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Orangeville, Ontario – World-class competition is now underway at the Orangeville Show Jumping Tournaments, running August 15-19, at the Orangeville Agricultural Society (OAS) Event Centre in Orangeville, ON. Five days of intense competition, offering more than $200,000 in prize money and awards, will culminate with the $50,000 Grand Prix presented by NationWide Auto Warranty, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 19, televised by Rogers Television.  Two-time Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela, who just arrived in Orangeville direct from the 2012 London Olympics where he acted as the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Technical Advisor, is setting the tracks in the grass grand prix ring.“The show is finally here, and we are getting lots of great feedback from our exhibitors,” said Ainsley Hayes, Event Coordinator of Hayes Co., which is managing the inaugural Orangeville Show Jumping Tournaments.  “The rings look great; we had a little rain overnight, and were pleased to see how well the facility holds up.  We are also thrilled with the fantastic support that the Town of Orangeville and its local businesses have shown for our event, and it has been well-noted by the competitors.  We are looking forward to an action-packed weekend!”

In addition to presenting the featured event, the $50,000 Grand Prix, title sponsor NationWide Auto Warranty will offer two 2012 Kia Soul vehicles, valued at approximately $22,000 each, to the winners in both the Junior/Amateur and Open Jumper divisions.  The race is on for the cars, and competitors are already eagerly checking their standings on the NationWide Auto Warranty leaderboards on display in the beer tent and VIP tent.

“They did a great job getting everything together,” said local trainer Alan Chesler of Sher-Al Farms in Orangeville, ON.  “It lays out perfectly.  The footing is fantastic; it’s the best grass footing we have been on, anywhere, in years.  Orangeville is a great city, with a good hotel, lots of great restaurants, and lots to offer.  I think they made a good move.  And there is a lot of excitement about those cars!”

A full slate of hunter and jumper competition is on the schedule including Friday’s $25,000 Hayes Co. Open Welcome and Saturday’s $10,000 Highland Meadows Modified Grand Prix.  Hunter competitors will be showcased in the $5,000 Canadian Hunter Derby Series event on Thursday and the $10,000 Broccoli Hill Hunter Derby on Saturday.

“For years, the hunters have never had a premiere class,” said competitor Ryan Roy of King, ON.  “Here we have not one, but two classes that showcase them.  The fact that the Orangeville Show Jumping Tournaments is offering all of this prize money for hunters means the best of the best have come out to compete.  The Hayes family has really made the hunters important here.”

To help competitors get familiar with the new facility at the Orangeville OAS Event Centre, Hayes Co. opened up the rings and offered free schooling on Tuesday, August 7.

“It was such a fabulous idea,” noted Roy, who participated in the training event.  “It’s a new facility and the fact the Hayes family let people come and test out the footing was great.  Most shows don’t do that.  It was a huge step in the right direction to get people excited about coming here.  I took part in the schooling and loved it so much that I’ve brought all of my horses back to compete here this week.”

Having formerly organized show jumping tournaments in Sutton, Collingwood and Ottawa, Hayes Co. is celebrating its 28th year by mounting this event in their hometown of Orangeville.  Two-time Canadian Olympian Jay Hayes, his wife Shawn, and their three daughters, Lauren, Ainsley and Regan, as well as son-in-law Johan Letimonier, all call Orangeville home.

For more information on the Orangeville Show Jumping Tournaments, please visit www.hayesco.ca, e-mail info@hayesco.ca or call Ainsley Hayes at cell (416) 846-8419.

Photo: Canadian Equestrian Team member Yann Candele competes at the Orangeville Show Jumping Tournaments, August 15-19, in Orangeville, ON. Photo by Victoria Clermont

Bahrain claimed gold in both the seven and eight year old categories at the FEI World Championships for Young Endurance Horses 2012 at Babolna in Hungary at the weekend.  HH Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa topped the seven year old section with Dhab, while Jaffer Mirza brought Uszko D’Hotelhoge home to claim the eight year old title.  And French riders scooped all the remaining medals, with Vincent Dupont (Khandjar du Boulve) and Laurent Mosti (Assiha de Fignols) taking silver and bronze in the younger horse division while Arthur Desprez (Glycin de Suleiman) and Melissa Bisoffi (Nadia El Fee de Boz) did likewise with their older horses.This year's FEI World Championships for Young Endurance Horses attracted competitors from 15 countries - Bahrain, France, Poland, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Norway, Estonia, Austria, Argentina, Spain and Belgium.

