Tag Archives: Richie Moloney

Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

Moloney and Alsvid Race to Victory in $34,000 Equiline 1.45m Speed Classic

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Richie Moloney and Alsvid. Photos: ©ManciniPhotos.

Victoria Colvin and Pepie Lu Take $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Wellington, FL – November 27, 2015 – Richie Moloney (IRL) and Alsvid made a dash up the leaderboard in the $34,000 Equiline 1.45m Speed Classic at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) today, as FEI competition resumed at the venue for the Holiday & Horses CSI 4*. Moloney and Alsvid rose to the occasion, crossing through the timers in 62.28 seconds to capture the win. Ali Wolff (USA) and Artemis followed in second with a time of 62.90 seconds while Kent Farrington (USA) and Blue Angel, winners of the $34,000 Equiline Holiday & Horses Opener Grand Prix held this past Wednesday, finished in 63.51 seconds for third place.

Competition continues at PBIEC tomorrow with the highly anticipated $212,000 Holiday & Horses Grand Prix presented by Palm Beach Sports Commission and Discover the Palm Beaches beginning at 6:30pm. The night will also host the Wellington Chamber of Commerce’s Winterfest and showcase the first round of drawings for the 2016 Great Charity Challenge (GCC), presented by Fidelity Investments®.

Moloney and Alsvid entered the International Ring in the middle of the 40-horse order of go, several rounds after reigning class leader Farrington posted the quickest double clean trip aboard Blue Angel. Maintaining a bold pace throughout the Anthony D’Ambrosio (USA) designed course, Moloney made the most of his round aboard the 2001 Hanoverian gelding (Escudo I x Adonca) owned by Equinimity LLC.

“It was a full 1.45m class, and the first four jumps really made you open up. That’s where you could make up some of the time, which is where I think we did,” said Moloney. “I took a bit of a chance to the last two fences on course and did probably one less than most people, and I think that is what earned us the win.”

Alsvid is Moloney’s top FEI Speed horse, and the pair has produced several major international victories this season. The win this afternoon marked the duo’s fifth FEI win this year and third FEI Speed class victory. Moloney will return to FEI competition on Sunday for the $34,000 1.45m Consolation Classic before beginning a period of rest for Alsvid with the remainder of Moloney’s string before the beginning of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) circuit in mid-January.

“He’s very good in these types of classes and has proven to be very consistent this season placing in the top three at least five times since the beginning of the summer. It was a strong class today, and I felt very good about his performance,” he noted.

The seasoned gelding has proven throughout his career with Moloney that he excels and enjoys difficult speed classes, which allows Moloney to take major risks that are rewarded when faced against some of the world’s best combinations. He explained, “He really enjoys these speed classes because he naturally wants to go forward so you just let him go and steady him a bit at the jumps, but try not get in the way,” Moloney remarked. “It’s nice to start off the season here with a win. We’ll look for another good result in the 1.45m class on Sunday and then bring him back in February for some of the big FEI classes during circuit.”

Victoria Colvin and Pepie Lu Take $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby

Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL and Pepie Lu, a 2007 Warmblood gelding (Sergeant Pepper x Mecklenburger) owned by Nathalie Mathers of Wellington, FL, stole the show in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby at PBIEC, receiving a combined score of 180. The total must be correct for the win, but if you don’t know the correct individual scores just stay with the total. Kathryn Haefner of Hamburg, NY, and Bentley finished in second with an overall score of 176, while Tracy Scheriff-Muser of Palm Beach Gardens, FL piloted Shoreline to third place honors with a combined score of 168.5.

Victoria Colvin and Pepie Lu
Victoria Colvin and Pepie Lu

Colvin and Pepie Lu impressed the judging panel in the first round of competition, scoring the highest mark of the class with a score of 87. Haefner and Bentley received the highest score of the second handy round of competition with an 86, which helped them secure the second place finish.

“This is the first class I’ve ever done on him. He used to show in the jumpers, but was a bit too quiet so he switched to the hunters,” said Colvin. “He’s super fun and incredibly easy to ride. I thought today was a great start for the both of us.”

The duo performed a lovely handy round, which Colvin remarked was a highlight of the class for her, as she thought it was the better of their two rounds. She explained, “The handy round was great because he’s really experienced with tight turns from his past life as a jumper so I was able to go for it, which I think was reflected in our score. It was a great way to start off the winter season, and it was a very competitive class.”

Competition at PBIEC continues tomorrow with the $212,000 Holiday & Horses Grand Prix CSI 4* presented by Palm Beach Sports Commission and Discover the Palm Beaches beginning at 6:30pm. Admission is free to the public. FEI competition will conclude on Sunday, November 29, with the $34,000 1.45m Consolation Classic beginning at 1pm.

For more information on Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and to see a full list of results, please visit www.pbiec.com.

American Gold Cup, Competitions, FEI, Show Jumping

Richie Moloney and Carrabis Z Win FEI World Cup Jumping $215k American Gold Cup

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Richie Moloney and Carrabis Z take top honors at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping $215,000 American Gold Cup in New York (13 September) (StockImageServices.com/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 14 September 2015 – An accurate jump-off effort from Richie Moloney (IRL) resulted in the only clear round in a six-man field and earned the win at yesterday’s Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping $215,000 American Gold Cup in New York.

The impressive, 1.60-metre track designed by Alan Wade (IRL) featured 14 obstacles with 17 jumping attempts. Utilising the arena’s graded terrain and natural barriers, Wade’s course managed to hold 31 horse-and-rider pairs, out of the original field of 37, from the final round. Liubov Kochetova (RUS) aboard Veyron was the second in the order of go, and navigated a rail-free round, but with less than a second over the time allowed she recorded the only one-fault score in the first round.

