Tag Archives: FEI Classics

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Fredericks Makes a Flying Start at Luhmühlen

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Lucinda Fredericks (AUS) and Flying Finish, leaders after the Dressage phase at Luhmühlen (GER) this weekend, the fifth leg of the FEI Classics™ series. Photo: Hanna Broms/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 13 June 2014 – Lucinda Fredericks (AUS), who has taken the lead after the Dressage phase at Luhmühlen, presented by DHL Paket, is hoping to make it third time lucky at Germany’s premier event, the fifth and penultimate leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014.

In 2012, Fredericks finished second on Flying Finish and secured a place in the Australian team at the London Olympic Games. Last year, having suffered a slow start to the season due to a bad fall, she was not at full fitness but still managed to finish in 11th place.

“This time I’m going to crack on,” promised Fredericks, who retired Flying Finish early on the Cross Country at Badminton last month because he had temporarily banged a nerve. “It wasn’t as dramatic as it looked. He was fine five minutes later, which was frustrating.

“But perhaps it was a blessing in disguise,” she continued. “My horse feels good; we’ve had a good preparation for this event and I feel we’re due some luck. It would be a great boost for my team at home if we could do well.”

Fredericks, who won Burghley (2006), Badminton (2007) and Kentucky (2009) on her brilliant little mare Headley Britannia, was the only rider at Luhmühlen to break the 40-penalty barrier. She scored 38.7 on Flying Finish, a 12-year-old Holsteiner by Candillo which she bought in Germany, and leads the Olympic, World and European Champion Michael Jung (GER) by 2.8 penalties.

“It’s quite difficult to tell how well you’re doing on Flying Finish and I wasn’t quite sure I’d nailed it until after the test,” explained Fredericks. “He is always correct and steady, but every time I looked at the scoreboard I only seemed to be getting sevens, so I stuck my chest out and tried to move up a gear!”

Jung, who won Luhmühlen in 2009 on La Biosthetique Sam and in 2012 on Leopin FST, has a new CCI4* ride, his parents Joachim and Brigitte’s nine-year-old mare fischerRocana FST, eighth at Boekelo CCI3* (NED) last year.

Jung’s team mate Ingrid Klimke (GER) is in third place on the 10-year-old Horseware Hale Bob and the in-form Dutch rider Elaine Pen is fourth on Vira, winner of the Fontainebleau CIC3* in March.

Pen, a law student, led the Dressage on the first day with a score of 43.2. “I am feeling a little nervous because this is my first four-star,” she commented. “But my parents bought Vira as a foal 12 years ago, so we know each other well.”

It is not Pen’s first visit to Luhmühlen, however, as she finished 14th and was best Dutch rider at the FEI European Eventing Championships there in 2011.

Bettina Hoy (GER), whose appearance in the Luhmühlen arena last year was a dramatic one, when Lanfranco TSF repeatedly reared, had a more comfortable ride this time on the up-and-coming Designer 10. She is in fifth place on 43.3, just 0.2 ahead of FEI Classics™ leader William Fox-Pitt (GBR), sixth on Cool Mountain.

A total of 52 riders representing 12 nations came before the Ground Jury made up of Gill Rolton (AUS), President, Ernst Topp (GER) and Alain James (FRA).

The German event has enjoyed mainly fine weather so far, and the Cross Country going is described as “fast”, but the weather forecast is hinting at rain tomorrow. Lucinda Fredericks reports that the influential combination in the arena is “nicer” this time, but that Course Designer Mark Phillips (GBR) has still laid on an appropriately challenging track.

“There is a lot of turning to fences and turning afterwards and not always a lot of room to do it,” she said, “but I’m really looking forward to it.”

Full results on www.luhmuehlen.de and live Cross Country (Saturday) and Jumping (Sunday) coverage on FEI TV (www.feitv.org).

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Luhmühlen:

Friederike Stuevel-Huck
+49 171 5382900
media@luhmuehlen.de

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

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

World-Class Entry Lines Up for Luhmühlen

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William Fox-Pitt, current world Eventing number one and FEI Classics™ leader, rides Cool Mountain at this weekend’s Luhmühlen CCI 4*. Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 11 June 2014 – A competitive field of more than 50 riders representing 12 nations will be competing at this weekend’s German CCI 4* in Luhmühlen, presented by DHL Paket (12-15 June), for the fifth and penultimate leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014.

For many riders this is a crucial last chance to impress selectors before the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA) in August, as well as an all-important opportunity to seize a foothold on the FEI Classics™ leader board before the final leg at Burghley (GBR) in September.

Longines, the FEI’s Top Partner, has for the first time joined Luhmühlen as official Time-keeper and Watch for this key leg.

“We are proud to be for the first time Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of Luhmühlen CCI 4*,” said Walter von Känel, President of Longines. “As First Top Partner, Official Timekeeper and Watch of the FEI, the partnership with this event, which is part of the FEI Classics™, seemed natural. In addition, this competition perfectly illustrates the values of our brand, namely tradition, performance and precision.”

The current first, third and fourth-placed riders on the FEI Classics™ leaderboard all have good rides at Germany’s premier event.

World number one William Fox-Pitt (GBR), already a three-time winner at Luhmühlen and victorious at Pau (FRA) 2013 and Kentucky (USA) this year, holds a commanding 15-point lead. He rides an old favourite, the thoroughbred Cool Mountain, a CCI4* winner of Kentucky in 2010 and a world team gold and individual silver medallist at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in the same year.

Christopher Burton (AUS), who triumphed at Adelaide (AUS) last year on a catch ride, has the 12-year-old mare Tempranillo, a ride he took over from Sweden’s Ludwig Svennerstal in 2013. The new combination won the CIC3* at Hartpury last year and were 22nd at Pau.