State Stud Farm
The event was staged at the famous Babolna State Stud Farm which, lying halfway between Vienna (AUT) and Budapest (HUN), is one of the oldest breeding stations in Europe.

Established in 1789 as a Royal Imperial Stud of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with the mission of supplying horses to the army and the Royal Guard, it was originally a branch of the largest military breeding operation in Europe at Meszohegyes, near the Romanian border. However Babolna quickly became the source of the Empire's elite horses, specialising in the production of top-quality Arabian pure-breds and larger part-breds, the latter developing into the Shagya Arabians that are so popular and successful today.

Despite suffering severe losses, the Stud survived both World Wars and eventually came under the control of the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture. In 2001 the State-owned company, Babolna Memzeti Menesbirtok Kft, was established to preserve the historic complex, and the Stud continues to promote breeding, training, exhibitions and competition organisation in the region.

At the heart of it all are its precious Shagya Arabs whose beauty, toughness and loyalty have provided them with a massive following, and whose competitiveness has acquitted them admirably for the challenging sport of Endurance.

Eight Year Olds
There were 30 starters in the Eight Year Old Championship, three more than took part at the 2011 event in Compiegne, France. And Bahrain’s Jaffer cleared the finish line in 5 hours 44 minutes and 15 seconds with an average speed of 20.918 km/h to top the podium here.  Silver medallist Desprez broke the beam for France in 5.50.34, clocking an average speed of 20.538 km/h while Bisoffi’s time was 5.52.27 with an average speed of 20.428 km/h for the bronze. So there was just over six minutes separating the gold and silver medallists and a further two minutes separating silver from bronze.

However, for Hungary’s Bianka Matyi it was an agonisingly close call as she missed the medal podium by a single second, and had to settle for fourth place when the clock showed 5.52.28 as she crossed the line with Dariusz. Jaffer's gelding, Uszko S’Hotelhoge, claimed the coveted Best Condition Award in his age category.

Seven Year Olds
In the larger field of 36 contesting the Seven Year Old medals there were 11 representing France, but it was one of the three competitors from Bahrain who clinched the gold.  HH Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa brought Dhab through the finish in 5 hours 31 minutes and 10 seconds, having averaged 21.741 km/h.  This gave them a four-second advantage over the silver medal winning partnership of Dupont and Khandjar du Boulve whose average speed was 21.479 while French compatriot, Mosti, finished in 5.44.23 registering an average speed of 20.907. And Mosti's grey mare, Assiha de Fignols, took the Best Condition Award here.
 
The officials at the FEI World Championships for Young Endurance Horses 2012 included President of the Ground Jury, Ireland’s Brian Dunn, FEI Technical Delegate Ing.Harald Grinschgl from Austria, Chef Steward Zsuzsanna Banyai from Hungary, President of the Veterinary Commission Dr Yassine Motemri from Tunisia and FEI Veterinary Delegate Dr Mohammed Al Hammad from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Ian Williams, the FEI'S Director of Non-Olympic Sports, attended the event and said, "the track was very good and was located entirely within the stud lands and surrounding farms. The course was challenging, with lots of changes of direction that proved testing.  The facilities at Babolna are outstanding, and from a sporting perspective the Championships were a great success.”

Results:
Seven Year Old Championship: GOLD - Dhab (HH Sh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa) BRN; SILVER - Khandjar du Boulve (Vincent Dupont) FRA; BRONZE - Asshia de Fignols (Laurent Mosti) FRA.
Eight Year Old Championship: GOLD - Uszko S’Hotelhoge (Jaffer Mirza) BRN; SILVER - Glycine de Suleiman (Arthur Desprez) FRA; BRONZE - Nadia El Fee de Box (Melissa Bisoffi) FRA.

