Thursday, January 27, 2011

Hunters: Wellington: WEF: Scott Stewart and Touchdown Score Week 3 Championship in the Green Conformation Hunters

Scott Stewart and Touchdown are the Green Conformation Hunter champions during the third week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.

For Immediate Release
Brooke Bidgood for Equestrian Sport Productions

Wellington, FL - January 27, 2011 - The third week of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs through April 3, is into its second day of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The Green Conformation Hunters awarded their championship today in the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring.

Jumping: Wellington: WEF: Darragh Kenny and Gael Force Gallop to Victory in $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 3 at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival

Darragh Kenny and Gael Force won the $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 3 at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.
For Immediate Release
Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL - January 27, 2011 - Irish rider Darragh Kenny and Gael Force, owned by Missy Clark and North Run, earned top honors in round three of the $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup on Thursday afternoon at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Sponsored by Nespresso, the WEF is in its third of 12 weeks of competition at the beautiful Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). The circuit will continue through April 3, 2011.

Dressage: Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge to host 2011 Exquis World Dressage Masters CDI5* By Joanie Morris

West Palm Beach, FL - Pending FEI approval, the Exquis World Dressage Masters CDI5* has been rescheduled for March 9-12 at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge in West Palm Beach, FL. The featured event, the Freestyle, will be held under the lights on Friday evening. The only CDI5* held annually in the United States, the World Dressage Masters attracts some of the world's best.

Over the last two years, World, Olympic and World Cup Champions have all been in attendance and 2011 promises to not disappoint. Held for the first time at the world-class Palm Beach County Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach - South Florida will again welcome the dressage world.

Jumping: World Cup: STAUT CONTINUES TO LEAD STANDINGS AS ROLEX JUMPING SERIES RESUMES IN ZURICH by Louise Parkes

Kevin Staut (FRA) and Sylvana de Hus continue to lead the Western League World Cup (Kit Houghton Photo/FEI)
World No. 1, Kevin Staut, continues to lead the Western European League standings as the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping series resumes this weekend in Zurich following a four-week break.  And, although he is already well-qualified for the final which will take place in Leipzig, Germany from 27 April to 1 May, the Frenchman is listed amongst the star-studded field of competitors at the popular Swiss fixture.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Jumping, WEF, Wellington, HH Palouchin and Rodrigo Pessoa Score Win in $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers

 Photo Credit: Rodrigo Pessoa and HH Palouchin won the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumpers during the second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.
For Immediate Release
Jennifer Wood for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL - January 26, 2011 - The third week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) began today. In the $8,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Jumper class, Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and his always speedy HH Palouchin, owned by Double H Farm, brought home the win.

USEF: USEF Passes New Safety Helmet Rules for Eventing and Dressage Riders


By USEF Communications Department
Lexington, KY - The Board of Directors during this year's United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Annual Meeting approved new helmet rules for riders in both eventing and dressage - just two weeks after dozens of stakeholders in equestrian sport met with the goal of improving rider safety across disciplines.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Dressage: Konyot (USA) Takes CDI Freestyle in Wellington, Followed by Silfven (SWE)

The first 2010 CDI kicked off the season in Florida over the weekend and Tina Konyot took top honors with Calecto V.  They represented the U.S. at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games last fall and returned to form after a winter break with a convincing performance for a score of 71.745% to win the Grand Prix for the Freestyle. Konyot was then second in the Freestyle behind Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Favourit from Sweden.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

USEF: Pegasus Awards: McCutcheon Scores 2010 USEF Equestrian of the Year Title; Harris Honored for a Lifetime of Excellence

Tom McCutcheon, Don Harris and Kelsey Kimbler
Photo: Geoff Oliver Bugbee/USEF
January 22, 2011
By Joanie Morris

Lexington, KY - In a year that equestrian sport was forever changed in the United States, an all-American horseman was honored for his golden achievement. For the second consecutive year, the voters for USEF Horse and Equestrian of the Year have crowned a horse and his rider as champions in both categories.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Jumping: WEF: Wellington: Nick Skelton and Big Star Light Up Saturday Night With Victory in $40,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix, CSI 2*

Nick Skelton and Big Star won the $40,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix, CSI 2* during the second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.
For Immediate Release
Jennifer Wood for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL - January 22, 2011 - Nick Skelton (GBR) notched his third major victory of the circuit tonight with Big Star, owned by Beverly and Gary Widdowson, in the $40,000 Equine Couture/Tuff Rider Grand Prix, CSI2*. Tonight's class was the first of 11 events in the "Saturday Night Lights" series at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). A crowd of 3,800 spectators were there to enjoy world-class show jumping and all that the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center has to offer.

