Driving: World Cup: Leipzig: Extraordinary Exell dominates World Cup Driving again!

Australian Carriage Driver Boyd Exell yesterday secured his third consecutive FEI World Cup victory in the Leipzig Messe, Leipzig, Germany, to become only the second driver to score a hat-trick of World Cup competitions.

This incredible performance reinforced Exell’s current dominance of the sport. Exell is currently the most decorated athlete in the sport holding every major Driving title. In 2010 he won the individual gold medal at the 2010 World Equestrian Games in the USA, the International Driving Grand Prix at Royal Windsor Horse Show and the CAIO at Aachen as well as the FEI World Cup title.  Exell is also a six-time British National Champion.

Exell led from start to finish and whilst he made one mistake in the first round he remained ahead of the rest of the field.

“I know with my team that I have enough speed that I can make one mistake, so I thought ‘don’t panic yet’, explained Exell following his victory.

“My horses are brilliant,” commented Exell, “there is no other team that is faster than them at the moment.”  Exell uses a very experienced team of horses for the indoor competitions, their ages range from 18 to 22 years.  The horses know the job and are not distracted by the intense noise and excitement of the crowd.  To his credit Exell’s outdoor success are achieved with an entirely different team of horses.

Hungary’s Jozsef Dobrovitz performed very well to drive two clear rounds with his team of Lipizzaner horses to finish second, ahead of IJsbrand Chardon from the Netherlands.

Born in Bega, NSW, 38 year-old Exell left Australia in 1993 to pursue his driving and riding career in the United Kingdom.  He now lives in Leicester, England, with his wife and two children.

Listen to an audio link of Boyd Exell following yesterday’s competition;

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/FEI_Exell_end.mp3

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Driving: Leipzig: World Cup: BOYD EXELL CLAIMS HAT-TRICK IN FEI WORLD CUP™ DRIVING FINAL - by Cindy Timmer

FEI WORLD CUP FINAL DRIVING 2010/2011

Leipzig (GER), 1 May 2011

Watch our news round-up from today’s thrilling FEI World Cup™ Driving Final on FEI YouTube Channel
Boyd Exell from Australia has successfully defended his FEI World Cup™ Driving title in a thrilling finish in Leipzig (GER) to become only the second driver to score a hat-trick of World Cup victories. The popular Australian sped to victory in front of an enthusiastic and ecstatic crowd that packed the Leipzig Messe to capacity. Hungary’s Jozsef Dobrovitz drove two brilliant rounds with his team of Lipizzaner horses to finish second, ahead of IJsbrand Chardon from the Netherlands.

Happy to be first
Jozsef Dobrovitz was happy to go first in the Final round. In Budapest he had won the warm-up competition but made mistakes in the Final round, so he felt the starting grid Leipzig would favour him. His only goal in the first round was to equal Boyd’s time on the first night and to stay clear as well. Dobrovitz put in an amazing performance to meet both his goals and pile the pressure on his opponents.

No expectations
Second starter IJsbrand Chardon was determined to make up for his mistake on the first night, but his leader horses started pushing against each other in the warm-up arena and there was not enough time left for IJsbrand to fix it. The result was three knockdowns on course, but Chardon kept on driving at such high speed that he finished in a record time of 113.89 seconds, to slot into second behind Dobrovitz. Chardon had no expectations of making it to the Winning Round but Georg von Stein (GER), Werner Ulrich (SUI), Koos de Ronde (NED) and Tomas Eriksson (SWE) all made mistakes, which kept Chardon in second place. After Exell had conquered the course in a fast time despite one knockdown, it was clear that the colourful trio was going to battle it out in the Winning Round.

Kisses
Chardon’s horses went much better in the Winning Round and the four-time World Champion drove his team of Lipizzaner horses, which are formerly owned by Jozsef Dobrovitz, at full speed. But he was unable to make up for his mistakes in the first round and finished third in the overall standings.

Dobrovitz had the full support of the enthusiastic spectators in the sold out Leipziger Halle and felt he could fly. He beat his own time by three seconds and finished with another clear round. Dobrovitz and his team were extremely happy with their performance and he thanked his horses by giving them all four a big kiss after leaving the ring. This was much appreciated by the spectators who were able to follow this wonderful scene on the big screens inside the arena.

Extraordinary Exell
After the first night, Boyd Exell decided to change the bit of his leader horse Spitfire in order to speed his team up a bit. Boyd did not feel any pressure from Dobrovitz, as he knew the times were beatable. He was a little worried though that he wouldn’t be able to hold the horse in a lighter bit. The new set-up worked however and Boyd felt the team was very light in his hands, which resulted in very fast and easy looking rounds.

Boyd’s leaders went a bit too fast in the Winning Round, causing a ball to fall, but it didn’t endanger his lead as Boyd’s speed was just right. Boyd had received some good advice from Tomas Eriksson on his way in for the Winning Round, which made him decide not to drive at full speed.

Mistakes
Tomas Eriksson went for a top-three placing but made a mistake himself coming out of obstacle nine on the course, designed by World Championship course designer Dr Wolfgang Asendorf. Eriksson’s leader horses were not in the good form they were in on the first night, dropping the Stockholm World Cup winner to fourth. Budapest winner Werner Ulrich was also determined to make it a top three finish, but took a risk at the wrong moment and ended up fifth. Koos de Ronde had an uncharacterstic round with three knockdowns. Koos’ leader horses, which are normally very fast, didn’t seem to want to go forward, leaving Koos down in seventh in the Leipzig Final.

Change of plans
Wild card driver Georg von Stein had only heard last Thursday that he could compete after the initial wild card driver Christian Plücker had to withdraw because of two unfit horses. Von Stein started training his outdoor team of horses several weeks ago and had some second thoughts after the first night. Despite some mistakes that he blamed himself for, he was very pleased with his horses and will now change his outdoor schedule in order to be able to qualify for next season’s FEI World Cup™ Driving! Von Stein came sixth in the overall standings in Leipzig.

Quotes:
Boyd Exell: “The only pressure I had was not to hit obstacle two and 10. I knew the times of Dobrovitz and Chardon were beatable and I thought to myself ‘let’s go!’ in the Winning Round.

Jozsef Dobrovitz: “I have lent my second black horse to my son, who is competing in his first international driving competition with a horse team this weekend. He would normally also have driven with my wheelers, so we had a lot of discussion to decide who was going to drive which horses! I am very happy with my horses and my own performance, everything came together at the right time.”

IJsbrand Chardon: “I had a good feeling and was very motivated but once by leader horses started pushing I could not do anything. I decided to keep on driving and I could only pray that I would make it to the Winning Round, because normally you know you have no chance with this many mistakes. The Winning Round went much better. Initially I went for the first place, but after the first round I was very pleases with my third position!”

