Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Reining: Kentucky: Win Tickets to the Premiere Reining Event

Kentucky Equine Research (KER) is teaming up with the promoters of the inaugural Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup to give 20 pairs of tickets to lucky fans to attend the April 29-30 CRI5* reining event, or the first-ever World Championship Reining Freestyle competition.

Visit KER's Facebook page for instructions on how to enter.

The Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in the evenings during the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. It will feature the world's best reining competitors, including the four members of the winning team from last year's Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

The World Championship Freestyle marks the first time that the title of "world champion" will be awarded in freestyle reining, a consistent crowd favorite. The event's $25,000 prize money also marks the largest purse for a reining freestyle anywhere in the world.

"In 2010, the world turned its attention to the Kentucky Horse Park for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games," said Christina Gray, director of competition for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. "We are ready for that attention again as we welcome back riders who participated in the Games as well as an impressive roster of Olympians, past champions, and legends in the sports of reining and three-day eventing."

Buy tickets now. Tickets for both nights are open seating, so buy your tickets soon and plan to arrive early!

For more information about the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup visit www.kentuckyreining.com. For more information about Kentucky Equine Research visit www.ker.com or www.Equinews.com.

Jumping: Leipzing: USEF: Beezie Madden Kicks Off the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany - By Helen Murray

Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo.
Photo by Rebecca Walton/PMG

Leipzig, Germany - Beezie Madden kicked off the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final with a win for the U.S. Wednesday morning in the Opening Competition.  Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo bested the field of 24 as the only combination to jump faultlessly in the first round.

Madden (Cazenovia, NY) was the first U.S. rider in the ring and set the tone immediately. The Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Coral Reef Ranch jumped carefully yet efficiently overFrank Rothenberger's 11-obstacle course.

"She felt good, fresh, but that's why I did this class. I knew that she would be fresh, and she jumped very well and everything went great," said Madden of her mare's winning effort.

In the jump-off held immediately after her initial round, Madden chose to jump a more conservative round, leaving all the poles in place but collecting four time faults. However, this would prove immaterial as no other combination was able to replicate their fault-free first round.

Madden will give Coral Reef Via Volo's stable mate, Danny Boy, a chance to jump in the 2011 Final tomorrow.

"I'm going to use Danny Boy the first day of the World Cup tomorrow, and then decide after that which horse to continue riding. We'll see how he goes tomorrow and then decide the rest, but I probably will be switching at some point."

Five trips after Madden, Ashlee Bond (Hidden Hills, CA) and Little Valley Farms' Chivas Z completed a powerful round. The Zangersheide gelding got strong down the vertical to oxer line at three and four, having a rail at both to finish with eight faults.

McLain Ward and Grant Road Partners' Antares F were the final combination for the U.S. Ward elected to jump a shortened course with the exciting grey gelding, retiring after the vertical at seven. The pair had jumped immaculately over the first part of the course, including jumping well-clear of the standards at the Rolex double, fence 6A and B.

All 10 American riders will compete in tomorrow's first leg of the World Cup Final, which is scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. CET in Hall One of the Leipzig Exhibition Center.

EY Cup
This afternoon the six American riders that contested the Opening Competition of the EY Cup proved the future of the sport in the U.S. shines brightly. With three of the top four placings being held by U.S. riders, the American contingent proved they were on a mission in Leipzig over Frank Rothenberger's tricky course.
Katie Dinan and Vancouver.
Photo by Alyson Sanderford/PMG.
Katie Dinan rode Grant Road Partners' Vancouver to a strong second-place finish, jumping clear and stopping the clock at 56.16 seconds. Dinan gave the New Zealand Thoroughbred cross gelding a tactful ride, executing direct and efficient lines throughout the course.

The New York City native could not have been more pleased with her first ride in Leipzig. "It was really great to have my first horse go so well and according to our plan.  I was a little nervous to come, it's a lot of new stuff and my horse couldn't have been better.  I think he knew it was important.  Hopefully, he'll keep it up!"

Dinan returned to the ring with Grant Road Partners' Belle Dame D later in the class and nearly bested her first performance. The pair was poised to take over second place until they just rolled the front rail of the oxer at 7B.

Cayla Richards (Calabasas, CA) and her own Valentine were close on Dinan's heels in third place. They crossed the timers in 56.60 seconds after a very forward yet careful clear round. Richards was another member of the American squad to bring two horses to the EY Cup in order to gain international experience. Later in the class, Faustino collected eight faults after having rails at fences 5 and 6, but Richards was delighted with the mileage she is getting in Leipzig.

"I came here for the great experience, but to be in the ribbons was really incredibly exciting for me!" she said.

Caitlin Ziegler and Artisan Farms' VDL Groep Camara galloped to a strong finish to collect fourth-place honors. Ziegler's first ride of the day was on Valencia, also owned by Artisan Farms, with unlucky rails at the first and eighth fences. They finished on a score of eight faults. However, Ziegler was able to use this experience to guide VDL Groep Camara to a clear and efficient round.

The 16-year-old from Mequon, WI, is thrilled to be in Leipzig with the other American Young Riders. "Being here is so exciting.  It's pressure in a way that drives you to do well, and it's really nice to be here with everyone from the U.S.  Everyone rode really well," she said.