Oliver Townend, who won the FEI Classics™ in 2009 and was recently second at Badminton (GBR), has entered the ex-racehorse Black Tie ll for his first CCI4*.

Much interest will centre on last year’s FEI Classics™ winner, the world number two Andrew Nicholson (NZL). He must have a great chance on the Spanish-bred Quimbo, a winner at Kentucky last year, but which was retired on the Cross Country at Badminton. The flat track at Luhmühlen should suit the beautiful black gelding and, if he is on form, German spectators are in for a treat as he is a spectacular jumper.

A strong New Zealand squad includes Lizzie Brown with her 2013 Boekelo CCI3* winner and recent Houghton Hall CIC3* runner-up Henton Attorney General, Mark Todd with Oloa, which he has re-routed from Kentucky after a disappointing Dressage mark, and husband-and-wife team Jonelle and Tim Price.

Jonelle has Classic Moet and The Deputy, which she pulled up after an early run-out at Badminton, and Tim has the Tattersalls CIC3* winner Wesko, which took an unfortunate ducking in Badminton’s Lake on the first third of the course.

Lucinda Fredericks (AUS) has already won three of the world’s six CCI4*s – Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky – and in 2012 she came close to taking Luhmühlen on the German-bred Flying Finish when they were second. They were 10th last year and, after pulling up early at Badminton in May, she has brought the horse back for a third attempt on the Luhmühlen trophy. Her compatriots include Andrew Hoy who, like Fredericks, has yet to add Luhmühlen to his collection of CCI4* wins.

Some of the top German horses will be competing in the CIC3*, but former Luhmühlen winners Michael Jung, Bettina Hoy and Ingrid Klimke have CCI4* rides. Jung, the current Olympic, World and European Champion, rides Fischerrocana FST; Klimke has her European team gold and individual silver medallist FRH Escada JS, and Hoy rides the up-and-coming Designer in what promises to be a high-quality contest.

Follow the results on www.luhmuehlen.de, and watch live Cross Country (Saturday) and Jumping (Sunday) action on FEI TV (www.feitv.org).

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Luhmühlen:

Friederike Stuevel-Huck
+49 171 5382900
media@luhmuehlen.de

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Eventing/H.T., FEI, FEI, Show Jumping

Sam Griffiths Fulfills His Badminton Dream

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Australia’s Sam Griffiths and the Irish-bred Paulank Brockagh on their way to victory in the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ (Kit Houghton/FEI).

Badminton (GBR), 11 May 2014 – Popular Australian rider Sam Griffiths produced a superb display of horsemanship in today’s Jumping phase to win his first major title, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014, with Paulank Brockagh, the mare that he co-owns with Dinah Posford and Jules Carter.

In a competition of extraordinary twists and turns, Griffiths and the Irish-bred 10-year-old rose from overnight fifth place with a well-judged four-fault Jumping round that was good enough to win due to the strong influence of Kelvin Bywater’s (GBR) course.

Griffiths’ fellow Australian, Cross Country leader Paul Tapner on Kilronan, had been left a two-rail advantage to win but even this was too close for comfort in the squally weather and he had four fences down plus time penalties to drop to fourth.

Oliver Townend (GBR) hit two rails on the 15-year-old Armada yet moved up two places to take the runner-up spot and Harry Meade (GBR) rose from eighth to a career best of third place with an elegant four-fault round on Wild Lone.

“I had thought that if I did well I could move up, but there were still good riders in front of me and I had no expectations of being on the podium,” said Griffiths, who was well down the field in 25th place after the Dressage.

“I think horses were probably quite tired after the Cross Country and the course was twisty and up-to-height on fairly dead ground, but ‘Brocks’ is one tough nut. She has a massive heart.”

Griffiths added: “This is the ultimate dream. As a little boy in Australia, I used to wait for the video tapes of Badminton to arrive, so to ride here was always a major ambition. This means the world to me. Badminton is the pinnacle.”

Townend said: “I’ve told Sam to enjoy every minute of this because it still hasn’t quite sunk in that I’ve won this event [in 2009].”

He added: “I’m thrilled with my result. I was mortified after the Dressage [after which he was 34th] but this has made up for it. The reason Armada is good across country is because he is tricky in the other two phases. It is a fantastic feeling to be sitting on a Ferrari like him. At certain points yesterday, I felt that this was what Cross Country was all about.”

Harry Meade’s third-place finish is all the more remarkable because he spent months lying helpless in hospital after breaking both elbows in a fall last August. “At the start of the week, I was beyond expectations, but somehow everything added up and I feel that I coped very well,” he said. “My arms felt fine on the Cross Country and I loved the fact that it was windy and wet.”

Meade, who lives only three miles from Badminton and whose father, Richard, won here in 1970 and 1982, explained: “I couldn’t let myself get too excited and today I’ve felt calm and determined to enjoy it. The last few months have rather put things into perspective for me.”

Fourth-placed Tapner managed to be philosophical in defeat. “You start thinking of damage limitation when you hear those rails falling and I tried to change my way of riding. But that’s the way the sport is. I’ve been in both positions here before. One went my way [when he won in 2010] and this one didn’t.”

Pascal Leroy (FRA) dropped from third to fifth on Minos de Petra but still achieved the best result for a French rider since Nicolas Touzaint won in 2008. Three-time winner Pippa Funnell (GBR) held onto sixth place on the exciting prospect Billy Beware with one fence down and four time penalties.

Tim Price (NZL) had warned that Jumping was Ringwood Sky Boy’s weakest phase and he dropped from second to ninth with 19 faults behind Tim Lips (NED) on Keyflow NOP, seventh, and Sweden’s rising star Ludwig Svennerstal on Alexander, eighth.

