Sunday, June 19, 2011

Jumping: USEF: Young Riders: Hagen: American Ricky Neal and Transmission Finish European Young Rider Tour With CSIOY Hagen Grand Prix Victory - By Joanie Morris

Hagen, Germany - Ricky Neal saved his best performance of the U.S. Show Jumping Young Rider European Tour for the CSIOY Hagen Grand Prix. And the 19-year-old was rewarded with a major victory on Transmission. He topped a strong field of 48 competitors to take the top spot over Stephanie van den Brink and Wapper from the Netherlands and Germany's Andreas Kreuzer on Kanazia.

The top eight from the first round went forward to the jump-off and Neal flew to victory over the short course with a time of 44.62 on his 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. He was more than a second faster than van den Brink.

The U.S. Young Rider team tied for third with Germany in the CSIYO Nations Cup. Catherine Pasmore on My Boy 18, Karen Polle on What Ever 11, Reed Kessler on Onisha and Jessica Springsteen on Vornado van den Hoendrik put in a solid effort in Saturday's challenging Nations Cup to finish on 24 faults. Pasmore jumped a clear first round, and then had one rail in the second. Polle picked up 12 faults in each leg. Kessler had four faults in round one and bounced back with a clear round in the second and Springsteen added eight in each leg. The Netherlands won on an impressive score of four and Great Britain finished close behind on eight.

Michele Grubb served as Chef d'Equipe.

The U.S. riders picked up ribbons throughout the week, all the results are available here:
http://www.equi-score.de/index.php?mod=mod_hagena.t.w.2011

Eventing: Luhmühlen: Dibowski is flawless at Luhmühlen in HSBC FEI Classics™


FEI PRESS RELEASE
Lausanne (SUI), 19 June 2011

Andreas Dibowski, a valuable member of Germany’s teams for many years, was at his consistent best in a tense finale at Luhmühlen, presented by E.ON Avacon (GER), and seized victory with a flawless Jumping round on Euroridings Butts Leon to gain his first points in the 2011 HSBC FEI Classics™.

“I have been riding here for 22 years, so the pressure to win was building,” said Dibowski. “Nowadays, it is so close at the top of the sport that you cannot allow mistakes. The Jumping course was well built, but asked enough questions, as it should in the modern sport.

“We haven’t had the best weather this weekend, but we have had the very best conditions, thanks to the new all-weather arenas. It is important that the first rider to go gets the same conditions as the very last.”

Dibowski, who has indicated that he may take his Luhmühlen winning ride to Burghley (GBR) in September, shoots into fourth place in the HSBC FEI Classics™, in which the top five riders at five CCI4*s will share a prize pool of US$330,000. Dibowski is now in behind Mary King (GBR), whose eighth place at Luhmühlen on the gallant Apache Sauce gave her a few extra points, Piggy French (GBR), fourth, and Badminton winner Mark Todd (NZL).

French, the Cross-Country leader, had indicated that Jumping may not be Flying Machine’s best phase, and two rails down dropped them below German riders Sandra Auffarth, who had a dream CCI4* debut to finish second with just one fence down on Opgun Louvo, and Frank Ostholt on Little Paint in third.

“I’m not kicking myself for hitting a fence because it is very easy to make a mistake,” said Auffarth. “My horse does not have any weaknesses and does not fight his rider. He is a great character.”

Clear Jumping rounds were in short supply today – only five in all from the 28 finishers – and the other main beneficiary was Clayton Fredericks (AUS), whose clean round on Dunges Laurent Rose elevated him three places to fifth and also to sixth place on the HSBC FEI Classics™ leaderboard with two events, Burghley and Pau, still to go.

Paul Tapner (AUS), who was lying ninth after Cross-Country, withdrew Stormhill Michael before Jumping.

Sandra Auffarth (left) who secured the HSBC Training Bursary worth US$1,000 at the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™ today in Luhmühlen. She was presented with the HSBC Bursary Prize by Ulrich Sprenger (right) - Hamburg Branch Manager. Photo: Peter Nixon/FEI.

