Monthly Archives: April 2017

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping

Michael Jung Makes It Three in a Row at Kentucky

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Michael Jung (GER) and FischerRocana FST. (FEI/Rebecca Berry)

Jung retains Kentucky crown, with Livio (FRA) and Tindall (GBR) holding on to second and third

Germany’s Michael Jung smashed yet another record when winning the Kentucky Three-Day Event for the third year running on the 12-year-old FischerRocana, a mare that may not have the biggest movement but certainly has the biggest heart.

Jung did have a jumping fence down, but his supremacy in the dressage and cross-country meant he could afford it and is second in the FEI Classics™ after three out of six legs behind the superbly talented Frenchman Maxime Livio (FRA), who finished runner-up at Kentucky on Qalao Des Mers with a clear jumping round.

“She is a really wonderful horse, a top fighting girl. She jumped wonderfully and was only a bit spooky at the white fence. I really like Kentucky – and not just because I win here! – but because I feel very welcome. You can train the horse for every phase and it’s why I like it and why I come back.” — Michael Jung (GER)

With one FEI Classics™ win each, and a second place each, Livio and Jung both have their sights firmly on the 2016/17 series title. However, only Jung is competing at Badminton next weekend, fourth leg of the series, which could be his opportunity to step up to top the leaderboard.

Both Livio and Zara Tindall, the only British athlete in the field, finished on their dressage scores. Tindall was ecstatic with her third place after a beautiful clear round on High Kingdom and it must have laid the ghost of the disappointment two years when she had to withdraw before dressage when the horse suffered a freak injury.

Matthew Brown (USA) slipped from fourth to sixth after hitting the very first rail with BCF Super Socks, so it was the super-consistent Phillip Dutton (USA), who has now completed Kentucky an amazing 40 times, who captured yet another national title as highest placed USA rider, as he moved up to fourth with a clear round on the 18-year-old Mr Medicott, a horse having his last four-star run after an illustrious career. Hannah Sue Burnett (USA) was fifth on Under Suspection.

The Kentucky three-peat was Jung’s 10th four-star win – William Fox-Pitt holds the record with 14 – and the German Olympic champion, who is only 34, looks to be catching up with the Briton. Just hours after his triumph on American soil Jung was catching a flight to England en route to defending his title at Badminton next weekend.

A record number of spectators watched the 4* Eventing action this year at Kentucky, with 34’000 attending cross country and 24000 at the jumping finale.

By Kate Green

Press contacts:

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Marty Baumann
Press Chief
info@classic-communications.com
508-698-6810 x 10

Competitions, Racing

Kentucky Derby

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Image Attribution: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4088398.

The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of one and a quarter miles (2 km) at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kilograms) and fillies 121 pounds (55 kilograms).

The race is known in the United States as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” or “The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports” for its approximate duration, and is also called “The Run for the Roses” for the blanket of roses draped over the winner. It is the first leg of the American Triple Crown and is followed by the Preakness Stakes, then the Belmont Stakes. Unlike the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, which took hiatuses in 1891-1893 and 1911-1912, respectively, the Kentucky Derby has been run every consecutive year since 1875. A horse must win all three races to win the Triple Crown. In the 2015 listing of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), the Kentucky Derby tied with the Whitney Handicap as the top Grade 1 race in the United States outside of the Breeders’ Cup races.

The attendance at the Kentucky Derby ranks first in North America and usually surpasses the attendance of all other stakes races including the Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and the Breeders’ Cup.

