Tag Archives: Show Jumping

JRPR, Show Jumping

Goldstein Shows Her Mettle in Holland: Ready to Ride for Israel at Maccabiah Games

Leave a comment

Danielle Goldstein competing in the Outdoor Gelderland/Arnhem Grand Prix 3*. (Photo courtesy of Ilfat Zohar Photography)

Wellington, FL (June 21, 2013) – Show jumper Danielle Goldstein of Starwyn Farms, LLC, has ignited her first European tour.  Less than a month after wowing audiences in Tel Aviv with a clinic for young adults interested in riding and horse care at the Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association, the red-hot Wellington, FL rider made the top ten – finishing eighth overall – in the Outdoor Gelderland/Arnhem Grand Prix 3*.

Logging miles and experience as she continues her quest to become the first female Israeli citizen to represent the nation in Olympic show jumping, Goldstein sees her Holland performance as clinching her confidence in her horses and in gaining recognition for Israeli riders.

“We were not only clear in the Grand Prix, but also in the Grand Prix qualifier, so we were clear in two world-ranking classes at one show.  We are going for consistency, so it is a solid first showing for a European tour, and is helping raise awareness that we have Israeli riders capable of competing at this level and ready and willing to form a team,” Goldstein said.

Of even greater significance is Goldstein’s announcement that she has been invited to ride with the Israeli team at this summer’s largest sporting event of the year, the 19th annual Maccabiah Games, July 18-30, in Israel.

“I am thrilled to be in the Maccabiah Games. I have been working to get on the team since last year so it was wonderful news to hear that I will be eligible to compete. This will be the first time I get to represent Israel – in Israel — so that is a major accomplishment and hopefully, the first of many times.

“The Maccabiah have great significance in Israel and within the Jewish world because it brings together people from the diaspora back to the homeland. Sports help to unify not only people within in Israel but Jewish people around the world — it is a wonderful event that my family and I have supported.  My uncle once competed in Squash, so it’s nice to continue the family tradition.“

For Goldstein, the Games will prove the ultimate catch-ride: “The Israeli riders get to ride one of their own horses, and provide a ‘loaner horse’ to team members from other countries. I will be loaned both, from two very generous girls in Israel who have offered me their horses.”

She’s also got a team to meet.  “I know a few riders on other Maccabiah teams: Darren Finkleman, Alexa Perkiel from the US and Alberto Michan from Mexico, but none for the Israeli team so I am looking forward to meeting my teammates!”

The Games, the entrepreneurial equestrian continues, “will act as a wonderful platform to help further my goals for Equestrian sports in and out of Israel.  It will help  create awareness about the growing sport and hopefully attract new members and supporters.”

The star of Starwyn Farms plans to return to Isreal in mid-July, and remain there through the duration of the Maccabiah Games.  “Although Holland wasn’t a first-place, it was a really great result, which got a huge amount of awareness for me and Israel.  It has opened opportunities at even higher-level shows and has a lot of people interested in the team.”  She is determined this year to build Israel’s first Nations Cup team.

While founding and managing Starwyn Farms, Goldstein has also developed the International Equestrian Education series (IEE) for young riders, adult amateurs, and others seeking to increase their skills by learning from top professionals, and offers scholarships to high school students to encourage enrollment.

For more information about Starwyn Farm or Danielle Goldstein, please call 917-544-3349 or email dani.goldstein@gmail.com.

Contact: Danielle Goldstein
Starwyn Farms, LLC
Dani.goldstein@gmail.com
(917) 544 3349

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

John Pearce and Chianto Make It Look Easy to Clinch the $30,000 Summer in the Rockies III Grand Prix

Leave a comment

John Pearce and Johnny B Good. Photos by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge.

Parker, CO – June 22, 2013 – A crowd of spectators gathered to watch spectacular show jumping at the much-anticipated $30,000 Nutrena Summer in the Rockies III Grand Prix in the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Grand Prix Arena at the Colorado Horse Park on a perfect Colorado Saturday afternoon.

In the first round of the event, 19 horse and rider combinations battled it out over international course designer Alan Wade’s track, attempting to progress to the jump-off round. Ten would make the cut.

“It was a build-up over the week,” said Wade about his strategy in creating the course. “In the Welcome we went up for the second round. We were a little bit bigger again today. Then, they went up again in the jump-off. It was more about show jumping than pure speed.”

“I try to give a balance so that you don’t just suit one horse,” Wade continued. “You try to suit the best overall combination of horse, rider, scope and nimbleness – that they’re able to turn left and right and that they’re able to move up across the ground. You just try to test everything.”

The first to go clear within the 89-second time allowed was John Pearce from Bermuda Dunes, CA, and Johnny B Good, owned by Forest View Farm.

Three more clean rounds in a row followed from Bryn Sadler and Showcase 81 LLC’s 18.2 hand grey Holsteiner, Cincinnati. Then, Mark Mead of Longmont, CO, and Balthazar, a Belgian Warmblood owned by Marianne Marshall, had a speedy clean round and Kristen VanderVeen from St Charles, IL, and Bull Run’s Eternal went fault-free. Caroline Beecherl from Dallas, TX, followed suit riding her own S&L Zeppelin.

A few rounds later Pearce returned on Chianto, who also advanced to the jump-off. The Danish Warmblood superstar with his own Facebook page is owned by Forest View Farm and has a list of wins as long as your arm.

The next clear round came from Matt Cyphert from Lantana, TX, aboard Lochivar, winner of the 1.40m Open Jumpers on the opening day of Summer in the Rockies III.

Sadler returned on her second mount, Bon Giorno, and earned another chance at the short course, as did Armando Hassey and Taggert Enterprise’s Eminem and Bjorn Ikast and the fabulous Colorado, owned by Bovee Limited Liability.

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

VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Eternal were the first of the second-rounders to leave all the rails in their cups, stopping the timer at 44.665. The performance from VanderVeen, who has been a consistent winner at the Summer in the Rockies series, and the huge-strided Belgian Warmblood seemed improbable to beat.

Then Pearce came back for the jump-off round with his long-time partner, the 16-year-old Chianto. The pair effortlessly flew around the course, laying down a blazingly fast, clean round that timed out at 42.066, over two seconds ahead of VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Eternal.

Pearce and VanderVeen’s jump-off rounds would produce the only double clears of the group. Pearce had the fastest four-fault time with Johnny B Good to earn the third place prize, while Cyphert and Lochivar placed fourth.

“I thought it was big, actually, but it rode nice,” said VanderVeen. “There wasn’t anything that trapped anyone. It was definitely a lot bigger than we’ve been jumping. My horse just did the Grand Prix last week and he didn’t do the Welcome again this week. So this was his first class out – so I thought, ‘I hope he’s on his A-game.’ He was. I’ll take second any day. We were double clean and that was what we’re shooting for.”

“I don’t want to run him too much over little jumps,” said Pearce about Chianto. “He doesn’t need to do that at this stage in his career. He’s pretty much a Sunday horse now. I did him in the Welcomes the first couple of weeks because he hadn’t jumped since Thermal – not a jump. I used those classes as a warm up. I don’t jump the horse at home anymore. I just keep him really fit and happy.”

John Pearce and Chianto
John Pearce and Chianto

“He’s a great horse,” Pearce shared. “Like I’ve said, he’s my Pegasus. I can’t count how many grand prix events he’s won for me. One of the reasons he’s so sound and so fresh is because I don’t go to the well with him. I don’t jump a 1.60m with him every weekend. At that age they can’t do that anymore. I would still take that horse right now and drop him at any competition in the world and feel very comfortable. That’s how much I think of this horse. He feels great and I feel blessed. This was a walk in the park for him. He was smooth as glass and flawless. He was beautiful to ride today.”

“We ran fast in the jump-off and the footing held up,” VanderVeen said. “The course designer this week has been really good about galloping and turning, not just one or the other. It has tested the footing. It’s held up fantastic.”

“I thought it was a good course,” Pearce said. “It was a little bigger. He built a very nice encouraging course the opening day for the Welcome – which I am a strong believer in – and built a lot of confidence in the horses and riders. He didn’t do anything too trappy – he had some subtle difficulties, no doubt. It kept it really fair for everyone.”

“I was very happy how it turned out,” said Wade. “It was fair to the less-experienced ones, those who were just having their first starts in grand prix. The better horse and rider combinations came to the top.”

