Tag Archives: William Fox-Pitt

*Featured/Spotlights, Eventing/H.T., World Equestrian Games

William Fox-Pitt Regains the Lead after Cross-Country at WEG

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(FRA, 30 August 2014) William Fox-Pitt, riding Chilli Morning, has regained the lead he had on day one of the competition after a flawless cross-country round in the Eventing discipline, with Sandra Auffarth (GER) riding Opgun Louvo taking second place, and Michael Jung (GER) riding Fischerrocana FST in third place, at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, in Normandy.

World Number One William Fox-Pitt retakes the lead

William Fox-Pitt showed why he is the world number one after a flawless round in the cross-country, riding the brilliant stallion, Chilli Morning. Fox-Pitt was 35th to go in the 90-strong field over the extremely testing conditions at the Haras Du Pin site, and rode a brilliant round with just 12 time faults. Fox-Pitt took all the direct options in order to save energy and valuable time, and in so doing retook the lead he had after day one of Dressage.

The 35-fence course proved extremely testing with 60 competitors completing the course and no competitors finishing within the optimum time. Two fences were removed from the final competition before the start in deference to the testing ground conditions after torrential rain earlier in the week. Just 10 points now separate the top 10 placings, and one penalty fence in tomorrow’s deciding show jumping phase covers the top five riders. It will be an extremely tense finale to an outstanding Eventing competition, with the home nation’s hopes resting on Maxime Livio (FRA) riding Qalao Des Mers, who is in eighth position.

Germany is in a very strong position, with overnight leader Sandra Auffarth lying in second place and Michael Jung in third place. New Zealand take up fourth and fifth position with Jonelle Price and Andrew Nicholson respectively, and will be hoping to go one better than their team Bronze position at the 2010 World Equestrian Games held at the Rolex Stadium in Kentucky.

Quotes:

Sandra Auffarth (GER):

I liked the course and all the questions [fences] for the horses and the riders, but I didn’t like the ground so much. I think that was the main part of the course (the going) and the reason why the horses were a little bit tired, but I am really happy with my horse – his jumping was fantastic and I had a really great round.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR):

I could not have been more proud of my horse; he just tried really, really hard. The ground conditions were tough – every stride tough, but he worked hard. I took him easy in the first part because the most important thing that Yogi Breisner (GBR Performance Manager) said was “just get home – it is no good looking amazing for eight minutes and not getting home,” so I did waste a little time, but I certainly didn’t have much petrol in the tank at the end. I am so proud of him as he kept on trying. He deserves what he achieved today and there is nothing I can do now – we will have to see what happens but I am very relieved!

Michael Jung (GER):

It was hard work for the horses – with the soft ground, my horse lost a lot of energy between the fences, but Fisherrocanna is a fantastic horse; she was fighting from the beginning to the end. The last water [Rolex combination] is really tough and I am very happy about my round. Everything was very good on the fences and my horse gave me a great feeling – just the last water she was a little bit tired but she was good.

Rolex Testimonee Zara Phillips Cruises Cross-Country

Zara Phillips (GBR) showed all her skills as a previous World Champion by steering her horse High Kingdom around the challenging cross-country course, with a stunning clear round. Commenting on her ride, Phillips said, “I really enjoyed it [going out first for the British team] as you can just go out and ride it, and go straight, and get on with it. I know how good my horse is and to go out and get a clear round for the team is great. You’ve really got to be sensible out there and just get them home. You’ve got to look after them and just make sure you keep jumping.”

Having been World Champion in 2006 in Aachen, Rolex Testimonee Phillips knows exactly what it takes to win and will be going in to the final show jumping phase of the competition at the Stade D’Ornarno in Caen tomorrow full of confidence, and hoping to secure another top podium finish.

For more information on the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and full results, please visit www.normandy2014.com.

Rolex and the World Equestrian Games

Rolex’s association with the World Equestrian Games began in 2002 in Jerez, Spain and the brand is at the forefront of the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which takes place between 23 August and 7 September in Caen, France where a record 74 nations intend to take part.

