Tag Archives: featured

Competitions, Show Jumping

Paul O’Shea and Instant Karma Race to Victory in $20,000 ESP Welcome Stake

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Paul O’Shea and Instant Karma, winners of the $20,000 ESP Welcome Stake.

A half a second behind, Charlie Jacobs finishes second with Flaming Star

Hampton Falls, NH – August 8, 2013 – Irish eyes were smiling on a day that started with overcast skies and a hint of rain, but ended in brilliant sunshine in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, as Paul O’Shea and his long-time partner Instant Karma topped a strong field of fifty-five competitors to take the win in the $20,000 ESP Welcome Stake class, the first of the big money classes headed into the big weekend here at the Silver Oak Jumper Tournament.

Munich, Germany’s Olaf Petersen, Jr. is designing the tests out on the huge grass field and today came up with the perfect course, one that yielded fourteen clear rides from the fifty-five that went to the post. Of those fourteen, eight horse and rider combinations went on to be double clear in the chase for the title over the short course.

“I think it worked out pretty well,” said Petersen. “The thing is, it’s only a 1.40m class, but it has to be a little more difficult. It was technical enough with three combinations and some of the jumps at 1.45m. Also, I’m trying to judge how good is the level of riders and horses for the Sunday grand prix. My plan was not to scare them already, but to see what I had in the class,” he said.

Petersen always builds in a progression, leading up to the main event, which in this case is the $75,000 Equestrian Estate Planning Group Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon. “And this is really the only chance that I can see the horses and see how to judge for Sunday.”

Speaking of the facility here at Silver Oak, Petersen said, “It’s great. It’s amazing. There are not many places like this in all of the world and the footing is very good. Though it was raining a bit early this morning, the field is still perfect and there’s not one place to complain.”

That’s pretty much been the sentiment of all of the riders competing here this year. Leslie Howard called Silver Oak “the Spruce Meadows of the East.” Another rider said the grass footing is “like a carpet.”

Those ideal conditions led to the fourteen clear, but in the jump-off it was decided right away with the first three to return for the tiebreaker taking the top three spots in the final order.

Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star. Photo by Kenneth Kraus
Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star. Photo by Kenneth Kraus

The first to master the first round course and first pair to return, Charlie Jacobs and CMJ Sporthorses’ Flaming Star made it look easy the second time around as well, dodging the in-ring photographer and still putting up a stellar time of 45.025 seconds, a time that in the end would be a half a second too slow.

Darragh Kenny challenged next with the flashy chestnut Quiz, owned by Oakland Ventures, but crossed the finish line 9/10ths of a second off the pace set by Jacobs, tripping the timers in 45.961 seconds.

And then, as the third to go, O’Shea and his mare sealed the deal on the Welcome Stake.

With a quick start over fence #1, O’Shea and Instant Karma were off and running and never let up until the end. Neat and tidy all the way around and then a great cut to the double combination headed for home and a fast gallop to the final oxer set O’Shea up for the win as he raced across the finish line in 44.547 seconds, the only rider on the day to break through the 45 second barrier.

“She’s been a great mare for me,” said a beaming O’Shea following his victory gallop. “I’ve had her since she was a foal, so a long time. I bought her with a friend of mine and she’s been a really, really successful mount for me.”

O’Shea talked about his winning ride.

“I thought to come to the first jump on the left rein. I thought that would be a faster approach and it turned out to be right,” he explained. “It gave me a straighter line to the second fence. Coming around to fence #9, it was important to stick close to the oxer in passing and we did that. Fence nine was a big enough oxer, that’s for sure. And then it was a matter of keeping the pace through the turn for home, over the double combination. Finally, it was eight very long strides to the last fence. I saw Charlie Jacobs, the first to go, was able to get the eight, so I thought I’d have a go at it too,” he said.

O’Shea found a great gallop to that final fence and Instant Karma gave him a huge effort to seal the win. “Walking the course, that was actually a normal ten stride walk, so you think, going against the clock you could do nine, right? But to get the eight strides, you really have to go to get that and we did.”

“She’s very good in her turns, very rideable, very balanced, and that’s makes it a lot easier to get the job done,” O’Shea added. “But, I really think I won it going to number one; I think I saved a lot of time coming off that left rein.”

“I love this place. I think it’s the nicest show I’ve ever been to really,” O’Shea commented. “It’s a beautiful setting. It’s a dream for any horse or rider. The ground is absolutely fantastic and they have everything for us. Food, fruit, water, they even have carrots for the horses, they just really want to look after us and make sure we’re happy. The stalls are huge. I can’t say enough nice things about this show.”

Speaking of the big grand prix field, O’Shea noted, “A good grass surface is very rare these days. The horses love it and we riders really love it, so it’s great to have that.”

“Hopefully I’ll have three horses ready to go on Sunday and we can bring that one home as well,” he said in conclusion.

As we mentioned the first three were all alone at the top of the leaderboard.

Finishing in fourth place, almost four seconds off the winning pace was Ramiro Quintana and St. Bride’s Farms’ Whitney. Quintana tripped the timers in 48.416 seconds. Fifth place went to Goodwin’s Loyalty, owned and shown by Kevin Babington. They crossed the finish line in 48.531 seconds. Babington nailed down sixth place as well, stopping the clock in 49.119 seconds on Shorapur, owned by Shorapur LLC.

Ziedento, another St Bride’s Farm entry, finished seventh with Ramiro Quintana in the irons and eighth place went to Lilli, owned by the Gotham Enterprizes and shown by Georgina Bloomberg.

Earlier in the day, Paul Halpern guided Super G to victory in the Open Jumpers 1.30m Power and Speed. Halpern was clean through the Power phase and raced home in the Speed phase in 34.724 seconds for the win.

It was a narrow victory as Leslie Howard finished just 2/10ths of a second off the pace to take home second place honors with Moon Doggie and then finished third with Zaragoza. Howard broke the beams in 34.954 seconds with Moon Doggie for the red ribbon and crossed the finish line in 35.518 with Zaragoza.

Halpern returned to pick up the white ribbon for fourth place with Marquis, finishing the speed phase in 36.549 seconds.

Kevin Babington and Lauren Tisbo rounded out the top six placings with Tamina and Sting Van de Withoeve.

Tomorrow, Open, Junior-A/O Jumpers and the popular Pro Am team competition takes center stage.

The $75,000 Equestrian Estate Planning Group Grand Prix dominates the Sunday schedule in Hampton Falls as an elite group of top riders will vie for big prize money in the class and the $25,000 Boston Strong Bonus. The $25,000 cash prize will go to any horse and rider combination that win both the $75,000 Equestrian Estates Planning Group Grand Prix at Silver Oak and the Grand Prix at Fieldstone next week. Sunday’s Grand Prix is preceded by the $15,000 Agero Speed Classic.

Saturday’s session features a number of exciting show jumping competitions, including the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Classics for top Junior and Amateur Owner Jumpers and the $15,000 DG Ventures Speed Derby, a challenging test over 18-20 obstacles in a race for the title.

Media Contact:
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12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
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*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage

Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival Re-Take World Number One Slot

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Adelinde Cornelissen and Jerich Parzival, back at the top of the FEI World Dressage Rankings, are pictured here at the Indoor Brabant in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED) where they won the last qualifying leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2012/2013 series. (Photo: DigiShots/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 8 August 2013 – Adelinde Cornelissen (NED) and the 16-year-old Jerich Parzival will be heading to the Blue Hors FEI European Dressage Championships, part of the ECCO FEI European Championships, in Herning (DEN) later this month as world number one.

