Tag Archives: Show Jumping

Competitions, Events, Show Jumping, Training/Clinics

Rocky Mountain Show Jumping & Equestrian Events Design Pleased to Host a 3 Day Clinic with World Champion Philippe Le Jeune!

Leave a comment

Calgary, Alberta – The management of Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, along with Equestrian Events Design, is pleased at this time to announce that they will be hosting a special clinic with the 2010 World Champion of Show Jumping, Philippe Le Jeune of Belgium.

“We wanted to do something special this year to thank all of the exhibitors who have joined us this year at our competitions, and teaming up with Bea Jarzynska of Equestrian Events Design to bring the World Champion to Anderson Ranch seems like a great thing to do for those who support us here all year long” explained John Anderson of Rocky Mountain Show Jumping.

“I heard about Rocky Mountain Show Jumping from friends of mine and took a trip to Calgary during one of John’s shows earlier this year and thought it would be an excellent place for Philippe to teach a Clinic. He did one in Quebec earlier in the year, and it was a tremendous success, and John said, “Well if it’s good enough for the great folks in Eastern Canada, it’s good enough for me. Let’s do it!” said Bea of Equestrian Events Design.

The clinic is being hosted at the conclusion of the third Rocky Mountain Classic, and just prior to the Spruce Meadows Masters. As a means of thanking competitors who have competed at the Classics, it will be offered to them first before other entries are considered. “It is important that we treat our competitors well here at our events, and we try so hard to do new and innovative things at all of our tournaments to keep them exciting”

Continue reading Rocky Mountain Show Jumping & Equestrian Events Design Pleased to Host a 3 Day Clinic with World Champion Philippe Le Jeune! →

Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Show Jumping, Vaulting, Western/Reining

Five Nations Apply to Host 2015 FEI European Championships under New Bid Process

Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 9 August 2011 — Organisers from five nations – Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, The Netherlands, and Poland – have applied to stage a European championship for Seniors in one or several FEI disciplines in 2015 under a new bid process launched by the FEI in March of this year. The objective of the new bid process is to raise the profile of the FEI European Championships by selecting candidates able to deliver sporting events of the highest quality.

Aachen, host of the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games and the famous annual World Equestrian Festival, has expressed interest in the FEI European Championships 2015 in Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Vaulting and Reining. The discipline which attracted the highest interest is Eventing, for which no less than five applications have been received.

The bidding process for the 2015 FEI European Championships for Seniors was launched in March 2011 and will run until April 2012. The process consists of two phases. During Phase I, the Applicant Phase which ended on 31 July 2011, applicants were required to indicate which one or more of the European Championships they would be interested in staging and provide information relating to their ability to meet minimum Championship requirements.

Phase II, the Candidate Phase, will begin on 1 September 2011. During the Candidate Phase, candidates will be required to provide greater detail on all aspects of the event. The Championships in the Olympic disciplines of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing will be allocated by the FEI Bureau in April 2012. The successful candidates for the Championships in the non-Olympic disciplines will be announced a year later in April 2013.

Enquiries relating to the bid process should be directed to FEI Legal Counsel Francisco P. Lima (francisco.lima@fei.org).

Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

Competitions, Events, HITS, HITS, Show Jumping

McLain Ward and Antares F Claim Back-to-Back Wins at HITS-on-the-Hudson VI

Leave a comment
© ESI Photography. McLain Ward captures his second victory of the week at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Sunday's $100,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix aboard Grant Road Partners' Antares F.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (August 8, 2011) — McLain Ward and Grant Road Partners’ Antares F had another impressive week of show jumping at HITS-on-the-Hudson Week VI with back-to-back wins to dominate the competition in the Strongid C 2X Stadium. They took the blue in the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, on Friday and closed out the summer circuit with a win in Sunday’s $100,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health.

Course designer Bernardo Cabral of Lisbon, Portugal designed a first round track that proved to be one of the more difficult courses of the summer series, providing for some exciting show jumping. The course bested the entire starting field of 37 competitors, which included a slew of Olympians from around the world.

“I was looking for at least three or four clear,” said Cabral, who was still pleased with the outcome. “As it turns out, nobody was able to make it clear around the first time but there were rails just about everywhere on the field. Not a single spot in particular gave anyone trouble. I thought it was a proper course for a $100,000 class as far as difficulty goes and I think any of the four fault riders could easily have won today.”

Ward, who failed to go clear in the first round aboard two separate mounts, praised Cabral for his course.