The exceptional bond between Rolex and the World Equestrian Games has no doubt been instrumental in attracting 12 new countries to make their debut this year; a glorious achievement in the development of the sport on a global scale. Across the 15 days, approximately 1,200 media will follow 1,000 competitors as they compete across eight official disciplines including the Olympic sports of Show Jumping, Dressage and Eventing in front of over 500,000 spectators.

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
team@revolutionsports.co.uk
www.revolutionsports.co.uk

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., World Equestrian Games

Chilli Morning and Fox-Pitt Turn Up the Heat

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Great Britain’s William Fox-Pitt and the 14-year-old stallion Chilli Morning are in the lead after the first day of Eventing Dressage at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy. (Trevor Holt/FEI)

Normandy (FRA), 28 August 2014 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) has given the British team a massive morale boost after the first day of the Eventing competition at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, where the Dressage phase is taking place below the chateau at Haras du Pin deep in the Normandy countryside.

Fox-Pitt and the biddable stallion Chilli Morning scored the only sub-40 mark, 37.5, to head defending champion Michael Jung and the mare FischerRocana FST by 3.2 penalties.

“Chilli is lovely to ride on the flat,” said Fox-Pitt, who was individual silver medallist and a member of the winning British team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010 in Kentucky (USA). “I’m relieved that we nailed it. That was his best test ever.”

Jung’s good score on the relatively inexperienced nine-year-old and Ingrid Klimke’s mark of 41.2 on another mare, FRH Escada JS, despite losing marks for a tense walk and early canter strike-off, puts Germany in the lead at this early stage.

“I’m very happy,” said Jung. “My horse was relaxed and didn’t make too many mistakes. She also concentrated. The arena wasn’t slippery, but horses were looking at the ground because of the rainwater in the arena.”

The New Zealand team is currently second, ahead of Great Britain and the USA, with one penalty covering the three nations.

Tim Price (NZL) is in individual fourth place on his Luhmühlen CCI4* winner Wesko with a mark of 42.0 and Sir Mark Todd, a team bronze medallist in 2010, is 10th on Leonidas ll on a score of 49.2.

Todd explained: “There was some clapping before I went into the arena and Leo was a bit distracted and made some mistakes. He isn’t used to this kind of atmosphere and the sloppy going.”

The 2006 world champion Zara Phillips (GBR) didn’t get the British team off to the start she would have liked and admitted to being annoyed with her score of 54.5 on High Kingdom, which leaves her in 21st place currently.

“He broke in the medium trot and my marks didn’t come back up after that,” she said. “He does nice work but he’s not a flash horse. However, he’s a real galloper and I’m hoping to bring some good feedback for the others when I go out first across country on Saturday. It’s a long way round and if it stays wet then the dressage scores won’t matter as much.”

Cédric Lyard (FRA) is best of the home side, in seventh place on Cadeau du Roi with a score of 47.3. “I’m really happy with my horse,” he commented. “Cadeau concentrated really well and was expressive. I wanted to get the best marks I possibly could for the French team and I feel that I achieved that.”

The British team is hoping that the wet weather will play to their strengths on Saturday’s cross country day, which riders of all nations anticipate will re-arrange the scoreboard.

Fox-Pitt commented: “It’s a good track with plenty to jump. It’s quite hilly and with the soft ground it’s going to be a serious test. We tend to get all these conditions in England and so it should be good for us here, but the effect of the course will be cumulative and may be hard to gauge.”

Jung described Pierre Michelet’s (FRA) course as “a tough four-star because of the big fences and the hills” while Todd added that going early in the day could turn out to be a lucky draw. “This is a big and long track, it’s hilly and it’s wet. It isn’t going to be a dressage competition,” he predicted.

Follow all the action on FEI TV (www.feitv.org) with live scoring on www.normandy2014.com.

Full results

By Kate Green

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA) on 23 August – 7 September brings together close to 1,000 riders and 1,000 horses from 74 nations for 15 days of world-class competition in Jumping, Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining.

For more information, see: www.normandy2014.com.