Three horses were withdrawn overnight before Jumping: Karascanda TSF, ridden by Karl-Steffan Meier (GER), which had leapt 61 places to 20th after Cross Country; Kelecyn Ice Age (Emma Douglas, AUS, 34th); and Beltane Queen (Nicola Wilson, GBR, 25th), which had been awarded 21 penalties for a broken frangible pin.

All 32 horses presented at the final Horse Inspection passed, including Wendy Schaeffer’s (AUS) Koyuna Sun Dancer, which was sent to the holding box. Schaeffer successfully appealed the 20 penalties given for a refusal at the Mirage Pond (fence 16). This elevated her from 26th to 18th before Jumping and then she produced the only clear round of the day (albeit with three time penalties) to rise to 12th.

Although Pau (FRA) and Kentucky (USA) winner William Fox-Pitt surprisingly played no part in the final day at Badminton, he is still the clear leader, by 15 points, in the FEI Classics™. However, Sam Griffiths’ Badminton victory elevates him straight into second place and he and other riders still have chances at Luhmühlen (GER) next month to try and catch up before the series finale at Burghley (GBR) in September.

About the winner

Sam Griffiths, 41, is the sixth Australian to win Badminton (following Bill Roycroft, Laurie Morgan, Andrew Hoy, Lucinda Fredericks and Paul Tapner), and Paulank Brockagh is only the third mare (following Emily Little in 1952 and Headley Britannia in 2007).

Griffiths grew up near Melbourne riding his mother’s home-bred Welsh ponies, did a university degree in geography and went travelling, taking a job with the New Zealand Olympic champion Blyth Tait. He has been based in the UK since 1995.

His best results came with Happy Times, winner of Saumur CCI3* in 2008 and third at Badminton and Burghley in 2009. They were on the Australian team at the 2010 FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games™ and at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Sam and his wife Lucy live on the Somerset/Dorset border and have a young son, Ollie.

Paulank Brockagh was bred in Ireland, on a hill called Brockagh, by Frank and Paula Cullen, after whom she is named. She is a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse by Touchdown out of a Triggerero mare, and finished 15th at Burghley last year.

Watch FEI TV’s review of the fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials here.

Full results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

The Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Twitter handle is @bhorsetrials and hashtag is #MMBHT.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials:

Julian Seaman
Press Officer
+44 7831 515736
j.seaman2@sky.com
@bhorsetrials #MMBHT

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Eventing/H.T., FEI, FEI

Tough Tapner Takes the Cross Country Lead at Badminton

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Cross Country leaders Paul Tapner and Kilronan (AUS) have a fence in hand to win at the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ series. Photo: Kate Houghton/FEI.

Badminton (GBR), 10 May 2014 – Paul Tapner (AUS) is on course to win his second Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014, after a dramatic day of Cross Country action.

The 38-year-old Australian, second after Dressage on the mud-loving Irish gelding Kilronan, tackled the track early in the day and looked beatable when he took the long route at Huntsman’s Close (fence 22-23) and clocked 20 time penalties to finish on a score of 56.4.

However, strong winds, rain and holding ground made Guiseppe Della Chiesa’s revamped Cross Country course extremely influential and only 35 riders completed, none of them coming anywhere near the optimum time of 11 minutes 21 seconds.

The leader board looks completely different from yesterday, with only two of the top 10 after Dressage completing: Tapner plus Sir Mark Todd with his second ride Leonidas ll, which has dropped from equal ninth to 17th after picking up extra time penalties when the horse lost his line in the Lake and plunged into deep water.

Tim Price (NZL) rose from 41st after Dressage to second after a brilliant round on Ringwood Sky Boy with the fastest time of the day for 11.6 time penalties. Pascal Leroy (FRA) and the lovely Minos de Petra leapt 27 places to third with 15.2 time penalties.

“I didn’t think the course was unusually tough but you couldn’t make any mistakes,” Tapner said. “It’s Kilronan’s third four-star and he feels a different horse from last year; he’s far more mature. He does, however, tend to get on his forehand when he’s a bit tired and that’s why I took a long route near the end.”

Oliver Townend (GBR), the last British rider to win Badminton, in 2009, has jumped 30 places to fourth on the Spanish-bred Armada, ahead of Sam Griffiths (AUS), fifth on Paulank Brockagh.

Townend was emotional about his horse’s performance. “Everyone knows Armada is an amazing horse but he did, for the first time ever, feel tired by the time we got to the Quarry [fences 24-26]. However, he was such a good old horse and pricked his ears and picked up again.

“I think the course was fantastic. Giuseppe [Della Chiesa, Course Designer] has done an amazing job. It was a fair test and a proper Badminton course.”

Dressage leader Clark Montgomery (USA) retired Loughan Glen after a refusal at the big corner in Huntsman’s Close near the end of the course (fences 22-23). Francis Whittington (GBR), lying third, retired Easy Target here, and Lucinda Fredericks (AUS), fourth, pulled up Flying Finish after fence 5.

Mark Todd and Sara Algotsson-Ostholt (SWE), who were equal fifth after Dressage, both fell; Todd found himself sitting inelegantly on top of the brush box at the Shogun Hollow (11) when NZB Campino refused, while the Swedish rider had a fall at Huntsman’s Close on Reality 39.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Andrew Nicholson (NZL), who were in equal seventh, both fell when challenging for the lead. Fox-Pitt and Parklane Hawk fell at a hedge three fences from home when going well, and Nicholson tipped off when Nereo hit the rail exiting the Mirage Pond (16). Nicholson retired his first horse Quimbo following a run-out at the brush keyhole at 13.

Peter Flarup (DEN), equal ninth after Dressage, had a fall with Callista E at the spread fence before the Lake (7). Mary King (GBR), 12th, miraculously survived a sticky moment when Imperial Cavalier crawled through the keyhole fence only to have a refusal at the Mirage Pond.

