Tag Archives: Show Jumping

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Schwizer Scoops Maximum Points at Rolex Opener in Oslo

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Pius Schwizer is presented with a Rolex watch by Magali Dubois Vaucher from Rolex. Photo: FEI/Roger Svalsrod.

Oslo (NOR), 16 October 2011 – Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer swept to victory in the opening leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2011/2012 series at Oslo in Norway today with a thrilling last-to-go run from Carlina.  With 14 into the jump-off it was never going to be an easy one to take, but the 49 year old rider raced home to pin Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt and Souvenir into second, while Portugal’s Luciana Diniz and Winningmood slotted into third.

“This is my very first success in a World Cup qualifier, so I’m super-pleased with the result!” Schwizer said after collecting the winner’s prize of a Rolex watch.  “I’ve been second and third a few times, but it feels really great to be first – and Carlina was brilliant today!” he added.

DIDN’T COMPROMISE
The compact Telenor Arena in Oslo measures just 35 metres by 75 metres, but course-designers Terje Olsen-Nalum and Anders Hafskjold didn’t compromise on height and width, giving the 40 starters plenty to think about.  The triple combination at fence six – oxer, vertical, oxer – proved influential, but it was the 1.70m-wide oxer at fence nine that hit the floor most often in the first round as nine horse-and-rider combinations faulted there.

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

Mary King Clinches HSBC FEI Classics, as Fox-Pitt Adds Pau to His CCI4* Tally

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Mary King

Lausanne (SUI),16 October 2011 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) showed the amazing strength of his horsepower when his exciting young horses Oslo and Lionheart finished first and third at Les Etoiles des Pau (FRA), the final leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2011.

However, it was the unstoppable Mary King (GBR) who claimed the 150,000 USD prize, the biggest single award in Eventing, as HSBC FEI Classics champion for 2011. She clinched the title with a magnificent clear Jumping round on Imperial Cavalier, which elevated her six places to fourth.

King has been placed no lower than eighth at all five of the HSBC FEI Classics events this year, which is a remarkable achievement. She is the first woman to win the title since the series started in 2008 and has kept it in British hands for the fourth consecutive year.

Continue reading Mary King Clinches HSBC FEI Classics, as Fox-Pitt Adds Pau to His CCI4* Tally →

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

Meg O’Mara and Sinatra IV Go for the Gold in Randolph College/Junior Jumper Championships at Harrisburg

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Meg O'Mara and Sinatra IV. Photo: Phelps Media Group

Harrisburg, PA – An action-packed junior weekend continued to wow the crowd at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show tonight, as Phase III of the Randolph College/USEF Individual Championships culminated in a triumph for junior jumper Meg O’Mara. Riding out of Romson, NJ, O’Mara and Sinatra IV had one of only two clear rounds of the evening, emerging victorious through a steady, controlled approach. Earning the silver medal tonight was Savannah Talcott of Wildwood, MO, who bested third place finisher Reed Kessler of Amrock, NY in a suspenseful jump-off.

O’Mara and Sinatra IV held a solid lead going into tonight’s final event, with just a single fault to their name. The duo produced another brilliant performance over the difficult course designed by Steve Stephens of Palmetto, FL. They were one of only two horse and rider combinations to leave all fences intact, retaining their highly impressive one fault score. O’Mara and Sinatra’s IV confidence and consistency prevailed, as they claimed the winning title to the lead final victory gallop.

After her flawless turn in the ring tonight, gold medal winner O’Mara remarked, “There was a little bit of pressure, but I knew that it could go perfectly with Sinatra. He’s such a special horse that I knew he’d be able to do it. Sinatra is the best horse in the world; he’s the sweetest thing ever, and my mom says she wants him to live in our backyard! We actually went through a little bit of a bumpy patch this spring, but we’ve come back to an amazing show.”

Continue reading Meg O’Mara and Sinatra IV Go for the Gold in Randolph College/Junior Jumper Championships at Harrisburg →

Championships, Competitions, Events, Show Jumping, USEF

Zone 2 Tops $15,000 USEF Prix de States Team Championship at Pennsylvania National Horse Show

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Katie Dinan and Belle Dame D. Phelps Media Group.

