Tag Archives: Show Jumping

Two Years in a Row: Kent Farrington and Uceko Win $400,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix CSI-W 5*

June 9, 2013 Associate Editor Leave a comment

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

Ashlee Bond Speeds to Victory in $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse; Katie Dinan Tops ConocoPhillips Junior/Amateur Cup 1.40m

Calgary, AB – June 8, 2013 – The biggest prize money purse on offer at the ‘National’ Tournament was in today’s $400,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix, CSI-W 5*, and it was Kent Farrington (USA) who took home the winner’s share for the second year in a row with Uceko. Reed Kessler (USA) Cylana finished second, while Charlie Jacobs (USA) and Flaming Star were third. Earlier in the day, Ashlee Bond (USA) sped to victory in the $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse 1.45m with Cadett 7. In the All Canada Ring, Katie Dinan and Sandro won the $10,000 ConocoPhillips Junior/Amateur Cup 1.40m.

The ‘National’ Tournament concludes on Sunday, June 9. Tomorrow’s highlight is the $175,000 Nexen Cup 1.60m Derby on Sunday, June 9, at 2:30 pm. The Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments continue next week on June 13-16 with the ‘Continental’ Tournament CSIO-W 5*.

There were 36 entries in the grand prix, but only four were able to clear the first round course set by Werner Deeg of Germany. Fifth place went to Kirsten Coe (USA) and Baronez, who had two time faults.

First to return in the jump-off was Eric Navet of France on Quanto Fino 2, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Quick Star x Stutbuch 1 owned by Signe Ostby. They had an unfortunate rail at fence 10b and finished with four faults in 54.99 seconds for fourth place.

The next three riders would all be clear and the winning time fell with each start. Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star, a 14-year-old Swiss Warmblood gelding by Fairman owned by CMJ Sporthorse LLC, would put in a neat clear round in 53.62 seconds, which slotted them in third place.

Jacobs was “extremely pleased” with his horse. “Flaming Star I thought was fantastic today,” he acknowledged. “For me, this is great for him to come and jump a 1.60m class. This is our second time ever in Spruce Meadows (together). We came briefly in 2011 and jumped in some amateur classes. He was great today. My hats off to these two to my right (Reed and Kent), but I think it was lights out for him. I could have pushed the gas a little more, frankly. With the times that these two put in, I could have gone a lot faster.”

Reed Kessler and her Olympic partner Cylana were next in, and they galloped through the timers in 50.05 seconds. They would have to wait and see what the final rider would do.

Kessler said she couldn’t rest easy knowing Farrington still had to go after her. “Definitely not – I knew Kent would come, he would be clean, and he would be really fast,” she agreed. “I just tried to go as fast as I could without making any silly mistakes. I’ve made that mistake of having the vertical down into the combination a couple times with her, like at World Cup Finals, so I maybe took an extra stride than he did there. I could have been sharper down the last line. Watching Kent in those two places, that’s definitely where I think he got me.”

Cylana and Kessler competed at the FEI World Cup Finals in April, and Cylana, a 2002 Belgian Warmblood mare by Skippy II x Darco, had not shown since then until earlier this week. “She was really begging to jump this week,” Kessler said with a smile. “She’s one of those horses that if she doesn’t jump frequently, she’s miserable. She was very happy that it was as massive as it was today; she likes to work hard. She couldn’t have gone much better.”

Entering the ring as reigning champions of the competition, Farrington and Uceko, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Celano x Koriander owned by RCG Farm, picked up a quick pace going to the first jump and never looked back. They had to stretch over a wide oxer halfway through the course, and then went flat out across the ring in the long run to the last two fences. Their speed paid off as they stopped the clock in 48.73 seconds for victory.

Farrington said that Uceko is at his best when he’s fresh and has a lot of energy. Although he stands under 16 hands, Farrington said he rides like a “very large horse.” He described, “He actually goes best in big venues like here. He has a massive stride and he’s probably the smallest horse in the class, but he has the biggest stride. He’s pretty unique like that. He has exceptionally long legs for his body. I think that’s why his gallop is so big.”

Farrington was very happy with his win on Uceko, a reliable, successful partner of his for years. “Right now in his career, he’s basically learned everything there is to learn. Now it’s my job as a rider and a horseman to manage his career, to pick the right venues and the right classes to aim him towards so I can make his career last as long as possible. With as much money as there is now in the sport, it’s a matter of managing horses so that they can be at their best when it counts,” he said.

Speed Is Key for Ashlee Bond

Ashlee Bond and her veteran partner Cadett 7, a 16-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Cor de la Bryere x Capitol I owned by Little Valley Farm, flew through the 16 numbered obstacles on today’s course for the $60,000 TransCanada Parcours de Chasse 1.45m to take the top prize in 100.059 seconds. John Perez (COL) and Utopia set the early winning pace and finished second in 103.505 seconds. Third place went to Francois Mathy (BEL) on Elvis van de Vrunte in 103.962 seconds. There were 18 entries in today’s competition over a faults converted track that included the derby bank and grob.

Today’s competition was a perfect warm-up for Bond and Cadett 7, who will also take a shot at tomorrow’s $175,000 Nexen Cup 1.60m Derby. On today’s ride, Bond said, “It worked out. That is his forte. This is not as big as he normally jumps, so it was a little bit easier on him, which was kind of the idea. He could go in and have a not so tough day. He felt super and he was on it.”

Her plan was to establish pace before the first jump. She explained, “It’s better to just pick up a good gallop and stick with it, rather than running and whoa-ing. He was on the muscle. We tried to maintain that throughout. He’s game for everything.”

Bond said that Cadett 7 had a splint in his leg before this year’s FEI World Cup Finals in April, so she left him at home and took her newer horse Wistful. Since then, she has been slow in bringing him back to top form. “He’s 16, so a couple weeks is like a couple of months for him. It takes a while to build him back up,” she remarked. “This is his fifth class. He feels better and better each class. I’m building up to the bigger stuff in the second half (of circuit). (But) he’ll tell me if he doesn’t want to jump 1.50m, 1.60m anymore and I’ll keep him in 1.45m.”

Bond finished second in the Nexen Cup in 2010 and knew that she would have to let Cadett 7 practice the grob jump so that he is prepared for tomorrow. “That was my main concern today, but he was dragging me through it and didn’t care!” she said. “I’ve done that course before and he has too. He’s really smart. When he’s feeling strong and healthy, he’s really fast. We can’t go as fast because he’s got to jump bigger, but I think we’ll have a pretty good shot tomorrow, I’m hoping.”

Dinan Tops ConocoPhillips Junior/Amateur Cup

Katie Dinan (USA) brought home the win as the last horse in the jump-off in the $10,000 ConocoPhillips Junior/Amateur Cup 1.40m. They sped through and made a daring jump up the bank to save time in a rollback turn, which helped them stop the timers in 42.88 seconds. Second place went to Kara Chad (CAN) and Alberto II in 43.49 seconds. Meagan Nusz (USA) and Vesuvius were third in 44.42 seconds.

Dinan explained her jump-off ride: “In the jump-off, after the skinny (jump), you went around the bank to jump the plank (fence). I couldn’t leave (a stride) out to the skinny because he doesn’t have a huge stride and I wanted to do the seven (strides) there instead of six. He’s so brave that we planned on just jumping up the bank, which wasn’t flagged or anything, to save time. That almost gets him more excited.”

She noted, “I think a lot of people think the All Canada Ring is one of the more difficult rings to ride in here because it’s so hilly and there are so many natural obstacles that they use in all the classes, but funnily enough, the three years I’ve had him here we’ve mostly shown in the All Canada Ring. Sandro and I are kind of used to it and I like showing him here.”

Dinan and Sandro, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Larino x Casimir, have been together for two and a half years, and this is their third Spruce Meadows. Although he has won classes here, they had never won this class. This was their second victory of the week.

Dinan said Sandro is “a lot of fun.” She went on to say, “He definitely has the most personality of any horse you’ve ever met. He’s a little bit of a troublemaker, but just in the most playful way possible. He always is the one kicking his stall door at the barn demanding 100% of everyone’s attention. But I think that that personality really shows in the ring.”

She added, “He goes with his head up a little bit; he’s fast. He looks a little bit like a pony in the ring, but he’s ready to go and he thrives on it. He’s competitive and wants to do the right thing. He’s a great horse to be in that situation, like when I went last in the jump-off. I knew there were some fast people before me. You always feel like you can win when you go in with him.”

The ‘National’ Tournament CSI-W 5* concludes tomorrow with the $175,000 Nexen Cup 1.60m Derby at 2:30 pm. Also in the International Ring will be the $40,000 ATCO Structures & Logistics Speed. For more information on Spruce Meadows and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

What Can You Do at Spruce Meadows?

Spruce Meadows includes affordable fun for the whole family. With admission starting at only $5 per person, and children (12 & under) and seniors (65 & up) free, it is the perfect venue to unwind and enjoy a day of show jumping, activities, delicious food, and shopping.

From Friday through Sunday, there will be a number of activities for the whole family (all included in your admission to Spruce Meadows) such as Pony Rides, presented by Kozy Shack, the Spruce Meadows Prairie Dogs, presented by RE/MAX, Wagon Rides, Face Painting, children’s games in the Garden Court Restaurant and more! Delicious food is offered throughout the grounds, featuring a healthy menu at the Garden Court Restaurant, a wide range of options at the Time Faults Public House, and International Fare in the Plaza.

Looking to test your luck? Spruce Meadows has several contest options for those wanting to win excellent prizes, including the Jump to It contest, with a chance to win a full set of jumps, the CN/Sun Media Name the Foal contest, and the Win a Year contest, with a chance to win a year of access to all Spruce Meadows events. If you are looking for some retail therapy, vendors in the Gallery on the Green and Vendor Village offer an excellent variety of gifts and services, both equine and non-equine in nature.

