win from Boyd. I gave everything I had and I am now in the Final so I can test my new leader horse at my last competition in Leipzig.”

Fredrik Persson (SWE): “I tried to stay clean in the first round and I was lucky that I did. In the Winning Round I took some risk and had several knockdowns, but I am still very happy. The feeling in the arena at Olympia is amazing, the spectators are fantastic, they really help you by creating such a great atmosphere. The feeling is in the air.”

Results in detail can be viewed here.

Video
Watch Boyd Exell’s round on FEI TV.

Audio
Listen to Boyd Exell (AUS) talking about his win.

The 2014/2015 FEI World Cup™ Driving series now moves on to Mechelen (BEL) on Tuesday, 30 December.

The FEI World Cup™ Driving competition in Mechelen will be broadcast live on FEI TV, the FEI’s official video platform, on 30 December at 21.50 CET.

For information on Mechelen, go to www.jumping-mechelen.com or contact Press Officer Edith de Reys, edith.dereys@skynet.be, +32 475 659 281.

By Cindy Timmer

Media contact:
Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

At London Olympia:
Jo Peck
jopeck@hpower.co.uk
+ 44 1753 847 900

*Featured/Spotlights, Driving, Show Jumping

David Simpson Strikes It Rich

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David Simpson. Photo: Kit Houghton/Hpower.

Young Irishman David Simpson took the Alltech Christmas Puissance at Olympia, The London International Horse Show, by storm, wowing a packed house with a bravado display of riding.

The contest, an annual favourite, went all the way to five rounds, with Simpson, riding puissance specialist Ricci Rich, clearing 7ft 3in (2.20m) in superlative style. He took over the ride on the 13-year-old grey gelding from Britain’s Guy Williams, who the Olympia puissance on him in 2011.

Simpson was matched all the way by Karline De Brabander on her home-bred Fantomas de Muze, a compact bay gelding by Marcus Ehning’s top ride Sandro Boy. The enthralled crowd took the Belgian rider, the only girl in the class, to their hearts, and her horse tried his heart out with a massive leap, just catching the top bricks with his hind legs on landing.

This was Simpson’s first outright win in a puissance and he received his prize from the Duchess of Cornwall, who was paying her annual visit to the festive family show.

“It gives you the tingles when you land,” he said. “You don’t get a better wall jumper than my horse and, for atmosphere and intensity, this win is right up there as one of my best moments in show jumping. I really wanted my first proper win to be here at Olympia.”

De Brabander, 27, who works for her father, leading stud owner Joris De Brabander, was also elated. “I kept saying to my horse that we were just going to have fun,” she said. “I’m really happy to have got so far. It’s only my third time in a puissance and this is the highest I’ve jumped. My parents thought I was mad to come over to England with just one horse, but I told them Olympia was my dream.”

Four riders got through to the fourth round, at 7ft 1in (2.15m): Britain’s Joe Clayton on Rockim, Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer (Armani the Gun CH), Norway’s Geir Gullikson (Grand Balou) and Austria’s Markus Saurugg (What Ever).

Earlier, 59-year-old John Whitaker, the senior rider of the show, showed he had lost none of his magic when winning the inaugural class of the show, the Levy Restaurant Snowman Stakes, on the stallion Argento, and the charismatic young Dutchman Maikel Van der Vleuten set the arena alight when winning the first evening class, the Kingsland Christmas Pudding Stakes, a speed contest, on VDL Groep Eureka.

Maikel won last year’s Longines FEI World Cup Qualifier on VDL Groep Sapphire and has brought the horse back for another crack at the competition on Sunday. “I really like this show,” he said. “Everyone’s happy and the audience really lifts the riders.”

The Dodson & Horrell Extreme Driving top score competition kicked off the FEI World Cup Driving Leg qualifier with a promise of considerable excitement to come. It also produced a surprise winner. All drivers collected penalties on the complex course but it was the youngest and least experienced of them, 25-year-old Glenn Geerts from Belgium, who galloped home with the best score.

In only his second year of World Cup competition, he has been driving horse four-in-hands for just four years. He beat the most experienced driver in the competition, the much-medalled IJsbrand Chardon from the Netherlands, who was the winner of the qualifier here last year. Frederick Persson from Sweden took third place.

Later in the evening, show director Simon Brooks-Ward and his brothers James and Nick gathered in the main arena to present the Raymond Brooks-Ward Memorial Trophy, for the most promising British rider under 25, in memory of their father. The recipient was Spencer Roe, 21, who has made a brilliant debut on senior show jumping teams this year.

To view the full results, click HERE.

For more information, please contact Hannah Rawdon-Mogg, hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk, +44(0)7786 052926 or +44(0)207 592 1207.

