Tag Archives: Great Meadow International

US Eventing Team Wins FEI Nations Cup Eventing Competition at Great Meadow International

Photo Credit: Anna Purdy.

Jennie Brannigan Captures Second Individual Title

The Plains, Va. – The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team won the FEI Nations Cup™ CICO3* at the Great Meadow International, presented by Adequan, for the second consecutive year. Now that betting is legal in the US as of April 2018, you can get a free Twinspires promo-code and learn the tricks of the trade.

The team of Jennie Brannigan, Lynn Symansky, Phillip Dutton, and Boyd Martin defeated teams from Canada and Great Britain in the only FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing competition outside Europe. Brannigan also captured her second individual title at Great Meadow, having won previously in 2015.

Cross country course designer Mike Etherington-Smith reversed the direction and order of the fences from last year with the intention of generating interest for both the competitors and spectators. The change proved to be challenging for some, though not for the U.S. team. All four riders completed the course without any jumping penalties.

Brannigan had an unforgettable day. The Reddick, Fla. resident went third in the team order and secured the victory for the U.S. incurring only 1.6 time faults on Nina Gardner’s Cambalda. Brannigan came into the final day in fourth place and catapulted to the top spot with a final score of 49.8 penalties.

“The first time I came it was so exciting because it earned me a spot as a traveling alternate for the Pan Am Games, which was quite special to me,” said Brannigan. “It’s such an honor to get to ride for your country and ‘Ping’ has been an incredible horse in a lot of ways and is wonderful to me. I really appreciate him stepping up to the plate.”

By the time second U.S. team rider Lynn Symansky took to the course, two riders were eliminated from the British team and the Canadians had already secured a team score. The Middleburg, Va. resident jumped clear, finishing just above the optimum time on Donner, owned by The Donner Syndicate, LLC. They incurred 1.2 time faults for a three-phase score of 50.1 penalties, which was good enough for second place individually. Symansky was originally the alternate, but was named to the team after Buck Davidson, Jr. withdrew Carl Segal and Sherrie Martin’s Copper Beach.

“It’s such a great cohesive group. Everybody just works together and supports each other. We’re all out here to win and do the best that we can,” said Symansky. “It was awesome. The whole way around I heard people cheering me on, saying, ‘Come on Lynn, you can do it!’ It’s cool to ride at your hometown event. It was an honor.”

U.S. pathfinder Boyd Martin of Cochranville, Pa. was the first rider to complete the course within the optimum time of 6 minutes and 33 seconds, finishing within two seconds at 6:31. Riding Steady Eddie, owned by Denise Lahey, Pierrie Colin, George and Gretchen Wintersteen, the Olympic veteran finished on his dressage score of 58.3 penalties.

“He came through for me; he was the only horse that finished on his dressage score,” said Martin of the New Zealand Thoroughbred. “It was a bit hard to gauge the course because the first rider Justine Dutton (GBR) fell and second rider Jessica Phoenix (CAN) was held on the course, but I zipped around and everything rode really well.”

Dutton, of West Grove, Pa., already knew that the U.S. had won the Nations Cup prior to going out, but an individual win was on the line. Riding Kristine and John Norton’s I’m Sew Ready, the six-time Olympic veteran finished outside the optimum time adding 5.6 time faults to his cumulative score of 51.6 penalties and putting him in third place.

“My teammates did it all for me. Jennie came home and I had a minute to go before I went in the box and they said she only had a couple of time faults,” said Dutton. “I thought it was a good run for the horse. He’s not the fastest, but I think I could have done a little better job at the galloping fences. Overall, though, I think it was a good run for him and pleased that he went so well.”

The winning score for the U.S. was 151.5 penalties. Team Canada finished on 168.6 penalties for second place. Because Great Britain failed to have the required three qualifying scores, they were awarded a drop score penalty of 1000 points, and finished third.

Full Results

From Classic Communications and the US Equestrian Communications Department

Highlights Film of the 2016 Land Rover Great Meadow International

(MAHWAH, N.J.) – July 11, 2016 – After two days of world-class eventing competition, USA’s Clark Montgomery claimed the 2016 Land Rover Great Meadow International title in Virginia, having ridden a near flawless riding performance aboard Loughan Glen.

