Tag Archives: Show Jumping

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Events, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Laura Kraut and Cedric Capture First-Ever Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Switzerland Victory

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Laura Kraut and Cherry Knoll Farm's Cedric set a blazing time of 42.53 seconds, riding to the victory in the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Switzerland. Photo By: SportFot/GCT

Lausanne, Switzerland – September 15, 2012 – The GCT championship race intensified dramatically tonight with only five points between Edwina Tops-Alexander and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson after one of the most electrifying Grand Prix of the season.

American rider Laura Kraut won the first-ever Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Switzerland on the 14-year-old grey Cedric, owned by Cherry Knoll Farm of West Grove, PA – even beating her partner and Olympic gold medalist Nick Skelton in the jump off. Laura admitted she was “over the moon” and the jump off had a nail biting twist with Australian rider Edwina facing a tough challenge for the No.1 ranking spot from Swedish rider Rolf.

The smooth Swede cranked up the pressure dramatically by jumping clear in 45.37 on his champion horse Casall La Silla. Edwina came into the ring on Cevo Itot du Château but notched up 4 faults putting her in third place. Laura was next in and set off at a dazzling pace on Cedric, putting in a brilliant turn to the double and chasing down Rolf’s time to finish in 42.53 seconds.

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Art/Photography, Benefits, Community/Charity, Competitions, Events, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

American Gold Cup Festivities Benefit JustWorld International

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North Salem, NY – September 15, 2012 – The American Gold Cup at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, New York, JustWorld International and Stadium Jumping, Inc., welcomed exhibitors, sponsors, and guests to a cocktail party Friday evening in the Main Barn of the well-appointed facility.

Competitors, sponsors, family and friends mingled and enjoyed live music, food and good cheer while horses to be offered in the OnlyJumpers.com New York Auction were demonstrated in the arena. Two miniature horses included in Saturday’s auction were also presented. The proceeds from the sale of the miniature horses will benefit JustWorld International.

A drawing for a Jeffrey Terreson original painting will go to support JustWorld International and their Adopt a Project campaign. By Friday night $2,400 was raised. The drawing runs through Sunday. JustWorld will hold their popular Horseless Horse Show benefit competition on Sunday before the $200,000 American Gold Cup CSI4*-W FEI World Cup event.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One Lead the Way in $50k American Gold Cup Qualifier

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Christine McCrea and Romantovich Take One win The American Gold Cup Qualifier. Photos by Parker/Russell the Book LLC

North Salem, NY – September 14, 2012 – Christine McCrea jumped ahead of the competition Friday to place first in the $50,000 American Gold Cup Qualifier at the picturesque Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. The day was clear and warm to welcome the 50 entrants to the final class of the day on the spectacular grass Grand Prix field.

Six entries went clear and headed to the jump-off.  McCrea had the winning time with 40.830 seconds aboard Romantovich Take One owned by Candy Tribble. “He’s really fast,” McCrea said. “He’s always been really fast.”

She added that the course was challenging for the qualifier to Sunday’s $200,000 American Gold Cup. She found the naturally hilly landscape added an extra level of difficulty to the course designed by Steve Stephens.

“The course was tricky because I think the terrain here adds a lot of spice,” she said. “You know, if you don’t ride on a terrain like this very often, you can really struggle with the hill, either working for you or against you.”

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Competitions, Events, HITS, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Peter Leone and Lincourt Gino Snare Seventh in the Pfizer Million at HITS Saugerties

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Leone Kicks Off the American Gold Cup with a Win aboard Tiffany

Peter Leone and Tiffany at the American Gold Cup. Photo by Parker/Russell the Book LLC

Wellington, FL – September 14, 2012 – In one of the most justifiably difficult courses of the fall season, Olympian Peter Leone and Monica Carrera’s Lincourt Gino delivered an enormous effort at HITS Saugerties for the coveted Pfizer Million on Sunday, September 9th. A large crowd of spectators silently followed Leone as he skillfully piloted Gino around the course, leaving all the rails in place until the final fence, where the pair had an unfortunate rail. In the end, only three riders went clear in the first round to return for the jump off.

