Tag Archives: James Fairclough

Competitions, Driving

Fairclough Clinches Victory at Bromont International Driving CAI

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James Fairclough (Cealy Tetley)

June 28, 2016 – Lexington, Ky. – The final North American Selection Trial for the 2016 FEI World Driving Championships took place over the weekend at the Bromont International Driving CAI. James Fairclough led from start to finish to claim top honors in the CAI2*-H4 division.

Fairclough (Newton, N.J.) and his mixed team of Warmbloods started off the competition with a solid dressage test to earn a score of 46.91 to win the dressage phase. He and his horses delivered a bold performance on marathon day to win the phase with a total of 92.97 penalty points, having the best time in six of the seven obstacles. Fairclough closed out a stellar weekend by laying down a strong performance over a tough track in the cones phase with no knockdowns and 11.32 time penalties. He and his team won the final phase and clinched the overall win on a score of 151.20.

“Bromont went great. I needed it as a qualifier for the World Championship, so I am pleased that it went well. Dressage went very well. I changed the team around for this competition and I think I will keep it that way since it went so well. Marathon went extremely well; we did have a few mistakes, but I think some of that was due to heat getting to us. It was very hot on Saturday and Sunday, and on the marathon day I went at the very end of the day. For cones, it was an extremely difficult course with tight rollback turns. The course was made tougher by the sand/fiber footing due to the fact that if you try and take the turns too fast, the carriage ends up sliding. It was very difficult so I’m glad I drove cleanly and only had some time. Overall, I was very pleased with my team.”

View complete results.

AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: Kathleen Landwehr
Copyright 2016 United States Equestrian Federation

Competitions, Driving

James Fairclough Dominates FEI2* Horse Four-In-Hand Division

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James Fairclough. Photo Credit: Tom von Kap-herr.

Bromont, Quebec – June 21, 2015 – The Bromont International Driving, held June 19 to 21, 2015, concluded today at the Olympic Equestrian park, with the victory of American driver James Fairclough in the FEI2* Horse Four-In-Hand Division.

Fairclough, who was leading after the dressage and marathon phases, stayed ahead of his closest competitor, Misdee Wrigley-Miller (KY) by close to a 35-point spread. With only 2.55 penalty points earned in the cones obstacle course and a cumulative result of 154 penalty points, James Fairclough remained unbeatable this weekend in Bromont.

The FEI2* Horse Pair and FEI 2* Horse Single were won by drivers Chet Halka (NJ) and Sue Weirback (PA), respectively, who both kept their lead throughout the competition.

The Horse Single Intermediate Division was won by driver Nifty Hamilton (FL) while Gaëtan Gauvin (QC) finished first on the classification list for the Horse Single Preliminary Division.

Bromont International Driving also presented the third edition of the Canadian Championships for the FEI2*, preliminary and intermediate divisions. In the Preliminary Division, Ontario’s driver Michelle Courtemanche won the title. Quebec’s Denis Martin, won the Intermediate Division title, while the FEI2* Division title went to Ontario’s Darryl Billing.

The competition ended today, Sunday June 21, with the cones obstacle course. All results are available at: http://www.drivingnews.us/results/results2015/Bromont/.

The Bromont International Driving would like to thank all its participants, officials, partners and volunteers for the success of the 2015 edition!

Bromont International Driving presented its 14th edition from June 19 to 21, 2015: drivers competed in three different phases: dressage, marathon and obstacle course. Each phase’s goal is to test the different qualities of competing teams. The International Driving is happy to have hosted horse lovers who witnessed the drivers’ abilities, in single, in pair as well as in the spectacular four-in- hand harness.

Media Contact: Alexandra Hill
Parc Équestre Olympique de Bromont
communications@internationalbromont.org

Competitions, Driving

James Fairclough Continues to Lead FEI2* Horse Four-In-Hand Division

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James Fairclough wins Marathon – Credit Tom von Kap-herr.

Bromont, Quebec – June 21, 2015 – American driver James Fairclough is still leading the FEI2* Horse Four-In-Hand Division after the marathon phase at the Bromont International Driving, held June 19 to 21, 2015.

After the dressage phase on Friday, James Fairclough was in first place with a total of 55.21 penalty points, ahead of Kentucky’s Misdee Wrigley-Miller, who incurred a total of 57.78 penalty points. The spread widened Saturday with the marathon phase as James Fairclough maintained his lead with a cumulative score of 151.45 penalty points ahead of Misdee Wrigley-Miller (186.07 points) and Canada’s Darryl Billings (209.05 points).

In the FEI2* Horse Pairs and FEI2* Horse Single divisions, after the dressage phase, the leaders, Chet Halka and Sue Weirback, respectively, remain ahead of the provisional classification list.

