Dressage: FEI: FEI DRESSAGE COMMITTEE CONSIDERS FIVE KEY DEVELOPMENTS

FEI PRESS RELEASE
Lausanne (SUI), 23 June 2011

The FEI Dressage Committee discussed several issues at its meeting in Paris (FRA) earlier this month and the following five key developments were decided upon.

Blood rule
The committee proposed a new blood rule explicitly stating that the test would be stopped if blood appears anywhere on the horse.

At top level events (Olympic Games, Championships and Finals for seniors), where FEI vets will be present at the warm-up arena, they would examine the horse and the test would resume if bleeding from minor injuries had stopped.

If the bleeding had not stopped, the horse would be eliminated. Where vets are not present to examine the horse, bleeding would result in immediate elimination.

The FEI’s Vet Committee and Legal Department are considering the proposal for this rule, which would sit in Article 430.7.1. or Article 440 of the Rules for Dressage Events, which can be viewed here.

As always, rule revisions will be presented for National Federation approval at the FEI General Assembly in November for implementation on 1 January 2012.

Protective headgear
The FEI Medical Committee has recommended making protective headgear mandatory across all disciplines when riding at show grounds outside competition arenas.

At its meeting, the Dressage Committee discussed making protective headgear mandatory everywhere on the showgrounds except during competition and warm-up prior to competition, and except for athletes under 18 and in Young Horse classes where it would be mandatory everywhere including during the test.

A draft rule is being prepared for the next committee meeting on 2 August. This would then go forward to the General Assembly for approval and implementation on 1 January 2012.

FEI World Cup™ Dressage
At its meeting in Lausanne (SUI) last month, the FEI Bureau approved the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Western European League qualifiers for the 2012/2013 season and the Final in Gothenburg (SWE):

Odense (DEN) 19 October 2012
Lyon (FRA) 31 October 2012
Stuttgart (GER) 14 November 2012
Stockholm SWE) 30 November 2012
London (GBR) 18 December 2012
Amsterdam (NED) 17 January 2013
Neumünster (GER) 14 February 2013
s’Hertogenbosch (NED) 21 March 2013
Gothenburg (SWE) 24 April 2013 (Final)

Revision of Dressage Tests
A working group consisting of international Dressage judge Katrina Wüst, former Olympian Margit Otto-Crepin and international trainer David Hunt has been created to review Senior tests for 1 January 2013 and other tests for 1 January 2014.

Ponies
The FEI has invited the Chef d’Equipes and national pony trainers to a meeting at the FEI European Championships for Ponies in Poland (26-31 July). Following this meeting Trond Asmyr, FEI Director Dressage, will advise on the future formula for the European Championships. A working group led by Katrina Wüst will review the pony tests.

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Eventing: HSBC: Mary King Tops the HSBC Rankings

Mary King (GBR), the first rider to wear the red and white armband featuring “HSBC Eventing World Rankings Leader”.

 
HSBC, in partnership with the FEI, has created a rider armband to identify the current leader in the HSBC Rankings.

The red and white armband featuring “HSBC Eventing World Rankings Leader” will be debuted by Mary King (GBR), remaining with her for as long as she stays at the top of the HSBC Rankings. The armband will be passed on if King is overtaken in the rankings.

In a further initiative, the rider at the top of the HSBC Rankings at the end of the 2011 Eventing season will receive a 50,000 USD bonus.

Mary King, Rolex Kentucky winner and runner-up, currently leads the HSBC Rankings with 634 points – a single point ahead of compatriot William Fox-Pitt (633). Andrew Nicholson (NZL) is third with 506 points.

As the HSBC Rankings are announced on the first day of every month, all eyes at the beginning of August will be on who will be wearing the new armband at the HSBC FEI European Championships 2011 in Luhmühlen (25-28 August).

“I think this is a lovely way for fans to follow the rankings and easily see who the leading rider is,” said Mary King, HSBC World Rankings leading rider for July. “I’m delighted to be wearing it for the first time and hope to be sporting it again this season.”

“Our elite Eventing riders have all been on song this season - it’s been thrilling to watch and is creating immense excitement in the run up to London 2012,” said Catrin Norinder, Director of the FEI’s Eventing & Olympic Department. “Mary King’s performances this season, and especially at the second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™ at Rolex Kentucky, are extraordinary and we’re looking forward to a great summer of sport.”

The HSBC Rankings were launched in 2008, when HSBC became the global sponsor of FEI Eventing.

