Gladstone, New Jersey – April 28, 2010 – The USET Foundation is pleased to announce Phillip Dutton of West Grove, PA, and Aiken, SC, as the 2010 recipient of the USET Foundation Pinnacle Cup. Awarded annually, the Pinnacle Cup goes to the highest placing American competitor at the prestigious Rolex CCI**** Three-Day Event. Dutton was honored with the award after securing second place honors aboard Acorn Hill Farm, Annie Jones, and Mardie Faucette’s Woodburn over the course of April 23-25, in Lexington, KY. This year will be Dutton’s third year winning the trophy; he won it previously on Bruce Duchossois’ Connaught in both 2007 and 2008.
Piloting the 14-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred, Dutton finished the Dressage phase with 47.7 penalty points, a score that would hold throughout the duration of the competition. Dutton and Woodburn mastered Mike Etherington-Smith’s 30-obstacle cross country course within the time allowed and then went on to complete the third and final phase of the event with a fault-free show jumping round in the Kentucky Horse Park stadium.
William Fox-Pitt (GBR) aboard Cool Mountain winning HSBC FEI Classics™ Rolex 3-Day Event (Click for larger image)
William Fox-Pitt (GBR) today, 25th April 2010, went clear in the Show Jumping on the final day at the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event to crown his first win at ‘The Rolex’ with his starting dressage score of 42.8.
Audio interviews with William Fox-Pitt, Phillip Dutton, Becky Holder, the press conference after Day Three with the riders, Rupert Bell ‘s live commentary on William Fox-Pitt’s Show Jumping round, plus an interview with Oliver Townend reflecting on his cross country day and attempt to win the Rolex Grand Slam, are also available to listen to, and download for free, on the links below:
William Fox-Pitt (GBR) aboard Cool Mountain on their way to victory in the first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™ at Lexington,KY (USA). Click on image for larger view.
25 April 2010 William Fox-Pitt (GBR) said he did not come to the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event with the expectation of winning, but, once in the driving seat, he was clearly not going to relinquish the golden opportunity without a fight and he now has his first Rolex watch to complement his seven other 4-star wins.
William Fox-Pitt (GBR) aboard Cool Mountain on their way to victory in the first leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™ at Lexington,KY (USA). Click on image for larger view.
And, with the choice of three good rides – Idalgo, Macchiato and Sea Cookie – at next weekend’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, he could gain a commanding advantage in the HSBC FEI Classics™, an award he won in its inaugural year in 2008.
Cool Mountain, his winning ride at Kentucky, is a 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding by the prolific Eventing sire Primitive Rising. This was his 4-star debut, having won at 3-star level, at Blair Castle (GBR) last year and been consistent throughout his career.
“He is a pleasure to train,” said Fox-Pitt. “He is very straightforward and genuine, and I have always felt there was more to come. I am absolutely thrilled with him, though – to win is beyond my wildest dreams.”
Fox-Pitt’s nearest rival, Kimberley Severson (USA) had a most unfortunate Jumping round – a total of 32 faults (24 jumping, 12 time) and plummeted to 25th, and it was the 2008 winner, Phillip Dutton (USA), who rose three places to 2nd on Woodburn with a clear round.
Becky Holder (USA) retained 3rd place on Courageous Comet with just one rail, but Boyd Martin’s meteoric rise continued, up another four places to 4th on Neville Bardos, and Canadian Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch and Port Authority continued upwards, to eventual 5th place with a clean sheet. In addition, she won the HSBC Training Bursary for the best-placed first-time 4-star competitor.
Oliver Townend (GBR) was discharged from hospital in the morning, but having sustained minor injuries, could not jump his ODT Master Rose and so withdrew.
37 horses completed the competition with 9 clear Jumping rounds.
Prize Money
HSBC will contribute US$ 1million to the series over the next three years. Prize-money is awarded, as follows, to the top five riders on the leaderboard after the fifth and final event:
WINNERS OF THE 2009 SEASON
1. Oliver Townend (GBR) – US$ 150,000 (Series champion);
2. Dirk Schrade (GER) – US$ 75,000;
3. Andreas Dibowski – (GER) US$ 50,000;
4. William Fox-Pitt (GBR) – US$ 33,000;
5. Sam Griffiths (AUS) – US$ 25,000
Notes to Editors
HSBC, the world’s local bank, is a platinum partner of FEI and global sponsor of the eventing discipline.
As part of this partnership, HSBC is title sponsor of the HSBC FEI Classics™ and HSBC FEI World Cup™.
At the centre of all HSBC’s sponsorships is a commitment to youth, education and community. The Pony Club and HSBC have teamed up to create the HSBC Pony Club Eventing Training Programme.
For further information, including Rules and Standings, visit www.fei.org. Previews, reports, results and photographs for each event will be available from the FEI throughout the season.
Note to my readers – I am so far behind in adding these Radio Show contributor posts, I am just going back & giving you all I’ve gotten so you don’t miss anything important, like this is from February…
We celebrate the 400th episode on the Horse Radio Network and we get caught up with our Para-equestrian Rider Susan Treabess. Plus, all the news of the Alltech 2010 World Equestrian Games, listen in…
2010 Radio Show Episode 78 – HRN Celebrates 400 and Our Spotlight Para-Equestrian Rider Susan Treabess:
News: If you’re not local to Lexington, Kentucky you can still become a WEGspert! Fans of the 2010 World Equestrian Games can now complete a video training programme online to become an official 2010 Alltech FEI WEGspert from the comfort of their homes.