“This course was his biggest yet and he met the challenge,” said Leone proudly of the big bay Irish Sporthorse gelding. Gino is a favorite of the Lionshare Farm staff for his kind and affectionate disposition.

In an interview for PhelpsSports.com, course designer Olaf Peterson Jr. shared the high degree of difficulty he planned into the Pfizer Million course. “I designed this course with the scopey horse in mind as well as a rider who could solve a lot,” he said.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Jonathan McCrea Sails In for the Win in the 1.45m Speed Stake in Day Two of American Gold Cup

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Jonathan McCrea and Twisther take the 1.45m Speed Stake

North Salem, NY − September 13, 2012 — The spectacular Old Salem Farm was the backdrop for sensational show jumping action on the second day of The American Gold Cup in North Salem, NY.

Forty-six riders took to the field in the warm afternoon sun for the Danbury Porsche Audi $10,000 1.45m Speed Stake held in the Grand Prix ring.  Jonathan McCrea edged out the competition on Twisther with a time of 66.156.

“You know, I think I’m lucky with Twisther,” McCrea said. “He’s a specialist in these classes and he’s going to win every time.  I’m lucky.  We work well together.  He won in New Hampshire and he won in Spruce Meadows and I was second in in the $30,000 Saturday Grand Prix in The Hamptons − the fastest time by three and a half seconds. He’s just a winner.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Magnificent New Venue for American Gold Cup Is a Hit on Opening Day

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McLain Ward and Esplanade sail away with the win in the Hallmark Feeds 1.40m. Photos: Parker/Russell-The Book LLC

North Salem, NY − September 12, 2012 – The first day of The American Gold Cup FEI CSI 4* dawned clear and cool with a cloudless sky in North Salem, NY. The magnificent Old Salem Farm is the new home of the 2012 show after an off-and-on hiatus and it’s back and better than ever. The American Gold Cup is one of the world’s most prestigious show jumping events, now celebrating its forty-second year.

The highlight of Wednesday’s action was the $7,500 Hallway Feed & KER Sport Horse Nutrition Open Jumpers held in the meticulously groomed grass Grand Prix field.

McLain Ward came away with the win aboard Esplanade 7.

“Esplanade is a nice seasoned horse, has a lot of experience on grass fields like this,” he said. “I went pretty early in the order but I knew what my plan was and I was lucky enough she performed great and then held up for the whole afternoon.” Ward said he has been riding the 14-year-old chestnut mare for the owners, Louisburg Farm, off and on for about two years. “I don’t show her too often because she’s a Iittle bit in her sunset years but when she comes out, she’s normally in the prizes.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Greeks Dominate on Home Turf in Athens

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The Turkish team of (L to R) Husnu Dinc, Cagri Basel, Hasan Senturk and Horasan Sencer celebrate their victory in the Senior Team event at the FEI Balkan Jumping Championships. Photo: FEI/Alexis Vassilopoulos.

Athens (GRE), 11 September 2012 – Greek riders proved a formidable force at the FEI Balkan Jumping Championships when claiming three individual and three team titles on their home turf in Athens over the weekend.  The 2012 fixture took place at the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre, venue for the equestrian event of the 2004 Olympic Games, and 170 riders from eight countries lined out for the event.

The Hellenic Secretary General of Sports, Mrs Kyriki Giannakidou and First Vice-President of the Hellenic Federation Mr George Lenos attended the Opening Ceremony at which the Hellenic Navy Band led the parade of nations.  With five sets of team medals and five individual titles up for grabs it was a busy schedule over the four-day fixture.

