Lausanne (SUI), 26 April 2012 – FEI TV, the official FEI video platform, is LIVE from Kentucky (USA) for the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2012.
The live action, which starts today (26 April) at 15.00 CEST for Day 1 of Dressage, runs until Sunday (29 April) as follows:
Day 2 Dressage – 27 April 15.00 CEST
Cross Country – 28 April 15.00 CEST
Jumping – 29 April 18.30 CEST
Continue reading FEI TV Live in Kentucky for HSBC FEI Classics 2012
FEI YouTube Channel: http://youtu.be/d2JtelPdJVE
‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED), 22 April 2012 – America’s Rich Fellers and the amazing Irish-bred stallion Flexible stormed to victory in a thrilling third-round jump-off at the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands today. Only Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and his 11-year-old gelding, Nino des Buissonnets, were left to challenge the US partnership against the clock in the closing stages, but despite a superb effort, they had to yield to the pure determination of a horse and rider who, quite simply, never give up.
Flexible was all but written off twice during his career due to severe injury, but overcame the odds to return to the top of the sport each time. For the legion of fans who have followed the 16-year-old son of Cruising and his rider from Oregon (USA) who bought the chestnut stallion in Cavan, Ireland 10 years ago, today was a dream come true. Unorthodox in his movement and jumping style, and the oldest in the competition at 16 years of age, Flexible showed the same kind of spirit as his sire, Cruising, who was runner-up at the FEI World Cup Jumping Final 13 years ago in Gothenburg (SWE). Flexible was second at the same venue himself in 2008, and has competed at all of the last five Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Finals, but today it was his turn to stand under the spotlight. And the courageous stallion and his rider fought every inch of the way, bringing the packed stadium at the Brabanthalle in ‘s-Hertogenbosch to their feet in an emotional tribute after their incredible round in the jump-off, while it was Guerdat who stood second on the podium ahead of fellow-countryman Pius Schwizer in third.
Continue reading Fellers and Flexible Record First US Victory in 25 Years at Thrilling Rolex Finale
‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands – The 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final came to an exciting conclusion Sunday afternoon at the Indoor Barbant in the final competition, held over two rounds. Louis Koninck once again challenged riders over two stiff courses. However, a total of four rounds of competition were not enough to crown a winner of the 2012 Finals. Rich Fellers of the United States and Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat remained tied on one fault following the conclusion of the second round. They would need to return to the ring for a final jump-off to decide a winner.
When Fellers (Sherwood, OR) and Harry and Mollie Chapman’s Flexible entered the ring as the second combination in the jump-off the U.S. was amidst a 25 year drought of Rolex/FEI World Cup Finals winners.
No more.
FEI YouTube Channel: http://youtu.be/WCejiOhGoIw
Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt won tonight’s second leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in a thrilling three-way jump-off against the clock. But it is runner-up, Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer, who holds the advantage going into Sunday’s final competition which will decide the fate of the 2011/2012 title.
As the going got tough this evening, the cream rose to the top, and clear rounds proved very elusive indeed. Weishaupt’s fellow-countryman, Marco Kutscher, was the only other starter to find the key to the course set by Louis Konickx, but reigning Olympic champion, Canada’s Eric Lamaze, was unlucky to miss out on the final barrage when stopping the clock just 500ths of a second off the pace for a single first-round time penalty to finish fourth and is in serious contention going into the closing stages.
Lausanne (SUI), 21 April 2012 – Jumping Verona has won the Best Press Office award for the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Western European League 2011/2012 as voted by journalists and photographers covering the series’ 12 Western European League qualifiers.
The Best Press Office award was introduced at the start of the Rolex FEI World Cup 2010/2011 season to celebrate the hard work of the event organising teams. Press offices were judged on several key media services, including on-site and online media services, press conferences and swift information supply throughout the qualifiers.
The Jumping Verona media team numbers eight, and is led by Caterina Vagnozzi. Caterina has been press officer of Jumping Verona, which hosted the fourth qualifier of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Western European League 2011/2012 series, since 2003. She has also been press officer at the Rome CSIO for the past 23 years, was Press Officer at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Rome in 1998, and at all the Pavarotti International Horse Shows at Modena.
Continue reading Jumping Verona Wins Rolex FEI World Cup Press Office Award for 2011/2012
‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands – Valuable World Cup points were at stake Friday evening in the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final as riders vied for a place in Sunday’s final competition. Louis Koninck tested the 33 riders that returned for round two over a demanding track in the Indoor Brabant. Riders within the top 25 of the placings following tonight’s round qualify to contest Sunday’s final competition, of those entries seven will be representing the U.S.
Rich Fellers, Thursday’s round one winner, guided the diminutive Flexible to a near flawless round just faulting at one fence. Fellers (Sherwood, OR) and Harry and Mollie Chapman’s 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse stallion jumped another efficient round only adding four faults at the middle oxer of the triple at fence 11. The pair finished tonight’s class in eighth place.
‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands – Competition got underway at the Indoor Brabant Thursday evening in the 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final with the first leg of the four round competition. Of the 37 combinations that went to task over Louis Koninck’s 13 obstacle course, nine were representing the United States. With the faults converted format, riders needed to ride forward and efficiently while still jumping carefully. American Rich Fellers rode like a man on a mission to set a blazing pace no else could catch to head the field after day one.
Fellers (Sherwood, OR) guided Harry and Mollie Chapman’s Flexible to a clear round to stop the timers at 60.26 seconds. The pair surged to the head of the field on the strength of tight, efficient turns and the 16-year-old stallion’s natural speed.
This is the second time the pair has won the initial round of a Finals after having lead after day one at the 2010 Rolex/FEI World Cup Finals in Geneva, Switzerland. Additionally, they were second overall in the 2008 edition of the competition held in Gothenburg, Sweden.
FEI YouTube Channel: http://youtu.be/CpMTmqZ_4v4
The oldest horse in the competition, the 16-year-old Irish-bred Flexible, won the first leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Final 2011/2012 for America’s Rich Fellers at the Brabanthalle in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands tonight.
Living up to his name, the stallion’s super-tight turn to the double of verticals at fence five on the 13-fence track set by Dutch course designer Louis Konickx proved pivotal in every sense, and none of the rest could match his pace as he broke the beam in 60.26 seconds.
Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets were over a second slower when slotting into second, while the remarkable Rik Hemeryck finished third for Belgium with Quarco de Kerambars, despite having the dubious distinction of being first into the ring.
Pius Schwizer (SUI) and Ulysse lined up fourth ahead of Kevin Staut and Silvana HDC for France in fifth, while reigning FEI European Champion, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson from Sweden, was sixth with Casall La Silla.
Belgium’s Rik Hemeryck will be pathfinder as the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final 2011/2012 gets underway at the Brabanthalle in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands tomorrow. The draw for the opening Speed class took place this evening, and the order-of-go is as follows:
1, Quarco de Kerambars (Rik Hemeryck) BEL; 2, Carisma (Emilie Martinsen) DEN; 3, VDL Groep Verdi (Maikel van der Vleuten) NED; 4, Hallmark Elite (Dermott Lennon) IRL; 5, Uraya (Charlie Jayne) USA; 6, Sabrina (Marcus Ehning) GER; 7, Regina Z (Harrie Smolders) NED; 8, Aslan (Ljubov Kochetova) RUS; 9, Souvenir (Philipp Weishaupt) GER; 10, Kassini Jac (Ludo Philippaerts) BEL; 11, Taunus (Francie Steinwedell-Carvin) USA; 12, Cortes C (Beezie Madden) USA; 13, Special (Luiz Francisco de Azevedo) BRA; 14, Uceko (Kent Farrington) USA; 15, Cinnamon (Tilt Kivisild) EST; 16, Flexible (Rich Fellars) USA; 17, Ulysse (Pius Schwizer) SUI; 18, Nino des Buissonnets (Steve Guerdat) SUI; 19, Baronez (Kirsten Coe) USA; 20, Titus (Edwina Tops-Alexander) AUS; 21, Lennox (Luciana Diniz) POR; 22, Chaman (Ludger Beerbaum) GER; 23, Wkd Pepperpot (Sameh El Dahan) EGY; 24, Silvana HDC (Kevin Staut) FRA; 25, Uwwalon (Michelle Spadone) USA; 26, Ducati (Pedro Junqueira Muylaert) BRA; 27, Taloubet Z (Christian Ahlmann) GER); 28, Ornella Mail HDC (Patrice Delaveau) FRA; 29, Casall La Silla (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) SWE; 30, Cristallo (Richard Spooner) USA; 31, Lascar 41 (Benas Gutkauskas) LTU; 32, Indigo (Margie Engle) USA; 33, Cantaro 32 (Ali bin Khaled Al Thani) QAT; 34, Corlana van Klapscheut (Eric Lamaze) CAN; 35, Satisfaction (Marco Kutscher) GER; 36, Abbervail van het Dingeshof (Denis Lynch) IRL; 37, Willem (Yuyu Ninomiya) JPN. You can also find the list on this link.
Continue reading Hemeryck to Lead the Way in Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final Opening Leg
Lausanne (SUI), 18 April 2012 – Today, 18 April, the world celebrates 100 days to the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
This summer the British capital will play host to the Olympic Games for the third time in history. From 27 July to 12 August, London will welcome 10,500 athletes representing 204 National Olympic Committees for the 27th edition of the Summer Olympic Games. More than nine million tickets have already been sold to spectators around the world.
Continue reading Countdown to London 2012 Olympic Games Enters Final 100 Days