Tag Archives: William Fox-Pitt

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

Australia’s First HSBC FEI Classics Attracts Stellar Cast

November 17, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

FoxPittW_Pau11kh_0043-1 — HSBC FEI Classics 2012 current leader William Fox-Pitt on Cross Country day at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the season opener.

Lausanne (SUI), 16 November 2011 – The Australians and New Zealanders are grasping their chance to capitalise on the HSBC FEI Classics, which offers the single biggest prize in Eventing, at the second leg of the 2012 season taking place this weekend at the Adelaide International 3 Day Event in South Australia (18-20 November).

This is the first time Adelaide has been part of the HSBC FEI Classics, which incorporates the world’s six CCI4*s. The 2011/2012 season will then travel to Kentucky (USA) next spring and climax at Burghley (GBR) in September.

“The Australian International 3 Day Event is the country’s ultimate equestrian competition,” explained Event Director and dual Olympic gold medalist Gillian Rolton (AUS).

“Adelaide has hosted this hallmark event for the last thirteen years and this year we’re ecstatic to be hosting the prestigious HSBC FEI Classics for the very first time.

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

Mary King Clinches HSBC FEI Classics, as Fox-Pitt Adds Pau to His CCI4* Tally

October 16, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI),16 October 2011 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) showed the amazing strength of his horsepower when his exciting young horses Oslo and Lionheart finished first and third at Les Etoiles des Pau (FRA), the final leg of the HSBC FEI Classics 2011.

However, it was the unstoppable Mary King (GBR) who claimed the 150,000 USD prize, the biggest single award in Eventing, as HSBC FEI Classics champion for 2011. She clinched the title with a magnificent clear Jumping round on Imperial Cavalier, which elevated her six places to fourth.

King has been placed no lower than eighth at all five of the HSBC FEI Classics events this year, which is a remarkable achievement. She is the first woman to win the title since the series started in 2008 and has kept it in British hands for the fourth consecutive year.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Eventing/H.T., Events, Show Jumping, USEF

William Fox-Pitt Wins Record Sixth Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials

September 4, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

American Boyd Martin Defies the Odds with Neville Bardos

Martin475 — Boyd Martin and Neville Bardos. Photos: www. stockimageservices. com

Lexington, KY – There are incredible stories and then there is the story of the 2011 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Not only did William Fox-Pitt ride Parklane Hawk to a record sixth win of his career, but a little American horse named Neville Bardos defied every possible odd to finish seventh in the world’s toughest four-star.

Fox-Pitt and the New Zealand Thoroughbred added one time fault in the show jumping to his dressage score in an otherwise flawless effort over the four days of competition. His dressage score of 39.7 was good enough for second place after the first phase but when overnight leader Simone Dietermann fell off Free Easy NRW on the cross country, Fox-Pitt inherited a lead he then defended with style.

But the story of the competition continued to be a scrappy little failed racehorse from Australia. Neville Bardos fulfilled Boyd Martin’s dream of competing at Burghley and with his tenacity and bravery put a nightmare of a summer behind his family. A barn fire ripped through Martin’s barn in May, and Neville Bardos was trapped in the fire the longest of those horses that survived. They lost six horses in the blaze and Neville Bardos was pulled out of the flames by Martin and Phillip Dutton. He then recovered miraculously after inhaling a massive amounts smoke and burning his throat and lungs.

This nightmare was followed closely by the loss of both Martin’s father in a biking accident in Australia and then his wife Silva’s father to illness in the following weeks – Martin hit rock bottom.

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

HSBC FEI Classics – Fox-Pitt Makes History with Sixth Burghley Win

September 4, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

FoxPitt2 — William Fox-Pitt (GBR) made history with a record sixth Burghley victory when winning on Parklane Hawk with just a single Jumping time penalty to add to his Dressage score. Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI.

4 September 2011 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) earned a standing ovation from the rain-soaked crowd as he clinched a record sixth title at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR), second-last leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.

Fox-Pitt showed all his famous finesse and calmness as he conjured a clear round with just one time fault on the sodden ground from Catherine Witt’s Parklane Hawk, an 11-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred by Grosvenor.