History Hub

The FEI World Equestrian Games™ are held every four years in the middle of the Olympic and Paralympic cycle. They were first hosted in Stockholm (SWE) in 1990 and have since been staged in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez (ESP) in 2002, and Aachen (GER) in 2006. The first Games to be organised outside Europe were the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky (USA) 2010.

Visit the FEI History Hub here.

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

Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 Organising Committee:

Amélie Patrux
Press Officer
presse@normandie2014.com

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

British Break Records with World Number One Slots in All Three Olympic Disciplines

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Scott Brash (GBR), pictured here at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014 riding Ursula XII, heads the Longines Rankings in Jumping. Photos ©FEI/Arnd Bornkhorst.

Lausanne (SUI), 6 May 2014 – British riders have broken all-time records, occupying the world number one slots in all three Olympic equestrian disciplines. This is the first time that athletes from one nation have simultaneously topped the FEI World Rankings in Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing.

In the latest rankings published by the FEI, Scott Brash heads the Longines Rankings in Jumping, Charlotte Dujardin heads the FEI World Individual Dressage Rankings, and William Fox-Pitt tops the FEI World Eventing Athlete Rankings.

“To be the first country whose athletes have simultaneously been world number one in the three Olympic disciplines since the FEI Rankings began in 2002 is a truly outstanding achievement,” FEI Secretary General Ingmar De Vos said.

“Congratulations to Scott Brash, Charlotte Dujardin, and William Fox-Pitt for their remarkable performances, and also to their trainers, owners, grooms, support crews, veterinarians, the British Equestrian Federation, and the British Olympic Association. And of course, I would like to pay a very special tribute to the talented horses that are an integral part of the success story in British equestrian sport.”

Jumping

Scott Brash, the youngest member of Britain’s London 2012 Olympic Games gold medal team, jumped into the world number one spot in the Longines Rankings in December 2013 and has held the position ever since. With 3,266 points, the 28-year-old from Peebles in Scotland is ahead of fellow countryman Ben Maher (2,830 points), and Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum (2,799). Beerbaum and Brash claimed second and third places behind Daniel Deusser (GER) in last month’s Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Lyon (FRA).

Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Valegro, pictured at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2014, head the FEI World Individual Dressage Rankings.
Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Valegro, pictured at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2014, head the FEI World Individual Dressage Rankings.

Dressage

Charlotte Dujardin (28) and the 12-year-old bay gelding Valegro became the first British partnership to head the FEI World Dressage Rankings in September 2012 following their double Olympic gold at the London Olympic Games. The combination reclaimed world number one status last September and has now been in pole position since the beginning of the year. Dujardin and Valegro, winners of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in Lyon, are also the FEI Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special, and Grand Prix Freestyle record holders.

Dujardin and Valegro lead the FEI Dressage Rankings with 3,138 points ahead of Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW (2,917 points), and Edward Gal (NED) and Glock’s Undercover (2,702 points).

Eventing

William Fox-Pitt, multiple Olympic, World and European medallist, and the first British rider to top the FEI World Eventing Rankings in 2002, took over as world number one at the beginning of the month. Triple Olympic team medallist Fox-Pitt (44), who this week bids for a Badminton victory to add to last month’s win in Kentucky, has a 16-point advantage over Andrew Nicholson (NZL), with Bruce O. Davidson Jr. (USA) third in the world rankings.

“This is another historic first for equestrian sport in Great Britain and is wonderful proof of the skill of our riders, the dedication of the owners and staff, as well as the support provided by the Lottery-funded World Class Programme,” British World Class Performance Manager Will Connell said.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR), multiple Olympic, World and European Eventing medallist, pictured here at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is now leading the FEI World Eventing Rankings.
William Fox-Pitt (GBR), multiple Olympic, World and European Eventing medallist, pictured here at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is now leading the FEI World Eventing Rankings.

“Of course ranking lists are a record of what has already happened, but now all of us are focused on the competitions ahead and especially on the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy.”

View the FEI Rankings in the three Olympic disciplines here:
Longines Rankings
FEI World Individual Dressage Ranking
FEI World Eventing Athlete Rankings

Media contacts:

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

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

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.