Audrey Coulter of San Francisco, CA, was the fastest of the four-fault riders and was in position to take over the top spot with Coppernicus Stables' Rodenburgh's California until a rail fell at the second to last. Coulter also collected four faults with the big striding grey mare Victory Da, after rolling the rail at fence eight.

Charlotte Jacobs (East Aurora, NY) led off the American effort, riding North Star's Umberto. Despite this being the pair's first competition together, they looked very much in sync. An unfortunate rail jumping out of the double at four blotted an otherwise classy round. Jacobs would return to the ring later with the veteran Promised Land, owned by Candy Tribble and Windsor Stables, collecting eight faults after just touching rails at 4B and 9.

Reed Kessler and her own Ligist cantered into the ring looking determined to lay down a quick trip for the U.S. An uncharacteristic 16 faults kept them from the top placings, but they look to rebound in tomorrow's EY Cup class.

The EY Cup is scheduled to continue tomorrow (Thursday) in Hall Three of the Leipzig Exhibition Center with the first horse in the ring at 5:45 p.m. CEST.

Watch live action from the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final on http://www.feitv.com/

For news, videos, photos, blogs and results please visit: http://usefnetwork.com/2011FEIWCFinals/

Details about the Finals are available here: http://www.engarde.de/events/index.php?eventID=65

Jumping: Leipzig: SCHRODER STARTS THE ACTION IN ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING FINAL by Louise Parkes

ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING FINAL 2010/2011
Leipzig (GER), 27 April 2011


The Netherlands' Gerco Schroder will be first into the ring as the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final gets underway in Leipzig, Germany tomorrow afternoon.  A total of 43 riders will compete for the coveted title which crowns the champion of the indoor international jumping season and which draws the best horse-and-rider combinations from all around the world.

The order-of-go in the first of the three deciding competitions is as follows:

1, Eurocommerce New Orleans (Gerco Schroder) NED;
2, Tristan (Kirsten Coe) USA;
3, Ulysse (Pius Schwizer) SUI;
4, Regina Z (Harrie Smolders) NED;
5, Cash (Marco Kutscher) GER;
6, Taloubet Z (Christian Ahlmann) GER;
7, Winningmood (Luciana Diniz) POR;
8, Lucie (Lars Nieberg) GER;
9, Abbervail Van Het Dingeshof (Denis Lynch) IRL;
10, Athena (Charlie Jayne) USA;
11, Ballade Van Het Indihoff (Brianne Goutal) USA;
12, G&C Quick Star (Pablo Barrios) VEN;
13, Cevo Socrates (Edwina Alexander) AUS;
14, Rocketman 2 (Vladimir Beletsky) RUS;
15, Cristallo (Richard Spooner) USA;
16, Rothchild (McLain Ward) USA;
17, Souvenir (Philipp Weishaupt) GER;
18, Cadett 7 (Ashlee Bond) USA;
19, Ulrike R (Gunnar Klettenberg) EST;
20, Wisconsin (Sergio Alvarez Moya) ESP;
21, H&M Tornesch (Malin Baryard-Johnsson) SWE;
22, Wonderboy III (Ahmad Saber Hamcho) SYR;
23, Napoli du Ry (Simon Delestre) FRA;
24, BMC Van Grunsven Sim (Jeroen Dubbeldam) NED;
25, Indigo (Margie Engle) USA;
26, Utopia (John Perez) COL; 27, Hickstead (Eric Lamaze) CAN;
28, Leonard (Jose Alberto Martinez Vazquez) MEX;
29, Danny Boy (Beezie Madden) USA;
30, Cinnamon (Tilt Kivisild) EST;
31, Shutterfly (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) GER;
32, Sabrina (Marcus Ehning) GER;
33, Delphi (Katie McVean) NZL;
34, Seldana di Campalto (Abdullah Al Sharbatly) KSA;
35, Tinka's Serenade (Billy Twomey) IRL;
36, Flexible (Rich Fellers) USA;
37, Silvana de Hus (Kevin Staut) FRA;
38, Coupe de Coeur (Ludger Beerbaum) GER;
39, Tomba (Eduardo Menezes) BRA;
40, Casall La Silla (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) SWE;
41, Snowyriver II (Daisuke Kawaguchi) JPN;
42, Uwwalon (Michelle Spadone) USA;
43, Chico Z (Yuri Mansur Guerios) BRA.

The eventual winner will need to be well-placed after tomorrow's opening speed class which is followed by a Table A competition with a timed jump-off on Friday. The top two-thirds of competitors will then go forward to Sunday's two-round final from which the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion for 2010/2011 will emerge.

For the first time in the history of equestrian sport, the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage, FEI World Cup™ Driving and the inaugural FEI World Cup™ Vaulting will take place under one roof in Leipzig (27 April to 1 May), bringing together four world-class disciplines for a fabulous festival of sport.

Watch high quality, uninterrupted LIVE coverage of the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final on FEI TV according to the following timetable:

Thursday 28 April
Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final I - starts 15.15 CEST

Friday 29 April
Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final II - starts 14.40 CEST

Sunday 1 May
Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping III - starts 13.40 CEST

Listen to links with competitors Malin Baryard-Johnsson (SWE) and Billy Twomey (IRL) -
Malin Bayard-Johnsson  - English

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/LEI_Malin_prev.MP3

Malin Bayard-Johnsson  - Swedish

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/LEI_Malin_swe.MP3

Billy Twomey

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/LEI_Twomey.MP3