Listen to the stars from today’s FEI World Cup™ Final Driving with audio links following today's competition:
Boyd Exell
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/FEI_Exell_end.mp3

Jozsef Dobrovitz - Hungarian with English Translation
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/FEI_Dobrovitz.mp3

Ian Williams, FEI World Cup Driving Director
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/FEI_Williams_end.mp3


FEI World Cup™ Driving Final Leipzig:

1.    Boyd Exell (AUS) 242,12

2.    Jozsef Dobrovitz (HUN) 247,52

3.    IJsbrand Chardon (NED) 254,88

4.    Tomas Eriksson (SWE) 133,10

5.    Werner Ulrich (SUI) 139,07

6.    Georg von Stein (GER) 140,76

7.    Koos de Ronde (NED) 151,32


For information on the Final go to www.partner-pferd.de or contactPress Officer Andreas Kerstan, phone +49 4307 827970, e-mail: andreas.kerstan@comtainment.de

More information: www.feiworldcup.org

FEI World Cup™ DRIVING 2010/2011
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

1.    Hannover (Ger) 28-31 October 2010

2.    Stuttgart (Ger) 17-21 November 2010

3.    Stockholm (Swe) 26-28 November 2010

4.    Budapest (Hun) 3-5 December 2010

5.    Geneva (Sui) 9-12 December 2010

6.    Mechelen (Bel) 26-30 December 2010

7.    Bordeaux (Fra) 4-6 February 2011

8.    FINAL Leipzig (Ger) 27 April – 1 May 2011

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Jumping: World Cup: Leipzig: Americans Hang Tough: Three Jump Into Top 12 at the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final - By Helen Murray

Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo.
Photo by Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group.

Leipzig, Germany - The Rolex/FEI World Cup Final came to a close Sunday afternoon in Leipzig, Germany, with two final rounds of jumping. The U.S. had strong representation in this competition as they sent seven of the 27 riders into the ring. In the third and final competition, riders jumped two rounds over Frank Rothenberger's demanding 1.60m courses. The entire field would contest the first round, with 19 riders returning to the arena one last time to determine who would be crowned champion.

Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, NY) and Coral Reef Via Volo jumped two impressive clear rounds to tie for the win of the class as well as tie for fourth place in the overall World Cup Final ranking on a score of 12. Coral Reef Ranch's exciting Belgian Warmblood mare made easy work of the 12-obstacle course. In the second round, Madden made an incredible save heading to the double combination, fence 11, after Coral Reef Via Volo spooked at the crowd heading to the double combination after fence 10.

"She went amazing," Madden said. "There's probably nothing she can't jump, and I had a lot of confidence in that when I went out there."

Madden was the highest-placing female rider in the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final and she and Coral Reef Via Volo were one of only two combinations to jump two clear rounds.

McLain Ward and Grant Road Partners' Antares F were poised to duplicate Madden's clean sheet for the day, until rolling the final rail in second round. In their first round of the day, the combination jumped a brilliant clear round to finish well within the time allowed.

The Brewster, NY, native was extremely impressed with the gelding's performance throughout the competition.

"I'm thrilled with Antares, I couldn't have been happier, he was amazing all week," Ward said. "First time doing the championships with him certainly couldn't have been happier with the horse. Today, I thought we jumped the jump."

Ward finished the 2011 World Cup Final in 10th place on a score of 14. In the last two competitions of these championships, he rode Antares F after utilizing Sagamore Farms' Rothchild for the speed leg on the first day. Rothchild added to Ward's successful weekend by collecting third-place honors in Saturday's Sparkassen Cup-Grand Prix of Leipzig.

Margie Engle of Wellington, FL, finished the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final on a score of 18 to collect 12th place. Like Ward and Madden, Engle and Gladewind Farm, Garber, Griese and Hidden Creek Farm's Indigo produced a fault-free performance in the first round. In the following round, the big striding gelding got a little too close to the first element of 11A rolling the pole out of its cups.

Engle was extremely pleased with Indigo's performance and the maturity he demonstrated.

"He's a good boy, he wanted to be good all the way through," Engle said. "Its been a great learning experience for him as a young horse, its a lot for him. One thing nice to see is that I still have plenty of horse left.  He could  go another round."

The fourth U.S. combination to take part in rounds one and two on Sunday was Richard Spooner and his own Cristallo. In both rounds the talented pair collected four faults in otherwise classy performances. The Californian finished on a score of 19 and tied for 13th place.

Rich Fellers, Michelle Spadone and Ashlee Bond all competed in today's final round of the World Cup Final for the U.S. Fellers and Spadone found the large track difficult on the their third day of World Cup jumping, collecting 12 and 20 faults, respectively. Bond and Little Valley Farm's Cadett 7 elected to retire midway through the course after having a difficult trip at the beginning of the course.

U.S. Chef d'Equipe George Morris was very happy with this year's Finals and veteran riders.

"Great horse show, great horse show," Morris said. "Great horses, great competition. I think our top group, which are older people with great horses and great experience are world-class."

Germany's Christian Ahlmann was crowned the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup champion after finishing on a score of four. Eric Lamaze and Hickstead finished second and Jeroen Dubbeldam and BMC van Grunsven Simon finish third.

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Jumping: World Cup: Leipzig: AHLMANN CLAIMS ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP IN THRILLING FINALE - by Louise Parkes

ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING FINAL 2010/2011 - ROUND 3
Leipzig (GER), 1 May 2011

Caption: On the winner’s podium for the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final at Leipzig, Germany today - Canada’s Eric Lamaze who finished second (on left), newly-crowned Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion Christian Ahlmann from Germany (centre) and The Netherlands’ Jeroen Dubbeldam who slotted into third place (right).  Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

FEI TV: enjoy LIVE programming, highlights, interviews and archive footage at www.feitv.org

Germany's Christian Ahlmann claimed the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2010/2011 title in a thrilling finale on his home ground in Leipzig today with superb jumping from his stallion, Taloubet Z.  Sharing the lead with fellow-countryman Marco Kutscher, the 36-year-old rider added just four faults to an otherwise foot-perfect performance to finish ahead of reigning Olympic champion Eric Lamaze from Canada, while The Netherlands' Jeroen Dubbeldam rocketed up from overnight 11th to finish third when producing one of only two clear double clears on the final afternoon.

There was huge disappointment for Kutscher who had the world's most prestigious indoor title in his sights until his luck ran out at the very end.  Such was the unforgiving nature of Frank Rothenberger's testing courses however that the slightest of errors proved very costly indeed.  Today's jumping was about scope, speed, courage, accuracy and, most importantly, the rideability of the horses.  In the end it was Ahlmann's 11-year-old Taloubet Z who put all the ingredients together to create the winning formula.

FIND THE KEY
US riders were first to find the key to the opening track as veteran Margie Engle's spectacular round with the exciting grey, Indigo, was followed by a copybook run from Beezie Madden and the stunning Coral Reef Via Volo.  These ladies however were jumping middle-order in the start-list of 27 runners after the previous two competitions, and it didn't seem that Dubbeldam's clear with BMC van Grunsven Simon, or the equally impressive fault-free effort from 10th-placed McLain Ward and Antares, would prove overly influential.  The remaining nine however struggled to leave all the fences up - defending champion Marcus Ehning from Germany lowering both the second element of the triple combination at fence four and the last element of the final double to slip from contention with Sabrina.

Lamaze's Hickstead always raises the heart-rate, and when the stallion crossed the line clear it piled the pressure on the remaining four.  There was little between the leaders as they jumped in reverse order of merit, and as the final double also caught New Zealand's Katie McVean and Delphi and Dutchman Gerco Schroder left two on the floor on his tour of the ring with Eurocommerce New Orleans, then the German leaders were given more breathing space.