Photo Caption: Competitors from Bahrain won both the Seven and Eight Year Old divisions at the FEI World Endurance Championships for Young Horses 2012 held in Babolna, Hungary last weekend (10/11 August).  Pictured is the winner of the Eight Year Old title, Jaffer Mirza riding Uszko D’Hotelhoge which also took the Best Condition Award in his category. Photo: Antal Baranyai.

The French will be first to go as the final leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 gets underway at the Royal Dublin Society showgrounds in Dublin, Ireland tomorrow afternoon.  Monsoon-like weather conditions descended on the Irish capital city yesterday making conditions very difficult for competitors on the opening-day. But the sun returned this morning, and all is set for an exciting conclusion to the eight-leg, eight-nation annual series.The draw was conducted by FEI Jumping Director, John Roche, and Dublin Horse Show Show Director Pat Hanley. And there was a big smile on the face of Irish Chef d’Equipe, Robert Splaine, when his side got the coveted last-to-go spot.  “The time-allowed is likely to be tight and the course will be technical, so its always helpful to be drawn last. Running late gives us time to assess things” the Irishman pointed out.

The order-of-go for tomorrow’s competition is: 1, France; 2, Sweden; 3, Belgium; 4, Great Britain; 5, The Netherlands; 6, Switzerland; 7, Germany; 8, Ireland.

A Team that Can Win
Splaine says he believes he has “a team that can win”, but Great Britain’s Rob Hoekstra was having none of that during today’s Draw Press Conference.  The man who led the London 2012 Olympic Games host nation to jumping team gold just over a week ago pointed out, “we are returning to defend the trophy, and to do the favour that Ireland did to us at Hickstead!” Great Britain won the Aga Khan Cup in a two-way third-round showdown in Dublin 12 months ago, but the Irish turned the tables on them when coming out on top at the British fixture last month, so the age-old rivalry rumbles on.

And Hoekstra added with conviction, “we have a strong team here”.

With so many nations battling to improve their position, as all the countries placed from third to eighth on the FEI Nations Cup™ leaderboard are bunched so closely together, tomorrow’s battle is likely to be intense. Germany holds a strong 10-point lead over France at the head of the league table.

Belgian Chef d’Equipe, Philippe Guerdat, said he had to make some last-minute changes to his side but that he expects them to put up a big fight.  He also talked about how it feels now that his son,  Steve Guerdat who will compete on the Swiss team tomorrow, is an Olympic gold medallist - “I’m very proud of him”, he said.  And he mentioned that he competed at Dublin Horse Show himself - “when I was 20, and that was 40 years ago, it has always been one of the best shows in the world” he said.

Partner
The Netherlands’ Rob Ehrens said that Olympic team silver medallist Jur Vrieling will partner the horse with which he competed at the Games.  “He will ride Bubalu, Marc Houtzager will ride Opium, Jeroen Dubbeldam will compete with Quality Time - he missed London but is in great shape - and we also have Albert Voorn who has a lot of experience”.  Asked about his side’s chances of winning tomorrow he said, “I have a strong team on paper, but I’ve had that many times before and it didn’t work out!  It is sport, it goes with the flow of the day and you need the wind in your back if you want to have a marvellous win like we had here two years ago.  It was the best feeling ever that day when we won the Aga Khan Cup!” he enthused.  On reflection he added, “well to win two silver medals in London was the best day, but to win here is very special because Dublin is world-famous and I hope we can do it again!”.

It was a surprise when Germany failed to qualify for the closing stages of the team competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games.  German Chef d’Equipe, Sonke Sonksen said today, “you always need the luck, and we didn’t have any in London.  I hope we will be back on track tomorrow”.  Sweden’s Sylve Soderstrand has Daniel Zetterman in his squad.  “He jumped double-clear here two years ago and I hope he will repeat that” he said.  He described the 2012 FEI Nations Cup™ season as “up and down for everyone - except the Germans!”.

Not Our Favourite Place
Switzerland’s Urs Groenig said, “Dublin is not our favourite place, we have not had good results here in the past”, but he is the only team manager sending out the reigning individual Olympic champion tomorrow when Steve Guerdat will be joined by Pius Schwizer, Janika Sprunger and Arthur da Silva.  The latter, who formerly competed for Brazil, put his name in the frame when winning yesterday’s main class with the 17 year old veteran La Toya, and Guerdat moved into top gear this afternoon when cruising into the winner’s enclosure with Jalisca Solier.