Olympia will broadcast live on BBC2 on Sunday 21 December and is available to view on Eurosport, the BBC Red Button, online and connected TV on Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Monday 22 December. In addition a special highlights program will be aired on BBC2 on Tuesday 23 December at 13:45.

Olympia, The London International Horse Show
The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 16-22 December 2014 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Kennel Club Dog Agility. The show’s official charity for 2014 is The Injured Jockeys Fund.

Competitions, Dressage, FEI

Dujardin and Valegro Hit the Heights of Another World Record Score

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Charlotte Dujardin. Photo: Kit Houghton/Hpower.

It was another World Record breaking night at Olympia, The London International Horse Show. Crowd favourites and World Champions Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro not only duly won the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Freestyle, supported by Horse & Hound, but broke their own World Record score that they set here last year as well as claiming their third successive victory at the Show.

The pair entertained the full house with their practically foot-perfect programme to a compilation of emotive music from the soundtrack to the film ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, the same music that won them the World Championship title at the World Equestrian Games in August. They made piaffe-pirouettes, passage half passes and bold daring extensions look easy and the test that has to be the best freestyle ever ridden, received a standing ovation from a full house and a mark of 94.3% from the judges.

“He is the most incredible horse; he just keeps giving and giving,” said Charlotte, who in April this year became the first Briton to win the World Cup title since the inception of the series in 1986. “I was absolutely thrilled with my ride – the last piaffe pirouette I was nearly in tears he was with me all the way.”

As last year, leading Dutch rider Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover were second, with a test that made the most of Undercover’s rhythmic passage and piaffe. It was Edward Gal who in 2009 set the standard in freestyle, breaking the then world record score when winning at Olympia with Totilas.

“Charlotte, I know how you feel,” said Edward. “A standing ovation is a really great feeling because we work really hard and it makes the work worthwhile.”

Olympia debutante Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, a former European Young Rider Champion, gained third place with Beatrice Burchler-Keller’s Unee BB – an elegant black stallion by Gribaldi.

“It was a privilege for me just to sit next to Charlotte and Edward,” she said. “While I have not had a World Record feeling yet I am working on it.”

Danielle Heijkoop and Siro N.O.P., trained by Anky Van Grunsven, winner of the World Cup on nine occasions from 1995 to 2008, were fourth.

“Charlotte’s test was just out of this world – I honestly thought in 2009 that we would never see the same again,” said Stephen Clarke, President of the Ground Jury. “I am not sure what it is about this show that produces such dressage – the horses are incredible here.”

To view the full results, click HERE.

For more information, please contact Hannah Rawdon-Mogg, hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk, +44(0)7786 052926 or +44(0)207 592 1207.

Olympia will broadcast live on BBC2 on Sunday 21 December and is available to view on Eurosport, the BBC Red Button, online and connected TV on Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Monday 22 December. In addition a special highlights program will be aired on BBC2 on Tuesday 23 December at 13:45.

Olympia, The London International Horse Show
The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 16-22 December 2014 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Kennel Club Dog Agility. The show’s official charity for 2014 is The Injured Jockeys Fund.

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, FEI

Dujardin and Valegro Set Olympia Alight with a Double of New World Records

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Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro produced a performance close to perfection when winning tonight’s fifth leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League at Olympia in London (GBR) with yet another world-record-breaking score. (FEI/Kit Houghton)

Olympia, London (GBR), 17 December 2014 – Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro produced a performance close to perfection when winning tonight’s Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League qualifier at Olympia in London (GBR) with yet another world-record-breaking score. They set the previous record at the same venue 12 months ago when posting a mark of 93.975, but this evening earned 94.300 for an even more spell-binding display of harmony between horse and rider. And this latest triumph came just 24 hours after the dynamic duo beat their own world record in the Grand Prix in which The Netherlands‘ Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover also had to settle for runner-up spot.

Dujardin admitted tonight that Valegro’s performance this evening almost brought her to tears. “When we were doing the last piaffe/passage I was welling up and I had to say to myself, ‘Don’t cry, don’t cry!’” she said. “He tries so hard to get it right; it’s an incredible feeling when you go in there in front of all those thousands of people and he just wants to perform and to give you his best,” she added.

A little history

There was a starting field of 14, and The Netherlands‘ Katja Gevers and Thriller took the early lead with a score of 72.276 before Irish national champion, Judy Reynolds, made a little history as the first rider from her country to qualify for the Freestyle at the prestigious British fixture, posting a creditable 70.000. Talented young German, Soenke Rothenberger, was out in front at the halfway stage with Favourit on a mark of 77.825, but that would only prove good enough for sixth place at the end of a magical night.