HSBC Training Bursary
Sandra Auffarth’s outstanding CCI4* debut on Opgun Louvo, a young horse she has produced herself, gained her the HSBC Training Bursary worth US$1,000. Her achievement opens up the exciting prospect of a possible place in the squad for the forthcoming HSBC FEI European Eventing Championship at Luhmühlen (25-28 August) at which Germany, as host nation, will be entitled to field 12 riders.

“It’s amazing! It has been my dream to ride here and I thought it would never happen,” 24-year-old Auffarth said. “This award is great for young riders. For me it’s especially great because I can now invest in specific training and, who knows, in the future I might even be able to finish in first place! I’ve been lucky to do so well here and now, with the Europeans, I have another goal to work towards.” Auffarth’s family breeds Jumping horses and she also competes in this discipline.

About the winner

Andreas Dibowski, 45, lives locally to Luhmühlen at Egesdorf with his wife and children and is one of Germany’s hardest working and most consistent competitors. After a spate of second placings at CCI4*s, he finally scored a popular victory at Pau (FRA) on FRH Fantasia last year and finished second in the HSBC FEI Classics™, counting a second place at Badminton on Euroridings Butts Leon and third place at Luhmühlen on FRH Fantasia.

Euroridings Butts Leon, a 14-year-old gelding by Heraldik XX, has been his team horse for the last three championships, winning Olympic team gold in Hong Kong (CHI) in 2008. Dibowski was also a member of the winning German team at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen (GER) in 2006.

“I am lucky to have to another championship horse,” Dibowski said.  “The HSBC FEI Classics is very important for our sport, and I will talk with my owners in the next couple of days and decide if we will go to Burghley.”

Final results
1 Andreas Dibowski/Euroridings Butts Leon (GER) 40.0 + 0.0 + 0 = 40.0
2 Sandra Auffarth/Opgun Louvo (GER) 39.0 + 0.0 +4 = 43.0
3 Frank Ostholt/Little Paint (GER) 35.3 + 6.8 + 4 = 46.1
4 Piggy French/Flying Machine (GBR) 37.2 + 1.2 + 8 = 46.4
5 Clayton Fredericks/Dunges Laurent Rose (AUS) 47.2 + 0.0 + 0 = 47.2
6 Dirk Schrade/Hop and Skip (GER) 45.2 + 0.0 + 4 = 49.2
7 Oliver Townend/ODT Master Rose (GBR) 48.2 + 0.0 + 4 = 52.2
8 Mary King/Apache Sauce (GBR) 46.0 + 0.0 + 8 = 54.0
9 William Fox-Pitt/Macchiato (GBR) 46.2 + 0.0 + 8 = 54.2
10 Andrew Nicholson/Armada (NZL) 51.5 + 0.0 + 8 = 59.5

Full results on www.luhmuehlen.de

HSBC FEI Classics™ Leaderboard in 2011 (after 3 out of 5 events)
1 Mary King (GBR) 28 points
2 Piggy French (GBR) 20 points
3 Mark Todd (NZL) 15 points
4 Andreas Dibowski (GER) 15 points
5 Sandra Auffarth (GER) 12 points
6 Clayton Fredericks (AUS) 12 points
7 Sinead Halpin (USA) 10 points
8 Frank Ostholt (GER) 10 points
9 William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 10 points
10 Oliver Townend (GBR) 9 points

Eventing: Luhmühlen: French and her Flying Machine speed to pole position at Luhmühlen in HSBC FEI Classics™

Piggy French (GBR) and the aptly named Flying Machine galloped through the worst of the weather to take over the lead at the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™ 2011 at Luhmühlen, presented by E.ON Avacon. (Photo: Peter Nixon/FEI)
FEI PRESS RELEASE
Lausanne (SUI), 18 June 2011

Piggy French (GBR) galloped through pouring rain on her appropriately named 10-year-old Irish gelding Flying Machine to take the lead after Cross-Country at Luhmühlen, presented by E.ON Avacon (GER), the third leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™.