William Fox-Pitt Back as Eventing World Number One

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William Fox-Pitt (GBR), multiple Olympic, World and European Eventing medallist, pictured here at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is now leading the FEI World Eventing Rankings (Jacques Toffi/Arnd Bronkhorst/FEI).

Lausanne (SUI), 1 May 2014 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR), multiple Olympic, World and European medallist, and the first British rider to lead the FEI World Eventing Rankings in 2002, is back as world number one.

Fox-Pitt, who also led the world rankings in 2009 and 2010, has a 16-point lead over Andrew Nicholson (NZL), who had led the world Eventing rankings since claiming team bronze at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Fox-Pitt (44) represented Great Britain throughout his teenage years, winning individual silver at the Junior European Championships in 1987, Young Rider team gold at the European Championships in 1988 and 1989, and completed Badminton at the age of 20. His first Burghley win five years later established him as a regular on the senior British team and guaranteed him a ticket to the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.

Olympian

He has gone on to represent Great Britain consistently over the past 15 years, winning team silver at the London 2012 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games, and team bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

World and European medals

He also secured team gold and individual silver at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010 in Kentucky (USA), team silver at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2006 in Aachen (GER) and team bronze at the 2002 edition of the Games in Jerez (ESP), as well as six European team gold medals, one team bronze, two individual silvers and individual bronze.

Records

He has won a total of 52 CCIs (international three-day events), including a record 13 CCI4*s, which are the world’s top six international events. He is the only rider to have won five of these top events, including Badminton (2004) and Burghley, which he has won six times in 1994, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2011 when he became the first rider to win a record six Burghley titles on six different horses. He has also won at Luhmühlen (2008), at Pau twice (2011 and 2013), and has just returned from Kentucky with his third victory (after winning in 2010 and 2012).

Next weekend, with his highly successful horses Cool Mountain, Parklane Hawk and Chilli Morning, he heads to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR), which is also the 4th leg of the FEI Classics™, a prestigious series uniting the world’s top six CCI4*s, which also he currently leads.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to be back as world number one,” said Fox-Pitt. “The world rankings are currently dominated by British riders, and it’ll be interesting to see if the British leaders of the world show jumping and dressage rankings, Scott Brash and Charlotte Dujardin, have retained their lead. This shows that our National Lottery funding and World Class Performance Programme is working, which is great news for all British athletes, and especially for equestrian athletes as we head into our world championships in Normandy his summer.”

Full FEI World Eventing Rankings here.

The world Eventing championships will take place at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy on 23 August – 7 September: www.normandy2014.com.

For information on the UK Sport World Class Performance Programme: www.uksport.gov.uk/pages/wc-performance-programme.

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., 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

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

Kieffer Claims Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Championship, Fox-Pitt Wins at Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

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William Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero, 2014 Rolex Kentucky Champions (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Lexington, Ky. – The 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover came to a close Sunday afternoon with 37 horse-and-rider combinations entering the final phase of competition. Richard Jeffery’s 13 obstacle show jumping course set the stage in the Rolex Stadium for an exciting finish to Kentucky’s CCI4*. A sold-out crowd of 22,388 saw 10 pairs went double clear with five of those being the top five riders.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) held onto his lead with Bay My Hero to claim the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover win, adding nothing to his dressage score of 44.0. With Catherine Witt’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Fox-Pitt finished with his usual winning style, jumping double clear to claim his third win in Kentucky.

“Each win is very special for its own merits. I think that with every one you still can’t believe that it happened,” Fox-Pitt shared. “The odds are always so stacked against you in our sport. I didn’t come here expecting to win; I came with two lovely horses hoping they would go well. To come out on top is just fantastic; it’s very special.”

Bay My Hero has been in Fox-Pitt’s yard since he was five, so he has long been part of his team and feels like a family member, making the win all the more meaningful. Their long relationship with one another paid off on Sunday at the Kentucky Horse Park.