The Dutch rider and her striking chestnut KWPN gelding now lead the FEI World Dressage Rankings by 97 points, ahead of Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage 2013 champions Helen Langehanenberg (GER) and Damon Hill NRW, who are in second place with 2,802 points.

Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and her 11-year-old Olympic partner Valegro, who became the first British combination to head the FEI World Dressage Rankings last September after securing London 2012 double gold in Greenwich Park, are third with 2,536 points.

The biggest mover in the world Top 40 is 27-year-old Michael Eilberg (GBR) and 11-year-old grey mare Half Moon Delphi, who have shot up from 159th to 31st place. The move is mainly thanks to their Grand Prix Special victory at the Hartpury Festival of Dressage, where they posted a personal best score of 74.583%, and second place in the Grand Prix Special at the Peterhof Dressur Gala in Perl-Borg (GER).

Eilberg and Half Moon Delphi will make their senior European Championships début in Herning, where they join Britain’s Olympic gold medal trio of Charlotte Dujardin, Carl Hester and Laura Tomlinson.

FEI World Dressage Rankings Top 10:

  1. Adelinde Cornelissen (NED), JERICH PARZIVAL 2899
  2. Helen Langehanenberg (GER), DAMON HILL NRW 2802
  3. Charlotte Dujardin (GBR), VALEGRO 2536
  4. Edward Gal (NED), GLOCK’S UNDERCOVER 2518
  5. Kristina Sprehe (GER), DESPERADOS FRH 2494
  6. Tinne Vilhelmsson Silfvén (SWE), DON AURIELLO 2438
  7. Isabell Werth (GER), DON JOHNSON FRH 2331
  8. Patrick Kittel (SWE), WATERMILL SCANDIC H.B.C. 2320
  9. Valentina Truppa (ITA), FIXDESIGN EREMO DEL CASTEGNO 2307
  10. Anna Kasprzak (DEN), DONNPERIGNON 2235

The complete FEI World Dressage Rankings are here.

FEI Media contacts:

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

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
Email: malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 133

Competitions, Show Jumping

Darragh Kenny and Ramiro Quintana Score Opening Day Wins as Silver Oak Jumper Tournament Kicks Off

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Darragh Kenny and Picolo. Photos by Tony DeCosta.

Fifteen-year-old Maria Brugal takes opening class with Arann DV

Hampton Falls, NH – August 7, 2013 – Five days of exciting show jumping got underway on Wednesday as the inaugural Silver Oak Jumper Tournament lifted off under gorgeous partly sunny skies in what’s known as the Seacoast region of the Granite State. For those that have never made the trip to New Hampshire, we suggest you put it on your to do list right away. This is a beautiful part of the United States that stretches for miles along the Atlantic Ocean from New Hampshire’s border with Massachusetts to the Piscataqua River and New Hampshire’s border with Kittery, Maine.

Hampton Beach is a wonderful beach town, right on the ocean with classic old hotels with balconies overlooking the main drag, magnificent beach houses, the famous “Shell” and some of the best seafood (and fried dough) you’ll ever get a chance to eat.

Here are a few other things you might not know about New Hampshire.

Of the thirteen original colonies, New Hampshire was the first to declare its independence from Mother England, a full six months before the Declaration of Independence was signed. In 1833 the first free public library in the United States was established in Peterborough. New Hampshire adopted the first legal lottery in the twentieth century United States in 1963. The Pierce Manse in Concord is the home of the only New Hampshire citizen ever elected President, Franklin Pierce, and most importantly, the Bavarian-style hamlet of Merrimack is home to one of the famous eight-horse hitches and the Clydesdales maintained by the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.

Just a couple of miles down the road from the beach is the Silver Oak Equestrian Center, a horseman’s jewel in Hampton Falls, NH.

Show Chairman Jeff Papows has spent a year and a lot of money getting the property ready for this year’s event, including a complete makeover and change of location of Jumper Ring #2 and making sure the stunning grass grand prix field is in perfect condition. His hard work has been rewarded with nearly four hundred horses turning out for this inaugural offering. “We couldn’t be more excited,” said a delighted Papows. “The phone hasn’t stopped ringing this past week and all of us are delighted with the turnout for the show. We had to overcome a lot to get the show rolling this year. We had to deal with cautious exhibitors who were scared by the terrible press the previous event garnered and then the worst blow of all, the death of my dear friend David Birdsall,” he said.

Birdsall, who passed away unexpectedly earlier this year, was the owner of the Silver Oak Equestrian Center. There will be a special ceremony honoring his memory during Sunday’s Grand Prix festivities.

There’s a new Vendor Village location, with a number of fun shops located there and others situated across the grounds. And the food… the food is going to be great if last night’s opening staff meeting and get together is any indication. The White Apron, located in Dover, will be providing their delicious delicacies throughout the week. They have won numerous awards and it’s easy to see why.

Germany’s Olaf Petersen, Jr. is on hand to design the course for this year’s Silver Oak Tournament. Petersen, one of the world’s most popular and respected builders, has worked the world’s best shows, including the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships.

Maria Brugal and Arann DV
Maria Brugal and Arann DV

In the first event of the day, the 1.20m Open Jumpers, Time First Jump-Off class, it was junior rider Maria Brugal scoring the victory with her feisty gray horse Arann DV. The fifteen-year-old rider ripped through the short course in 45.357 seconds for the win, topping a starting field of forty-one in the opening affair.

Of the forty-one that went to the post, fifteen went on to the jump-off, fourteen of those going double clear.

Second through fourth places were tightly bunched within the 46 second range. Eight tenths a second behind in second place was Kevin McCarty and Ambitious who tripped the timers in 46.127 seconds. Third place went to Allyson Shryoc, piloting Cheval D’Espoirz to a final time of 46.227 seconds, just a tenth of a second off the pace for second place. Rounding out the top four was Maria Brugal’s second mount, Diabolo Van Cadzandhoeve, crossing the finish line in 46.780 seconds.

“This is my first time here,” smiled Brugal, who rides with “Titi” Mills. “Riding out on the big field was great fun. The grass is in wonderful shape, the footing is great and you could do a lot of galloping. It’s refreshing to come to a new place that’s so beautiful.”

Speaking of her equine partner, Brugal said, “He’s an eight-year-old. I just got him last year. We’ve been working with him a lot. He’s a little bit strong, but I think our hard work is beginning to pay off.”

The 1.30m Jumpers, also scored at Table II, Sec 2b Time First Jump-Off class was next with thirty-one going to the post.

The last proved to be the best as Ramiro Quintana stormed to victory on Bialda, a top seven-year-old Young Jumper owned by St. Bride’s Farm of Upperville, Virginia. Quintana blasted through the finish line in 34.719 seconds to steal the win from Darragh Kenny and Mantana, owned by Oakland Ventures. Kenny had held the lead since the thirteenth to go in order. Kenny’s second place time was 35.483 seconds. Kenny also secured third place with Quiz, second to last to go in the class. Quiz, also owned by Oakland Ventures, tripped the timers in 36.454 seconds.