For full details, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com or contact us at 403.974.4200 or information@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

Competitions, Show Jumping

Beezie Madden Two for Two on Friday at Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament

June 8, 2013 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Beezie Madden and Amadora. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Lucas Porter Captures Mercer Junior/Amateur 1.40m Win

Calgary, AB – June 7, 2013 – Beezie Madden led the victory gallop in both competitions in the International Ring today. In the $35,000 RBC Capital Markets Cup 1.50m, she and Amadora found the path to win. The $35,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup 1.45m had a field of 62 competitors, and it was Madden and Wrigley who were fastest in the jump-off. Fifteen-year-old Lucas Porter rode Phineas to victory in the $10,000 Mercer Junior/Amateur 1.40m.

The ‘National’ Tournament continues through Sunday, June 9. Weekend highlights include the $400,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix, CSI-W, on Saturday, June 8, at 2 pm and the $175,000 Nexen Cup 1.60m Derby on Sunday, June 9, at 2:30 pm.

The $35,000 RBC Capital Markets Cup 1.50m was the feature event and was held in the winning round format. The top 25 placed horses from the Enbridge Cup on Wednesday qualified for today’s competition. From the top 25, the top eight returned to compete over a shortened course to determine the winner.

Madden and Amadora, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Chin Chin x Indoctro owned by Abigail Wexner, were clear in the jump-off and able to set the winning time at 42.18 seconds, despite adding a stride to the last jump.

“For sure to the last fence I got a little Edward Scissorhands-ish there!” Madden laughed. “I thought I was going pretty good until after the double combination. I could have been a little faster to the coin (jump) and for sure a lot faster to the last.”

Second place went to Enrique Gonzalez (MEX) on Quilebo D Tillard, who were also clear in 43.79 seconds. Meagan Nusz (USA) and Dynamo, owned by Amalaya Investments, were third in a time of 49.47 seconds.

Madden is second in the All-Time Money Won List at Spruce Meadows, and her two wins today have helped inch her toward first place, currently held by Canadian Olympic gold medalist Eric Lamaze. Madden won this class last year with another mount, Mademoiselle.

Amadora has been in the Maddens’ barn since she was five years old, and it has taken time to get the “sensitive” mare on a consistently winning track. “We knew she always had a lot of quality. She’s been a little bit of a project,” Madden described. “Although she’s very nice to ride, she actually has a lot of blood and a bit of a fight in her. When that fight went in the right direction, we knew we’d have a good horse. It’s been an up and down road, but she’s starting to get more consistent now. We can count on her.”

Enrique Gonzalez had an unfortunate fall outside the ring before the awards ceremony, so he was unable to attend the press conference.

Meagan Nusz was there and spoke about her plan going into the jump-off. “I knew the few before me had rails and I knew who was coming behind me. I thought if I could just put in a good, clean round, that would be good for me. This is only my second year to show in the International Ring. My main strategy was just to stay clean.”

Nusz has ridden Dynamo for almost three years and said when she brought him to Spruce Meadows last year for the first time, he “grew into himself.” She explained, “He was a completely different horse. He loves the grass, he loves Spruce Meadows, he loves the ribbon presentations, everything about it, which is great for me. He jumps awesome here and gives me a lot of confidence.”

Nusz will continue to show at Spruce Meadows before traveling to Europe, where she will represent the United States at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Madden’s First Win of the Day in ATCO Energy Solutions Cup

The $35,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup 1.45m had the largest starting field of the day with 62 entries, and 10 qualified for the jump-off. Leading the pack with a time of 38.72 seconds was Olympic gold medalist and 2013 FEI World Cup Finals winner Beezie Madden on Wrigley, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Padinus x Burggaaf owned by John Madden Sales, Inc.

Second place went to Jonathan McCrea (USA) and Twisther, owned by Candy Tribble, who had a jump-off time of 39.27 seconds. Katie Dinan (USA) and Grant Road Partners’ Glory Days were third in 39.61 seconds.

Madden said of the track, “It was a tough enough course with the time allowed factor. You needed a little speed in the first round. The jump-off, I didn’t see anybody go, but my husband told me it was quite fast. I just tried to go as fast as I could. I think I was pretty fast from the triple bar to the double (combination), and then I was really fast over to the coin jump.”

While Madden just got the ride on Wrigley this year, she knows the mare quite well; former student Callie Schott used to ride the grey mare for her and husband John Madden’s business, John Madden Sales. She described, “Wrigley started very late in her career. She’s had two foals, I think. She wasn’t even broke to ride until she was five years old. She is a little green for what she’s done, but she’s game.”

She went on to say, “She’s brave and careful. She’s a naturally fast horse too; she covers the ground pretty quick. You can run her and she stays careful. She has a funny mouth, but she’s not really strong. Like I can not be afraid to run her over to the coin jump and she’s going to slow down when I stop pushing. That’s always a nice feeling.”

Madden said it was nice to win already, and she feels good about showing Simon in tomorrow’s $400,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix CSI-W 5*. The ‘National’ is their first competition back after they won the FEI World Cup Finals in April.

Lucas Porter and Phineas Race to Mercer Junior/Amateur-Owner Victory

In his biggest win yet at Spruce Meadows, 15-year-old Lucas Porter of Bartonville, TX, raced through the jump-off on Phineas, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Lamentos x Quattro B owned by Sleepy P Ranch LLC, to win the $10,000 Mercer Junior/Amateur-Owner 1.40m. He beat 27 entries in the competition and six others in the jump-off for victory in 38.943 seconds.

Beatriz Franco Sol (MEX) and Melody de la Fosse set the early pace in 39.085 seconds, which would hold up for second place. Third place went to Catherine Tyree (USA) and Don’t Go, who stopped the timers in 39.573 seconds.

Porter recounted, “I knew Beatriz who was leading did nine (strides) from (fences) one to two, which was a turn. With his stride, I could do a fast eight (strides). That’s where I made up my time. Other than that, I basically matched her. She was so fast.”

Porter “inherited” Phineas from his older brother Wilton, who rode him for two years. Porter and the bay gelding started together in the Low Junior Jumpers and moved up the 1.40m level. They were selected for the U.S. team at the FEI Junior Nations Cup in Wellington this past March.

“He’s just been awesome,” Porter described. “He’s extremely careful, really fast, and he has a little bit of a short stride, but that makes the lines quick. I can do quick adds. He sometimes gets a little spooky, but you just have to ride him through it and he gets over it. Once he’s in the ring, he goes into a different mindset and is all focus.”

Porter credited his trainer John Roche for his biggest win at Spruce Meadows in the three years he’s been coming here. “He’s been an amazing help. I’ve won a couple times, but not as big of a class as this one. It’s pretty amazing. I didn’t actually think I was quick enough in the jump-off, but I guess my kick through the last really did it.”

The ‘National’ Tournament CSI-W 5* continues tomorrow with the highlight event of the week, the $400,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix, CSI-W 5* at 2 pm. Also held in the International Ring will be the $60,000 Transcanada Parcours de Chasse 1.45m Speed. For more information on Spruce Meadows and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

What Can You Do at Spruce Meadows?

For full details, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com or contact us at 403.974.4200 or information@sprucemeadows.com.

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

Competitions, FEI, Show Jumping

Belgians Lead Europe Division 2 Following Convincing Furusiyya Victory in Lisbon

June 8, 2013 Associate Editor Leave a comment

(L to R): Donaat Brondeel, Philippe Le Jeune, Chef d’Equipe Kurt Gravemeier, Pieter Devos and Judy Ann Melchior. Photo: FEI/Nuno Pragana.

Lisbon (POR), 7 June 2013 – The Belgian team cruised to victory at the tenth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series in Lisbon, Portugal tonight and grabbed the lead at the top of the Europe Division 2 league table. Helped by double-clears from both Pieter Devos and Judy Ann Melchior, they left the rest trailing in their wake when finishing with just four faults on the board, while second-placed Great Britain finished a full 18 faults behind with 22, and Brazil and Ireland shared third spot when posting 24 faults apiece.

There were 11 teams on the first-round start-list, but only eight returned for round two by which time the Swiss, Spanish and Australians were already sidelined. Just two countries were fighting for those all-important qualifying points towards the Furusiyya Final in Barcelona, Spain next September at this fixture, and the Belgians netted the maximum 100 points to see them overtake Sweden on the Europe Division 2 leaderboard, while the 50 collected by fifth-placed Italy leaves them lying eighth.

France finished sixth ahead of The Netherlands and Portugal in equal seventh spot. But the winners were in a class of their own, securing their success without having to call on anchorman Philippe Le Jeune in the second round.

Unseasonal Weather

Unseasonally cold and wet weather conditions prevailed throughout the competition but, despite some heavy rain, the footing in the Lisbon Hippodrome, which has been home to many days of vintage equestrian sport during its long and distinguished history, remained good. The 12-fence course designed by Portugal’s Bernardo Costa Cabral included several linked lines that required forward movement and rhythmic riding. “There were a lot of mixed teams and the course was not easy but it was technical and fair – you had to keep a rhythm and there were faults everywhere,” Melchior said afterwards.

The questions came up quickly, with the oxer at fence three followed on a bending line by the open water at four, another oxer at five and just four strides to the following planks which had a water tray at the back of it. Cabral has spent a lot of time working with London 2012 Olympic Games course designer Bob Ellis and also favours full circles on his courses, and the 1.60m Furusiyya vertical at fence seven came at the end of one of these, with riders then turning right-handed to the triple bar at eight and the following Longines double at nine which claimed a large number of victims. But it was the thin white wall at fence 10, standing 1.60m tall and topped by red bricks, that fell most often throughout the long night of jumping, while those who failed to line up properly for the penultimate triple combination consistently paid the price. Both Switzerland’s Nadine Traber (Ramses de Virton) and Australia’s Olivia Hamood (Glen Haven Eternal Flame) were eliminated when their horses stopped here, just one fence from home and, frustratingly, within sight of the finishing line in the opening round.