Jonelle Price (NZL), 14th, walked home on The Deputy after an early run-out at the skinny brush at 5, while her husband, Tim, took a dunking in the Lake with his second ride, Wesko.

Christopher Burton (AUS), equal 20th on the Adelaide CCI4* winner TS Jamaimo, had a run-out at the Vicarage Vee (fence 15); Kristina Cook (GBR) had a glance-off at fence 5 with De Novo News and Pippa Funnell was frustrated to fall at the log at 18 when going beautifully on her second ride Redesigned.

Funnell, however, was elated with her first horse, the home-bred 10-year-old Billy Beware, with which she is in sixth place after a masterful clear round for 24 time penalties. “He’s the first Billy Stud horse to do Badminton!” she said.

“I know it wasn’t all copybook, but I am so excited about his future. He kept digging deep and got me out of trouble a couple of times, which is the sign of a really good horse.”

Harry Meade (GBR), who is in eighth place on Wild Lone behind flying Dutchman Tim Lips (Keyflow NOP), was also thrilled with his day. Meade is back in action after breaking both elbows in a fall last August. “This is what I came back for, the real seat-of-the-pants stuff,” he said. “My wife, Rosie, was nervous, but I told her this is what I love doing. I’ve known my horse since he was four years old and we just got on with the job.”

Tapner, who has been based near Badminton since 2000, looks set to lift a second Mitsubishi Motors Trophy, his first victory coming in 2010 on Inonothing. However, after a day full of surprises, it’s clear that nothing is a certainty. Tapner and Kilronan have a fence in hand, but the next group of four riders are all within a fence of each other and are all equally determined to make history in Badminton’s 65th year.

Full results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Watch live coverage of the Jumping finale on the FEI’s official video platform FEI TV, if you are based outside of the UK. In the UK, live coverage of the Jumping can be seen on the BBC Red Button and BBC Sport website. For full TV listings and broadcast times, please visit the Badminton website here.

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

The Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Twitter handle is @bhorsetrials and hashtag is #MMBHT.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials:

Julian Seaman
Press Officer
+44 7831 515736
j.seaman2@sky.com
@bhorsetrials #MMBHT

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

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

Clark Montgomery Nails Dressage Lead at Badminton

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Clark Montgomery (USA) produces a superb performance on Loughan Glen to take the lead after Dressage at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ series. Photo: Kate Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 9 May 2014 – Stylish American rider Clark Montgomery thrilled the capacity crowd at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014, when he deservedly took the lead. His Dressage test was a model of balance, consistency and harmony despite the wind that has battered the Gloucestershire site all day.

Montgomery, 32, was third last to go on William and Holly Becker’s 11-year-old Loughan Glen and scored the excellent mark of 33.5 penalties. This gives him a 2.5-penalty advantage over Australia’s Paul Tapner and Kilronan, who had until then maintained the lead since yesterday.

Francis Whittington (GBR), the highest placed of the home side, is now in third place on Easy Target, just 0.2 penalties behind Tapner.

Montgomery is based in England, just down the road from Badminton with CCI4* judge Christian Landolt (SUI). “The horse has put in some good marks before and I knew he was capable of this standard if all went well,” said Montgomery of the Limerick-sired bay gelding on which he finished third at Blenheim CCI3* (GBR) last year.

“He should like the Cross Country course,” added Montgomery. “He likes to be ridden forward and hopefully he will cope with the step up, although I don’t know yet whether the [optimum] time will be an issue for him.”

The three top-placed horses are all Irish-bred, which may be an advantage if the rain which is forecast to fall tonight materialises. “The ground will definitely suit my horse and I’ll be quite happy if it keeps on raining!” said Tapner.

Lucinda Fredericks (AUS), who scored the only other sub-40 mark, is now fourth on Flying Finish, just ahead of Sir Mark Todd (NZL), the oldest rider in the field (at 58) and the only one to have two horses in the top 10. The four-time Badminton winner is equal fifth on NZB Campino and equal ninth on the 10-year-old Leonidas ll.

Six nations are represented in the top 10. Olympic silver medallist Sara Algotsson-Ostholt (SWE), who is paying her first visit to Badminton, is in equal fifth place with Todd on 40.5 with Reality 39 (formerly called Mrs Medicott), on which she won a team silver medal at last year’s FEI European Eventing Championships.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) was a happier man after scoring 41.0 on Parklane Hawk. His first ride, Cool Mountain, disappointed and is in equal 57th place, which leaves him in equal seventh place with Andrew Nicholson (NZL) on Nereo.

Danish rider Peter Flarup made a great start to his first Badminton and is in equal ninth with a score of 41.8 on the Danish warmblood mare Callista E, on which he was 12th at Boekelo CCI3* (NED) last year. Flarup, who has been riding at championship level since 1997, had his best CCI4* result at Pau in 2010 on Silver Ray.

Nearly half the field of 83 scored under 40 penalties in the Dressage, thus ensuring a thrilling day tomorrow.

The big news for riders is that the middle element of fence 18abc, a trio of logs on an S-bend which was proving a hot topic, has been removed. This would have involved a sharp right-hand turn at the foot of a mound, and the organisers decided that the heavy rain that is forecast might make the turn slippery.

Mary King (GBR), who first competed at Badminton in 1985, said: “I thought it was a great fence and well-designed, but I can see why the decision has been made.”

King, who first won Badminton in the very wet year of 1992, produced her best Badminton test on the ebullient 17-year-old Imperial Cavalier, on which she was third in 2011 and fourth in 2010. She earned the loudest cheers of the day and is now in 12th place on 42.8.