The 2017 Kentucky Derby will be the 143rd running, and is set for Saturday, May 6, 2017 with a $2 million guaranteed purse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Derby

A Visual Guide to The Kentucky Derby is an interactive infographic dealing with interesting facts and trivia on the history and pageantry of one of sport’s biggest events. From the Derby’s origins to dominating bloodlines and on to ladies fashions and mint juleps… this infographic has a little bit for every one as it unfolds the most exciting two minutes in sports!

http://www.derbyllc.com/a-visual-guide-to-the-kentucky-derby/

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Kentucky Three-Day

Michael Jung Takes Over Kentucky Lead after Cross Country

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Michael Jung (GER) and FischerRocana FST. (FEI/Rebecca Berry)

Even dual Olympic champion Michael Jung admitted cross country day at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, third leg of the FEI Classics™, was a tough one with Derek di Grazia’s track posing a serious challenge. However, the German maestro is yet again in pole position on FischerRocana FST, despite finishing four seconds (1.6 time penalties) over the optimum time of 11 minutes 17 seconds and surviving a precarious moment when the brave little mare made an enormous leap into the lake.

Jung, currently third in the FEI Classics™ having led the series last year, has a fence in hand to win a record third successive Kentucky on the same horse. His nearest challenger is Frenchman Maxime Livio, current leader of the FEI Classics™ after his win in Pau, who rode a masterful round to finish exactly on the optimum time on Qalao Des Mers to rise from eighth place after dressage to second.

“Today was not our best ride, but we have a true partnership and kept fighting,” said Jung. “FischerRocana looks very well after the finish – she is a tough girl!”

The leaderboard has changed dramatically and a brilliant, committed ride by the sole British representative, Zara Tindall on High Kingdom, has propelled her from 16th to third place. A determined Matthew Brown, previously 19th after dressage, has leapt to fourth place on Super Socks BCF and is the highest placed American rider.

Demonstrating the openness of the competition, Erin Sylvester (USA), who was only 51st after dressage, is now 13th on Mettraise after finishing bang on the optimum time.

There were 26 clear rounds from the 42 finishers and six within the optimum time. Dressage leaders Clark Montgomery (USA) and Loughan Glen lost their chance of retaining their position with a disappointing refusal at a skinny brush at fence 18a.

Three other riders in contention after dressage also disappeared off the leaderboard: both Kim Severson (USA), third on Cooley Cross Border, and Jessica Phoenix (CAN), fifth on Bentley’s Best, retired after run-outs at corners and Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp (USA), fourth, parted company from Fernhill By Night at the Normandy Bank.

The jumping finale, which starts at 1pm local time, is sure to be a tense affair as the magnificent Michael Jung bids to make history – again.

Press contacts:

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Marty Baumann
Press Chief
info@classic-communications.com
508-698-6810 x 10

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Strzegom Will Open FEI Nations Cup Series in Eventing

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Strzegom, 27.04.2017 – Morawa Hippodrome will be the arena of the first competition for FEI Nations Cup Series in Eventing.

After the event in Montelibretti was cancelled, Strzegom will be the first leg in this year FEI Nations Cup Series in Eventing calendar.

Strzegom Horse Trials will take place in mid-May. Riders will compete in six international classes on different levels including the most important one: Nations Cup.

Strzegom Horse Trails have been organized for fifteen years now and for last six years the inherent part of the event is Nations Cup competition.

This year FEI Nations Cup Series consist of nine events which will take place in eight European countries and USA.

At every event, there will be nations team classification done. The winner team of the whole Series will be selected on 8th October after the competition in Boekelo in Holland.

Last year’s Series was won by German team, followed by Great Britain and France.

Contact:
www.strzegomhorsetrials.pl
press@strzegomhorsetrials.pl

Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

Roberto Teran, Jr. and Il Rubacouri Win $25k Accuhorsemat Grand Prix at ESP Spring III

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Roberto Teran, Jr. and Il Rubacouri. Photo ©AnneGittinsPhotography.

Samuel Parot and Taalex Take $10,000 Equiline Open Stake

Wellington, FL – April 26, 2017 – Roberto Teran, Jr. of Wellington, FL and Il Rubacouri earned top honors in the $25,000 Accuhorsemat Grand Prix at ESP Spring III hosted at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). The pair dashed through the jump-off timers in 34.56 seconds to take the lead ahead of Emanuel Andrade and Boy IV, who took second place with a time of 34.788 seconds. Andrade also guided Bon Jovi to a top three finish, stopping the timers in 35.962 seconds for third.