The French also failed to make the cut in the team competition in London, but they have their big guns in action again this week and Kevin Staut, Penelope Leprevost, Jerome Hurel and Roger-Yves Bost can be expected to make their mark.

Special
Pat Hanley, Show Director at Dublin, said that “the culmination of the FEI Nations Cup™ series here in Dublin is special for us.  Equestrian is in our DNA in this country, and we hugely enjoy the top-level sport this series has brought to us. For the last 10 years we have been sold out on Nations Cup day, and Cian O’Connor’s bronze medal at London has moved the excitement up to another level ahead of tomorrow”, he added.

FEI Jumping Director, John Roche, said Dublin Horse Show offers “some of the best facilities in the world.  We had incredible rain yesterday but the condition of the footing today is amazing. There have been many improvements to this show in recent years and the footing is one of them. The sport of jumping started in Dublin in 1864 when they held a High Leap and a Long Leap competition. Things have progressed a bit since then”, he added with a smile, “and the London 2012 Olympic Games showcased equestrianism in a way that will promote and popularise our sport for years to come. I know we can look forward to a great day tomorrow” he concluded.

The action begins at 15.00 local time, and you can watch it all LIVE on FEI TV ....

For further information on the eighth and last leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 series in Dublin, Ireland on Friday 17 August, check out website www.dublinhorseshow.com or contact Press Officer JP Montgomery, Email jp.montgomery@rds.ie, Tel: +353 1 2407222.

FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 - Standings after Round 7 at Hickstead (GBR):
1. Germany  47
2. France  37
3. Great Britain  32
4. Sweden  31.5
4. Switzerland   31.5
6. Netherlands  29.5
7. Ireland   29
8. Belgium  28.5  

Facts and Figures:

• Germany goes into tomorrow’s last leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 series at the head of the league table, and with a 10-point lead over France in second place.
• The Germans are defending champions in the FEI Nations Cup™ series.
• The footing at the Royal Dublin Society Showgrounds in Dublin was laid by STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute), the company that also looked after the footing on the cross-country course at Greenwich Park for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
• The FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 series is supported by the Saudi Equestrian Fund.

Photo Caption :  FEI Jumping Director, John Roche, pictured with Pat Hanley, Show Director for Dublin Horse Show during the draw for the last leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 series in Dublin (IRL) today.  Photo: FEI/Tony Parkes.

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

Lexington, KY - August 16, 2012 - It was perfect weather at the Stonelea Arena for greeting champions into the winner's circle today at Bluegrass Festival Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park. The Professional Hunters Divisions wrapped up the two-day competition with one name resounding above others. While, Hunt Tosh and Rosalynn earned an honorary moment of pinning in the High Performance Hunter division, it was Scott Stewart who brought an A-team of mounts who gave top-notch performances, all worthy of the championship tricolors in three of today's five hunter events.Aligned in an original pattern, today's hunt course designed by Patrick Rodes, posed an intricate track for riders to navigate. The first over fences class used only eight of the eleven obstacles, while the handy class used nine of the eleven, with fence two consisting of two options, creating different lines to fence three, the narrow trot-jump. Both courses' lines closed with the vertical-oxer outside line, finishing on the near side of ring.

The first of the elite team to make their mark was in the Green Working Hunter Conformation division, the second event to be seen in the Stonelea Arena. Scott Stewart rode Beholden, a dark brown gelding, owned by Fashion Farm of Philadelphia, PA, to a back-to-back class win in the over fences and handy class, as well as a second place in the under saddle class. The duo was awarded the championship honors, while Chris Payne and Lugano owned by Susan Moriconi of St. Louis, MO, also ranked high and took the reserve championship.

"We got off to a rough start yesterday," Stewart recalled about their efforts. "I was a little late with a lead change in the first class, but today he was great. He jumped great and he was great in both classes and great in the hack. He was back on track today, and really rode to the top."