Second-last to go, Kutscher then further secured his advantage with a clear from Cash despite rattling a number of poles, but last man in, Ahlmann fell victim to that tricky final double.

ZERO SCORE
As the second round began only Kutscher remained on a zero score with Ahlmann close behind carrying four, Lamaze on six, McVean with eight and Schroder now carrying nine faults.   Dubbeldam, who had moved into seventh, began to really threaten the leading bunch with another clear and when Ward's lovely grey faulted at the very last on the new course, the big Rolex oxer, and Schroder also left one on the ground then the 2000 Olympic champion's chances were improving all the time.

McVean hit the oxer at fence four and Lamaze dislodged the flimsy top plank on the vertical at 10 so the pressure was further relieved for the leading home runners.  And when Ahlmann stayed cool as a breeze to bring Taloubet Z home clear - he was now guaranteed at least second place.

But it all fell apart for Kutscher when Cash hit the first before bringing down two more for a devastating 12 faults.  The German fans groaned with disappointment for him, but they still had a hero to cheer as Ahlmann claimed the coveted title for Germany for the ninth time in the 33-year history of this great series.

UNBELIEVABLY HAPPY
"I'm unbelievably happy that everything worked out the way it did", said the winning rider. "Taloubet did an amazing job all weekend and the only fault he made was his rider's fault at the last fence in the first round.  He is a horse with quality, scope and power but he has no experience of Championship competition so I'm delighted that he showed today that he can do it", Ahlmann added.

Second-placed Lamaze was more than pleased too. "I'm really thrilled with what happened here this week - I couldn't have asked for any more.  Hickstead is only starting his season, he didn't jump indoors all winter so I'm very happy to be where I am right now.  Every day gets better for me - it just shows what a great horse he is when he can achieve this when he is not even fully fit!" he pointed out.

Dubbeldam admitted that he lived in hope even when lying 11th going into the last competition. “You have to believe it’s possible and I went in today thinking I would go up at least a few places", he said.  "I knew my horse was in top form, I had a super feeling in the first class but then on Friday we had an unlucky eight faults - however I still had a super feeling going into today's competition", he explained.

Ahlmann talked about the "ups and downs" he has experienced with Taloubet.  "He was difficult to control in the beginning - he jumped a lot more forward and it made it difficult for him over the fences so I tried to build him up slowly and carefully, starting in small classes.  It took a lot of time but as you can see today it was well worth the wait!" said the man whose career honours now include Team and Individual gold at European championship level, team bronze from the Olympic Games and team bronze from the FEI World Equestrian Games™ and now the most desired trophy of the international indoor circuit - the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping title.

Result (after 3 competitions) : 1, Taloubet Z (Christian Ahlmann) GER 4; 2, Hickstead (Eric Lamaze) CAN 10; 3, BMC Van Grunsven Simon (Jeroen Dubbeldam) NED 11; Equal 4, Coral Reef Via Volo/Danny Boy (Beezie Madden) USA, Cash (Marco Kutscher) 12; Equal 6, Eurocommerce New Orleans (Gerco Schroder) NED, Delphi (Katie McVean) NZL, Silvana de Hus (Kevin Staut) FRA, Carlina/Ulysse (Pius Schwizer) SUI 13; 10, Antares F/Rothchild (McLain Ward) USA 14; 11, H&M Tornesch (Malin Baryard-Johnsson) SWE 16; 12, Indigo (Margie Engle) USA 18; Equal 13, Action-Breaker/Wisconsin (Sergio Alvarez Moya) ESP, Cristallo (Richard Spooner) USA 19; 15, Catoki/Souvenir (Philipp Weishaupt) GER 20; 16, Couletto/Napoli du Ry (Simon Delestre) FRA 26; Equal 17, G&C Quick Star (Pablo Barrios) VEN, Lord Luis/Lucie (Lars Nieberg) GER 34; 19, Regina Z (Harrie Smolders) NED 45.  Full results at www.engarde.de

PRESS KIT ZONE
Visit our new FEI Press Kit Zone to get everything you need on the FEI World Cup™ Finals 2010/2011.

AUDIO LINKS
Listen to interviews with the stars of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Final Jumping:

Christian Ahlmann German
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_Ahlmann_win_ger.mp3

Christian Ahlmann
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_Ahlmann_win.mp3

Eric Lamaze
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_lamaze_end.mp3

Jeroen Dubbeldam Dutch
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_Dubbeldam_dutch.mp3

Jeroen Dubbeldam
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_Dubbeldam.mp3

Katie McVean
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_mcvean_end.mp3

Volker Wulff German
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/FEI_Wulff_ger.mp3

Volker Wulff
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/FEI_Wulff.mp3

Beezie Madden
http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_Madden.mp3

FACTS AND FIGURES:
27 horse-and-rider combinations started in the third and last competition at the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Final 2010/2011 in Leipzig, Germany today.
Germany's Christian Ahlmann and Marco Kutscher shared the lead with a zero score as the competition began.
Course designer, Frank Rothenberger, presented a first-round track of 13 obstacles with 16 jumping efforts and a second-round track with 12 jumping efforts.
21 riders qualified for round 2 but only 19 competed.
6 riders jumped clear in round 1.
5 jumped clear in round 2.
Only 2 combinations jumped double-clear in today's class - Coral Reef Via Vola ridden by America's Beezie Madden and BMC van Grunsven Simon ridden by The Netherlands' Jeroen Dubbeldam.
Dubbeldam was lying in 11th place as today's competition began, and his double-clear moved him up 8 places to finish third.
Today's winner, Christian Ahlmann, recorded the ninth German win in the 33-year history of FEI World Cup™ Jumping.
Today's win was also the fourth successive German victory.


QUOTES:
Course designer, Frank Rothenberger - "we had two wonderful rounds of competition with just two double-clears yet the course didn't take too much out of the horses - for me that is the perfect result and very much as I expected."
John Madden, FEI Jumping Committee - "Everyone rose to the occasion to create a fantastic final here in Leipzig."
Christian Ahlmann - "Taloubet will have a break now for a few weeks and then do the Global Champions Tour and maybe a Nations Cup. I'm not sure about later in the season and the European Championships in Madrid because we will have to see how well he jumps when he goes outside."
Eric Lamaze - "I'm based with Rodrigo Pessoa in Belgium when I am in Europe then I will go to the summer tour at Spruce Meadows."
Show Chairman Volker Wulff - "I'd like to thank Rolex - we have been very happy to work with them throughout their sponsorship of this series, they are great sponsors and help maintain the quality of our shows.  I hope their support will continue for a long time."

FAB FOUR
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 takes place under one roof in Leipzig this week, bringing together four world-class disciplines for a fabulous festival of sport.

WEG Central® - For the latest news in equestrian sport!

Jumping: Leipzig: USEF: Ward Stands Tenth as US Sends Seven to the Final Round of the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final - By Helen Murray

McLain Ward and Antares F
Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group

 
Leipzig, Germany - The Rolex/FEI World Cup Final saw a shuffle throughout the standings after the conclusion of the second round this afternoon. With forty-four World Cup points up for grabs and the chance to head into the final round on zero faults, clear rounds were at a premium. Forty horse/rider combinations jumped Frank Rothenberger's impressive track, with seven riders representing six different nations returning for the jump-off.