Her performance was only marred by an error of course in the extended canter. “I’m over the moon with him,” she declared. “It’s the best test he’s ever done here. He was so rideable. I was enjoying it so much that I then managed to go wrong.”

Kristina Cook (GBR), who has been competing at Badminton for more than 20 years and is in 23rd place with a mark of 45.8 on her home-bred De Novo News, pronounced the Cross Country course to be “super”.

She said: “It’s bigger and wider, very much a Badminton course to give us sleepless nights. They’ve done everything they can with the ground and there’s a great grass cover. You’ve got to be bold and brave and keep pushing, and the riders that can achieve that will do the best.”

Full results on www.badminton-horse.co.uk.

Watch live coverage of the Cross Country and Jumping on the FEI’s official video platform FEI TV, if you are based outside of the UK. In the UK, live coverage of the Cross Country and Jumping can be seen on the BBC Red Button and BBC Sport website. For full TV listings and broadcast times, please visit the Badminton website here.

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

The Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Twitter handle is @bhorsetrials and hashtag is #MMBHT.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials:

Julian Seaman
Press Officer
+44 7831 515736
j.seaman2@sky.com
@bhorsetrials #MMBHT

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., FEI

Stage Is Set for a New-Look Badminton

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William Fox-Pitt (GBR), pictured here with Oslo at the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials 2013, heads to this year’s event as world Eventing number one and leader of the prestigious FEI Classics™ series. Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 6 May 2014 – The two leading riders in the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 go head to head in the fourth leg of the series, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), this weekend (8-11 May).

William Fox-Pitt, winner of Pau (FRA) last year and Kentucky (USA) last month, and Christopher Burton (AUS), who triumphed on a catch ride at his home CCI4*, Adelaide (AUS), in November 2013, both have exciting rides at Badminton.

Fox-Pitt, the new world Eventing number one, has a commanding 15-point lead in the FEI Classics™, a series he has won three times before, but there is plenty of time for others to catch up.

He has the choice of three rides at Badminton: Cool Mountain, his 2010 Kentucky winner and world team gold and individual silver medallist, Parklane Hawk, the 2011 Burghley winner, and the striking chestnut stallion Chilli Morning, on which Fox-Pitt won individual bronze at the 2013 FEI European Eventing Championships.

Burton, interestingly, has been reunited with his Adelaide ride, TS Jamaimo, after a group of his owners and supporters clubbed together to buy the 15-year-old thoroughbred for him with this year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in mind.

Burton took on the ride just days before Adelaide when the horse’s former rider, Will Enzinger (AUS), broke his leg. “It’s been a fascinating experience and I feel so lucky,” said Burton, who earlier this spring finished fifth on TS Jamaimo in the CIC3* at Belton (GBR). “He’s a good-looking horse on the flat and a careful jumper. I can’t wait to take him to Badminton.”

Around 85 horses from 14 nations will appear before the Ground Jury at the first horse inspection tomorrow (May 7).

The field includes six former winners: Fox-Pitt (2004); New Zealander Sir Mark Todd (1980, 1994, 1996 and 2011), who rides NZB Campino and Leonidas II; Britain’s Mary King (1992 and 2000), who brings Imperial Cavalier; and Pippa Funnell (2002, 2003, 2005), who has the choice of Billy Beware, Or Noir de la Loge or Redesigned; plus two Australians: Lucinda Fredericks (2007), who rides Flying Finish, and Paul Tapner (2010) with Kilronan.

Andrew Nicholson (NZL) is celebrating 30 years of competing at Badminton. He first appeared here in 1984 when he rode a clear round on Kahlua and earned a place on the New Zealand squad at the Los Angeles Olympics, but this is one of the few events in the world where victory has eluded him. His best result was second in 2004 on Lord Killinghurst.

This could be Nicholson’s year, though. He rides two Spanish-bred geldings, Quimbo, winner of Kentucky last year, and the extraordinarily consistent chestnut Nereo, second at Burghley in 2013.

However, all riders, no matter what their level of Badminton experience, will be facing a new-look Cross Country course. Former six-time winner Lucinda Green has described the track created by FEI Eventing Committee Chairman Giuseppe Della Chiesa (ITA) as “truly magnificent.”

Della Chiesa, only the third Course Designer at Badminton in some 50 years, has used new ground in the Duke of Beaufort’s parkland and has produced new fences, including a water complex. He has also recreated the famous Vicarage Vee fence.

The scene is set for a thrilling and fascinating weekend, and one rider is set to make history in Badminton’s 65th year.

See the full entry list for the fourth leg of the FEI Classics™ at the Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials here, and watch live coverage of the Cross Country and Jumping on the FEI’s official video platform FEI TV.

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEI Classics™ #Eventing.

The Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials Twitter handle is @bhorsetrials and hashtag is #MMBHT.

By Kate Green

Media Contacts:

At Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials:

Julian Seaman
Press Officer
+44 7831 515736
j.seaman2@sky.com
@bhorsetrials #MMBHT

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

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

Fox-Pitt Is the Hero at Kentucky

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William Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero, winners of the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event (USA), third leg of the FEI Classics™. (Anthony Trollope/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 28 April 2014 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) kept the cool head for which he is famous to win his third Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in five years. Fox-Pitt, already a triple winner of the FEI Classics™, now heads the 2013/2014 leaderboard by 15 points after three out of six legs.

The runner-up, Lauren Kieffer (USA), competing in only her second CCI4*, must have made American hearts beat faster with her brilliant clear Jumping round on Veronica which left Fox-Pitt no margin for error in a nail-biting finale.

But Fox-Pitt, who has now set a new record by winning the Kentucky CCI4* on three different horses, does not give away many prizes and he had Catherine Witt’s attractive bay gelding Bay My Hero jumping on springs to produce a faultless round.

