Category Archives: FEI

*Featured/Spotlights, Breeds, Community/Charity, Driving, FEI, JRPR

Half-Arabian Goes from Leadline to World Headlines

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Suzy Stafford has been long-listed for the 2011 FEI World Pony Driving Championships in Slovenia with her half-Arabian pony Miss Josephine. (Photo courtesy of Pics Of You)

Chester County, PA (July 8, 2011) – Gold medalist Suzy Stafford’s registered half-Arabian mare Miss Josephine may be long-listed for the 2011 FEI World Pony Driving Championships in Slovenia, but the 14-hand FEI mare’s career has also included much “smaller” competitions. Those competitions include being a patient and wonderful leadline mount for children.

“Josie has an amazing heart and loves a challenge, which is what makes her a fantastic international competitor,” Stafford said. “But like most Arabians, she is very sweet and being a child’s leadline mount also suited her. In addition to being a leadline mount, Josie was part of a driving pair before I bought her. I do think going from a leadline mount to a world champion competitor is pretty remarkable.”

Stafford also thinks it is remarkable that Josie will be the first registered Arabian to compete in the World Pony Driving Championships for the United States. “Arabians are a very versatile breed and they really can excel in any discipline,” Stafford said. “Arabians are a great mount for children and adults. Even though Josie has the ability to win in the leadline division with a small child, she also has the ability to become an award-winning FEI World Driving Pony Champion. As one of the oldest and most popular breeds in the United States, the Arabian is known for having boundless energy, great intellect and a gentle disposition and that is a great description of Josie.”

Stafford and Josie became partners in September of 2010, and the pair has already proven they have the drive to win. Stafford and Josie won the Reserve National Single Pony Championships at Live Oak International earlier this year and as the most consistent competitors in three selection trials held in Florida, the pair also drove away as the winners of the Triple Crown of Driving sponsored by Live Oak International, the Sunshine State CDE and Little Everglades CDE.

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Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, FEI

FEI Nations Cup 2011 – Draw Report, Round 4

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AMERICANS IN THE HOT SEAT AS ROUND FOUR GETS UNDERWAY by Louise Parkes

The draw for the fourth leg of the FEI Nations Cup 2011 series took place at Falsterbo, Sweden this evening. Photo: Falsterbo Press Office.

Falsterbo (SWE), 7 July 2011 – The American team have the unenviable task of of being first into the ring when the FEI Nations Cup 2011 resumes at Falsterbo, Sweden tomorrow afternoon.  The draw took place this evening, and the order of go for the competition which begins at 14.30 local time is as follows:

1. USA: 2, Belgium; 3, The Netherlands; 4, Germany; 5, Great Britain; 6, Sweden; 7, Ireland;  8, Denmark; 9, France.

The nine-team line-up reflects a guest appearance for the host country in the eight-leg, eight-nation tournament.  Sweden is entitled to compete despite relegation to the Promotional League last season.  They can’t take points from tomorrow’s competition, but the home runners could well pull off a big and satisfying result – they won here on their home ground last summer, and they’ve been fighting hard, and very successfully, in this year’s Promotional League series.  Chef d’Equipe, Sylve Soderstrand, is sending out his big guns – Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, Malin Bayard-Johnsson and Peder Fredrickson along with Angelika Augustsson, winner of the Gothenburg leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping series last season.  “We are here with our best team. And we are very pleased to compete on our homeground,” he said today. But this is not only a different league from where we have been competing recently – it is a different planet!” he added.

SUPREMELY CONFIDENT
The first three legs have been so exciting, and Dutch Chef d’Equipe, Rob Ehrens, should be feeling supremely confident after the double scored by his teams in both Rome (ITA) and St Gallen (SUI) over the previous two legs.  “I hope we keep up our form” he said in typically stoic fashion this afternoon.

