Tag Archives: FEI World Cup

World Class Drivers in 2010-2011 FEI World Cup Driving

13 October 2010 – Following the success of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, the Driving world can expect more thrilling competition as the sport moves indoors for the 10th season of the FEI World Cup Driving.

Ten top class drivers, including eight from the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, will battle for the Driving World Cup title in seven competitions. For the first time ever, all three FEI World Cup Finals – the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping; the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage; and the FEI World Cup Driving – will be staged together in one venue at Leipzig in Germany.

Five World Champions

The qualification season consisted of 14 competitions throughout Europe and no less than five World Champions have qualified for the 2010-2011 season.

Continue reading World Class Drivers in 2010-2011 FEI World Cup Driving

Lázar Takes Individual Honours, but Dutch Claim Nations Cup on Home Soil at Breda

Zoltan Lázar (HUN) scored his first ever CAIO win when claiming victory at Breda in the Netherlands ahead of Werner Ulrich (SWI) and Mark Weusthof (NED). (Photo: Rinaldo de Craen)

6 September 2010 – Hungary’s Zoltan Lázar scored his first-ever international four-in-hand victory at a CAIO when winning at Breda, the Netherlands, ahead of Werner Ulrich (SWI) and the best Dutch driver at this prestigious competition, Mark Weusthof, but the Dutch team once again proved invincible, staying well ahead of Switzerland and Sweden throughout the Nations Cup competition.

Twenty-eight drivers from 10 nations started at the beautiful Prinsenhoeve Estate in Breda, an outstanding venue which boasts the only Dutch Nations Cup competition in the history of Dutch driving. Breda has also been host to a number of other equestrian events this year, such as the FEI World Para-Equestrian Driving Championships, Pony Driving Championships, international and national Eventing competitions as well as national Jumping and Dressage fixtures.

Other vehicles and equipment
Breda was the last outing for the top drivers before the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The carriages and other equipment of the Dutch, German and Swiss teams have already been shipped to Kentucky and most of the drivers therefore started with borrowed vehicles and harnesses. Drivers like Koos de Ronde and Theo Timmerman from the Netherlands competed with different horses in Breda to save their best horses for Kentucky.

Continue reading Lázar Takes Individual Honours, but Dutch Claim Nations Cup on Home Soil at Breda

Baldwin in HSBC Driving Seat at Haras du Pin

Emily Baldwin (GBR) and Drivetime in action en route to victory in the HSBC FEI World Cup event at Haras du Pin (FRA), the penultimate competition in the 2010 series. (Photo: Jehan de Monléon/FEI)

22 August 2010 – Britain’s Emily Baldwin spearheaded a competitive international field to win her first ever HSBC FEI World Cup event, at the inaugural Haras du Pin (FRA) CIC3*-W, the penultimate competition in the 2010 series.

Baldwin, 29, and her 14-year-old Dutch-bred Drivetime, are an experienced combination and are renowned for producing elegant, expressive Dressage tests, so it was no surprise to see them lead this phase.

They slipped to fourth with a handful of Cross-Country time penalties, but then regained the top spot with a clear Jumping round to finish just 2.2 penalties ahead of Belgium’s Karin Donckers on Lamicell Charizard.

Baldwin and Drivetime, by Zuidhorn, are now heading for the Pau CCI4* (FRA) in November, the last of the five 2010 HSBC Classics. “I’m absolutely thrilled,” said Baldwin. “It’s my biggest win to date. I have won a CIC3* before, but not an HSBC FEI World Cup event. My horse is quite a character in the stable yard anyway, and now he will be very pleased with himself!”

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=11976

Niklas Lindbäck Claims HSBC Honours on Home Ground at Malmö

Niklas Lindbäck and Mr Pooh claimed the HSBC honours on home ground in Malmö, Sweden (Photograph: Lotta Gyllensten/FEI)

16 August 2010 – Niklas Lindbäck scored a popular home win in the 10th leg of the HSBC FEI World Cup Eventing at Malmö (SWE) and boosted Swedish spirits at what was an important national team trial before the forthcoming Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky (USA) next month.

Lindbäck, who rose from 10th after Dressage on Mr Pooh to take the top spot after Cross-Country with the second-fastest round, held on to win with a clear over the coloured poles. “I’m so very pleased with my horse and with my whole team. It’s great to win on home ground and I’m glad the crowd appreciated it. It’s been a good competition in which riders were certainly put to the test,” he said afterwards.

Two other Swedish riders finished in the top 10, Katrin Norling and her experienced Pandora Emm, third, and Malin Larsson on Piccadilly, ninth. But aside from Australian visitor Clayton Fredericks’s eighth place on Brookleigh, German riders were the main beneficiaries.

Dressage leader Simone Deitermann (GER) was second on her Badminton hero Free Easy NRW, while three of her compatriots are now making serious headway on the FEI HSBC World Cup rankings, which are still led by Michael Jung (GER).

Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=11890

FEI World Cup Driving Qualification – Aachen

Boyd Exell, winner of the CAIO Aachen 2010. (c) Rinaldo de Craen.

EXELL RETAINS AACHEN TITLE

17 July 2010 – Boyd Exell (AUS) today notched up his third individual victory at Aachen, the most prestigious international Four-in-Hand Driving competition, to add to his wins in 2003 and 2009. The Australian had a head start in the dressage and held onto his lead throughout.