In Sunday's final only the top twenty-nine riders from the first two rounds will have the opportunity to jump in the championship. The US will be represented by seven riders in this round and McLain Ward (Brewster, NY) will lead the charge as the top placed American.

Ward rebounded from Thursday's first round, which saw him lower two rails despite posting a competitive time. Today Ward riding Antares F and the pair jumped a stylish clear round to be the third horse to qualify for the jump-off. The Wurttemberger gelding owned by Grant Road Partners, LLC demonstrated immaculate jumping to make light work of Friday's initial course.

In the jump-off, Ward executed tight smooth turns and utilized Antares F's huge stride to post the quickest trip of the day, however a rail at the final vertical kept them from claiming top honors.

"I went early and was going to try to win the class, I'm not hanging on to any great lead to protect." Ward said "I wanted to try to win and there was definitely an option there, but it was a very hard option and it just got a little too far away from me. He made a good effort but that happens sometimes when you try to win."

Ward stands in tenth place in the standings on ten faults.

Breathing down his neck is Richard Spooner, who is in equal eleventh place on eleven faults. Spooner and the Holsteiner gelding, Cristallo, had a polished performance in the second round, just lowering the second element of the double at fence eight.

Beezie Madden brought her winning partner from Wednesday's Opening Competition, Coral Reef Via Volo, to Hall One of the Leipzig Exhibition Center for today's World Cup class. Madden guided Coral Reef Ranch's mare to the third fastest four-fault round of the day, after having the B element of the triple down at fence four.

The Cazenovia, New York native heads to the last round of competition tied for fifteenth place on twelve faults.

Margie Engle and Ashlee Bond were the top placing Americans after the first round but each found Rothenberger's course tricky this afternoon. Engle and Gladewinds Farm, Garber, Griese and Hidden Creek Farm's Indigo faulted at the large oxer at fence three and then had difficulties with fence four the triple combination when Indigo and Engle miscommunicated resulting in a stop. Bond and Little Valley Farm's Cadett 7 faulted in the triple as well as having a rail at the middle element, later in the course they also lowered fences eleven and thirteen.

Engle currently stands tied for seventeenth place with fourteen faults, while Bond heads into Sunday in twenty-first with sixteen faults.

The remaining two combinations to advance to the final round for the US are Michelle Spadone, twenty-third place on eighteen faults, and Rich Fellers with twenty-three faults in twenty-seventh place.

Up-and-coming US riders Charlie Jayne, Kirsten Coe and Brianne Goutal will jump in Saturday's Sparkassen Cup- Grand Prix of Leipzig after having competed in the first two rounds of the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final.

Canada's Eric Lamaze and Hickstead won today's class after besting the field in the jump-off and heads into to the final round in fifth place on six faults. While Germany's Marco Kutscher and Christian Ahlmann share the lead heading into Sunday both on zero faults.

The 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final champion will be crowned in Hall One of the Leipzig Exhibition Center Sunday afternoon.

WEG Central® - For the latest news in equestrian sport!

Driving: Leipzig: EXELL SETS THE TONE IN LEIPZIG by Cindy Timmer

Photo Caption: Boyd Exell on his way to victory in the warm up round of the FEI World Cup™ Driving Final in Leipzig. Photo: FEI/Rinaldo de Craen

Leipzig (GER) 29 April 2011

FEI WORLD CUP™ DRIVING 2010/2011


FEI TV: enjoy LIVE programming, highlights, interviews and archive footage at www.feitv.org

FEI YouTube Channel: view all our latest reportages here.


Title defender Boyd Exell from Australia has won the warm up round of the FEI World Cup™ Driving Final in Leipzig this evening. The current four-in-hand World Champion was the only driver who finished the course in a clear round. Sweden’s Tomas Eriksson came second driving his brand new marathon carriage. Dutch driver Koos de Ronde finished third.


Ring rusty

The competitors were all a bit ring rusty after a break of several months. Some drivers competed in the last World Cup competition in Bordeaux at the start of February; others had an even longer break after the show in Mechelen at the end of December.

Wild card replacement

Home driver Georg von Stein replaced wild card driver Christian Plücker who unfortunately had to withdraw only two days ago because of two injured horses. Plücker had won the special indoor competition at the German Equestrian Centre in Warendorf in February and had herewith claimed the wild card. Von Stein finished second and was therefore the first candidate to replace Plücker. Von Stein had kept on training his horses so it was not difficult for him to prepare his team for his first ever World Cup start. Von Stein finished fifth in tonight’s competition, behind Switzerland’s Werner Ulrich.


Mistakes

Both Hungary’s Jozsef Dobrovitz and Dutchman IJsbrand Chardon made unusual mistakes. Chardon took the C-gate in one of the marathon type obstacles from the wrong side, which made him drop to the sixth place. Dobrovitz knocked four balls down in the course, designed by German World Championship course designer Dr. Wolfgang Asendorf.

Top three

Koos de Ronde also made a mistake by knocking over one of the gates before he was supposed to take it. But the team gold medallist of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky kept the speed up and set the fastest time, which made him finish third. Tomas Eriksson only received his new marathon carriage this morning but despite the little testing time, Eriksson flew through the course only knocking one ball down.
Boyd Exell drove a safe round, using his old marathon carriage instead of his new indoor carriage, which is now been adjusted for outdoor use as well. While Boyd’s team got fitter every time until his last start in Mechelen, he now concentrated on keeping his team calm which resulted in a clear victorious round.


Quotes:

Boyd Exell: “My team in Mechelen was so fit, it felt like water skiing! I am very pleased with my team in Leipzig, I kept them on the ground. This was just a warm up round so I am not getting too excited about it.”

Tomas Eriksson:“I am happy with my horses. I used my horse Speedy in the lead again. I normally only use him at outdoor shows but this is the third time this season that he has been in the lead of my team and he does a great job. My new carriage went well, I sometimes even forgot to use the breaks!”

Koos de Ronde: “I was not paying attention myself which was rather stupid, but I am convinced I will do better on Sunday in the World Cup Final. At the Final in Geneva last year, we had the same situation. All drivers are a bit ring rusty but the horses are in good shape even after a long break and they will be back in shape quickly.

Audio links:
Boyd Exell

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



Tomas Eriksson

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


Tomas Eriksson  -Swedish

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

Rupert Bell



Results warm up round CAI-W Leipzig 2011:

1.     Boyd Exell (Aus) 125,63 (0)

2.     Tomas Eriksson (Swe) 129,53 (5)

3.     Koos de Ronde (Ned) 140,08 (20)

4.     Werner Ulrich (Sui) 143,41 (10)

5.     Georg von Stein (Ger) 148,31 (15)

6.     Ijsbrand Chardon (Ned) 155,51 (25)

7.     Jozsef Dobrovitz (Hun) 167,66

WEG Central® - For the latest news in equestrian sport!

