Sunday, October 10, 2010

WEG Vaulting: USA Claims Gold In Vaulting World Championships At Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Team USA gold medal winners of the team vaulting competition Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Lexington - Kentucky 2010 © Dirk Caremans
October 10, 2010

Lexington, KY—If you asked the Team USA vaulters how they were feeling this afternoon, they’d answer with a chorus of screams. They feel that good, because they pulled out a come-from-behind win to earn the team gold medal at the Vaulting World Championships, held as part of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

WEG Para Dressage: Great Britain and Germany Share the Gold Medals in Para Dressage Freestyle At 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

October 10, 2010

Lexington, KY — Riders from Great Britain and Germany dominated the freestyle in all five grades of the Para Dressage World Championships at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.  Today’s competition decided the grade IV champion, and it was Great Britain’s Sophie Wells on Pinocchio (78.50%). 

WEG Attendance: Attendance to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Tops Half Million

Attendance to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Tops Half Million

October 10, 2010
LEXINGTON, KY—Day 16—By the closing day of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, total attendance topped half a million.
Sunday’s attendance came in at 38,682, bringing the total for the event to 507,022.
“We are incredibly pleased with the number of spectators who have joined us at the Games over these 16 days,” said World Games 2010 Foundation CEO Jamie Link. “We are overwhelmed with the positive comments and remarks we have received about their experiences on the park, viewing competition, and with our volunteers.  By their measure, these Games have been a great success.”
Daily attendance totals avereaged from 25,000 to 35,000 throughout the event.    The biggest days on the park occurred on October 1, when 46,496 attendees packed the park on a day that concluded in a fantastic Dressage Freestyle competition under the lights of Rolex Stadium; as well as October 2, when Eventing Cross Country brought 50,818 attendees to the grounds.
Attendance was bolstered by several sold-out rounds of competition, including reining, vaulting, and dressage and para-dressage sessions.
Attendance figures include media, athletes, and volunteers who entered the grounds daily, in addition to tickets spectators and children under the age of 12 who did not require a ticket for entry on most days of competition.

WEG Para Dressage: Freestyle Test - Grade IV

Final Freestyle Test - Grade IV results:

1. Sophie Wells (GBR) on Pinocchio                   78.5

2. Michele George (BEL)  on FBW Rainman      78.050

3Frank Hosmar (NED) on Tiesto                                      77.250

WEG Vaulting: Team and Individual Final Results

Vaulting Team and Individual Results are available by following this link:


http://www.alltechfeigames.com/competition/results/ResultsDetail.aspx?calendarId=12&date=1010&round=Freestyle+Final+Team&competition=Vaulting&competitionNumber=11&id=236

WEG Vaulting: Facts, Figures, Quotes

Facts and Figures
12 nations competed in the Vaulting Team Championships
The US team made a great recovery today after their routine fell apart due to an anxious moment for their horse, Palatine, in Friday's first Freestyle competition.
The youngest member of the gold medal winning US team was 14 year old Emily Hogye, the oldest was 34 year old Devon Maitozo.

Quotes:
US longeur, Carolyn Bland, talking about the essential qualities of a good Vaulting horse and about Palatine - "the horse needs to be able to carry himself well under saddle so he can do it on a long-line.  I've been working with Palatine for two years - he's not necessarily Arnold Schwarzenegger, he's more of a slimline horse and it has taken time to put muscle on him, but he's really strong now".

ALLTECH FEI WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES™ - VAULTING CHAMPIONSHIP
Final Team Result - 1 (Gold) USA 8.029; 2 (Silver) Germany 8.010; 3 (Bronze) Austria 7.990.

WEG Vaulting: Audio Interview Links

Vaulting Audio Links:

Devon Maitozo  - Team leader USA  Gold Medalist
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/WEG_Maitozo.mp3

Alex Hartl - Team Leader Germany  Silver  - German Version
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/WEG_Hartl_ger.mp3

WEG Vaulting: USA SCOOPS VAULTING TEAM TITLE - Louise Parkes

The host nation claimed the Team title in the Vaulting Championships at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky, USA today. Pictured on the podium are (centre) USA - gold, (left) Germany - silver, and (right) Austria - bronze.  Photo:  FEI/Kit Houghton.
The host nation held their nerve and really rose to the occasion today to win the Team title in the Vaulting Championships at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky, USA.  On Friday their Freestyle routine fell apart when their horse, Palatine, became anxious in the arena and they had to settle for third place as a result.  But today it all came together beautifully, and to the theme of Romeo and Juliet, with Rosalind Ross and Devon Maitozo playing the lead roles, they rocketed back up the leaderboard to steal gold. 