Gal gave it his best shot with Glock’s Undercover, but after a solid start the horse’s tension increased to leave them on a final score of 83.550, and Dujardin and the 12-year-old gelding she calls Blueberry just blew that away when following with a stunning test during which they picked up 25 maximum scores of 10. From the moment they set off, horse and rider were as one, gliding seamlessly from movement to movement and perfectly synchronised to their musical score from “How to Train Your Dragon”. The first time they performed to it was last April when they added the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2013/2014 title to the staggering list of successes they have racked up during their relatively short career together. But tonight their musical interpretation was in a different league altogether.

Hit everything on time

“I felt that I got into the music and he got into the music, and it felt like everything seemed to flow and to fit, and I hit everything on time,” Dujardin said afterwards. The crowd thought so too, rising to give the phenomenal partnership a standing ovation.

Ground Jury President, Great Britain’s Stephen Clarke, said, “I didn’t honestly think we’d get that feeling again. In 2009 Edward (Gal) broke the world record here and it was the most magical evening I can ever remember, then Charlotte does it tonight and it’s just out of this world! I don’t know what it is about this show, but the horses are incredible here!” he pointed out.

He teased Dujardin about her spectacular performance. “The walk tonight wasn’t quite as relaxed… and there was 9.5 for paces, 10 for harmony, 10 for choreography, 9.5 for difficulty and 10 for the music. Charlotte you’d better sharpen up a bit!” he said.

Runner-up Gal, who was 2010 series champion with the great Totilas, joked that he needs to “practice a little bit more – I’m just 10% behind!”, while Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, whose third-place finish tonight with Unee BB leaves her sharing the lead on the Western European League table with fellow-countrywoman Fabienne Lutkemeier, said, “I haven’t had a world record breaking feeling yet, but I’m working on it!”

The Netherlands’ Danielle Heijkoop steered Siro NOP into fourth ahead of Dujardin’s great friend and mentor Carl Hester whose 10-year-old gelding, Nip Tuck, was the youngest horse in the competition.

Dressed as a chicken

Dujardin first appeared under the spotlights at Olympia back in 1996 when taking part in the traditional Christmas finale – dressed as a chicken. She cut a rather more elegant figure tonight sitting on the fabulous 12-year-old gelding who has more than realised all her dreams.

“When I first started Grand Prix I had three goals,” the 29-year-old rider explained, “to ride at Olympia, be on a team with Carl (Hester) and to get to London (2012 Olympic Games). The first year I got here I won and I couldn’t believe it. Last year I broke my final world record here, and this year to break two in one show is absolutely outstanding!” she added.

When asked if she thought she could achieve an even higher score that the one she laid down tonight, the Olympic, World and European champion replied, “I don’t know, I just keep doing these tests and things just get better and better… my confidence and his confidence are just growing and growing and it makes you be able to ride more and more and go for more. I get braver as a rider and he gets more confident as a horse.” And when asked if she thought it possible to earn a maximum 100% sometime in the future, she laughed and said, “It’s not far off now; I’m getting there!”

For further information on the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 leg at Olympia, London (GBR), go to www.olympiahorseshow.com or contact Press Officer Jo Peck, JoPeck@hpower.co.uk, +44 1753 847 900.

The next leg of the series will take place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on Saturday 31 January 2015. For all enquiries about the Dutch fixture, go to website www.jumpingamsterdam.nl or contact Press Officer Charlotte Gunnink, Email media@jumpingamsterdam.nl, Tel +31 20544 5720 or (mobile) +31 6383 25326.

Full result here.

Facts and Figures:

The London International Horse Show at Olympia presented round five of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League series tonight.

Olympic, World and European champions Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro (GBR) made it a back-to-back double of new world records when following Tuesday’s Grand Prix record-breaking result of 87.460 with tonight’s new Freestyle record of 94.300.

14 horse-and-rider combinations lined out in tonight’s competition.

Runners-up, The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover, finished more than 10 percentage points behind the winning pair.

The Ground Jury consisted of: At E, A Fransen Iacobaeus SWE; At H, B Maurel FRA; At C, S Clarke GBR; At M, P Holler GER; At B, I Wessels GBR.

Dujardin recently won The Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswoman of the Year 2014 award.

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who finished third tonight with Unee BB, shares the lead on the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League table with fellow-German Fabienne Lutkemeier.

The next leg of the series will take place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on Saturday 31 January 2015.

Quotes:

Charlotte Dujardin GBR, talking about tonight’s standing ovation: “It’s emotional just to walk out and have that feeling with all those people standing up, to ride in front of them; we don’t really get to see the home crowd and let them experience it. Now they’ve witnessed it, it’s very special for them.”