He has now beaten the five Burghley victories apiece for Ginny Elliot (GBR) and Mark Todd (NZL), and has equalled Lucinda Green’s (GBR) Badminton record of six wins on six different horses.

“This ranks as one of the best achievements of my life,” said a visibly emotional Fox-Pitt afterwards.

“I pretend to look relaxed, but deep down this really matters to me. It’s such an honour to win six times and to be among such legends as Mark, Ginny and Lucinda – and Mark’s still going, so perhaps he’ll beat me next time!

“I can’t believe what’s happened today. The horse was superb because the conditions were against us. I’m so lucky to have him to ride.”

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

Fox-Pitt Flies to the Top at Burghley

September 3, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

WilliamFox-PittGBR-Burghley2011 — William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Parkland Hawk are in the lead after Cross-Country at the fourth leg of the HSBC FEI Classics at Burghley. © Kate Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 3 September 2011 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) has the slimmest of leads to win a record sixth Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR), second-last leg of the HSBC FEI Classics, after a thrilling day’s cross-country.

The day was a spectacle of bold riding and flying horses, and Fox-Pitt gave an early masterclass on the New Zealand former racehorse Parkland Hawk, winner of the Blenheim CCI3* last year but short on mileage this year.

Fox-Pitt, who said Parklane Hawk felt as if he had “grown wings” when launching into space off the precipitous drop at the Leaf Pit (fence 4), commented: “It’s a good course for a genuine horse. It was massive all the way, but you never expect a holiday at Burghley.”

Fox-Pitt, who warns that Jumping is Parklane Hawk’s weakest phase, cannot afford an error in tomorrow’s Jumping phase, for the cost of a single rail covers the first four horses after Cross-Country.

“I’m going to enjoy the moment because anything could happen tomorrow,” he said.

New Zealanders Andrew Nicholson, on Avebury, and last year’s winner Caroline Powell on the foot-perfect veteran Lenamore are second and third, ahead of HSBC FEI Classics leader Mary King on her home-bred mare Kings Temptress.

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

HSBC FEI Classics: Fox-Pitt Swoops to Conquer at Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials

September 1, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

FoxPittW — William Fox-Pitt (GBR), the new world number one in the HSBC Rankings, heads the field after the first day of Dressage at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials. Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI.

Lausanne (SUI), 1 September 2011 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR), the new world number one, is on top again, this time at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR), the second-last leg of the HSBC FEI Classics, where he leads after the first day of Dressage on a mark of 39.7.

Fox-Pitt (GBR), who is wearing the special armband as leader of the HSBC Rankings, has posted the only sub-40 mark so far on his first ride, Catherine Witt’s 11-year-old Parklane Hawk, winner of the Blenheim CCI3* (GBR) last year.

The British pair led Andrew Nicholson (NZL) and the attractive grey Avebury by 2.3 penalties. Elizabeth Power (IRL) and the ex-racehorse Kilpatrick River, back in action after their fall at Badminton (GBR) in May and making their debut at Burghley, are third. Mary King (GBR), current leader in the HSBC FEI Classics, is fourth on Apache Sauce.

Fox-Pitt, who has been penalised for one error of course, halting at the wrong marker, described scoring in the 30s as a “psychological boost”. He says of the New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred by Grosvenor: “He has a superb brain and a lovely trot. He’s all the things you dream about in a horse.”

Fox-Pitt, Nicholson and King, who have decades of experience at Burghley between them, are viewing with interest the new-look Cross Country course, designed by Mark Phillips (GBR) to have a more traditional look in honour of the event’s 50th birthday.

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

William Fox-Pitt Moves Up to World Number One in HSBC Rankings

September 1, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 1 September 2011 – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) has taken over from team mate Mary King as world number one in the HSBC Rankings. The British rider, who is competing at the second last leg of the HSBC FEI Classics at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials this week, is now seven points clear of King and will be wearing the HSBC armband at Burghley.

Both Fox-Pitt and King were part of the British team that secured bronze at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships in Luhmühlen (GER) last weekend, but King failed to finish after a Cross Country fall.