Halfway Point

The Belgians were already out in front with four faults at the halfway point, but had only a one-fence advantage over Brazil, Italy and France who carried eight into round two while Ireland and Portugal had 12 on the board giving them a one-fault edge over the British with 13. The Dutch made the cut into the second round when lying eighth with 16 faults. A further 20 would ensure they would remain well down the order at the end of the day however.

Di Lampard’s youthful British selection really rose to the challenge second time out, 18-year-old Chloe Aston improving from a 13-fault first-round result with Quiet Easy to register just six at her second attempt, 20-year-old Spencer Roe adding five to his first-round single time fault with Wonder Why and 21-year-old Jessie Drea once again returning with four faults picked up at the wall with Touchable. Anchor rider on this relatively inexperienced British side was 22-year-old Louise Saywell whose father, Mike, rode many talented horses during his own sparkling career during which he competed at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. And, having double-faulted first time out, Saywell’s well-measured second-round clear really bolstered her team’s position as it secured the British scoreline with just an additional nine faults.

That would be good enough for runner-up spot when most of the remaining teams began to crumble. Only the Irish held fast with 12 faults in both rounds, 18-year-old Bertram Allen recovering from a mistake at the planks at fence six first time out to return a great second-round clear with Romanov. France added 19 faults and Italy added 17 to slip down the order but despite 16 additional penalties, the Brazilians dropped only one place to stand third alongside the Irish.

Had It in the Bag

Meanwhile however the Belgians had it in the bag without having to call up Philippe Le Jeune for a second time. It was his opening-round four faults with Loro Piana Boyante de Muze that they were carrying following a double-error from Donaat Brondeel and Breemeersen Adorado at the end of round one, but pathfinders Pieter Devos and Candy and third-line rider Judy-Ann Melchior and Cold as Ice Z were crystal clear both times out so when Brondeel left the course intact at his second attempt it was all over.

Reigning World Champion Le Jeune was determined that his side should not get too carried away with today’s success however. “First of all we are not in the final yet. Belgium still has to go to Sopot (POL) and Budapest (HUN) and see where we are standing then. Everything for Belgium is new for now, including the Chef d’Equipe. Sixth place in Lummen (BEL) and fifth place in Copenhagen (DEN) was not good enough so we had to set this straight today and I have to congratulate the riders. All three rode fantastically well and made the thing very easy for me. Our goal is to get in the final and do as well as we can. It is going to be a good fight,” he said.

New Belgian team manager, Kurt Gravemeier, was also in a sensible mood. “We need points, sure, but next week is another show,” he pointed out.

Today’s competition began in daylight but, following a lengthy break, the second round took place under lights which altered the conditions for the horses. Commenting on that, Devos pointed out, “There is always a difference. The horses are aware of the shadows but the lights are very good here. It was a bit special having the first round in the sun and the second under the lights,” he said.

Important Result

For Judy Ann Melchior this was an important result. She became a first-time mother just 10 months ago and is very excited about being back on the Belgian team. “The pregnancy and having my son is the best thing that has ever happened and was a great experience for me, but for sure I was very quick getting back on my horses! It’s lovely being able to combine being a mother with my sport, and I did miss it!” she pointed out. And she was delighted with the ease with which her 11-year-old mare has also returned to action. “She had a break too; we did an embryo with her so she got a son also! We started again in August and our first show was in October. She was born at our place and I’ve been riding her since she was four or five years old,” she explained about the grey horse she knows so well.

Kurt Gravemeier brought the post-competition press conference to a close with a smile. “The riding was beautiful today. I have to say to the course designer that he built a very good course. The ground was good and I am happy, so now I wait for the champagne!” he said with a laugh. It is indeed looking good for his side, but there is still plenty more action to come before the line-up for the inaugural Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping final is decided.

As the global series continues to unfold, the focus moves to Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada next Thursday and then on to Sopot in Poland the following day. For information on the Canadian fixture check out website www.sprucemeadows.com or contact Press Officer Jennifer Wood, Email jennifer@jenniferwoodmedia.com, Tel +1 803 240 7488. For details of the Polish fixture go to website www.csi.sopot.pl or contact Press Officer Agnieszka Bilda at Email agnieszka.bilda@czerwonafurtka.pl, Tel +48 531 2080 50.

Result:

1. Belgium 4 faults: Candy (Peter Devos) 0/0, Breemeersen Adorado (Donaat Brondeel) 8/0, As Cold as Ice (Judy Ann Melchior) 0/0, Loro Piana Boyante de Muze (Philippe Le Jeune) 4/DNS.

2. Great Britain 22 faults: Quiet Easy (Chloe Aston)13/6, Wonder Why (Spencer Roe) 1/5, Touchable (Jessie Drea) 4/4, Winner (Louise Saywell) 8/0.

3. Brazil 24 faults: Loro Piana Cartella (Marion Zanotelli) 8/4, Barbou du Rouet (Luis Francisco De Azevedo) 4/8, Amemoi O Sandor (Pedro Veniss) 0/12, G and C Sonny (Rodrigo Pessoa) 4/4.

3. Ireland 24 faults: Diaghilev (Billy Twomey) 8/4, Nicos de la Cense (Niall Talbot) 0/8, Romanov (Bertram Allen) 13/0, Carpe Diem (Ross Mulholland) 4/11.

5. Italy 25 faults: Loro Piana Quinta Roo (Lucia Vizzini)4/0, Loro Piana Acamar (Massimiliano Ferrario) 0/12, R-Gitana (Fabio Brotto) 4/12, Blue Boy V. Berkenbroeck (Juan Carlos Garcia) 4/5.

6. France 27 faults: Perle du Marais (Julien Mesnil) 12/8, Pepyt’des Elfs (Gregory Cottard) 4/12, Plume de la Roque (Frederic Busquet) 4/0, Quiria d’Orion (Julien Gonin) 0/11.

7. The Netherlands 36 faults: Liberty Antara (Henk van de Pol) 12/8, Kate (Frank van Helmond) 8/8, Waikiki (Anne-Liza Makkinga) 4/12, Bacara de la Ferme Blanche (Michael Korompis) 4/4.

7. Portugal 36 faults: Coltaire Z (Marina Frutuoso de Melo) 8/4, Zurito do Belmonte (Duarte Romao) 4/8, Pluco T (Joao Chuva) 0/12, Imperio Egipcio Milton (Luis Sabino Goncalves) 9/DNS.

9. Switzerland 20 faults IN FIRST ROUND: Le Prestige St Lois (Romain Duguet) 12, Ramses de Virton (Nadine Traber) Elim, PSG Future (Martin Fuchs) 8, Celeste (Nadja Peter Steiner) 0.

10. Spain 25 faults IN FIRST ROUND: Conington (Carlos Lopez Fanjul) 5, Quilate del Duero (Laura Roquet Puignero) 16, Quarela de Toscane (Santiago Nunez Riva) 12, Rico Revel (Eduardo Alvarez Aznar).

11. Australia 28 faults IN FIRST ROUND: Bickley Brook Bella (Alison Rowland) 16, Glen Haven Eternal Flame (Olivia Hamood) Elim, Yalambi’s Landor (Evie Buller) 8, Yalambi’s Val d’Isere VDL (Rory Hovell) 4.

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 – Europe Division 2 leaderboard after Lisbon: Full details of the latest standings following tonight’s event in Lisbon can be found at this link: http://www.fei.org/fei/events/fei-nations-cup-series/furusiyya/current.

Facts and Figures:

Lisbon presented the fifth leg of Europe Division 2 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series.

Belgium has now moved into the lead on the Europe Division 2 league table after tonight’s victory.

11 nations started in tonight’s competition.

8 teams qualified for the second round.

There were 2 double-clear performances, both recorded by Belgian riders – Pieter Devos (Candy) and Judy Ann Melchior (As Cold as Ice Z).

2 eliminations in the first round – Switzerland’s Nadina Traber (Ramses de Virton) and Australia’s Olivia hamood (Glen Haven Eternal Flame).

2 teams were chasing points in Europe Division 2 at this event – Belgium who collected the maximum 100 points for their win and Italy who collected 50 points when finishing fifth.

Course designer was Portugal’s Bernardo Costa Cabral.

While faults were spread all around the 12-fence track, the 1.60m wall at fence 10 was one of the most influential obstacles on the course.

Allocation of teams to Division 1 Events Europe – here
Allocation of teams to Division 2 Events Europe – here

Quotes:

Judy Ann Melchior, talking about her horse As Cold as Ice Z – “It was only a six-month break for her so I didn’t want to give her to another rider.”

Philippe Le Jeune talking about the Belgian team’s pool of horses – “We have a few top horses out for stallion duties. Therefore, we had to train our young horses and build up a new team.”

Philippe Le Jeune, talking about defending the individual title he won at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010 – “I want to defend my title. This is my main objective and I will try to do my best next year. It has been in the back of my head for the past couple of years.”

Judy Ann Melchior, talking about the wall at fence 10 which penalised a large number of today’s competitors – “It was slim and you had to be very careful at it because if you touched it at all it would fall.”

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.

