Tag Archives: Olympic Games

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Jorge Claims Emotional Gold at Aquece Rio Equestrian Test Event

Leave a comment

Marcio Jorge (BRA) and Coronel MCJ on their way to a flawless Jumping round to claim gold at the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, the test event held at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre. (FEI/Raphael Macek)

Lausanne (SUI), 9 August 2015 – Marcio Jorge (BRA) and Coronel MCJ were popular and convincing winners of the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, the test event that wound to a close at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre today. In front of a huge contingent of voluble fans, Jorge steered the talented grey to a supremely confident clear over the coloured fences to claim victory – and the gold medal – by a huge margin over runner-up Marcio Appel (Cross Rock), with Marcelo Tosi (Glenfly) in bronze.

Jorge had taken over the lead after cruising round Saturday’s cross country course well inside the time, but had only a slim 2.7 penalty lead over his main rival and compatriot Marcelo Tosi going into the final day. But Jorge and Coronel never faltered in today’s Jumping phase to complete on the mark of 44.5 that they earned in the Dressage two days earlier. The winners were the only pair to finish on their Dressage score, leaving them 18.8 penalties – four fences – clear of the opposition.

Going into the Jumping test, Marcelo Tosi had a three-fence advantage over Marcio Appel, and looked set to claim silver, but Glenfly took a brick out of the wall at the third and then lowered poles from a further four fences to rack up 20 penalties and drop to bronze.

Marcio Appel and Cross Rock faulted only once, kicking out the top rail at the Brazilian green and yellow triple bar and, with a final score of 63.3, held on for the silver ahead of Tosi. And Appel’s good form continued, as he also slotted his second ride, Iberon Jmen, into fourth with a clear Jumping round, overtaking Nilson Da Silva and Tiger Lu who added eight faults to their total when taking out the first two parts of the combination.

After the presentation ceremony, with medals presented by Nawal el Moutawakel, Chair of the IOD Coordination Commission for Rio 2016, and the lap of honour, Marcio Jorge talked of his determination to be a part of the Brazilian team for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

“There’s strong competition to get in the team and it will be a tough selection, but we’re in a good position now as we had very few at this level in the past and we had no substitutes,” he said. “The Rio 2016 legacy will be spectacular, not only for equestrian, but for all other sports. It will be a great incentive to get a new generation into sport. And of course it also helps the high-performance athletes. I think the Olympics will leave us among the best sporting countries.”

Silver medallist Marcio Appel was bullish about Brazil’s chances of a place on the medal podium next year. “We have a real shot at an Olympic medal. Since the last Olympic Games, we’ve been training really hard and a lot of investment has gone into the team. Having the Olympic Games here in Brazil means that you’re a lot happier to get up early in the morning and work hard.”

With only Brazilian horses competing at the Test Event it was always going to be a victory for the host country, but the quality of the competition, and the impressive Deodoro venue with its dedicated back of house team and welcoming volunteers was a win for Brazil too. Roll on Rio 2016!

Aquece Rio International Horse Trials (final results) – 1, Coronel MCJ (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 44.5 penalties; 2, Cross Rock (Marcio Appel), BRA, 63.3; 3, Glenfly (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 67.2; 4, Iberon Jmen (Marcio Appel), BRA, 68.4; 5, Tiger Lu (Nilson da Silva), BRA, 72.1; 6, Estiva TW (Serguei Fofanoff), BRA, 72.1.

#1yeartogo #Rio2016

Equestrian at Deodoro Olympic Park

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest Rio 2016 Games cluster. Deodoro’s nine venues will host the Olympic sports of basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens, shooting and the Paralympic sports of wheelchair fencing, Football 7-a-side and shooting alongside Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Para-Equestrian Dressage: www.rio2016.org/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues-0.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games – qualified nations

Brazil, as host nation, earns automatic team qualification for Rio 2016. Full details on qualified nations will be updated at http://fei.org/fei/games/olympic/rio-2016 (see “Qualification System” link per discipline). The following nations have so far qualified team spots for Rio 2016:

Jumping: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Qatar
Dressage: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA
Eventing: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, USA

The remaining equestrian team places at Rio 2016 will be decided at continental qualifiers, while individual places will be decided according to world rankings. All athletes competing at the Games must obtain the minimum eligibility requirements.