The leaderboard has changed substantially and now the cost of just one Jumping fence covers the top four riders, ensuring a thrilling day’s sport tomorrow. French is highly competent in this phase, but she has no margin for error if she is to score her longed-for first CCI4* victory.

“I have not managed to run the horse as often as you would like to before a four-star, but the shock treatment seems to have worked!”, said French. "I am very excited about how he coped with it all. I am lucky to have many lovely horses to ride and when you have a day like this, it’s a bonus. The rain was unbelievable, and my gloves were heavy with water so I got rid of them, but it was no better without them!"

The home side’s Sandra Auffarth (GER) had the ride of her life to move up a place to second on the nine-year-old Selle Francais Opgun Louvo, the horse she rode into third place in the 2009 Young Horse Championships at Le Lion d’Angers (FRA). The German rider was making her four-star debut and it will be quite a story if she snatches victory tomorrow – and she says her horse is a good jumper.

Her experienced compatriots, Andreas Dibowski, who has never won Luhmühlen, and Frank Ostholt, the Dressage leader, are sitting dangerously close in third and fourth.

Peter Thomsen, seventh after Dressage, had a stop on Horseware’s Parko three fences from home; Susanna Bordone (ITA) on Blue Moss and Michael Jung (GER) on Leopin both retired after refusals, and Jonathan Paget (NZL) was eliminated for a rider fall with Clifton Lush at the influential fence 21 complex in the arena.

There were 19 clear rounds, 10 within the optimum time. These included the British trio of Mary King, William Fox-Pitt and Oliver Townend, who have all been elevated into the top 10 as a result.

Follow the action this weekend with daily FEI reports on www.fei.org, plus full start lists and results from www.luhmuehlen.de and highlights on www.feitv.org.

Results after Cross-Country

1 Piggy French/Flying Machine (GBR) 37.2 + 1.2 = 38.4
2 Sandra Auffarth/Opgun Louvo (GER) 39.0 + 0.0 = 39.0
3 Andreas Dibowski/Butts Leon (GER) 40.0 + 0.0 = 40.0
4 Frank Ostholt/Little Paint (GER) 35.3 + 6.8 = 42.1
5 Dirk Schrade/Hop and Skip (GER) 45.2 + 0.0 = 45.2
6 Mary King/Apache Sauce (GBR) 46.0 + 0.0 = 46
7 William Fox-Pitt/Macchiato (GBR) 46.2 + 0.0 = 46.2
8 Clayton Fredericks/Dunges Laurent Rose (AUS) 47.2 + 0.0 = 47.2
9 Paul Tapner/Stormhill Michael (AUS) 40.5 + 7.6 = 48.1
10 Oliver Townend/ODT Master Rose (GBR) 48.2 + 0.0 = 48.2

HSBC FEI Classics™ Leaderboard in 2011 (after 2 out of 5 events)
1 Mary King (GBR) 25 points
2 Mark Todd (NZL) 15 points
3 Piggy French (GBR) 12 points
4 Sinead Halpin (USA) 10 points
5 Sam Griffiths (AUS) 8 points
6 William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 8 points
7 Niklas Lindback (SWE) 6 points
8 Clayton Fredericks (AUS) 6 points
9 Caroline Powell (NZL) 5 points
10 Oliver Townend (GBR) 5 points

USEF: This Week in International Disciplines From the USEF Communications Department

June 16, 2011 

Dressage
At the Majestic Farm CDI1* in Batavia, OH, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and Rifallino took home the win in the FEI Prix St. Georges scoring 68.904%. George Williams and Don Bailey came in a close second with 68.860%. LaGoy-Weltz and Williams had repeat one-two performances in the FEI Intermediaire I with a 69.868% and 68.026% respectively. LaGoy-Weltz and Williams dropped to second and third in the Intermediaire Freestyle with Tina Irwin of Canada winning with a score of 70.833%.

Please visit: http://www.foxvillage.com/FVDShowResults/(hltn5lb5r41d1c55yvbuxv45)/ClassList.aspx?sh=267&st=1 for complete results.

