Category Archives: Events

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Tapestry Farm to Host $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Sunday

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The strong field of competitors will include rider Kelley Farmer.

Bristol, WI – July 9, 2010 – The first ever Tapestry Farm Derby Day promises a day of hospitality and exciting competition at Tapestry Farm in Bristol, Wisconsin. On July 11th, the 120 acre facility one hour north of Chicago will host a $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, a $5,000 USHJA 3′ Derby, and a $10,000 Junior/Amateur Owner Speed Derby. A strong field of competitors is expected including Pony Lane Farm’s Bella Blue, shown by Maggie Jayne, and Nancy Amling’s Taken, shown by Kelley Farmer. All classes will utilize the farm’s outside course on grass with its natural obstacles and featuring a beautiful, brand new bank. Spectators will have the opportunity to provide support for the worthy USHJAF’s Horseman’s Assistance Fund and at the same time enjoy the highest level of hospitality by buying a ringside table. Held in conduction with the Showplace Summertime Horse Show at Ledges, Derby Day will provide the finale to a great horse show, providing a field trip for participants and offering all a “day in the country”.

Derby Day was first envisioned by Tapestry Farm’s owner Donna Struve. Watching the growing popularity of the hunter derby format, she pictured her farm as the perfect venue to host a showcase event, giving Midwest riders the opportunity to compete close to home in an international caliber event while hosting a summer outing and raising money for charity.

Continue reading Tapestry Farm to Host $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Sunday →

Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, Show Jumping

Three-month Suspension for US Rider Michael Morrissey

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9 July 2010 – Michael Morrissey (USA) has been suspended for three months and issued a yellow card with retroactive disqualification for excessive use of the whip in class 101 at the Wellington CSI 2* held on 27 February 2010. Mr Morrissey has also been subjected to a fine of CHF 2,000. The suspension from FEI competition will run from 5 May to 4 August, concurrent with the three-month suspension imposed on Mr Morrissey by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF).

“I apologise unreservedly for this incident,” Mr Morrissey said. “I overreacted when the horse stopped and that is unforgiveable. Horse welfare has to take precedence over competitive interests and I know that I was in breach of that basic principle.”

An investigation into the role of the Ground Jury in this incident showed that Mr Morrissey should have been disqualified at the time. Letters of reprimand have been sent to all members of the Ground Jury.

The full text of the decision is available here: MORRISSEY.

Media Contact:

Grania Willis
FEI Director Press Relations
Tel: +41 787 506 142
Email: grania.willis@fei.org

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events

Jonny Hilberath & Amüsant Win Moorland Grand Prix Special Dressage Derby

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Jonny Hilberath and Amüsant in victory gallop after winning Exquis World Dressage Masters Grand Prix Special. © 2010 Ken Braddick

FALSTERBO, Sweden, July 9 — Germany’s Jonny Hilberath who has been competing Amüsant internationally for just four months notched their first victory Saturday by winning the inaugural €30,000 (US$37,860) Moorland Grand Prix Special Dressage Derby presented by Agria as part of the Exquis World Dressage Masters.

Jonny and the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Elisabeth Max-Theurer and competed once internationally by her daughter, Victoria, almost two years ago scored 69.292 per cent despite mistakes in both the one- and two-tempi changes. The Netherlands’ Christa Laarakkers and Divoza Horseworld Ovation finished second with 67.250 per cent and hometown favorite Charlotte Haid Bondergaard on Lydianus was third on 66.292 per cent.

For Jonny and Amüsant’s first WDM, and the first time the Falsterbo Horse Show has included the prestigious CDI5* in its competition schedule the win earned them €9,500 (US$12,000) while Christa, who competed at WDM in Palm Beach earlier this year, earned €7,000 (US$8,830) and Charlotte €5,500 (US$6,940).