Teran, Jr. and Il Rubacouri, who is owned by Teran, Jr., bested a massive class of 52 entries, who tested the track designed by Richard Jeffery. Thirteen pairs moved forward to contest the short course, while six combinations earned a double clear effort on the afternoon.

“Obviously my plan was to try and have clean round. The time allowed wasn’t too tight, so there wasn’t much pressure there, but it was technical enough and had some good questions. My horse jumped great and was lucky enough to go clear,” he commented, when discussing his plan heading in to the first round track.

Il Rubacouri is a talented mount who was jumping in CSI 2* and CSI 3* in Europe before Teran, Jr. purchased him with Juan Carlos Garcia, another Colombian rider based in Italy. Experienced for his age, at only nine, Teran made the most of his time in the ring after observing a few rounds complete the track ahead of him.

“He’s a horse that was born in Italy. I own him with Juan Carlos Garcia who is a top international rider from Colombia based in Italy. He’s a very careful, fast horse. We’re trying to move him up into the bigger grand prix classes. He was jumping CSI 2* and 3* classes in Europe before coming here,” he explained. “He’s been fantastic. He did a few big classes during the WEF circuit, including few Saturday nights. He’s a nine-year-old that is going to be very promising for the future,” commented Teran, Jr.

“There were twelve in the jump-off and there were a few very fast horse and rider combinations. There was a very tight turn to an inside oxer that I knew if I planned it correctly, it was going to be faster than the others,” elaborated Teran, Jr. “That turn, ended up being very smooth and very fast. At the point if I left up the last the three up, I knew I would be good for the win.”

The pair will now head to Kentucky to contest the spring competition before making their way up the East Coast, and ultimately secure plans to travel to Europe at the end of the summer, as Teran, Jr. is planning on meeting up with his Colombian teammates, as they look towards the FEI World Cup Finals in Barcelona, Spain, in September.

“I have a couple of grand prix horses right now and I think we’re going to Kentucky in May and then my plan is to go up to Upperville and Devon. I’m planning to finish in Europe and possibly contest the FEI Nations Cup Finals in September. We have a good team based in Europe and I’d like to go join them for preparations ahead of the competition.”

Samuel Parot and Taalex Take $10,000 Equiline Open Stake

Samuel Parot of Wellington, FL and his own Taalex rode to victory in the $10,000 Equiline Open Stake during ESP Spring III, taking the class with a jump-off time of 35.876 seconds. Emanuel Andrade of Wellington, FL and his own Cortina 186 followed in second place, finishing just a second behind Parot, crossing through the timers in 36.434 seconds. Alex Granato of Wellington, FL and Beorn, owned by Alliy Moyer, collected third place with a time of 36.843 seconds.

The class featured 42 entries, while 13 pairs advanced to contest the short course. Parot also guided VDL Aberlino to a fourth place finish, as he piloted both of his mounts to a strong top ten finish.

Jumper Highlights

Shane Sweetnam of Wellington, FL and Samoa, owned by Anna Beth Athey, captured top honors in the $5,000 Omega Alpha 1.35m Stake, besting a class of 43 entries. The pair stopped the jump-off timers in 29.417 seconds to take the win ahead of Jimmy Torano of Wellington, FL and Diamant des Biez, owned by E2 Stabes, who finished with a time of 29.675 seconds. Sweetnam also guided Le Vio, owned by Gut Einhaus, LLC, to third place with a time of 29.903 seconds.

Ty Simpson of Wellington, FL and Why Not, owned by Simpson Show Jumping, Inc., rode to victory in the $1,500 NAL Child/Adult Jumper Classic, besting Michelle Carnes and Ushuaia, owned by Howard Lemus, as the only two pairs to advance to the jump-off round. Marlee Malamut of Vallaway, NJ and Cody, took third place after accumulating three time faults on the first round track.