Driving
U.S. Pony driver Laurie Astegiano continued her European success, this time in France. She was fourth after the dressage and marathon phases at the CAIP4* at Saumur, but moved up to third place following her performance in the final Cones phase of the competition. Bram Chardon of the Netherlands and Jan Nijs of Belgium finished in first and second respectively.

Please visit www.saumur.org for complete results.

Endurance
On June 11 in Ashland, Montana, Meg Sleeper and Syrocco Harmony won the CEI1* with a time of 04:38:00. Syrocco Harmony was also rewarded with the best conditioned award. Heather Stevens and Aireagle came in second with a time of 05:44:00, while Suzanne Hayes and The Sam Man took third with at time of 05:49:01. In the CEI1* held the following day, Ellen and Eryn Rapp had a very close one-two finish with times of 05:27:59 and 05:28:02 respectively. Heather Stevens and Dangerous Kra rounded out the top three with a time of 07:49:46. Ellen Rapp's GuessWhozGotIt won the best conditioned award in the CEI1*. Kelsey Kimbler and HV Cimmarons Goliath won the CEIJY1* with a time of 05:28:03. The pair also won the best conditioned award.


Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen.
(Stockimageservices.com Photo).


Eventing
The Bromont CCI drew many U.S. riders to Canada for the weekend and all three CCI divisions were won from wire-to-wire. Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen picked up a big win in the CCI3* finishing on a score of 47. The pair maintained their dressage lead adding just a handful of time faults on their clean cross country round, and went in to the show jumping phase with a rail in hand. They had the fourth fence down, the only fault during their otherwise lovely round, enabling Montgomery to hold on to the win. Great Britain's Leslie Law rode Rehy Lux to a close second while Philip Dutton and William Penn finished third. Canadian Rebecca Howard and Roquefort won the CCI2* but Americans Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot and Philip Dutton and Mighty Nice rounded out the top three. In the CCI1* Will Coleman and Zipp added just a few time cross country time penalties and a rail in stadium to their dressage score to win on a 47.80.

Please visit http://www.evententries.com/livescoring/64.html for complete results and www.bromont3dayevent.com for more information.

Jumping
Numerous jumping competitions took place around the globe this past week, but Spruce Meadows in Calgary had the majority of the U.S. entries.

Kent Farrington jump started the American effort in Canada on Uceko, taking top honors in the 1.60m ATA Financial Cup with a lightning fast jump-off round. Karl Cook, Leslie Howard, Kirsten Coe, and Mario Deslauriers finished seventh through 10th, rounding out the top 10 for the U.S. in the ATA Financial Cup. Richard Spooner kicked off the FEI classes with a second-place finish on Lady Like in the 1.50m Enbridge Cup, Leslie Howard and Utah were eighth and Spooner placed again, this time riding Billy Bianca to a ninth-place finish. Deslauriers and Whistler won the 1.45m Direct Energy Cup, Spooner and Quirino 3 were third, Beezie Madden was fourth on Prima, and Sarah Ballou came in 10th on Absie. McLain Ward and Coco 135 took top honors in the 1.45m ATCO Pipelines Cup over Deslauriers and Whistler who settled for second. Farrington came out on top again, but this time with Valhalla in the 1.50m Prairie Mines Cup, where Ward and Antares F also finished in ninth.

The 1.60m Spectra Energy Cup had several U.S. riders in the top 10, Ward and Vocas were second and Lauren Tisbo and Crème Brulé were third. Kyle King rode Capone I to a fourth place finish and Spooner and Apache were fifth. Uwwalon jumped to ninth for Michelle Spadone.

On June 10, Ward and Coco 135 were again victorious, this time in the 1.45m ATCO Midstream Challenge. Kirsten Coe was fourth on Vernon G, Spooner was sixth with Quirino 3, and Taylor Land was 10th on Nepal. Deslauriers and Vicomte D were then third in the 1.50m RBC Capital Markets Cup, Deslauriers was also fifth on Diablo.Spooner and Billy Bianca split the pair in fourth, and Howard and Utah were sixth.