Vaulting: Leipzig: ANDREANI AND WIEGELE ARE FIRST-ROUND WINNERS - by Louise Parkes

Italy's Nicolas Andreani won the first round of the FEI World Cup™ Vaulting Male Individual competition at the FEI World Cup™ Finals in Leipzig, Germany tonight.  Photo: Stefan Lafrentz.

FEI WORLD CUP™ VAULTING FINAL 2010/2011
Leipzig (GER), 29 April 2011

FEI TV: enjoy LIVE programming, highlights, interviews and archive footage at www.feitv.org

FEI YouTube Channel: view all our latest reportages here

Frenchman Nicolas Andreani and Germany’s Simone Wiegele were the winners in the first round of the inaugural FEI World Cup™ Vaulting event at Leipzig in Germany this evening.  In the Male section Andreani, bronze medallist at last year's Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky, pipped world champion Patrick Looser from Switzerland, while Wiegele, bronze medallist in the Female event at the US fixture, edged out fellow-countrywoman and Kentucky silver medallist Antje Hill.

The vaulting competitors are delighted to have joined their Jumping, Dressage and Driving counterparts at the ground-breaking four-way finals in Leipzig and are looking forward to bringing their sport into the main arena tomorrow morning.

A CHALLENGE

The smaller Hall 3, in which they competed today, proved a challenge for some.  Judge, Helma Schwarzmann, pointed out that "some of the horses had problems in the arena because they are used to working in a calm environment and it was quite noisy in there.  As a result, not all of them put on their best performances", she said. 

Andreani however produced an excellent display with the help of his longeur, Maina Jooten Dupont and his horse Idefix de Braize.  "I was happy with how it went although I think I could have done even better - I expect to produce an even better performance in the next competition." 

His score of 8.780 gave him the edge over runner-up Patrick Looser, while Germany's Viktor Brusewitz finished third.  Looser remains confident despite his second-place finish tonight however.  "I wasn't satisfied with my Freestyle.  With Nicolas here I have to be at my best, but I made some mistakes so my result wasn't good enough to win.  I won't be making those mistakes tomorrow though!" he warned.  And he says that he and his horse will excel in the bigger arena.  "My horse is 19 years old and he likes competing - if the arena is bigger then he feels younger and he enjoys the noise of the crowd", he added.

SURPRISED

Female winner Wiegele said she was surprised to find herself in top spot today.  "It's a good feeling but I really didn't expect to do so well.  I have been concentrating on team training over the past few weeks but I'm very happy to finish first here!" she explained.  She beat her team-mate Antje Hill who was assisted by the same longeur, Agnes Werhahn and the same horse, Arkansas, while Italy's Anna Cavallaro slotted into third.

She said that the FEI World Cup™ Finals in Leipzig present a great opportunity to showcase the sport of Vaulting which continues to grow in popularity.  "I am very happy to be here - this event is the next step to present our sport to the world", she commented.

Both of today's winners will have to be on top form tomorrow however if they want to claim the very first FEI World Cup™ Vaulting titles.  Andreani remains determined to continue his winning streak - "I always hope to win, and tomorrow that is the plan!" he said, but if Looser can produce a more accurate performance than he did today then the Frenchman will be under intense pressure.  Wiegele will also need to be on the top of her game to pin fellow-German Hill back.  "It's going to be really exciting in the big ring tomorrow" Wiegele said. 

Result:

Female Individual Round 1 - 1, Simone Wiegele (Arkansas) GER 8.320; 2, Antje Hill (Arkansas) GER 8.246; 3, Anna Cavallaro (Harley) 7.533; 4, Ines Juckstock (Lamenticus) GER 7.313; 5, Simone Jaiser (Luk) SUI 7.226; 6, Stefanie Kowald (Alando) AUT 7.200; 7, Pia Engelberty (Sir Bernhard RS von der Wintermuhle) GER 7.160.

Male Individual Round 1 - 1, Nicolas Andreani (Idefix de Braize) FRA 8.780; 2, Record RS von der Wintermuhle) SUI 8.626; 3, Viktor Brusewitz (Airbus) GER 8.080; 4, Yvan Nousse (Carlos) FRA 7.046; 5, Lukas Klouda (Sir Bernhard RS von der Wintermuhle) CZE 6.673; 6, Daniel Kaiser (Down Under) GER 5.720.

Facts and Figures

This is the inaugural FEI World Cup™ Vaulting final.

7 vaulters are competing in the Individual Female competition.

6 vaulters are competing in the Individual Male competition.

Today's panel of judges was - Helma Schwarzmann (GER), Elzbieta Dolinska (POL) and Jochen Schilffahrt (GER).

The competition took place in Hall 3 at the exhibition centre in Leipzig. Tomorrow the vaulting competition moves into the main arena in Hall 1.

Quotes:

Helma Schwarzmann - "three years ago vaulting took place in Leipzig for the first time and thanks to Volker Wulff it has now become a World Cup competition."

Patrick Looser - "there has been big growth in our sport since 2006 and this is another great chance for it to develop even more as it is presented to a bigger public."

PRESS KIT ZONE

Visit our new FEI Press Kit Zone to get everything you need on the FEI World Cup™ Finals 2010/2011.

AUDIO LINKS

Listen to interviews with the stars of the FEI World Cup™ Final Vaulting:

Simone Wiegele - English

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

Simone Wiegele  German

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

Antje Hill - English

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/VAU_Hill_rd1.MP3

Antje Hill German

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

Nicolas Andreani - French and English combined

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

Patric Looser - English

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

Patric Looser German

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

WEG Central® - For the latest news in equestrian sport!

Jumping: Leipzig: GERMAN DUO SHARE LEAD GOING INTO LAST LEG OF ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING FINAL - by Louise Parkes

Caption: Reigning Olympic champion Eric Lamaze (CAN) riding the great stallion Hickstead reigned supreme in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final second qualifier in Leipzig today. Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI

ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING FINAL 2010/2011 - ROUND 2
Leipzig (GER), 29 April 2011

FEI TV: enjoy LIVE programming, highlights, interviews and archive footage at www.feitv.org

FEI YouTube Channel: view all our latest reportage here.

Germany's Christian Ahlmann and Marco Kutscher share the lead going into Sunday's third and deciding competition at the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2010/2011 on their home ground at Leipzig.  But it was reigning Olympic champion, Canada's Eric Lamaze, who reigned supreme in today's second qualifier riding the great stallion Hickstead. The win has bounced Lamaze up to fifth spot, just six points behind the leading pair as the thrilling series draws to a close.

The startlist for today's class was reduced to 40 following the withdrawal of Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Al Sharbatly, and course designer Frank Rothenberger lived up to his promise to present a considerably stronger track.  A total of seven made it through to the second-round jump-off which Frenchman Simon Delestre (Couletto) and New Zealand's Katie McVean (Delphi) missed out on when picking up just a single time fault.  McVean has created quite a sensation this week however as the 24-year-old daughter of Australian legend Jeff McVean has ridden her home-bred 10-year-old mare with extraordinary confidence and panache.  Despite not making the cut into the timed round, she is lying in fourth place, just behind The Netherlands' Gerco Schroder, going into Sunday's decider after the result of the first two competitions have been calculated into points.