Continue reading Jonny Hilberath & Amüsant Win Moorland Grand Prix Special Dressage Derby →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events

Anky & Painted Black Win First Falsterbo World Dressage Masters Grand Prix

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Anky van Grunsven on IPS Painted Black in the Exquis World Dressage Masters Grand Prix Thursday. © 2010 Ken Braddick

FALSTERBO, Sweden, July 8 — Anky van Grunsven, the most successful rider in the Exquis World Dressage Masters, on Thursday rode a newly recovered IPS Painted Black to victory in the Grand Prix of the first €100,000 CDI5* competitions staged by the Falsterbo Horse Show.

Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven, one of Sweden’s most popular dressage stars, gave the big crowd that turned out to support the event good cause to applaud even more enthusiastically than they did for all the riders when she and the 11-year-old Favourit turned in a performance that placed them second.

Anky and the 13-year-old stallion Painted Black was the unanimous choice by the judges for first place in the Nurnberger Versicherungsgruppe Grand Prix presented by Agria with a score of 75.234 per cent with Tinne and Favourit posting marks of 71.957 per cent. Germany’s Anja Plönzke and Le Mont d’Or, competing in their fourth WDM CDI5* event so far this year–Palm Beach in the USA, Munich, Germany and Cannes, France in addition to Falsterbo–was third on 68.723 per cent.

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Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, Show Jumping

Olympic Champion Returns to Top of Rolex Rankings

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8 July 2010 – Olympic Jumping champion Eric Lamaze (CAN) has returned to the number one spot in the Rolex Rankings.

The Canadian, who took individual gold and team silver at the Beijing 2008 Olympic equestrian events in Hong Kong, was ranked second in the world in February and March and was third in the April and May rankings. He is now back at the top of the rankings for the first time since February 2009.

Pius Schwizer (SUI), who has been world number one in the Rolex Rankings for the past five months, has now dropped down to second, with reigning European champion Kevin Staut (FRA) moving up one place to third. Rolex FEI World Cup champion Marcus Ehning (GER), who was in second in the May rankings, is now in fourth.

The updated Rolex Rankings, which were published today by the FEI, are available here.

Media Contact:

Grania Willis
FEI Director Press Relations
Tel: +41 787 506 142
Email: grania.willis@fei.org

Competitions, Disciplines, Dressage, Events

First Exquis World Dressage Masters in Falsterbo Starts Thursday

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Several hundred dressage fans turned out on a warm summer evening to watch Exquis World Dressage Masters riders practice a day before the first event in the series to be held at the Falsterbo Horse Show. © 2010 Ken Braddick

FALSTERBO, Sweden, July 7 — The Exquis World Dressage Masters, established on both sides of the Atlantic in its second year as the world’s richest lineup of dressage shows, starts its first €100,000 (US$126,000) CDI5* at the famous Falsterbo Horse Show Thursday with riders from six nations scheduled to perform in the Grand Prix.

Anky van Grunsven, the winningest competitor in the World Dressage Masters since the inaugural test event at Cannes two years ago, on IPS Painted Black will lead a squad of three combinations from The Netherlands in seeking to add a fifth title to the two she won at Palm Beach and two at Cannes.

A strong Swedish squad of the four most likely combinations to represent the nation at this year’s World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, German Olympian Ulla Salzgeber on Wakana and Anja Plönzke on Le Mont d’Or as well as the USA’s Catherine Haddad on her increasingly successful Winyamaro, Evi Strasser of Canada on Quantum Tyme and the top two riders from Poland are scheduled to start in the €10,000 Nürnberger Versicherungdgrupper Grand Prix presented by Agria.

Continue reading First Exquis World Dressage Masters in Falsterbo Starts Thursday →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

The 2010 Capital Challenge Horse Show Announces Schedule and New Classes

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Showman and Sandy Ferrell won last year's Future Hunter World Championship at the Capital Challenge Horse Show. Photo © Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Upper Marlboro, MD – July 7, 2010 – The Capital Challenge Horse Show, now in its 17th year of competition, strives every year to provide the best possible horse show for its exhibitors. This includes adding new classes that offer special opportunities for every level of rider. This year’s show will once again start with the Capital Challenge Equitation Weekend, presented by Bigeq.com, on October 2-3, and the horse show will continue on October 4-10.