“He felt fantastic today. I think he’s a real little fighter. He came out this morning thinking he was kingpin. He enjoys every minute of it,” Fox-Pitt fondly said of Bay My Hero. “He got a little bit excited when the crowd went wild after Lauren [Kieffer] jumped a clear round and he tried to leg it back up the chute. I felt a bit the same actually. I thought ‘the two of us, let’s go home now. I will settle for second; that’s fine.’ But he was definitely on his toes today. When he has a job to do, he does it and he really enjoys it.”

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica, 2014 Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Champions (Shannon Brinkman Photo)
Lauren Kieffer and Veronica, 2014 Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Champions (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Lauren Kieffer (Middleburg, Va.) and Veronica rose to the occasion and handled the pressure to finish in second place on their dressage score of 46.7. She and Team Rebecca, LLC’s 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare looked like a veteran pair in Sunday’s jumping phase, putting the pressure on Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero with a double clear round. While it seemed possible that an American might win the country’s CCI4*, it wasn’t mean to be. However, Kieffer has risen to the top of the sport in the U.S., earning the Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Championship title for her efforts.

“It felt great. You know it took lot of mental focus to try and stay cool but I really tried to go in there and ride it like it was anything else,” Kieffer said of her impressive finish in only her second appearance at Rolex. “I have been working with Scott Keach show jumping all winter and it has paid off hugely. I think he would be happy with me today.”

Though Kieffer has only had the ride on Veronica for about a year, taking the majority of that time to develop their partnership, she has known the mare since she was imported as a young horse and rode her briefly at that time. With the barn name of “Troll” for her lack of appreciation for affection, Kieffer noted that her fighting spirit comes in handy when it counts.

“I’m thrilled with her this weekend. She came out of it great,” Kieffer said of Veronica. “She came into show jumping feeling like her normal self, not like she’d run a four-star so I was really excited about that.”

The pair that won last year’s Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Championship title, Buck Davidson (Ocala, Fla.) and Ballynoe Castle RM, maintained their top form from a year ago and earned a third-place finish. Having a solid double clear round, Davison and Cassandra Segal’s 14-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding ended up on their dressage score of 51.7. The pair became the 2014 Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Reserve Champions for their strong finish.

“Reggie has been a consistent horse his whole career. I really didn’t change anything,” Davidson said of having another top finish in Kentucky with longtime partner Ballynoe Castle RM.

Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM, 2014 Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Reserve Champions (Shannon Brinkman Photo)
Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM, 2014 Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Reserve Champions (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Davidson had to deal with a bone bruise that Ballynoe Castle RM had last year, after the horse had no previous injury throughout his career. He gave “Reggie” the fall season off and after starting him back successfully early this year, the horse developed pneumonia but made a full recovery.

“The heart that that horse has is unbelievable,” Davidson noted. “I got some help in the show jumping from Silvio [Mazzoni] and David [O’Connor] has helped me out on the flat.”

An exciting addition to the competition this year was the Dubarry of Ireland Nations Team Challenge, which awarded $20,000 in prize money while helping national teams prepare for the team competition at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. For their impressive performances, Team USA won with a total score 150.1. The scores of Kieffer and Veronica (46.7), Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM (51.7), and fourth-place finishers Sinead Halpin (Oldwick, N.J.) and Manoir de Carneville, Manoir de Carneville Syndicate LLC’s 14-year-old Selle Francais gelding (51.7), were combined to give the home country the victory. Second place went to Great Britain with a score of 163.8, while third place went to Canada with a score of 209.9.

By Kathleen Landwehr

Catch all the excitement with on-demand video on the USEF Network presented by SmartPak here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2014Rolex/.

For more information about the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover, visit www.rk3de.org.

Follow the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/LandRoverUSEventingTeam/.

Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) Wins the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

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1st – William Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero.

(USA, 27 April 2014) William Fox-Pitt (GBR) riding Bay My Hero, today Sunday 27 April 2014, wins the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, with Lauren Kieffer (USA) riding Veronica in 2nd place and Bruce (Buck) Davidson Jr. (USA) riding Ballynoe Castle RM in 3rd place, in Lexington.