Share images, video, experiences using hashtags #1yeartogo & #Rio2016.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee is also making images, video, athlete quotes and news available on www.rio2016.com/en and Rio 2016 social media channels. Images of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee programmes and events can also be accessed through the dedicated press room: http://goo.gl/y7dDZs and videos of the Rio 2016 venues and transformations taking place across the city can be found on the Rio City Hall ´Cidade Olimpica´ website: www.cidadeolimpica.com.br/en.

FEI 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

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games

Jorge Out in Front after Cross Country at Aquece Rio Equestrian Test Event

Leave a comment

Marcio Jorge (BRA) and Coronel show a clean pair of heels on the way to the overnight lead after cross country at the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, the Olympic test event at the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre. (FEI/Raphael Macek)

Deodoro Olympic Park (BRA), 8 August 2015 – Marcio Jorge (BRA) and his compatriot Marcelo Tosi still hold the advantage at the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials, but it is Jorge at the head of the field after cross country, not yesterday’s Dressage leader Tosi.

Eight horses were clear around the 20-fence 3.2km course designed by Pierre Michelet, the Frenchman behind the track at last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy. Only two came home inside the five minute 41 second optimum time and it is those two – Jorge with his second ride Coronel MCJ and Tosi with Glenfly – who hold all the aces going forward to tomorrow’s final Jumping phase.

Jorge and the grey Coronel flew around the course, stopping the clock on five minutes 34 seconds, 17 seconds inside the time, to complete two days of competition on their Dressage score of 44.5 penalties, but with no fence in hand over Tosi for tomorrow’s Jumping.

The action opened at 10.00 on a blisteringly hot Brazilian winter morning. Jorge was first out on the course with the Thoroughbred Winner, fourth after the Dressage, but the pair slipped down the order to eighth after a runout at the skinny, the second element of the downhill fence 18. That tour of the track was the ideal preparation for Jorge’s second outing, this time with Coronel and the pair were foot-perfect throughout to cruise round in style and take over the lead.

“I’m very happy with both horses,” the Toronto 2015 Pan-American Games team silver medallist said after his second tour of the track. “The ground was very good and all the fences were inviting and very nice to ride.”

Coronel has already done two three-star events, one national and one international, and has won both, so Jorge is in confident mode for the final test and says that the eight-year-old is a very careful jumper. He has no margin for error, however, as Tosi and Glenfly are a mere 2.7 penalties adrift.

“That was an easy course for him,” Tosi said of Glenfly. “He was easily within the time. He was very comfortable with the fences. He isn’t tired, I think he could do another one now.”

Tosi, who led after yesterday’s Dressage with Briefing DB Z, decided not to run the 11-year-old across country. “Briefing is a three-star horse and there was no point riding him today (in a two-star event),” he said. “I will save him for his next event in three weeks.”

Friends Jorge and Tosi may still be vying with each other for the honours, but they are well ahead of the chasing pack. Last out across the country today, Marcio Appel and the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding Cross Rock are 12.1 adrift off the pace in third, with Nilson Da Silva and Tiger Lu moving up from 16th after the Dressage to overnight fourth.

Three horses failed to complete the course. Ricky Candi (BRA) pulled up Natural TW after the first water, while Serguei Fofanoff walked Yankee Deapper home after two stops at the first element at the same fence. Luciano Drubi, who picked up 20 penalties for a refusal at the second element in the water with Riviera Lu, was then eliminated with Raica Lu after three separate stops on the course.

The horse inspection is at 9.30 tomorrow morning followed by the final Jumping phase before the medal ceremony brings the Aquece Rio equestrian test event to a close.

Aquece Rio International Horse Trials (results after cross country) – 1, Coronel MCJ (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 44.5 penalties; 2, Glenfly (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 47.2; 3, Cross Rock (Marcio Appel), BRA, 59.3; 4, Tiger Lu (Nilson da Silva), BRA, 64.1; 5, Barao (Fernando da Cruz), BRA, 66.5; 6, Estiva TW (Serguei Fofanoff), BRA, 68.1.

FEI Media Contacts:

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Olympic Games

Tosi Tops the Field in Aquece Rio Equestrian Test Event

Leave a comment

Under the sun: Rio 2016 Olympic Games Test Event – the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials – off to a great start with the Dressage phase of Eventing at the Olympic Equestrian Centre today in Deodoro. (Raphael Macek)

Lausanne (SUI), 7 August 2015 – Marcelo Tosi (BRA) performed the winning test in the Aquece Rio International Horse Trials after a supremely confident Dressage performance with the 11-year-old Briefing DB Z in the Olympic Equestrian Centre today.