Continue reading FEI Nations Cup 2011 – Draw Report, Round 4 →

Competitions, Events, FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Falsterbo Next Port of Call for FEI Nations Cup 2011 Series

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Lausanne SUI, 1 July 2011 – The eight-leg FEI Nations Cup 2011 series reaches the halfway stage when it resumes, after a four-week break, at Falsterbo, Sweden next Friday (8 July), and with The Netherlands holding a solid lead at the top of the league table.  Once again this will be a nine-nation contest as the host country is entitled to compete despite being relegated to the Promotional League last season.  They cannot earn Top League points, but the Swedes could well pull off a big result because they won here on their home turf last summer and they have been fighting hard, and very successfully, in this year’s Promotional League series.  They may well be on their way back to the elite level of the sport.

Swedish Chef d’Equipe, Sylve Soderstrand, named his side earlier this week and it includes the young lady who set the Gothenburg leg of last season’s Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping series alight with a superb winning performance.  Riding the Cruising mare Midtown du Tillard, 24 year old Angelica Augustsson became an overnight sensation when producing a devastating turn of speed in the 12-horse jump-off which left Australian star Edwina Alexander and German ace Ludger Beerbaum in her immediate wake.  Beerbaum was moved to comment afterwards, “This is the cream – it doesn’t come better than this, and we will remember today for a very long time.”  And Augustsson will be in the distinguished company of Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Peder Fredricson.  It seems the Swedes really do intend to make an impression next Friday afternoon.

SUPER-CONFIDENT
The Dutch will be feeling super-confident after their back-to-back double of victories in Rome (ITA) and St Gallen (SUI) which have ensured their 4.5 advantage at the head of the leaderboard.  Team manager Rob Ehrens said from the outset that he wanted to do most of the hard work early this season to ease the pressure closer to the FEI European Championships in Madrid in September – and it has worked like a dream.  He is, however, still taking a strong squad that includes Piet Raymakers Jr, Leon Thijssen, Maikel van der Vleuten, Vincent Voorn and Albert Zoer.

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

Jung Rockets to Third Place in FEI World Cup Eventing Rankings

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Reigning World Champion Michael Jung (GER) has established his position in the 2011 FEI World Cup Eventing rankings after Strzegom (POL).

Lausanne (SUI), 28 June 2011 – Reigning World Champion Michael Jung (GER) has established his position on the 2011 FEI World Cup Eventing rankings after scoring an emphatic one-two at Strzegom (POL), the fourth leg of the series.

In a remarkable record, Jung, the reigning Series Champion from 2010 and winner of the 2009 FEI World Cup Eventing Final in Strzegom was winning at this leading Polish venue for the third consecutive time.

The German rider was in first and second position throughout the competition, only swapping the order of his horses in the final phase when Leopin, which had been re-routed after retiring the previous weekend in Luhmühlen CCI4*, jumped clear to take the top spot. Leopin was the only horse to achieve the optimum Cross Country time and, with his faultless Jumping round, was the only horse in the competition to complete on his Dressage score.

The Cross-Country leader, La Biosthetique Sam, the brilliant horse on which Jung won individual gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games last year, as well as the Luhmühlen CCI4*, the FEI World Cup Eventing Final and a European bronze medal in 2009, faulted just once in the final phase to drop to second place.

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Community/Charity, Competitions, Events, FEI, Hunter/Equitation, Maclay, National Horse Show, Phelps Media Group, Products/Services, Show Jumping

Alltech National Horse Show Accepting Official Media Partnerships

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Lexington, KY – June 25, 2011 – The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th edition, is now accepting a limited number of Official Media Partners for this year’s debut event in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, will be held from November 2-6, 2011, at the beautiful new Alltech Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

In exchange for advertising space, detailed editorial content and coverage, Official Media Partners of the Alltech National Horse Show will receive a link on our Media Partners page on the ANHS website, recognition in the Official Alltech National Horse Show Program and exclusive rights to distribute magazines on the grounds during this year’s show. Only officially recognized magazines will be allowed during the Alltech National Horse Show.