“David and Barbara Roux bought the horse a year ago for me to bring along. She’s very scopey, she’s very brave and she’s really quite fast as you saw in today’s class,” Quintana said of Bialda. “She’s going to the Hampton Classic to compete in the Seven-Year-Old Young Jumper Finals and then I’ll bring her along through the program, advancing her to the Eight-Year-Olds next year.”

Ramiro Quintana and Bialda
Ramiro Quintana and Bialda

Quintana, who outdistanced Kenny by almost a full second, explained where he found the faster track. “I got a chance to watch Darragh go,” he said. “I left out a stride in the last line and did seven there where everyone else was doing eight and I was quite neat to one-two-three and back on the double combination.”

“Awesome. A great venue,” Quintana said of the Silver Oak facility. “This is the first time here for me and I couldn’t be happier that I came. I have a bunch of young horses here. I have six-year-olds, seven-year-olds, eight-year-olds and I wanted to give them the experience and mileage on grass because they are all headed to the Hamptons. It’s hard to find shows in America in the summer where there’s a grass field and this field is absolutely perfect,” he noted and added, “Plus, I was really pleased with Olaf; you’ve got a great course designer in Olaf Petersen, Jr. with good footing and beautiful jumps so the horses are jumping really, really well. I couldn’t be happier.”

Rounding out the top six were Lauren Tisbo and Tequesta Farms’ Sting Van de Withoeve, Peter Leone aboard Alias, owned by Kiva Iscol and Candice King with Bellissimo LLC’s VDL Maleklou. Tisbo clocked in at 37.133 seconds, Leone broke the beams in 37.548 seconds and King came home in 37.670 seconds.

Of the thirty-one that started, sixteen went clear the first time and fourteen went on to be double clear.

The final event on opening day was the 1.40m Open Jumpers, Table II Section 2b, Time First Jump-Off with twenty starters. This time around, Irish rider Darragh Kenny left no doubt, making sure he wouldn’t get bumped out of the top spot. In fact, he finished first and second to wrap up a very successful afternoon.

Riding Oakland Venture’s Picolo, Kenny secured the victory without really trying. “I didn’t think I was that fast on my last horse. At that point, I knew I had the class won and I was only really schooling for the Welcome class tomorrow,” Kenny explained. “But, he’s naturally so fast; it’s so easy to gallop with him. In the jump-off I didn’t think I was faster, but he’s so quick across the ground and he’s so careful, you don’t have to worry about anything at the jumps. It’s so rare that a horse does both.”

Kenny, who had been leading with Quiz, another Oakland Ventures entry in 34.732 seconds, managed to slice a tenth of a second off of that time with Picolo to finish in 34.633 seconds for the victory.

“I bought him during the off week at Spruce Meadows,” Kenny noted. “He came from France two weeks ago and went straight to HITS Saugerties where he placed in all four grand prix over the two weeks in Saugerties. He was second last Friday and second in the $100,000 grand prix up there. I brought him here and wasn’t really intending on showing him today, but I’ve only had him two weeks and had never ridden him on grass, so I thought I’d get him out and see how it goes,” he said.

Kenny, who ventured out on his own after a long stint with top trainer Missy Clark, has developed a nice group of young horses and couldn’t be happier at this point of his life. “Really good,” he smiled. “I’ve got a great string of horses – very careful, very competitive and easy to ride. I think it’s going to be a little bit of fun for me now. I have some great clients and some wonderful horses underneath me, so I couldn’t be happier.”

As far as the Silver Oak facility, Kenny said, “I think the facility and the horse show is absolutely fantastic. I think it’s a brilliant show. The show is run well, the field is beautiful, the footing is super, so it’s really enjoyable to be here. The people are so nice. I can’t say enough good things about this horse show. And the course designer did a lovely job today.”

With a lot of clean rounds through the three classes today, Kenny expects that to change as the week progresses. “Nobody had anything bad happen. I think he was just trying to be fair today. Just get everybody in the ring, get everybody jumping around and get everybody happy. I think he will be a little tougher tomorrow and then I think he’ll be quite tough by the time we get to Sunday,” Kenny stated. “I think he has a good feel for the good riders that are competing here.”

Molly Ashe-Cawley finished third in today’s 1.40m class with Lincourt Gino, owned by Monica Carrera. Crossing the finish line in 34.883 seconds, Ashe-Cawley missed the mark by just 2/10ths of a second. Fourth place went to another Darragh Kenny mount, Cequila, owned by Oakland Ventures, who broke the beams in 35.248 seconds.

Fifth place went to Ziedento and Ramiro Quintana for the St. Bride’s Farm and sixth went to Wiesielottie from the Winley Farm.

The $20,000 Welcome Stake highlights tomorrow’s show schedule, along with a variety of Open and Junior-A/O Jumper classes.

The $75,000 Equestrian Estate Planning Group Grand Prix dominates the Sunday schedule in Hampton Falls as an elite group of top riders will vie for big prize money in the class and the $25,000 Boston Strong Bonus. The $25,000 cash prize will go to any horse and rider combination that win both the $75,000 Equestrian Estates Planning Group Grand Prix at Silver Oak and the Grand Prix at Fieldstone next week. Sunday’s Grand Prix is preceded by the $15,000 Agero Speed Classic.

Saturday’s session features a number of exciting show jumping competitions, including the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Classics for top Junior and Amateur Owner Jumpers and the $15,000 DG Ventures Speed Derby, a challenging test over 18-20 obstacles in a race for the title.

Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com

Championships, Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Pony

Northwind Marin, Show Me Love, and Yes It’s True Receive Green Pony Hunter Championship Titles

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Emma Kurtz and Yes It’s True (Shawn McMillen Photography)

Lexington, KY – The first championship titles of the US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans were claimed Wednesday as the Green Hunter ponies completed their final phase of competition in the 2013 US Pony Finals. The judging panel of Chance Arakelian, William Sparks, and Jeff Wirthman assessed the hunter ponies in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Walnut Arena until weather caused the Under Saddle phase of the Medium Regular Pony Hunters to be moved to the Covered Arena.

Emma Kurtz’s success continued as she claimed the Medium Green Pony Hunter Championship, Small Green Pony Hunter Championship, and finally the Overall Green Pony Hunter Championship. Daisy Farish gave her mount a seasoned ride to earn the Large Green Pony Hunter Championship title.

The US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans are determined by calculating the scores from the three phases of competition, the highest scoring pony of each height section will be declared champion of its section. Additionally, the highest scoring pony overall will be declared the week’s Grand Champion. The Model and Under Saddle phases will each count towards 25% of the overall score with the remaining 50% to be determined by the Over Fences Phase.

Large Green Pony Hunter

Farish (Versailles, KY) and Prue Richardson’s Northwind Marin took top honors in the Large Green Pony Hunter Championship. After a smooth round in the Over Fences phase to score 248.75 and finish in third place, she and the seven-year-old cross-bred gelding completed the competition with a total score of 1005.50.

“It feels really good,” Farish said of her win. “I have never won the Greens before.”

“When we were schooling, he was good but we got to the ring and he wasn’t so sure,” explained Farish. “Once he started going he was really good.”

The Reserve Champion title went to Aleece Jarman (Pace, FL) and Britney Jarman’s Casanova with a total score of 990.00. Jarman and the five-year-old German Riding Pony gelding scored 246.50 in the Over Fences phase to receive the fourth place ribbon.