Media Contacts:

At Lisbon:

Joao Francisco Costa
Email: press@csiolisboa.com
Tel: + 351 91 659 41 81

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

Farrington, Ward, McCrea, and Mathy Win on Opening Day of Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament

June 7, 2013 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Kent Farrington and Blue Angel. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Calgary, AB – June 5, 2013 – The 2013 Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments began today, and riding on new turf footing, riders contested four FEI-level competitions. For the third year in a row, Kent Farrington (USA) captured victory in the $33,000 ATB Financial Cup 1.50m, this year with Blue Angel. In the $33,000 Enbridge Cup 1.45m, McLain Ward (USA) was victorious with Super Trooper de Ness. Christine McCrea (USA) and Romantovich Take One won the $33,000 Bantrel Cup 1.45m, while Francois Mathy (BEL) on Polinska des Isles won the opening competition of the day, the $33,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.60m.

Watch a video of today’s highlights!

The $33,000 ATB Financial Cup 1.45m was the highlight competition of the day and the final one in the International Ring. The course designer in the International Ring this week is Werner Deeg of Germany. There were 49 entries in the ATB Financial Cup, but only one made it through the first round without faults. With a tight time allowed in the first round, it was difficult to go clear without jumping or time faults, and nine entries finished with one time fault.

Farrington and Blue Angel, an 11-year-old Warmblood mare by Luidam x Ascendent owned by Robin Parsky, posted a clear round in 77.968 seconds for victory. Darragh Kerins (IRL) and E Muze Yek, owned by Kerins and Maarten Huygens, were just over the 80-second time allowed in 80.899 seconds. Third place went to Charlie Jacobs (USA) on CMJ Sporthorse LLC’s Flaming Star, who crossed the timers in 81.918 seconds.

“Basically it just turned into a speed class, more or less,” Farrington remarked. “Everyone was trying to go as quick as they could and leave the jumps up. That horse is fast all by itself, so that probably played a big advantage today. I don’t think there was anything special that I did except use the horse’s natural speed and really watch my turns.”

Farrington said that Blue Angel is “an experienced horse that can win at a lot of places.” He continued, “I have big hopes for her in the future and it will be fun to see what she can do. She likes it here and the ground is great. It’s always tough competition and I’m happy to win.”

Blue Angel will compete in her first team competition in next week’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup at the ‘Continental’ Tournament.

Ward’s Early Speed Stays at the Top

It seemed like the rest of the field was going for second place after McLain Ward and Super Trooper de Ness, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion by Vigo D’Arsouilles x Polydor owned by Grand Road Partners, galloped through the speed course in the $33,000 Enbridge Cup 1.45m. They went fifth in the order and stopped the timers in 64.310 seconds for victory, one second faster than second place finishers, Cadett 7 and Ashlee Bond (USA). Bond and Cadett 7, owned by Little Valley Farm, made a solid effort in 65.353 seconds and came closest to Ward’s time. Third place went to John Perez (COL) on Utopia, who finished in 67.474 seconds.

When asked if he thought his time would hold up, Ward replied, “I knew there would be a chance to be beat and it’s always nice to win, but I was really happy with the way the horse went in his first time in the big ring here. Everything is a bit new for the first time for him this year. It was nice to win.”

Ward explained that the reason Super Trooper is so speedy is thanks to his ability to keep the rails up without slowing down before the fence. “He felt really relaxed, and he’s naturally an incredibly careful horse, so you could let him go a little bit,” he said. “I loved the way he covered the ground because he’s a very, very careful horse. Sometimes he gets a little frozen and doesn’t cover the ground. But he felt loose in there and it’s wonderful footing, which helps. He’s a horse you never have to set up anywhere, you can kind of just stay on a lick. I think in the end, that makes him a faster horse than most horses. As long as you don’t make some kind of gross error, he’s going to get out of the way.”

Ward will continue to show Super Trooper de Ness this week with the aim toward preparing him for next week’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup.

*Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One*

McCrea and Romantovich Take One Find the Fast Path

The $33,000 Enbridge Cup 1.45m was held in a speed format with 48 entries starting. The fastest clear round was posted by Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding by Numero Uno x Karandasj owned by Candy Tribble. They finished faster by a large margin in 64.855 seconds. Second place went to Remarkable Farms LP’s Nice de Prissey and Brianne Goutal (USA) in 68.266 seconds, while Reed Kessler (USA) and Wolf S, owned by Iron Works Partners, were third with a time of 68.478 seconds.

McCrea did not watch anyone go before her since she was competing in another ring, but luckily she had the ride on Wannick WH earlier in the order, which gave her a good idea of how she could be faster with Romantovich Take One.

“It was a very nice course,” McCrea said. “You got to jump all over the field in the different parts of the ring. It wasn’t enormous; it was just a nice welcome back into the ring. The footing is just outstanding and it’s just perfect. I know him so well that I decided to go for the win and it worked out.”

This win marks yet another in a string of grand prix victories that McCrea has had over the past month, which included two at the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows and two at HITS Saugerties. McCrea attributed her success with Romantovich Take One to three things, “He likes cooler weather, a little excitement, and he likes to travel around. I think all of those things have come into play the last couple of months, which has kind of perked him up a little bit. He loves it here.”

Today’s success was McCrea’s first win in the International Ring at Spruce Meadows. “That was my first time and it was so fun!” she said with a smile. “I’m really proud of it actually! It’s really cool.”

Mathy Takes Opening Win

It was a fast jump-off for the opening competition, the $33,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.60m, in the International Ring for the ‘National’ Tournament with Belgium’s Francois Mathy Jr. galloping to the win on Polinska des Isles, a 10-year-old Selle Francais mare by Diamant de Semilly x Valespoir Malabry owned by Team Harmony and Francois Mathy.

Mathy was one of five double clear rounds in a jump-off of nine entries. He and Polinska crossed the timers in 39.356 seconds, just edging out Olympian Reed Kessler (USA) and Cylana, who posted a time of 39.496 seconds. Third place went to Enrique Gonzalez (MEX) on Criptonite, who had a time of 41.892 seconds.

Polinska was successful at her last show, the La Baule CSIO 5*, in May. They placed fifth in the grand prix. Mathy said, “She’s been quite competitive since I’ve had her, so I’m really happy. She won her first grand prix at end of year at a three-star when she was eight. One year ago she started to do the big classes.”

Mathy competed with Polinska at the 2012 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament, so he felt comfortable taking her in the 1.60m in her first start out. “She knows the ring, which is a help when you start directly in a big class. The course was quite open, so I think that helped us get a bit into the rhythm,” he noted.

Although he didn’t see anyone go before him in the jump-off, Mathy planned to keep his turns tight and pace steady. “Daniel (Bluman) was in the lead and I knew he was quite fast. I just tried to keep everything tight and it seemed to work. I think where I had a good turn was to the double (combination). I think there I was quite tight and I think that helped me make up a bit of time. I didn’t see Reed’s round, but I saw she was just a little bit slower than me. That could have made the difference.”

Mathy plans to compete at all five weeks of the Summer Tournaments and was happy to win his first competition. “It’s a big investment for us when we come from Europe, so it’s super to start like that,” he remarked.

The ‘National’ Tournament CSI 5* continues tomorrow with three main events: the $33,000 Prairie Mines & Royalty LTD Cup 1.50m, the $33,000 ATCO Pipelines Cup 1.45m, and the $35,000 Spectra Energy Cup 1.60m. For more information on Spruce Meadows and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

Darragh Kerins Tops $35,000 Spectra Energy Cup at Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament

June 7, 2013 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Darragh Kerins and E Muze Yek. Photos © Spruce Meadows Media Services.

Ward Wins Again, Tisbo Takes First Victory in International Ring

Calgary, AB – June 6, 2013 – The $35,000 Spectra Energy Cup 1.60m was the highlight of today’s schedule at the Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament. Darragh Kerins (IRL) and E Muze Yek found the key to a clear round and were fastest in the jump-off for Kerins’ first victory in the International Ring. McLain Ward won for the second day in a row, this time on Zander in the $33,000 ATCO Pipelines Cup 1.45m. Another first-time International ring win came for Lauren Tisbo and Roundthorn Madios in the $33,000 Prairie Mines & Royalty Cup 1.50m.

The $35,000 Spectra Energy Cup 1.60m had 28 entries that contested a course set by Werner Deeg of Germany. Nine were clear through to the jump-off. The winning time of 40.165 seconds was set early in the jump-off by Kerins and E Muze Yek, a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding by For Pleasure x Carthago owned by Kerins and Maarten Huygens. They went second in the jump-off and no one was able to catch their speedy time and keep the jumps up.

Kerins was “delighted” with the way his horse jumped, and with his progress over the past five months. They started out in the 1.40m classes in Florida this winter, although Kerins has ridden E Muze Yek off and on for over a year. Coming to Spruce Meadows and going into the International Ring, Kerins “didn’t know what to expect.” He described, “He can be a bit sensitive and this ring can be daunting. He’s maturing very quick. I didn’t think he’d be this far a couple months ago. I couldn’t be happier with where he’s at right now.”

While he has notched several second place finishes, this was Kerins’ first victory in the International Ring. “The first couple of years I came, it beat me up pretty bad. To come back this year and win was great,” he expressed.

Second place went to Ashlee Bond (USA) and Wistful, owned by Little Valley Farm. They were clear in 40.959 seconds. Ian Millar (CAN) and Team Works’ Star Power were third with no faults in 41.023 seconds.

Bond noted that this was Wistful’s “third or fourth 1.60m class ever.” She said, “We bought her as a seven-year-old. She’s still very green and I’m trying to give her good experiences and not take too much out of her. I’m elated and so proud of her. It’s a huge accomplishment for her to do that tonight.”

Ian Millar was pleased with his partner of four years, but is also looking at the long-term plans of the next World Equestrian Games/Pan American Games/Olympic Games cycle. “They’re long-term partners,” he said, “so it gets very personal with horses and ourselves.”