This latest initiative follows HSBC’s decision to renew its support for a further three-year term to include title sponsorships of HSBC FEI Classics™ until the end of 2013 and of the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships in 2011 and 2013.

View the HSBC Rankings here and read about HSBC’s involvement with the FEI and equestrian sports here.
 

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Eventing: USEF: Additional Rider Added to USEF Eventing Developing Rider List By Helen Murray

July 1, 2011

Lexington, KY - The USEF has updated the Developing Rider List based on spring performances so far in 2011. Riders will be invited to participate in training sessions with USEF Technical Advisor Capt. Mark Phillips at competitions throughout the summer and fall seasons in preparation for the 2011 Pan American Games and 2012 Olympic Games. An additional rider was added to the Developing Rider List on June 30, 2011.

Name/Age/Hometown

The following riders have been named to the Developing Rider List:

Lainey Ashker/27/Glen Allen, VA (Added June 30, 2011)
 Emily Beshear/33/Somerset, VA
Anna Collier/35/Ridgefield, WA
Tiana Coudray/22/Ojai, CA
Jon Holling/34/Ocala, FL
Max McManamy/19/Templeton, CA
Heather Morris/31/Lewisville, TX
Alexandra Slusher/24/Auburn, CA
Tami Smith/35/Murieta, CA
Lynn Symansky/28/Middleburg, VA
Sharon White/37/Summit Point, WV

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British News: Funding opportunities for talented riders in England

1 July 2011

Up and coming young riders based in England can now seek the benefit of two British Equestrian Federation (BEF) managed programmes to help them succeed in their goals to be the stars of tomorrow.  A new BEF Excel Talent Programme, built on the success of the Regional Foundation squads, launches this summer with applications opening in August. Meanwhile the established Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme opens its doors for a new round of funding applications from July 1st.

Young athletes with ambitions to reach the top as a show jumping, dressage, para-equestrian dressage or event rider are encouraged to apply.

BEF England Excel Talent Programme

The Excel Talent Programme will offer support and guidance for up and coming riders by offering a tailored pathway to support future sporting success. The Programme, which has been set up through funding from Sport England, will provide riders with the opportunity to access top equestrian specialists including coaches, physiotherapists, vets and nutritionists via a series of high quality performance camps.

The revised, nationalised format will allow the BEF to provide a heightened level of expertise to that available in the Regional Foundation squads, so aiding riders’ development as all-round athletes. Excel Talent Programme managers are working closely with British Dressage, British Eventing and British Showjumping to ensure they add value to what is already on offer through the disciplines.

30 year old Vicky Barrick from Epping is a Grade II para-equestrian dressage rider and a member of the East Midlands Foundation Squad. Vicky has enjoyed a recent run of success with her horse Trust Smartie and attributes her rise in form to the coaching she received through the current programme: “Being on the Foundation Squad has helped me no end, both on and off the horse.  I have been given so many opportunities to learn about all aspects of training and competing; it has taught me not to be a passenger but to be a rider and thanks to the squad training my percentage scores have gone from the 60's to the 70's which is amazing. Being part of a team has been fantastic and I've made some great friends. I’ll definitely be applying for the Excel Talent Programme which sounds like it will offer even more support than before.”

Head of BEF Regional Development Maggie Still added: “The new Excel Talent Programme is born out of the success of the Regional Foundation Programmes. Quality has always been a hallmark of the scheme but now we need to focus the resources that we have on those riders who are close to the World Class pathway. Excel will still enable us to identify talent at a regional level but help us channel our resources into delivering even higher standards of training to take riders to the top.”

Applications open on Monday 1st August and riders should be between 16 and 24 years old on first application. Further information and selection criteria can now be viewed on the BEF website.

TASS

Applications for the Talented Athlete Scholarship Programme (TASS) for equestrian sport launches today (1st July), remaining open until Friday 29th July 2011. Riders from dressage, eventing, para-equestrian dressage and showjumping are invited to apply.

Now in its eighth year, the Government funded programme assists Great Britain’s most talented young athletes who wish to optimise the effectiveness of their sport and their academic programmes. The TASS programme aims to provide a seamless transition for riders, filling the gaps in current provision between the World Class Programmes as well as providing a stepping stone for 'non-funded' riders into the World Class Start, Potential and Performance Programmes.

It enables them to take advantage of a scheme that will propel them towards Olympic medals, whilst ensuring that they can fulfil their academic potential alongside their sporting ambitions. This system is driven through partnership working between Higher Education Institutions, Further Education Colleges National Governing Bodies of Sport and other sports organisations.

