One of the sport’s rising stars, Jessica Springsteen, joins Chris and Brianne on this week’s episode to tell us what her riding plans are for the WEF and summer season. Plus we have another nutritionist tip from our regular contributor, Dr. Tania Cubitt. All that and some sound advice from Brianne too, so take a listen…
Wellington, FL – January 13, 2010 – The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) held its second day of competition today with the first of 12 weekly WEF Challenge Cup grand prix classes. Canada’s Yann Candele and Redefin, owned by Susan Grange, were the fastest double clear combination to earn the top prize. Held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, the 2011 WEF will hold 12 consecutive weeks of competition for its winter show circuit, running through April 3, 2011.
Round 1 of the $30,000 WEF Challenge Cup was held in the International Arena over a track set by course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY. Out of 26 original entries, seven made it to the jump-off in the Table IIa class. A distinguished list of horses and riders qualified for today’s jump-off in the WEF Challenge Cup and four were able to go double clear, each besting the leading time until the final competitor completed the fastest round.
Gladstone, NJ – January 13, 2011 – The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2011 Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy will be talented eventing rider Tiana Coudray. Each year this award is presented to a Young Rider in one of the Olympic disciplines who exemplifies both sportsmanship and horsemanship. In 2011 Coudray had a banner year, winning the Jersey Fresh CCI*** and the Galway Downs International Horse Trials CIC***, as well as leading the U.S. efforts at the Boekelo CCI*** in Holland.
“When the USET Foundation told me that I was the winner of this year’s award I went and looked it up,” commented Coudray. “I was pretty honored to look at the other names on the list throughout the years and think of what those people have gone on to do later in their careers.”
Over the years, Coudray has consistently shown her talent as a young rider. She won Team Gold at the North American Young Riders Championships in both 2004 and 2008, and took home the Individual Silver Medal in 2004. She has won the United States Eventing Association Young Rider of the Year Award an amazing three times in 2005, 2007, and 2009.
Nick Skelton Returns to the Winners Circle in $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers
Wellington, FL – January 12, 2011 – The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) began its competition today with opening jumper classes in the International Arena. To start the year off right, Nick Skelton (GBR) was back in the saddle and in the winner’s circle with Unique, owned by Beverly Widdowson, in the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers.
The first week of the FTI WEF runs through Sunday, January 16. The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 3, 2011, and they will be awarding almost $6 million in prize money through the circuit. The highlight jumper class in week one is the $30,000 Speed Derby on Sunday at 2 p.m.
This week’s course designer in the International Arena is Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY. He set a welcoming course for the 12 entries in the Time First Round class. The early leader was Pablo Barrios (VEN) who was clear on G&C Sinatra. They set a time of 69.682 seconds that would hold up for fourth place. Barrios placed third on his second mount, G&C Flash, who went in 67.614 seconds. Enrique Gonzales (MEX) improved on that time in 66.744 seconds with his horse Katina, and they finished second.
SAUGERTIES, NY (January 12, 2011) — HITS is pleased to announce that long-time sponsor FarmVet will return as a nationwide sponsor of HITS Horse Shows for the 2011 show jumping season that is set to kick off in the next couple of weeks at HITS Ocala, HITS Thermal and HITS Arizona.
This season, FarmVet will again be the title sponsor of the FarmVet Level 5 Jumper Division and has expanded its sponsorship to each HITS venue. This popular jumper division features fences set at 3’11” which is perfect for riders to move their horses up through the ranks.
Last winter, the FarmVet Level 5 Jumper Division featured some of the top jumper riders in the country, including Aaron Vale who was Reserve Circuit Champion at HITS Ocala. “The FarmVet Level 5 Jumper Division is crucial to the development of young horses and up-and-coming riders,” said HITS’ Account Executive for Corporate Sponsorship Lisa Engel. “We appreciate FarmVet’s support of HITS and its commitment to the development of both horses and riders in this important division.”
All is looking well for the Jacksonville Winter Series this year. We are not in snow and ice and we have a few stalls available for weeks one and three and for the most part, we are sold out for week two. I want to thank everyone for sending in thier entries this year that helped a great deal with our planning.