All three riders praised the new turf footing in the International Ring. Millar pointed out, “To get new ground to maturity in about eight months is a huge accomplishment. It’s another first for Spruce Meadows. No other venue in the world has ever put in ground that has come in line this quickly, that’s been this good.”

McLain Ward Makes It Two

McLain Ward is starting off his Spruce Meadows Summer Tournament in his usual fashion: winning. After a win yesterday with Super Trooper de Ness, he led the victory gallop again today in the $33,000 ATCO Pipelines Cup 1.45m with his own Zander, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Cantos x Saygon, owned by Ward and Grant Road Partners LLC. There were 65 entries in the competition, and 20 advanced to the jump-off.

Ward and Zander went into the shortened course chasing a fast time of 35.46 seconds set by Kent Farrington (USA) and Zafira, owned by Haity McNerney, who went first in the jump-off. Ward and Zander boldly left out a stride in the first line, and along with one stride less in the line to the double combination, they cut down the winning time to 34.84 seconds. Third place went to Conor Swail (IRL) and Martha Louise, owned by Susan and Ariel Grange, who finished in 36.54 seconds.

Ward recapped, “I didn’t see Kent go, but I heard about it. I know him pretty well and we have a great, competitive friendship. I knew the only place was to do one less stride from (fences) one to two. It was a little dodgy, but this horse has a huge stride and I figured it was worth the risk. I had planned it before I went. I saw a few horses getting stuffed in the seven (strides). He does have a massive stride and he’s quite brave off a long spot. There was a moment in the line when I wasn’t sure I was getting there, but he was a good boy.”

Ward described Zander as a “confident and a really humble horse.” He added, “He wants to do a good job. Sometimes he’s a little babyish, but he’s really learning. I’ve tried to be really careful with him, but I’ve believed in him from the beginning. I try to move him up when I really think he’s ready to do that. This is the next step of his education.”

Ward plans to show Zander in Saturday’s $400,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix, CSI-W 5*.

Tisbo Has Inaugural International Ring Victory

The $33,000 Prairie Mines & Royalty LTD Cup was held in a winning round format. From the original 38 entries, the top 16 came back for a second round. From there, the top eight returned again over a shortened jump-off course. The only horse and rider combination to go through all three rounds without fault was Lauren Tisbo (USA) on Roundthorn Madios, an 11-year-old Irish Sporthorse gelding by Condios x Clover Hill owned by Tequestrian Farms LLC.

In the third round for speed, Tisbo and Roundthorn Madios finished with the fastest time of 45.22 seconds. Second place went to Katie Dinan (USA) and Nougat du Vallet (46.13 seconds), owned by Grand Road Partners LLC, while Conor Swail (IRL) and Susan Grange’s Game Ready were third in 46.98 seconds.

Tisbo felt that it was a big chance to take an inside turn in a rollback to a vertical, but that it is what helped her get the win today. “I think only one or two other people did it. Candice King, who is helping me here this week, said, ‘If you land and you see it, go to it.’ So I guess I got lucky! It just worked out,” she said.

Tisbo and Roundthorn Madios have been paired since November; the horse was brought along by Irish rider Andrew Bourns and competed in the BMO Nations Cup at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament. “He brought him along beautifully and already gave him his debut in the International Ring, so I knew I had nothing to worry about,” Tisbo said of their first time together at Spruce Meadows.

This was Tisbo’s first win in the International Ring. “I don’t think it’s quite set in yet,” she expressed. “Ever since you first come here, you see the classes in this ring and you think you want to show in them one day. Then you’re showing in them and you think, ‘I want to win one day.’ And it finally was my day.”

The ‘National’ Tournament CSI-W 5* continues tomorrow with two main events: the $35,000 ATCO Energy Solutions Cup 1.45m and the $35,000 RBC Capital Markets Cup 1.50m. Junior and Amateurs will contest the $10,000 Mercer Jumper 1.40m in the All Canada Ring. For more information on Spruce Meadows and full results, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com.

What Can You Do at Spruce Meadows?

For full details, please visit www.sprucemeadows.com or contact us at 403.974.4200 or information@sprucemeadows.com.

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

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

Julie Wolfert Wraps Up Double Wins at Colorado Horse Park CCI*

June 3, 2013 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Julie Wolfert and Buenos Dias (Photo by Cristy Cumberworth)

Parker, CO – June 2, 2013 – Julie Wolfert, the leader after the first two phases in the CCI* and Open Intermediate divisions at the Colorado Horse Park CCI*, Training 3-Day and Horse Trials, stayed consistent in Sunday’s show jumping and claimed victory in both divisions. Solid rounds with Buenos Dias in the CCI* and Buenos Aires in Open Intermediate secured her the double wins.

Wolfert had a single knockdown with each horse, but excellent dressage scores on Friday and strong efforts on Saturday in the cross-country ensured her the first-place ranking in the event’s featured divisions.

She started the day off on the right note with a double-clear round on Vindicated in the Novice Horse division, which helped her move up from fourth to second place. Her next ride was on Buenos Dias in the CCI*, and she described the Brian Curry-designed course as a true challenge.

“It was really tough,” Wolfert said. “It was really tight and turny – you had to keep turning and thinking.”

She blamed herself for the rail with Buenos Dias. “It was a vertical and I should have rocked back and gotten nice and light,” she said. “I should have just kept on going. It’s actually my fault. I don’t do well off of long approaches, but that’s okay. I’m thrilled!”

After the testing ride on Buenos Dias, Wolfert was happy to try out the course again with Buenos Aires. “This was a lot more fun than the last one because he is such a hard jumper,” she said. “He just kind of flies over the jump. I always have a lot of fun when I ride him. I rode a little more forward around the turns and found my distance better.”

CCI*

Sydney Conley Elliott, second behind Wolfert on SaffariO, and Grayson Wall, third on Stryker, were the only two CCI* riders to jump double-clear in both the cross-country and show jumping. Elliott, who finished on her dressage score of 48.6, ended up just .6 penalties behind Wolfert after Wolfert dropped a rail.

“He was wonderful,” Elliott said of SaffariO. “He jumped well. Very rideable which he has been really struggling with. He finished on his dressage score. I can’t beat that.”

Wall, who is 15 years old and going into her sophomore year at Highland Park High School in Dallas, TX, moved up from her fifth-place position after cross-country to take third. She was happy with her horse’s performance over the challenging course. “He was very good,” she said. “The course was good. The turns were difficult. Overall, it went very well.”

Wall’s mother, Helena, said Grayson has worked hard to make her way up through the levels. “We got Stryker and he’s the most awesome horse,” she said. “They’ve come up from Novice, Training, Prelim and now the one-star CCI. We’ve traveled a lot of miles and she’s earned it. She actually took her finals early and then left on Thursday right after school. I think the horseback riding has made her very dedicated, determined, hard-working and very focused.”

Caroline Smith and Lucas had one rail down to stay in the fourth-place spot, while Wendy Webb and T. H. Royal Flush put in a double clear show jumping round to take fifth. Julianne Van Halst on Tristan and Nicole Hatley on ACE each had two rails down to close out the field in sixth and seventh.

Training Three-Day

Summer Peterson and Arden Stephens were closely matched throughout the first two phases of the Training Three-Day, but Peterson, riding Jake the Fish, pulled away in the show jumping to claim a clear win over Stephens and All That Matters. Stephens trailed Peterson by just 1.6 penalties in the dressage phase, and both pairs had a refusal cross-country to maintain the same difference in scores.

Stephens was first to go in show jumping and had four rails down, giving Peterson plenty of leeway going into her round. But even a double clear round couldn’t have earned Stephens the win, as Peterson and Jake the Fish put together a clear and fast round to pick up no further penalties.

Peterson was very pleased with Jake the Fish’s effort. “Stadium is definitely his hardest and he was the most rideable he’s ever been, even if it didn’t really look like it,” she said. “He was good and I was really proud of him.”

The Training Three-Day format gives horses and riders the opportunity to ride the classic long format at the Training level. Roads and Tracks and Steeplechase phases are added to cross-country day, providing an additional test of horses’ endurance.

Peterson said she chose the format because it helps her horse relax and settle down. “He’s so spooky and just so full of it,” she said. “It really helps to get those miles on him. I think it helps him settle and it’s really good training for him. So I’m planning to do three or four this year. He’s a Thoroughbred and he’s fit enough so it’s not hard for him.”

Stephens saw it as an opportunity to try something fun. “I was really excited about the cross country and the roads and tracks, and I thought it would be a really fun thing to do,” she said. “I loved it.”

Open Intermediate

Wolfert and Buenos Aires had a 10.4-point advantage going into the show jumping phase of the Open Intermediate, and their four-fault round was enough to secure the win by an impressive 18.4 penalties over their nearest competitor. Hailey Rich and Kingfisher II, their closest challengers, had three rails down in show jumping. Erin Hofmann and Macchiato were third, while Martha McDowell and Nabouco de Lessay took fourth.

“This is our hardest part and he was all tight, so I just worked with what I had,” Rich said. “The course was definitely complicated. I think it’s good, but it’s harder. This is a great show.”

Hoffman, who had a single rail, enjoyed the course. “It rode really well,” she said. “It was tight but it was good because it sets you up for the fences. The rail was just my fault. He jumped well today.”

McDowell and Nabouco de Lessay were clean and fast over the show jumping course after picking up both jumping and time faults on Saturday’s cross-country. “It was super,” she said after her round. “This horse is such a good show jumper. He was listening really well.”

Open Preliminary

*Rochelle Costanza and Lionhart. Photo by Cristy Cumberworth*

Rochelle Costanza and Lionhart had a comfortable lead in Open Preliminary after cross-country, but two rails and a time fault in show jumping nearly cost them the win. They finished on a score of 39, while Amy Gilbertson and One Honest Man closed the gap to finish on 41.5. Summer Peterson finished just a tenth of a point behind Gilbertson in third.