To the delight of the home spectators, the event also served as the final preparatory event for riders from the 2016 U.S. Olympic Eventing Team prior to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

To download the above 2 minute copyright free Highlights Film and a selection of copyright free photographs, featuring the 2016 winner Clark Montgomery and the winning USA Eventing Nations Cup Team, use the links below:

2 Minute Highlights Film: here

Action photographs and U.S. Eventing Team: here

For more information about the 2016 Land Rover Great Meadow International, please visit: http://www.greatmeadowinternational.com.

Contacts:

Marty Bauman
Chief Press Officer
Land Rover Great Meadow International
508.698.6810
marty@classic-communications.com

Deb Sandford
Nat’l PR Comms & Events Manager
Jaguar Land Rover
North America, LLC
949.510.0529
dsandfor@jaguarlandrover.com

Leah Oliveto
Director, Communications
United States Equestrian Federation
859 225 2053
loliveto@usef.org

Clark Montgomery Wins Great Meadow International and USA Claims Nations Cup Title

(THE PLAINS, VIRGINIA) – July 10, 2016 – Clark Montgomery rode a near flawless riding performance over both days of the Land Rover Great Meadow International to take the 2016 title riding Loughan Glen.

Montgomery led the competition from start to finish after delivering a commanding dressage score of 36.3 and a double-jumping clear over show jumping and cross-country with just 1.2 time penalties finishing on a final score of 37.5.

In the stunning Virginia Plains setting, under a sun-drenched two days of competition, the 40 competitors featuring many of the world’s top eventing riders thrilled the thousands of fans who came to cheer on their equestrian heroes in just the third running of the Great Meadow International.

Marilyn Little (USA) took second place riding RF Demeter on a score of 43.8, with Great Britain’s Jodie Amos finishing third riding Wise Crack on 49.0.  Of the 40 starters on the final cross-country day, 36 completed the course with just four riders finishing with no time penalties.

A delighted Clark Montgomery said, “It means a ton to me to win here at the Great Meadow International in front of my home crowd. We had a pretty good performance and it was a great preparation run for us. He did a good dressage and I can’t complain about his show jumping at all. We had a couple of hairy moments on the cross-country but he’s such an honest horse and he still came home in a great time.”

To the delight of the home spectators, the event also served as the final preparatory event for riders from the 2016 U.S. Olympic Eventing Team prior to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The 2016 Land Rover Great Meadow International featured riders from the 2016 U.S. Olympic Eventing Team including Phillip Dutton, Lauren Kieffer, Boyd Martin, Clark Montgomery, and traveling reserve, Maya Black.

USA WIN INAUGURAL EVENTING NATIONS CUP

As well as riding for individual honors, selected riders were also representing their country in the inaugural Eventing Nations Cup at the Land Rover Great Meadow International, as the FEI and USEF chose the event to host the first-ever FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing Competition outside of Europe.

Clark Montgomery’s dominant win on Loughan Glen, along with three fast and clear cross-country rounds from the other team members gave the U.S. a clear victory in the Nations Cup taking the win on a score of 138.3. Canada finished second on 177.6, with Great Britain in third place on 254.3.

For more information about the 2016 Land Rover Great Meadow International, please visit: http://www.greatmeadowinternational.com.

Contacts:

Marty Bauman
Chief Press Officer
Land Rover Great Meadow International
508.698.6810
marty@classic-communications.com

Deb Sandford
Nat’l PR Comms & Events Manager
Jaguar Land Rover
North America, LLC
949.510.0529
dsandfor@jaguarlandrover.com

Leah Oliveto
Director, Communications
United States Equestrian Federation
859 225 2053
loliveto@usef.org

US Eventing Team Wins Land Rover Great Meadow International

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen (StockImageServices.com)

The Plains, Va. – The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team made history Sunday, handily capturing the inaugural FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing competition at the Land Rover Great Meadow International presented by Adequan®. Leading from start to finish, the team of Phillip Dutton, Lauren Kieffer, Boyd Martin, and Clark Montgomery had a favorable competition with noteworthy performances in their final stateside preparation event before the Rio Olympic Games, scoring 138.3 penalties. Canada moved up to second with an overall score of 177.6 penalties and Great Britain placed third with 254.3 penalties.