The following criteria are used to determine eligibility for the Programme:

• Aged between 15 (16 by 1st June 2012) – 25 years (35 for para-equestrian riders)
• Recognised from performance profile to be a potential future international winner
• Commitment to an agreed annual training programme
• Commitment to an agreed annual competition programme (where applicable)
• Meet minimum academic entry requirements
• Studying at/with an organisation based in England

For more information about the programme and for an application form please visit www.bef.co.uk

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Eventing: World Cup: JUNG ROCKETS TO THIRD PLACE IN FEI WORLD CUP EVENTING RANKINGS

Reigning World Champion Michael Jung (GER) has established his position in the 2011 FEI World Cup™ Eventing rankings after Strzegom (POL), the fourth leg of the series.

FEI PRESS RELEASE
Lausanne (SUI), 28 June 2011

Reigning World Champion Michael Jung (GER) has established his position on the 2011 FEI World Cup™ Eventing rankings after scoring an emphatic one-two at Strzegom (POL), the fourth leg of the series.

In a remarkable record, Jung, the reigning Series Champion from 2010 and winner of the 2009 FEI World Cup™ Eventing Final in Strzegom was winning at this leading Polish venue for the third consecutive time.

The German rider was in first and second position throughout the competition, only swapping the order of his horses in the final phase when Leopin, which had been re-routed after retiring the previous weekend in Luhmühlen CCI4*, jumped clear to take the top spot. Leopin was the only horse to achieve the optimum Cross Country time and, with his faultless Jumping round, was the only horse in the competition to complete on his Dressage score.

The Cross-Country leader, La Biosthetique Sam, the brilliant horse on which Jung won individual gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ last year, as well as the Luhmühlen CCI4*, the FEI World Cup™ Eventing Final and a European bronze medal in 2009, faulted just once in the final phase to drop to second place.

Jung has now rocketed into third place in the FEI World Cup™ Eventing rankings. With just three events left to run, he has to score another win, at Minsk (BLR), Malmö (SWE) or Haras du Pin (FRA), to overtake the series leader Clarke Johnstone (NZL) and claim the major share of the prize-pot.

German-based Japanese rider Yoshiaki Oiwa, who has made a great recovery after his injury in a freak riding accident, finished third and sixth at Strzegom. He now needs to score a win, or two top placings, to feature in the top three of the FEI World Cup™ Eventing rankings.

An impressive total of 11 nations featured at Strzegom, with 24 of the 32 starters completing the competition and 17 jumping clear across country, but the major disappointment for the home nation was the withdrawal overnight of Pawel Spisak (POL) from fifth place on his top horse Weriusz.

Photo Catalogue: images for editorial purposes are available free of charge from www.feiphotos.org

Results
1.Michael Jung/Leopin (GER) 42.4 + 0.0 + 0 = 42.4
2.Michael Jung/La Biosthetique Sam (GER) 409 + 1.2 + 4 = 46.1
3.Yoshiaki Oiwa/Noonday de Conde (JAP) 47.8 + 4.4 + 0 = 52.2
4.Andreas Dibowski/FRH Fantasia (GER) 46.6 + 6.4 + 4 = 55.0
5.Merel Blom/Rumor Haz It (GER) 49.3 + 9.8 + 8 = 66.9
6.Yoshiaki Oiwa/Gorgeous George (JAP) 55.4 + 0.8 + 12 = 68.2
7.Robert Sirch/Killcross (GER) 55.4 + 14.4 + 0 = 69.8
8.Patrizia Attinger/Raumalpha (GER) 60.9 + 8.0 + 4 = 72.9

FEI World Cup™ Eventing Standings (after 4 of 7 events)
1.Clarke Johnstone (NZL) 118
2.Chris Burton (AUS) 108
3.Michael Jung (GER) 79
4.Shane Rose (AUS) 70
5.Yoshiaki Oiwa (JAP) 66
6.Emily Baldwin (GBR) 41
7.Ruth Edge (GBR) 38
8.Sarah Cohen (GBR) 36
9.Stuart Tinney (AUS) 34
10.Andreas Dibowski (GER) 34

To view the standings online, please click here.

FEI World Cup™ Eventing Calendar for 2011
1.Kihikihi (NZL), 07-10 April 2011
2.Sydney (AUS), 06-08 May 2011
3.Chatsworth (GBR), 14-15 May 2011
4.Strzegom (POL), 23-26 June 2011
5.Minsk (BLR), 13-17 July 2011
6.Malmö (SWE), 05-07 August 2011
7.Le Pin au Haras (FRA), 18-21 August 2011

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