Otherwise, rails fell in a variety of places throughout the course, with increased incidents at the triple and double combinations. “Wade is a horse-friendly, competitor-friendly designer,” according to Frank Madden, the class’s commentator and resident trainer. “He uses no gimmicks and no trickery.”

Daniel Bluman (COL) and Conconcreto Sancha LS recorded the first clear as the third horse-and-rider team to enter the ring. “I had an early draw today in the first round, so I couldn’t really see many people jump before me,” Bluman said. “I just wanted to ride my plan. I found it extremely technical and careful, and it took extremely good horses and riders to jump a clear round today. I was very satisfied with the way my mare jumped. We’ve been together for five or six years, and it never gets old to jump a clear round.”

The next clear didn’t come for another eight rounds, when Catherine Tyree (USA), a 21-year-old student at Northwestern University, piloted Enjoy Louis around a fault-free effort, making for a jump off. Olympic gold medalist Laura Kraut (USA), Moloney, hometown favorite Peter Lutz (USA) and André Thieme (GER) shortly followed with impressive, clear rounds of their own.

Winning time

When the first three jump off attempts each pulled a rail, the door was wide open for a clear round to claim the victory. “The first round was quite technical,” Moloney said. “The course needed quite a bit of scope. In the jump off, there was no-one clear before I went, so the first four jumps in the jump off I stuck to my plan and went a little bit forward, then toward the end of the jump-off round, I got a little bit careful and made sure I jumped a clear round.”

The strategy of an efficient and accurate ride – albeit slower than the four-fault jump off rounds – landed Moloney at the top, after the two final jump-off performances from Lutz and Thieme recorded faults.

“Richie’s due for a win like this,” Madden commented during Moloney’s round.

“The difference between synthetic sand and grass footing is that it’s not necessarily the fastest round that’s going to be the best on grass,” he added.

Moloney’s winning round was on Carrabis Z, also his winning mount at the CSI4* $210,000 Tryon Grand Prix earlier in the summer. “He’s a 12-year-old stallion and quite a small horse,” Moloney said. “He’s very scopey and very careful. He has a lot of blood, is a little bit hot, and he’s actually green. I got him when he was nine; he’s getting better all the time.”

The Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Las Vegas (USA) in April was not an original goal for Moloney, until he won the second qualifier of the East Coast league. “We go to Central Park next then Tryon in October,” Moloney said.

“My goals are to try and be competitive and that’s kind of it, really,” he added. “Long term, I have a few very nice horses, and it would be nice to do Europe next summer and maybe a few Nations Cup classes.”

“I went to World Cup Finals this year in Vegas, and I saw how hard it was and I wasn’t sure I had a horse, or two horses, that it would suit. We’ll see. You never know by the time the end of April comes.”

Although Moloney rides for Ireland, he is currently based in Wellington during the winter and splits his time between Tryon (North Carolina) and Riverhead (New York) during the summer.

“It was great to win here today,” he said. “My horse jumped amazing. He’s been jumping great lately, and it’s nice for him to get the win here today.”

Best in show

The American Gold Cup earned the top ranking for the best show in the United States earlier this year by the North American Riders Group. “Everything went as planned today,” said Michael Morrissey, the president of stadium jumping and show manager of the American Gold Cup. “It was a picture-perfect day with standing room only.”

All four riders involved in the press conference praised the Old Salem Farm venue for providing the best facilities for the class and for the show. Kraut noted that whether she went first or went 60th in a class throughout the week, the footing remained the same.

“I’m from North Salem and grew up in Fairfield, just 20 minutes from here,” said Lutz. “I’ve been coming to this horse show almost my whole life. I’m so happy that the American Gold Cup is here because we live here.”

“It’s very good to jump on the grass,” added Moloney. “I think there should be more grass fields like this because I’ve been jumping on sand all year and the last two shows, Hamptons and here, have been on the grass. I think most horses prefer (jumping on grass). The atmosphere here was great.”

“It was a very good class,” concluded Morrissey. “The field held up really well. Alan Wade did a really remarkable job today and the whole week. It was great, a great class.”

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the annual American Gold Cup and the fourth year that Old Salem Farm has hosted the show.

See full results: http://bit.ly/1iaRawr

Facts & Figures

In the first round of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping $215,000 American Gold Cup there were six clear rounds, one with one fault, six with four faults and twelve with eight faults. Four horse-and-rider pairs were eliminated.

Conor Swail and Viva Columbia won Friday’s $85,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier, presented by Windsor Show Stables, but missed the jump off with twelve faults in the first round. There were 14 clear rounds in last Friday’s qualifying class, in comparison to only six clear rounds on Sunday.

The top five horses in the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping $215,000 American Gold Cup were all bays; two were stallions, two were geldings and one was a mare.

Quotes

Richie Moloney (IRL): “Carrabis Z jumped really well at Hamptons Grand Prix, and I had the last fence down. He’s been jumping great, so I had it in my head that I really had to go for it and win today.

“When I tried him, he was late in his eight-year-old year, and he was actually very green for an eight-year-old. He has a lot of blood, a little bit difficult to ride, but he’s very careful. Even though he’s 12 this year, I feel he’s just starting to really improve at the start of the summer, so hopefully there’s more good things to come.

“I was nervous just to do well because I really wanted to go clear in the first round, and just nervous because I wanted to do well for my horse because he’s been jumping so good.

“I work for a very good sponsor Equanimity, an American family, and they’ve been great to me. They’ve bought a very good team of horses, and I’m very lucky to have them as owners. I appreciate them very much.”