Lydia Ulrich of Rochester, NY and Up Stream, owned by Beth Congel-Ulrich, topped the $2,500 Gold Coast Feed Low Junior/Amateur Owner Classic with a jump-off time of 29.173 seconds. Ashley Vogel of Mequon, WI and Twist des Forets, owned by Neil Jones Equestrian Inc., earned second place with a jump-off time of 31.156 seconds. Sophia Studd of Wellington, FL and her own Angelica Bird rounded out the top three with a time of 32. 635 seconds.

Hunter Highlights

Meghan Kaupp of Pittsford, NY and Montenegro, owned by Lilly Ulrich, rode to victory in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, amassing a two round score of 176. Zayna Rizvi of Greenwich, CT and Verdana, owned by Laura Wasserman, earned second place with a score of 171, while Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL and Easton’s Rocket, owned Pamela Landis, took third place with a score of 170.

Kaitlin Porath of Charlotte, NC guided her own Breaux to top honors in the Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3″ 18-35 Division, while Brittan Bailey of West Palm Beach, FL and Jackman, owned by Bailey Mews, LLC, who were awarded with reserve champion.

The #1 Education Place Junior Hunter 3’3″ Division was championed by Adam Edgar of Leesburg, VA and Carasco, owned by Bill Schaub, while Zayna Rizvi of Greenwich, CT and Verdana, owned by Laura Wasserman, were presented with reserve champion.

Molly Sewell of Winter Park, FL and Quillaja, owned by Robert Scott, collection the division championship in the Neue Schule Bits USHJA Hunter 3′ Division. Mavis Spencer of Santa Monica, CA and Prophet, owned by Neil Jones Equestrian Inc., earned reserve in the division.

Alex Elle Lignelli of New York, NY and her own Iparty finished atop the division in the Small Pony Hunter after several strong performances. Lauren Gee of Valdosta, GA and Grand Slam, owned by Sweet Oak Farm, collected reserve champion.

The Low Children’s Hunter Division saw Reese Madden of Southwest Ranches, FL and Diamond in the Sky ride to earn champion honors ahead of Isabel Beltran and her own Alleala, who finished in reserve.

Michael Desiderio of Wellington, FL and Zero Tolerance, owned by Dru Cederberg, finished as champions in the Neue Schule Bits ESP Open Hunter 3’3″ Division. Mavis Spencer of Santa Monica, CA and Sidarta, owned by Two Swans Farm, finished with the reserve champion title.

The ESP management team would like to thank all of the competitors who participated in the ESP Spring III competition and their understanding and patience with the cancellation due to inclement weather on Sunday, April 23.

For more information on PBIEC and to see a full list of results, please visit www.pbiec.com.

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Kentucky Three-Day

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen Lead at Kentucky

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Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. (FEI/Rebecca Berry)

Montgomery leads on 33.6 ahead of Germany’s Jung on 37.1

American rider Clark Montgomery rode a superbly smooth dressage test on Loughan Glen to take the lead in front of his new home crowd at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. It’s the third leg of the FEI Classics™, a series that links the world’s six major four-star events and provides valuable cash prizes to the top three in the points table.

Montgomery, who has returned to the USA from a spell based in Britain and now lives in Kentucky State, heads the 59 starters at the USA’s premier event on the excellent score of 33.6, but there’s no relaxing when defending champion Michael Jung from Germany is only 3.5 penalties behind. Jung, the dual Olympic champion and 2015-2016 FEI Classics™ leader (he is currently third in the 2016-2017 table), is going for a record third successive Kentucky victory on the same horse, gallant little mare FischerRocana FST.