“He was superb,” said Fox-Pitt breathlessly afterwards. “Lauren really put the pressure on me so I was going in there thinking I am so pleased that even if it’s not me then it’s going to be an American because the support is so amazing over here. The atmosphere in there is crazy; he jumped so well; he was magic!”

“It took a lot of focus to go in there and stay cool,” admitted 26-year-old Kieffer, who took over the ride on the 12-year-old mare from Karen O’Connor, with whom she is based in Virginia. “I tried to go in there and ride it like anything else. I think my coach will be pleased!”

New US team trainer David O’Connor had a dream weekend as home riders dominated the top placings, with Buck Davidson rising to third place with a clear round on Ballynoe Castle RM, revealing that the horse suffered pneumonia a couple of months ago. “He has been so consistent over his career and has such a great heart,” said Davidson. “You only have to tell him it’s Kentucky and he’ll go!”

Marilyn Little was fifth and sixth on RF Smoke on the Water and RF Demeter, and Jan Byyny climbed back up the order to seventh place on Inmidair.

“The Americans are looking really strong,” said Fox-Pitt. “We’ll all really have to watch our backs at the World Equestrian Games this summer.”

Fox-Pitt claimed another top-10 finish with ninth place on Seacookie TSF, last year’s runner-up, which is also owned by Catherine Witt, and Selena O’Hanlon was best of the Canadians in 10th place on Foxwood High.

Disappointingly for US supporters, Phillip Dutton (USA) withdrew Mr Medicott, with which he was lying third overnight, before the Jumping. Dutton did have the consolation of finishing eighth on the injured Boyd Martin’s ride Trading Aces and won a two-year lease on a Land Rover for having finished bang on the optimum Cross Country time the day before.

There were 11 clear Jumping rounds (one with a time fault) from the 37 finishers. Michael Pollard dropped from fifth to 14th when Mensa G hit three rails, while Andrew Nicholson (NZL) had an uncharacteristically disastrous round on Avebury, incurring 25 penalties to drop to 21st place.

Kentucky has provided an uplifting start to the 2014 international season and should whet the appetite for the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (8-11 May) which takes place in a fortnight’s time. Fox-Pitt will hoping to maintain the momentum there, when he has the choice of former Kentucky winners Cool Mountain and Parklane Hawk, plus Chilli Morning.

About the winner

William Fox-Pitt, 44, has won 52 CCIs, including a record 13 CCI4*s: Badminton (2004), Burghley six times (1994, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011), Luhmühlen (2008), Kentucky three times (2010, 2012 and 2014) and Pau twice (2011 and 2013). He is the only rider to have won five out of the world’s six CCI4*s.

He has also represented Britain 17 times in championships, winning Olympic silver (2004 and 2012) and bronze (2008), world team gold and individual silver on Cool Mountain (2010) plus team silver in 2006 and team bronze in 2002. He has six European team gold medals, one team bronze, two individual silvers (1997 and 2005) and individual bronze last year on the stallion Chilli Morning.

Fox-Pitt is married to Alice, a racing commentator on television. They live near Sturminster Newton, Dorset, and have two sons, Oliver and Thomas, plus a daughter Chloe and another baby on the way.

Bay My Hero, an 11-year-old bay gelding owned by Catherine Witt, is an Irish Sport Horse by Cult Hero out of Bing Power. He was initially produced by John Marsden (GBR) and Fox-Pitt took over the ride in 2012, winning the CCI*, CCI2* and CCI3* at Tattersalls (IRL). The pair were runners-up in the Young Horse CIC3* at Blenheim (GBR) and fourth at Pau CCI4* (FRA) in 2012.

Full results on www.rk3de.org.

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Media Contact:

Marty Bauman
marty@classic-communications.com
+1 508 698 6810 ext. 10
www.rk3de.org

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

Eventing/H.T., FEI, FEI, Kentucky Three-Day

Fox-Pitt Produces Another Cross Country Hero at Kentucky

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William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Bay My Hero hold the overnight lead at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, third leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014, but have no margin for error over newcomer Lauren Kieffer (USA) and the Dutch warmblood mare Veronica in tomorrow’s Jumping phase. (Anthony Trollope/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 26 April 2014 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) is poised to win a third watch at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, third leg of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014, after a Cross Country day full of suspense and excitement.

Dressage leaders Allison Springer and Arthur had an unfortunate run-out at the angled brush fence after the Normandy Bank at fence 21 and this left Fox-Pitt in the lead after his superb round on Catherine Witt’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse Bay My Hero.

But Fox-Pitt does not have a Jumping fence in hand over newcomer Lauren Kieffer (USA), who had a great clear round on the Dutch warmblood mare Veronica to rise a place to second.

It was a good day for the American selectors. Philip Dutton (USA) is third on Mr Medicott and ninth on Trading Aces, on which he is deputising for an injured Boyd Martin (USA). Jumping specialist Marilyn Little (USA) also has two horses in the top 10 with RF Demeter in fourth and RF Smoke on the Water in 10th.

Buck Davidson (USA), the last rider on course, was visibly elated with his round inside the optimum time of 11 minutes 12 seconds on Ballynoe Castle RM. He is now in sixth place, on the same score as Sinead Halpin (USA) with Manoir de Carney and Rolex Grand Slam contender Andrew Nicholson (NZL), who had a foot-perfect round on Avebury apart from a sticky moment when the grey gelding left a leg at the first water complex.

Fox-Pitt, the winner in 2010 and 2012, admitted he is feeling nervous already about tomorrow’s Jumping. “I’ll still be feeling pretty sick as there are a lot of riders close to me and the arena at Kentucky is one of the most famous in the world for atmosphere.”