The Colorado Horse Park Summer in the Rockies Fast Facts

What: Summer in the Rockies AA-Rated Hunter Jumper Show Series

Event Dates:

Summer in the Rockies I June 5-9, 2013
Summer in the Rockies II June 12-16, 2013
Summer in the Rockies III June 19-23, 2013
Summer in the Rockies IV July 3-7, 2013
Summer in the Rockies V July 10-14, 2013
Summer in the Rockies VI July 17-21, 2013

Prize List:

Click here for an online version of the prize list. For a hard copy of the prize list, please e-mail prizelist@cohorsepark.com with your name, address and phone number and specify which prize list you would like (spring/fall or summer).

Entries:

Mail to The Colorado Horse Park, 7522 South Pinery Drive, Parker, CO 80134 or fax to (303) 841-7879. Opening date for Stall Reservations: April 1, 2013. Closing date May 20, 2013.

Contact Information:

Pat Boyle, Show Manager                          (847) 274-6834
Brian Curry, Show Manager                        (303) 918-2908
Show Office                                                 (303) 841-7461
Show Office Fax                                          (303) 841-1419
Colorado Horse Park Main Office                (303) 841-5550
Colorado Horse Park Main Office Fax         (303) 841-7879

Tentative Schedule:
Wed – Sun: Show starts daily at 8 a.m. unless otherwise noted

Directions:

Address: 7375 E Bayou Gulch Rd, Parker, CO 80134

From North: I-25S exit Ridgegate Parkway – go east under the freeway.  Ridgegate Parkway to S. Chambers Road, approx 3 miles (Traffic light) – turn right/south onto Chambers Road. At end of Chambers Road turn left/east onto Hess Road.  Hess Road to Parker Road/Hwy 83 – turn right/south onto Hwy 83 approx 4 miles to Bayou Gulch Road. (Traffic light). Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

From South: I-25N, exit Founder’s Parkway.  Founder’s Parkway to Highway 86, approx 4 miles (traffic light). Turn east/left onto Hwy. 86 to Franktown/Hwy 83. At Franktown go north on 83 approx. 7 mi. to Bayou Gulch Rd. (Traffic light), turn right/east onto Bayou Gulch Rd. Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

About the Colorado Horse Park

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the Colorado Horse Park was founded by visionary Helen Krieble who acknowledged the need for a high-volume horse show and horse boarding facility to serve Colorado.  The Colorado Horse Park welcomes more than 75,000 visitors per year and hosts over 40 competitions annually.  CHP features a derby arena designed by Olympic-designer Linda Allen and a cross-country course designed by Olympic Gold Medalist David O’Connor and eventing super-star James Atkinson. There are 300 permanent stalls with capacity for more than 1,000 stalls.

The picturesque property, located only minutes from the town of Parker, hosts international equestrian events in multiple disciplines. Visitors enjoy the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountain surroundings and access to miles of trails and open space.  The Colorado Horse Park is committed to supporting equestrian education and amateur athletics, preserving open space, fundraising for local charities and supporting the community.

Carrie Wirth for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

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

Awards, FEI, Show Jumping, USEF

US Team Finishes Second at FEI Nations Cup in Rotterdam; Davis Wins Leading Rider Award

Leave a comment

Lucy Davis and Barron jumped two clear rounds and earned the Furusiyya Leading Rider of the Day Award (Shannon Brinkman)

Lexington, KY – The U.S string of top Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup performances continued Friday in an exciting showdown at CHIO Rotterdam. Eight teams took on the 12 obstacle challenge of Dutch course designer Louis Konickx and the formidable all female team of Americans Beezie Madden, Laura Kraut, Lauren Hough, and Lucy Davis finished second. With a total score of five faults they were in contention for the win till the very end, and proved to be among the very best competitors in the world.

Making the finish even more exciting for the U.S. team was the performance of its youngest rider, Lucy Davis. Davis, who only last year won the Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy*, was the stand-out rider Friday on a team of very accomplished veterans. Her double clear effort was the U.S. team’s only one and one of only three in the entire competition. For that she was awarded the Furusiyya Leading Rider of the Day Award.

“Rotterdam has always been kind to the U.S. and today was no exception,” said Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland. “Bert de Nemethy won his final European Nations Cup here in 1978, and most recently George Morris brought a team here that won in 2010. What was most satisfying about this year’s Team was that it was the first ‘3/2’ of the year – matching 3 veterans from the 2010 all girls Team, Beezie, Laura, and Lauren with two of our most promising newcomers: Lucy and Saer. The result speaks volumes of where we stand in the sport today and where we will be in the future.”

Saer Coulter (San Fransisco, CA) and Copernicus Stables, LLC’s Springtime were the U.S. team alternates on Friday.

Round One

The U.S. Team led off the competition in round one, and nearly finished clear on the scoreboard. Fault free efforts by youngster Davis (Los, Angeles, CA), who on this team anchored by veterans would prove to be the MVP, riding Old Oak Farm’s Barron and Madden (Cazenovia, NY) on Abigail Wexner’s Cortes ‘C’ were nearly matched by Laura Kraut, but Cherry Knoll Farm, Inc.’s Cedric took off and almost ran right by the water obstacle (the penultimate on the course). A skillful correction from the Longines Global Champions Tour points leader kept Cedric on-track though, and they put only a foot in the water on the way to a four fault finish.

Round Two

The Americans carried those four faults into the second round. They started out in a tight spot, two points behind Germany and one point ahead of Spain, Switzerland, and France. But the competition quickly thinned. As the round progressed downed rails and time faults were prevalent as the Germans, Americans, and French were the only three teams able to put together more than one clear round.

Lauren Hough (Wellington, FL) and Quick Study recovered from eight faults in the first round to start Team USA’s round two with a single time fault. A clear round from Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, FL) & Cedric, and another beautiful clear from Davis & Barron guaranteed the team a score of five or lower. The first three German riders, Christian Ahlmann, Hans-Dieter Dreher, and Philipp Weishaupt finished clear, with nine, and clear respectively.

The French team also had two clears, but with a nine fault total score they were out of contention for the win before the final horses on the U.S. and German teams entered the arena.

Madden and Cortes ‘C’ would end up taking eight faults, so German anchor Ludger Beerbaum was left needing to finish the course with all rails in place. He did, but took his time and created some suspense by earning two time faults, and narrowly avoiding a jump-off.

Complete results are available here.

The U.S. Nations Cup season has been very successful thus far. After winning the $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm at CSIO Wellington, and taking second and fourth at the $100,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup at the CSIO5* Spruce Meadows ‘Continental’ Tournament, the U.S. won the North American, Central America and Caribbean League and qualified for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Season Series Final in Barcelona, Spain September 26-29.

For more about CHIO Rotterdam, go to www.chio.nl.

Follow the 2013 U.S. Jumping Team here.

By Andrew Minnick

*The Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy is presented to a Young Rider in one of the Olympic disciplines who exemplifies both sportsmanship and horsemanship.

*Featured/Spotlights, FEI, Show Jumping

Germany Pips USA in Furusiyya Cliff-Hanger at Rotterdam

Leave a comment

Ludger Beerbaum clinched victory for Germany with a thrilling last-to-go round riding Chiara at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Europe Division 1 qualifier. Photo: FEI/Dirk Caremans.

Rotterdam (NED), 21 June 2013 – Germany galloped back into the game when claiming the honours in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup at Rotterdam, The Netherlands today.  In a tense cliff-hanger that went right down to the wire, it fell to Ludger Beerbaum to clinch it, and the man who has long been the linchpin of the German squad succeeded, but only by the narrowest of margins. His nail-biting last-to-go ride had spectators gripping the edges of their seats, but despite collecting two time penalties his side finished with a single-point advantage over the runners-up from the USA who put up a tremendous fight.

France slotted into third ahead of Great Britain in fourth and Switzerland in fifth.  But it was a disappointing day for the host nation as they had to settle for joint-sixth along with Belgium, while the Spanish brought up the rear at the end of a day that just didn’t go their way.

Today’s victory collected 100 points for the German team, but they lie joint-last on the Europe Division 1 league table.  So with only two more opportunities to gather those all-important qualifying points towards the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final in Barcelona, Spain in September, today’s winners will be under enormous pressure going into next week’s leg of the series on their home turf at Aachen.