Four times World Champion IJsbrand Chardon (NED) finished second, ahead of Christoph Sandmann (GER), and it was the Netherlands that won the Nations Cup ahead of hosts Germany, with Switzerland in third.

Changed format

The CAIO and World Cup Qualifying competition in Aachen was run in a different format. The Four-in-Hand drivers drove the regular dressage test on Thursday, followed by the obstacle driving competition on Friday. The marathon, broadcast live on television, was run as the final phase to bring the combined driving competition to a dramatic finish.

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FEI Resolves Legal Dispute over World Cup Disqualification

2 July 2010 – After a full investigation into the facts surrounding the disqualification of Sapphire (McLain Ward) at the FEI World Cup Final in Geneva, the FEI has determined that the horse was incorrectly eliminated from the second round on 16 April 2010, however, Sapphire’s disqualification from the final round of the World Cup remains in place.

McLain Ward will immediately be awarded all ranking points and prize money related to his second place finish in the second round of the FEI World Cup Final. This will not affect ranking points and prize money awarded to other riders in the competition.

As a result of this investigation, the FEI has also decided to issue mandatory guidelines to be applied by the Veterinary Commissions appointed for FEI Events in order to strengthen the hypersensitivity protocol that was applied in Geneva. These guidelines will be communicated to all National Federations prior to the CHIO in Aachen (GER).

The USEF, McLain Ward and Tim Ober have stated that they do not agree with the FEI on the question of whether Sapphire displayed a level of sensitivity that justified her disqualification from the third round of the World Cup and also disagree with the process followed however, in the best interest of the sport, they have dropped their legal case against the FEI and will not challenge this disqualification.

Media Contact:

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

FEI World Cup Driving Qualification – Vecsés

Koos de Ronde (Ned), winner of the CAIO Vecsés 2010. (c) Marie de Ronde-Oudemans.

Victory for de Ronde in Vecsés

Vecsés (HUN), 13 JUNE 2010 – Dutch four-in-hand driver Koos de Ronde took the victory at the international combined driving event in Vecsés, Hungary. De Ronde stayed ahead of home driver Zoltán Lázár in this FEI World Cup Qualifying competition, where the horse teams also battled in the nations competition. Switzerland’s Werner Ulrich came third, improving every event with his Lusitano team of horses.

Heat hit Hungary

The temperature in Vecsés, the home base of the sympathetic Hungarian four-in-hand driver József Dobrovitz and his family, rose to around 30 degrees Celsius throughout the weekend. The organising committee had taken the necessary precautions to ensure the welfare of the horses and shortened the A-section of the marathon to 1,2 kilometres and lowered the pace of the walk section. All competitors got fifteen minutes instead the usual ten minutes rest at the obligatory halt in the marathon before the obstacle phase. This turned out to be a wise decision and none of the competing horses had any problems at the finish of the marathon.

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Edwina Alexander – Rolex Diary

Edwina Alexander is writing a diary for horsesinthesouth.com as she prepares for the 2010 Global Champions Tour (GCT) and the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG). Here is Edwina’s second entry.

The last month

The last month has been a real rollercoaster with quite a few shows and then the Rolex FEI World Cup Final. Overall, I’m feeling pretty good in myself and I’m trying to get as much rest as possible, but not doing too much isn’t the easiest thing in the world at the moment! I was up at 4am last Wednesday morning to go to Copenhagen for a photo shoot and got back home at about 1am the following morning. I was then up very early to jump five horses ahead of the four-day show in Mannheim, so I haven’t had as much rest as I would have hoped for!

Continue reading Edwina Alexander – Rolex Diary

FEI Press Conference on Sapphire’s Disqualification on FEI TV

Lausanne (SUI), 20 April 2010 – The FEI press conference, held on 17 April in Geneva, on the disqualification of the horse Sapphire ridden by McLain Ward (USA) in the FEI World Cup Jumping Final, is now available free-to-view on FEI TV in English. Visit www.feitv.org and register to watch for free.

The opening statement by the FEI President is available here.

Media Contact:

Malina Gueorguiev

FEI Press Manager

malina.gueorguiev@fei.org

+41 78 750 61 33

FEI Tribunal Denies Request to Allow Sapphire to Compete in Final

Geneva (SUI), 18 April 2010 – An urgent appeal/protest was lodged this morning by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), McLain Ward (Person Responsible) and Dr Tim Ober (USEF Team Veterinarian) against the disqualification of Sapphire from the FEI World Cup Final. The FEI Tribunal heard the case for emergency relief to allow the horse to compete today. Following the hearing, the FEI Tribunal Chair Ken Lalo (ISR) denied the request for emergency relief on the grounds that the FEI Tribunal did not have jurisdiction to overturn the Ground Jury’s decision. This means that Sapphire remains disqualified from today’s final round of the FEI World Cup.

Sapphire, the horse ridden by McLain Ward (USA), was eliminated from the second round of the FEI World Cup Final on Friday night (16 April) and disqualified from the rest of the event following a positive hypersensitivity test.

Media Contact:

Malina Gueorguiev

FEI Press Manager

Malina.gueorguiev@fei.org

+41 78 750 61 33