“It was a little sticky, but we still pulled it off,” Costanza said. “The course today was challenging. The distances were varied so you really had to adjust your horse accordingly and I liked it.”

“Yesterday was fabulous,” she continued. “My horse is really bold. It was the first time he ever made the time and his first prelim was one year ago. We were ready. It was my turn. He’s a warmblood, so he’s not exactly the fastest horse, but he is strong and he likes it. We had a fun time.”

Other Colorado Horse Park winners included Nicole Musmanno and Cobblehill JHN Imogen in Open Training, Christina Henriksen and Princess Pavan in Training Horse, and Dan Michaels in Training Rider. Novice division winners were Martha Deeds and CF Rock Star in Novice Horse, Heather Haubrich and Jasmine in Novice Rider – A, Grace Simpson and Rapport in Novice Rider B, and Angelika Beutel and Sidney Rose Belle in Open Novice. Vicki Dudash and Gracefully Dun took first place in Beginner Novice Rider, Lauren Jost and Wink at the Judge earned the blue in Jr. Beginner Novice Rider, and Lee Anne Thomas and Orion’s Dunaire were the victors in Open Beginner Novice.

For full results, visit http://www.evententries.com/livescoring/15284.html.

The Colorado Horse Park CCI*, T3D & Horse Trials Fast Facts

What: USEF/USEA Recognized Division: CCI1*, Intermediate, Preliminary

USEF Endorsed/USEA Recognized Divisions: T,T3D,N,BN

USEA Event ID: 15284

Event Date: May 31 – June 02, 2013

Tentative Schedule:
Wed: In-Barn Examination for CCI horses from 1-5 p.m.
Thurs: CCI: In-Barn Examination for CCI horses till 1 p.m.
2 p.m. Briefing and course walk for FEI competitors and coaches; 4:30 p.m. First Horse Inspection; HT course open 3 p.m.
Fri: Dressage – 8 a.m.
Sat: Cross-country – 8 a.m.
Sun: 8:30 a.m. CCI: Final Horse Inspection; 11:00 a.m. Show Jumping for CCI horses; HT: Show Jumping – 8 a.m.

Starting Times:

Entry status is listed at www.coloradohorsepark.com and starting times will be on the website after 6 p.m. on May 31.

Directions:

Address: 7522 South Pinery Drive, Parker, CO 80134

From North: I-25S exit Ridgegate Parkway – go east under the freeway. Ridgegate Parkway to S. Chambers Road, approximately 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 approximately 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, approximately 4 miles (traffic light). Turn east/left onto Hwy. 86 to Franktown/Hwy 83. At Franktown go north on 83 approximately 7 miles 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.

Visit CHP at: http://coloradohorsepark.com/.

Mary Adelaide Brakenridge and Sue Weakley for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

British Win Third Leg of Furusiyya Europe Division 1 on Dramatic Day at St Gallen

May 31, 2013 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Left to Right – Laura Renwick, Joe Clee, Chef d’Equipe Rob Hoekstra, Guy Williams and Scott Brash. Photo: FEI/Katja Stuppia.

St Gallen (SUI), 30 May 2013 – The British recorded their first victory in 24 years at St Gallen, Switzerland today where the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup was disrupted by appalling weather conditions. However good sport won through, and despite the fact that the second round was bypassed in favour of a four-way jump-off between one representative from each of the leading countries, it was a thrilling contest to the very end.

The initial start-list read like a “who’s who” of the sport, but, as the heavy overnight rain failed to stop, the star-studded German team decided to withdraw even though this was their first nominated event for points-gathering in the 2013 Furusiyya series. And other sides opted for alternative horse-power, notably the Dutch who had sent their full London 2012 Olympic bronze-medal-winning side but who fielded a completely different quartet of horses on the day.

It was a tough challenge from the outset as the remaining seven countries battled it out over the rain-sodden track, but Laura Renwick and the aptly-named Oz de Breve sealed it in style for Great Britain with the quickest run against the clock. Even that was fraught with drama however.

Testing Day

For Swiss course designer, Gerard Lachat, it was a testing day in every sense. He modified his original course by removing the open water at fence six and replacing it with a double, and also by changing the triple combination at fence nine into a double instead. In fact the course included three doubles in total when taking into account the Longines oxer and vertical at fence four. As it turned out, the replacement double at fence six proved the bogey of the day, coming on a bending line from the previous water-tray oxer and asking for a long single stride between its two elements. Of the 28 horse-and-rider combinations in the first round, 13 faulted here and often when they didn’t seem to have quite enough impulsion on take-off, leaving them with a very long stretch to the second element.

Renwick was one of five to complete the course free of faults in the opening round, Swiss pathfinder and first man into the ring, Pius Schwizer, doing likewise with Picsou du Chene along with Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts (Cortez), Italy’s Luca Moneta (Neptune Brecourt) and Ireland’s Cian O’Connor, who borrowed his Olympic individual bronze medal winning ride, Blue Loyd, from new owner, Canada’s Nicola Walker, for the day. And those clears proved pivotal for the Irish, Belgian, Swiss and British teams as they all completed round one with an eight-fault total to share the lead at what should have been the halfway stage.

With 12 points on the board, the Italians and French were next in line, while the Dutch brought up the rear with a 16-fault scoreline.

With the temperature now down to 3 degrees, the rain getting heavier and dark clouds dimming the light even though it was still only late afternoon on what should have been a summery Swiss day, there were discussions between the chefs d’equipe, the Ground Jury and the FEI at the end of the first round which led to a decision to bring the competition to a swift conclusion. All seven of the chefs d’equipe requested that there should be no second round and that one rider from each of the four teams sharing the lead would go into a jump-off to decide the result. And there were still more surprises in store.

Set the Pace

Olympic champion Steve Guerdat was the choice of Swiss Chef d’Equipe, Urs Groenig, and he set the pace with a strong clear from the 12-year-old grey mare, Nasa, who broke the beam in 43.94 seconds to put it up to the rest of them. Next out was Renwick, but when a pole fell at the second element of the Longines double, which was still the fourth fence on the track, it seemed her better time of 43.38 seconds was in vain.

Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet and Desteny van het Dennehof also dropped a pole here in the slower time of 43.70, but by the time last man in, Ireland’s Shane Breen, set off with Balloon on his four-fault run, it was already confirmed that Renwick had been clear. A pole had indeed hit the floor, but as it was a lower one and it didn’t affect the height of the fence. She had clinched it for the British for the first time since 1989 and would stand on the podium alongside Brash Scott (Hello Whisky Mac) and Guy Williams (Titus), who had both fallen victim to the second element of the bogey double at fence six, and Joe Clee (Utamaro D’Ecaussines), who had provided Britain’s first-round discard score of 18.

Renwick said immediately afterwards that she thought the mysterious falling pole may have been dislodged when her horse lost a shoe in the jump-off, and video replay proved her absolutely right. The shoe flicked forward and pushed the lower pole out of its cup, but Oz de Breve never touched the fence.

Proud and Delighted

“I’m very proud of my horse and delighted for the team,” said Renwick, who also claimed the Furusiyya Rider of the Day award. “My horse felt great in the first round; the conditions didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest and he was great second time out too; he just jumped like he normally would,” she said.

Talking about her neat-bodied 11-year-old French gelding, she pointed out, “He’s always quick; he has a lot of blood about him.” They enjoyed the biggest success of their career together recently, “when we won the Kings Cup at Madrid 5*; previous to that he won the 3* Grand Prix at Hardelot and we were third in the 5* Grand Prix in Gijon last year.” She said she was happy to jump the course today – “The ground was wet and a bit sloppy but the track was modified enough to be sure it was safe to jump and anyway for us Irish and English riders, we are well used to going on ground like this!”

Based in Essex, England, Renwick spends a lot of time on the road travelling to shows, “but this was my first top league Nations Cup,” she said. She is hoping to be selected for further teams later in the year, and after today’s performance, British team manager Rob Hoekstra will surely have been impressed. Oz de Breve seemed unflappable and jumped clean and clear. “He’s a cheeky chappie for sure!” Renwick said of her little horse, “He’s only pocket-sized but he’s really brave and he thinks he’s a really big guy!”

Right Decision

Rob Hoekstra, described today as “a weird day but a good day – for us it was the right decision to go into a jump-off, which was exciting; we took a chance and came up trumps which is great. We’re stealing a few points away from others, which helps. It was the same for us in Rome last week, where we didn’t have a good result and others took the results, so we’re happy,” he said.

And Olympic champion Steve Guerdat put it in perspective when he said, “The first run, I was the last rider so Nasa was struggling to get over the fence; the ground started to give up a little bit and it made it hard. The jump-off was OK as it was only four horses – I think it was the right decision to take – I would have preferred to win but sometimes you have to accept when the others are better!”

FEI Jumping Director, John Roche, said, “Everything that was done today was done in consultation with the Chef d’Equipes and every decision taken was done with the welfare of the horse in mind.” According to the rules of the series, Germany cannot now qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, Spain in September as the team cannot fulfill the qualification criteria.

With three of the eight legs of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Europe Division 1 series now completed, the leaderboard is currently headed by Switzerland carrying 180 points, with France lying second on 157.67 points and Ireland in third with 150.67.

Only six of the eight teams in Division 1 will make it through to the Final, but there are still five more events to go in this top league, and further opportunities for the remaining countries to collect those all-important points at the four qualifying events selected for this purpose. Under the new format introduced this season, countries in both Europe Division 1 and Europe Division 2 have nominated the specific events at which they will be aiming for points. Details of those events can be found as follows:

Allocation of teams to Division 1 Events Europe – here
Allocation of teams to Division 2 Events Europe – here

The next leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series takes place in Lisbon, Portugal next Friday, 7 June. For information on the Portuguese fixture, check out website www.sociedadehipica.pt.