On Saturday, in the 1.60m CN Reliability Grand Prix, Ward rode Antares F to a close victory. The pair was one-tenth of a second faster than Rich Fellers and Flexible. World travellers, Fellers and Flexible were also runners-up the previous week at the Longines Grand Prix in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Deslauriers and Urico finished fifth while Farrington and Uceko came in sixth. The U.S. riders continued their good showing in the 1.50m TransCanada Parcours de Chasse. Spooner took top honors with Billy Bianca, followed by Rich Fellers and McGuinness in second. Spooner was fourth with Lady Like and Madden rode Prima to a fifth-place finish. Deslauriers was sixth on Whistler.

Finishing up a successful week at Spruce Meadows for the U.S. riders, Farrington and Samar took home the win in the 1.50m ATCO Structures & Logistics Double Slalom, where riders compete head-to-head over identical courses in the ring together. In the finale, the 1.60m Nexen Cup Derby, Howard and Lennox Lewis 2 won, with Spooner finishing third and fifth on Apache and Cristallo respectively. Ward was fifth with Coco 135, Kyle King was ninth on Capone I, and Deslauriers rounded out the top 10 with Vicomte D. 

Please visit www.sprucemeadows.com for more information.


The American Young Riders Celebrate.
(Murray Kessler Photo).
In Europe, the U.S. Young Rider Show Jumping Team scored their first Nations Cup victory of their summer tour in Austria, triumphing over the Swiss with a total of five faults at CSIOY Lamprechtshausen. The U.S. and Switzerland were tied after the first round, each country carrying only one time fault forward to the second round. Catherine Pasmore led things off for the U.S. She had one rail in the first round on My Boy, but bounced back to jump clear in the second round. Ricky Neal picked up one time fault in round one, but had 15 faults in the second round - eventually the drop score from that round - on Transmission. Reed Kessler jumped two flawless rounds on Onisha. Jessica Springsteen rode Vornado van den Hoendrik to a four-fault effort in round two (after a first-round clear) to bring the total to five. The Swiss team kept the pressure on, but their last rider picked up 9 faults bringing their total to 10, giving the U.S. team the win.

Building on their win in the Nations Cup, the U.S. Young Rider Show Jumping Tour capped off a successful weekend with a one-two finish in the Young Rider Grand Prix. Reed Kessler took the top spot for the U.S. on Ligist, while Jessica Springsteen was second on Cincinnati La Silla. Catherine Pasmore and Karen Polle rounded out the top 10 in ninth and 10th respectively.

Full results are available here: http://eventcontent.hippoonline.de/582/582zeitplanDEU.htm

Read Catherine Pasmore's blog here: http://www.catherineusa2011.blogspot.com

In France, the CSI5* GCT Cannes was taking place. Laura Kraut and Dona Evita placed seventh in 1.45m Prix French Tours Eads and sixth in the Prix Groupe Martel RPServices. Alexandra Thornton and Blue Curacao were second in the 1.40-1.45m Prix Luxe Immo, however her biggest results came later in the week.  In the 1.40-1.45m Prix Locarama, Thornton took the top two spots with Silvana and Blue Curacao with two clean, fast rounds. Lauren Hough and Arizona Pie 9 placed eighth in 1.45-1.50m Prix Touessrok / Air Mauritius. In the Grand Prix De Cannes Massa Pneus, Hough jumped to a ninth-place finish with Quick Study.

Please visit http://results.scgvisual.com/2011/cannes/index.html for complete results and videos of the rounds. 

In Wiesbaden, Germany, more U.S. riders were competing on the European circuit. Peter Wylde finished first with Lipton De L'Othain in the 1.45m CSI4*and finished second with Unbelievable in the 1.50m CSI4*. Wylde also had strong results with Wetter in the 1.45m CSIYH1*, finishing third. In the 1.15m CSI-Amateure Springprüfung, Christi B. Israel and Olli were second while Theodore Boris and La Ina finished fourth. Israel and Cracky Z were eighth in the 1.40m CSI-Amateure Springprüfung and fifth in the 1.40m CSI-Amateure 2-Phasen-Springprüfung. In 1.15m CSI-Amateure Punkte-Springprüfung, Israel and Olli took home the win while Theodore Boris and La Ina finished third, Israel and Olli had another win in the 1.15m CSI-Amateure 2-Phasen-Springprüfung and Boris and La Ina finished fourth in the 1.25m CSI-Amateure 2-Phasen-Springprüfung.