Edward Gal NED, talking about his performance with Glock’s Undercover: “The first part I was really happy until he started cantering and he got a bit too excited. We had mistakes in the two tempis and one pirouette was not so good, but we got better again.”

Charlotte Dujardin GBR, comparing the pressure of standing up at a Sports Award ceremony to competing at Olympia tonight: “Coming here is the easiest thing in the whole world after standing up in front of 12,000 people; coming here is a breeze! Standing in front of 12,000 people – I’m not used to that. I was like a nappy horse; I wanted to run out! My heart was pounding beyond belief; literally thought it was going to come out through my dress! When I got up on stage I was okay. Coming here I was like, I can definitely do this; maybe I should do it more often!”

Full standings here.

Reem Acra FEI Hub http://fei.org/fei/sponsors/reem-acra-and-fei gives access to extensive information about the series.

FEI World Cup™ Dressage, the only worldwide series in this discipline, is now in its 29th season. The series, created in 1985, comprises four leagues: Western European, Central European, North American (including Canada) and Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Asia). Each FEI World Cup™ Dressage qualifier consists of a Grand Prix test, which in turn is a qualification for the Freestyle to Music competition, where league points are accumulated towards places in the Final. Judged on both technical and artistic merit, the FEI World Cup™ Dressage combines art, sport and partnership between horse and rider at the highest level and consistently proves a winning formula with audiences all over the world.

The complete rules, calendar, updated ranking and results are available here.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Olympia:

Jo Peck
Press Officer
JoPeck@hpower.co.uk
+44 1753 847 900

At FEI:

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

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
Email: malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 133

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage

Dujardin Smashes Grand Prix World Record at Olympia

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Charlotte Dujardin. Photo: Kit Houghton/Hpower.

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro once again delighted a packed house at Olympia, The London International Horse Show, producing a World Record score in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Grand Prix supported by Horse & Hound. The mark of 87.46% beat their previous record, set by the World, Olympic and European Champions at the World Cup Final in Lyon earlier in the year.

Charlotte, who has come to the Show directly from The BBC Sports Personality of the Year in Glasgow, complete with a bad cold, was as equally delighted with the new record score especially as it was their first competition since The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in August.

“We don’t set out to break a record it just happens – we just want to do our best and any record is a bonus,” said Charlotte, who always looks forward to competing at Olympia.

She said, “It is a great end to the season and fantastic to be competing in front of the home crowd and Blueberry never fails to rise to the occasion.”

The pair heads the draw for tomorrow night’s World Cup Freestyle with Charlotte promising to ‘let rip’ to the routine that is set to the music from ‘How to Train Your Dragon.’

Dutch team rider Edward Gal, a regular and popular visitor to Olympia, was second with Glocks Undercover NOP with the high mark of 80.12%, albeit still 7% adrift of the winning score. The Dutchman admitted that having to follow Charlotte was not ideal preparation for a test.

He said, “Glocks got very excited by the clapping and I had to hold him back at the beginning of the test but I was very pleased that he found his one-time changes again as he had totally lost them yesterday.”

Fellow Dutch rider Danielle Heijkoop and Siro NOP were third with British rider Carl Hester and Nip Tuck in fourth.

The top fifteen from tonight’s Grand Prix class will go forward to tomorrow’s World Cup Freestyle starting at 8:10pm.

The opening night saw record attendance figures at Olympia for a Grand Prix competition. The final performance of the evening welcomed Kauto Star and Laura Collett who performed a dazzling dressage display in the famous Olympia arena.

To view the full results, click HERE.

For more information, please contact Hannah Rawdon-Mogg, hannah@revolutionsports.co.uk, +44(0)7786 052926 or +44(0)207 592 1207.

Olympia will broadcast live on BBC2 on Sunday 21 December and available to view on Eurosport, the BBC Red Button, online and connected TV on Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Monday 22 December. In addition, a special highlights program will be aired on BBC2 on Tuesday 23 December at 13:45.

Olympia, The London International Horse Show
The first international horse show took place in the Olympia halls in 1907. Olympia, The London International Horse Show, the event we see today, was started by Raymond Brooks-Ward in 1971. This year’s show takes place on 16-22 December 2014 in the Olympia Exhibition Hall, located in West Kensington London. The show will play host to a packed timetable of all things equestrian and is expected to welcome over 90,000 visitors. It is regarded as one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious equine competitions. The show mixes top class equestrian action, including FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Dressage and Driving with family entertainment, such as the Osborne Refrigerators Shetland Pony Grand National which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Kennel Club Dog Agility. The show’s official charity for 2014 is The Injured Jockeys Fund.