Lausanne (SUI), 19 April 2010 – All horses show normal nerve sensation or sensitivity. Where that sensation is increased beyond normal limits it is called hypersensitivity. Hypersensitivity can be produced by a range of normal occurrences, such as an insect sting or accidental self-inflicted injury.
Hypersensitisation is the term used to define the artificial production of hypersensitivity and is contrary to horse welfare and fair play.
At FEI competitions, the determination of hypersensitivity in the horse is made by a combination of thermographic and clinical examinations, carried out by at least two experienced equine veterinarians.
Thermography is a means of detecting abnormal heat patterns of the skin through the use of an imaging camera. The clinical examination is carried out by observation and palpation (applying manual pressure).
Lausanne (SUI), 20 April 2010 – The FEI press conference, held on 17 April in Geneva, on the disqualification of the horse Sapphire ridden by McLain Ward (USA) in the FEI World Cup Jumping Final, is now available free-to-view on FEI TV in English. Visit www.feitv.org and register to watch for free.
The opening statement by the FEI President is available here.
Geneva (SUI), 18 April 2010 – An urgent appeal/protest was lodged this morning by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), McLain Ward (Person Responsible) and Dr Tim Ober (USEF Team Veterinarian) against the disqualification of Sapphire from the FEI World Cup Final. The FEI Tribunal heard the case for emergency relief to allow the horse to compete today. Following the hearing, the FEI Tribunal Chair Ken Lalo (ISR) denied the request for emergency relief on the grounds that the FEI Tribunal did not have jurisdiction to overturn the Ground Jury’s decision. This means that Sapphire remains disqualified from today’s final round of the FEI World Cup.
Sapphire, the horse ridden by McLain Ward (USA), was eliminated from the second round of the FEI World Cup Final on Friday night (16 April) and disqualified from the rest of the event following a positive hypersensitivity test.
Runners-up Pius Schwizer of Switzerland (left) and Ludger Beerbaum of Germany (right) hold the newly-crowned 2010 Rolex FEI World Cup champion Marcus Ehning of Germany aloft after his victory in Geneva today. Photo: Kit Houghton.
BIRTHDAY-BOY EHNING TAKES HIS THIRD ROLEX TITLE
Geneva (SUI), 18 April 2010 – Germany’s Marcus Ehning will celebrate his 36th birthday tomorrow as the newly-crowned 2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping champion. In the Palexpo arena in Geneva, Switzerland this afternoon he kept the coolest head despite an early mistake and won through when those ahead of him faltered. This was his third time to take the prestigious Rolex title and he said, “It’s really unbelievable – I thought I was too far behind going into the last round but this is how it works out – I am so happy!”
Germany dominated the winner’s podium when Ludger Beerbaum produced one of just four double-clear performances in today’s competition to finish joint-runner-up with Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer. And the thrilling class highlighted some great characters and new arrivals, but shattered the dream of America’s Mario Deslauriers who it seemed was about to re-take the title he first claimed 26 years ago in Gothenburg, only to see it slip from his grasp in the fading moments.
CLASSIC TESTS
Course designer Rolf Ludi presented two more classic tests, but only seven of the 29 starters got it right in the first round and when Deslauriers and his brilliant nine year old Dutch gelding Urico were amongst them it further bolstered their position at the top of the leaderboard after the first two legs. The flimsy planks at fence four, the vertical following a tight left-hand bend at seven and the water-tray oxer at fence 10, ridden on a three-stride distance from the previous 1.60m FEI vertical, proved the bogeys here but when Ehning’s Plot Blue clipped the very last – a wall with beautifully-carved Swiss cows decorating the top of it – then it seemed his chances were scuppered. With only four points separating the top four riders going into the final day every mistake was critical, but third-placed Schwizer lowered the bogey planks while fourth-placed Patrice Deleveau of France kicked out the oxer at fence two, so Ehning only slipped one place to third at the end of the opening round of jumping.
Wellington, FL – April 16, 2010 – PhelpsSports.com, the world’s most popular, most talked about, and fastest growing equestrian news website, is pleased to announce an exciting addition to this season’s comprehensive event coverage. Members of the PhelpsSports.com team will be traveling to Lexington, Kentucky, next week to cover the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event as well as the Kentucky Cup Show Jumping and Dressage Test Events in preparation for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Held in conjunction with the Rolex Three-Day Event, the WEG Test Events will feature some of the biggest stars in the sport competing at the Kentucky Horse Park’s brand new venues.
Following this special coverage, Phelps Sports.com will be offering comprehensive coverage of a vast array of important summer equestrian events across the United States and around the world this summer. Key stops along the summer trail will include the Spring and Summer horse shows in Kentucky, the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair in Devon, Pennsylvania, the inaugural Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix in Saugerties, New York, the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships at the Horse Park in Lexington, plus all of the action from five weeks of action at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada.
Oliver Townend Could Make History by Winning the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY — Once again, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, this year Presented by Bridgestone, will host a truly international event at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, April 22-25. The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, part of the HSBC FEI Classics Series, attracts many of the world’s best horses and riders as they vie for their share of $250,000 in prize money.
Enhancing this year’s schedule will be the official Kentucky Cup Dressage and Jumping Test Events for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG). The Games will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park, September 25-October 10, marking the first time that equestrian sport’s biggest event is being held outside Europe.