He has a habit of piling on pressure with faultless jumping performances and Montgomery and Loughan Glen, no strangers to outstanding success in the dressage arena, have a few blots on their cross-country record. However, the dressage leader, who describes that test as “beefy”, was visibly elated:

“My horse felt super. This morning he was pretty tight, but he was ‘up’ which is what we wanted. He felt good in his body, good in his mind.” — Clark Montgomery (USA)

US rider Kim Severson, who has achieved the rare distinction of winning Kentucky three times on the same horse, Winsome Adante (albeit not in succession), is in third place on her rising star Cooley Cross Border.

Speedy Frenchman Maxime Livio scored the first victory in the current FEI Classics™ series, at Pau, France, and brings that winning horse, Qalao Des Mers, for a first attempt at Kentucky. They are eighth on 44.6.

Zara Tindall, the 2006 world champion, is the sole Brit; she was near the bottom of the Badminton waitlist and decided to cross the Atlantic instead with her 2012 Olympic silver medallist High Kingdom. They are currently 16th on 46.6, just 0.3 ahead of fellow traveller Tim Price (NZL) on Ringwood Sky Boy, 17th.

Kentucky’s last home winner was Phillip Dutton way back in 2008; he’s in joint ninth on 44.8 with two of his three rides, Fernhill Fugitive and the 17-year-old Mr Medicott. The vastly experienced rider, a bronze medallist in Rio last year, has this to say about the cross-country, which starts at 10am local time: “You’ve got to keep thinking, not let the blood rush to the head and see how your horse handles the distance. It’s another great course from Derek (di Grazia, designer) and will sort everyone out.”

Press contacts:

Leanne Williams
Manager Press Relations
leanne.williams@fei.org
+41 79 314 24 38

Marty Baumann
Press Chief
info@classic-communications.com
508-698-6810 x 10

Competitions, FEI, Show Jumping

Team Germany Wins Thrilling FEI Nations Cup Jumping Division 1 Opener in Lummen

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FEI President Ingmar de Vos (front) with Team Germany (left to right) – Mario Stevens, Holger Wulschner, Otto Becker (Team Germany Chef d’Equipe), Andre Thieme and Maurice Tebbel. (FEI/Christophe Taniere)

Andre Thieme (42) snatched victory for Team Germany in a thrilling three-way jump-off at the opening qualifier of the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2017 Europe Division 1 at Lummen (BEL).

The 2016 FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping champions were level with both France and host nation Belgium on just four faults after the first two rounds, and one rider from each side went into a third-round race against the clock.

“My Conthendrix has done so many Nations Cups for Germany and he is so consistent, such a fighter – I think he likes me and I really love him. We are just a great team together.”

Belgium’s Pieter de Vos (31) was first to take on the jump-off track, but left the door wide open when a misunderstanding saw his Olympic ride, Dream of India Greenfield, stop at the first element of the double.

Thieme made no mistake when next to go, scorching home in 39.75 seconds to really put it up to Rio Olympic French team gold medallist Penelope Leprevost (36) who was last into the arena.

Despite a tremendous clear round from her feisty 12-year-old mare Ratina d’La Rousserie, she was just over a second slower when breaking the beam putting Team France into the runner-up spot.

There were five teams chasing qualifying points for the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2017 Final and Germany took the maximum 100 points ahead of France (90) and fourth-placed Italy (70). German Chef d’Equipe, Otto Becker, was delighted with his four-man crew that also included Maurice Tebbel (23) riding Chacco’s Son, Holger Wulschner (53) with BSC Skipper and Mario Stevens (34) partnering with Baloubet. “They were brilliant!” he said.

FEI President Ingmar de Vos, who attended the event, said: “This was a great first qualifier for Division 1, and it shows again how wonderful the concept of Nations Cup Jumping is! Having a jump-off between three nations was so exciting – it shows how passionate the riders are to defend their country, and their nation’s pride!”