For information regarding the Official Media Partnership, please contact Mason Phelps, Jr. or Karen Lucca. Mason Phelps can be reached at mpjr@phelpsmediagroup.com. To get in touch with Karen Lucca, email kll@phelpsmediagroup.com. Both can be reached by calling 561-753-3389.

The Alltech National Horse would like to welcome the following media outlets who have already signed on as Official Media Partners: the Lexington Herald Leader, Sidelines Magazine, PhelpsSports.com, ShowNet.biz, Equine International and Wellington the Magazine.

Equine International was recently named as the Official Publication of the Alltech National Horse Show.

The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, will be held from November 2-6, 2011, at the beautiful, new Alltech Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

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Dressage, Events, FEI, FEI

FEI Dressage Committee Considers Five Key Developments

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Lausanne (SUI), 23 June 2011 – The FEI Dressage Committee discussed several issues at its meeting in Paris (FRA) earlier this month and the following five key developments were decided upon.

Blood rule
The committee proposed a new blood rule explicitly stating that the test would be stopped if blood appears anywhere on the horse.

At top level events (Olympic Games, Championships and Finals for seniors), where FEI vets will be present at the warm-up arena, they would examine the horse and the test would resume if bleeding from minor injuries had stopped.

If the bleeding had not stopped, the horse would be eliminated. Where vets are not present to examine the horse, bleeding would result in immediate elimination.

The FEI’s Vet Committee and Legal Department are considering the proposal for this rule, which would sit in Article 430.7.1. or Article 440 of the Rules for Dressage Events, which can be viewed here.

As always, rule revisions will be presented for National Federation approval at the FEI General Assembly in November for implementation on 1 January 2012.

Protective headgear
The FEI Medical Committee has recommended making protective headgear mandatory across all disciplines when riding at show grounds outside competition arenas.

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Competitions, Events, FEI, Show Jumping, USEF

Madden, Kraut, Hough, McCrea & Farrington to Jump for U.S. at CSIO5* Hickstead & CSIO5* Dublin

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Lexington, KY – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) named the following horse/rider combinations for CSIO5*competitions: Hickstead and Dublin, which are part of the 2011 FEI Nations Cup Series. These riders will jump at CSIO5* Hickstead, England, July 26-31 which is held in conjunction with the Longines Royal International Horse Show and CSIO5* Dublin, Ireland, August 3-7 as part of the prestigious Royal Dublin Horse Show.

Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, NY) will ride Coral Reef Ranch’s Coral Reef Via Volo
Coral Reef Via Volo is a 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare

Laura Kraut (Wellington, FL) will ride Happy Hill Farm’s Cedric or Stars and Stripes’ Tierra
Cedric is a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding
Teirra is an 11-year-old KWPN mare

Lauren Hough (Wellington, FL) will ride Laura and Meredith Mateo’s Quick Study
Quick Study is a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding

Christine McCrea (Windsor, CT) will ride Windsor Show Stable’s Romantovich Take One
Romantovich Take One is an 11-year-old KWPN gelding

Kent Farrington (Chicago, IL) will ride R.C.G. Farm’s Uceko
Uceko is an 11-year-old KWPN gelding

Information about Hickstead and the Longines Royal International Horse Show is available here: http://www.hickstead.co.uk/horse-shows.aspx.

Information about the Royal Dublin Horse Show is available here:  http://www.dublinhorseshow.com.

Breeds, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, USEF

U.S. Qualifies Record Number of Horses for 2011 FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Dressage

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Eastern Selection Trial 5-year-old champion Lauren Chumley and Somer Hit. Photo by Pics of You.

Lexington, KY – With three horses earning qualifying scores of 8.2 or better at the 2011 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Selection Trials and four earning qualifying scores in Europe, the U.S. had a competitive list of seven – more than ever before – to choose from when considering who will make up the team for the FEI World Breeding Championships held in Verden, Germany, August 3-7.