On a Mission

The Germans were on a mission coming to Rotterdam.  The team withdrew from the previous Europe Division 1 leg at St Gallen, Switzerland three weeks ago but was permitted to rejoin the series following a decision taken by the FEI Jumping Committee.  “For sure we were one-hundred percent focused on today’s Nations Cup,” said Beerbaum this evening.  “We brought a very strong team because we knew after St Gallen that we needed to win the most points.”

They were already out in front at the halfway stage when counting just single time penalties from both second-line rider Hans-Dieter Dreher (Embassy ll) and anchorman Beerbaum with Chiara.  Philipp Weishaupt’s clear with Monte Bellini ensured that pathfinder Christian Ahlmann’s single mistake with Taloubet Z at the vertical first element of the double at fence eight could be discounted.

The clever course was not over-complicated but was big and wide – “more technical than massive,” according to Beerbaum afterwards.  Course designer, The Netherlands’ Louis Konickx, laid out looping turns, and distances that demanded clear decision-making.  It was easy to run up seconds on the clock while getting the fences lined up nicely, and although the triple combination at fence six and the double at eight played a significant role, the poles fell at every obstacle except the vertical at fence two.

Drama

The open water, just one from home on the 12-fence track and following on a bending right-hand line after a tricky vertical that claimed a good number of victims, provided its fair share of drama.  It was here that America’s Laura Kraut made her only first-round error when her little grey gelding, Cedric, pulled hard left on landing over the vertical. Kraut had to grab him back and chase him down to the water, but they arrived on a long stride and made a splash before finishing without further incident.

The US team was lying second at the halfway point carrying just those four faults after lovely clears from both Lucy Davis (Barron) and Beezie Madden (Cortes C), Lauren Hough’s opening eight-fault effort with Quick Study providing the discard.

And three more teams were also snapping at the leader’s heels as Spain, France and Switzerland each carried just five faults into round two.  Belgium was only a little further adrift with seven while Great Britain had 11 on the board as the second round got underway and the Dutch were bringing up the rear with 12.  This was a surprising situation for the host nation who, along with the Swiss, Germans and Spanish, had nominated their home event for points-gathering.  Each team in Europe Division 1 has nominated four of the eight legs of this series for points-gathering purposes.

Loosen Their Grip

A clear second effort from Ahlmann, who continues to top the Longines Rankings, bolstered the German position, but when Dreher’s stallion lowered the oxer at fence three and the first element of the double at eight that seemed to loosen their grip.  With less than a fence between the top five teams there was little room for any stumbling now, and while the Spanish fell away when adding 28 faults and the Swiss slipped when posting 17 more, the French and Americans stood their ground.  Simon Delestre (Qlassic Bois Margot) and Aymeric de Ponnat (Armitages Boy) produced impressive clears for France while both Davis and Kraut followed suit for the USA.  It was no surprise when 20-year-old Davis was presented with the Furusiyya Rider of the Day award.  Her double-clear with the nine-year-old For Pleasure gelding, Barron, was little short of perfection and bodes so very well for this pair’s future in the sport.

Kraut’s clear was a little more exciting as Cedric decided that he still wasn’t that keen about taking on the open water, and once again pulled left on landing over the previous fence.  But his rider was ready for him this time, and as she gathered him up they arrived on a perfect stride to return with a clean sheet.

Decided

By now Weishaupt had registered the second part of his double-clear for the day, so as the competition drew to a close it would all be decided by the last few rounds.  Kevin Staut’s mistake with Silvana at the water had to be counted because Roger Yves Bost (Castle Forbes Myrtille Paulois) had picked up five faults at his second attempt, and this brought the French final tally to nine.  But despite a double-error from Madden this time out, the US only had the additional one time penalty collected by Hough to bring their final total to five.  So, as last man into the ring, Beerbaum, headed off for his second tour of the track it was all hanging in the balance.  A fence down would bring the German total to six faults and leave them trailing the Americans by a single point.  But he could afford a couple of time faults.

“I knew I could have two (time faults), but going to the last fence I suddenly thought I hope I don’t have three, because otherwise we might have to go into a jump-off and who knows what could happen then!” the German rider said afterwards.  The Longines timing system showed just two time faults however, giving his side the slimmest of victories.

Not Surprised

When asked about how closely his team was chased by the USA today, German Chef d’Equipe, Otto Becker, said, “I’m not surprised at all.  They’re a really good team and actually one of my favourites.  They made it really hard for us to win today!”

Beerbaum said, “Scores were very tight in the end.  This was really exciting sport and any of the top three teams could have won.  That definitely means the course was good.”  The German maestro is already looking forward to next week’s event on home turf.  “I should be one of the five on the German team at Aachen, and we are going to be under a lot of pressure there,” he pointed out.

Following today’s competition the Europe Division 1 leaderboard continues to be led by the Swiss who, with 250 points to date, have more than a 90-point lead over France in second while the Irish are just seven points further behind in third.  Great Britain lies fourth with The Netherlands in fifth while Germany lies equal seventh with Ukraine.

The inaugural Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping season has certainly not been short of excitement so far.  And when the action resumes on the hallowed ground of the Soers Arena in Aachen next Thursday evening the atmosphere is sure to be nothing short of electric.

For information on the 13th leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series at Rotterdam, The Netherlands go to website www.chio.nl or contact Press Officer Anita Lussenberg, Email press@chio.nl, Tel: + 31 621 585 878.  The next leg takes place at Aachen, Germany on Thursday 27 June.  For details of the German fixture go to website www.chioaachen.de or contact Press Officer Niels Knippertz at Email niels.knippertz@chioaachen.de

Full result here.

Facts and Figures:

Rotterdam hosted the fourth round of the eight-leg Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Europe Division 1 series, bringing it to the half-way stage.

Just a single time fault separated the top two teams.

Course designer was The Netherlands’ Louis Konickx.

The time-allowed of 78 seconds proved difficult to achieve.

There were three double-clear performances – from Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt (Monte Bellini), the USA’s Lucy Davis (Barron) and Switzerland’s Janika Sprunger (Palloubet D’Halong).

Six horse-and-rider combinations went clear in the first round, and two of those were from the USA.

Switzerland maintains the lead at the top of Europe Division 1 following today’s competition.

3 horses in today’s competition were by Baloubet du Rouet, the stallion ridden to great success by Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa.  The 3 horses were Bonaire 5, ridden by Spain’s Manuel Fernandez Saro, VDL Bubalu ridden by The Netherlands’ Jur Vrieling and Palloubet D’Halong ridden by Switzerland’s Janika Sprunger.

Quotes:

Christian Ahlmann, GER: “It was a really fair course. The biggest fence was actually the time allowed! The course was pretty technical and big enough. It was really good sport today and a hard fight.”

Philipp Weishaupt, GER – “I tried to keep my concentration levels for the second round and tried to forget about the first round. My horse made it a lot easier for me. He loves it here; he loves Holland!”

Lucy Davis, USA – “It feels amazing to have won this award, and it’s a huge honour. I’m on a team with three women who I’ve looked up to since I started riding, so to have won this award amongst them, and also amongst the Germans is a huge honour, and it’s very inspiring.”

Manuel Fernandez Saro, ESP – “I’m very happy with my horse, because he’s essentially 10 years old – he jumped well today. In the first round we had a small mistake at the combination, and in the second round I pushed him a bit too much so it was my mistake for our faults.”

“As a team we did well in the first round but we were disappointing in the second round.”

Lauren Hough, USA – “The ground was super; it can rain as much as it wants here and the ground stays in super condition. The course was tough and the time played a big factor, and we gave it a good shot, but unfortunately when you are up against Ludger [Beerbaum] you don’t really have much of a chance!. Overall, I think we’re quite happy with second place, and our young rider [Lucy Davis] having a double clear was fantastic – she rode two beautiful, beautiful rounds.”

William Whitaker, GBR – “This is the first time for me and my horse in Rotterdam, and I’m pretty pleased. Both mistakes were probably my fault when you look back, and he’s still quite novice at this level so I’m pleased really. This was Fandango’s first five star FEI Nations Cup so hopefully he’ll get to do a few more now.”

Standings:

For the latest standings in Europe Division 2 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series check this link.

For further information on the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping series check out this link.

“Furusiyya” (Arabic: فروسيه) this single Arabic word conveys so much, embracing the idea of horsemanship, chivalry, and equestrian knowledge in general. The term is a derivation of faris, or horseman and faras, a horse.

Longines is the Official Timekeeper of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping series.

Longines has been based at Saint-Imier (SUI) since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations.