Tosi, who celebrates his 46th birthday next Friday, performed to a soundtrack of Mozart clarinet concerto to score 37.60 and secure a 6.9 penalty lead over compatriot Marcio Jorge with the impressive grey Coronel MCJ, but Tosi has decided not to ride Briefing in tomorrow’s Cross Country. He has a second chance of success, however, as he is also in third with Glenfly on 47.2, while Jorge, who was a member of the silver medal team at last month’s Pan American Games in Toronto (CAN), is fourth with Winner on a mark of 48.8.

Tosi, who competes in all three Olympic disciplines – Eventing, Jumping and Dressage – was based in Great Britain for four years, but moved back to Brazil last October in preparation for next year’s home Games.

Like the rest of the Brazilian team, Tosi is trained by Anna Ross for Dressage and double Olympic gold medallist Mark Todd for Cross Country and Jumping. Briefing, which finished 10th in the test event for last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ is a world-class horse, according to Todd, and Tosi hopes he’ll be his ride at next year’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games. “The Olympics will be great; having them in your own country, it keeps us motivated.”

Tosi enjoys a friendly rivalry with team mate Marcio Jorge: “We’re friends in and out of the arena. We always try to beat each other; it’s the best way to improve. There aren’t lots of riders at the same level to compete with here like in Europe, so it’s great to have him to compete with.”

Marcio Jorge will be first out on the Cross Country tomorrow, with the first of his two rides Winner, when the action kicks off at 10.00. Pierre Michelet’s track covers much of the same ground as that being prepared for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, but at 3.1km is substantially less than the distance horses and riders will tackle next year.

Aquece Rio International Horse Trials (Olympic Test Event) – 1, Briefing DB Z (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 37.6 penalties; 2, Coronel MCJ (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 44.5; 3, Glenfly (Marcelo Tosi), BRA, 47.2; 4, Winner (Marcio Jorge), BRA, 48.8; equal 5, CDC Super Star (Andre Paro, BRA and Cross Rock (Marcio Appel), 52.5.

#1yeartogo #Rio2016

Equestrian at Deodoro Olympic Park

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest Rio 2016 Games cluster. Deodoro’s nine venues will host the Olympic sports of basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens, shooting and the Paralympic sports of wheelchair fencing, Football 7-a-side and shooting alongside Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Para-Equestrian Dressage: www.rio2016.org/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues-0.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games – qualified nations

Brazil, as host nation, earns automatic team qualification for Rio 2016. Full details on qualified nations will be updated at http://fei.org/fei/games/olympic/rio-2016 (see “Qualification System” link per discipline). The following nations have so far qualified team spots for Rio 2016:

Jumping: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Qatar
Dressage: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA
Eventing: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, USA

The remaining equestrian team places at Rio 2016 will be decided at continental qualifiers, while individual places will be decided according to world rankings. All athletes competing at the Games must obtain the minimum eligibility requirements.

Rio 2016 useful links:
www.rio2016.com/en/the-games/olympic
https://twitter.com/rio2016_en
www.facebook.com/rio2016
www.youtube.com/rio2016
https://instagram.com/rio2016

Share images, video, experiences using hashtags #1yeartogo & #Rio2016.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee is also making images, video, athlete quotes and news available on www.rio2016.com/en and Rio 2016 social media channels. Images of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee programmes and events can also be accessed through the dedicated press room: http://goo.gl/y7dDZs and videos of the Rio 2016 venues and transformations taking place across the city can be found on the Rio City Hall ´Cidade Olimpica´ website: www.cidadeolimpica.com.br/en.

FEI 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

Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Rio 2016 Equestrian Test Event Underway

Leave a comment

The Rio 2016 Olympic equestrian test event is underway. After yesterday’s horse inspection (pictured – Brazilian Olympic athlete Marcelo Tosi with Glenfly), the Dressage phase takes place today (7 August), followed by Cross Country on Saturday (8 August) and the final Jumping phase on Sunday (9 August), all in the stunning Deodoro Olympic Park venue. (Raphael Macek)

Lausanne (SUI), 7 August 2015 – At Rio 2016 equestrian sport will celebrate 104 years in the Olympic movement at the first Games to be held in South America.