Daniel Bluman (COL): “This class with Sancha is one of the last classes of the year. She’s not really a horse that I would like to do much with in the indoor circuit just because we’ve already jumped a lot. We had the Pan American Games, Florida and a good summer, so I was looking to come here for the first time with this horse.

“I’ve been here before but not with her (so I wanted) to try to give it a nice show to the grand prix. I know it was a big class and it feels great. It’s definitely different for us growing up in South America. It’s not usual to ride in fields like this. It takes a lot of concentration, and it’s fun. It’s a different sort of challenge.

“That’s a very special horse for me. I started my five-star and international career with her and she took me to the Olympic Games, my first Pan American Games, and we’ve learned a lot together. We’ve been through a lot of things and now she’s 12 years old. She’s feeling as good as ever. We know each other better, we know how to make a good plan that fits well for her and fits well for me and I could stay all afternoon here speaking about her. You can imagine, she means a lot to me and to get a result today it’s good for her, for her name, at least.”

Peter Lutz (USA): “The horse I ride, Robin de Ponthual, owned by Katherine Gallagher and Michael Miller, I’ve been riding for about a year, and we just stepped up into the grand prix this spring, and this summer we’ve had some really nice results. This was our first jump off at this level so again, I was really thrilled with how he went and with our placing. I’m just getting to know him, and he’s been super.”

American Gold Cup

Held over five days at Old Salem Farm, New York, the American Gold Cup brings together a diverse crowd of elite equestrian athletes, discerning horse owners, excited fans and young hopefuls, eager to watch their idols. In addition to the competition ring, the international Jumping event features high-end shopping. From top-notch equestrian tack and equipment to fashion, jewelry, antiques, art and much more, the scenic outdoor boutiques offer the perfect opportunity to shop during breaks from the competition action.

The venue boasts a state-of-the-art stabling facility, a historic and pristine grass grand prix field and outstanding competition and schooling arenas, all of which are surrounded by one of the world’s most charming and picturesque venue settings. For the past four years, the North American Riders Group (NARG) has recognized the Old Salem Farm competitions on their NARG Top 25 List.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League

The North American League boasts a minimum of US $2.4 million prize money across the series, and offers the best Jumping athletes from North America and around the world the chance to qualify for the jackpot of more than US $1.4 million (€1.3 million) on offer annually at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final.

A total of 14 athletes from the new North American League will qualify for next year’s prestigious Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final, which will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden on 23-28 March 2016.

The top seven athletes from the East Coast US, top three from West Coast US and the two best-placed athletes from Canada and Mexico will qualify for the Final, alongside winners of the 13 other leagues from around the world.

Share images, video, experiences using hashtag #FEIWorldCupNAL.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League launch

The new North American league was launched by Beezie Madden, the most decorated US female equestrian athlete of all time, American Gold Cup winner and FEI Solidarity Ambassador Jessica Springsteen, and Hannah Selleck, team and individual gold medalist at young rider level and one of the sport’s up-and-coming stars. The full launch release is available here: https://goo.gl/kCIsyW.

By Esther Hahn

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

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Richie Moloney Takes Top Honors for Second Time at Tryon Summer 3

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Richie Moloney and Alsvid. Photos ©LizCrawleyPhotography.

Kira Kerkorian Tops $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix; Josh Dolan Pilots Amara to $5,000 USHJA Hunter Derby Win

Mill Spring, NC – July 10, 2015 – Competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) continued today with the $34,000 1.45m Speed Stake FEI in the George H. Morris Arena in Tryon Stadium, capping another win for Richie Moloney (IRL) and Alsvid, making it two in a row for the duo. Moloney and Alsvid crossed the timers with a speedy clear round in 58.52 seconds. Sharn Wordley (NZL) aboard Popstar Lozonais followed behind, with a time of 64.83 seconds. Lauren Tisbo (USA) and Shamira Semilly rounded out the top three, finishing fault free in 66.45 seconds. Competition continues at TIEC tomorrow with the highlight $210,000 Asheville Regional Airport Grand Prix FEI CSI 4* beginning at 8pm. TIEC will also host “Saturday Night Lights” Beach Bash starting at 6pm. The Tryon Summer Series will conclude on July, 19.

Moloney and Alsvid have had a banner week at TIEC, winning both of their contested FEI classes so far at Tryon Summer 3. The experienced pair made easy work of the difficult Ana Catalina Harris (MEX) designed course, which only saw three double clear rounds out of 17 entries.

“When I was going into the ring, there was only one other clear round so I think if there had been more clear I would have even pushed it more and left out a few more strides, but I went as quick as I could while playing it a bit safe and it worked out in my favor,” explained Moloney.

Today marked the third FEI win for the Irish this week and when asked, Moloney smiled, saying he hopes they can keep their consistency moving into tomorrow night for the biggest class of the week, the $210,000 Asheville Regional Airport Grand Prix.

“This is very good for us and we’re having a great week. I’m hopeful that we’ll keep it up for the next two days. David and I both have pretty good records on Saturday nights so far and I’m expecting a great class tomorrow night,” he noted.

Alsvid is a consistent and experienced mount for Moloney, proving himself time and time again on the international stage. Moloney explained on Wednesday after his win, that the 2001 Hanoverian gelding (Escudo I x Adonca) enjoys the faster speed classes and always performs well.

“He felt spot on today and he’s gone so well this week. He really felt like himself today and I think it’s great that he’s been able to come out twice and win both of his classes,” commented Moloney. “We’ll do the 1.50m class on Sunday and then he’ll get some time off. He’s a great horse for me and I want to make sure that he gets a well-deserved rest after this week.”