Hunters: Wellington: Shawn Casady and Vida Blue Earn the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter Championship With Impressive Scores

Shawn Casady and Vida Blue are the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter champions during the second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.
For Immediate Release
Brooke Bidgood for Equestrian Sport Productions

Wellington, FL - January 22, 2011 - The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), which runs from January 12 through April 3, awarded more championships today in the junior hunter divisions. Among the various junior hunter divisions offered at WEF, the Large Junior Hunters 16-17 finished early Saturday and awarded tricolor honors to the victor.

Reining: Double Gold Medalist Gunners Special Nite Named 2010 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year By Joanie Morris

Gunner's Special Nite and Tom McCutcheon WEG 2010 ©Nan Rawlins for Equimage Media

Lexington, KY - The city of Lexington was largely defined by the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010, so it proved a fitting setting to crown the  2010 Farnam/Platform USEF Horse of the Year.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Hunters: Wellington: WEF: Sheila Motley Rides Lansing to the Championship in the Adult Amateur 3'3" Hunters

Sheila Motley and Lansing were the Amateur Adult 3'3" Hunter champions during the second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.
For Immediate Release
Brooke Bidgood for Equestrian Sport Productions

Wellington, FL - January 21, 2011 - The Rost Arena got to an early start this morning with the many hunter divisions it saw today. The 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which runs through April 3, awarded another of its championships today, this time in the Adult Amateur 3'3" Hunters to Sheila Motley aboard Lansing.

Jumping, WEF, Wellington: Brianne Goutal and Mon Gamin's Longstanding Partnership Helps Them Win $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge

Brianne Goutal and Mon Gamin won the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge during the second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.

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

Wellington, FL - January 21, 2011 - After showing together for nine years, the partnership between Brianne Goutal (New York, NY) and her pinto Mon Gamin makes winning easy. They sped to the top of the class in today's $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Speed Challenge.

Dressage: Amsterdam: REEM ACRA SERIES RE-COMMENCES IN AMSTERDAM TOMORROW - Cornelissen favourite after victory in today's Grand Prix

REEM ACRA FEI WORLD CUP™ DRESSAGE 2010/2011 - PREVIEW ROUND 7
Amsterdam (NED), 21 January 2011

FEI TV - Watch all the action LIVE from Amsterdam and enjoy highlights, interviews and archive footage at www.feitv.org

The Netherlands' Adelinde Cornelissen looks set to take the seventh leg of the 2010/2011 Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage season by storm when the series re-commences on her home turf in Amsterdam tomorrow after partnering the fabulous 14 year old gelding Jerich Parzival to a clear-cut victory in today's Grand Prix at the Dutch fixture.  Cornellisen had an advantage of more than four percentage points over runner-up Patrick Kittel riding Watermill Scandic for Sweden, and all five judges - Holland's Mrs. E. Mouw and Mr. W. Ernes, Mr J.M. Roudier from France, Belgium's Mr. J. van Daele and Great Britain's Mr. S. Clarke - put her in No. 1 spot.

FEI: Jumping: FEI COURSE ATTRACTS RECORD NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS


FEI PRESS RELEASE
Lausanne (SUI), 21 January 2011
 
The new FEI Education System for Jumping Officials will be the key feature of an official FEI Refresher Course for Jumping Judges which will be held on 29 January 2011 in Zurich, venue of the ninth leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™. A record number of participants - 160 FEI Officials from 45 countries on five continents - have confirmed their attendance. The Course, directed by FEI Jumping Committee Chairman Sven Holmberg and International Show Jumping Officials Club (ISJC) President Stephan Ellenbruch, will also include updates on FEI legal and veterinary matters. A Seminar for Jumping Stewards and Course Designers will also be held in Zurich.

The general assembly of the ISJC will take place on the same day at the invitation of the Swiss Equestrian Federation and the organising committee of Mercedes-CSI Zurich.

The complete programme of the day is available on this link.


Jumping: USEF: Modifications to the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List & Protocols for U.S. Riders Wishing to Compete Abroad

Effective January 1, 2011
From the USEF Show Jumping Department
Gladstone, NJ - The following modifications have been made to the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List in italics and are effective January 1, 2011.