The world’s best horses and riders will compete for medals in the Olympic disciplines of Eventing, Dressage and Jumping over 12 days of intense competition at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in the Deodoro Olympic Park.

Brazilian photographer Raphael Macek is working with the International Equestrian Federation (Fédération Equestre Internationale – FEI) on his home turf, putting the spotlight on Olympic Equestrian in Rio and on a sport he adores (http://raphaelmacek.com/horse-photographer-about).

Share Equestrian’s 1 Year to Go video: “365 Days ‘til Heroes Are Made”: https://goo.gl/0H6Sti.

#1yeartogo #Rio2016 #Falta1ano @myfei_home @olympics English: @Rio2016_en Português:@rio2016 Español: @rio2016_es

Equestrian at Deodoro Olympic Park

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest Rio 2016 Games cluster. Deodoro’s nine venues will host the Olympic sports of basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens, shooting and the Paralympic sports of wheelchair fencing, Football 7-a-side and shooting alongside Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Para-Equestrian Dressage: www.rio2016.org/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues-0.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games – qualified nations

Brazil, as host nation, earns automatic team qualification for Rio 2016. Full details on qualified nations will be updated at http://fei.org/fei/games/olympic/rio-2016 (see “Qualification System” link per discipline). The following nations have so far qualified team spots for Rio 2016:

Jumping: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Qatar
Dressage: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA
Eventing: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, USA

The remaining equestrian team places at Rio 2016 will be decided at continental qualifiers, while individual places will be decided according to world rankings. All athletes competing at the Games must obtain the minimum eligibility requirements.

Rio 2016 useful links:
www.rio2016.com/en/the-games/olympic
https://twitter.com/rio2016_en
www.facebook.com/rio2016
www.youtube.com/rio2016
https://instagram.com/rio2016

Share images, video, experiences using hashtags #1yeartogo & #Rio2016.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee is also making images, video, athlete quotes and news available on www.rio2016.com/en and Rio 2016 social media channels. Images of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee programmes and events can also be accessed through the dedicated press room: http://goo.gl/y7dDZs and videos of the Rio 2016 venues and transformations taking place across the city can be found on the Rio City Hall ´Cidade Olimpica´ website: www.cidadeolimpica.com.br/en.

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm. The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining. The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para-Equestrian Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para-Equestrian Dressage and Para-Driving.

FEI 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

Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Olympic Games, Show Jumping

Equestrian Sport Joins One-Year Countdown to Rio 2016 Celebrations

Leave a comment

The Rio 2016 Olympic equestrian action gets underway on 6 August 2016. As always, Eventing will open the Olympic equestrian sports, and the Cross Country phase will be a huge attraction in the Deodoro Olympic Park venue with a course featuring stunning water jumps. (Gustavo Nascimento)

Lausanne (SUI), 5 August 2015 – Today marks the one-year countdown to the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where equestrian sport will celebrate 104 years in the Olympic movement at the first Games to be held in South America.

The world’s best horses and riders will compete for medals in the Olympic disciplines of Eventing, Dressage and Jumping over 12 days of intense competition at the Olympic Equestrian Centre at Deodoro.

The Rio 2016 Olympic equestrian action gets underway the day after the Opening Ceremony on 5 August. As always, Eventing opens the Olympic equestrian sport, and it is Eventing that features in the Aquece Rio (“Warm Up Rio”) test event, which starts tomorrow.

While this week’s test event is limited to Brazilian horses, a total of 200 equestrian athletes will join 10,300 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, which run from 5-21 August with 19 days of world-class sport.

“The world’s biggest sporting event is now just a year away,” FEI Director, Eventing & Olympic, Catrin Norinder said. “Our venue at Deodoro is absolutely stunning and we’re all set for this week’s test event, now that we’ve marked the one-year countdown to the Games. We’re all really looking forward to seeing equestrian sport, one of the only Olympic sports in which men and women compete against each other and which involves two athletes, the horse and the rider, at Rio 2016. The road to Rio is now a major focus in our sport, with qualifying events ongoing around the world.”