Andre Thieme – Team Germany (winners), talking about the jump-off with his horse Conthendrix: “I wasn’t surprised by my horse’s performance – he did a few of the million dollar Grand Prix classes in the US and he was second, third and fourth. He finished in the top five in his last five Grand Prix classes! He’s a very, very special Nations Cup horse; I think he has done the most Nations Cups of any horse for Germany.”

Otto Becker – Chef d’Equipe for Team Germany: “I chose Andre because Conthendrix jumped the first two rounds really well. He also had enough time to prepare, and the horse is very experienced. I knew the team would fight and give their best, but it’s unbelievable how it happened.”

By Louise Parkes

Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
Email: ruth.grundy@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 145

FEI, Show Jumping, USEF

Hermès US Show Jumping Team Named for FEI Nations Cup CSIO4* Coapexpan

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Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian has named the following athletes to the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team for FEI Nations Cup™ CSIO4* Coapexpan, May 4-7, in Xalapa, Mexico:

Quentin Judge (Wellington, Fla.)

Peter Lutz (Goldens Bridge, N.Y.)

Alison Robitaille (Upperville, Va.)

Adrienne Sternlicht (Greenwich, Conn.)

Robert Ridland will serve as Chef d’Equipe.

Watch the live stream of FEI Nations Cup™ CSIO4* Coapexpan on FEI TV, Friday, May 5, at 1:30 p.m. ET.

From the US Equestrian Communications Department

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Kentucky Three-Day

Dressage at #RK3DE – Watch Day 1 On Demand on USEF Network

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Photo credit: RedBayStock.com.

The only place to catch the action-packed competition is the USEF Network live stream. Wall-to-wall coverage of each phase will be available on computers, tablets, phones, and smart TV devices. As always, the broadcast will include multiple camera angles, live athlete interviews, and analysis from professional sports commentator John Kyle with varying guest hosts.

Don’t miss the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover broadcast on NBC Sunday, May 7, at 1:30 p.m. ET. Check your local listings for channel numbers in your area.

“It Inspires You to Be Better”: Athletes Share Memories of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

Leah Lang-Gluscic
Leah Lang-Gluscic completed her first Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2016 aboard A.P. Prime.

“Rolex is a spectacle, in the best way possible. You think you’re going to get there and it’s going to be this long week of waiting. But with A.P. in particular, I had such a huge fan base for him that I was occupied every single second of the entire week. It’s nice, because you don’t have time to sit and worry about how big and long the cross-country is or about how your horse might be wild in dressage. So it’s unique in that there really is something for the riders to be doing almost every minute of the competition. Personally, for me, I love that.”

Sinead Halpin
Halpin finished third in her first Rolex Kentucky event in 2011 with Manoir de Carneville, earning the pair the Rolex/USEF CCI4* Eventing National Championship.

Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville (Mike McNally)

“I’ve been there a thousand times to watch, but I’ve ridden there three times. I think every time I have gone it’s been a little different. It’s truly the pinnacle of the sport, and one of the things that three-day eventing does is it wraps so many emotions and so many experiences into one weekend, right? Rolex is like that times 100.”

Elisa Wallace
Wallace first attended Rolex Kentucky as a spectator in 2008 and returned in 2014 to give a training demonstration with her mustangs. She rode there for the first time in 2015 with Simply Priceless, with whom she also finished sixth last year.

“There’s nothing that compares with going to your first Rolex. You have this weird thing of, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re here, and I don’t really believe that I’m here!’ It’s a surreal feeling. That stuck with me throughout the whole thing; I kind of felt outside my body.”

Jimmy Wofford
Olympic medalist Wofford won the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 1981 with Carawich and again in 1986 on The Optimist when the event was a long-format competition. He’s also coached many riders there and regularly serves as a commentator.

“I went around the course probably 10 times. It was always a challenge. First of all, it was a challenge for everybody because it was a classic format. I never rode in the modern short format. And of course, I especially remember ’81 and ’86. The first Rolex sponsorship was in 1981; before that it had been the Kentucky Three-Day Event, even though it already took four days to put it on back in 1981. So I have the first Rolex watch that was ever won there.”