Morgan Ward (Milford, NJ) and Redfield Farm’s Isport finished in third place in the Large Green Pony Hunter Championship with a total score of 980.00. She and the 11-year-old German Riding Pony mare won the Over Fences phase with a score of 250.50.

Medium Green Pony Hunter

After finishing with a total score of 1007.00, Kurtz (Hudson, OH) and Scott Stewart’s Show Me Love claimed the winning title in the Medium Green Pony Hunter Championship. Kurtz had notable performances with the six-year-old Bavarian Warmblood gelding, including a second-place finish in Wednesday’s Over Fences phase with a score of 247.50.

“He was really quiet and liked the jumps,” Kurtz said of her ride. The pair’s flowing round made an impression on the judges, helping them clinch the championship title.

Kirklen Petersen (Great Valls, VA) and David Glefke’s Foot Steps were named the Reserve Champions with a total score of 994.50. She and the flashy eight-year-old palomino German Riding Pony mare scored a 245.50 to finish in fourth place in the Over Fences phase.

Only 0.5 points behind Petersen was Coco Fath (Fairfield, CT) and Katherine Arliss’ seven-year-old Welsh Pony mare Rosmel’s Fairy Steps, to finish in third in the championship with an overall score of 994.00. The pair also received the third place ribbon in the Over Fences phase.

Small Green Pony Hunter

Kurtz continued her dominance by winning the Small Green Pony Hunter Championship with Sofia Roberts, LLC’s Yes It’s True, completing the competition with a phenomenal overall score of 1018.00. She and the eight-year-old cross-bred mare produced a near perfect round in the Over Fences phase to win with a score of 256.00.

“It feels great,” Kurtz said of her Small Green Pony Hunter Championship win. With the highest score of the Green Pony Hunters, beating herself on her Medium Green Pony Hunter mount by 11 points, Kurtz and Yes It’s True were crowned with the Overall Green Pony Hunter Champion title. “It feels really awesome,” she said of the title, all in her first year of being a champion at the US Pony Finals. When asked if she expected to have the results that she has had so far, Kurtz replied, “No, I didn’t expect it at all.”

The Reserve Champion title went to Augusta Iwasaki (Calabasas, CA) and Iwasaki and Reilly’s Small Introduction with a total score of 998.00. She and the seven-year-old Welsh Pony mare were boosted into the Reserve Champion position on the strength of a third-place finish in the Over Fences phase with a score of 254.50.

Alexandra Pielet (Highland Park, IL) and Mia Green’s seven-year-old Welsh Pony mare GF Forget Me Not took home the third place ribbon with a total score of 985.50. With a score of 248.25, the pair finished fourth in the Over Fences phase.

Medium Regular Pony Hunter

Competition ended late Wednesday evening with the Medium Regular Pony Hunters performing their Under Saddle phase. Elizabeth Shelbred (Greenwich, CT) and Autumn Farms’ 12-year-old German Riding Pony mare Dream Girl won the Under Saddle phase with a score of 256.00. Farish and Redfield Farm’s 14-year-old Welsh Pony Cross mare Sassafras Creek currently lead the Medium Regular Pony Hunter division with a score of 511.00.

Thursday begins with Small Regular Pony Hunter division’s Model phase followed by their Under Saddle phase. In the afternoon, the Medium Regular Pony Hunter division will perform their Over Fences phase to conclude their competition and crown a champion.

By Kathleen Landwehr

To learn more about the 2013 US Pony Finals, visit: http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/pony/ponyFinals.aspx.

For Results, Schedules and more, visit: http://usefconnect.com/ponyfinals/.

*Featured/Spotlights, Hunter/Equitation, Kentucky Horse Shows, Pony, Show Jumping

Emma Kurtz Dominates Green Pony Hunters at 2013 USEF Pony Finals

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Emma Kurtz and Yes It’s True.

Lexington, KY – August 7, 2013 – The 2013 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals continued today at the picturesque Kentucky Horse Park with the conclusion of the Green Pony Hunter divisions. Ponies and riders from each division completed their over fences phases, competing for the top honors as well as the championship and reserve championship titles. At the end of the day, 13-year-old Emma Kurtz sat atop the leader board, claiming the Grand Green Pony Hunter Championship title with Yes It’s True and the Reserve Grand Green Pony Hunter Championship aboard Show Me Love.

In the Small Green Pony Hunters, it was Yes It’s True’s stunning performance over fences that helped her win all the top awards with Emma Kurtz in the irons. The duo took home the blue ribbon prize in the over fences class with scores of 86, 85, and 85, which would be good enough to claim the Small Green Pony Hunter Championship for new owner Sofia Roberts of Wilmington, OH. Their overall total came to 1018 after winning the under saddle and placing second in the model, and that helped the pair earn the Grand Green Pony Hunter Championship.

“Yes It’s True is really fun,” smiled Kurtz. “Her jump’s really fun. You have to keep the leg and keep going, but she does carry her own canter. She doesn’t require that much work. She’s not that green; she’s not spooky.”

This year marked the first blue ribbon at Pony Finals for Kurtz, and she topped it with the Grand and Reserve Grand Green Pony Hunter titles. “It’s been amazing,” commented the Hudson, OH, native. “It’s been an awesome day with great ponies.”

Robin Greenwood bred and raised Yes It’s True, an eight-year-old mare by Empire’s Power out of Yes I Will. “She’s such a good pony and she’s always been such a trier,” she noted. “The pony gives you goosebumps when she jumps around. She always over jumps, but does it so perfectly. It’s very exciting. She was filly or mare champion as a yearling at Devon. You know she’s a superstar; she’s always been a show pony.”

Kurtz led the Medium Green Pony Hunter division from start to finish, winning the under saddle yesterday and placing second in the model with Show Me Love, owned by Scott Stewart of Wellington, FL. Today, they showcased their skills over fences, earning scores of 78.5, 81, and 88, for third place to bring their grand total to 1007 and capture the Medium Green Pony Hunter Championship. Their impressive performance also helped the pair capture the Reserve Grand Green Pony Hunter Championship.

“Show Me Love was awesome today,” said Kurtz. “He was really quiet and he liked the jumps. He’s really easy; he’s just really lazy so you have to use a lot of leg.  It’s so nice when they’re easy and fancy.”

Owner Scott Stewart noted, “He’s 6 years old and he just showed in the Greens once, at the beginning of Florida, and since then we have been doing the Regular Mediums. He’s really simple. He’s quiet, he’s not spooky – he’s really one of the easiest ones we’ve had.”

“Emma rode him all through Florida and he won quite a bit,” continued Stewart. “Because we’ve been at different shows, she hasn’t ridden him for a month – she just jumped him yesterday for the first time. But he’s that easy. After this he will probably go to the Hampton Classic and then Indoors, where he’ll do the Regular Mediums; this is his last show in the Greens.”

The Medium Green Pony Hunter Reserve Championship went to Kirklen Petersen and Foot Steps, owned by David Glefke of Keswick, VA, for their total of 994.5. They also placed fourth over fences. The winner of the class was Taylor St. Jacques riding Pink Ice for Danielle Boyle of Melville, NY, and receiving scores of 82, 84, and 82.24. Coco Fath and Rosmel’s Fairy Steps, owned by Katherine Arliss of Red Bank, NJ, picked up the second place award in the class after earning an 83, 80.5, and 83.