Rio-bound

Ten nations have so far qualified Jumping teams for Rio, with six nations through for Dressage. The next major opportunity for European nations to qualify for the Jumping and Dressage at Rio 2016 will be the FEI European Championships at Aachen (GER), which starts in just six days (11 August).

Eight nations have already booked their team Eventing slots for Rio, and all eyes are next on the Longines FEI European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle on 10-13 September. This event, which takes place in the grounds of Scotland’s most-visited castle, forms part of UK Sport’s £40 million National Lottery funded events programme, which is helping to build a strong legacy from the London 2012 Olympic Games and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

#1yeartogo #Rio2016

“Rio de Janeiro will be the focus of the sporting world’s attention next year, when it becomes the first South American city to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“Staged in one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, the Games are going to be really spectacular. Rio will be making full use of its world-famous landmarks, just as London did, and equestrian sport will be rubbing shoulders with other exciting sports at Deodoro, including basketball, fencing, hockey, mountain biking, BMX, canoe slalom and rugby sevens.

“We are experiencing massive growth in equestrian sport around the world, and Rio will be our perfect platform, putting equestrian in the limelight at the greatest sporting event on the planet.”

Share Equestrian’s 1 Year to Go video: “365 Days ‘til Heroes Are Made”: https://goo.gl/0H6Sti

#1yeartogo #Rio2016 #Falta1ano @myfei_home @olympics English: @Rio2016_en Português:@rio2016 Español: @rio2016_es

Equestrian at Deodoro Olympic Park

The Deodoro Olympic Park is the second largest Rio 2016 Games cluster. Deodoro’s nine venues will host the Olympic sports of basketball, BMX, canoe slalom, fencing, hockey, modern pentathlon, mountain biking, rugby sevens, shooting and the Paralympic sports of wheelchair fencing, Football 7-a-side and shooting alongside Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, and Para-Equestrian Dressage: www.rio2016.org/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues-0.

Rio 2016 Olympic Games – qualified nations

Brazil, as host nation, earns automatic team qualification for Rio 2016. Full details on qualified nations will be updated at http://fei.org/fei/games/olympic/rio-2016 (see “Qualification System” link per discipline). The following nations have so far qualified team spots for Rio 2016:

Jumping: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Qatar
Dressage: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, USA
Eventing: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, USA

The remaining equestrian team places at Rio 2016 will be decided at continental qualifiers, while individual places will be decided according to world rankings. All athletes competing at the Games must obtain the minimum eligibility requirements.

Rio 2016 useful links:
www.rio2016.com/en/the-games/olympic
https://twitter.com/rio2016_en
www.facebook.com/rio2016
www.youtube.com/rio2016
https://instagram.com/rio2016

Share images, video, experiences using hashtags #1yeartogo & #Rio2016.

Rio 2016 Organising Committee is also making images, video, athlete quotes and news available on www.rio2016.com/en and Rio 2016 social media channels. Images of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee programmes and events can also be accessed through the dedicated press room: http://goo.gl/y7dDZs and videos of the Rio 2016 venues and transformations taking place across the city can be found on the Rio City Hall ´Cidade Olimpica´ website: www.cidadeolimpica.com.br/en.

About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org

The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm. The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining. The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its seven able-bodied disciplines when Para-Equestrian Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para-Equestrian Dressage and Para-Driving.

FEI 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

Community/Charity, Equestrian Assistance, Olympic Games

Elizabeth Juliano Establishes Human Sport Science and Medicine Challenge for Olympic Preparation

Leave a comment

Elizabeth B. Juliano of Havensafe Farm.

Gladstone, NJ – July 29, 2015 – The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce a new fundraising effort, the “Elizabeth B. Juliano & Havensafe Farm Human Sport Science and Medicine Challenge,” to help prepare the United States Equestrian Team for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Juliano will match contributions, dollar for dollar, up to $100,000 with the goal to raise $200,000 to implement the program. Gift commitments of $10,000 or more made by November 30, 2015 are eligible for the challenge and may be paid over a two-year period (2015 and 2016). All donations are tax deductible.

Juliano is an accomplished dressage rider, high performance dressage horse owner, USET Foundation Trustee and Chair of the Development Committee, all of which reflect her leadership and extraordinary commitment to this country’s United States Equestrian Teams.