“It was a great weekend at Great Meadow,” said U.S. Eventing Team Coach David O’Connor. “The horses got the runs they needed and there are things to work on in the next couple weeks on the way to Rio, but I am quite confident with how the horses traveled and handled the course today and the competition as a whole.”

Montgomery (Tetbury, England) and Loughan Glen, owned by Jess Montgomery, Kathryn Kraft, and Holly and Bill Becker, were the overnight leaders and did not disappoint the massive crowd at Great Meadow as they led from start to finish. The pair performed the best dressage test of the competition, scoring 36.3 penalties, remained faultless through show jumping, and incurred 1.2 time penalties by going three seconds over the optimum time of 6:36 in the cross-country phase for a combined score of 37.5 penalties.

“It means a lot to win at Great Meadow this weekend,” said Montgomery. “I have been based in England for a while, so to get to come home in the U.S. and compete in front of the home crowd means a huge amount to me.”

Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) was the pathfinder for the team and the competition going first in all three phases. Riding Ann Jones and Thomas Tierney’s Fernhill Fugitive, Dutton had a credible first day scoring 47.2 penalties in dressage and going clear in show jumping. The pair knocked down a flag at the imposing Beverly Equestrian Brush Corners obstacle, but negotiated the remainder of the course without incident, adding only 3.2 time penalties to their two-phase score of 50.4 penalties.

Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Gloria Callen’s Welcome Shadow were clear in show jumping to enter the final phase on their dressage score of 48.8 penalties. The pair rode second for the team on the Mike Etherington-Smith-designed cross-country course adding 1.6 time penalties to also finish on 50.4 penalties.

Kieffer (Middleburg, Va.) and Marie Le Menestrel’s Meadowbrook’s Scarlett contributed to the winning team score having just one rail down in show jumping and incurring a mere .4 time faults in cross-country for a final score of 55 penalties.

Individually, Americans placed four out of the top five. Marilyn Little and RF Demeter, owned by Jacqueline Mars, Raylyn Farms and Patrick and Eileen Witte, moved up from fourth after day one to place second. Holly Payne Caravella and Santino, owned by Beth Groblewski, were fourth with 50 penalties and Hannah Sue Burnett rode Under Suspection, owned by Mary Ann Ghadban, from 16th place to fifth overall scoring 50.2 penalties. Jodie Amos and Wise Crack of Great Britain were third on 49 penalties.

Complete results

On-demand footage of the competition will be available shortly on USEFNetwork.com.

From the USEF Communications Department

Great Meadow International Underway with Opening Ceremony

L to R: U.S. Chef d’Equipe, David O’Connor, with U.S. Eventing Team; Phillip Dutton, Maya Black, Lauren Kieffer, Clark Montgomery and Boyd Martin.

(VIRGINIA, USA) – July 8, 2016 – The Land Rover Great Meadow International will be the final stateside preparation event for the U.S. Eventing Team before they go to the summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

History was made as the Land Rover Great Meadow International, presented by Adequan, officially began with a poignant opening ceremony kick-starting the first-ever North American FEI Eventing Nations Cup™. Athletes from five nations paraded in the Fleming Arena showcasing the teams and individual competitors who will participate in the historic weekend’s event.

“We’re excited to bring top international competition to the Piedmont Valley,” said David O’Connor, Co-Chairman of Great Meadow International. “We have never seen the FEI Nations Cup of eventing in America; it is truly an honor to have it here at Great Meadow.”

The opening ceremony began with LTC Art Perritt of the Blue Devils Horse Platoon International Riding Unit leading the Color Guard to present the United States Flag. Blythe Condon, daughter of Great Meadow Operations Director Teresa Condon, then sang the National Anthem. USEF President Chrystine Tauber addressed the crowd on the significance of the competition and Robert. L Banner Jr., President of the Great Meadow Foundation, presented a plaque to major donors who made the acquisition of Fleming Farm and the construction of the new arena possible. The grand finale was the Parade of Nations. Riders belonging to the Casanova-Warrenton Pony Club had the honor of leading the teams from Canada, Great Britain and the United States, as well as individual competitors from Australia, Puerto Rico and the United States.