In the Small Green Pony Hunters, Augusta Iwasaki of Calabasas, CA, and Small Introduction took home the reserve championship with total score of 998, placing third over fences with scores of 83, 86, and 85.5. Taylor St. Jacques scored the red ribbon over fences with Hershey’s Kiss, owned by Danielle Roskens of South Lyon, MI. St. Jacques and Hershey’s Kiss earned scores of 85, 83.5, and 86.

The Large Green Pony Hunters were the first to compete over fences in the Walnut Ring today. Morgan Ward and Isport, owned by Refield Farm of Califon, NJ, jumped to the top of the leader board with scores of 83, 83, and 84.5 that earned them the blue ribbon. Lilly Mack of Cincinnati, OH, and Blue A Kiss followed in the second place position after earning an 81, an 84, and an 85. The third place ribbon went to Daisy Farish and Northwind Marin, owned by Prue Richardson of Palgrave, Ontario, who received scores of 80.25, 84.5, and 84.

At the end of the class, the overall points were tabulated and Farish was named the Large Green Pony Hunter Champion aboard Northwind Marin, topping the competition by 15 points with an overall score of 1005.5. The reserve championship honors were presented to Aleece Jarmin and Casanova, owned by Tracy Howe of Frenchtown, NJ, who placed fourth over fences and had a total of 990 points.

Daisy Farish and Northwind Marin
Daisy Farish and Northwind Marin

“I’ve never won the Large Greens before, so this feels really good,” expressed Farish. “We schooled this morning and he was very good, but when we went in for our Over Fences, he wasn’t so sure. Once he started going though, he was really great. He’s very easy. He has a really good rhythm and you just have to sit there and keep him together and the jumps come up.”

Before coming to Pony Finals, Farish and Northwind Marin competed at Capital Challenge, where they were Grand Champion, and also won all of their classes at the Brandywine Valley Summer Series last month.

Trainer Bill Shaub explained, “Prue Richardson bred and raised him and sent him to me as a 5-year-old. We’ve just taken our time with him because we saw his talent and started him this year back as a 7-year-old. The secret is that we took two and a half years making him. When he wasn’t ready, we let him grow. We go to Virginia and we do hillwork and that’s where we spend our summers. We’re a little bit old horsemen that way.

“What’s really exciting is that Prue is fading out of the breeding, so this is really a big moment for her,” added Shaub. “Northwind Marin is just a winner. He wants to be a winner. He’s that kind of pony. He has so much presence that he certainly catches your eye. He and Daisy are a great match.”

The Regular Medium Pony Hunter Under Saddle took place next in the Covered Arena as the day came to a close. The top call went to Elizabeth Shelbred and Dream Girl, owned by Autumn Farms of North Salem, NY, while Daisy Farish and Sassafras Creek, owned by Redfield Farm of Claifon, NJ, followed in second. Bernadette Chungunco and Steal The Crowd, owned by Donald Stewart, Ocala, FL, took home the day’s third place honors. With an overall total of 511 after placing fifth in the model, Farish and Sassafras Creek will lead the division going into tomorrow’s Over Fences phase.

The 2013 USEF Pony Finals will continue tomorrow with the Medium Pony Hunters’ over fences phase as well as the Small Pony Hunters’ model and under saddle phases. In the Alltech Arena, the Pony Jumper competition will be getting underway in the evening as they compete for top prizes.

For more information about the 2013 USEF Pony Finals, please visit www.usef.org.

For more information about the Kentucky Summer Series, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Rebecca Walton for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

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HITS, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Pony

Abby Lefkowitz Takes Home Grand Champion Honors in Children’s Hunter Pony Finals at HITS Saugerties

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©ESI Photography. Abby Lefkowitz and Vermont Show Me The Gold jump their way to the overall Grand Championship in the Eaton & Berube Children’s Hunter Pony Finals.

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK (August 7, 2013) – When number 194 was called during the Grand Champion awards presentation this weekend, the look on Abby Lefkowitz’s face was one of sheer excitement, mixed with shades of surprise. After taking a few moments to realize that 194 was indeed her number, Lefkowitz, who hails from Scarsdale, New York, guided her own Vermont Show Me The Gold to be draped with top honors in the second annual Eaton & Berube Children’s Hunter Pony Finals, presented by Mona’s Monograms, at HITS Saugerties.

“I just kept thinking, ‘Is this really happening?’,” said Lefkowitz of her reaction to the win. “”I wouldn’t be here without the incredible support and hard work of several people, including my wonderful trainers Vanessa Roman and Audrey Feldman, our fantastic grooms, all my friends who supported me, and my loving parents. I’m still star struck.”

Lefkowitz and Vermont Show Me The Gold, who is affectionately called Derby around the barn, posted the top overall score of 82.7 to best all small, medium and large ponies in the Final. On their way to the overall title, the pair was consistently in the ribbons in the Large Pony division.  They earned a score of 83 in the model for second, 82 under saddle for sixth and were second over fences with an 83.

“I have had him for two years and we just have a connection,” said Lefkowitz of the bond she has with her 10-year-old Thoroughbred/Welsh Pony Cross. “I always know that I am safe with him – he’s always a good boy for me. From here, I want to keep working hard and improving with him.”

Lefkowitz started riding at Boulder Brook in Scarsdale, New York with trainers Roman and Feldman when she was four years old.

“We couldn’t be happier,” said Feldman. “It can’t get much better than this. She has moved up from a small pony with us and when we found Derby, we couldn’t resist – he was wonderful today.”

Eaton & Berube Children’s Hunter Pony Finals competition got underway on Saturday with model and under saddle phases, concluding Sunday with an over fences phase. For overall Grand Champion, scores were calculated with the model worth 20%, the under saddle worth 30% and the over fences score worth 50%. The class took place on the popular Outside Course at HITS-on-the-Hudson with courses designed by Rian Beals of Saugerties, New York.

“This Final replicates the big pony finals and is such a nice start for kids who have ponies that aren’t ready to show at that level yet,” said Feldman of the Eaton & Berube Children’s Hunter Pony Finals. “This environment prepares them well for the next level and gives them the opportunity to show off their ponies in all three phases.”

Aside from exciting competition in the ring, the weekend’s festivities included an ice cream and cupcake social, as well as an exhibitor’s party at Puttin’ Plus, presented by Horse Flight, Friday night. In its second year, the Eaton & Berube Children’s Hunter Pony Finals, presented by Mona’s Monograms, is gaining momentum as a popular opportunity for children’s hunter pony riders and trainers alike. HITS and class sponsors are looking forward to a bright future for the event.

“This event is just one example of the HITS organization doing a great job promoting the development of young riders,” said Sue Berube, CFO of Eaton & Berube Insurance Agency.  “It is an excellent opportunity for young pony riders, whether it is the largest-scale Finals event they will compete in, or helps them prepare for the future at the USEF National Pony Finals in Kentucky.  We are honored to be involved with the HITS organization, and their promotion of the future generation of riders.”