Quebec’s drivers gave nice performances in the intermediate and preliminary Horse Single divisions. While the Americans held the first five places on the provisional classification list, the marathon phase gave Quebec’s Denis Martin a chance to climb up to fourth place with a cumulative of 125.73 penalty points. Driver Barbara Chapman (MI), with 102.48 penalty points, slides in second place on the provisional classification list behind Nifty Hamilton (FL) who leads with only 102.01 penalty points.

In the Preliminary Division, Quebec’s Gaëtan Gauvin, who was in second place after the dressage phase, takes the division lead with 113.48 penalty points followed by drivers Réal Laroche (QC) and Mark Borkoski (CT).

The competition ends Sunday June 21, with the cones obstacle course. All results are available at: http://www.drivingnews.us/results/results2015/Bromont/.

Bromont International Driving presents its 14th edition June 19 to 21, 2015: drivers have to compete successfully in three different phases: dressage, marathon and obstacle course. Each phase is meant to test different qualities of competing teams. The International Driving is happy to invite all horse lovers to come and witness the drivers’ abilities, whether they are driving single, in pairs or in the spectacular four-in-hand harness.

Media Contact: Alexandra Hill
Parc Équestre Olympique de Bromont
communications@internationalbromont.org
450-525-2716

Championships, Competitions, Driving, Events, FEI, FEI, USEF

USEF Names Drivers for FEI Four-in-Hand Driving World Championships

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Lexington, KY – The following drivers have been named by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) to represent the U.S. in the 2012 FEI Four-in-Hand Driving World Championships, in Reisenbeck, Germany, August 15-19, 2012.

The United States will be represented by the following drivers:

James Fairclough (Newtown, NJ)
Chester Weber (Ocala, FL)
Joe Yoder (Zwartewaal, The Netherlands)

Ed Young will serve as Chef d’Equipe.

Follow the 2012 U.S. Driving Team here.

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Driving, Events, USEF

Fairclough Wins Third USEF National Four-In-Hand Driving Championship after 10-Year Hiatus

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James Fairclough. Photo: Richard Moore

Lexington, KY – The 2011 U.S. National Four-In-Hand Championship was contested over the weekend in Kennett Square, PA, at the 25th annual Laurels at Landhope International Combined Driving Event, one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the U.S.

The 2011 U.S. National Four-In-Hand Championship included four entries in the Four-in- Hand division – three Americans, Chester Weber, James Fairclough and Josh Rector, who vied for the National title, and one Canadian, Eugen Hug.

Competitors took to the soggy, post-Tropical Storm Lee dressage arenas on Friday, with Chester Weber of Ocala, FL, getting off to an early lead with a picture-perfect dressage test with a score of 39.04, putting him up by a margin of eight points over Fairclough.

But Fairclough took the lead on Saturday during the Marathon when Weber made an uncharacteristic mistake, going the wrong way through a gate in the third hazard to put him a little under eight points behind Fairclough as they headed into Sunday’s Cones phase. It wasn’t clear sailing for Fairclough either as he had a glitch in the water hazard causing his team to take some stutter steps. “My whip got caught,” he said. “It cost me four or five seconds.”

Weber was disappointed with the Marathon but blamed no one but himself. “I had a gate backward in hazard No. 3,” he said. “We walked it that way. It was just a mistake and I have nothing to say except it was inexcusable.” He was very pleased with how well his horses went. “I thought the course was very heavy-going,” he said. “It was terribly hot and the whole Section E, you could be going downhill and the horses had to pull.”

Continue reading Fairclough Wins Third USEF National Four-In-Hand Driving Championship after 10-Year Hiatus →

Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Events, FEI, USEF

James Fairclough, Josh Rector and Chester Weber Set to Drive at The Laurels at Landhope

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Chester Weber shows his winning form in the Four-In-Hand competition at the Riesenbeck CAI. Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber.

Lexington, KY – Three Americans – James Fairclough, Josh Rector and Chester Weber – will be among the best drivers from the United States, Canada, and Mexico to gather in Kennett Square, PA, tomorrow through Sunday for the 25th Anniversary Laurels at Landhope International Combined Driving Event, one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the U.S.

At the FEI-recognized event in a beautiful country setting just 40 miles from Philadelphia, drivers will compete in a series of three events with combinations from single horses and ponies to four-in-hands. The “Laurels” features competition in Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced divisions, with the signature event the U.S. National Four-In-Hand Championship – a driving competition for teams of four horses.

James Fairclough first made history at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, as part of the group that won the Team Silver medal. Prior to this, the best finish the U.S. had ever garnered at a Four-In-Hand World Championship was fourth place in 1984 and 1986.

Fairclough (Newton, NJ) has represented the U.S. at the Four-In-Hand World Championship seven different times between 1980 and 2002. 2010 was a stellar year for Fairclough – he started with a second-place win at the Little Everglades CDE and ended with a Team Silver medal at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Continue reading James Fairclough, Josh Rector and Chester Weber Set to Drive at The Laurels at Landhope →