Please visit http://www.pfingstturnier.org/pfingstturnier/ergebnisse.php?loc=pfingstturnier&uloc=ergebnisse for complete results and more information.

In De Steeg, Netherlands, Christine McCrea picked up a win with Avenir in the Club Arnhem Ambassadeurs Prijs 1.40 m two phase CSI4* at Outdoor Gelderland. McCrea, Cara Raether, and Andrew Ramsey were representing the U.S. at the competition, but McCrea and Avenir had the best results of the week.
Please visit http://results.scgvisual.com/2011/desteeg/results/results.htm for complete results.

In addition, USEFNetwork.com has added videos from the 2011 FEI Nations Cup Series Nations Cup stops in La Baule, Rome and St. Gallen.
Please visit http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2011FEINationsCup/ to view the videos.  

Vaulting
Sarah d'Auriol came in fifth at the CVI2* Weisbaden with a final score 8.367. Top honors went to reigning World Champion Joanne Eccles of Great Britain with a final score of 8.970.

Please visit www.pfingstturnier.org for more information.

Reining: Youth: USEF Names List of Qualified Riders for USEF Youth Reining National Championship

From the USEF Communications Department
Lexington, KY - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has announced the list of Youth Reining Riders who have qualified for the USEF Youth Reining National Championships to be held in conjunction with the NRHA Derby in Oklahoma City on July 2, 2011. The USEF will award Youth National Championship titles in three age categories: 13 and under, 14-18 and 19-21 age divisions.  The Youth qualified for the USEF Championships by earning points in Qualifying Classes throughout the country in 2010-2011.

More information regarding this event, including the prize list is available here: http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/allreining/developingYR.aspx

2011 USEF Youth Reining Championships Qualified Riders:

13 & Under
Stephen Timberlake
Rylee Justus
S. Alexandra Fuller
Olivia Hartman
Nick Taylor
Caroline Gute
Jordan Eddy
 
Age 14-18

Layla Choate
Laura Sumrall
Kayla Hillegass
Jonathan Timberlake
Samantha Hillegass
Meloney Morris
Jonathan Stepka
Taylor Kiel
Rhett Peeples
Hannah Agee
Morgan Burns
Samantha Belcher
Elizabeth Cosper
Kyndall Harper
Mc Kenzie Lantz
Javier Melo
Devin Spencer
Faythe Vest
Emily Winegar

Age 19-21
Breanne Bertrand
Erika Newman
Chloe Grey
Michael Pope
Thea Arnold
Amanda Hotz

Eventing: Luhmühlen: HSBC FEI Classics™ leader King heads for Luhmühlen

Mary King – leader of the HSBC Rankings - is all set for HSBC FEI Classics™ in Luhmühlen with Apache Sauce © Kit Houghton/FEI
FEI PRESS RELEASE
Lausanne (SUI), 15 June 2011

The unstoppable Mary King (GBR), who moved to the number one spot in the HSBC Rankings at the beginning of this month, indicated at the start of the year that the HSBC FEI Classics™ were going to be a major goal for 2011.

The 50-year-old’s plan is certainly going splendidly so far, and she now heads to the third of the five legs, Luhmühlen presented by E.ON Avacon (GER), with a strong 10-point lead in the HSBC FEI Classics™ series over Mark Todd (NZL), who does not have a ride at Germany’s premier event which starts tomorrow (16-19 June).

King, who has had a storming season so far with a third place at Badminton and a record one-two at Kentucky, rides the veteran Apache Sauce. He is a white-faced chestnut with great character and a definite “sense of humour”, but several of King’s CCI4* placings in the past few seasons, including seventh at Burghley last year, have been thanks to the 15-year-old gelding by Endoli.

