Thursday, March 31, 2011

Hunters: Wellington: WEF: Jersey Boy and Jennifer Alfano Steal the Show in the Sanctuary High Performance Working Hunters

For Immediate Release 
Brooke Bidgood for Equestrian Sport Productions

 Wellington, FL - March 31, 2011 - It is the last Thursday of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, and with it came numerous championships awarded in the various Green Hunter divisions, which are wrapping up this afternoon. The Sanctuary High Performance Working Hunter division was among those divisions coming to a close today. With a total of nine entries in the division, Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy took home the tricolor honor in their first and only week at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.

Jumping: Wellington: WEF: Chris Kappler and VDL Dundee Triumph in $2,500 Charles Owen 1.35m Jumpers

Chris Kappler and VDL Dundee won the $2,500 Charles Owen 1.35m during week 12 at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com

For Immediate Release
Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL - March 31, 2011 -Chris Kappler and VDL Dundee earned a win in the $2,500 Charles Owen 1.35m Jumpers this morning during the twelfth and final week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Held in the DeNemethy Ring of the beautiful Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, the class featured a course set by Pierre Jolicoeur of Wellington, FL. Kappler and VDL Dundee bested a field of 22 to earn the top prize.

Eventing: USEF: Update Regarding USEF Search for Eventing Chef d'Equipe/Technical Advisor By Joanie Morris


Lexington, KY - Following their Committee Meeting on March 29, the Eligible Eventing Athletes Committee decided that they would like to have another opportunity to interview the two short-listed candidates for the position of U.S. Eventing Chef d'Equipe/Technical Advisor, which becomes available in 2013. Leslie Law and David O'Connor were named to the Short List by a Search Committee earlier this month.  The Eligible Eventing Athletes Committee considered the applicants and decided they wanted to do more research before they made their recommendation to the Eventing High Performance Committee. The Eligible Eventing Athletes Committee and the High Performance Training Listed Riders will have the opportunity to meet with and interview Law and O'Connor during The Fork Horse Trials in a closed session to be held in Norwood, NC April 6-10.

Nine applications for this position were received by the USEF. The Search Committee reviewed the applications, and of those, interviewed six. After those interviews, Law and O'Connor were short-listed. The USEF hosted an Open Forum at the Red Hills International Horse Trials on March 10, where Law and O'Connor made presentations and answered questions from the eventing athletes. More information about this forum is available here: http://usef.org/_IFrames/newsdisplay/viewPR.aspx?id=6758&star=true.

Following the Forum at Red Hills, the Search Committee recommended both candidates to the Eligible Eventing Athletes Committee and the Eventing High Performance Committee for their consideration.

Bobby Costello and Phillip Dutton withdrew their joint application for this position on Monday, March 28. Dutton, as Vice-Chair of the Eligible Eventing Athletes Committee, is now chairing this committee in Amy Tryon's absence.  

"We look forward to another round of interviews with Leslie and David at the Fork," said Dutton. "We want to ask them some more questions in an easier environment for those participating. We are also reviewing other applicants that were not short-listed by the Search Committee and are considering them as well."

The USEF Search Committee for Eventing Chef d'Equipe/Technical Advisor:
Eric Straus, Chair
Kevin Freeman
Mike Huber
George Morris
Katie Prudent
Amy Tryon
Kim Severson

The USEF Eventing Eligible Athletes Committee:
Amy Tryon, Chair
Phillip Dutton, Vice-Chair
Stephen Bradley
Jan Byyny
Buck Davidson
Lauren Hart O'Brien
Becky Holder
Marcia Kulak
Bonnie Mosser
Karen O'Connor*           
Kim Severson

* Recused

The USEF High Performance Eventing Committee:
Robert Costello, Chair
Jane Atkinson
Derek DiGrazia
Phillip Dutton
Mike Huber
Roger Haller
Karen O'Connor*
Marilyn Payne
Kim Severson
Amy Tryon
Jo Whitehouse

* Recused

ENDS

If you have any questions regarding the process, please don't hesitate to contact Sara Ike at sara.ike@usef.org.

Jumping: Wellington: WEF: Laura Chapot and Umberto Rush to $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumper Victory

Laura Chapot and Umberto won the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m during week 12 at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com

For Immediate Release
Jennifer Wood for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL - March 30, 2011 - In the closing week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers were the first class in the International Arena. Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ, rode Umberto, owned by Mary Chapot, to victory.

Week 12 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival is the final week and runs through Sunday, April 3. The week's feature events will include the $20,000 Junior/Amateur Jumper Zone Team Competition Final on Friday at 7 p.m., Round 1 of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on Friday at 2 p.m., Round 2 of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on Saturday at 7 p.m., and the Finals for the Adequan Young Jumpers on Sunday.