“I’m looking forward to the rest of the season, especially with him. I know I can always count on him to do his best and come through in the ring. With what we have on the schedule, he should be very competitive for the rest of the season. He’s a great ride and deserves these wins this week.”

Kira Kerkorian Tops $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix

Kira Kerkorian of Sagaponack, NY added another top finish at TIEC this week, improving on her second place finish in the $10,000 Under 25 Welcome Classic on Wednesday, by championing the first $25,000 Under 25 Grand Prix of the Tryon Summer Series today aboard Nightfire 25. Kerkorian set a fast pace in the jump-off, which couldn’t be matched after going third in the order of the ten-horse jump-off, stopping the clock in 36.936 seconds. Wilton Porter of Bartonsville, TX finished in second and third, riding Delinquent JX to a time of 37.465 seconds then piloting Patriot across the timers in 38.873 seconds respectively.

Kira Kerkorian and Nightfire 25
Kira Kerkorian and Nightfire 25

“This is my first Under 25 win and he’s one of my new horses, which makes it that much more special. I thought the course was really well done and there were some places that you really had to work. The plank was really spookey and it felt like a really smooth course but difficult too,” commented Kerkorian. “My game plan didn’t change too much from when we walked it to when I went actually went into the ring. We watched Wilton go and I knew that I was going to have to pull out all of the stops to beat him.”

Kerkorian, who trains with Nicole Simpson of Simpson Show Jumping, has steadily improved and her hard work continues to pay off in the ring. She placed second in the $10,000 Under 25 Welcome aboard Cassi, barely getting nudged out of top honors at the end of the class by Haley Gassel and Quite Dark 2.

“He really helped me out a lot today. I needed to be a little bit quicker after some of my landings but we have a great sense of trust and I knew that he would stay with me,” she explained. “I sprinted for the last fence and he was just amazing and so responsive the entire round. We bought him from Lynne Little here in Tryon last August and have been working to create some consistency. We did the Young Rider classes during the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) this past winter and he’s really stepped up every time we ask something of him.”

Piloting two talented horses around the big tracks, Kerkorian is looking to stay atop the leaderboard for the rest of the 2015 season. “We’re going to keep doing the High Juniors and then we’ll start heading towards some of the smaller grand prixs in Kentucky. I’m so excited with how everything is going and how well my horses are handling everything.”

Kerkorian has plans to take her second mount, Cassi, to the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) presented by Gotham North at the end of the month in Lexington, KY.

“I would love to do really well at Young Riders this year on the big team and see how well we can finish. I’ve always wanted to qualify for the Prix des States for Zone 2 and want to help earn a team gold there. After that we’re going to start focusing on qualifying for indoors, which is always a really exciting time in the year. I’m just so happy with today and it is the highlight of the season so far!”

Kerkorian was all smiles exiting the ring and even minutes after the class had ended, she was still unable to contain her excitement. “It feels so great to know that hard work matters. I’m so proud of my horses for the performances we’ve had this week and I’m hoping that we can only go up from here,” she smiled.

Josh Dolan Pilots Amara to Win in $5,000 USHJA Hunter Derby

Riding in fine form, Josh Dolan, of Wellington, FL, and Amara, owned by Sarah Tredennick, took the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby with a first round score of 92 and a second round score of 89, to a total of 181, beating Daniel Geitner of Aiken, SC and Sky Pilot, who finished with a total score of 176 for second place. Amy Nunnally of Charlottesville, VA and Cailler finished in third with a combined score of 165.

Amara, a 2005 Warmblood mare, has only competed in two hunter classes before their win today, making the story of her win even more impressive. Tredennick imported Amara from Europe where she had spent majority of her life as a broodmare. Amara tested the jumper ring with Dolan’s trainer Alex Granato, winning at in the 1.30m classes after only six months.

“She’s such a versatile mare and is incredibly smart. She’s taken everything that we’ve thrown at her with complete class and grace and continues to exceed expectations,” said Dolan. “With only six weeks of training, she came in and won her first derby at her second competition as a hunter. We were all very impressed.”

The mare handled the course beautifully and Josh was pleased with the number of options available throughout. J. P. Godard designed the derby course, which offered four high options in the second handy round, which Dolan used to his advantage.

“There were some areas throughout the course where you could make it difficult for the more experienced horses or simpler for some of the younger ones,” he explained. “I made sure to give her a consistent and thorough ride, which worked out really well. She was perfect.”

Dolan is looking to transition back to the hunter ring from the jumpers and Amara has given him a great opportunity to get back into the swing of things. With more competitive hunter competitions on the horizon, Dolan is hopeful that Amara will make a spectacular derby horse for someone in the near future.

“She’s got all of the scope in the world to go higher and she’ll be ready for the 3’6 classes next time out. I think she has the potential to be a real top derby horse, which is exciting considering this is only her first real year of training,” he commented. “She’s been a spectacular and I’m so thankful to Sarah Tredennick for giving me the opportunity to ride this class mare.”

Competition at TIEC continues tomorrow with the highlight $210,000 Asheville Regional Airport Grand Prix FEI CSI 4* beginning at 8pm. This will be the second CSI 4* Grand Prix hosted at TIEC so far this season. Gates will open to the public at 6pm. Parking and admission are free. Please visit www.tryon.com for more information. Please “Like” the TIEC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tryon-International-Equestrian-Center to be eligible for various contests and promotions.

About Tryon International Equestrian Center

The Tryon International Equestrian Center is destined to become one of the premier centers in the equestrian world. This new facility opened in June 2014 with sanctioned horse shows and initial supporting amenities including 10 riding arenas, 850 permanent stalls, a covered riding facility and fitness center. Future expansion includes a sports complex, two hotels, sporting clay course, and an 18-hole golf course plus a full calendar of equestrian competitions and activities. It is a spring, summer and fall haven for eastern and northeastern American equestrian competitors and enthusiasts. For more information, call 828-863-1000 or visit www.tryon.com.