BIG AND BOLD

Rothenberger's course was big and bold, with the triple combination at fence four creating some of the earliest problems.  The opening vertical consistently hit the floor as horses did a double-take at the following oxer and the third-element vertical which were decorated in the colours of the German flag. And the line that included the double at eight and the following vertical at fence nine proved another big test.  It was here that Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum's chances slipped away.  She arrived on a fairly long stride to the triple-bar opener at 8a, and although the 16-year-old Checkmate cleared the second-element oxer, he found himself a distance off the following vertical and ducked left.  The partnership completed without any further ado but their seven penalties put paid to the chances of the three-time Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion claiming a fourth title.

Luck of course plays a major role in competition, just as in life, and Marco Kutscher had more than his fair share of it when his first-day winner Cash rubbed the top poles on each of the first two fences before completing clear and joining six others in the race against the clock.

JUMP OFF

First to go in the jump-off was Venezuela's Pablo Barrios, but his 11-year-old mare G&C Quick Star lowered both the Rolex planks, now third on the track, and the following first element of the treble which was now reduced to just two jumping efforts.  A good roll-back here would prove crucial to a strong finishing result.

Spain's Sergio Alvarez Moya opted for a cautious clear with his elegant stallion Action-Breaker to set the first real target at 48.79 seconds.  But America's McLain Ward came out with all guns blazing to produce a stunning run from the big-jumping grey Antares F that looked set to really put it up to the remaining four, only to clip the flimsy white planks at the very end of the track as they broke the beam in 39.37 seconds. 

Lamaze set off with equal determination, and with Hickstead in full flight they took the lead with a fabulous clear in 40.68.  But while Gerco Schroder and Eurocommerce New Orleans never looked like ousting them from pole position as they crossed the line without incident in 44.77 seconds, Christian Ahlmann's seemingly unhurried round brought Taloubet Z home just fractionally slower than the Canadian in 40.86 seconds.

The only question now remaining was whether first-day winners Kutscher and Cash could edge the Olympic champion down the order, but a pole off the second element of the former triple combination settled the matter and he had to make do with sixth spot this time out.

SHARING THE LEAD

It was still good enough to leave him sharing the top of the leaderboard with his team-mate Ahlmann and well within sight of the coveted Rolex trophy that all the riders want to take home.  There is no room for error however, as Schroder is just one point behind going into Sunday's last test, while McVean is only a single fence further in arrears with four points on the board while Lamaze carries six.

"This is Hickstead's first World Cup final - I always wanted him to be part of one before the end of his career", said Lamaze this evening. "Yesterday I was cautious and we had one down, and today we had a few rubs in the first round but he was great in the jump-off. He has had a great career and to add this day to it is wonderful, especially in front of Rolex, my new sponsors - it's a special moment for me!" he added.

Ahlmann and Kutscher said they are happy to share the lead going into Sunday's finale. "We know each other now for at least 15 years and we are good friends", said Kutscher. "I'm happy to be in the lead in the World Cup for the first time in my life and I'm also happy that, after taking a lot of risks yesterday, my horse jumped so well today."

RESULT 2nd Qualifier: 1, Hickstead (Eric Lamaze) CAN 0/0 40.68; 2, Taloubet Z (Christian Ahlmann) GER 0/0 40.86; 3, Eurocommerce New Orleans (Gerco Schroder) NED 0/0 44.77; 4, Action-Breaker (Sergio Alvarez-Moya) ESP 0/0 48.79; 5, Antares F (McLain Ward) USA 0/4 39.37; 6, Cash (Marco Kutscher) GER 0/4 40.89; 7, G&C Quick Star (Pablo Barrios) VEN 0/8 42.02; 8, Delphi (Katie McVean) NZL 1/76.72; 9, Couletto (Simon Delestre) FRA 1/76.78; 10, Carlina (Pius Schwizer) SUI 4/71.87; 11, H&M Tornesch (Malin Baryard-Johnsson) SWE 4/72.81; 12, Coral Reef Vie Volo (Beezie Madden) USA 4/73.33; 13, Gotha (Ludger Beerbaum) GER 4/74.13; 14, Quintero la Silla (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) SWE 4/74.16; 15, Silvana de Hus (Kevin Staut) FRA 4/74.54; 16, Cristallo (Richard Spooner) USA 4/74.69; 17, Melissimo (Michelle Spadone) USA 4/75.56; 18, Lord Luis (Lars Nieberg) 5/76.28; 19, Checkmate (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) GER 7/87.72; 20, BMC van Grunsven Simon (Jeroen Dubbeldam) NED 8/70.18; 21, Sabrina (Marcus Ehning) GER 8/73.59; 22, Regina Z (Harrie Smolders) NED 74.10; 23, Catoki (Philipp Weishaupt) GER 8/74.57; 24, Tinka's Serenade (Billy Twomey) IRL 9/76.81; 25, Wonderboy lll (Ahmad Saber Hamcho) SYR 9/78.35; 26, Vip vd Keersod (Yuri Mansur Guerios) BRA 9/79.01; 27, Tristan (Kirsten Coe) USA 9/79.45; 28, Indigo (Margie Engle) USA 10/80.47; 29, Cadett 7 (Ashlee Bond) USA 12/71.62; 30, Flexible (Rich Fellers) USA 12/72.70; 31, Rocketman 2 (Vladimir Beletsky) RUS 12/75.89; 32, Winningmood (Luciana Diniz) POR 12/89.47; 33, Athena (Charlie Jayne) USA 16/71.73; 34, Tomba (Eduardo Menezes) BRA 16/73.07; 35, Ballade van het Indihof (Brianne Goutal) USA 16/74.24; 36, Utopia (John Perez) COL 17/78.60; 37, Leonard (Jose Alberto Martinez Vazquez) MEX 17/79.13; 38, Ulrike R (Gunnar Klettenberg) EST 20/74.69; 39, Snowyriver ll (Daisuke Kawaguchi) JPN 36/73.68; 40, Cinnamon (Tilt Kivisild) EST Ret.

STANDINGS after Second Round of Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2010/2011 (results of first two competitions calculated into points):

Equal 1. Christian Ahlmann (GER), Marco Kutscher (GER) 0; 3, Gerco Schroder (NED) 1; 4, Katie McVean (NZL) 4; 5, Eric Lamaze (CAN) 6; 6, Malin Baryard-Johnsson (SWE) 8; Equal 7, Kevin Staut (FRA), Pius Schwizer (SUI), Marcus Ehning (GER) 9; 10, McLain Ward (USA) 10; Equal 11, Sergio Alvarez Moya (ESP), Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (SWE), Richard Spooner (USA), Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED) 11; Equal 15, Simon Delestre (FRA), Beezie Madden (USA) 12; Equal 17, Pablo Barrios (VEN), Philipp Weishaupt (GER), Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER), Margie Engle (USA) 14; 21, Ashlee Bond (USA)  16; 22, Billy Twomey (IRL) 17; 23, Michelle Spadone (USA) 18; 24, Ludger Beerbaum (GER) 19; 25, Lars Nieberg (GER) 21; 26, Harrie Smolders (NED) 22; Equal 27, Luciana Diniz (POR), Rich Fellers (USA) 23; 29, Vladimir Beletsky (RUS) 25; 30, Yuri Mansur Guerios (BRA) 27; Equal 31, Eduardo Menezes (BRA), Ahmad Saber Hamcho (SYR) 28; 33, Kirsten Coe (USA) 29; 34, John Perez (COL) 31; 35, Brianne Goutal (USA) 32; 36, Charlie Jayne (USA) 33; 37, Abdullah Al Sharbatly (KSA) 35; Equal 38, Jose Alberto Martinez Vazquez (MEX), Gunnar Klettenberg (EST) 36; Equal 40, Daisuke Kawaguchi (JPN), Tilt Kivisild (EST) 37; Equal 42, Denis Lynch (IRL), Edwina Alexander (AUS) 0.   