“I thought Bernardo’s course was excellent. Actually, it was pretty phenomenal,” he said with a smile. “I think we’ve had an epidemic in American show jumping to drop the level of difficulty and not raise the standards to what they should be. We jumped for $100,000 today and I thought the course was very accommodating of that. This is the level we should be competing at.”

Continue reading McLain Ward and Antares F Claim Back-to-Back Wins at HITS-on-the-Hudson VI →

Competitions, Events, FEI, Show Jumping, USEF

Lauren Hough and Quick Study Win Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland

Leave a comment
Lauren Hough and Quick Study celebrate (Beatrice Scudo Photo)

Dublin, Ireland – The U.S. show jumpers dominated the final day of the Royal Dublin Horse Show by picking up three wins. Highlighted by Lauren Hough’s major score in the Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland with Quick Study, the U.S. rebounded from a fifth place FEI Nation’s Cup finish on Friday with a trifecta of success. Hough dominated the star-studded field of 40, and she was one of only two riders to jump two clear rounds. Her second round time was three seconds faster than French rider Michel Robert, who ended up second on Kellemoi De Pepit.

“It was a difficult course today there were only two clear in the first round,” said Hough. “My horse felt great in the first round and that gave me confidence. I had a good feeling about it and I had the advantage of going last in the jump-off.  My horse is naturally a fast horse; Michel went clear (in the jump-off) but went conservatively. I didn’t have to push too much because he is such a fast horse, so I just I just went medium.”

Quick Study, a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding owned by Laura and Meredith Mateo, returned from an inconsistent Nations Cup performance on Friday to take his first CSIO5* Grand Prix win.

“He wants to do the right thing,” said Hough about her World Equestrian Games veteran. “I didn’t let him on Friday (in the Nations Cup) – he was in such good form in Florida, then I got over here and it’s been a little up and down; he hasn’t had any major mistakes, they’ve been more my mistakes. He’s a great horse and he did everything right tonight.”

Continue reading Lauren Hough and Quick Study Win Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland →

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

Catherine Pasmore and My Boy Top a Field of 60 to Claim Victory in Grand Prix Savelys of Chantilly

Leave a comment

Grand Prix win highlights a very successful week at Global Champions Tour locale

Photos: © 2011 by Chris Pasmore. Catherine Pasmore competing at Chantilly, France with My Boy

Chantilly, France – August 6, 2011 – A very busy week for Catherine Pasmore at the CSI 2* show in beautiful Chantilly, France, home of the 2011 Global Champions Tour event, was capped by a hard fought victory over a huge starting field of 60 in the highly competitive Grand Prix Savelys of Chantilly.

Pasmore, and her talented partner My Boy, were one of eighteen horse and rider combinations to go clear from that large group that started in Sunday’s main event.

Pasmore, who finished sixth in the qualifier (Prix ZEP Sport International) which reduced the number of entries from over 90 down to the 60 that eventually went to the post on Sunday, stuck to her game plan to nail down the top-notch international victory. She also used a taunt by her younger brother Will as further incentive and motivation for the win. “I went to the side of the ring to watch the first few in the jump off before getting on,” Pasmore detailed. “My little brother told me to stop stressing, because I wasn’t going to win anyway. After that I just wanted to go in and prove him wrong,” she laughed.

The undulating grand prix field offered up a number of challenges, which Pasmore and My Boy handled brilliantly. “The course didn’t seem too big when I walked it, but it certainly was technical enough,” she said. “The course designer did a brilliant job playing the hills in the ring. The way the lines rode really depended on how your horse jumped off the slope at each given jump. You really couldn’t compare it from horse to horse.”

Continue reading Catherine Pasmore and My Boy Top a Field of 60 to Claim Victory in Grand Prix Savelys of Chantilly →

Competitions, Events, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Michael Morrissey & Vorst Dash to Victory in $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix

Leave a comment
Michael Morrissey and Vorst won the $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix at the Kentucky Summer Classic. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus/ PhelpsSports.com.

Lexington, KY – August 6, 2011 – There was a huge crowd gathered at the Rolex Stadium tonight to witness the $50,000 Rood and Riddle Grand Prix during the Kentucky Summer Classic. The event was held in conjunction with the Kentucky Horse Park’s “Hats Off Day,” and the audience had the opportunity to witness a very exciting grand prix event. Michael Morrissey and Vorst topped the eight-horse jump-off with a very fast double clear effort, and Morrissey took home the winning prize for the second year in a row. The duo surpassed Ashlee Bond and Chivas Z who took home second, while Rebecca Conway showed Twister to the third place honors as the only other fault free horses over the short course.

Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela designed a demanding first round track for tonight’s 20 competitors, which featured a liverpool, an open water with a pole, a vertical-oxer double combination, and a large triple bar-vertical-vertical triple combination. Eight horse and rider combinations were able to advance to the tiebreaker for a shot at the winning title. The jump-off began with a single vertical followed by a wide oxer to the vertical-vertical portion of the triple combination. Riders then made a left turn to an oxer-oxer line before galloping across the ring and past the gate to the final vertical.

Ashlee Bond was the first to make an attempt over the shortened course and she set the time to beat aboard Chivas Z, owned by Little Valley Farms of Hidden Hills, CA. The duo was very speedy to each obstacle and took a sharp route to the final vertical, cutting through the double combination. Their efforts paid off with a fault free score in 37.583 second, which would eventually net them the second place honors.

“Chivas Z was so good; I am so happy because he has become such a consistent horse and so reliable,” said Bond. “I think especially going first you have to go for it, but you can’t do crazy things because you want to go clear and put the pressure on the rest of the field. Sometimes if you leave a little gap it can happen that you get beat, which I did tonight with the pull up to the last jump, but I wanted to be clear. I was really happy and there is nothing I would change. My horse is performing the best he has ever been!”

Continue reading Michael Morrissey & Vorst Dash to Victory in $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix →

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

British Pip the Irish in Dublin Duel

Leave a comment
Great Britain won the seventh leg of the FEI Nations Cup 2011 in Dublin, Ireland today. Pictured (L to R): Michael Whitaker, Robert Smith, Chef d'Equipe Rob Hoekstra, Nick Skelton and Scott Brash. Photo: FEI/Tony Parkes.

Dublin (IRL), 5 August 2011 – The British pipped their old rivals from Ireland in the seventh leg of the FEI Nations Cup 2011 at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show in Dublin, Ireland today.  Just a week after the exciting jump-off at Hickstead (GBR) in which Germany won through, it came down to yet another three-round thriller with Nick Skelton going head-to-head with Billy Twomey.  And Skelton was in a class of his own as he steered Carlo home to clinch it for the British for the 25th time in the 85-year history of the event.

Belgium and France finished joint-third, while the USA slotted into fifth ahead of Germany.  The long-time league leaders from The Netherlands had a less successful day today when having to settle for seventh place, and Denmark came in last.  It was an improved performance from the Danes however.  Although they may be making an early departure from the top-level series at the end of their inaugural season, they will be stronger for the experience, and they have shown great courage and resilience throughout.

The countries really feeling the heat at the end of today’s classic clash were the Belgians and Americans, because only two points separate them on the league table going into the final leg in Rotterdam (NED) in three weeks’ time.  One of them is likely to join the Danes as the two lowest-placed teams on the FEI Nations Cup 2011 leaderboard are relegated to the FEI Promotional League at the end of the series.

LOST THEIR MOMENTUM
The French held sway on a zero score at the halfway stage this afternoon, but they lost their momentum when all four riders produced single errors second time out.  Alan Wade’s course proved plenty testing, with the triple combination at fence seven, the following vertical with water-tray, and the tricky planks all claiming a number of victims.  Britain’s Michael Whitaker explained, “Yes the combination was difficult, a triple bar to vertical to oxer, and it was tight in there, and then it was a short six to the water tray vertical.  It was a really good course, plenty difficult,” he pointed out.

Continue reading British Pip the Irish in Dublin Duel →

Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

FEI Nations Cup 2011 – Draw, Round 7, Dublin

Leave a comment

FRENCH WILL BE PATHFINDERS AT PENULTIMATE LEG IN DUBLIN TOMORROW by Louise Parkes

FEI Director Press Relations, Grania Willis, and Pat Hanly, Show Director at the draw for order-of-go at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show in Dublin, Ireland yesterday. Photo: FEI/Tony Parkes.

Dublin (IRL), 4 August 2011 – The French are drawn first to go in tomorrow’s crunch leg of the FEI Nations Cup 2011 series at the Discover Ireland Horse Show in Dublin, Ireland.  It’s getting down to the wire with just one more leg remaining following the Irish fixture, and the draw took place this morning at the gracious Royal Dublin Society showgrounds which is widely recognised as the birth-place of the sport of show jumping.

The order-of-go is as follows: 1, France; 2, The Netherlands; 3, Belgium; 4, Denmark; 5, USA; 6, Great Britain; 7, Ireland; 8, Germany.

The host nation is not under great pressure, as the Irish are lying comfortably third on the series league table which is headed by The Netherlands followed by Germany, while the British are in fourth. But there’s nothing quite like the expectation of the Dublin crowd.  As team manager Robert Splaine acknowledged today, “The last time we won at home was in 2004, and the Aga Khan Cup is one of the most coveted trophies in the world – we want to do well tomorrow and give the home spectators something to cheer about, and we’ll be going out there to give it a try!”

NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY
The pathfinders from France however are amongst the four nations occupying the lower end of the FEI Nations Cup league table, and the double-champions have no room for complacency going into tomorrow’s competition. Denmark has picked up only eight points from the previous six rounds, and seems destined for a return to the Promotional League in 2012, but just 4.5 points separates the French, winners in 2009 and again last season, from the Americans who are in second-last place behind Belgium.

Continue reading FEI Nations Cup 2011 – Draw, Round 7, Dublin →

Competitions, Events, Kentucky Horse Shows, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Angel Karolyi and Galant Speed to Victory in 1.40m Open Jumpers at Kentucky Summer Classic

Leave a comment
Angel Karolyi and Galant won the 1.40m Open Jumpers at the Kentucky Summer Classic. Photo By: Kenneth Kraus/ PhelpsSports.com.

Lexington, KY – August 3, 2011 – Early thunderstorms could not stop the exciting jumper action in the Rolex Stadium for the opening day of the Kentucky Summer Classic at the Kentucky Horse Park. This afternoon, riders had the opportunity to compete in the 1.40m Open Jumper speed class and the 1.35m Open Jumpers. Angel Karolyi led the way in the 1.40m Open Jumpers aboard long-time partner Galant, while Michael Morrissey sped to victory in the 1.35m Open Jumpers, completing the fastest double clear effort with Vorst.

Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela designed today’s technical tracks in the Rolex Stadium. For the 1.40m speed class, riders had to show over a wall fence, a liverpool, an oxer-vertical double combination, and a vertical-oxer double combination. Only six horse and rider combinations were able to be speedy and tidy, leaving all the rails intact and tripping the timers without fault.

Christian Heineking was the first on course during today’s 1.40m Open Jumper speed class, and he set the pace with a clean effort in 77.187 seconds aboard NKH Barbosa, who would eventually place fifth. Michael Tokaruk quickly upped the ante with a fault-free round in 74.409 seconds riding Gama Righter Z, and eventually taking home the fourth place award.

Angel Karolyi and Galant, owned by McLain Ward of Brewster, NY, were only the third horse and rider combination to enter the ring during today’s 18-horse competition, but they easily jumped to the top of the leaderboard. The talented rider guided his nimble mount over each obstacle, and with each rail intact they crossed the finish line in 70.183 seconds to eventually earn the winning title.

Continue reading Angel Karolyi and Galant Speed to Victory in 1.40m Open Jumpers at Kentucky Summer Classic →

Community/Charity, Dressage, Driving, Endurance Riding, EQUUS Foundation, Eventing/H.T., Para-Equestrian, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping, Vaulting, Western/Reining

The Results Are In for Round 3 of America’s Favorite Equestrian!

Leave a comment

WESTPORT, CT – August 2, 2011 – The results of Round 3 of America’s Favorite Equestrian are in. Four equestrians in each of the eight disciplines that participated in the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games have moved onto Round 4.

Who’s In the Lead?
Dressage: Debbie McDonald followed by Steffen Peters, Guenter Seidel and Courtney King-Dye.
Driving: Chester Weber followed by Tucker Johnson, Rochelle Temple and Suzy Stafford.
Endurance: Becky Hart followed by Dave Rabe, Julie Suhr and Bill Wilson.
Eventing: Tiana Coudray followed by Boyd Martin, Kimberly Severson and Phillip Dutton.
Jumping: Anne Kursinski followed by Beezie Madden, Margie Engle and McLain Ward.
Para-Dressage: Jennifer Baker followed by Mary Jordan, Jonathan Wentz and Robin Brueckmann.
Reining: Andrea Fappani followed by Tom McCutcheon, Shawn Flarida and Tim McQuay.
Vaulting: Megan Benjamin followed by Katherine Wick, Devon Maitozo and Ali Divita.

Keep Voting! One more equestrian with the lowest number of votes in each discipline will drop off the list at the end of Round 4 on September 30, 2011. Don’t let it be your favorite! All it takes is a $5 gift to The EQUUS Foundation to keep your favorite in the running for America’s Favorite Equestrian.

How to Vote:
Visit the link at http://www.equusfoundation.org/vote.

For a $5 contribution, you can select your favorite equestrian (listed by discipline) and follow the instructions provided to use mobile texting to vote. After texting your vote, you must reply YES to confirm your vote and $5 donation.

Continue reading The Results Are In for Round 3 of America’s Favorite Equestrian! →