William Fox-Pitt won the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event after a dramatic day’s show jumping in the Rolex Stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park. Having earlier completed another superb clear round on his first ride of the day aboard Seacookie, Fox-Pitt kept his nerve riding the beautiful Bay My Hero to complete a perfect clear round of show jumping in front of the packed stadium. Lauren Kieffer (USA) finished in second place after a superb clear round finishing on her dressage score and the leading USA rider. Bruce (Buck) Davidson Jr. finished in third place after fellow Americans Michael Pollard and Marilyn Little dropped down the leaderboard after hitting rails.

Sinead Halpin (USA) riding Manoir De Carneville, finished on the same score as Buck Davidson, but as Buck was nearest to the optimum time on the Cross Country phase, he took third place. Marilyn Little (USA) finished with two in the top 10, and William Fox-Pitt also finished on Seacookie in ninth place too, to complete another great Rolex Kentucky Three-Day event for the Fox-Pitt Eventing team.

Final Results after the Show Jumping Phase:

1. William Fox-Pitt/Bay My Hero (GBR) 44.0
2. Lauren Kieffer/Veronica (USA) 46.7
3. Bruce (Buck) Davidson Jr/Ballynoe Castle RM (USA) 51.7
4. Sinead Halpin/Manoir De Carneville (USA) 51.7
5. Marilyn Little/RF Smoke on the Water (USA) 52.5
6. Marilyn Little/RF Demeter (USA) 55.3
7. Jan Byyny/Inmidair (USA) 56.7
8. Phillip Dutton/Trading Aces (USA) 52.5
9. William Fox-Pitt/Seacookie (GBR) 59.1
10. Selena O’Hanlon/Foxwood High (CAN) 59.4

2nd - Lauren Kieffer and Veronica
2nd – Lauren Kieffer and Veronica

New Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Contender

As the winner of the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, William Fox-Pitt now becomes the new live contender of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing prize and will go to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in two weeks in search of victory and the second leg of the Rolex Grand Slam events.

Quote from William Fox-Pitt (GBR) (link to audio of full press conference below):

Q. William – Bay May Hero – that was a nail-biting finish – but your horse was brilliant.

He was superb. Lauren really put the pressure on 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 was crazy – he jumped so well – he was magic! It’s very, very exciting and so good to have an American second as well is great for the sport and USA is looking in great shape for WEG, but I am so pleased with my chap. I’ve had some huge fun here and this is another bit of it.

Quote from Lauren Kieffer (USA) (link to audio of full press conference below):

Q. Lauren – were you as cool as you looked?

It took a lot of mental focus to stay cool, but I really tried to go in there and ride it like anything else – I think my coach will be pleased with me!

Quote from Bruce (Buck) Davidson Jr. (USA) (link to audio of full press conference below):

3rd - Bruce (Buck) Davidson Jr. and Ballynoe
3rd – Bruce (Buck) Davidson Jr. and Ballynoe

Q. Buck – great horse and great ride.

Reg (Ballynoe Castle RM) has been a consistent horse his whole career. It was only a couple of months ago that he was in hospital with pneumonia – the heart that that horse has is unbelievable – basically if you tell him it’s Kentucky and he’ll go!

Copyright Free Audio

Please click on the following links for copyright free audio of the post-event Press Conference after the final Show Jumping Day with the top three placed riders:
http://po.st/R0cu6p

For more information on the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.rk3de.org.

Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing

In 2001, Rolex created the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. This trophy is awarded to the rider who manages to win the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials event in any consecutive order. Until now, only British rider Pippa Funnell has managed this staggering achievement, winning the title in 2003.

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
team@revolutionsports.co.uk
www.revolutionsports.co.uk

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

Fox-Pitt Moves into Lead with Kieffer a Close Second on Cross Country Day of Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

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William Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Lexington, Ky. – An exciting day unfolded at the Kentucky Horse Park for the cross country phase of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover. A crowd of 35,471 turned out to see the influential phase that caused a change-up to the leaderboard. Fifty-five horse-and-rider combinations began the trek across Derek di Grazia’s substantial course made up of 45 jumping efforts with 19 pairs going double clear, six retiring on course, and 10 being eliminated.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Bay My Hero moved up into first place after overnight leader Allison Springer (Middleburg, Va.) and Arthur had an unfortunate runout at 21c, the curvy brush of the Normandy Bank complex. Fox-Pitt rode Catherine Witt’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding to a double clear round to remain on his dressage score of 44.0 heading into the final phase of competition. Despite a sticky ride through 19abc, the second part of the Rolex Head of the Lake complex, the pair put together a solid round over the track covering 6,430 meters.