The Second Year Green Working Hunters saw a clear leader emerge as Stewart and Dedication, owned by Fashions Farm of Philadelphia, PA, swept the first day of competition. Without any reservations, Dedication, the bay gelding, again stole the show with a hat-trick performance across all classes, shutting out all competition and taking the division championship title. Valencia with Havens Schatt in the irons emerged victorious for their showmanship, receiving the reserve honors.

"Dedication was flawless. Every round was great with him. I hope that carries over into tomorrow when I ride him in the derby. We showed him here this week to get him ready for that," Stewart gleamed about the horse he's ridden the longest out of the three.

In the fourth division of the day, the Regular Conformation Hunters, Stewart and steed Showman, a bay gelding with a star marking his forehead, owned by Alexa and Krista Weisman of Sherborn, MA, worked their way to the top of the ranks. Receiving a first and fourth in the over fences classes yesterday, the pair took first place in the over fences and handy class, to outshine Cookie Beck and Last Call's finely tuned collaboration. Stewart and Showman stayed true to form, earning their ride to the center of the ring to be pinned with the Championship ribbon, concluding Stewart's triumphant rein of the divisions. Beck and Last Call were presented with the reserve championship award.

"This is the first time I've shown Showman," Stewart explained about his newest companion. "I don't really have a Regular Conformation horse all the time, so this is my first time doing this with him. I was really happy with him. The others I'm used to showing. All of these horses are great hunters and ideal. They are all structurally correct-great jumpers and movers. We're lucky to have them."

The next division welcomed another foreseen champion. Hunt Tosh and Rosalynn, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker of Middleburg, VA, were entitled to their ranks after a double blue ribbon effort in yesterday's classes. One of the few mares competing at the professional level, Tosh displayed Rosalynn's graceful ride through the traditional over fences, handy and under saddle classes, where they accumulated top scores and added the division's championship to their already numerous accolades.

"She's always been a try-er," Dr. Parker shared about her beloved champion. "She has a feminine softness that is appealing, and isn't in all mares-when they are good they are made of gold and she's one of those. She has made such a comeback and is very dear to all of us."

Also notable across divisions was Kelly Farmer riding Mythical, owned by Larry Glefke and Dr. Kenneth Garber, Keswich, VA, to the commendable championship ribbon for the First Year Green Working Hunters. Louise Serio aboard Casino, owned by Bridget Hallman and Merrylegs South of Oyster Bay, NY, also tallied high marks, taking the reserve championship award for the division.

The Bluegrass Festival Horse Show will continue through Sunday, August 19, 2012, featuring the highest levels of competition for both hunter and jumper riders. Taking place tomorrow will be the First Round of the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals, beginning at 8 a.m. in the Rolex Stadium. The weeklong competition will conclude with the $40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix on Sunday.

For more information about the Kentucky Summer Series or to download the prize list, please go to www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Photo Credit: Scott Stewart won the Regular Conformation Championship with recently acquired mount Showman at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show.Photo By: Ashley N. Williams/PMG.

FEI President HRH Princess Haya is proud to announce that London 2012 was a clean Games for equestrian sport, following confirmation that all human and equine samples taken during the Olympic equestrian events at Greenwich Park were negative.

“The FEI had a really steep mountain to climb after Athens and Hong Kong, but we had a clean Youth Olympic Games, a clean FEI World Equestrian Games and now we’ve crowned it with a clean Olympic Games in London,” Princess Haya said. “We knew that fair play and clean sport was the only way to produce top sport in the Olympic equestrian events and we are very proud that we have achieved that goal.

“The fact that all human and equine samples came back negative demonstrates the success of the FEI Clean Sport campaign, which has resulted in a major reduction in the number of positives in the Olympic disciplines over the past two and a half years.

“We had a rigorous and comprehensive testing programme in place. These were the most tested Games ever and we also tested for more substances than ever before. We worked hand in hand with the Horseracing Forensic Laboratory in Newmarket and thank them for the speed with which they processed all the Olympic samples so that we could maintain a level playing field throughout the Games.

“The equestrian community shouldn’t be thinking of this as a triumph; having a clean sport should be our normal day to day business, but now that we’ve had three major championships that were the most heavily tested ever and they were 100% clean, we can hold our heads up high and say that yes, this is a victory. We haven’t reached this point by resting on our laurels, there’s always work to be done and I am incredibly proud of the FEI’s performance over the four years since Hong Kong.