Longines’ passion for equestrian sports began in 1878, when a timepiece was made with a horse and jockey engraved on the watch face. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1926, for the first time, the brand was involved as timekeeper for the Official International Equestrian Competition of Geneva. Today, Longines’ involvement in equestrianism includes Jumping, Endurance and flat racing.

Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 130 countries.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Rotterdam:

Anita Lussenberg
Email: press@chio.nl
Tel: + 31 621 585 878

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
Email: grania.willis@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 142

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

At Revolution Sports + Entertainment:

Tim Welland
tim@revolutionsports.co.uk
+44 7787 780 036

Competitions, Show Jumping

Matt Cyphert Wins the 1.40m Open Jumpers by Solid Margin on Day One of Summer in the Rockies III

Leave a comment

Matt Cyphert and Lochivar.

Parker, CO – June 19, 2013 – Summer in the Rockies III kicked off Wednesday with exciting show jumping action in the Kathy and Brad Coors Family Grand Prix Arena. Highlights of the day included the 1.30m and 1.40m Open Jumpers and the Young Jumper Divisions.

McLain Ward has called Alan Wade his favorite course designer in the whole world. And here at the Colorado Horse Park’s Summer in the Rockies III, the jumper competitors got their first taste of the Irish course designer’s work.

In the 1.40m Open Jumper class, Bjorn Ikast and his own enormous splashy chestnut Dutch Warmblood mare, Iz’s Viva La Vida, were the first to go and the first to lay down a clean round. The pair proceeded to a faultless jump-off round with a time of 32.267.

Next, Matt Cyphert from Northlake, TX, piloted Lochivar skillfully and cleanly around Alan Wade’s course. In their jump-off round, Lochivar and Cyphert edged out Ikast, completing the short course with a time of 31.991 without a fault to claim the top spot.

Guy McElvain and his own Coco Colette were third to deliver double clear rounds with a short track time of 34.862, placing them third. Tony Font and Colotta also had a clear first round but retired during the jump-off. Cyphert maintained his position to win the class.

“He’s 9 years old this year; we’ve had him since he was 5,” said Cyphert of Lochivar. “We brought him up through the ranks. He had never really jumped with anybody when we bought him. He has a lot of talent and we’ve taken our time. We started doing the grand prixes with him last year. He was better and better each week. I ended up getting a nice prize in the last one here in June.”

“Then we had to take a chip out of his ankle in September, so he’s had a significant amount of time off,” he said. “We started him back up in March and showed him a little bit in April and May and hoped to get him back into the grand prixes. I think today is a great start.”

“It is really neat to ride on courses built by people of his caliber,” Cyphert said of Alan Wade’s course. “I have actually been coming here for 20 plus years, since the very first one. We haven’t missed a year. We are thrilled about the footing. It has enabled us to come for more weeks than we’ve ever come before and coming from Texas and getting out of the heat; we love being here and hope to be here all summer over the next few years.”

Bjorn Ikast and Iz's Viva La Vida
Bjorn Ikast and Iz’s Viva La Vida

“She’s a little bit feisty; she’s a real chestnut lady,” said Ikast of Iz’s Viva La Vida. “She’s a great horse, just a different ride. I have a philosophy that you have to ride each horse the way they like to be ridden. That’s the way she likes to be – why not follow her? She can really jump.”

“It was a great course today,” continued Ikast. “We have a new course builder. It’s nice to see someone from Europe – I’m from Europe also. I feel at home here! He built a nice attractive course for the first day. It gave us the most important thing in show jumping: confidence. I think he will build them up nicely for Saturday. I think we will see a very good grand prix on Saturday night.”

Seven entries had clear first rounds in the 1.30m Open Jumpers. The first was Tony Font and Sheishof’s Gloria, owned by Ashton Galo Paley. The pair finished the short course with a time of 36.711, setting the time to beat. Next, Amanda McConnell and James McConnell’s Leon D’Or had four faults in the jump-off round. Courtney Frederick and Equestrian Investments LLC’s Soulshine were next to try their skills around the short track, stopping the clock at 36.961, which placed them momentarily in second place.

Next to go were Armando Hassey and Lambert Louis, owned by Cora Leeuwemburg, who performed brilliantly and took over the lead with their clear round of 36.323. Then Chenoa McElvain and Wild Thing 2, owned by Guy McElvain, produced a double clear round with a jump-off timed at 36.600, fast enough to take over second place. Guy McElvain and Carino G, owned by Rancho Corazon LLC, followed but had a rail in the second round.

Last to go, Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Believer had a blazing fast and fault-free jump-off with an incredible time of 33.127, earning them the win.

Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run's Believer
Kristen VanderVeen and Bull Run’s Believer

“He’s actually Chelsea (Babcock)’s horse and I get the privilege of riding for her sometimes,” said VanderVeen about Believer. “We found him in Europe. He was an approved stallion and he has a lot of 1.50m experience. It’s her move-up horse. When she’s ready she will step into the grand prix. She did her first grand prix on him a few weeks ago.”

“When he goes in that ring he knows it’s show time,” VanderVeen said. “To ride him, he’s lazy, but you get him in that ring and he is fired up. He knows right when that buzzer goes off. Today, he felt great. He’s been jumping really carefully off this footing, even more so than normal, so we could go fast in the jump-off.”

“I quite liked the course,” continued VanderVeen. “It rode really well. The jump-off was fun – you were able to go fast and use turns at the same time. It wasn’t just an all-out gallop or a turn. It was a good mix.”

“We got him for one of my good clients,” said Hassey about Lambert Lewis, who came in second. “He is a great horse. I haven’t ridden him much and we decided to do him in the 1.30m.”

“This is my home town, so I love it here,” he added. “We have great people and a great horse show with intense competition and good footing.”

In the Young Jumpers 6-Year-Old, Tony Font and the beautiful grey Holsteiner, Von Casius, owned by Deana Blackburn, ended up on top.

“He’s coming into his own,” said Font about Von Casius. “Because he’s big and long, he’s kind of hard to get him into shape and get him to do the right things. He’s brave but he’s immature for being 6 years old. He didn’t do so many shows last year. I think he’s going to be a nice horse in another year or so. Jumping is never an issue for him. He can jump big jumps but you have to let them mature at their own rate.”

“I just hope the horses learn and progress,” he continued. “We’re here for four shows. I’d like to come out with a bang on the end, so I don’t want to try to dry up the well too quick.”

“I thought he courses were really fair,” he said. “What you walked is what you got. I thought for the first day, without him knowing the field of horses and riders, he (Alan Wade) did a good job. They rode nice, they were friendly enough and the questions were still hard enough.”

Summer in the Rockies III continues on Thursday, June 20, and runs through June 23. Highlights include a $15,000 Welcome Stake, a $30,000 Grand Prix, a $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, a $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and a full array of hunter/jumper competition.

The Colorado Horse Park Summer in the Rockies Fast Facts

What: Summer in the Rockies AA-Rated Hunter Jumper Show Series

Event Dates:

Summer in the Rockies I June 5-9, 2013
Summer in the Rockies II June 12-16, 2013
Summer in the Rockies III June 19-23, 2013
Summer in the Rockies IV July 3-7, 2013
Summer in the Rockies V July 10-14, 2013
Summer in the Rockies VI July 17-21, 2013

Prize List:

Click here for an online version of the prize list. For a hard copy of the prize list, please e-mail prizelist@cohorsepark.com with your name, address and phone number and specify which prize list you would like (spring/fall or summer).

Entries:

Mail to The Colorado Horse Park, 7522 South Pinery Drive, Parker, CO 80134 or fax to (303) 841-7879. Opening date for Stall Reservations: April 1, 2013. Closing date May 20, 2013.

Contact Information:

Pat Boyle, Show Manager                          (847) 274-6834
Brian Curry, Show Manager                        (303) 918-2908
Show Office                                                 (303) 841-7461
Show Office Fax                                          (303) 841-1419
Colorado Horse Park Main Office                (303) 841-5550
Colorado Horse Park Main Office Fax         (303) 841-7879

Tentative Schedule:
Wed – Sun: Show starts daily at 8 a.m. unless otherwise noted

Directions:

Address: 7375 E Bayou Gulch Rd, Parker, CO 80134

From North: I-25S exit Ridgegate Parkway – go east under the freeway.  Ridgegate Parkway to S. Chambers Road, approx 3 miles (Traffic light) – turn right/south onto Chambers Road. At end of Chambers Road turn left/east onto Hess Road.  Hess Road to Parker Road/Hwy 83 – turn right/south onto Hwy 83 approx 4 miles to Bayou Gulch Road. (Traffic light). Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

From South: I-25N, exit Founder’s Parkway.  Founder’s Parkway to Highway 86, approx 4 miles (traffic light). Turn east/left onto Hwy. 86 to Franktown/Hwy 83. At Franktown go north on 83 approx. 7 mi. to Bayou Gulch Rd. (Traffic light), turn right/east onto Bayou Gulch Rd. Follow signs to Colorado Horse Park.