About Eaton & Berube Equine and Farm Insurance
Owning a horse farm requires a special passion, and when protecting your farm from financial disaster, rely on an expert. If you own a horse farm, Eaton & Berube has all of the expert advice on how to protect your home and buildings as well as cover your equine liability. They offer a complete Horse Farm Insurance Package (Equi-Farm) for a horse farm that includes:

  • Property insurance to cover your home and contents, barns, sheds, owned machinery, equipment, tack and livestock.
  • Liability insurance to cover your home and your horse operation
  • Disruption of Farming – loss of income due to covered cause of loss to a stable or barn

These are just a few of the options you should consider when purchasing horse farm insurance. From extending your business insurance to cover boarding horses, to horse riding insurance and liability if you offer lessons, Eaton & Berube Insurance Agency in Nashua and Milford, NH, can help you create the right equine farm insurance policy.

HITS, Inc. • 319 Main Street • Saugerties, NY 12477-1330
845.246.8833 Tel • Media_Info@HitsShows.com • HitsShows.com

Championships, Competitions, USEF, Vaulting

Vaulters Are Gathered in Denver for USEF/AVA National Championships

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Mt. Eden Sun will return to defend their title in Denver (Lynne Owen/VaultingPhotos.com)

Denver, CO – Ten United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Vaulting Championships are up for grabs this week at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado. Team champions in the A, B, and C divisions will be determined, male and female individuals will compete for Bronze, Silver, and Gold division titles, and one pair will walk away Open Pas de Deux National Champions.

The vaulting begins on Thursday and continues through Sunday. First up will be the teams. C team compulsories will be held Thursday. The C team champion will be crowned on Friday after A and B team compulsories, and the C team freestyle. A and B team champions will be determined after freestyle tests on Saturday.

Last year’s A division team champions, Mt. Eden Sun, will be back to defend their title in Denver.

Individual tests also begin Thursday with the male and female Bronze compulsories. Silver and Gold division compulsory tests will be on Friday. Vaulters from all three divisions will perform freestyle tests on Saturday, and close out competition on Sunday.

Mary McCormick will be looking for a fourth straight National Championship this weekend (Lynne Owen/VaultingPhotos.com)
Mary McCormick will be looking for a fourth straight National Championship this weekend (Lynne Owen/VaultingPhotos.com)

Mary McCormick (Woodside, CA) will be looking for a fourth straight National Championship in the female Gold division, but will be facing tough competition from a field that has been shining nationally and internationally in 2013. Alicen Divita (Redwood City, CA), who earned a 6th place finish at CVIO3* Aachen this summer and won the 3* division at the Pacific Cup CVI, will be among them. So will Region 2 champion, and Divita’s Woodside Vaulters teammate, Emily Hogye (Ben Lomond, CA), who bested McCormick and Divita at those AVA Region 2 Championships in July.

In the male Gold division, Kristian Roberts (Half Moon Bay, CA) returns to defend his title. Roberts represented the U.S. at CVIO3* Aachen this year and finished on top of the 3* division at the Pacific Cup CVI. He will also face tough competition from a field that includes Gabe Aniello (Redwood City, CA), the only U.S. vaulter to ever qualify for the FEI World Cup Vaulting Final.

Pas de Deux competition begins on Saturday and finishes after a second round on Sunday.

With last year’s National Champions not competing in Denver, a new Pas de Deux champion will be determined this year. One pair to keep an eye on are sisters Kimberly and Cassidy Palmer (Half Moon Bay, CA), who earned a 4th place finish this year in Aachen.

For a full schedule of classes, click here.

On Thursday and Friday, USEF competition runs alongside the American Vaulting Association (AVA) National Championships and the National Festival. Approximately 300 vaulters and 75 horses will be in attendance representing vaulting clubs from all over the country.

By Andrew Minnick

For more about the National Western Complex, go to www.nationalwesterncomplex.com.

For more about the USEF/AVA National Championships, go to www.americanvaulting.org/Nationals2013/.

Follow the 2013 U.S. Vaulting Team here.

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, FEI, Vaulting

Austria Tops Medal Table at FEI European Vaulting Championships 2013

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France’s Jacques Ferrari on Poivre Vert with lunger François Athimon strike gold at the FEI European Vaulting Championships 2013 – their first European Championships. (Photos: Daniel Kaiser/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 7 August 2013 – Host nation Austria topped the medal table for the Senior and Junior competitions at the FEI European Vaulting Championships 2013 on 1-4 August 2013 with four gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

Competing in front of sell-out crowds in the Magna Racino horse park, Germany came in second with two golds, three silvers and two bronze medals, followed by Great Britain with two silver and two bronze.

Vaulting goes back to its roots

A total of 215 athletes, 60 lungers and 105 horses from 17 nations competed over five demanding days in the Lower Austrian town of Ebreichsdorf, which in 1984 played host to the first FEI European Vaulting Championships, just one year after Vaulting became an FEI discipline.

Go Team

Germany, the reigning European Champions, dominated the Squad competitions, taking Senior and Junior golds.

Germany’s Senior Squad finished on 8,291 points, with Austria clinching silver on 8,164 points and France taking bronze with 7,949 points.

Germany’s Junior Squad powerhouse of Simone Lang-Wiegele – who won the first FEI World Cup Vaulting Final in 2010 – and Antje Hill secured gold on 7,876 points, with Austria hot on their heels on 7,831 points followed by Italy taking bronze with 7,544 points.

“It’s getting harder every year to win at the FEI European Vaulting Championships, as more and more nations climb up through the ranks – this is a great sign for the sport,” said German Chef d’Equipe Ulla Ramge.

Austria’s Pas-de-Deux victory

Lukas Wacha and Jasmin Lindner from Austria’s Tyrol region, performing on Elliot with lunger Klaus Haidacher, took Senior Pas-de-Deux gold again at this year’s Championships.

To Gotye’s “Heart’s a Mess”, from the soundtrack of the new big screen adaptation of The Great Gatsby, the pair finished on 8,605 points, thanks to a brand new move that saw Lindner perform a dramatic handstand on Wacha’s shoulders for over three strides. “We wanted to show something new for the Europeans in our home country,” said an ecstatic Wacha.

Joanne and Hannah Eccles’ legendary sister act on WH Bentley with their lunger and father John finished on 8,123 points taking silver, and Germany’s Pia Engelberty and Torben Jacobs claimed bronze on Weltoni RS von der Wintermühle, lunged by Alexandra Knauf, with 7,914 points.

The Austrian duo Heike Hulla and Sandrine Flicker, both 15 years old and training together at the Club VG Styria, captivated the crowds on Le Grand Chevalier, lunged by coach Eva Maria Kreiner, securing Junior Pas-de-Deux gold with 7,809 points.

Last year’s Junior Pas-de-Deux winners Rebecca Norval and Andrew McLachlan from Great Britain, on Tylers Kernal and lunged by John Eccles, took silver with 7,648 points, and Germany’s Justin van Gerven and Gera Marie Grün, silver medallists last year, claimed bronze on 7,631 points with Weltoni RS von der Wintermühle and lunger Alexandra Knauf.

Laumann and Ferrari – new Senior European Champions

Denmark’s Rikke Laumann, who at 30 years old was the oldest female Senior competitor, stormed to victory in the Individual competition with a total score of 8,307 points after putting in four almost perfect, clear rounds with Ghost Alfarvad Z and lunger Lasse Kristensen.