Facts and Figures:

St Gallen presented the third leg of Europe Division 1 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series.

7 teams lined out in today’s competition following the withdrawal of Germany.

Heavy rain overnight and throughout the day today resulted in changes to the course designed by Switzerland’s Gerard Lachat.

As a result there was no triple combination, but three doubles were included on the 12-fence first-round track.

5 horse-and-rider combinations jumped clear in the first round.

The bogey fence in round one was the double – vertical to oxer – which replaced the open water on the originally-designed course.

13 of the 28 starters in round one faulted at this fence.

Due to the difficult weather conditions there was no second round, and one rider for each of the four leading teams went into a jump-off against the clock in which Laura Renwick and Oz de Breve clinched it for Great Britain.

Quotes:

Guy Williams, GBR – “We had to work hard as the ground wasn’t the best, but we dug deep and Laura pulled it out of the bag, so we’re all happy. The ground went a little bit at the end, you could see by the scores – it was hard work but lucky for us we pulled together and got a result. Laura is in form, she’s an in-form rider and she rode really well and we’re pleased that she did it so it’s good.”

Laura Renwick, GBR – “The pressure was on a little bit and I’m not used to that so much but the horse felt great in the first round, and the conditions didn’t seem to bother him at all so I understand Rob’s decision to put him in. At that fence I thought I’d actually knocked it down but he lost his shoe, which I think knocked into the bottom poles, but he was great in both rounds and I’m really proud of the horse, and really happy with the team as well. London is next so we’re going to go there tonight now and give my horses a couple more days at home.”

Scott Brash, GBR – “It was a great performance in these conditions; it was the same for everyone, so great that we came out on top. The conditions weren’t great. When you walked out it was the smallest Nations Cup I’ve ever walked, but it rode bigger than it walked and definitely for the last couple of riders it was very hard. The horses were getting stuck in the double – it was tough.”

Rob Hoekstra, GBR – “It was difficult to choose for the jump-off because Laura and Guy are both very fast, but Laura has won more classes than I think any other rider in Europe this year; she’s very fast, she’s very consistent, so I thought I’d go with her. I’m happy, I’m very happy.”

FEI YouTube: http://youtu.be/R-bP6QmfekQ

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

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

By Louise Parkes

Media contacts:

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 St Gallen

Peter Wyrsch
Email: peter.wyrsch@sportinformation.ch
Tel: + 41 79 406 52 07

At Revolution Sports + Entertainment:

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Show Jumping

Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments to Host New CSIO Event, Record Entries Expected

May 29, 2013 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Calgary, AB, Canada – May 29, 2013 – Spruce Meadows, home to some of the most prestigious and popular show jumping events in the world, is excited to welcome the best riders to their summer tournaments, which begin on June 5 and continue with five tournaments through July 14, 2013. Along with an unparalleled venue, riders can look forward to fantastic prize money and the opportunity to gain world ranking points, Rolex FEI World Cup qualifying points, and the chance to help their country qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Series Final.

Starting with the ‘National’ CSI 5* Tournament on June 5-9, competition features include the Spruce Meadows Canadian Show Jumping Championship, the $400,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix on Saturday, June 8, and the $175,000 Nexen Cup 1.60m derby on Sunday, June 9.

The ‘Continental’ CSIO-W 5* Tournament will run from June 13-16, with complimentary admission and parking for spectators. The ‘Continental’ Tournament will hold the $200,000 CN Performance Grand Prix, a Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier, on Sunday, June 16.

Spruce Meadows is host to one of only two Furusiyya Nations Cup events in North America, which will be a qualifier for countries hoping to attend the series final in Barcelona, Spain, in September. Following the first event for the region in Wellington at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival, the United States leads with 100 points, Canada is close behind at 90, and Mexico is in third with 65 points.

Spruce Meadows President, Linda Southern Heathcott, commented, “We added a CSIO event in June so that we could participate in the qualification process for teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Series Final. Since we invited less than five teams, Canada, United States, and Mexico are allowed to field two teams each. My hope is that we can be instrumental in developing second teams for these nations and help their programs.”

Along with Canada, United States, and Mexico, there will be a team from Ireland participating in the $100,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup on Thursday, June 13.

John Madden, Chairman of the FEI Jumping Committee, stated, “To have a Nations Cup at Spruce Meadows is really important because it’s the first year of the Furusiyya series, and I believe the series will be integral to the sport. For our region in the Americas, it gives us a competitive way to earn a spot and prepare for the final. The changes that were made to the Series this year were intended to create global opportunities to help develop the sport of show jumping. This is exactly what we are seeing here in the Americas, which is really exciting.”

For United States Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, the new Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Series works better for North American riders. “I have long held that the former Top League was counterproductive to the healthy state of show jumping in North America, and to the rest of the world, for that matter. By limiting the highest level of the Nations Cup Series to Western Europe, the sport was not encouraged to expand to the other continents of the world, and as a result, the top non-European riders were forced to spend an inordinate amount of their efforts away from their home countries,” he explained. “With the advent of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Series, North American riders can now qualify for the Final at two venues (Wellington and Spruce Meadows) that are on their regular schedules.”

Having another Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup qualifying event in North America means a great deal to the Canadian Show Jumping Team as well. Chef d’Equipe Mark Laskin stated, “It affects us in a number of ways. If we qualify for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final every year, like we hope to, we will be able to send our top team on a yearly basis to compete against all of the best teams in the world. In the past, our competition was restricted in Europe because the main competitions were tied up in the Super League, it was a huge commitment to financially partake in that series, and it conflicted with the major portion of our show season. Now, even though they may be used as qualifiers for European teams, it will be possible for us to obtain invitations to compete at some of the most prestigious competitions in the world.”

In addition, Laskin points out that the revamped series has already produced a new Nations Cup during the ‘Continental’ tournament that didn’t exist before. “I think it’s going to lead to even more competitions for us to compete in, within our region, and it is generating a lot more interest in all of the regions of the world,” he remarked.

Madden also commented on the unique opportunity that the United States, Canada, and Mexico will have at the Furusiyya Nations Cup to send two teams, “It’s a really fantastic development for the sport in North America. Not only is it the best venue for these riders, it becomes a great training ground. It goes with Spruce Meadows’ mission to develop the sport. I think it will be fun for spectators and productive for the nations to see two of their own teams compete against each other.”

“The Furusiyya Nations Cup event at Spruce Meadows provides an opportunity for more of the younger American riders to get valuable international team experience,” Ridland added.

Laskin said he will use the ‘National’ Tournament to see which horses and riders are in top shape and their current form will be a ‘determining factor’ to choose the Canadian teams. He said, “If developing riders are firing on all cylinders, they’ll definitely get a chance.”

He also said that the ability for two teams has also led to increased interest from the riders to be on a team. “Having the Nations Cup on our home turf means a lot to our riders. We have a huge list to pick from,” Laskin pointed out. “It’s great for us to have two teams from a developing point of view. We’re doubling the experience for our riders and I think that’s extremely beneficial.”

Having the additional Nations Cup experience at the best show jumping venue in the world doesn’t hurt either. “Our riders can compete there year after year and improve their competitive level on an international basis,” Laskin said. “A lot of the reason why our riders are so comfortable (at international and championship venues) is if you can compete at Spruce Meadows, you can compete anywhere in the world. Knowing that gives us a lot of confidence when we walk into an arena anywhere else.”

Madden and his wife Beezie regularly attend the Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments; Beezie is the number three all-time money winner at Spruce Meadows and the current Rolex FEI World Cup Champion.

“I believe that Spruce Meadows is the standard for our sport,” said Madden. “From the footing, the arenas, the fans, sponsors, media coverage, and more, it represents everything that is the best in equestrian sport.”

The other three tournaments during Spruce Meadows’ summer schedule include the ‘Canada One’ CSI-W 4* Tournament, June 25-30, ‘North American’ CSI 5* Tournament, July 3-7, and ‘Pan American’ CSI 5* Tournament, July 11-14.

Spruce Meadows is expecting record entries for the ‘National’ and ‘North American’ Tournaments, with riders from 11 nations represented.

As always, Spruce Meadows also offers a full schedule of events for junior and amateur jumper riders. Make your plans to visit Spruce Meadows this year and see the best show jumping action in the world!

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

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

Faudree and Little Produce Top Ten Finishes at Saumur CCI3*

May 27, 2013 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Will Faudree and Andromaque (Shannon Brinkman)

Saumur, France – Clear rounds were at a premium Sunday at the Saumur CCI3* as 34 combinations went forward into the show jumping. Only three competitors, including winner Bill Levett, were able to produce faultless trips over Pierre Michelet’s demanding track. The U.S. entries of Will Faudree, Marilyn Little and Hannah Sue Burnett each incurred eight faults over the course, as all three Land Rover Competition Grant recipients dislodged two rails.

Faudree (Hoffman, NC) and Jennifer Mosing’s Andromaque entered the final phase in fourth place following a spectacular trip around the cross country on Saturday. In the show jumping, the 12-year-old Irish Thoroughbred mare faulted at fences six and 10A to move down one place. The talented pair finished in fifth on a score of 55.8.

“She tried very hard and looked great this morning. She’s naturally a very careful horse, so I’m not too concerned about it in the future,” said the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games veteran of Andromaque’s performance on Sunday. “I just need to apply what I learned this weekend going forward.”

Faudree also realizes the importance of competing in Europe and facing different challenges as the U.S. prepares for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games next year in Normandy.