About the Colorado Horse Park

Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the Colorado Horse Park was founded by visionary Helen Krieble who acknowledged the need for a high-volume horse show and horse boarding facility to serve Colorado.  The Colorado Horse Park welcomes more than 75,000 visitors per year and hosts over 40 competitions annually.  CHP features a derby arena designed by Olympic-designer Linda Allen and a cross-country course designed by Olympic Gold Medalist David O’Connor and eventing super-star James Atkinson. There are 300 permanent stalls with capacity for more than 1,000 stalls.

The picturesque property, located only minutes from the town of Parker, hosts international equestrian events in multiple disciplines. Visitors enjoy the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountain surroundings and access to miles of trails and open space.  The Colorado Horse Park is committed to supporting equestrian education and amateur athletics, preserving open space, fundraising for local charities and supporting the community.

Carrie Wirth for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

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

Competitions, Show Jumping

Victor Segovia Secures Victory in $60,000 Country Heir II Grand Prix

Leave a comment

Victor Segovia and Romeo (pictured here competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL) won the $60,000 Country Heir II Grand Prix. Photo by Jack Mancini.

Lexington, Kentucky – Victor Segovia of Venezuela jumped to victory in the $60,000 Country Heir II Grand Prix on Sunday, June 16, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.  The 36-year-old topped a competitive field of 24 to take the win aboard Romeo, a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by The Romeo Group.

Only four riders managed to contest the first round track cleanly to advance to the jump-off.  Segovia put in a second clear performance in a time of 43.96 seconds to secure the win.  The only other rider to jump fault-free was Juan Ortiz, also of Venezuela, who finished runner-up aboard Accordance with a time of 45.35 seconds.  Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam riding Fine Man incurred four faults to take third while David Beisel and Ammeretto placed fourth with an eight-fault total.

“Lately, I’ve been trying to go fast at the beginning of the jump-off and by the end, Romeo gets strong and I have trouble turning,” said Segovia, who came back first in the jump-off order.  “This time, we decided to go for a nice, clear round; we didn’t do the inside turns or try to leave strides out.  Our strategy was to let those who followed do the inside turns and leave out strides and see if they made a mistake.  Shane and David are very fast, and even though Juan has a naturally slower horse than mine, I was worried as I had been conservative in my track and knew that I had left the door open.”

In addition to winning the $60,000 Country Heir II Grand Prix, Segovia and Romeo also posted a number of impressive performances earlier in the week, finishing fifth in the $8,000 Half Million Jumper Classic on Wednesday, June 12, and seventh in the $25,000 Grand Prix on Friday, June 14.  Segovia advanced to the jump-off in both classes, going double-clear in the $8,000 Classic and finishing with four faults in the $25,000 Grand Prix jump-off.

“He’s a hot horse, very hot and strong,” said Segovia, who first began campaigning Romeo three years ago for Brooke Gilece and The Romeo Group.  “I’ve been very patient with him.  Every time he’s bad, I try to kill him with kindness instead of getting after him, and that seems to work.  In the barn, he is so sweet and anyone can handle him, but when I get on, it’s a whole different story.  He’s only 15.3hh but when I put my foot in the stirrup, he thinks he’s 17hh.  He’s super cocky, which is why I think he’s not afraid of the big jumps.  He’s very special.  I’m super grateful and feel very lucky to have him.”

Segovia trains with Andrea King and fellow Venezuelan, Angel Karolyi, who operate Hollow Creek Farm in Aiken, SC.  Segovia began working with Hollow Creek Farm at the beginning of 2013 and has since noticed a big difference in Romeo’s performance.

“I’ve been working with Angel and Andrea since the beginning of this year and it’s been super,” said Segovia, who scored the first grand prix victory of his career in the $25,000 Carolina Real Estate Co. Grand Prix at the Aiken Spring Classic Finale, SC, in April.  “The difference has been a ‘180’ in how the horse is going.  I started having clear rounds at the Live Oak International in March, and it’s been going really well ever since.  I am so thankful to Andrea, Angel and the Andrade family to be a part of the Hollow Creek Farm team.”

Fellow Hollow Creek Farm rider Emanuel Andrade also enjoyed tremendous success at the Country Heir II competition.  The 16-year-old took home seventh, ninth and 11th in the $60,000 Grand Prix riding Walter 61, ZZ Top v/h Schaarbroek Z and Crossfire 10 respectively, having incurred four faults with each in the first round.  Aboard Crossfire 10, Andrade also placed ninth in the $25,000 Grand Prix after incurring one time fault in the first round.

Andrade also dominated the Junior Jumper divisions, capturing both the Championship and Reserve Championship titles with Carboni and Casanova Junior respectively in the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner division.

Andrade also took the Reserve Championship title in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner division riding Tiny Tim, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.  The pair finished second in two classes during the week and seventh in the $10,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classic on Saturday, June 15.  He also earned wins in the High Junior Jumper division with La Fe Forli and Walter 61.  In the Open Jumpers, Andrade won a 1.25m class with Oxford and two 1.30m classes with Costa.

Hollow Creek Farm has the unique distinction of winning three prestigious titles at the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.  Andrade was named the Leading Jumper Rider, King was named the Leading Jumper Trainer, and Hollow Creek Farm was named the Leading Jumper Owner.

For more information on Hollow Creek Farm, please visit www.hollowcreekfarms.com.

Contact:  Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439
www.startinggate.ca

Competitions, Show Jumping

Kent Farrington and Uceko Repeat Winning Performance in $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix CSI-W

Leave a comment

Kent Farrington and Uceko. Photo © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo Top 1.50m

Calgary, AB – June 16, 2013 – The ‘Continental’ Tournament at Spruce Meadows finished with a fantastic day of competition, including another big victory for Kent Farrington and Uceko in the $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix CSI-W, the second week in a row that they have won the grand prix. Beezie Madden (USA) and Coral Reef Via Volo won the $60,000 Great-West Life Cup 1.50m. The Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments will continue on June 25-30 with the ‘Canada One’ Tournament CSI-W 4*.

Course designer Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela tested the riders today with a technical track, but six were able to find the clear path to the jump-off. First in was McLain Ward (USA) on Rothchild, owned by Sagamore Farm. They were the fastest pair of the day in 44.327 seconds, but it came at the price of four faults at the second jump. They would finish in fifth place.

Reed Kessler (USA) and Cylana were clear in 46.810 seconds, but it wasn’t quite enough to pull out the win today. Kessler has had a string of second place finishes at this year’s Spruce Meadows, including one earlier in the morning in the 1.50m with Mika.

She laughed, “I’m living under some kind of a curse; I’ve been second about 25 times in a row now! I actually had a feeling he would beat me, going after me. I came in a little fast to that combination in the first round, and she was quite good to me. I wanted, out of that big gallop, to really make sure I gave her a better chance this round. He did the big 10 strides to (fence) 10c, which I could have done. But that’s kind of the way it goes early in the jump-off. It’s just making me hungrier I guess!”

Reed Kessler and Cylana
Reed Kessler and Cylana

Kessler praised Cylana, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Skippy II x Darco, and their teamwork. “She was fantastic. I thought I wasn’t totally spot-on in the first round. It’s part of being a team. She was definitely on today and she carried me through the first round. I’m happy with my second place finish. I wish I could have beaten him, but there are still a few weeks left,” she said with smile.

Farrington and Uceko were next in the jump-off, and they set out in a huge gallop before they even crossed the start timers. Everything came up smoothly for them, and they left out a stride to a wide oxer, the second to last fence in the jump-off. They stopped the timers in 44.469 seconds to take the lead, which no one would be able to catch.