Newly crowned European champion Michael Jung, who picked up team and individual gold in Luhmühlen, has moved up from ninth to fifth in the HSBC Rankings behind Andrew Nicholson (NZL) and Piggy French (GBR) who remain in third and fourth.

Mary King was the first rider to wear the new HSBC armband when it was launched at the beginning of July this year. She remained out in front last month before being overtaken by Fox-Pitt in the new rankings published today. The rider at the top of the HSBC Rankings at the end of the 2011 Eventing season will receive a 50,000 USD bonus.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, Kentucky Three-Day, Show Jumping

Mary King Takes 1st and 2nd at Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

May 1, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

MaryKingridingKingsTemptress — Mary King, riding Kings Temptress. Photos credit Stock Image Services.com, provided by Rolex.

Mary King (GBR) today, Sunday 1st May 2011, held her nerve, and her overnight lead, to finish in first and second position after the final Show Jumping phase at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, in Lexington.

William Fox-Pitt riding Neuf Des Coeurs finished in 4th position and Oliver Townend riding ODT Sonas Rovatio was 6th, with both riding clear rounds in the Show Jumping.

Quotes from Mary King/Kings Temptress: “I was much too excited to get much sleep last night – I ended up watching a film at 2am in the morning! I was fairly calm today, I always feel that with three day events that yesterday is the big day, you want to get through it and your horses to be well, and today whatever will be will be – you just have to go in there, try and keep calm, ride each fence and try and forget about all the crowds around, and you sort of feel whatever’s going to happen is going to happen and hope they are going to pick up their feet and that it all works out!”

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Dibowski Wins First CCI4* but Fox-Pitt Takes a Second HSBC FEI Classics

November 7, 2010 Associate Editor Leave a comment

FoxPittW_PN10Pau779 — William Fox-Pitt (GBR), 2010 season's winner of the FEI HSBC Classics (c) Peter Nixon/FEI

Pau, 7 November – Andreas Dibowski (GER) finally achieved the CCI4* win he so deserves with an immaculate Jumping round in the most testing of conditions at a rain-soaked Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the final leg of the HSBC FEI Classics.

But William Fox-Pitt’s (GBR) second place on Navigator, who hit three rails, was still good enough to win him a second HSBC FEI Classics title in three years and US$150,000.

Dibowski, who has endured four runner-up spots at CCI4*s, earned a rapturous reception from an excited, if damp, French crowd. “I am really happy and excited,” he said. “After my Dressage (he was 11th), I didn’t expect to win, but everyone needs a little bit of luck at this level and today it was my day.”

Fox-Pitt was generous in defeat. “If someone had told me I’d be second at the start of this week, I’d have thought it was a dream. It’s the first time I’ve had a clear Cross-Country at Pau! And I had to stay in second place to win the HSBC FEI Classics, so I’m very relieved and pleased and pleased with my horse for coping so well.”

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, FEI, Show Jumping

Fox-Pitt in Line for Double Glory in HSBC FEI Classics Thriller

November 7, 2010 Associate Editor 1 Comment

FoxPittW_PN10Pau303 — Leader after the Cross Country phase, William Fox-Pitt

Pau, 6 November – William Fox-Pitt (GBR) is in line for a memorable double – and a big pay cheque – having leapt into a commanding lead after Cross-Country at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the final leg of the valuable HSBC FEI Classics, in which he also holds top position.

Fox-Pitt showed just why he is one of the world’s best horsemen, his magnificent round coming at the end of a dramatic afternoon’s sport in which Pierre Michelet’s (FRA) technically demanding track and the elusive optimum time of 10 minutes 35 seconds proved hugely influential.

He was only ninth after Dressage on the long-striding chestnut thoroughbred Navigator, who produced the second fastest time of the day despite taking two long routes. However, the pair survived a dramatic moment at fence 14, when the horse jumped strongly over the first of two angled houses and had to stretch over the second.

“He’s still a bit exuberant and tends to jump out of your hand,” explained Fox-Pitt, “but he’s a wonderful galloper and a lovely genuine horse.”

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