Rikke Laumann (DEN), female Senior Individual gold medalist at the FEI European Championships 2013, is pictured here on Ghost Alfarvad Z lunged by Lasse Kristensen in the Magna Racino arena
Rikke Laumann (DEN), female Senior Individual gold medalist at the FEI European Championships 2013, is pictured here on Ghost Alfarvad Z lunged by Lasse Kristensen in the Magna Racino arena

In 1999, Laumann participated in her first FEI European Vaulting Championships, and between 2002-2005 she successively collected Individual silver medals, followed by bronze medals in 2009 and 2011, and another silver in 2012. “I still can’t believe it – it is an amazing feeling to reach this goal after such a long time and hard work,” Laumann said.

FEI World Cup Vaulting 2012 winner Anna Cavallaro (ITA) on Harley, lunged by Nelson Vidoni, took home silver with 8,294 points, and Joanne Eccles – who has won every FEI European Vaulting Championships since 2009 – secured bronze with WH Bentley and lunger John Eccles on 8,089 points.

With Laumann finding it hard to fight back the tears of joy on the podium, Eccles was the first to celebrate her victory. “Congratulations to Rikke – she had the best competition!” she said.

The male Individual competition took a dramatic turn, when world champion Nicolas Andreani (FRA) fell during his freestyle performance, relegating him to fifth place.

France’s Jacques Ferrari on Poivre Vert with lunger François Athimonn, who had already shown he was one to beat in the days leading up to the deciding freestyle test, stole the male Senior Individual show, securing gold at his first FEI European Vaulting Championships.

Dressed in white and gold, Ferrari interpreted the life of Lucifer in a stylish and mysterious freestyle performance. “I’m so happy, but the medal is not everything. I want to inspire the audience with my performances. For me, vaulting is not only gymnastics, it’s much more artistic,” he said.

Germany’s 25-year-old Erik Oese on Calvador 5 with lunger Andreas Bäßler finished on silver with 8,230 points following his stirring performance to music by Prince, while Stefan Csandl from Vienna – who competed at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky and at the FEI European Vaulting Championships in 2011 and 2012 – was delighted to reach the podium for the first time in his career, securing bronze with 7,966 points.

Austria does it again – Junior individual sensations

Austria’s 17-year-old Daniela Fritz on Royal Salut with lunger Manuala Barosch demonstrated her tremendous power and elegance to clinch Junior individual gold on 8,081 points.

Germany’s Miriam Esch on Robbie Naish with lunger Annette Müller-Kaler claimed silver with 7,890 points, and last year’s champion Anais Kristofics-Binder on Alonso with lunger Fritz Schandl took Junior individual bronze on 7,681 points.

The 17-year-old Ramin Simon Rahimi from Vienna successfully defended his Junior title, despite sustaining a shoulder injury earlier this year. On Royal Salut, and with his coach and lunger Manuela Barosch he finished on 7,985 points to secure gold.

Germany’s Julian Wilfling, competing is his first Championships on Luino, lunged by Alexander Zebrak, was delighted with silver (7,661 points) and bronze went to Great Britain’s Andrew McLachlan on Tylers Kernal with lunger John Eccles (7,551 points).

Austria’s Chef d’Equipe Manfred Rebel was ecstatic at his team’s medal haul at this year’s Championships. “I was confident we’d go home with five medals – but to get eight, with four golds, is incredible. Our vaulters have exceeded all expectations, and they really blossomed in front of their home crowd.”

Christian Kermer, President of the Organising Committee, was also thrilled: “We must extend our thanks to our 100 volunteers, who have helped to make this happen, and to the judges and coaches. Everything worked so well with such a huge number of vaulters and horses at this year’s Championships.”

Results:

The full results for the FEI European Vaulting Championships 2013 can be viewed here.

Videos:

Videos of the FEI European Vaulting Championships 2013 performances are available on the FEI’s YouTube channel to view and share: www.youtube.com/user/feichannel/videos.

By Daniel Kaiser

FEI Media contacts:

Ruth Grundy
Manager Press Relations
ruth.grundy@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 45

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

Show Jumping, USEF

USEF Names Horses for CSIO5* Dublin, Top U.S. Jumpers Set to Earn Winning Results

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Beezie Madden and Cortes ‘C’ (Shawn McMillen Photography)

Lexington, KY – The United States heads into the CSIO5* Dublin on top form after claiming second place honors in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup of Great Britain presented by Longines last week at CSIO5* Hickstead. Four members of the Hickstead squad head to the premiere Irish competition. Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, Reed Kessler and Katie Dinan will look to secure another set of top finishes for the U.S. They will be joined by Kent Farrington who was the Chef d’Equipe of the winning U.S. team at CSIO3* Bratislava. Robert Ridland will serve as the Chef d’Equipe this week at CSIO5* Dublin.

Madden (Cazenovia, NY) was one of only six riders to jump a double clear effort in Hickstead’s Nations Cup and will look to replicate that feat this weekend. The reigning Rolex/FEI World Cup has helped the U.S. earn victory in the $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm at CSIO Wellington as well as to second place finishes in Rotterdam and Hickstead.

At CSIO5* Dublin, Madden will ride Abigail Wexner’s Cortes ‘C’, Coral Reef Ranch’s Coral Reef Via Volo, as well as Wexner’s Amadora and Breitling LS.
Cortes ‘C’ is a 2002 Belgian Warmblood gelding.
Coral Reef Via Volo is a 1998 Belgian Warmblood mare.
Amadora is a 2003 KWPN mare.
Breitling LS is 2006 Dutch Warmblood stallion.

McLain Ward and Rothchild (Randi Muster)
McLain Ward and Rothchild (Randi Muster)

Ward (Brewster, NY) was the winner of the Dublin Grand Prix in 2010 and will look to add his name to the trophy for a second time this week. A two-time Team Olympic Gold medalist, he will set his sights on earning top finishes throughout the week for the U.S. in Dublin.

At CSIO5* Dublin, Ward will ride Grant Road Partners LLC’s Super Trooper De Ness,  Sagamore Farms’ Rothchild, and Procedure Inc’s Cadence.
Super Trooper De Ness is a 2002 Belgian Sport Horse stallion.
Rothchild is a 2001 Warmblood gelding.
Cadence is a 2001 Swedish Warmblood gelding.

At just 19 years old, Kessler (Lexington, KY) is already making a profound effect in the sport of jumping. Last summer she made her Olympic debut in London and has continued to secure top results in Europe and the U.S. including finishing 10th in her first Rolex/FEI World Cup Final.

At CSIO5* Dublin, Kessler will ride her own Cylana, Ligist and Kessler Show Stables’ Soraya De L’Obstination.
Cylana is a 2002 Belgian Warmblood mare.
Ligist is a 2000 Swedish Warmblood gelding.
Soraya De L’Obstination is 2002 Belgian Warmblood mare.

Dinan (Wellington, FL), the 2011 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Younger Rider Championships presented by Gotham North Gold medalist, heads into CSIO5* Dublin on strong form. In June, she helped the U.S. to a second place finish in Spruce Meadow’s Nations Cup competition jumping double clear and being honored as the Furusiyya Rider of the Day.

Reed Kessler and Cylana (Sportfot)
Reed Kessler and Cylana (Sportfot)

At CSIO5* Dublin, Dinan will ride Grant Road Partners LLC’s Nougat Du Vallet, Glory Days and Couletto K James.
Nougat Du Vallet is a 2001 Selle Francais gelding.
Glory Days is a 2001 Swedish Warmblood gelding.
Couletto K James is 1996 Hanoverian gelding.