We do have a new schedule for week one. I have published it on this link.
Wellington, FL – January 11, 2011 – Saturday, January 8, 2011 marked the final day of the weeklong George Morris Horsemastership Clinic held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) where 12 of the country’s top young riders showcased their skills. At the completion of the final day, all of the participants had the opportunity to enjoy luncheon hosted by the United States Equestrian Team Foundation at the International Club at PBIEC.
Participants in the clinic included:
Ali Wolff – New Albany, OH
Hayley Barnhill – Collierville, TN
Karen Polle – New York, NY
Brittany Hurst – Jackson, NJ
Taylor Ann Adams – Ocala, FL
Kelsey Thatcher – Riverton, UT
Lillie Keenan – New York, NY
Molly Braswell – Ocala, FL
Chase Boggio – Canton, GA
Victoria Birdsall – Topsfield, MA
Kate Haley – Orchard Park, NY
Anna Hallene – Hinsdale, IL
Throughout the week, riders completed five mounted sessions with Morris, and were also treated to 10 other presentations from various specialists ranging from United States Team Veterinarian Tim Ober to Olympians McLain Ward, Laura Kraut, Anne Kursinski and Beezie Madden, as well as ASPCA Ambassadors Georgina Bloomberg and Brianne Goutal.
THERMAL, CA (January 10, 2011) — In two weeks time, show jumping action returns to Thermal, California for the 20th Anniversary of the HITS Desert Circuit. As entries continue to flood the corporate office, HITS is looking forward to welcoming international show jumping icon and California native Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum “home” to Thermal for the 2011 show season.
Michaels-Beerbaum is a three-time World Cup Champion and 2010 WEG Team Gold Medalist with a very long resume of show jumping achievements. Her first trip to Thermal was in 2009 when she led a riding clinic for the West Coast Active Riders in Thermal’s beautiful indoor arena. That trip left an impression on the California native and this season will be her first competing at the circuit. She will be traveling to Thermal with her husband Markus Beerbaum and their beautiful daughter Brianne Victoria, who will celebrate her first birthday on February 27 during the circuit.
“I’m very excited to come back to California and see my family, some old friends, and colleagues,” said Michaels-Beerbaum, who hasn’t competed on the West Coast since leaving more than 20 years ago. “Markus and I have a couple of students from California competing in Thermal who asked us to join them. After considering the options, we decided to come for the entire circuit and to bring some of our young horses to help develop them and prepare for the European summer schedule. I love doing something new and different, so I’m looking forward to being based out of Thermal for the winter. It will be a great opportunity for me, my family and our students.”
WELLINGTON, FL – January 10, 2011 – Presented by Tiffany & Co. Palm Beach Gardens, the Equestrian Idol “All Stars” Musical Cabaret on Friday, February 4, 2011, promises the best in musical entertainment and cuisine for the equestrian and local residents in Wellington and Palm Beach County.
For this fifth year of the event, the past four Idol winners, Taylor Blauweiss, Ki-Juan Minors, Jen White Kane, and Brian Lookabill, will pair up with new performers in a musical cabaret, guaranteed to energize the audience even more than in the past years. Taylor Blauweiss, the first “Equestrian Idol,” will pair up with Hillary Dobbs; Ki-Juan Minors, winning in 2008, will pair up with Teaghan James and Robert Orthwein; 2009 winner Jen White Kane will pair up with Diana Bricker and Jenna Wyatt; and the reigning 2010 winner Brian Lookabill will pair up with Casey Hodges and Lou Galterio.
New this year, the performers represent the three disciplines competing at the highest levels of the equestrian sport in Wellington – dressage, polo and show jumping. The competition will be fierce for past performers, Dianna Bricker, Hillary Dobbs, and Casey Hodges, along with new performer, Teaghan James, representing the show jumping/hunter equestrian community. Jenna Wyatt is a United States Dressage Federation (USDF) bronze, silver and gold medalist, currently competing at the Grand Prix level. She is also a singer/songwriter, host of “Dressage under the Stars,” and regularly sings the national Anthem at major sporting events, including the Winter Equestrian Festival and the International Polo Club while wintering in Wellington.