Kim Severson
U.S. Olympic medalist Kim Severson won Rolex Kentucky three times with Winsome Adante, who was owned by Linda Wachtmeister’s Plain Dealing Farm. This year she’s competing at Rolex with The Cross Syndicate’s Cooley Cross Border.

“For the years that I was with Linda [Wachtmeister], they still had the tie pinneys for your number. It was always a thing that we did: Linda tied my number for me before I went on course. That was always a special thing because it was our thing.”

Doug Payne
Payne first tackled Rolex Kentucky in 2012 with Running Order, then owned by Stone Hill Farm. This year, he returns with his 2016 mount Vandiver, a horse he co-owns with Debi Crowley and Jessica Payne.

“The first time going down the chute into the arena there for dressage was probably my most memorable moment. Of course, you can’t beat having a cross-country round and all that, but that’s what’s etched in my mind: the first time going down the chute and stepping onto that stage.”

Dorothy Crowell
Lexington native Crowell and Kentucky-bred Molokai were hometown heroes when they won the first Rolex/USEF CCI4* Eventing National Championship in 1998, the first year the event was run as a four-star. The pair finished second overall that year at a time when Rolex Kentucky was still a long-format competition.

“My main memory, the one I go to anytime I think of Rolex, would be of the first four-star in 1998. It was Molokai’s final three-day event after a pretty amazing career, and it was in our hometown. It was the only competition where every stride he took, people were cheering – the whole 14-minute course, from when we left the box. On the gallop stretches there were only a few people, and sometimes, as when we were going through the Head of the Lake, there seemed to be thousands of them.”

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus Dressage Test

Check out Lauren Kieffer and her Anglo-Arabian Vermiculus performing their dressage test to lead the Rolex/USEF CCI4* Eventing National Championship after Day 1. Watch Now >

© 2017 US Equestrian Federation

Classic Company, Competitions, Show Jumping

Jumpers Close Out Week III of the Jacksonville Spring Classic

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Brian Moggre and MTM Flutterby [Photos: Alison Hartwell Photography]

Week III of the Jacksonville Spring Classics was one for the books when fifteen year old Brian Moggre of Flower Mound, Texas and Major Wager, LLC’s MTM Flutterby won the $35,000 Sidelines Grand Prix against a field of twenty-three seasoned, professional riders.

“I’ve won a couple of grand prix before this but I would say it was a pretty tough crowd to compete against,” commented Moggre. MTM Flutterby is only 15.3 hands and Moggre has been riding her for about two years. “I went in and wanted to do my best and it feels pretty good to come out beating your trainers,” he laughed.

“When we [Moggre, McCormick and Fenney] walked the course, we knew in the first round you could do a bending 6 or 5 or direct 4. We talked about what would be best and decided that smooth and fast, executing the smoothest route with the least amount of strides was the plan,” he said.

Eleven advanced to the jump off round over a course designed by Allen Rheinheimer of Zionsville, Indiana and Moggre had two in the jump off, MTM Flutterby and DDM Equestrian LLC’s Condero 3.

First to go was David Jennings of Franklin, Tennessee and KM Farms’ KM Corfina. While their time of 35.421 seconds beat the time allowed of 43 seconds, eight jump faults would see them finish in tenth place overall. Tracy Fenney of Flower Mound, Texas and MTM Farm’s Igor Van De Heibos followed Jennings and KM Corfina with four jump faults in a time of 34.979 seconds which would see them finish in fifth place overall.

Moggre, in the irons Condero 3, followed Fenney in the order and earned eight jump faults in a time of 32.694 seconds which would find them placing eighth overall.

Dorothy Douglas of West Bridgewater, Massachusetts and MTM Farm’s MTM Malfoy followed Moggre and Condero 3 and with four jump faults in a time of 39.153 seconds finished seventh overall.