Farrington said rather than trying to only catch Kessler’s time, he was also trying to think about the fast horses and riders who would follow him. “Beezie was on the horse that won the World Cup Finals and is one of the best riders in the world on a fast horse. Charlie Jayne has a very big gallop on that horse, similar to mine. I thought they were both real threats coming after me,” he acknowledged. “It was more about sticking to my own strategy (and) using my horse’s strengths, which are his bravery and his great gallop. I just let him open up right from the start and didn’t let up.”

Beezie Madden (USA) and Abigail Wexner’s Simon wouldn’t threaten Farrington’s time. They were clear, but their slower time of 48.197 seconds would leave them in fourth place.

Charlie Jayne and Alex R. Jayne’s Chill R Z, a 10-year-old Zangersheide stallion by Chellano Z x A Lucky One, had a dramatic start to their jump-off with a long gallop around the ring before the first jump, but it didn’t quite work out as planned. After drifting right after the first jump, they added in a stride from what Farrington did in the first line. Following that, Jayne let off the gas pedal a bit.

Jayne remarked, “I started galloping about 50 strides away and the wrong one happened to show up. The 16 foot rails are very impressive here. That was the one jump in the first round that he didn’t jump well, the CN oxer that was jump three in the first round. It was fence one in the jump-off, so I was a little worried that he was going to be backed off. He didn’t back off, but I got a little too deep and shifted right.”

He continued, “I just made a decision after I got 12 (strides) to fence two that I was going to try and go for a clear round. I was really happy with the way he went. He’d been knocking on the door the last two weeks. I’ve been making little rider errors, so I was happy that I fixed those for today.”

Jayne added, “I wanted to say thank you to CN for being such a long-time sponsor for the sport. They’ve done amazing things for this sport, along with Spruce Meadows, so thank you.”

The final horse in the jump-off was Ilan Ferder’s Baronez with Kirsten Coe. They had a rail at the second to last jump to finish with four faults in 47.821 seconds for sixth place.

Uceko, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Celano x Koriander owned by RCG Farm, is a horse that knows what he’s doing now and “doesn’t need experience,” Farrington said. Before the competition, “he felt wild; that’s how he’s at his best,” he added. “We keep him fresh and don’t over-show him. My job is to manage his career and make it last as long as I can,” Farrington commented.

By winning the first two grand prix competitions of the season, Farrington won a CN Bronze Spike and a $50,000 bonus through the CN $1,000,000 Precision Series. If Farrington and Uceko are victorious in the Atco Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup during the ‘North American’, they will receive a CN Silver Spike and $450,000. The million dollar series will conclude with the CN International Grand Prix during the ‘Masters’, where an additional $500,000 bonus will be on the line if Farrington can come up with the winning formula once again.

Regarding the Series, Farrington said, “It’s a great start, now we have to keep being great. We have to see if we’re up for the challenge, but we’ll give it our best shot.” When asked how he’ll spend his bonus money, he said, “I’ll put it away and forget about it for a little while and just stay focused on what’s still left to do here. I’ll buy a few rounds at the pub for everybody! It’s difficult to win anywhere, especially here in these classes with top competitors and big jumps. Two rounds of a serious course at Queen Elizabeth and the Masters, it’s certainly not going to be easy.”

Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo
Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo

Madden Shows How It’s Done in 1.50m

Of the 37 entries in the competition and nine in the jump-off, it was Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo, a 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare by Clinton x Heartbreaker, who rose to the top of the competition in the $60,000 Great-West Life Cup 1.50m. They put down a clear round in a time of 42.10 seconds for victory. Second place went to Reed Kessler and Mika, who were clear in 43.31 seconds. Katie Dinan (USA) and Glory Days were third with no faults in a time of 43.78 seconds.

Madden smoothly executed an inside turn after the fourth jump, which set her up for a good line to the next skinny vertical. “I thought it would be faster,” she said. “I went in and looked at it when I went in, so I could see it from a horse and it for sure gave you a better line after the skinny so you didn’t have to slow down so much, in order to make the turn after it. I know she turns left so well, that she would jump a little left after that and spin inside there, and I would end up being able to do that fast.”

Madden said that the first round course was hard for Via Volo “because a lot of the lines were steady,” but if she can “just keep hunting along, she’s usually pretty fast.” She explained, “She has a big stride and the less I can fight with her, the better. She really handled it well. When I asked her to do something, she responded.”

While Via Volo can be quirky about her surroundings, she was all business today. “She’s always looking around; she doesn’t miss much,” Madden agreed. “For sure, she gets looking at things other than the fences sometimes and you have to try and keep her focus on the fence. Today she felt great. She was a little funny from (fences) one to two in the first round, but then she was right down to business.”

The next week of competition is the ‘Canada One’ Tournament on June 25-30, which will include the $50,000 RBC Royal Bank Cup and the $100,000 Esso Imperial Oil Challenge CSI-W. For more information on Spruce Meadows and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the brainchild of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Show Jumping

Nicholson Cruises to Victory at Luhmühlen

Leave a comment

Simply the best: the matchless Andrew Nicholson and Mr Cruise Control, winners at Luhmühlen CCI4* (Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 16 June 2013 – There were emotional scenes when Andrew Nicholson and Mr Cruise Control triumphed at Luhmühlen, presented by DHL Paket, the penultimate leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.

It was the 51-year-old New Zealander’s fourth CCI4* victory in a year, but the first for his long-time loyal owners, Robin and Nicky Salmon, who have often seen their striking-looking grey gelding come close to major honours without ever taking the big prize.

“He’s a big horse that’s taken time but he’s kept improving through all his training, and that means that out of all my four-star wins this one is particularly rewarding,” said the invincible Nicholson, who has now won four of the world’s six CCI4*s.

Zara Phillips (GBR), who finished second on Trevor Hemmings’ High Kingdom, put pressure on Nicholson right until the end with a beautifully ridden clear Jumping round.

However, the six-time Olympian rose to the occasion magnificently, just rattling the second fence but soaring over the rest to finish on his Dressage score of 38.0.

“He was too ice-cool,” Phillips smiled sportingly. “Thank goodness he can’t ride at the Europeans!”

Phillips was clearly thrilled by the continuing improvement shown by her Olympic team silver medallist. “He’s getting better all the time,” she said.

Both the two leading horses are Irish-bred: Mr Cruise Control is by the great jumping sire Cruising and High Kingdom is by Master Imp.

In contrast, William Fox-Pitt’s two horses, which rose to third and fourth places with immaculate clear rounds, are both from continental stock. Neuf des Coeurs, third, is a smart Selle Francais by Nidor Platier, and Lionheart, fourth, is a majestic German-bred by Lancer lll. Neuf des Coeurs missed much of last season through injury and Lionheart, one of the best jumpers on the circuit, is clearly back to his best after inexplicably tiring on the Olympic Cross Country last year.

“It’s been a happy weekend,” said Fox-Pitt, who has now overtaken Jock Paget (NZL) in the HSBC FEI Classics to lie second on the leaderboard behind Nicholson. “It was great to have both horses jumping and galloping so well and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

Kevin McNab (AUS) had modestly predicted that he wouldn’t be making either Nicholson or Phillips too nervous in the final phase, but he only had one rail down on Clifton Pinot, slipping from overnight third to fifth place.

Fellow Australian, Andrew Hoy, who had been in fourth after Cross Country with Rutherglen, did not present the 10-year-old at this morning’s horse inspection.

The winner, Nicholson, again proved his skills with a top-10 finish on his catch ride, Rathmoyle King. He hit two rails on the 15-year-old grey, but that wasn’t enough to drop him in the final placings and he held onto sixth. With just Burghley to come in the HSBC FEI Classics, it seems that 2013 is going to be Nicholson’s year.

About the winner

Andrew Nicholson (NZL), 51, who currently heads both the HSBC Rankings and the HSBC FEI Classics, is acknowledged as one of the most hard-working and naturally talented horsemen in Eventing. He first came to England as an 18-year-old in 1979 and worked with racehorses.

His first CCI4* was Badminton in 1984 where he earned a place on the first New Zealand Olympic team, at Los Angeles. He has since ridden at five more Olympic Games, winning team silver in 1992 and team bronzes in 1996 and 2012, when he finished fourth individually on Nereo. He also won team gold at the 1990 FEI World Equestrian Games in Stockholm (SWE) and team and individual bronze on Nereo at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky (USA).

This is his sixth CCI4* win, following three Burghley victories, in 1995 on Buckley Province, in 2000 on Mr Smiffy, and in 2012 on Avebury, plus Pau in 2012 on Nereo and Kentucky this year with Quimbo. Last year, he finished second in the 2011-2012 HSBC FEI Classics and won the HSBC Rider Rankings.