Competitions, Show Jumping

Richie Moloney and Alsvid Start Off Tryon Summer 3 with Win in $34,000 Tryon 1.45m Challenge

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Richie Moloney and Alsvid. Photos ©LizCrawleyPhotography.

Mill Spring, NC – July 8, 2015 – Starting off the third week of the Tryon Summer Series by making a major statement, Richie Moloney (IRL) and Alsvid took the first FEI class of the week in good form with a speedy jump-off round clocking in at 36.375 seconds to take the win at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC). Kristen Vanderveen (USA) had a strong showing with both her mounts, finishing second and third aboard Bull Run’s Eternal in 36.861 seconds and Bull Run’s Faustino De Tili in 39.539 seconds, respectively. Tryon Summer 3 competition continues Thursday with the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m FEI Welcome Classic. The Tryon Summer Series will conclude on July 19.

Moloney has had a very successful run at TIEC, taking a huge win in the $210,000 Tryon Grand Prix for the Governor’s Cup FEI CSI 4* on June 6 with Carrabis Z, owned by Equinimity, LLC. Aboard the seasoned Alsvid, a 2001 Hanoverian gelding, Moloney added another victory today besting a class of 31. The course, designed by Ana Catalina Harris (MEX), saw 15 pairs move forward to the jump-off, with only three double clear rounds.

“It was a nice course for the first day of the week and there was a good few in the jump-off I thought,” said Moloney. “There weren’t very many double clears and I thought it was a very good jump-off. It suited me because it fit very well with my horse. He excels with the tight turns and there was a tight turn back to fence one, which worked out really well.”

Vanderveen was tight on Moloney’s heels, piloting her two mounts to top-three finishes, but couldn’t catch the Irishman. Alsvid has been knocking on the door with Moloney for quite some time, accumulating several top finishes during the winter circuit in Wellington, FL, but never taking the coveted top spot.

Kristen Vanderveen and Bull Run's Eternal
Kristen Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Eternal

“He’s fourteen and he’s been in the barn since he was five. He’s everyone’s favorite,” commented Moloney. “He’s just the sweetest horse to work with, and he’s great at these types of classes. We’ll aim for a few more like this with him this season. He never was able to get those wins in Florida and I’m so happy that we were able to get it done today.”

As the reigning FEI CSI 4* Grand Prix winner at TIEC, Moloney is looking for a repeat this weekend in the $210,000 Asheville Regional Airport Grand Prix FEI CSI 4*.

“I’m looking forward to the Grand Prix this weekend. I’ll have Carrabis Z and he did so well last time out in the CSI 4*. I’ll definitely be looking for another win. It would be great to see him repeat the same consistency under the lights,” noted Moloney.

“We’ve been showing a lot here and after next week we’re taking three weeks off and then we’re going to aim for the Hamptons, Gold Cup, Central Park then back here for the Fall Series,” he explained. “It’s great and we’ve had a good time here. The facility is just great and they’re still improving things and making the show the absolute best it can be. It feels like home.”

Competition at TIEC continues tomorrow with the $34,000 Suncast®1.45m FEI Welcome beginning at 9am. For a full list of results and a weekly competition schedule, please visit www.tryon.com.

About Tryon International Equestrian Center

The Tryon International Equestrian Center is destined to become one of the premier centers in the equestrian world. This new facility opened in June 2014 with sanctioned horse shows and initial supporting amenities including 10 riding arenas, 850 permanent stalls, a covered riding facility and fitness center. Future expansion includes a sports complex, two hotels, sporting clay course, and an 18-hole golf course plus a full calendar of equestrian competitions and activities. It is a spring, summer and fall haven for eastern and northeastern American equestrian competitors and enthusiasts. For more information, call 828-863-1000 or visit www.tryon.com.

Competitions, Show Jumping

Richie Moloney and Carrabis Z Triumph in $210,000 Tryon Grand Prix CSI 4* for the Governor’s Cup

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Richie Moloney and Carrabis Z. Photos ©Sportfot.

Mill Spring, NC – June 6, 2015 – Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) hosted its largest event of the spring season, packing the Tryon Stadium at the George H. Morris Arena with a crowd of more than 10,000 people. The stands were overflowing as visitors and guests from around the state flocked to Mill Spring, NC to see the biggest Grand Prix the venue has hosted in its relatively short history. Richie Moloney (IRL) and Carrabis Z were the last to go in the jump-off and pulled off the win in a nail-bitingly intense atmosphere to seal the win in the $210,000 Tryon Grand Prix for the Governor’s Cup presented by Rolex. The duo finished in 36.957 seconds in front of Ali Wolff (USA) and Casall who completed the jump-off track in 37.812 seconds. Charlie Jayne (USA) and Chill R Z finished in third, crossing the timers in 38.422 seconds. The Tryon Spring Series concludes tomorrow with the $34,000 FEI Tryon 1.50m Challenge. The Tryon Summer Series will begin on June 24, hosting four weeks of consecutive FEI competition.

Richie Moloney and Carrabis Z concluded the class with a large cheer from the crowd, racing to the last oxer of the Catalina Ana Cruz designed jump-off, barely nudging out Wolff for the win. Moloney, who was aware of the tight time coming into the round, was thrilled with Carrabis Z’s performance.