Diamant’s Legacy, owned and ridden by Derek Petersen of Williston, Florida, followed and the pair turned in the first double clear jump off round in a time of 33.873 seconds and set the new time to beat.

Moggre followed Petersen, this time in the irons of Major Wager, LLC’s MTM Flutterby with their own clear round in a time of 30.638 seconds and took the lead, setting the new time to beat.

Sitting in the last to go position, Fenney and MTM Farm’s MTM Como No earned 16 jump faults and two jump faults in a time of 44.860 seconds and finished in eleventh place overall. The fastest of the first-round four-faulters was Dorothy Douglas and MTM Farm’s S & L Elite in a time of 85.716 seconds and they wrapped up the class in twelfth place.

“MTM Farm had a lot in the jump off and we were all going after each other and it was really fun,” he said. “My win made everyone on the MTM team really happy,” he added.

MTM Farm’s Mike McCormick commented, “We think Brian is going to be really famous. I try to not treat him like a ‘prima donna’ here. I make him tack all of his horses and help with lunging and school them,” he said. “The home team and on the road team is doing great. We must have 30 at home and 30 on the road and everyone has really been team players to get us where we are. Everyone has to work hard, because if you don’t, you’re going to have problems,” he said. “Heck, even Tracy helps!” he laughed.

“We’ve been doing great and we’re winning in the hunters and the jumpers. We’re qualified for Devon and things look great for MTM,” McCormick added.

Moggre has been buying horses from MTM Farm since 2012 and toward the end of 2015 started training with Mike McCormick and Tracy Fenney, moving his three horses to MTM Farm. “For the most part, I live on the road with them. I do online school and am a sophomore. My family has an RV and either my Mom or Dad will be at the shows with me,” commented Moggre. “I have a brother and a sister and it gets pretty hectic at times, but it’s easy to stay at the horse shows and not have to travel to and from home,” he added. “I have a very supportive family and I’m thankful for that,” Moggre said.

“I definitely want to make a career out of this like Mike. And of course, my dream since I was a kid was to be on the Olympic team. I love the sport and just want to be successful,” he added.

“This year I want to test the waters with the bigger jumps and the Nations Cup team is something I have my eye on this year,” he shared. “My next big show is Devon and that’s one I’m looking forward to,” Moggre said.

Tracy Fenney and MTM Farm’s Reve Du Paris

The $5,000 Horseflight Open Welcome kicked off the jumper action at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center and MTM Farm’s Tracy Fenney took the win in the irons of MTM Farm’s Reve Du Paris with their double clear rounds of 83.239 seconds and 29.310 seconds, well within the 43 seconds time allowed. No one would beat that fast second round and leave the rails up. Brian Moggre and MTM Farm’s Condero 3 came close with their clear second round in a time of 30.013 seconds, but they would settle into a second place overall finish.

Third place was awarded to KM Farm’s Corfina, ridden by David Jennings, for their clear second round in a time of 30.724 seconds. Fenney picked up a fourth place with MTM Farm’s Igor Van De Heibos for their clear second round in a time of 32.205 seconds and Jennings returned for a fifth place ribbon with Full Circle Farm’s Harvest Moon for their clear second round effort in a time of 32.472 seconds.

Moggre and Major Wager, LLC’s MTM Flutterby earned a sixth place ribbon and Fenney and MTM Farm’s MTM Como No placed seventh. Another MTM Farm rider, Dorothy Douglas, and Erika Guthinger’s Tiger Lion placed eighth, and Cassandra Kahle of Califon, New Jersey and Redfield Farm’s Wall Street earned a ninth place ribbon. Haley Gassel and Westwind Equine Trail’s Werner 61 came in tenth. Douglas returned for an eleventh place ribbon with MTM Farm’s S & L Elite, and Mark Jungherr of Williston, Florida and Susan Banta’s Conte Couleur wrapped up the class with a twelfth place.

For complete results, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

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