Andrew has two adult daughters, Rebecca and Melissa, and two young children, Lily and Zak, with his partner Wiggy Channer. They live near Marlborough, Wiltshire.

Full details on www.luhmuehlen.de.

View full standings: www.fei.org/fei/sponsors/hsbc-and-fei/fei-classics.

16 June – Jumping: 13.45 local time

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature twitter hashtags for this series are #HSBC and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #HSBC FEI Classics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

Luhmühlen CCI 4* presented by DHL PAKET:

Friederike Stüvel-Huck
Press Officer
media@luhmuehlen.de
+49 171 5382900

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, Show Jumping

Ward and McCrea Notch Victories through the Weather at Spruce Meadows ‘Continental’ Tournament

Leave a comment

McCrea and Romantovich Take One. Photo © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Calgary, AB – June 14, 2013 – Riders at the Spruce Meadows ‘Continental’ Tournament had to deal with incoming rain and storms today, but it didn’t dampen the level of competition. McLain Ward (USA) and Grant Road Partners’ Super Trooper de Ness were fastest in a large field of 75 to win the $33,000 AltaGas Cup 1.45m. Christine McCrea (USA) and Romantovich Take One, owned by Candy Tribble, were best in the $33,000 Scotiabank Cup 1.50m.

The ‘Continental’ Tournament CSIO-W 5* runs June 12-16. The highlight class of the weekend is the $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix CSI-W on Sunday, June 16. There will be complimentary admission and parking for spectators during the ‘Continental’ Tournament.

In the $33,000 Scotiabank Cup 1.50m competition, the format was changed from jump-off to speed in order to avoid more inclement conditions coming later in the evening. There were 27 entries in the class, and nine of those had no jumping or time faults.

The winner of the class, McCrea and Romantovich Take One, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Numero Uno x Karandasj, finished in 64.647 seconds. Francois Mathy (BEL) and Polinska des Isles finished second in 66.242 seconds. Third place went to Wilton Porter (USA) and Paloubet, who had a time of 66.323 seconds.

McCrea’s plan to attack the beginning of the course in order to set her up well for the rest worked perfectly. “When I did the first three jumps that fast, I knew I’d be ahead of it,” she recalled. “It meant I didn’t need to be in a hurry for the rest of the course. That was great that it worked out so well in the beginning. My plan was to go as hard as I could go for one, two, three, and then I could tone it down in the middle, then just bring it home clear in the last line. Everything came up great, so it’s nice when that happens!”

She praised the course set by Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela, and said there were a couple spots that were set to test horse and rider. “The double (combination) with the brown poles are always hard for the horses to see. Luckily my horse has a lot of experience so he handled it well. The skinny is always a bogey jump,” she noted.

Most of the fences at Spruce Meadows are wider than normal, which gives riders an opportunity to use them to set up turns or fit striding in better between jumps. McCrea explained, “You can pick a side and that can save you a lot of time, but it can also help you set up your bend in a line. (For the line to the combination), I came in on the left side and was able to bow into the double. I kept shape in the six (strides) so it wasn’t so choking short. You can play with the angles, for sure.”

With Romantovich Take One’s inherent speed, they were considerably faster than the rest of the field today. He also has a jumping style all his own, and McCrea said that his quirky attitude extends beyond the show ring. “He likes to buck when he’s wild, and he was really, really wild tonight,” she laughed. “He was very excited to show. Off the right lead in the schooling area, when he’s excited, he kicks out. Everyone was like, ‘Whoa. What’s going on?’ But it’s sort of normal for him when he’s feeling good.”

Ward Wins Again

In their second major victory at the 2013 Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments, Ward and Super Trooper de Ness, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Vigo D’Arsouilles x Polydor, beat 21 others in the jump-off of the $33,000 AltaGas Cup 1.45m. They finished clear in 41.11 seconds. Second place went to Conor Swail (IRL) and Martha Louise, who finished in 41.47 seconds. Brian Morton (CAN) and Spitfire recorded a time of 42.11 seconds for third place.

McLain Ward and Super Trooper de Ness
McLain Ward and Super Trooper de Ness

Ward said he “lucked out” with the weather on Super Trooper. “It kind of worked out alright for him. We were in the first phase and the weather was beautiful. Then the weather came in and went out again before our jump-off. It certainly helped,” he said.

Ward noted that he did not go as fast as possible with Super Trooper. “Last week I got trying too hard to go too fast and I wasn’t pleased with my performance. This week he felt really good both days,” he said. “You have to watch not to go too fast because he’s always looking and going to the jump, and he’s so quick with his legs. You have to watch that you’re not trying to win by five seconds.”

Believing that the double combination of verticals would be the tricky part of the jump-off course, since it was “off a blind turn” and Super Trooper is “very careful in combinations,” Ward was more aware there. But heading to the last two jumps, he was able to let him go more. “I knew rolling left to the second to last and last (fences), he’d be very quick. I didn’t have to check him too hard to the last (fence) on that long run. I went in thinking I was going to jump the round I want to jump and if it wins, that’s great, and if it’s second or third, I could live with it,” he explained.

Having found Super Trooper almost three years ago in England through Francois Mathy, Ward knew that he would be a top horse, but after a bout of colic and Ward’s injury last winter, it has taken more time than expected to get him to this level. The pair won grand prix competitions at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival this winter before traveling to Gothenburg and finishing fifth in the FEI World Cup Finals. This is their second major victory at Spruce Meadows.

“I always loved him,” Ward expressed. “He was always incredibly careful. I’d venture to say he’s the most careful horse I’ve ever ridden. He’s hot and he’s a little bit of an anxious horse. But his character is to fight and his quality is second to none, so if he’s confident and everything is going in the right direction, he’s a hard horse to beat.”

Competition continues tomorrow with the $33,000 Talisman Energy Cup 1.50m in Meadows on the Green, as well as the $10,000 CN ‘Fast Track’ 1.40m Junior/Amateur Derby and the $33,000 McDaniel & Associates 1.45m Derby in the All Canada Ring. For more information on Spruce Meadows and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

Based in Calgary, Canada, Spruce Meadows is the brainchild of the Southern family who built a Show Jumping complex at the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. It was in 1976 that the first Spruce Tournaments were held, with annual spectator attendances reaching over 50,000 by the end of the decade. Today, Spruce Meadows boasts one of the greatest outdoor equestrian venues in the world and offers an incredible experience for riders and fans alike. Spruce Meadows focuses on the organization and hosting of show jumping tournaments of unmatched quality for junior, amateur and professional athletes in a manner that reflects basic family values in a clean, green and welcoming environment that celebrates the horse and encourages the breeding and training of quality sport horses and the teaching and development of athletes. For more information on Spruce Meadows, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

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

*Featured/Spotlights, FEI, Show Jumping

Sweden Secures Super Furusiyya Victory in Sopot

Leave a comment

Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Baltimore jumped double-clear to help Sweden to victory in the twelfth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series. Photo: FEI/Monika Chrzan.

Sopot (POL), 14 June 2013 – The Swedish team recorded a convincing victory in the twelfth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series at Sopot in Poland today to move within one point of the leading Belgians on the Europe Division 2 league table.  Sylve Soderstrand deliberately selected a strong side for this qualifier with the intention of boosting his country’s position at this stage in the series, and with his sights set on a return to Europe Division 1 next season.

A clean sheet for all four of his riders’ first time out put them firmly in the driving seat at the end of the first round, and anchorman, Peder Fredricson, was not required to jump a second time when team-mates Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Emma Emanuelsson recorded two of the three double-clears of the day to clinch it.  Belgium finished second despite the elimination of Ludo Phillipaerts who took a fall first time out, but perhaps the biggest and most heartening surprise of the day was the third-place result for the Hungarian side who finished with just one fault more than the Belgians as the exciting competition drew to a close.

A total of 13 teams started in round one, but only six returned for the second round and it was the Norwegians who slotted into fourth ahead of The Netherlands who slipped from second to fifth in the closing stages as their performance deteriorated. Switzerland finished sixth, but, like the Dutch, their second-round effort was considerably less impressive as they added 32 additional faults to complete on a big total of 41.