Earlier in the afternoon all 40 horses were presented and accepted at the Horse Inspection for the FEI Nations Cup.

Competition begins on Saturday morning at 8:00 AM with dressage followed by the show jumping phase at 5:00 PM. The cross-country phase will take place at 9:00 AM on Sunday with the closing ceremony scheduled for mid-day.

For more information about the 2016 Land Rover Great Meadow International, please visit: http://www.greatmeadowinternational.com.

Contacts:

Marty Bauman
Chief Press Officer
Land Rover Great Meadow International
508.698.6810
marty@classic-communications.com

Deb Sandford
Nat’l PR Comms & Events Manager
Jaguar Land Rover
North America, LLC
949.510.0529
dsandfor@jaguarlandrover.com

Leah Oliveto
Director, Communications
United States Equestrian Federation
859 225 2053
loliveto@usef.org

USEF Names Land Rover US Eventing Team for Land Rover Great Meadow International

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the Land Rover Great Meadow International presented by Adequan® CICO3*. The CICO3* will take place July 8-10, 2016, in The Plains, Va. USEF Eventing Team Coach David O’Connor will serve as Chef d’Equipe.

The following athlete-and-horse combinations will compose the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team(in alphabetical order):

Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and Ann Jones and Thomas Tierney’s Fernhill Fugitive, a 2005 Irish Sport Horse gelding

Lauren Kieffer (Middleburg, Va.) and Marie Le Menestrel’s Meadowbrook’s Scarlett, a 2007 Thoroughbred cross mare

Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Gloria Callen’s Welcome Shadow, a 2005 Thoroughbred cross mare

Clark Montgomery (Tetbury, England) and Holly and William Becker, Kathryn Kraft, and Jessica Montgomery’s Loughan Glen, a 2003 Irish Sport Horse gelding

The following combination will serve as the alternate:

Maya Black (Clinton, Wash.) and Dawn and Jonathan Dofelmier’s Doesn’t Play Fair, a 2005 Holsteiner gelding

Black will compete as an individual unless a replacement to the team is necessary.

Watch the competition live and on-demand on USEFNetwork.com:
Friday, July 8, 6 p.m.: Opening ceremony and bareback puissance
Saturday, July 9, 8 a.m.: Dressage
5 p.m.: Show Jumping
Sunday, July 10, 9:30 a.m.: Cross-country

Find out more about the Land Rover Great Meadow International presented by Adequan CICO3*.

From the USEF Communications Department

Great Meadow and Equi Cool Down Team Up for 2016 FEI Nations Cup Eventing Competition

Photo courtesy of Jordan Lindstedt Eventing.

The Plains, VA (June 27, 2016) – This July, the Land Rover Great Meadow International will be hosting the very first FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing competition ever held in the United States. Great Meadow has teamed up with one of its sponsors, Equi Cool Down, to provide another first for this exciting event – Emergency Cooling Stations for horses, riders and even spectators.

Weather can be fairly unpredictable at times; however, we do know from statistics that Virginia in July can bring temperatures between 85°F and 99°F with heat indexes in the triple digits. Heat stress, heat exhaustion and even heatstroke can happen to anyone regardless of age or fitness, human or equine – and it is life threatening. Holding an equestrian competition this time of the year always runs the risk of heat dangers. In order to mitigate this risk, Equi Cool Down® is providing Emergency Cooling Stations throughout multiple locations on the grounds for both horses and humans, riders and spectators alike, so that everyone can enjoy the first Nations Cup on American soil regardless of the weather.

Equi Cool Down® developed its patented Instant Cooling Wraps with both humans and equines in mind. Using only water from any source and any temperature, these wraps need no refrigeration to get from 16° to 22° colder and they will stay cold using only reapplication of water and air.

“There have been many shows in the past that have had severe issues with Hyperthermia in both horses and riders in the past. Most have been forced to simply move the show date to before or after the summer months – but that was not a possibility for this show. We are very excited to be able to help – and to show the equestrian community that cooling can be done safely, easily and effectively,” says Jennifer Campbell, President of Equi Cool Down®, Inc.