The money raised will support the United States Equestrian Federation’s pilot program for Human Sports Science and Medicine (HSSM), which is vitally important in preparing riders for the upcoming Olympic Games where every detail of the preparation will be critical to success. The Equine Sports Science Medicine (ESSM) and HSSM personnel will be working together in a conjoined approach which will allow riders to improve their preparation for and performance at Rio 2016 as well as other Championships by working on their imbalances and injury prevention. The program will interact with riders’ trainers and SSM personnel so all support provided is coordinated with a focus on performance. Further information on the Program will be released to athletes and other key stakeholders by the USEF once the final details are in place.

For more information on the USET Foundation and the Elizabeth Juliano and Havensafe Farm Human Sport Science and Medicine Challenge, contact Bonnie Jenkins, Executive Director, at (908) 234-1251.

The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (www.uset.org) is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America’s elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.

For more information on the USET Foundation, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org.

The USET Foundation has been awarded Charity Navigators’ highest honor, a Four Star rating for good governance, sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency.

Contact: Rebecca Walton
USET Foundation
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
rjw@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Eventing/H.T., FEI, Olympic Games

Olympic Equestrian Test Event Marks One-Year Countdown to Rio 2016

Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 13 July 2015 – The Olympic Equestrian Test Event – the Aquece Rio (“Warm Up Rio”) International Horse Trials – gets underway on 6 August, a day after celebrations in Brazil to mark the one-year countdown to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Representatives from 16 National Federations, including athletes and officials, will travel to the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Deodoro to take part in the Observers Programme which runs concurrently with the Test Event.

Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden and the United States of America will all be sending delegations to Rio next month.

All five Technical Delegates will be present at the Test Event: Tim Randle (Veterinary), Jacques Van Daele (Dressage), Alec Lochore (Eventing), Santiago Varela (Jumping) and Amanda Bond (Para-Equestrian Dressage), along with John McEwen, Chair of the FEI Veterinary Committee, and the FEI Sports Directors of the three Olympic disciplines: John Roche (Jumping), Trond Asmyr (Dressage) and Catrin Norinder (Eventing).

The Test Event will also be attended by 12 International Technical Officials and a large team of National Technical Officials, with the second group including FEI Stewards, Dressage scribes, judging assistants and Eventing Cross Country officials.

The CIC2* competition, which will be contested by local horses, features a Cross Country course designed by Pierre Michelet (FRA), the man responsible for the championship track at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy last year.

The Warm Up Rio event allows for the testing of a wide range of components prior to the 2016 Games, including technological aspects such as results, scoring and timing, the Field Of Play (both the Main Arena and Cross Country), training arenas, stabling operations, sanitary and biosecurity procedures, spectator flows and management, accreditation and media operations.

Anti-doping processes will also be tested, with human and equine sampling being conducted during the event. FEI Vet Committee member Colin Roberts will oversee equine testing, while Peter Whitehead, Chair of the FEI Medical Committee, will oversee human testing systems, as well as assessing medical facilities.

The event also allows for comprehensive testing of the footing in both the Main Arena and on the Cross Country. Christian Bauer, the footing advisor appointed by the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, and Professor Lars Roepstorff, the international footing specialist from a scientific perspective, will both be in attendance. In addition to the horses contesting the CIC, a small group of Jumping horses will be brought in to test the Main Arena footing.

“As equestrian is one of the first major test events for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games it will play an important role in establishing the Organising Committee’s systems and processes,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Zeender said. “The test event is a vital stage in the preparations to assess operational readiness, and a huge amount that needs to be tested will be tested.

“There are still some areas that will have to be tested between now and Games time, such as accommodation for athletes, grooms and National Olympic Committees. Another aspect that won’t be tested next month is the arrivals and departures process for horses, as we only have national horses at the test event, but Rio 2016 has an expert and hugely experienced team in place led by Peden Bloodstock which flies horses all over the world, including in and out of Brazil, so we are confident that this process is in safe hands.”

FEI Media contacts:

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

Community/Charity

IOC Sports Director Speaks on Olympic Agenda 2020 at FEI Sports Forum

Leave a comment

IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell (far right) pictured with the chairmen of FEI Olympic disciplines (from left): Frank Kemperman, Dressage; Giuseppe Della Chiesa, Eventing; and John Madden, Jumping. Photo: FEI/Germain Arias-Schreiber.