AUDIO LINKS

Listen to interviews with the stars of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Final Jumping:

Marco Kutscher in German:

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

Marco Kutscher in English:

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

Marcus Ehning in German:

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_Ehning_rd1_ger.MP3

Marcus Ehning in English:

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_Ehning_rd1.MP3

Ashlee Bond:

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_Bond_rd1.MP3

Katie McVean:

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_McVean_rd1.MP3

Malin Baryard Johnsson in Swedish:

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_Malin_rd1_swe.MP3

Malin Baryard Johnsson in English:

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Rolex_Malin_rd1_eng.MP3



FACTS AND FIGURES:

The withdrawal of Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Al Sharbatly reduced the field to 40 starters in today's competition.

7 qualified for the second-round jump-off.

29 qualified from Sunday's third and final competition which will decide the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion for the 2010/2011 season.

1 rider - Estonia's Tilt Kivisild (Cinnamon) - retired in the first round.

2 finished with just one first-round time penalty - New Zealand's Katie McVean (Delphi) and Simon Delestre (Couletto) from France.

McVean is the 24-year-old daughter of famous Australian rider Jeff McVean who is now retired.

8 finished with just four faults in the first round.

The time allowed in round one, originally set at 79 seconds, was reduced to 76 seconds after the first three riders completed the course.

The doubles at fences 4 and 8 proved influential, as did the vertical at 9 and the Rolex planks at 11.

German riders Christian Ahlmann and Marco Kutscher share the lead going into Sunday's final competition, each carrying a zero score.

Defending champion Marcus Ehning (GER) is lying equal-7th.

8 nations are represented in the top 10 going into Sunday's final leg.



QUOTES:

Eric Lamaze - "Riding Hickstead is a privilege - he is such a clever horse, everything with him is about speed and rhythm and he never takes his eye off the top pole of a fence, he has it all measured up."

Gerco Schroder  - "I'm very happy with my horse today and yesterday he also jumped very well. I saw Eric go in the jump-off and I thought it’s not possible to catch him so I decided to just do my own ride and it worked out well."

Marco Kutscher, talking about his jump-off round - "I turned too sharp to the double and he hit it but I'm very happy with my horse."

Katie McVean - "I'm very excited to be here amongst these riders. I came to Europe specially for the World Cup final and I am based near Eindhoven in Holland with a friend. My father is with me this week - he rode the dam of my horse Delphi. Delphi had five weeks quarantine after the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky but we won two World Cup qualifiers and so I decided we should come here - it's been great so far!"

FAB FOUR

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 takes place under one roof in Leipzig this week, bringing together four world-class disciplines for a fabulous festival of sport.

WEG Central® - For the latest news in equestrian sport!

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

WEG Central® - For the latest news in equestrian sport!

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

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World Cup: Leipzig: SHUTTERFLY JOINS THE LEIPZIG LINE-UP - News from 2010/2011 FEI World Cup™ Finals -- by Louise Parkes

FEI WORLD CUP™ FINALS 2010/2011
Lausanne (SUI), 26 April 2011

Three-time Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, has decided to compete her great gelding, Shutterfly, at the 2010/2011 final which opens at Leipzig, Germany tomorrow, 27 April.  Originally entered with Checkmate and Kismet, Meredith has substituted the latter for the 18 year old veteran who helped her secure the prestigious title at Las Vegas (USA) in 2005 and 2009 and at Gothenburg (SWE) in 2008. This means that not only is the German rider vying for a record-breaking fourth series victory, but Shutterfly may also go into the record books as the first horse to claim the honours on four occasions.  The only other horse to win three titles was Rodrigo Pessoa's legendary stallion Baloubet du Rouet who scored a spectacular back-to-back hat-trick for his Brazilian rider between 1998 and 2000.

Some facts and figures about the 2010/2011 FEI World Cup™ Finals at Leipzig:

For the first time in the history of international equestrian sport, four finals will take place under one roof between 27 April and 1 May - Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping, Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ dressage, FEI World Cup™ Driving and FEI World Cup™ Vaulting.
Leipzig staged its first national event in 1998 and in 2002 held its first international show - the FEI World Cup™ Jumping final - Germany's Otto Becker reigned supreme on that occasion with Dobel's Cento.
Leipzig, the trade and cultural capital of eastern Germany, is closely associated with world-famous literary figure Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who studied law at Leipzig University.
A total of 50 competitions will take place at the Leipziger Messe exhibition centre between 27 April and 1 May.
The total prizemoney for the Finals is €1.6 million.
A total of 31 nations will compete in all four FEI World Cup™ events.
21 nations will be represented in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final.
There are 11 lady riders amongst the 43 starters in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final.
Course designer for the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final is Frank Rothenberger.
German footing expert, Oliver Hoberg, will ensure excellent ground conditions for horses and riders.
Stable Management has been allocated to Team Australia.
100,000 visitors are expected to attend the event - at the 2010 Leipzig fixture a total of 70,000 spectators turned up over the four-day fixture.
Three halls - each sized 21,000 square metres, will be in use during the final.
Hall 1 - 9,500 seats, arena size 40/80 metres, Hall 2 - 3,000 seats, Hall 3 - stabling for 900 horses, 750 of these are allocated for competition horses.
President of the Organising Committee is Volker Wulff.

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World Cup: Leipzig: USEF: Twenty Americans Head to FEI World Cup Finals in Leipzig, Germany

April 25, 2011

By Helen Murray

Lexington, KY- The United States will have strong representation in Germany for the 2011 FEI World Cup Finals (April 27-May 1), with 20 of the country's best riders ready to leave their mark on Leipzig. For the first time the World Cup Finals in dressage, driving, jumping and vaulting will all be held under one roof, with the US sending competitors to vie for top honors in the dressage and jumping. The US will also use the Leipzig Exhibition Hall to showcase up-and-coming jumping riders in the European Youngster Cup Finals and the CSI3*.

With three riders competing in the 2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final, the US is poised to excel on the world stage. The American effort will be led by Catherine Haddad and her own Winyamaro. Based in Germany, the pair punched their ticket to the Finals by finishing fifth in the Western European League, which is widely known as the toughest Reem Acra World Cup Qualifying League.

California's Jan Ebeling returns to World Cup stage with his partner from the 2009 Finals, Raflaca. The pair won most recently at the Festival of the Horse CDI-W in March. Shawna Harding and Come On III make their FEI World Cup Final debut, they look to capitalize on the consistent form they displayed throughout the winter season. Under the guidance of Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons, these three riders will compete in a field of 18 competitors from 11 countries, including former FEI World Cup Champions Edward Gal, Isabel Werth and Ulla Salzgeber.