Harrisburg, PA – It was an exciting night of jumper action at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show tonight, as the $15,000 USEF Prix de States Team Championship and Individual Championship Phase II took place in Harrisburg, PA. The team from USEF Zone 2 swept the top spot for the second year in a row with excellent rides by Meg O’Mara of Rumson, NJ, Katie Dinan of New York, NY, Charlotte Jacobs of Buffalo, NY, and last night’s Randolph College/USEF $7,500 Individual Championship Phase I winner Reed Kessler of Armonk, NY. Despite an initial tie for second place between Zones 5 and 7, the silver medal was ultimately awarded to Zone 5 thanks to Nora Laue of Wilmette, IL.

Sponsored by Randolph College, the competition featured 32 of the country’s top junior jumpers showing over a technical course by Steve Stephens of Palmetto, FL with compact turns and three different combinations. Riders also had to scale the Pennsylvania National Horse Show signature vertical, which proved to be a problem fence for several riders. Since the competition mixed individual riders as well as riders representing their USEF zones, the crowd was able to witness a variety of jumper talent.

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

Reed Kessler Flies into First during $7,500 Randolph College/USEF Jr. Jumper Championship Welcome at Harrisburg

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Reed Kessler and Ligist. Phelps Media Group.

Harrisburg, PA – Junior jumpers were in the zone Thursday at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, running October 13-22, 2011 in the state capital of Harrisburg. Reed Kessler of Armonk, NY, soared to victory in the first phase of the $7,500 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Junior Jumper Individual Championship, sponsored by Randolph College. With a smooth and controlled round, Kessler and her own horse, Ligist, beat out 32 other juniors for the blue ribbon. Second place went to Frances Land of Alpharetta, GA aboard her own Merlin, and cantering cleanly into third was Nora Laue of Wilmette, IL on Peninsula Kheelan, owned by Mary Ellen Laue.

Lacking a jump-off but not lacking in excitement, tonight’s class was judged under Table III, with faults being converted into seconds and then added to the competitor’s time. Tonight’s event was also distinguished by the fact that riders were competing individually while representing their USEF zones. Winner Kessler hails from Zone 2, which encompasses New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Frances Land, who earned tonight’s second place ribbon, comes from the southern states’ Zone 4, while Nora Laue will take her third place ribbon back to Zone 5 in the Midwest.

Continue reading Reed Kessler Flies into First during $7,500 Randolph College/USEF Jr. Jumper Championship Welcome at Harrisburg →

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Revolution Sports, Show Jumping

The Rolex One to Watch – October 2011

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Oleg Krasyuk riding Caligula at the CSI4* "Donbass Tour" in Donetsk (UKR).

The Rolex One to Watch for October 2011 is Ukrainian rider, Oleg Krasyuk. Based at Magna Racino near Vienna, Austria, the 34-year-old jumped from number 399 to 185 during September – a move up the Rolex Rankings of 214 places.

The Rolex One to Watch is an initiative which identifies the rider who has made the biggest jump within or into the Top 250 of the Rolex Rankings the previous month.

Born on 19 April 1977, and brought up in a small town near Dnepropetrovsk (USSR), Krasyuk’s first trainer was Alexandr Kuvichko, who has now sadly passed away. Krasyuk has also been trained by Viktor Poganovsky, one of the most decorated Soviet riders and a team Olympic champion at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.

After his gold medal at the Ukrainian Championships in 1997, and at the age of 20, Oleksandr Onischenko – a wealthy businessman and philanthropist – offered Krasyuk the opportunity to travel to Germany and train with three-time European champion Paul Schockemöhle – and Norbert Nuxoll – ex Show Jumper and colleague of Schockemöhle. Training with Schockemöhle and Nuxoll turned out to be a pivotal moment in Krasyuk’s career. Under their leadership, Krasyuk competed in Grands Prix, European and World Championships. To this day Krasyuk considers Nuxoll to be one of the most influential people in his life.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, More/Other, Pan American Games, Show Jumping, USEF

American Dressage Horses and Riders Arrive in Guadalajara for 2011 Pan American Games

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Despite the remnants of Hurricane Jova drenching Guadalajara, Mexico, the U.S. Dressage Team arrived without incident at the Guadalajara Country Club, the venue for the Dressage and Jumping disciplines for the 2011 Pan American Games.

The four horses, Big Tyme, Grandioso, Paragon and Weltino’s Magic arrived on Tuesday afternoon with their grooms, Dr. Rick Mitchell, the team vet, Julie Mitchell, his wife and vet tech, the Canadian horses and their team and a dressage horse from Ecuador. Tim Dutta orchestrated the effort with the help of Tex Sutton Forwarding’s crew and all of the horses arrived in great condition. After a good night’s rest they were happy and bright this morning looking for something to do.