Lausanne (SUI), 27 April 2015 – The second of the morning sessions at the FEI Sports Forum was dedicated to Olympic Agenda 2020, with IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell addressing delegates on Agenda 2020 and its relevance to the FEI.

The IOC Sports Director likened the process that the FEI is currently undergoing with its review of formats for the Olympic disciplines, to the process that the IOC has gone through with Agenda 2020. “It’s timely that we could join you while you’re focusing on the evolution of your sport, as we are on a similar pathway that the IOC and the Olympic movement have been on for the past 18 months,” he said in his opening remarks.

“The reasons you’re going through this process are similar to the reasons why we’ve gone through the process of Agenda 2020. We need to embrace change and be a driver of change, not a passenger, and we are moving forward with a completely holistic review of the IOC and the Olympic Movement.

“We have a fantastic relationship with the FEI. It’s a constructive and very open one, and it’s a relationship based on partnership, with an open and constructive dialogue.”

Kit McConnell addressed the key elements of Olympic Agenda 2020, highlighting four areas: maximizing engagement of the youth audience; achieving gender equality and promotion of women’s sport; increasing universality; and increasing the popularity and value of the Olympic Games.

On gender equality, the IOC Sports Director stressed that the IOC is working with International Federations to achieve 50% female participation in the Olympic Games and to stimulate women’s participation and involvement in sports by creating more participation opportunities at the Olympic Games. This involves encouraging the inclusion of mixed-gender team events and aiming for an equal gender balance across the Games as a whole.

“The FEI has been fully compliant with this for many years, but your International Federation is in a fairly unique position,” he said, before informing delegates that the numbers for equestrian in London were 122 men and 77 women. Across all sports at the 2012 Games, there was 44.4% female participation, with a goal of 46.1% for Rio 2016.

“Equestrian was an outstanding success in terms of ticketing at London 2012, with over 98% of all tickets sold across the three disciplines,” he said.

Strong media coverage of equestrian across all platforms at London 2012 also featured in the presentation. In broadcast, Jumping was well ahead of the other two disciplines in terms of hours of coverage, but Dressage was the most popular discipline online and in print media coverage.

He stressed that it is equally important for the IOC to embrace its traditions and history as it is for each of the sports in the Olympic Programme, and to look at how to embrace those traditions and make them a strength. He spoke of the unique nature of equestrian sport with the combination of horse and man, the passionate global community and the diversity between the disciplines. He also referred to the iconic locations used for equestrian sport.

“Not every sport can go to the places you can go to, where you can showcase your sport and the host, and engage spectators. It’s very valuable and very special for the sport.”

Winding up his presentation, Kit McConnell said: “The IOC values our partnership with FEI and its stakeholders and we are committed to a close working relationship with FEI.”

FEI President Ingmar De Vos was next to take to the lectern. “We are really excited by the reforms and recommendations of the Olympic Agenda 2020,” he said, “and see it as an invitation to continue a process that the FEI had already set in motion prior to the Agenda 2020 reform process.”

The FEI President spoke of gender equality in equestrian sports as “one of the key assets of our sport and a value which we are very proud of”. He also referred to the FEI’s proactive stance regarding the involvement of the Federation in delivering the Olympic Games, creating a new position within the FEI for a Director of Games & Championships which was filled by Tim Hadaway, Equestrian Sports Manager at the London Olympic Games.

“By doing this we recognised the need for more involvement and support from the International Federation to the Organising Committee in order to deliver the Games the best way possible, and this before the Olympic Agenda 2020 was established. I sincerely believe that the International Federations need to take their responsibility because in the end it’s our sport, and while the responsibility of the Organising Committee ends after the event, we need to go on and preserve our legacy.”

The FEI President then spoke about the guiding principles of the evolution of the Olympic Programme. Alongside gender equality, he highlighted increasing Games popularity and value, maximising engagement of the youth audience and increasing universality.

“I believe this is a very clear message from the IOC to the International Federations about what they have to focus on and I am happy to say that we share these principles. This is also what we have identified and one of the main reasons that we are here together at the FEI Sports Forum.”

Referring to the IOC Sports Director’s presentation around television, internet and press figures for equestrian sport, the FEI President said: “He made it very clear to us that these will be, more than ever before, the parameters on which sports will be evaluated for the future Olympic Programmes. We need to understand that these are also the parameters that become more and more important in our own sport.”