Placing Points for Multiple Horses: Currently only a rider's designated Ranking List horse receives Placing Points. All horses will now receive Placing Points, but the rider will only receive the Placing Points from his designated Ranking List horse. 
Determining Second Classes: The Ranking List Guidelines state that, except for CSIO's, a maximum of two classes will count for the Ranking List. There are many instances when there are more than two classes that meet the criteria to count. To clarify which classes should be used, the following language in italics has been added:
If there are three or more classes which meet the criteria for classes to count, the following additional criteria will be used to determine the classes to count:

1. If one class is a Grand Prix qualifier and one class is not, then the Grand Prix qualifier will be the class to count.
2. If both classes are Grand Prix qualifiers, then the Grand Prix qualifier that occurs first during the event will be the class to count.
3. If neither classes are Grand Prix qualifiers:
     a. The class with the highest fence height will be the class to count.   
     b. If they are equal in height; the Jump Off class will be the class to count.
     c. If both or neither classes are Jump Off classes; the class that occurs first during the event and meets the criteria to count will be the class to count.

Riders are encouraged to review the modifications to the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List here http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alljumping/sjInfo.aspx.
Modifications to Protocols for U.S. Riders Wishing to Compete Abroad

The following modifications have been made to the protocols for U.S. Show Jumping riders wishing to compete abroad in italics and are effective January 1, 2011:

Minimum Criteria to Compete Abroad:  Be ranked as follows on the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List as published five weeks before the event in question (Only U.S. Riders will be taken into consideration when determining a rider's ranking on the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Ranking List):
For CSIO5*s and CSI5*s, riders must be ranked 1st to 25th;
For CSIO4*s and CSI4*s, riders must be ranked 1st to 40th;
For CSIO3*s, CSI3*s, and CSI-Ws, riders must be ranked 1st to 50th 75th;
For CSIO2*s and CSI2*s, riders must be ranked 1st to 75th 100th;
For a CSIO*s or CSI*s, the rider and horse need not be ranked on the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping RankingList, but must have placed 1st through 10th in an open class offering US$25,000, CAN$25,000, or 20,000 Euro or more in prize money within the 12 month period prior to the event.

Waivers: Exception: Riders wishing to compete in Canadian and Mexican CSIs and CSIOs will not need a waiver. 
Riders are encouraged to review the modifications to the protocols for U.S. Show Jumping riders wishing to compete abroad here http://www.usef.org/documents/highPerformance/showJumping/ProtocolsForCompetingAbroad.pdf.
ENDS

Jumping: New Zealand: Larsen Sawmilling Championships Preview

0/01/2011 10:03:37 a.m.

New Zealand's best showjumping combinations are heading to Gisborne this weekend for the 2011 Larsen Sawmilling Equestrian Championships.

Centrepiece of the three star three day show, which starts on Friday, is the seventh round of the New Zealand World Cup qualifying series. For the past four years Gisborne has played host to the final of this prestigious series but this year that will be held in Tauranga in early February.
New Zealand World Equestrian Games representatives Katie McVean (Mystery Creek) and Maurice Beatson (Dannevirke) are both entered in the Sunday afternoon class.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Jumping: Catherine Pasmore and My Boy Best All-Star Field in $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 at 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival

 Catherine Pasmore and My Boy won the $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.
For Immediate Release
Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL - January 20, 2011 - The second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), sponsored by Equine Couture/Tuff Rider, continued on Thursday afternoon with the $31,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 2. The second of 11 weekly WEF Challenge Cup grand prix, this afternoon's class saw a victory for 18-year-old Catherine Pasmore (USA) and My Boy, owned by Pasmore Stables. The class was held in the International Arena of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC), which will host 12 consecutive weeks of competition for the 2011 FTI WEF running through April 3, 2011.

Hunter: Havens Schatt and Bacardi Are Victorious in the Sofscape Pavers Baby Green Hunters

Havens Schatt and Bacardi were the Sofscape Pavers Baby Green Hunter champions during the second week at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot, Official Sport Photographer of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, www.sportfot.com.
For Immediate Release
Brooke Bidgood for Equestrian Sport Productions

Wellington, FL - January 20, 2011 - The second week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, sponsored by Equine Couture and Tuff Rider, is underway. Competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center began on January 12, and will run through April 3. Among many other championships awarded in the professional hunter divisions today, the Sofscape Pavers Baby Green Hunter division also awarded their championship.

Eventing: Equestrian Australia Partners with Sydney Royal Easter Show for a New Eventing Class

Eventing riders will compete in a new competition at the 2011 Sydney Royal Easter Show. Equestrian Australia has worked closely with the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) to develop “Exhibition Eventing” - an exciting format that will showcase Eventing and test the skills of many of Australia’s leading Event riders.