During exercise, heat generation in a horse can be increased as much as 50% and numerous cases of heat-related deaths occur in horses each year. Heat stress can lead to serious problems such as seizures and damage to horses’ hearts, muscles and kidneys and, in many cases, death. According to the article “Heat Stress in Horses,” “A rectal temperature above 105°F is abnormal in any horse and poses a dangerous situation; rapid cooling measures should be initiated at once. The higher the internal temperature, the more metabolic demands are placed on their system; this metabolism needs to be fueled by oxygen. If body temperature exceeds 106°F, the body’s demand for oxygen might surpass the amount that can be supplied by the respiratory system. An oxygen deficit then occurs in the tissues (hypoxia), potentially leading to kidney, heart, liver and brain damage. At temperatures greater than 107°F, a horse in severe heat stress can go into convulsions or a coma, then die. The objective is to avoid these scenarios.”

The Emergency Cooling Stations will be set up in both the stabling and marketplace areas. To learn more about Equi Cool Down® Instant Cooling Wraps, visit their website at www.equicooldown.com and follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/equicooldown/ for updates about the show and event. Great Meadow International is hosting the first ever FEI Nations Cup™ CICO*** and is the site of the 2016 U.S. Eventing Team Olympic Prep leading up to Rio.

Contact: Jennifer Campbell, President
Equi Cool Down, Inc.
863-703-2665
jennifer@equicooldown.com
www.equicooldown.com

Great Meadow International Approved to Hold First Ever U.S. FEI Nations Cup Eventing Competition

Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce that Great Meadow in The Plains, Va. has been approved to hold the U.S. leg of the 2016 FEI Nations Cup Eventing Series. The prestigious CICO3* competition has been approved to run July 8-10, 2016. This will be the first time an FEI Nations Cup Eventing competition will be hosted by the U.S.

Great Meadow Foundation owns and operates the picturesque venue, which annually hosts the Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase races. Eventing competition was added to the Great Meadow calendar in 2014 when it hosted the World Equestrian Games Preparation Event for the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team. Its inaugural CIC3* was held in June 2015 as part of the Pan American Games Preparation Event.

Learn more about Great Meadow International at www.greatmeadowinternational.com.

From the USEF Communications Department

Brannigan Wins CIC3*, Kieffer Tops Preparation Event at Land Rover Great Meadow International

The Plains, Va. – Competition at the Land Rover Great Meadow International presented by Adequan wrapped up this morning with cross-country taking place over the hallowed ground at the Great Meadow Foundation in The Plains, Va. Twenty combinations contested the CIC3* and 12 combinations competed in the Pan American Preparation Event division over the Mike Etherington-Smith-designed course. Taking home the win in the Preparation Event was overnight leader Lauren Kieffer and Marie Le Menestrel’s Meadowbrook’s Scarlett adding six time penalties to finish on 49. In the CIC3* competition, team alternates Jennie Brannigan (Kennett Square, Pa.) and Nina Gardner’s Cambalda remained atop the leaderboard, adding just eight time faults to their dressage score to win on 47.8.

The complete competition will be available on-demand on the USEF Network.

Rounding out the top three in the Preparation Event was Marilyn Little (Frederick, Md.) and Raylyn Farms and Phoebe and Michael Manders’ RF Scandalous, turning in the fastest time of the day, placing second on 50.4 and Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and the Pancho Villa Syndicate’s Pancho Villa, finishing third on 53.9.

View complete results from the CIC3* and Preparation Event division.

The weekend served as a final build up to the 2015 Pan American Games, taking place July 17-19 in Caledon, Ontario for the U.S. Pan American Eventing Team of Kieffer, Little, Martin, and Phillip Dutton.

“In three weeks, if they are standing up on a podium with Gold medals around their necks, that would be a great thing for the United States,” said Chef d’Equipe David O’Connor. “You could not ask for four better people to represent the U.S., including two first time team members, Marilyn and Lauren. We are really excited about going up to Canada and doing our job.”

“I am excited about the team we’ve got and all the support staff that surround the team,” said Dutton. “We are determined to go to Canada and bring home the Gold medal.”

Speaking to the incredible support the athletes receive from their dedicated owners, Little said, “We are all lucky to have great support behind us, with all our horses. Everyone that comes to support the team here [at Great Meadow] has a piece of their heart in these team horses, that is why we are all here – we are all owners in a little bit of a way.”

From the USEF Communications Department