The $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby will be webcast live on USEF Network and can be seen here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/WEFDerby2011/.

In the jumpers this morning, the course was designed by Anthony D'Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY. There were 15 entries in the class and seven of them were clear in the speed format. The fastest over the course was Laura Chapot on Umberto, who crossed the timers in 64.868 seconds. They were faster by four seconds over second place finishers, Nick Novak and YB Blue, who finished in 68.036 seconds. Third place went to Charlie Jayne on Sylvester, owned by Alex Jayne. They had a time of 68.727 seconds.

Umberto has been placing well in the 1.40m classes this circuit, but this was his first time showing at 1.45m. Chapot said, "I'm really happy with him. He stepped up to the plate and proved he could do it. When you go in the 1.40m speed, they're always very competitive and you really have to take some chances and go pretty fast. He's just a fast horse in general. Even doing the same track and numbers with another horse, he tends to be just a little bit faster. It's just the way he moves. He's deceptively fast."

On her round today, she commented, "I really didn't know how quick the class was going to be. I felt like I should just take a few chances and go for it a little bit, and hope everyone else had a hard time catching him. I just rode my plan and let his speed carry him."

The Chapots found Umberto, a nine-year-old KWPN gelding by Celano x Roderik, through grand prix rider Cian O'Connor in Ireland. They imported him just two months ago. Chapot smiled, "We actually just saw him on a videotape and he sent him over. We didn't even go over there to try him. We took a little bit of a risk that it would work out, and it's so far, so good!"

Chapot said that Umberto is fitting in well to her string of horses. "He's extremely careful and has a lot of speed, which I love. It's more my type of ride," she acknowledged. "Right now he's fitting in quite well. I think we're going to take our time and try and move him up gradually. I don't know what the end game is with him, but I think if we're smart about the way we manage him, who knows what he could turn out to do."

The twelfth and final week of competition will continue tomorrow with the Charles Owen 1.35m Jumpers in the DeNemethy Ring at 9 a.m.

For full results please visit www.showgroundslive.com and for more information, visit www.equestriansport.com.

Final Results: $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m
1 UMBERTO LAURA CHAPOT     MARY CHAPOT: 0/64.868
2 YB BLUE NICK NOVAK     NICK NOVAK: 0/68.036
3 SYLVESTER CHARLIE JAYNE    ALEX JAYNE: 0/68.727
4 S & L SLINGBACK DARRAGH KERINS    S&L FARM: 0/71.109
5 AMIS DE KANNAN ANNE KURSINSKI    TRESTLE TREE FARM: 0/71.480
6 WILSON JAVIER SALVADOR    JAVIER SALVADOR: 0/73.179
7 QUIPIT L.F. RAGAN ROBERTS    QUIPIT GROUP: 0/78.494
8 OBE WILLIAM SIMPSON    ANNE FRANKEL: 4/64.194
9 QUELQU'UN DE LA MUSARDIERE BETH UNDERHILL    CHRISTOPHER CULLEN: 4/72.866
10 KEEP IT SIMPLE HANNAH ISOP    TRACY FREELS: 4/3.026
11 CHESTERFIELD JONATHON MILLAR    DK-USA SPORTHORSE: 4/75.793
12 ROLLS LJUBOV KOCHETOVA    LJUBOV KOCHETOVA: 4/82.900


Reining: Strong Entries in Principle Inaugural FEI Reining World Final


Malmö, Sweden – March 30, 2011 – The Organizing Committee of the FEI Reining World Final announced today that Entries in Principle for the 2011 event will be the strongest in the sport’s history.  With intended participation from 20 nations, the WRF will be held at the renowned equestrian facility of Bökeberg, just outside of Malmö, Sweden, offering several days of FEI Reining classes and the $100,000 FEI World Reining Final on May 21, 2011.

The FEI Reining World Final is a reinvention of the old FEI World Reining Masters. Each National Federation may send athletes to compete on behalf of their country in the annual championship with national pride, prize money and the individual title of World Reining Champion at stake.  “Malmö 2011” will represent the first time that the annual individual final has been held outside North America since 2005.

Nations that have indicated they intend to field athletes include:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Israel
Italy
The Netherlands
Norway
Poland
South Africa
Spain
Sweden (host nation)
Switzerland
United States of America


Reining is a sport born of the American West with maneuvers similar to those a working ranch horse might have been asked to perform on day-to-day tasks.  Today, the sport has exploded around the world as the level of technical sophistication and horsemanship style has evolved into an intricate and beautiful display of power and finesse.

Now represented on six continents and in more than 40 nations, the sport of Reining is an internationally-approved event under the FEI, the international governing body for equestrian sport. The incredible success of the sport at the recent 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) gave Reining significant momentum for continued growth worldwide.