“The first round was a bit careful and there were options on one or two lines that you needed to really be aware of,” said Moloney. “It was a very well built course and seven clear rounds from the first round was a very good result. I didn’t really have a plan going in other than to be as fast and careful as I could. I knew Charlie and Ali put in two very fast rounds and I had nothing to lose by going for it.”

The class of 29 proved to bring their best to the biggest night in the facility’s history. The impeccably designed course by Cruz created electric excitement throughout the crowd, especially in the jump-off as the riders had a quick turn to the left and then needed to maintain a full gallop to the last fence, a large Spy Coast Farm over.

“He’s a really sensitive horse and sometimes the shorter distances can be difficult for him. This is the fastest he’s ever gone for me,” smiled Moloney. “The course suited him and the long gallop to the last fence really made it an exciting finish. He tries really hard and if he rubs a rail, he will not be anywhere close to the next fence.”

The crowd jazzed the riders and continued to give encouragement throughout the rounds, an exciting event to witness, as many of the visitors had never been to a horse show before. The expansion and access the night provided to a public not accustomed to equestrian competition was what really impressed several of the riders.

“The crowd was incredible and as a rider, there isn’t anything more thrilling than having the crowd cheer for you,” said Moloney. “The atmosphere here was crazy. It felt like the crowd was really into it. It was a very cool event to be a part of considering it is really the first of its kind here.”

Moloney was quick to thank his entire team who work tirelessly to ensure that he can have rides like that. In the grandstands were Moloney’s owners and longtime supporters, the Mercers, who were on hand to watch his victory.

“It was great to have my owners here. They’re great supporters of me and I’m so privileged to have these horses and they’ve given me a truly great opportunity,” he remarked. “I’m so thankful to them and the rest of my team. There are so many people who work very hard behind the scenes for me and this wouldn’t have been possible without them.”

Moloney and his team will stay at TIEC for the upcoming Tryon Summer Series that will begin on June 24. With several top horses, Moloney will look to capitalize on the several weeks of FEI sanctioned competition at the venue in the coming summer months.

“We have several great horses here and it is nice not to have to ship them out and they can stay in one place and we can focus on competing. It’s an incredible facility and we are so lucky to have access to it,” commented Moloney. “There is a bright future here and I am very glad that we can say that we have been and will continue to be a part of it.”

Ali Wolff and Casall
Ali Wolff and Casall

Ali Wolff and Charlie Jayne both rode superb rounds in the jump-off aboard Casall and Chill R Z respectively. Wolff and Casall seemed to have locked in the victory with a 37.812 before Moloney entered the ring as the last rider on course.

“I’m thrilled with this finish. I was hoping I had it, but Richie is so fast that I knew there was a chance he could catch me,” said Wolff. “I don’t have a fast horse to begin with and that was our maximum speed, but I couldn’t be more happy with him. He cleared that last one on a really gutsy ride from me and I really felt that trust there on his part. He’s just been on form.”

Wolff felt the course was tricky enough that it would cause problems for combinations through the night and that there would only be a few clear rounds. The technical aspects of the course made it fair but respectable for the CSI 4* level.

“I thought it was going to be a really decent course. It asked several great questions here and there throughout, you know, going strides to careful strides and then two double verticals,” explained Wolff. “It asked a lot of questions and emphasized carefulness and it was long so you couldn’t lose your focus. It was a great class and I am so happy with my horse and our finish.”

Jayne and Chill R Z were the first ride in the jump-off to hit the time before 38.50 seconds and seemed to have possibly completed the fastest round of the night before the last two riders contested the jump-off. Jayne, who has been competing at TIEC for the past two weeks, has been thrilled with the facility and the venue’s commitment to continue providing opportunities for riders.

“This venue is spectacular and there is this saying that, ‘If you build it, they will come’ and I don’t think that has ever proven more true than here in Tryon,” said Jayne. “This facility has the best footing in the world and the plans for expansion will make this just overall world class and offers a truly bright future for our sport. The number of people we saw here today and the atmosphere was incredible. I’ve shown in a number of places around the world and this is by far the most horse-friendly and well executed show I’ve ever been too.”

Competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center continues tomorrow with the $34,000 FEI Tryon 1.50m Challenge beginning at 1pm in the George H. Morris Stadium. For more information and a full list of results, please visit www.tryon.com. Please “Like” the TIEC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/tryonresort to be eligible for various contests and promotions.

About Tryon International Equestrian Center

The Tryon International Equestrian Center is destined to become one of the premier centers in the equestrian world. This new facility opened in June 2014 with sanctioned horse shows and initial supporting amenities including 10 riding arenas, 850 permanent stalls, a covered riding facility and fitness center. Future expansion includes a sports complex, two hotels, sporting clay course, and an 18-hole golf course plus a full calendar of equestrian competitions and activities. It is a spring, summer and fall haven for eastern and northeastern American equestrian competitors and enthusiasts. For more information, call 828-863-1000 or visit www.tryon.com.

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Richie Moloney and Alsvid Win $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic

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Richie Moloney and Alsvid. Photos © Sportfot.

Julie Coles and Cobalt Triumph in Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 51 & Over Section B

Wellington, FL – March 16, 2014 – Week ten of the 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF), sponsored by Horseware Ireland, concluded on Sunday with a win for Ireland’s Richie Moloney and Alsvid in the $34,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic. The FTI WEF, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.

Richard Jeffery (GBR) concluded week ten with 37 starters in Sunday’s 1.50m Classic with seven clear rounds to jump-off. Richie Moloney qualified two horses for the jump-off, taking the lead first with Equinimity LLC’s Elouise de Muze in 38.45 seconds to eventually finish third. Sixteen-year-old Joao Victor Castro of Brazil briefly took over in 38.25 seconds with Wamira, but settled for second when Moloney returned with his next mount, Equinimity LLC’s Alsvid, last to go to secure the win in 36.94 seconds.