The two-legged athletes arrived Wednesday midday, after navigating USOC Team Processing in Houston on Tuesday. They were all happy to arrive and cleared customs without issue. They came in on the same flight as The U.S. cycling and swimming teams with Chef d’Equipe Eva Salomon, Team Leader Jenny van Wieren and Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons. Steffen Peters (San Diego, CA) is an Olympic veteran at his first Pan American Games, but for Heather Blitz (Wellington, FL), Marisa Festerling (Moorpark, CA) and Cesar Parra (Whitehouse Station, NJ), it was their first trip to USOC Team Processing.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Red-Hot Opening Round to Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Season

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FEI World Cup Jumping 2010/2011 champion, Germany's Christian Ahlmann, will begin the defence of his title at the opening leg of the new 2011/2012 season at Oslo in Norway next Sunday. Photo: Matt Lewis, Getty Images/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 12 October 2011 – It’s countdown time, with just four days to go to the opening of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2011/2012 at Oslo, Norway this Sunday (16 October).

And, across the globe, many riders from the 12 other qualifying leagues have already been battling it out for a place at the prestigious Final that will take place in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands next April.

The Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping title is the most coveted prize in the sport of indoor Jumping. Since the inaugural season-opener back in 1978 the series has grabbed the enthusiasm and imagination of competitors and spectators alike, and has grown in popularity and scale at a rapid rate. It has also encouraged the development of the sport across all continents, and, once again in this 34th season, fresh faces will appear and new stars will emerge to take their place in the limelight.

SAME VENUE
The 13-leg Australia-Pacific league began in Sydney, Australia in April and will conclude at the same venue in December. The three-leg Central Asian League drew to a close at Astana in Kazakhstan in July, while the Central European Northern and Southern leagues both wind up in December. In China, the first of three qualifying legs took place in Beijing in August and the last will be held this weekend, while Shizouka-Tsumagoi is the venue for the Final of the seven-leg Japanese circuit, also in December.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Events, Show Jumping, USEF

Samantha Schaefer Triumphs in 2011 USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East

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Samantha Schaefer (Parker/Russell- The Book LLC)

Gladstone, NJ – The 2011 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals – East concluded on Sunday afternoon with an exciting victory for 18-year-old Samantha Schaefer of Westminster, MD. Showing over two beautiful autumn days at the USET Foundation Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ, eighty-four hopefuls came out to show this weekend in the 30th annual competition. Schaefer earned the win with high scores across the board in a head-to-head final four jump-off.

Judges Jimmy Lee and George Morris scored riders through three phases of competition this weekend, including flat work, gymnastics and jumping. Riders cumulative scores were totaled through each phase and the top four riders were then brought back for a final ride-off, competing on their own horses as well as the three other competitor’s horses. Riders returned for the final round with a clean slate, earning new scores for each individual ride.

At the conclusion of the flat and gymnastics phases, rider Lillie Keenan held the lead coming into the final day of competition, followed closely by Hayley Barnhill, Samantha Schaefer, and Schaefer Raposa. Keenan had a disappointing score in the jumping round however, and dropped out of the top four. Michael Murphy on the other hand performed consistently in both phases I and II and excelled in the jumping round to secure a position in the final ride-off. Barnhill, Schaefer, Raposa, and Murphy were the elite four to compete in the final phase of competition.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping, USEF

Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere Jump Immaculately to Land in the Top 15 at the Boekelo CCI3*

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Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere (Stock Image Services.com)

Lexington, KY – Boyd Martin carried the torch for the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team on the final day of the Boekelo CCI3*. Riding Otis Barbotiere and Remington XXV, Martin (West Grove, PA) produced two top 35 results in his first attempt at the Dutch premiere CCI3*.

Jumping first on Remington XXV, owned by Henley House Stables, Martin had rails at fence seven and the first element of the combination at 11 adding eight faults. They finished in 35th place on a score of 69.8.

In his first attempt at the CCI3* level Otis Barbotiere produced a clear round to climb up the leaderboard finishing in 14th place. The gelding owned by the Otis Barbotiere Syndicate made an ascent up the standings throughout the weekend after placing 55th in the dressage and moving up to 23rd following the cross country and finally landing within the top 15.

All involved with the American squad this week were extremely impressed with the nine-year-old’s performance over the weekend.

Continue reading Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere Jump Immaculately to Land in the Top 15 at the Boekelo CCI3* →