“The number of horses that qualified this year was a true testament to the Markel/USEF Young Horse Program,” said USEF Young Horse Coach Scott Hassler. “We had impressive horses come from all areas of the country with many competing overseas and doing quite well against top quality horses. The Young Horse Program is progressing in the U.S. just the way we hoped it would.”

The U.S. is invited to field a team of four in Verden – two 5-year-olds and two 6-year-olds. This year’s U.S. team will consist of a total of three (a 5-year-old and two 6-year-olds). The final team includes the 5-year-old Westphalian stallion, Florentinus (Florestan I – Lady in Red by Londonderry), owned and ridden by Jennifer Hoffman. The duo qualified by earning a score of 8.5 in Europe. The 6-year-olds include the Austrian Warmblood stallion Ratzinger (Riccione – St. Pr. St. Inschella by Pablo), also owned and ridden by Hoffman, who qualified with an 8.5 in Europe. The second 6-year-old is the Oldenburg mare, Royal Couer 2 (Royal Hit – Riva by Le Coeur), owned and ridden by Marne Martin Tucker. The pair earned a score of 8.36 in Europe to qualify for the team.

Continue reading U.S. Qualifies Record Number of Horses for 2011 FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Dressage →

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

Dibowski Is Flawless at Luhmühlen in HSBC FEI Classics

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Lausanne (SUI), 19 June 2011 – Andreas Dibowski, a valuable member of Germany’s teams for many years, was at his consistent best in a tense finale at Luhmühlen, presented by E.ON Avacon (GER), and seized victory with a flawless Jumping round on Euroridings Butts Leon to gain his first points in the 2011 HSBC FEI Classics.

“I have been riding here for 22 years, so the pressure to win was building,” said Dibowski. “Nowadays, it is so close at the top of the sport that you cannot allow mistakes. The Jumping course was well built, but asked enough questions, as it should in the modern sport.

“We haven’t had the best weather this weekend, but we have had the very best conditions, thanks to the new all-weather arenas. It is important that the first rider to go gets the same conditions as the very last.”

Dibowski, who has indicated that he may take his Luhmühlen winning ride to Burghley (GBR) in September, shoots into fourth place in the HSBC FEI Classics, in which the top five riders at five CCI4*s will share a prize pool of US$330,000. Dibowski is now in behind Mary King (GBR), whose eighth place at Luhmühlen on the gallant Apache Sauce gave her a few extra points, Piggy French (GBR), fourth, and Badminton winner Mark Todd (NZL).

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

French and Her Flying Machine Speed to Pole Position at Luhmühlen in HSBC FEI Classics

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Piggy French (GBR) and the aptly named Flying Machine galloped through the worst of the weather to take over the lead at the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2011 at Luhmühlen. (Photo: Peter Nixon/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 18 June 2011 – Piggy French (GBR) galloped through pouring rain on her appropriately named 10-year-old Irish gelding Flying Machine to take the lead after Cross-Country at Luhmühlen, presented by E.ON Avacon (GER), the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.

The leaderboard has changed substantially and now the cost of just one Jumping fence covers the top four riders, ensuring a thrilling day’s sport tomorrow. French is highly competent in this phase, but she has no margin for error if she is to score her longed-for first CCI4* victory.

“I have not managed to run the horse as often as you would like to before a four-star, but the shock treatment seems to have worked!” said French. “I am very excited about how he coped with it all. I am lucky to have many lovely horses to ride and when you have a day like this, it’s a bonus. The rain was unbelievable, and my gloves were heavy with water so I got rid of them, but it was no better without them!”

The home side’s Sandra Auffarth (GER) had the ride of her life to move up a place to second on the nine-year-old Selle Francais Opgun Louvo, the horse she rode into third place in the 2009 Young Horse Championships at Le Lion d’Angers (FRA). The German rider was making her four-star debut and it will be quite a story if she snatches victory tomorrow – and she says her horse is a good jumper.

Continue reading French and Her Flying Machine Speed to Pole Position at Luhmühlen in HSBC FEI Classics →