Commenting on a thrilling performance from Bay My Hero, he said: “He went superbly. He’s not that experienced at this level but he gave me a confident ride. I was worried that he was a little chubby and would be lacking in fitness, but he felt fantastic. We may have looked a bit messy in the first water complex, but it didn’t feel as bad as it may have looked!”

Fox-Pitt is also in 16th place on last year’s runner-up, Seacookie, after adding 7.2 time penalties. He reported that the German-bred gelding tends to be a deliberate jumper and added in some strides; they also took the long route at the angled double of hedges.

Jan Byyny slipped out of the top 10 to 11th place with 3.2 time penalties on Inmidair, while Will Faudree (USA) was one of six riders to retire, pulling up Pawlow at fence 12, having had an earlier run-out.

Doug Payne, eighth after Dressage on Crown Tsunami, had always intended to re-route to Saumur CCI3* in France next month because he has a travel grant to go to Europe; Sir Mark Todd was another to pull out, following a disappointing Dressage mark on Oloa – they are likely to go to Luhmühlen CCI4* (GER) in June.

In contrast to the previous day’s windy conditions, spectators enjoyed a sunny Cross Country day in which faults were evenly spread around the track and horses returned looking happy.

The new keyhole combination at fence 14 produced a few awkward moments but jumped neatly for those who kept a steady rhythm through it. Among those to execute it to perfection were Andrew Nicholson on Avebury and Canadian rider Hawley Bennett on the veteran Gin and Juice, now lying 15th.

There were 29 clear rounds, 19 inside the optimum time, from the 39 horses to complete; 10 were eliminated.

Tomorrow is shaping up to be a vintage final phase with the scores perilously close – one Jumping fence covers third to 11th places. The Jumping phase starts at 13.15pm (US time).

Follow what is sure to be a fascinating competition with live coverage of the entire event on the FEI’s official video platform FEI TV and see live results on www.rk3de.org.

Results after Cross Country

1 William Fox-Pitt/Bay My Hero (GBR) 44.0 + 0 = 44.0
2 Lauren Kieffer/Veronica (USA) 46.7 + 0 = 46.7
3 Phillip Dutton/Mr Medicott (USA) 49.5 + 0 = 49.5
4 Marilyn Little/RF Demeter (USA) 51.3 + 0 = 51.3
5 Michael Pollard/Mensa G (USA) 49.5 + 2 = 51.5
6 Buck Davidson/Ballynoe Castle RM (USA) 51.7 + 0 = 51.7
7 Sinead Halpin/Manoir de Carney (USA) 51.7 + 0 = 51.7
8 Andrew Nicholson/Avebury (NZL) 51.7 + 0 = 51.7
9 Phillip Dutton/Trading Aces (USA) 52.5 + 0 = 52.5
10 Marilyn Little/RF Smoke on the Water (USA) 52.5 + 0 = 52.5

See full standings here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics™ 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics™ events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter.

Our signature Twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEIClassics #Eventing.

By Kate Green

Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Media Contact:

Marty Bauman
marty@classic-communications.com
+1 508 698 6810 ext. 10
www.rk3de.org

FEI Media Contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., FEI, Show Jumping

Burton Claims Adelaide Victory with Catch Ride TS Jamaimo

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Christopher Burton made Adelaide history with the catch ride, TS Jamaimo, owned by Stephanie Pearce, when winning the HSBC CCI4*. (Julie Wilson/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 17 November 2013 – “It was a bit unexpected,” Christopher Burton said of his history-making victory with Stephanie Pearce’s TS Jamaimo in the HSBC Adelaide CCI4*, second leg of the FEI Classics 2013/2014.

Burton only secured the ride on the Thoroughbred gelding less than a week before the event following the injury to Will Enzinger and created history, certainly in the modern era, by winning a CCI4* event on a catch ride and on a horse that was having its first 4* start. To make the feat even more impressive, the new partnership won on their Dressage score.

With less than a fence separating the top six going into the final Jumping phase, Burton’s masterful clear aboard TS Jamaimo set the standard, which none of those to follow could emulate. “The real glory,” continued Burton, “belongs to Will Enzinger and his team for preparing the horse. Will has been on the phone to me every day; all I had to do was get on. But I have to admit to sitting in my tack room on the morning of cross country day thinking why was I doing this, but I love Adelaide.”

Enzinger, who broke his leg in a fall with a novice horse the week before Adelaide, spent Cross Country day in surgery having his leg operated on.

Beijing team silver medallist, Sonja Johnson was eighth overnight with Rebecca and Simon Bell’s Australian Stock Horse and former polo pony and another CCI4* rookie, Belfast Mojito, but moved up to second with an assured clear round when jumping out of order. “He really stepped up to the mark and I am thrilled, but none of us come here to come second,” declared the sheep farmer from the West. Johnson’s other ride, Nikki Harwood’s former racehorse, Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison, lowered two rails over John Valance’s strong track riding to slip from sixth to eighth.

Johnson was not the only one to feel the agony of the final Jumping phase. Last year’s winners, Craig Barrett and Sandhills Brillaire, looked well on their way to a clear round when the very last fence fell, robbing them of back-to-back Adelaide HSBC CCI4* victories. They finished in third, but with Barrett still declared himself “thrilled with her; I can’t ask much more than that.”

Shane Rose and Taurus slipped from second to fourth place two rails hit the ground, while Rose’s Dressage leader, CP Qualified went from third to seventh place with the addition of eight jumping and two time penalties, but it was a promising performance from another newcomer to four-star competition.

Last to go and much was expected of overnight leaders Stuart Tinney and Pluto Mio. Tinney is an accomplished jumping rider, but the bred to jump gelding slipped to fifth place with the addition of eight jumping and one time penalty.