The FEI Reining World Final official event website is available at www.Malmo2011.com and includes schedules, competitor resources, hotels, facilities, ticket information and much more. Sponsorship opportunities are available for a select number of interested stakeholders.  For more information on the 2011 FEI Reining World Final, please contact Brad Ettleman of HorsePower, Inc., the official Organizing Committee, by e-mail at Brad@HPowerInc.com, or by phone at: (+1) 720.982.3574.

The Fédération Équestre Internationale is the single international governing body for equestrian sport and the official Federation reporting to the International Olympic Committee on behalf of equestrianism.  The primary mission of the FEI is to advance the orderly growth of equestrian sport worldwide by promoting, regulating and administering humane and sportsmanlike international competition in the traditional equestrian disciplines.  For more information about the FEI, go to:  www.FEI.org

USEF News: This Week in International Disciplines

From the USEF Communications Department

Dressage

American dressage rider Catherine Haddad capitalized on an eighth place finish in the Freestyle at the final Reem Acra/FEI Western European League World Cup Qualifier in s' Hertogenbosch, to earn a trip to the Final on Winyamaro. Haddad, who is based in Germany, has had consistent results throughout Europe at these important Qualifiers and will be representing the United States in Leipzig, Germany at the 2011 Reem Acra/FEI World Cup Final April 27 - May 1. 

Please visit the USEF World Cup Final page for more information:  http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldressage/WorldCupTM.aspx 

Details about the Final are available here: www.engarde.de 

In Florida, the last CDI of the spring season took place in Loxahatchee at the International Horse Sport Champions Cup CDI*/3*. Arlene (Tuny) Page and her rising star Alina won the CDI3* Grand Prix for Freestyle with a score of 67.532% and went on to secure a win in their first Grand Prix Freestyle outing, scoring 72.650%. In the Grand Prix for Special James Koford rode Rhett to the win on a score of 67.489%. Susan Dutta and Currency DC improved on their fourth place finish in the Grand Prix to win the Special on a score of 67.021%, just ahead of Koford and Shannon Dueck (CAN). 

The small tour saw a large field of competitors in the CDI*. Cesar Parra and Grandioso dominated all weekend, winning the Prix St. Georges with a 71.579%, the Intermediaire I with a 73.114% and the Intermediaire I Freestyle with a 73.950%. 

For complete results please visit http://www.ihspb.com/schedule.htm.

Driving
Joe Yoder Receives his First National Championship Trophy
Pics of You Photo

 USEF National Champions were crowned at the Live Oak International CAI
in Ocala, FL. Joe Yoder built acommanding lead over the three phases and won the USEF National Pairs Championship - his first National title. With a second place dressage effort, a narrow margin of victory in the marathon and three balls down in the cones - Yoder bested Alan Aulson, who was second and Kathrin Dancer, third for top honors.

In the USEF National Single Pony Championship, Shelly Temple drove LR Ami B-Line to a narrow victory over Suzy Stafford to score her second consecutive (and third overall) win in the division. Temple finished on 124.6 and Stafford on 127.05 making it the closest championship of the weekend. Randy Cadwell was third.

Jennifer Matheson won her second consecutive USEF National Pair Pony Championship, winning the dressage and maintaining her advantage over Katie Whaley. Elizabeth Keathley was third.

Jennifer Matheson on Course at Live Oak
Pics of You Photo
Lisa Stroud was a one woman/four pony machine in the USEF National Pony Team Championship winning for the sixth consecutive year as the only entry in the Championship.

In the non-Championship FEI divisions, Marcie Quist drove to victory in the Single Horse division, over 2009 winner Robin Groves. Nifty Hamilton was third.

Chester Weber swept the Four-in-Hand division, winning at every turn. Josh Rector was second and Darryl Billing was third.

Competition coverage is available here: http://usefnetwork.com/2011DrivingNatlChamps/ 

Weber also formally retired 2008 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year, Jamaica before his hometown fans. Read more about Jamaica: http://usef.org/_IFrames/newsdisplay/viewPR.aspx?id=6851

Jumping

Laura Kraut and Cedric scored the biggest win of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival flying to victory in the $5000,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix CSI5* in Wellington, FL. The diminutive gray gelding out-ran 15 other horses in the jump-off and stopped the clock at 35.861 to beat his teammate from the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Quick Study - ridden by Lauren Hough. Kraut and Hough have both scored in some of the biggest classes of the Florida circuit, so it was fitting that they went one-two in the final class. Both veterans head to Europe for the summer months. 

See photos, results and watch the entire jump-off here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/FTIGrandPrix2011/.