“This has been a real team effort, which was kick-started by the recommendations of the Clean Sport Commission headed up by Professor Arne Ljungqvist and the Stevens Commission, lead by Lord Stevens. The National Federations and the athletes and their support teams, as well as the team at FEI Headquarters have all played a major role in this success. Our community has really embraced the Clean Sport campaign.”
 
Professor Arne Ljungqvist, IOC Member and Vice President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), who chaired the FEI Clean Sport Commission, congratulated the FEI. “I am very happy to hear that the Clean Sport campaign has led to such a successful and clean Games and would like to congratulate the FEI,” he said. Professor Ljungqvist was on-site at Greenwich Park to watch the Individual Jumping Final on 8 August, the same day that IOC President Jacques Rogge attended the Olympic equestrian events.
 
Lord Stevens, who led the Stevens Commission that worked alongside the Clean Sport Commission, also attended the Olympic equestrian events. “To have totally clean Games at London 2012 is the best possible endorsement of the FEI’s Clean Sport campaign,” Lord Stevens said. “I wholeheartedly congratulate the FEI on this success which is due, in no small measure, to the huge amount of work that has been done on education within the equestrian community.”
 
Princess Haya credits the 2012 Olympic Games as the best ever for equestrian sport. “The London 2012 equestrian events were really incredible and Greenwich was a wonderful venue. We could not have wished for better sport and we now have a whole new fan base, which has to be the best legacy we could ask for. Now we have a duty to turn that fan base into new athletes so that our sport can continue to thrive and grow”, the FEI President said.
 
“We owe a huge debt of thanks to the whole LOCOG team, but particularly to the Equestrian Competition Manager Tim Hadaway and Venue General Manager Jeremy Edwards and their teams for all their devotion to the cause. And of course to all the wonderful volunteers. These were the best Games ever for equestrian sport.”

Lexington, KY - The best vaulters from across the U.S. are ready to begin competition at the FEI World Vaulting Championship at the Pole Europeen du Cheval in Le Mans, France from August 16-19, 2012. Vaulters will be vying for World Championship titles in the Individual Female, Individual Male, Pas de Duex, and Team competitions.

The recently crowned Gold Individual Female National Vaulting Champion Mary McCormick (Woodside, CA) hopes to continue her success in France. Having also won the National Championship title in 2007, 2010, and 2011, a World Championship title would only add to her impressive resume. McCormick will vault on Anyway 54, lunged by Lasse Kristensen.

Alicen Divita (Redwood City, CA) has had several strong performances in 2012, with a third place finish in the Chilliwack CVI3* Individual Senior Women division in Canada and a fourth place finish in the Krumke CVI3* in Germany. Divita will partner with Pino del Rio and lunger Elke Schlep-Lensing.

Katharine Wick (Hillsborough, CA) had a strong fourth place finish in the Chilliwack CVI3* Individual Senior Women division in Canada and hopes to prove her mettle in Europe competing against the world's best vaulters. Wick will vault on Luk, lunged by Rita Blieske.

Leading off the men's contingent and competing for the Individual Male World Champion title will be Gabe Aniello (Redwood City, CA). He took top honors at the Chilliwack CVI3* Individual Senior Men class and wants to continue his winning ways in France. Aniello is paired with Forrest Cump and lunger Agnes Forst.

Kristian Roberts (Moss Beach, CA) won the Gold Individual Male Championship at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship less than two weeks ago in Lexington, KY. He will also partner with Forrest Cump and lunger Forst.

The 2011 USEF/AVA Individual Male National Vaulting Champion Patrick Stevens (Martinez, CA) looks to again find his winning form this weekend in Le Mans. Stevens will vault on Maxwell, lunged by Anouk Dory.

After taking top honors in the Pas de Duex Championship at the USEF/AVA National Vaulting Championship, Megan Benjamin (Saratoga, CA) and Blake Dahlgren (Santa Clarita, CA) hope to again find themselves on top at the FEI World Vaulting Championship. Benjamin, winner of the 2006 Women's World Championship at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, could find herself winning another world championship title if success continues with her Pas de Deux partner. Dahlgren was on the Gold medal winning team at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games; meaning both vaulters know the performance that it takes to top the podium. Benjamin and Dahlgren will be paired with Jarl and lunger Kristensen.