“I think that the course really encouraged forward riding and as you saw a lot of horses did go well for that. I was delighted with how the course rode,” Fox-Pitt shared. “I knew for my two horses that it was a decent track and a big test. There were certain things on the course here that do throw out surprises, you never quite know how the coffin is going to ride and some of the waters… it just shows how you have to have confidence in the course designer and you have to ride how he would hope you would ride and the horses will respond.”

Commenting further on his two rides, Fox-Pitt said, “I was thrilled with both my horses but particularly Bay My Hero who is much less experienced. It’s actually the first time he has done a three-day up and down hills like that. A lot of his three-days in the past have been rather flat… I’m very happy with him. He was a little bit surprised by the Head of the Lake but in the end I know if he can see where to go he is going to go there. He is as clever as a cat and super genuine. He carried his tubby little body inside the time as well.”

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica (Shannon Brinkman Photo)
Lauren Kieffer and Veronica (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Moving up one place into second with a score of 46.7 were Lauren Kieffer (Middleburg, Va.) and Veronica on the strength of a double clear round. Kieffer and Team Rebecca, LLC’s 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare were having a great round when they were held shortly before the Rolex Head of the Lake. The pair found their rhythm again after the complex and to finish the course strongly. As the top U.S. pair, Kieffer and Veronica are currently in contention for the Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Championship title.

“I was thrilled with my mare; she really fought for it,” Kieffer said of her round. “You know I went out knowing I had to ride every combination, there were a lot of big questions. Especially after the hold we had to fight for it through the Head of the Lake. We had to get back in a rhythm and everything… you had to really focus on being accurate.”

Lying in third after a great round over the demanding track were Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and Mr. Medicott. He and Mr. Medicott Syndicate’s 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding never looked in doubt of anything but an excellent go over the beautiful cross country course.

“I think the conditions were ideal for the running today. My first horse [Trading Aces] really learned a lot today. I tried to ride him forward and aggressively but still give him time to look at jumps and I think he went better and better. Mr. Medicott has been around so many courses throughout the world I was just hanging on and letting him do it. It was a pretty easy ride for me.”

Dutton finished exactly on the optimum time of 11:12 with Trading Aces, the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Trading Aces LLC. As the top U.S. rider to finish closest to the optimum time without penalty, Dutton was deemed to have the Land Rover Best Ride of the Day, resulting in a two-year lease on 2014 Range Rover Evoque.

Looking towards the final phase on Sunday, the riders hope to have jumping rounds as good as their cross country rounds. Kieffer noted that all spring the horse trials and CICs have mostly had show jumping before the cross country so it will be a different ride with horses who have just completed a CCI4* cross country course. Dutton added that it is a long competition for the horses and that it should be an interesting day.

“Hopefully the horses will come out and hopefully Bay My Hero will feel good,” Fox-Pitt said. “He can jump very well; he’s a real tryer. He will also find it quite exciting in there. He will be peaking at everything. If he’s concentrating he should jump well.”

The final horse inspection takes place at 9:00am ET with the jumping phase getting underway at 12:30pm ET.

By Kathleen Landwehr

Watch the live stream on the USEF Network presented by SmartPak here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2014Rolex/.

For more information about the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover, visit www.rk3de.org.

Follow the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/LandRoverUSEventingTeam/.

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

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) Leads the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event after Cross Country

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1st place – William Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero.

(USA, 26 April 2014) William Fox-Pitt (GBR) riding Bay My Hero, today Saturday 26 April 2014, is the current leader after the Cross Country phase, with Lauren Kieffer (USA) riding Veronica in 2nd place and Phillip Dutton (USA) in 3rd place, at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in Lexington.