Perfect Test

The Hippodrome at the seaside town of Sopot, which lies on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, was bathed in bright sunlight throughout the class, and course designer, Poland’s Lukasz Jankowski, set them the perfect test.  The all-weather arena, which measures just 50 x 80 metres, was packed with fences but the lines were all very rideable and while the open water proved the bogey of the day, faults were also accrued at other points around the cleverly-created 12-fence track.  The double of verticals at fence five saw plenty of action, as did the triple combination at fence 10, and several riders found themselves with a long ride ahead after hitting the very first fence on the track, a simple 1.45m oxer.

The Longines timing system played an important role as the time-allowed of 78 seconds proved influential, and it was the single time penalties collected by Hungary’s last-line rider Laszlo Toth that prevented his side from overwhelming the second-placed Belgians.  But Toth and his lovely 10-year-old grey, Isti, whose water-jumping expertise was second to none, demonstrated the inspirational quality of this series which is exposing talent and potential in a way that has never previously been possible. Team-mate Emil Orban and Lacapo set his country on the road to a great result with a trail-blazing clear, and while many teams with much more experience wilted in the closing stages, the Hungarians remained impressive to the end.

First Round Concluded

As the first round concluded the Dutch were only a single penalty-point adrift of the leading Swedes.  Michel Hendrix was double-jobbing as both pathfinder and Dutch Chef d’Equipe, and, partnering Wait and See, showed the way with just that single time penalty.  Bart Heselbekke (Wigeunerin) and Stephanie Brugmann (Waldo) were both foot-perfect so Wesley Heydens wisely decided to retire after Dallas du Domaine Z had three fences down.

The Hungarians were in third carrying just five faults when counting a single error from third-line rider Gabor Szabo (Timpex Cabale), Toth’s first time fault and benefitting from Orban’s opening clear, with the 17 collected by Szabolcs Krucso (Chacco Boy) discounted.

Next in line were four teams carrying nine faults, but with only six qualifying places for round two, both the host nation and Denmark were squeezed out when the combined times of the best three riders were taken into account.  Also sidelined at this stage were Germany with 13 already on the board, Finland and Czech Republic with 17 apiece, Argentina with 19 and Italy who finished last with a first-round total of 25.

Uncharacteristic

Swedish confidence was given a sharp jolt by an uncharacteristic two fences down, the opening oxer and the vertical at fence three, for the Olympic partnership of Jens Fredricson and Lunatic as round two began.  But the second outing proved much more difficult for almost all the other remaining teams too, with three of the Dutch going into the water en route to their additional 20 penalties which put them right out of contention. Norway added nine more despite a very happy clear from Ole Kristoffer Meland and CC Top, and the Swiss really fell apart with an additional 32, anchorman Beat Mandli retiring after lowering the triple bar for a second time and then faulting at the water with Croesus.

Clears from Jos Lansink (Santa Maria) and the second part of his double-clear from Dirk Demeersman (Bufero van het Panishof) strengthened the Belgian challenge so they only had to count one of the single errors from Phlippaerts and Rik Hemeryck (Papillon Z) this time out.  This saw them rocket up the leaderboard, yet this top-class team still only finished with the narrowest of advantages over Hungary whose pathfinder, Orban, made it all the way to the very last fence before leaving that on the floor.  Hungary could only count three scores when Krucso didn’t line out this time, so Szabo’s mistake at the water therefore had to be added to their tally as did Toth’s time fault for a total of 14 faults.

Meanwhile Jens Fredricson’s shaky second-round start was swept aside by two more glorious clears from Baryard-Johnsson with the spectacular Baltimore and Emanuelsson with the ever-improving and very promising Titan to seal it for Sweden however.  A clear from Jens’ brother, Peder, could have seen them finish with a totally clean sheet but by now it was unnecessary for him to return to the ring as the job was done, and very neatly indeed.

Important Victory

Swedish team manager, Sylve Soderstrand, described today’s success as “a very important victory for us if we want to be at the top – this is our big goal this year.”  And he had a lot of nice things to say about the venue at Sopot which has been hosting Nations Cup competitions for the last 60 years.

“The reason we came (to Sopot) is because we have seen the progress the show has made in the last few years.  We asked to compete in this competition because it has grown in reputation a lot, as has the quality of the organisation,” he explained.

Baryard-Johnsson was delighted with Baltimore’s performance.  “It is his first Nations Cup ever – he is a great horse for the future,” she said.  Last-line rider, Peder Fredricson, said he didn’t have a problem with not having to come back to the ring for the second round – “I have been riding since 8 o’clock this morning!” he said with a laugh.

While the Fredricsons and Baryard-Johnsson are multiple medallists and steeped in experience, it is only the beginning of Emanuelsson’s career and she is blossoming into some considerable talent this season.  Successful at Junior and Young Rider level, she went on to compete in Senior competition only to lose her top horse to injury.  “That left me out of the loop for almost two years,” said the 27-year-old rider today, “so I just had to concentrate on producing young horses instead.”  One of those young horses was Titan however, and with this reliable grey she has already shown real progression throughout this Furusiyya season.  A rider-error led to a stop in Drammen, Norway last month but this is a trusting partnership and Titan lost none of his confidence that day, simply popping easily over the same fence when re-presented and finishing with a flourish.  In Copenhagen, Denmark three weeks ago they produced a clear and a four-fault effort and today they never touched a pole.

Sweden now lies just one point adrift of Belgium at the top of the Europe Division 2 leaderboard, but there are still five more legs to go in this Division before the line-up for the inaugural Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping final takes place. Budapest in Hungary is the next port of call in Division 2 in July, but before then the Furusiyya action resumes next Friday, 21 June, with the Europe Division 1 fixture in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

For information on the twelfth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series at Sopot, Poland, go to website www.csi.sopot.pl or contact Press Officer Agnieszka Bilda at Email agnieszka.bilda@czerwonafurtka.pl, Tel +48 531 2080 50.  The next leg will take place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on Friday 21 June, website www.chio.nl, Press Officer Anita Lussenberg, Email press@chio.nl.

Facts and Figures:

Today’s leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping series at Sopot, Poland attracted the biggest entry of the season so far with 13 nations lining out.

8 of those 13 countries – Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland and Sweden – were chasing qualification points for the series final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain in September.

All four of the Swedish team riders jumped clear in the first round.

There was one elimination – for Belgium’s Ludo Philippaerts who was unseated when his 10-year-old horse, Denver van’t Goemanshof, stumbled on landing over the water-tray oxer at fence four in the first round.

The bogey fence of the day was the open water at fence eight.

There were three double-clear rounds, from Sweden’s Malin Baryard-Johnsson (Baltimore) and Emma Emanuelsson (Titan) and from Belgium’s Dirk Demeersman (Bufero van het Panishof).

Just 6 of the 13 teams returned for the second round.

Course designer was Poland’s Lukasz Jankowski.

Sopot is a seaside town on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland.

It has a 10-kilometre stretch of beach and is a popular tourist destination.

Quotes:

Emma Emanuelsson – “My horse jumped super.  I just tried to focus on my round and do the best I can.”

Sopot Show Director, Olgierd Kuleszynski – “We have never had so many teams and good riders.  We are very pleased to have Sweden participate and upgrade the quality of our show.”

Standings:

For the latest standings in Europe Division 2 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series check this link.

For further information on the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping series check out this link.

“Furusiyya” (Arabic: فروسيه) this single Arabic word conveys so much, embracing the idea of horsemanship, chivalry, and equestrian knowledge in general. The term is a derivation of faris, or horseman and faras, a horse.

Longines is the Official Timekeeper of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping series.

Longines has been based at Saint-Imier (SUI) since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. It has generations of experience as the official timekeeper at world championships and as a partner of international sports federations.

Longines’ passion for equestrian sports began in 1878, when a timepiece was made with a horse and jockey engraved on the watch face. Over the years, the brand has built strong and long-lasting links with equestrian sports. In 1926, for the first time, the brand was involved as timekeeper for the Official International Equestrian Competition of Geneva. Today, Longines’ involvement in equestrianism includes Jumping, Endurance and flat racing.

Longines is a member of The Swatch Group S.A., the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With an excellent reputation for creating refined timepieces, the brand, whose emblem is the winged hourglass, has outlets in over 130 countries.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Sopot:

Agnieszka Bilda
Email: agnieszka.bilda@czerwonafurtka.pl
Tel: + 48 531 2080 50

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
Email: grania.willis@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 142

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

At Revolution Sports + Entertainment:

Tim Welland
tim@revolutionsports.co.uk
+44 7787 780 036