WEG Driving: Cones Results: Excell (AUS) Wins Gold

Individual results:

Boyd Excell (AUS) Wins gold, IjsbrandChardon (NED) the silver, and Tucker Johnson (USA) takes home the bronze. 


Team Medal results: 
Netherlands - gold, USA - silver, Germany - Bronze


Driving: Obstacle-Cones Competition

Sunday, October 10, 2010   View Course Map
Rank Num Nat Driver/Horses Faults A Time A Faults Drv. Off Time Drv. Off Total Score
1 25 USA
C. WEBER
Boy W/Grumus/Horus du Bois
0 200.42 0 0 0
2 17 USA
J. FAIRCLOUGH
Caletta 5/Celina 6/Charlie Brown
0 203.87 0 0 0

WEG Press Conference: Quotes

October 10, 2010
DAY 16 PRESS CONFERENCE WITH

HRH Princess Haya, FEI President
John Long, CEO United States Equestrian Federation and Board Chairman of the World Games 2010 Foundation
Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech President and Founder
Jamie Link, CEO World Games 2010 Foundation

WEG Princess Haya: Opening remarks for wrap-up Press Conference, 10 October at 9am

HRH Princess Haya

The World Equestrian Games Foundation had a mission statement to stage a Games that were technically, artistically and commercially successful. And there can be no doubt that these Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games here in Kentucky have ticked every one of those boxes.

WEG Vaulting: Mary McCormick Finishes Fourth, Todd Griffiths Places 10th in 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games' Individual Vaulting Finals - by Brian Sosby

Courtesy USEF

October 9, 2010

Lexington, KY -  The Alltech Arena was a sell-out house with old and new fans of the equestrian sport of vaulting as the men's and women's freestyle final was contested at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games on Saturday, October 9. The crowd was treated to the world's best vaulters who put on a fantastic show for a vocal and appreciative audience. The top 15 from each division were invited back to compete for a medal.

WEG Para Dressage: Wentz and Hart Represent U.S. in Para-Equestrian Dressage Freestyles on Saturday - by Erica Larson

Courtesy USEF

October 9, 2010

Lexington, KY - The second day of freestyle competition for the FEI World Para Dressage Championships got underway early this morning with the Grade II and Grade Ib riders. Like in yesterday's competition, the riders all came to win and rode their hearts out to try to claim one of the coveted medals from the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

WEG Driving: U.S. Driving Team in Second After Marathon at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games - by Leah Oliveto

 Courtesy USEF

By Leah Oliveto

Lexington, KY -  After a dressage phase in the Combined Driving Championships that left multiple ties at the top of the leader board, today's marathon course proved to mix things up, as is often the case. The U.S. Driving Team is now sitting in second with a combined score of 300.11, behind The Netherlands on a 273.77. Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) won the marathon phase, charging through the obstacles with speed and precision. He currently sits in second place individually behind Boyd Exell (AUS). Tucker Johnson is now ranked third individually.

WEG Photos: Marathon Fan Photos

To view Marathon Day fan photos please visit the WEG Central Blog 
Many WEG photos available for viewing by clicking on the slide show running at the right.

©2010 by Nan Rawlins/Equimage®

WEG Vaulting: Facts, Figures, and Quotes

Quotes:
Patric Looser "I live in Cologne and train there so I'm not often in Switzerland".
Joanne Eccles "inside the arena my relationship with my father is the relationship of longeur and coach - outside we are father and daughter"

ALLTECH FEI WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES™ - VAULTING CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
Female - 1 (Gold) Joanne Eccles GBR 8.413; 2 (Silver) Antje Hill GER 8.322; 3 (Bronze) Simone Wiegele GER 8.281.
Male - 1 (Gold) Patric Looser SUI 8.498; 2 (Silver) Kai Vorberg GER 8.463; 3 (Bronze) Nicolas Andreani) FRA 8.452.
Full results and startlists at www.alltechfeigames.com

WEG Vaulting: ECCLES AND LOOSER TAKE INDIVIDUAL VAULTING TITLES - by Louise Parkes

Great Britain's Joanne Eccles and Switzerland's Patric Looser claimed the Female and Male Individual titles in the Vaulting Championship at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky, USA today.   Eccles earned the second-highest score in today's Freestyle with her 'Candle in the Wind' routine and this clinched the overall Female gold, having led after yesterday's Technical test.