Highlights of the Capital Challenge Horse Show will include the North American Equitation Championship (Oct. 3), the Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS) National Children’s Medal Finals (Oct. 3), the World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) Emerging Pro Challenge (Oct. 6), the North American Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Challenge Cup (two rounds held on Oct. 8-9), the ARIAT National Adult Medal Finals (Oct. 8), and the WCHR Professional Finals (Oct. 8).

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Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

$60,000 Showplace Leading Rider Series Standings

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Maggie Jayne and Caretina III. Photos © 2010 Lauren Fisher/PMG.

Wayne, IL – July 6, 2010 – Following a very successful three weeks of competition at the 2010 Showplace Spring Spectacular Horse Show, many of the Midwest’s best riders are currently sitting at the top of the standings for the coveted $60,000 Showplace Leading Rider Series. Returning for its fourth consecutive year, the Leading Rider Series has made an exciting addition to its lineup this year, adding six divisions of leading hunter awards along with the previous jumper honors. The 2010 Leading Rider Series will offer $32,500 in jumper money and $27,500 in hunter money.

The Showplace Leading Rider Series tracks riders through a series of nine events throughout the season and awards prizes to the top three riders in each category. Riders in the series are ranked according to the prize money won by their top placed horse in the Classic or Grand Prix for their division. The finale for the Showplace Leading Rider Series is at the Showplace Fall Classic Championship Horse Show on September 14-19, 2010. There, the top three riders in each section will win bonus money (first place- 50%, second place- 30%, and third place- 20%), and the top ten will receive awards.

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Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, FEI, Show Jumping

Meydan FEI Nations Cup 2010 – Falsterbo Preview

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FRENCH STILL IN FRONT AS SERIES ARRIVES IN FALSTERBO

Falsterbo (SWE), 6 July 2010 – The defending champions from France still hold the whip hand as the 2010 Meydan FEI Nations Cup series moves to Falsterbo in Sweden this Friday.  Full of flair and confidence they blazed a trail through the first-half of the season with a spectacular hat-trick of wins, and they hold an eight-point lead over Great Britain in second place going into the last four rounds of the eight-leg series.

After a superb victory from the all-girl team in Rotterdam three weeks ago the USA has improved to third with just 3.5 points separating them from the British, while Germany lies fourth, just 0.5 points further adrift.  The Spanish team, newcomers to this top level of team jumping, have shown themselves more than equal to the task and in fifth place hold a single-point advantage over the Irish in sixth.  But neither of these nations can afford to rest on their laurels.

Continue reading Meydan FEI Nations Cup 2010 – Falsterbo Preview →

*Featured/Spotlights, Associations/Breeds, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Events, Jennifer Wood, Show Jumping

From the North American Riders Group: Resolution of the McLain Ward/Sapphire World Cup Elimination Dispute Is Good for Our Sport!

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July 5, 2010 – The North American Riders Group believes to advance the sport of show jumping, all decisions related to its future must put the sport itself above all else. This is an example of that.

McLain, the USEF and the FEI could have continued a prolonged legal battle, but the additional gains on either side would have been for personal gain or pride. Instead, a positive resolution has been forged that publicly recognizes the decision was INCORRECT and, importantly, has resulted in a revised protocol for hypersensitivity.

Details of the revised protocol will be issued before the Aachen CHIO, but from what we understand already they will require more checks and balances which should eliminate any misuse of the protocol either by mistake or abuse of power.

Everyone in show jumping should benefit from this resolution.

We applaud those involved for this resolution while we still recognize that McLain can’t get back the World Cup he lost in Geneva!

For more information, please visit www.narg.org.