Children’s Championships

There were four nations in contention in the Children’s team competition in which the fences stood at 1.10 metres. And when Leonida Palegdas (Cenlata) and Stefania Cheinoporos (Championess) jumped double-clear, then only one of the four faults collected in each round by Dimitra Antypa (Varien) and Alexandros Kokkonis (Oleis de Chenee) had to be taken into account to give them a final total of eight.

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Community/Charity, FEI, Show Jumping

In Memoriam: Sven Harmsen 1961 – 2012

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Sven Harmsen (Photo: Jacob Melissen)

Lausanne (SUI), 12 September 2012 – Sven Harmsen (NED), the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation’s Chef d’Equipe, national coach and trainer for Ponies, Juniors and Young Riders in Jumping, has passed away at the age of 51.

He attended the 2012 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ in Calgary as Chef d’Equipe with the senior Dutch team of Jur Vrieling, Leon Thijssen, Harrie Smolders and Jeroen Dubbeldam, and shared their bronze medal win in the BMO Nations’ Cup on 8 September. Later that evening at the gala dinner he suffered a severe heart attack, from which he was unable to recover.

Sven Harmsen was a successful rider before his collaboration with the Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation. Silver medallist at the FEI Young Rider European Championships in 1982, he went on to compete successfully at both national and international level throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He clocked up several titles at events worldwide, including the Grand Prix in Hickstead (GBR) and Geneva (SUI) and FEI Nations Cup events in Falsterbo (SWE) and Drammen (NOR).

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Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Ward, Pan American Games, Show Jumping

Building towards the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

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left to right: Craig Collins, Equestrian Management Group; MPP Sylvia Jones (Dufferin-Caledon); Charles Sousa, Ontario Minister responsible for the Pan/Parapan American Games; Ian Troop, Chief Executive Officer for TO2015; Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport); MP David Tilson (Dufferin-Caledon); Regional Councillor Richard Whitehead of Town of Caledon; and Mike Gallagher, President of Equine Canada. Photo by ShootPhoto.ca

Palgrave, Ontario – Hundreds of competitors flock to the Caledon Equestrian Park in Ontario each September to take part in the Canadian Show Jumping Tournament, but that number pales in comparison to the tens of thousands that will descend on Palgrave when the Park plays host to the equestrian events of the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.

Named the official Equestrian Venue of the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games, work will begin at the Caledon Equestrian Park following the conclusion of this year’s Canadian Show Jumping Tournament, running September 19 to 23, 2012.  Smaller upgrades and improvements are already underway, with the Caledon Equestrian Park’s major transformation scheduled for completion in time for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games, which will run from July 10 to 26 and August 7 to 14, respectively.

“We host 16 events annually at the Caledon Equestrian Park, and it’s very important to us that there are no disruptions to those events during construction,” said Craig Collins, a managing partner of Equestrian Management Group (EMG), which operates the Caledon Equestrian Park.  “It’s important to the sport that these events continue, and with no other venue to move to during the building phase, we had to find a way to keep competition going.  Unfortunately, we can’t just shut down for two years.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

Olivier Philippaerts (BEL) Won the CN International Grand Prix at the Spruce Meadows Masters

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Photo credit Kit Houghton/Rolex

9 September 2012 – Riding Cabrio van de Heffinck, 19 year old Philippaerts won the prestigious title and prize money of CAN$335,000 / €265,000, ahead of second place Beezie Madden (USA) riding Simon, and Olivier’s father Ludo Philippaerts (BEL) riding Challenge VD Begijnakker.

On a tough track from course designer Leopoldo Palacios, Olivier Philippaerts was the only rider to jump two clear rounds, though he incurred one time penalty in each to finish on a total score of two faults. Both Beezie Madden and Ludo Philippaerts incurred four faults in the first round and went clear in the second, but Beezie was the quicker of the two in the first round and captured second place overall.

Speaking about his horse Cabrio van de Heffinck, Olivier Philippaerts said, “He has a very good character and he wants go and he wants to win, and this is very important.”

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