Former Eventing team selector, Seumas Marwood, moved from 12th after the Dressage phase to sixth overall thanks to a brilliant jumping performance from his Contango II mare, Wild Oats that added only 2.4 Cross Country time faults to their Dressage score. They were also awarded the ATCO Huts Prize for the best Jumping round in today’s final phase.

Soigne Jackson from New South Wales moved from 14th to ninth thanks to a good jumping performance from Gold, a Thoroughbred by Opera Prince. They were delighted with their first ever CCI* performance.

Katja Weimann had a disappointing Jumping round with 12 to add, but still slipped only one place from overnight ninth to complete the top 10 with BP Flamboyant, another pair in their first CCI4*.

Just three – the winners Christopher Burton and TS Jamaimo, Sonja Johnson riding her polo playing Stock Horse, Belfast Mojito, and Seumas Marwood with his Warmblood mare Wild Oats – were clear on the fences and the clock in today’s Jumping. And only the winners finished on their Dressage score, with runners-up Sonja Johnson and Belfast Mojito just shy of that with the addition of 1.2 Cross Country time penalties.

The event enjoyed great competition, beautiful weather and better than ever crowds and all the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 aspirants put in qualifying performances, but the weekend belonged to Christopher Burton and TS Jamaimo, the Adelaide HSBC 2013 champions.

Full results are available here.

YouTube: http://youtu.be/NkKQ9FXo2Tk.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

HSBC Rankings

The rider at the top of the HSBC Rankings at the end of the 2013 Eventing season will receive a US $50,000 bonus. The winning rider will be announced in December 2013.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter

Our signature twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEI Classics #Eventing.

By Anna Sharpley

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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

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

Tinney Gets His Nose in Front by a Whisker in Adelaide

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Stuart Tinney (AUS) added just 0.4 of a time penalty across country with John and Jane Pittard’s Pluto Mio to take over the lead in the HSBC CCI4* at Adelaide. (Julie Wilson/FEI)

Lausanne (SUI), 16 November 2013 – The cards were shuffled a little, but as expected the experienced combinations kept control of the HSBC CCI4* after a glorious Cross Country day in Adelaide, second leg of the FEI Classics 2013/2014 series. Time penalties changed the order slightly with Stuart Tinney (AUS) adding just 0.4 with John and Jane Pittard’s Pluto Mio to take over the lead from fellow Australian Shane Rose.

Rose had held first and third after Friday’s Dressage, but has slipped to second and third. Taurus, third after Dressage, clocked the same time as Pluto Mio to move up to second place just 0.20 penalties behind. “He’s a good galloper,” declared Tinney of the Daley K (by Daktylus) gelding. “He galloped pretty well and was on time at the beginning, but lost time in the middle of the course.”

Dressage leader CP Qualified slipped down the order to third with the addition of 7.2 time penalties, but Rose was clearly delighted with the performance of the CCI4* rookie. Bred more for Jumping than Eventing, the attractive grey looked just as comfortable crossing the finish line as those bred to gallop.

CP Qualified provided the most dramatic incident of the wonderfully incident free afternoon, when he mistimed the bounce into Rymill Lake, left a leg and landed in the water in a heap. It was an amazing save by Rose, who gathered the horse together and managed to stay on board as well, a testament to the time he spends in the saddle; all day, either on his eventers or the Thoroughbreds he breaks in.

“It didn’t feel that scary at the time; the gasp in the crowd alerted me to how it must have looked. The mistake in the water sapped his energy and he ran out of petrol, so I was a bit cautious. However, I was super impressed with him and think he is a promising prospect moving forward. With just 3.80 penalties separating the top six, it’s going to be an exciting day tomorrow.”

Craig Barrett held onto fourth place with the addition of two time penalties on last year’s CCI4* winner, Sandhills Brillaire, looking comfortable and assured on their tour of the Adelaide HSBC CCI4* track.

Sonja Johnson (Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison) and Christopher Burton with his catch ride, TS Jamaimo, were the only two to complete the course clear of time penalties, and both moved up a place to sit fifth and sixth.

Johnson was the CCI4* trailblazer with the Stock Horse, Belfast Mojito, who stepped up impressively in his first four-star outing to move up a place from eighth to seventh. The pair picked up 1.2 time penalties and it looks as though Johnson may well have another international Australian Stock Horse, known as “the breed for every need” on her hands.

Seumas Marwood jumped a good round with his Contango II mare, Wild Oats, adding 2.4 time penalties to move from 12th to eighth. Katja Weimann held ninth place with BP Flamboyant despite adding 5.6 time penalties, while Soigne Jackson has moved up from 14th to round out the top 10 with her Savage Toss Thoroughbred, Gold, with the addition of 3.2 on the clock.

Of the 25 to start the CCI4* Cross Country 20 recorded completion scores, with 16 jumping clear and two staying on their Dressage marks after finishing clear both jumping and time.

With less than a fence covering the top six, tomorrow’s final Jumping phase is tight with no margin for error. It’s going to be a thrilling finish! And if you can’t be there in person, watch it on FEI TV – don’t miss a hoof beat!

Full results are available here.

Prize money

At the end of the FEI Classics 2013/2014 season, the five riders with the highest number of points collected across the six FEI Classics events will share a total prize fund of US$120,000 split as follows: 1st – US$40,000 (Series Champion); 2nd – US$35,000; 3rd – US$25,000; 4th – US$15,000; 5th – US$5,000.

HSBC Rankings

The rider at the top of the HSBC Rankings at the end of the 2013 Eventing season will receive a US $50,000 bonus. The winning rider will be announced in December 2013.

Join the FEI on Facebook & Twitter

Our signature twitter hashtags for this series are #Classics and #Eventing. We encourage you to use them, and if you have space: #FEI Classics #Eventing.

By Anna Sharpley

Media contacts:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

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