Moloney won this same 1.50m class on week ten in 2013 with Slieveanorra and had the added inspiration to defend his title this year. “I just remembered that I won it last year, so I was a little bit motivated to do it again, and I wore the same jacket,” Moloney pointed out.

Class winner, Alsvid, is a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Escudo I x Azur and Elouise de Muze is a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Nabab de Reve x Darco.

“She is pretty green and this is her first 1.50m this year, so I was very happy with her,” Moloney stated. “It is her first time to go that quick in the jump-off, and she was close enough.”

“The second one, I probably would not have gone as quick with, except that I knew I wasn’t in the lead anymore with the other,” Moloney laughed. “He was very good. He is a horse that I have had since I started the job with Equinimity, and he is a lovely horse to work with. They have owned him since he was five as far as I know, and he is always knocking on the door, so he was due a result. It is nice for him.”

“Alsvid is actually very easy to ride at home and easy to jump at home, just as soon as he gets into the ring he sort of gets wound up,” Moloney described. “The first three jumps or even four jumps he can be very strong, but once he settles into a round he is very good. He gets a little bit tense; he worries a little bit, but he is a careful horse and he can do a lot of different classes when we need him. He is very versatile. He jumped the derby in Spruce Meadows two years ago and he has done some big grand prix classes, but I have never had a win like this on him. He is always in the ribbons, so it was nice to get the win today.”

“I have had Elouise for two years now and I have been going pretty slow with her, but she has a lot of potential,” Moloney continued. “She is ten. She is pretty inexperienced for ten, but hopefully if all goes well, she will be a very good horse in six months or next year. She is already good, and she will step up to some grand prix classes hopefully this summer.”

Moloney has had a good FTI WEF circuit, including a fourth place finish with the Irish team in week eight’s $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup, presented by G&C Farm, aboard Carrabis Z.

“It has been really good,” the rider smiled. “It was a little bit slow starting off, but the Nations Cup was good. It was nice to be on the team and we jumped a clear the second round, which was nice. Week nine I was double clear in the World Cup qualifier and placed with two horses in the 1.50m and was fifth in the ‘WEF’ (Challenge Cup), so it has been going well the last few weeks.”

Moloney will show Alsvid and Elouise again next week and then brings his other horses back out to conclude the circuit for week twelve. He looks forward to showing at Spruce Meadows this summer and hopefully traveling to Europe to compete later in the season. He thanks his owners for their fantastic support.

Also showing on in the International Arena on Sunday, Lucas Porter kicked off the day with a one-two finish in the $10,000 Hollow Creek Farm Medium Junior Jumper Classic. Porter won the class with Psychee d’Amour and finished second with Mill’s Georgia, both horses owned by his family’s Sleepy P Ranch LLC. The $10,000 Animo USA Medium Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic was also featured with a win for Nicole Bellissimo and Bellissimo LLC’s VDL Dogan.

A special award was presented to Lauren Hough for week ten as the Leading Lady Grand Prix Rider, an award presented by Martha Jolicoeur of Illustrated Properties in memory of Dale Lawler.

Julie Coles and Cobalt Triumph in Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 51 & Over Section B

Julie Coles of The Plains, VA, and Remarkable Farm LP’s Cobalt were champions of Section B of the Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 51 & Over division on Sunday morning at the FTI WEF. Coles and the nine-year-old Wurtemberger gelding, out of Little Lou by Cornet Obolensky, won the final two over fences rounds for the division, as well as jumping to third and second place ribbons. The pair also earned seventh place under saddle.

The reserve champion for the division was Contral, owned and ridden by Martin Schlaeppi. Schlaeppi piloted Contral to third, fifth, second, and third over fences and placed third under saddle.

Julie Coles and Cobalt
Julie Coles and Cobalt

Cobalt is yet another hunter enjoying success after transitioning out of the jumper ring. The gelding originally belonged to grand prix rider Brianne Goutal as her speed horse before coming to Coles and her daughter, trainer Sloane Coles.

“Brianne’s a really good friend of my daughter’s. They were trying to figure out what division he would be happy in, because he just wasn’t quite comfortable as a speed horse or as a jumper. So we shipped him over from France. We thought he’d be a really good hunter and he is,” Coles recounted.

“He just loves being a hunter,” Coles continued. “It’s nice that horses can transition divisions. A lot of times, the jumpers that can’t jump the big jumps; there’s no place else for them to go. It’s amazing; he’s settled right in. This week is the first week that I feel like that he’s really settled in and been quiet about doing the hunters.”

Coles admitted there wasn’t a lot of retraining to be done to prepare Cobalt for his new career. While Coles’ daughter has given her plenty of help along the way, time has been the biggest factor in Cobalt’s newfound success.

“Nobody really had to retrain him. Basically, it’s been very uncomplicated, it’s just giving him the time to realize that he doesn’t have to jump 1.40m!” Coles described.

She continued, “Giving him time [has been the most important part of transitioning Cobalt]. It’s just letting him take a deep breath. Everybody knew that. He had an excellent background with Brianne, excellent horsemanship there; he just wasn’t going to be a top jumper. It’s really nice that he doesn’t have to go down the ranks as a jumper and be worried; he can be a hunter and have a very easy life.”

Cobalt looked every bit the part of a happy hunter, calmly standing ringside while searching Coles’ pockets for treats. It took some time for the ability to relax and hang out by the ring to develop, but his puppy dog personality has been there since day one. Coles has been grateful to enjoy the opportunity to return to the show ring, especially with a gelding that is just plain fun.