William Fox-Pitt leads the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event after a thrilling day’s cross country at the Kentucky Horse Park. Having completed another superb clear round on his second ride of the day, Fox-Pitt judged the time perfectly and sits in pole position going into the final show jumping day tomorrow. The overnight leader after the Dressage, Allison Springer (USA) riding Arthur, came unstuck at the Normandy Bank with a run-out, which cost her a hefty 20 penalty points. Phillip Dutton has two rides in the top 10, where he is lying in third and ninth place. Marilyn Little (USA) also has two in the top 10 with her rides lying in fourth and tenth position.

After a great clear round by Andrew Nicholson (NZL) on Avebury in today’s Cross Country phase, the pressure is now on Nicholson to see if he can repeat the form he demonstrated in 2013, by winning the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, which will put him one competition away from the coveted USD$ 350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Prize. Nicholson is currently lying in 7th place after Cross Country on a score of 51.7.

Results after the Cross Country Phase

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

2nd place - Lauren Kieffer and Veronica
2nd place – Lauren Kieffer and Veronica

Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Current Contender

Andrew Nicholson (NZL) has travelled to the Kentucky Horse Park as the new Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing ‘live contender’ and the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event defending champion. This follows the news announced on 23 April 2014 that last year’s winner of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, Jonathan Paget (NZL), has officially been disqualified following a “partial decision” by the sport’s governing body Tribunal. As a result of Paget’s disqualification Andrew Nicholson and Avebury have now been promoted and are the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2013 winners.

Quote from Phillip Dutton (USA) (link to audio of full post-event press conference below):

Q. Phillip – the course for you?

I thought the conditions were ideal for the running today and my first horse really learned a lot today and Mr Medicott has been around so many courses throughout the world I was just hanging on and letting him do it so it was a pretty easy trip for him!

Quote from William Fox-Pitt (GBR) (link to audio of full press conference below):

Q. William – Bay May Hero – how was the course for you?

I think the course really encouraged forward riding and as your saw a lot of horses did go well – I was delighted with how the course ride. I knew for my two horses that it was a decent track and a big test. I was thrilled with both my horses but particularly Bay My Hero, who’s much less experienced. He was a little bit surprised by the Head of the Lake but it didn’t seem to matter; I know that with him when he can see where he has to go he will go there. He is as clever as a cat and super genuine and I was delighted with him and he carried his tubby little body around in the time as well so that was a bonus!

Quote from Lauren Kieffer (USA) (link to audio of full press conference below):

Q. Lauren – any surprises out there today?

I was thrilled with my mare; she really fought for it. We knew we had to ride every combination and it had big questions. Everything rode the way I expected it to – I knew going out I was going to have to fight and focus on being accurate and so I was quite happy with him.

Quotes from Andrew Nicholson (NZL), currently live contender of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing:

Q. Andrew – how was that ride and what happened at the water park?

It was a bit my fault there. Avebury when he lands he always lands after a jump on his left lead which means a turn to the right you lack a bit of distance so I thought when I walked the course if I just took my time and do four strides where it should be three, but I jumped in too big and I should have kept going on the three but I tried for the four and the fourth was very deep – but he’s experienced and that’s what he’s fed for!

3rd place - Philip Dutton and Mr Medicott
3rd place – Philip Dutton and Mr Medicott

Q. So you are currently lying in around fifth?

Yes, it’s a big day tomorrow, we hope. We’ll go back may sure the horse is all good – he’ll get washed off now a few times, cool him off and try and freshen him up for tomorrow and it will be pretty much the same for me!

Copyright Free Audio

Please click on the following link for copyright free audio of the post-event Press Conference after Cross Country Day with the top three placed riders:
http://po.st/BUJiXw

For more information on the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.rk3de.org.

Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing

In 2001, Rolex created the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. This trophy is awarded to the rider who manages to win the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials event in any consecutive order. Until now, only British rider Pippa Funnell has managed this staggering achievement, winning the title in 2003.

Revolution Sports + Entertainment
team@revolutionsports.co.uk
www.revolutionsports.co.uk