WEG Jumping: Facts, Figures, and quotes

Facts and Figures
The triple combination, last fence on tonight's eight-fence track, was the bogey fence of the competition.
Eric Lamaze's stallion, Hickstead, took the award for Best Horse after producing four clear rounds.
The horses competing tonight completed nine rounds of jumping during the Jumping Championships at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™

WEG Jumpig: Audio Interview Links

Audio Links are available below.  Click on link or cut and paste into your browser:

WEG Jumping: Le Jeune Rides To Gold In Show Jumping World Championships, presented by Rolex, at Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Philippe Lejeune (BEL) and Vigo d'Arsouilles the nex world champions show jumping Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Lexington - Kentucky 2010 © Hippo Foto - Leanjo de Koster

October 9, 2010

Lexington, KY — After five days of competition, six different courses, and a total of 115 jumps, Belgium’s Philippe Le Jeune took home the gold medal in the Show Jumping World Championships, presented by Rolex, at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.  Aboard all four horses, including with his Vigo D’Arsouilles, Le Jeune was the only rider to finish with 0 faults over tonight’s four rounds.

WEG Vaulting: Eccles And Looser Score Individual Medals in World Vaulting Championships At Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Joanne Eccles (GBR) receives a kiss from her father John (©Nan Rawlins/Equimage®)

October 9, 2010

Lexington, KY—Joanne Eccles gave Great Britain its first-ever World Equestrian Games medal in vaulting, as she won gold in the female individual division of the Vaulting World Championships, held as part of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Patric Looser of Switzerland bested his friend and teacher, Kai Vorberg of Germany, to win the gold medal in the male individual division.

WEG Driving: Quotes

Quotes:
IJsbrand Chardon (NED):
“It was a truly bizarre marathon for me. Before we started the last phase of the marathon I tested the carriage once more. The brakes worked different than usual, but I felt I had to continue. As soon as we started I cleared my mind and I focused on the obstacles. Luckily it went well from the first obstacle and I had a good feeling. Just before the last obstacle I noticed my horses got a little tired and told my son Bram and my wife Paulien who are my grooms that I wanted to take the long route. Bram however told me not to give it away now and to take the short route. I am happy he told me this otherwise I would not have been able to win the marathon and to come so close to Boyd.”

WEG Driving: Standings as of 10-9-2010

Individual Driving stands after dressage and marathon are as follows:

WEG Driving: Audio Interview Links

Audio Links:

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/WEG_Heijden_Eng.mp3
Maarten Van der Heijden  High Performance director Dutch federation  Dutch Version
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/WEG_Heijden_dutch.mp3

Tucker Johnson
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/WEG_Tucker.mp3

WEG Driving: Exell Stays On Top With Fast Marathon In Driving World Championships At Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

Boyd Excell (AUS) maintains his lead into Sunday (©Nan Rawlins/Equimage®)

October 9. 2010

Lexington, KY— Australia’s Boyd Exell drove the day’s third-fastest marathon to maintain the lead he took in the first phase of Driving World Championships at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.  Second-placed Ijsbrand Chardon has put the Dutch team in front (273.77), while third-placed Tucker Johnson is leading the U.S. team’s charge for second place (300.92). Sweden is third (311.24).

WEG Driving: CHARDON FIGHTS BACK IN THE MARATHON - by Cindy Timmer

Ijsbrand CHARDON (NED) moves to 2nd in WEG 2010  Marathon (©Nan Rawlins/Equimage®)



Title defender IJsbrand Chardon fought like a lion in today’s marathon, which he won ahead of Tomas Eriksson (SWE) and winner of the dressage Boyd Exell (AUS). Chardon had been under a lot of stress before the start of the marathon when he discovered his marathon carriage had been damaged. The Ground Jury allowed him to start last in the marathon to give the four-times World Champion enough time to repair his carriage.