“I don’t show very often. It’s fun for me to have a nice, quiet horse. He’s just a real sweetheart,” she smiled. “It’s like riding a made large pony, really!”

Of riding Cobalt, Coles described, “He always jumps in good form. He always jerks his knees. I’m 59 years old, and he doesn’t throw me out of the tack. He’s very uncomplicated. Unless I do something really stupid, he always changes his lead. He’ll land on either lead. It’s just a pleasure [riding him].”

After just six weeks in the hunter ring, Cole declared that Cobalt had “passed the test” of whether he would be suited to life as a hunter. She’s heavily considering making Cobalt her own, but is weighing whether to buy a horse for her daughter instead, an upcoming professional that Coles is eager to support.

“Sloane was very successful as a junior,” Cole noted. “This is her first year as a professional, taking clients and everything. She’s doing really well and has some young jumpers she’s been winning on. I’m very proud of her.”

Competition for the tenth week of the FTI WEF, presented by Horseware Ireland, concluded on Sunday afternoon. Competition resumes on Wednesday, March 19, for Week 11, presented by Artisan Farms. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.

About FTI Consulting, Inc.

FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.

About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival

The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Lauren Fisher and Laura Cardon for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

Modified Grand Prix: Richie Moloney Wins Top Honors in Bromont

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Richie Moloney and Slieveanorra – Photo By: Cealy Tetley.

Bromont, Québec – July 27, 2013 – Irish rider Richie Moloney finishes in first place in the Modified Grand Prix event, on Saturday July 27 at the 38th edition of International Bromont.

Venezuelan course designer Leopoldo Palacios’ course comprised many technical difficulties, as the participants’ results reflect. Of the 34 pairs registered, none succeeded in executing a perfect round: the time allowed of 83 seconds combined with a highly challenging course resulted in no riders finishing on time could avoid jumping faults.

As the bars keep falling, it is evident that without a clear round, all the riders with only 4 jumping faults will come back for the jump-off, which is the case, incidentally, for American Christine McCrea and Québec’s François Lamontagne.

As the spectators are getting ready for a second round, Ireland’s Richie Moloney gets in the ring on his mount Slieveanorra. Very carefully, using prudence, he overcomes the course’s difficulties, but while he avoids jumping faults in this unique 1m45 event, he still gets over the time allowed. With only two more pairs to come, Richie Moloney and Slieveanorra keep their lead and end up winning first place in the Modified Grand Prix, offering $15,000 in prize money.

Next: Québec Original World Cup Qualifier
The International Bromont will end on Sunday July 28 with the presentation of the Québec Original World Cup qualifying event. This FEI sanctioned event, offering $100,000 in prize money, will feature all the international riders of the 38th edition of the International Bromont.

About International Bromont

International Bromont promises an unforgettable 2013 edition with five FEI events, the return of the Royal Canin Challenge (in collaboration with the Club d’agilité de la Montérégie), two Speed Derbies and a Hunter Derby. For more information on the programme, visit our site at www.internationalbromont.org.

International Bromont, hunter and jumping competition, presents its 38th edition at the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park from July 11 to 14, 17 to 21 and 24 to 28. International Bromont would like to thank the Ministère de l’Éducation du Loisir et du Sport as well as the Ministère du Tourisme du Québec for their support. General admission: $10 per person and free for children under 12. Preferred admission: $25 a ticket.

Information:
Alexandra Hill, communications – International Bromont
T. 450-534-0787 | C. 450-525-2716
communications@internationalbromont.org

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12230 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 214
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
www.phelpsmediagroup.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Richie Moloney Masters $75,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at Kentucky Spring Classic

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Richie Moloney and Slieveanorra won the $75,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Photo Credit: Rebecca Walton/PMG

Lexington, KY – May 19, 2012 – It was a very exciting night for Ireland’s Richie Moloney as he captured his first international grand prix victory, riding Slieveanorra during the $75,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Classic. The talented duo have been runner up on numerous occasions, even placing third during Thursday’s $32,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic, but tonight the luck was on their side. Six horses advanced to the jump-off, but only three were double clear, with Moloney landing at the top of the leader board, while Margie Engle took second aboard Royce, and Egypt’s Nayel Nassar rode Raging Bull Vangelis S to third.

Germany’s Olaf Petersen Jr. created a very technical course for tonight’s main event in the Rolex Stadium. With a tight time allowed, riders had to show over a triple bar, an open water obstacle, a vertical-oxer double combination, and finally an oxer-vertical-oxer triple combination, which caused errors for many of the competitors. Only six of the 31 entries were able to master the initial track and advance to jump-off, where they had to jump the double combination again while also making tight rollbacks and then galloping across the ring to reach the final oxer.

Continue reading Richie Moloney Masters $75,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at Kentucky Spring Classic →

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

Kent Farrington and Richie Moloney Share Victory in $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 5

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Likely V and Nina Zollo Top Smartpak’s Low Hunter 2’6” Division

Kent Farrington and Uceko. Photos © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – February 9, 2012 – It was a great afternoon for grand prix riders Kent Farrington (USA) and Richie Moloney (IRL) at the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) as each took home the top share of prize money in a split class for round five of the WEF Challenge Cup Series. Held in a ‘California Split’, the class awarded two sets of placings, each with $32,000 distributed due to the large number of entries.

Week five of the FTI WEF, sponsored by Spy Coast Farm, will run February 8-12. The highlight class of the week is Saturday night’s $125,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix, presented by Spy Coast Farm. The 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 1, 2012, and they will be awarding more than $6 million in prize money through the circuit.

Continue reading Kent Farrington and Richie Moloney Share Victory in $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 5 →