Farrington (Wellington, FL) was a member of the winning U.S. team in the $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm in March at CSIO Wellington. The 2013 Pan American Games Team Gold medalist will look to display the form that helped him win the $150,000 CSIO 4* Grand Prix presented by Wellington Equestrian Realty this week in Dublin.

At CSIO5* Dublin, Farrington will ride R.C.G. Farms’ Uceko, and Robin Parsky’s Blue Angel.
Uceko is a 2001 Dutch Warmblood gelding.
Blue Angel is 2002 Anglo European mare.

By Helen Murray

To learn more about the CSIO5* Dublin, visit: http://www.dublinhorseshow.com/.

Follow the 2013 U.S. Jumping Team here.

 

Hunter/Equitation, USEF

US Hunter Pony Championships Begin at 2013 US Pony Finals

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Emma Kurtz and Yes It’s True (Shawn McMillen Photography)

Yes It’s True, Show Me Love and Northwind Marin Hold Early Leads in Green Pony Hunter Divisions; Grand All Over Scores Model Phase Win in Medium Regular Pony Hunter Division

Lexington, KY – The 2013 US Pony Finals officially kicked off on Tuesday with Green Hunter Ponies and Medium Regular Hunter Ponies taking their first steps towards National Titles in the US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans. Small, Medium and Large Greens all completed their Model and Under Saddle phases in the Kentucky Horse Park’s Walnut Arena, while Medium Regular Hunter Ponies performed their Model phase in front of the judging panel of Chance Arakelian, William Sparks and Jeff Wirthman.

Emma Kurtz enjoyed an extremely successful day to hold the overnight lead in the Small Green Pony Hunter division, the Medium Green Pony Hunter division and the Medium Regular Pony Hunter division. She leads with Yes It’s True, Show Me Love and Grand All Over respectively. In the Large Green Pony Hunter division Daisy Farish and Northwind Marin hold a slight edge over Kurtz to head into Wednesday’s Over Fences Phase on top of the leaderboard.

The US Hunter Pony Championship presented by Sallee Horse Vans are determined by calculating the scores from the three phases of competition, the highest scoring pony of each height section will be declared champion of its section.  Additionally, the highest scoring pony overall will be declared the week’s Grand Champion. The Model and Under Saddle phases will each count towards 25% of the overall score with the remaining 50% to be determined by the Over Fences Phase.

Small Green Pony Hunter

In the Small Green Pony Hunter division, Kurtz (Hudson, OH) and Yes It’s True jumped out to the early lead with strong performances in Tuesday’s two phases. Kurtz (Hudson, OH) and Sofia Roberts, LLC’s eight-year-old cross-bred mare began the day with a second place finish in the Model Phase, scoring 247. The talented pair returned to the Walnut Arena later in the day to score 259 and earn the top placing in the Under Saddle phase. They head into Wednesday’s Over Fences Phase holding a 12 point lead on a two-phase total of 506.

After the completion of two phases of competition, Morgan Champey and her own 10-year-old Warmblood mare Maple Leafs Opulence lie in second place. In the Model Phase the pair earned fourth place with a score of 246. Champey (Far Hills, NJ) and Maple Leafs Opulence returned for Tuesday’s second phase to score 247 and earn a fifth place finish in the Under Saddle portion of competition. They stand on a two-phase total of 493.

Lying in third place following the first two phases of the Small Green Pony Hunter division is Lauren Gallagher and Cold Spring Farm’s H.G. Mud Puddles. Gallagher (Oxford, PA) and the seven-year-old Half-Welsh mare earned 14th place in the morning’s model with a score of 235 and returned to score 257 and earn second place in the Under Saddle phase. The combination will enter the Over Fences Phase on a total of 492.

Mackensie Altheimer (Tampa, FL) and ABA Hunter Ponies’ eight-year-old Welsh Pony mare Heavens to Betsey was the winner of the Model Phase in the Small Green Pony Hunter division with a score of 250.

Small Green Pony Hunter division concludes Wednesday with the Over Fences Phase.

Medium Green Pony Hunter

Kurtz will also head into the final phase of Medium Green Pony Hunter competition as the overnight leader after earning top scores with Scott Stewart’s Show Me Love. The six-year-old Bavarian Warmblood gelding earned second place finishes in the Model Phase of competition with a score of 253. Kurtz returned in the afternoon and demonstrated her proficiency in the Under Saddle Phase to again earning a score of 259 and her second victory of the day. Show Me Love stands on a two phase total of 512 heading into the Over Fences portion of the Medium Green Pony Hunter division.

Lying eight and a half points behind Kurtz is Kirklen Petersen and David Glefke’s Foot Steps. Petersen (Great Falls, VA) and the eight-year-old Palomino mare began the day with a fourth place effort in the Model Phase, scoring 252. In the Under Saddle Phase the pair earned a 251.5 for fifth place. They stand in overall second place on a score of 503.5 with one phase of competition left to complete.

Coco Fath (Fairfield, CT) lays third overnight on an overall score of 501 with Katherine Arliss’ seven-year-old Welsh Pony Rosmel’s Fairy Steps. In the Model Phase, the pair scored 247 for seventh place and returned later in the day to earn second place in the Under Saddle Phase with a score of 254.

Sierra Gundersen (Ridgefield, CT) and her own 10-year-old Welsh Pony mare earned a score of 254 to top the Model Phase of the Medium Green Pony Hunter division.

Medium Green Pony Hunter division concludes Wednesday with the Over Fences Phase.

Daisy Farish and Northwind Marin (Shawn McMillen Photography)
Daisy Farish and Northwind Marin (Shawn McMillen Photography)

Large Green Pony Hunter

Topping the day one overall standings and the Under Saddle portion of competition in the Large Green Pony Hunter division is Farish (Versailles, KY), who piloted Prue Richardson’s seven-year-old cross-bred gelding Northwind Marin to a score of 263 in Tuesday’s second phase. Farish, the 2011 Overall Small Pony Hunter Grand Champion, placed sixth earlier in the day in the Model Phase. She will head into Wednesday on an overall score of 508.

Kurtz, who lies second in the Large Green Pony Hunter division on a score of 503, added another top placing to her name on Wednesday as she topped the Model Phase for the Large Green Pony Hunter division with Stewart’s seven-year-old Welsh Pony cross gelding All My Love, scoring 252. In the Under Saddle portion of competition the pair finished in sixth place with a score of 251.

Laurel Bennet (Carlisle, PA) and her own six-year-old Mecklenburg gelding Harrison stand third heading into Wednesday’s final phase with an overall total of 499. The pair scored 251 to place second in the Model and eighth in the Under Saddle Phase with a 248.

Large Green Pony Hunter division concludes Wednesday with the Over Fences Phase.

Medium Regular Pony Hunter

Competition came to close on Wednesday with the Medium Regular Hunter Pony division performing their Model Phase. Heading the field following the Model Phase are Kurtz and David Gochman’s Welsh Pony Grand All Over who scored an impressive 257 on Tuesday.

To learn more about the 2013 US Pony Finals, visit: http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/pony/ponyFinals.aspx.

For Results, Schedules and more, visit: http://usefconnect.com/ponyfinals/.

By Helen Murray