USEF Chef d'Equipe George Morris, leads 10 of the country's top show jumping riders to the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final to take on 43 competitors from 21 countries. Beezie Madden and McLain Ward, teammates on both the 2004 and 2008 gold medal-winning Olympic Games teams, head the US charge. Madden brings Danny Boy, her 2009 Finals' partner, and newest star Coral Reef Via Volo to Leipzig.  Antares F and Rothchild will look to step into the limelight for Ward on jumping's largest stage.

US veteran Margie Engle is poised to make a splash as she returns to the FEI World Cup Finals with the exciting grey gelding Indigo. While fellow East Coast League qualifier, Kirsten Coe, makes her debut with fiancé Ilan Ferder's Tristan.

The US will have strong representation from the West Coast, with veterans Rich Fellers and Richard Spooner making return trips to the Finals. Fellers and Flexible (runners-up in 2008) once again topped the West Coast League Standings and return to the Finals for the fifth consecutive year. Spooner makes his 13th FEI World Cup Final appearance and once again rides Cristallo.

Youth prevails for the rest of the US Team: four of the US competitors are all under the age of 30. Michelle Spadone, Charlie Jayne, Brianne Goutal and Ashlee Bond (as well as McLain Ward) are all former recipients of the Maxine Beard Award, an honor the USET Foundation bestows annually for a rider's promise in the future of show jumping. Goutal and Bond make their second trip to the Finals, while Spadone returns for the third consecutive year. Jayne makes his inaugural trip but looks ready for a strong showing, after successfully spending the winter jumping in Florida and California.

The US looks to knock the home country off the top of the pedestal as Germans have claimed top honors for the past three years.

For the first time, the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final will also feature the EY Cup, giving six of America's top Young Riders a chance to go head-to-head against their peers. Reed Kessler, Charlotte Jacobs, Caitlin Ziegler and Katie Dinan all qualified for the EY Cup by jumping successfully in the Artisan Farms Young Rider Grand Prix Series. After jumping successfully at HITS Thermal in California, Cayla Richards and Audrey Coulter qualified from the West Coast.

Kessler, Dinan and Coulter are all medalists at the Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North.

In Leipzig, Jacobs will ride the veteran Promise Land, a horse that represented the US on FEI Nations Cup teams. While Ziegler takes VDL Groep Camara, the mare she contested her first Grand Prix with. Richards heads to Germany as the top qualifier from the West Coast.

2009 Youngster Cup winner, Lucy Davis, will compete in the CSI3*. In March, the California phenom won four Grand Prix classes in row. She brings her $200,000 Lamborghini Grand Prix winner, Nemo 119, to Leipzig.

ENDS

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Jumping: Lausanne: CAN MARCUS OR MEREDITH MAKE IT A RECORD FOURTH TITLE? -- by Louise Parkes

Marcus Ehning (GER) celebrates being crowned Rolex FEI World Cup™ 2010 champion in Geneva (SUI) with joint runners up Pius Schwizer of Switzerland (left) and Ludger Beerbaum of Germany (right). Photo: Kit Houghton/FEI

ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING 2010/2011 - FINAL PREVIEW
Lausanne (SUI), 15 April 2011

With less than two weeks to go to the Rolex FEI World Cup™ 2010/2011 Jumping Final in Leipzig (GER), excitement is at fever pitch and speculation is rife about whether defending champion Marcus Ehning or his German compatriot Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, can secure a historic fourth victory.

Just four riders have been three-time winners throughout the 32 seasons of this most prestigious indoor tournament, which brings together the leading competitors from 14 leagues staged all around the globe.

Two of those won't make it to this year's 33rd annual grand finale as Austria's Hugo Simon, the first man to hold the coveted trophy aloft back in 1979 and winner again in 1996 and 1997, didn't make the cut and Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa, who proved unbeatable between 1998 and 2000, has already said he won’t be making the trip to Leipzig.

That leaves only Ehning and Michaels-Beerbaum, members of Germany's gold medal winning team at last year's Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ and multiple champions in their own right, in contention for a record-breaking fourth success.

One way or another, the host nation is hotly-tipped for the honours after dominating the Rolex Western European League with six wins from 13 qualifying competitions and an awesome list of top placings.

BATTLE FOR POINTS
At the opening leg in Oslo (NOR) last October it was a German one-two-three when Christian Ahlmann pipped Ludger Beerbaum and Lars Nieberg in the battle for maximum points, and Ahlmann made it a double a week later in Helsinki (FIN) where team-mate Philipp Weishaupt slotted into the runner-up spot. Michaels-Beerbaum won round three at Lyon (FRA) and then in November Carsten-Otto Nagel nosed in ahead of Marcus Ehning at Stuttgart (GER).

Ehning came out on top at Zurich (SUI) in January before Weishaupt swept to success in Bordeaux (FRA) the following month, and although Nagel did not accumulate sufficient points to make it to the Final despite his victory, the six-strong German line-up for Leipzig is a star-studded one, including 1993 champion Beerbaum and former Olympic bronze medallist and European champion Marco Kutscher. They will be tough nuts to crack, especially on home ground.

However, non-Europeans have a tremendous record in this series down the years. The USA secured seven titles between 1980 and 1987 and again fields an impressive line-up this time around that includes Rich Fellers, who was second in 2008 and McLain Ward, who was runner-up in 2009.

The honours have gone to Canada on three occasions, firstly to Mario Deslauriers in 1984 and then to the legendary partnership of Ian Millar and Big Ben in 1988 and 1989, and Canadian prospects look particularly promising again this season with Eric Lamaze and his fabulous stallion, Hickstead, champing at the bit. They are a formidable partnership, with a turn of speed that could give the reigning Olympic champion and World No 2 rider the edge on the final afternoon.

MOST ATTENTION
Challengers from the New Zealand, Japanese, South American, Mexican and Central European Leagues will also compete, but it is one of the Arab League contenders who is likely to attract most attention over the early days of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping final. Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Al Sharbatly sprang a big surprise when taking individual silver at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky last year, and his many fans will be keenly following the fortunes of the effervescent 28-year-old, who brings the brilliant mare Seldana di Campalto to Leipzig. 

However World No 1, Kevin Staut, will be hoping to bring the trophy home to France for only the second time, and the start-list is bursting with talent including Staut's cohort Simon Delestre, the impressive Spaniard Sergio Alvarez Moya, Olympic silver medallist Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and his Swedish counterpart Malin Baryard-Johnsson, 2000 Olympic champion Jeroen Dubbeldam of The Netherlands and Portugal's Luciana Diniz.

Never discount the Irish either. Billy Twomey's fabulous run of form has boosted him to seventh in the Rolex Rankings, one place ahead of Denis Lynch, who demonstrated true grit when snatching those invaluable last-minute points at 's-Hertogenbosch (NED) just over two weeks ago. The Irish are hungry to clinch the title that has eluded them for so many years and to which they came so close when Jessica Kuerten was runner-up in 2006.

The winner however must be well-placed after the opening speed class which takes place on Thursday April 28 and the Table A competition with a timed jump-off the following day. 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

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