“The rails are quite light and spindly over here; you can’t even breathe on them. We need to be prepared for that in the future.”

Little (Frederick, MD) and Raylyn Farms Inc. and Phoebe and Michael Manders’ eight-year-old Wurttemburger gelding RF Smoke on the Water were able to maintain their eighth place position despite incurring eight faults. The 2012 USEF National CCI3* Eventing Reserve Champions lowered the heights of fences eight and 11 to finish on a total of 60.

First to jump for the U.S. on Sunday were Burnett (The Plains, VA) and Jacqueline Mars’ 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Harbour Pilot. The 2011 Pan American Games Team Gold and Individual Silver medalists finished in 26th place on a score of 91.4 after rolling poles at the second and eighth fences.

Buck Davidson (Ocala, FL) and Sherrie Martin’s The Apprentice were also competing at the Saumur CCI3* on a Land Rover Competition Grant but were eliminated on Saturday’s cross country for not properly jumping fence 18B before continuing on course.

Australia’s Levett claimed victory at the prestigious French competition finishing on his dressage of 42.6 with Shannondale Titan.

To learn more about the Saumur CCI3*, visit: http://www.saumur.org/cci/accueil-gb.html.

Follow the 2013 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team here.

By Helen Murray

Competitions, FEI, Show Jumping

Dutch Make It a Hat-Trick of Furusiyya Victories at Copenhagen

May 25, 2013 Associate Editor Leave a comment

(left to right) William Greve, Suzanne Tepper, Jur Vrieling and Hendrik-Jan Schuttert. Photo: FEI/Annette Boe Ostergaard.

Copenhagen (DEN), 24 May 2013 – The Dutch are clearly on a roll after recording their third victory of the inaugural Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping series at Copenhagen in Denmark today. Winners at the opening leg at Al Ain, UAE in February, they also topped the first round of the Europe Division 1 league just a week ago in La Baule, France. And today another new combination of horses and riders took the lead from the outset and added only four faults to their first-round zero score to head the line-up at the Danish venue where six nations – Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland and Sweden – were all hunting for qualifying points ahead of the series Final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain in September.

France finished second with the host nation in third, while the British slotted into fourth ahead of Sweden and Poland in joint-fifth place. Both Belgium and Switzerland added 16 faults second time out, but this was still good enough to take seventh and eighth places respectively as only eight of the 13 countries went through to the second round.

Put It Up to Them

London 2012 Olympic Games course designer, Great Britain’s Bob Ellis, really put it up to them at this Europe Division 2 event with a course that asked them to turn and re-balance, and to measure their distances carefully. And as if that wasn’t quite enough, he set them an enormous question just three fences from home, with the open water followed by the triple combination of vertical, to oxer, to vertical before tackling the offset final oxer at fence 12.

Time and again horses coped well with the early part of the track only for it all to fall apart here. Jur Vrieling wasn’t only competing on the Dutch team, he was also acting as team manager for the day, and the much-experienced 44-year-old said of the course, “When I walked it I thought it was difficult enough; it’s the first time in my life that I had a triple combination after the water and I was really a bit surprised by it! But it ended up very well for us. It makes the victory even nicer after a difficult task – because you can say that it was quite something for the horses to jump! It (the course) was very nicely built, but it was tough enough,” he added.

Bit between Their Teeth

At the end of the first round the Dutch already had the bit between their teeth as their only mistake was made by their opening rider, Hendrik-Jan Schuttert (Up to Date HS) who had been a member of the winning side at La Baule a week earlier. And the host country was looking strong with only the four faults registered by Andreas Schou (Allerdings) on the board following clears from both Thomas Velin (Chopin van Het) and Thomas Sandgaard (Amarone). Poland and France were next in line with eight faults apiece while Sweden was on nine, Britain and Belgium were each carrying 12, and Switzerland had racked up a total of 13.

These eight nations qualified for round two, but, with 16 faults, the Irish had to settle for the best of the rest in ninth place ahead of Norway with 20 faults in 10th, Finland in 11th place with 25 faults, Germany in 12th with 28 and Italy’s 32 first-round faults leaving them lying 13th and last.

Hardly Flinched

Once out in front, the Dutch hardly flinched, pathfinder Schuttert going clear second time out and anchorman Vrieling clinching it with the only double-clear of the day with his very handsome grey, Zirocco Blue VDL, which ensured the four collected by Willem Greve second time out was all they had to add. Suzanne Tepper had provided a vital first-round clear with KM Wish but the horse seemed to tire in the round two with three fences down.

The Danes slipped to third when having to count three four-fault results this time out, and that allowed the French to move into runner-up spot as both Nicolas Delmotte (Number One d’Iso Un Prince) and Timothee Anciaume (Quorioso Pre Noir) kept a clean sheet so they only had to add in the one mistake made by Aymeric Azzolino’s impressive French-bred, Looping D’Elle.

The British meanwhile improved two places when Jesse Drea’s second-round clear with Touchable meant they could drop the eight collected by Tim Davies (Salome ll) and count just the single errors from opener David McPherson (Octavio) and anchorman Geoff Billington (Uppercut) – the latter providing the only British clear of the first round.

Result a Delight

For rider and Chef d’Equipe Jur Vrieling, the Dutch result was a delight. “I am very pleased,” he said. “I think all three of the other riders had a really good round. When you start the first round well then it’s just about keeping your head and staying positive – it went really well for us,” he explained. And talking about his own horse, Zirocco Blue, he added, “He’s a breeding stallion, breeding a lot in Holland and he is a really fantastic horse, and for sure one for the future. I think you can say the same for Willem Greve’s Carambole – these are two exceptional horses.”

Greve agreed: “My horse is a nine-year-old stallion I produced myself since he was four. I took a lot of time with him, and gave him a lot of time to develop himself. I was very pleased with the way he jumped today. I think he jumped the first round beautifully and the second round even better! We took a bit of the pressure off Jur who was the last rider of our team, and he did it brilliantly. We all had a share in this win, so that makes it feel really good, and we have a really good team atmosphere so we are very happy!” said the 30-year-old rider.

Tepper has been enjoying an ever-upward curve in recent months with KM Wish. “I have her for two years now and she’s really good with lots of scope and she’s fast. A month ago we won a Grand Prix in Poland, then we were on the Nations Cup team that was second in Drammen and we were second in the Grand Prix there. I think she was getting tired when we had those fences down in the second round,” she added.

Schuttert has been riding the 12-year-old Up to Date since the horse was five years old. “I rode two Young Riders Europeans with him. In the first round today I had one down; I came in a bit big into the combination (the double at fence three) but afterwards it came good in the second round where I had a clear.”

Surprised Them Today

Course designer, Bob Ellis, certainly surprised them today. “I was very pleased,” he said. “I think that we had 10 or 12 clear rounds in the first round and I think 6 or 7 in the second round. I think that I am actually the lucky Mascot for the Dutch team; everywhere I seem to be they seem to win, including many medals at the Games! – and the sun shone for us today”.

When asked if it is difficult to build a course in the Copenhagen arena because of the trees and the shadows they create, he said, “You’ve got the gradients as well which take its toll with the course but no, it’s not difficult. What is difficult is that you’ve got 13 teams through all sorts of levels, to be fair to everybody, you’ve got some very good teams and some lesser teams. It wasn’t a monster of a course; there were a couple of big verticals and not terrific spreads but it was difficult enough in the last line, very difficult,” he pointed out. Plenty of the riders today would agree with that, but the winning Dutch proved more than equal to the challenge.

The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2013 series now moves on to St Gallen in Switzerland next week for the third leg of the Europe Division 1 series. For information on the Swiss fixture, check out website www.csio.ch or contact Press Officer Peter Wyrsch at Email peter.wyrsch@csio.ch or Tel +41 79406 5207.

For information on today’s leg at Copenhagen, check website www.firstgrandprix.dk or email Press Officer Trine Gronvaldt at presse@spr.dk, Tel + 45 22 71 40 40.

Facts and Figures:

13 nations competed in today’s Europe Division 2 leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup in Copenhagen, Denmark.

8 went into the second round.

Course designer was Great Britain’s Bob Ellis who built the track for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The teams fighting for points towards qualification for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, Spain in September were Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland and Sweden.

The youngest horses competing in today’s competition at Copenhagen were both 8-year-olds and ridden by British riders – David McPherson’s Octavio and Geoff Billington’s Uppercut ll.

The oldest horse was the 16-year-old Bischof L ridden by Poland’s Andrzej Lemanski.

One double-clear in today’s competition from The Netherlands’ Jur Vrieling and Zirocco Blue VDL.

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

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

By Louise Parkes

Media contacts:

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 Copenhagen:

Trine Grønvaldt
Press Officer
presse@spr.dk
+ 45 22 71 40 40

At Revolution Sports + Entertainment:

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

Horses in the South – An Equine News Publisher

Tag Archives: Show Jumping

Two Years in a Row: Kent Farrington and Uceko Win $400,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix CSI-W 5*

Beezie Madden Two for Two on Friday at Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament

Belgians Lead Europe Division 2 Following Convincing Furusiyya Victory in Lisbon

Farrington, Ward, McCrea, and Mathy Win on Opening Day of Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament

Darragh Kerins Tops $35,000 Spectra Energy Cup at Spruce Meadows ‘National’ Tournament

Julie Wolfert Wraps Up Double Wins at Colorado Horse Park CCI*

British Win Third Leg of Furusiyya Europe Division 1 on Dramatic Day at St Gallen

Spruce Meadows Summer Tournaments to Host New CSIO Event, Record Entries Expected

Faudree and Little Produce Top Ten Finishes at Saumur CCI3*

Dutch Make It a Hat-Trick of Furusiyya Victories at Copenhagen

Your Southern Source for Everything Horse