On the potential revision of formats, the FEI President talked on the two general proposals across the three Olympic disciplines: making a clear differentiation between team and individual competitions and the proposed removal of the drop score to fulfil the universality and excellence elements of Agenda 2020.

“I want to reiterate that the values of our sport are paramount in all these discussions and it’s not about changing for the sake of change,” he said. “We have our traditions, our values and our identity, but this does not mean we have to be conservative. It’s about finding the right balance and implementing the right changes without losing the essence of our sport. We need to ask ourselves, is equestrian sport too complicated for television viewers and spectators with no equestrian background? Is it global enough? Are competition formats simple to understand and exciting enough to encourage new fans?

“If our ultimate goal is modern horse sport for the modern era, then we need to address all these questions.”

In the question and answer session that followed, the issues of social media, universality, risk, International Federation groupings and revenue distribution from the Games were all debated, prior to the discipline specific sessions later in the day.

The FEI online platform is open for continued discussions on all topics raised at the FEI Sports Forum here.

Media contacts:

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

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

FEI, Olympic Games

Change to Tokyo 2020 Equestrian Venue Approved

Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 27 February 2015 – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board yesterday stamped its approval on a change of venue for the Tokyo 2020 equestrian events.

The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee presented the change to the IOC Executive Board at its meeting in Rio (BRA) as part of the Tokyo 2020 venue master plan following the FEI’s approval of the switch last month.

The main equestrian site will now be at Baji Koen, the Japan Racing Authority owned facility that hosted the Tokyo 1964 Olympic equestrian events. Baji Koen will host the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Dressage and Jumping disciplines, as well as the Eventing Dressage and Jumping phases.

The Eventing Cross Country phase remains at Sea Forest, also known as Umi no Mori, in Tokyo Bay. Olympic rowing, canoe sprint and mountain biking will also be staged at Sea Forest.

Under the Organising Committee’s original plans, the main equestrian venue was at Dream Island on Tokyo Bay. The switch to Baji Koen puts equestrian sport right back in the centre of the Olympic cluster and the use of an existing facility is also in line with the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations on both costs and sustainability.

In Tokyo’s original bid, 33 per cent of the venues were using pre-existing facilities, but the changes announced yesterday have increased that to 50 percent, less than three months after the Agenda 2020 recommendations were unanimously approved by the IOC in Monaco last December.

According to the IOC, the combined savings resulting from venue changes to equestrian, basketball and canoe slalom will slash USD 1 billion from the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee’s construction budget.

“The FEI has been working very closely with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, visiting all venues and carefully considering all options, and we are very impressed with both the Baji Koen and Sea Forest sites,” FEI Director Games & Championships Tim Hadaway said.

“We were more than happy to agree to a venue change that helps Tokyo stay in line with the Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said, “and especially as Baji Koen is a beautiful public park that will make a spectacular venue for the 2020 Olympic equestrian events and keeps our sport right at the heart of the Games.

“We celebrated 100 years in the Olympic movement in London 2012 and with Tokyo 2020 in our sights, our focus is firmly on providing a strong legacy for equestrian sport in Japan. We are looking forward to putting the spotlight on our sport in Tokyo.”

For more information on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, visit http://tokyo2020.jp/en/ & www.olympic.org/tokyo-2020-summer-olympics.

FEI Media Contacts:

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

FEI, Olympic Games

Extension of Application Deadline for Press Accreditation for Rio 2016 Olympic Equestrian Events

Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 25 February 2015 – The FEI would like to inform all specialised equestrian written and photographic press wishing to secure accreditation for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games that the deadline for applying through the FEI has been extended to Friday, 6 March.

Media who have been unable to obtain accreditation through their National Olympic Committee should contact the FEI Press Relations Department by email (malina.gueorguiev@fei.org).

Applications sent to the FEI should provide full contact details of the media outlet, including email, mobile telephone number and website, comprehensive information regarding its circulation and/or the number of unique visitors per month, and outline in detail the coverage planned for the Rio 2016 Olympic equestrian events.

Media who have applied through the FEI will be informed whether their application has been successful directly by the IOC.

The FEI is aware of the high media interest for the 2016 Olympic equestrian events. Although the final decision on the allocation of Olympic accreditations does not rest with the FEI, the FEI will do its best to assist specialist photographers and journalists in the accreditation process for Rio. We are happy to answer any queries you may have.

Media contact:

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