King’s compatriots Piggy French and William Fox-Pitt both have a strong interest in earning more HSBC FEI Classics™ points. Fox-Pitt, the series champion in 2008 and 2010, rides the Argentine Thoroughbred Macchiato, his winning mount here in 2008, and French, runner-up at Badminton, brings the rising star Flying Machine to his first CCI4*.

The British duo are currently lying third and sixth in the HSBC FEI Classics™ points table, in which the leading five riders at the end of the season will share a US$330,000 prize pot. Clayton Fredericks (AUS), eighth, Caroline Powell (NZL), ninth, and the 2009 series champion Oliver Townend (GBR),10th, also have rides at Luhmühlen.

German riders have their chance to get off the mark tomorrow, and the strong home side boasts three former Luhmühlen winners: the World Champion Michael Jung (2009), Frank Ostholt (2006) and Bettina Hoy (2003).

Some 50-plus riders are expected to start the Dressage on Thursday (16 June), with 13 nations represented: Australia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands and the USA.

The site at Luhmühlen, which has been hosting Eventing championships since 1982, has had a revamp in readiness for the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships (25-28 August), but riders hoping for Cross-Country clues may be unlucky – it is expected that Course-Designer Captain Mark Phillips and his team have a very different track up their sleeves for the big day.

Watch our HSBC FEI Classics™ Preview on FEI Youtube Channel here and follow the action at the HSBC FEI Classics™ in Luhmühlen with daily reports on www.fei.org, full start lists and results from www.luhmuehlen.de and highlights on www.feitv.org.

HSBC FEI Classics™ Leaderboard in 2011 (after 2 out of 5 events)

1 Mary King (GBR) 25 points
2 Mark Todd (NZL) 15 points
3 Piggy French (GBR) 12 points
4 Sinead Halpin (USA) 10 points
5 Sam Griffiths (AUS) 8 points
6 William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 8 points
7 Niklas Lindback (SWE) 6 points
8 Clayton Fredericks (AUS) 6 points
9 Caroline Powell (NZL) 5 points
10 Oliver Townend (GBR) 5 points

Keep up-to-date with the HSBC FEI Classics™ 2011 leaderboard here.  

Jumping: Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series to Culminate With $50,000 Championship Final at the 2011 Alltech National Horse Show

Lexington, KY--June 13, 2011-- The 2011 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series will culminate with a $50,000 Championship Final.  The Final--the $50,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur-Owner Championship Presented by  Sleepy P Ranch, Deeridge Farm and Chansonette Farm--will be held on Saturday, November 5 as part of the Alltech National Horse Show, 128th edition, CSI-W Lexington 4*, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, November 2 -6.

The Alltech National Horse Show will invite 20 Junior and 20 Amateur-Owner riders to compete in the horse show's Junior and Amateur-Owner Jumper Divisions, each of which will include two preliminary rounds of competition:

- The $10,000 Sleepy P Ranch Junior Jumper Welcome Speed Stake on Thursday, November 3  and the $15,000 Sleepy P Ranch Junior Jumper Time First Jump-Off on Friday, November 4  for Juniors;

- The $10,000 Chansonette Farm Amateur-Owner Jumper Welcome Speed Stake on Thursday, November 3 and the $15,000 Chansonette Farm Amateur-Owner Time First Jump-Off on Friday, November 4 for Amateur-Owners.

Following these classes, the top 15 riders in each division will be invited to compete in the Show Jumping Hall of Fame's $50,000 Championship Final on Saturday, November 5.  The Championship Final will run in the Time First Jump-Off format, and is sure to have the riders giving their all to win the prestigious title of 2011 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series Year-End Champion.

"The Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series Championship Final has been an important part of the National Horse Show for many years, and we are thrilled to host it again in 2011," said Mason Phelps, Jr., President of the National Horse Show.  "Much like the National Horse Show, the Show Jumping Hall of Fame is deeply significant in the sport of show jumping, and we are happy to continue its legacy of hosting the Series' Finals at the National."

The Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series holds classes under Grand Prix rules and specifications at more than one hundred horse shows across the country.  The Series keeps separate standings for juniors and amateur-owners in two conferences, East and West.  The Series is designed to give amateur-owner and junior riders an opportunity to compete at higher levels and serves as a proving ground for many riders who aspire to someday represent the United States in international competition.   Regular season champions are recognized at the Alltech National Horse Show and the Los Angeles National Horse Show with the year-end Championship Final at the National.

"This is extremely exciting news for the Show Jumping Hall of Fame and all the riders who compete on our Jumper Classic Series," said George Morris, President of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame.  "The Kentucky Horse Park is the home of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame and Museum and it is quite fitting to host our year-end Championship Final at the Horse Park.  We are so thankful to the National Horse Show and the championship's generous sponsors for their commitment to making this Final a top-quality event."

The Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series held its 2010 Year-End Championship at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 127th National Horse Show.  Audrey Coulter and Rodenburghs California emerged as the winners, besting a field of the nation's top horses and riders who were invited to compete in the Championship based on their performances throughout the year.  Rounding out the top three at the Year-End Championship were Meg O'Mara and Sinatra IV in second place and Karen Polle and What Ever taking third place.

The Show Jumping Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1987 and formally opened in 1989.  It was organized to promote the sport of show jumping and to immortalize the legends of the men, women and horses who have made great contributions to the sport.

The Show Jumping Hall of Fame is located at the Kentucky Horse Park.  Plaques honoring those who have been honored with induction into the Hall of Fame can be seen at the Horse Park's Rolex Stadium.  Mementos and artifacts from the sport's history are on display as part of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame collection at the United States Hunter Jumper Association National Hunter Jumper Sport Museum at the Horse Park.

Further information about the Show Jumping Hall of Fame and the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series is available at the Show Jumping Hall of Fame website at www.showjumpinghalloffame.net.

The Alltech National Horse Show, 128th Edition, will be held from November 2 - 6, 2011, at the beautiful, new Alltech Indoor Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

This year's show, designated CSI4*-W, will feature a complete schedule of 'AA'-rated hunter divisions. Also on the agenda, a big money Open Jumper division highlighted by the $250,000 Alltech National Horse Show Grand Prix, an FEI World Cup qualifying event. $100,000 will be up for grabs for the Junior and Amateur Jumper divisions, including the $50,000 SJHOF Junior/Amateur Championships, sponsored by Sleepy P, Chansonette and Deerridge Farm. The final Sunday is highlighted by the signature event of the National Horse Show, the ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals, presented by C.M. Hadfield's Saddlery.

Founded in 1883 at the original Madison Square Garden, the Alltech National Horse Show is America's oldest indoor horse show, firmly established as a major fixture on the national and international sports and social event calendars.  The National Horse Show Association's primary activity is the annual production of the National Horse Show and all ancillary events. Over the years, the National Horse Show has provided financial aid to many worthwhile charities.

 Further information about the Alltech National Horse Show is available at the Alltech National Horse Show's website at www.nhs.org.

Jumping: Young Rider: Kessler and Springsteen Take Top Two Spots in Austrian Young Rider Grand Prix By Joanie Morris

Lamprechtshausen, Austria - Building on their win in the Nations Cup at CSIOY Lamprechtshausen, the U.S. Young Rider Show Jumping Tour capped off a successful weekend with a one-two finish in the Young Rider Grand Prix. Reed Kessler took the top spot for the U.S. on Ligist, she jumped the only clear round in the jump-off for the win. Jessica Springsteen was second on Cincinnati La Silla, she had the fastest short-course round by more than five seconds, but had one rail to settle for second.

Catherine Pasmore and Karen Polle rounded out the top 10 in ninth and tenth respectively. Pasmore and Van David were a fraction faster in their four-fault first round effort, edging out their teammates, Polle on What Ever.

Jumped over a 1.45m track, the Young Rider Grand Prix featured 32 starters.

The European Young Rider Tour heads to CSIOY Hagen, in Germany, for the next week of competition June 15-18.