Another extremely experienced pair will represent the U.S. in the Pas de Duex Championship: Devon Maitozo (Palmdale, CA) and Rosalind Ross (Venice, CA). Maitozo has won two Gold and three Bronze medals at World Championships and nine National Championship titles, while Ross has won one Gold, one Silver, and two Bronze World Championship medals. Both Maitozo and Ross helped the U.S. FACE team win the Team Gold medal at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Maitozo and Ross will vault on Escetelli 2, lunged by Kurt Isensee.

The Woodside Vaulters of Woodside, CA will be the U.S. representative in the Team Championship. The team of Tessa Divita (Emerald Hills, CA), Kalyn Geisler (Redwood City, CA), Kathryn Jaggers (Portola Valley, CA), Siddartha Kreaden (Sunnyvale, CA), Samantha Matson (Los Gatos, CA), and Katherine Salisbury (Atherton, CA) hope to claim another Team World Championship title for the United States. The team will partner with Stanford and lunger Julie Divita.

Competition begins tomorrow with the first round Compulsories for the Individual Male and Female competititors. The men begin at 7:00am ET and the women start at 9:00am ET.

FEI TV will be providing a live broadcast of the FEI World Vautling Championship on their website. To see the broadcast schedule and watch, click here: http://www.feitv.org/page/Live

To view the 2012 FEI World Vaulting Championship media guide, click here.

Visit the FEI World Vaulting Championship event website here: http://pole-europeen-du-cheval.com/

Follow the 2012 U.S. Vaulting Team here and watch videos of their routines by JC Enterprises Vaulting Videos.

Lexington, KY - The U.S. Driving Team will be aiming for a place on the podium this week in Reisenbeck, Germany as they square-off with the best in the game at the 2012 FEI Four-in-Hand World Driving Championships. A total of 50 competitors from 19 Nations will attempt to stake their claim on Team and Individual world titles, August 16-19, 2012. The championships are off to a strong start for the U.S. as all 15 horses were accepted without incident during Tuesday's First Horse Inspection.

Two years ago at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games the U.S. stormed to a Team Silver medal on home-turf in Lexington, KY, eight years after claiming Team Silver in WEG 2010 Jerez, Spain. Two-thirds of those impressive teams return as Jimmy Fairclough and Chester Weber look to go one better in 2012 and unseat the Dutch as World Champions. The third member of the 2002 and 2010 WEG teams, Tucker Johnson retired following claiming Team and Individual honors at the 2010 Games. Joe Yoder fills Johnson's spot in Reisenbeck showcasing the emerging talent the U.S. has produced in the past few years.

Fairclough is one of the most longstanding members of the U.S. Driving Team having represented his country at Pairs as well as Four-in-Hand World Championships. He has claimed the National Four-in-Hand title four times (1982, 1994, 2001 and 2011) as well claiming Reserve honors nine times and will be aiming for his first World Championship Individual medal in Germany. The Newtown, NJ native will drive his own Levin as well as his son James Fairclough's Charlie Brown, Coletto and Kavango von Falkenstein and Patsy Wooten's Valentino.
 
In 2008, Weber (Ocala, FL) claimed the Individual Silver medal at the FEI Four-in-Hand World Driving Championships in Beesd, The Netherlands. In 2012 the eight-time USEF National Champion eyes claiming Team and Individual medals for the first time at the same Championship. Well known for his proficiency in the first phase, Weber hopes to jump-out to an early lead with his own Boy W, Horus du Bois and Para. His team is completed by Jane Clark's Splash and Uniek.
 
Yoder makes his first appearance at a Four-in-Hand World Championship but is no stranger to the championship stage having represented the U.S. at the 2011 FEI World Pair Driving Championship. The 32-year-old has been preparing diligently for the 2012 championships basing himself in Zwartewaal, The Netherlands. He will drive the de Ronde's Caletta, Celena 6, Majoor and Ruby as well as Misdee Wrigley Miller's Sarasko.   
 
U.S. Chef d' Equipe Ed Young believes the U.S. is poised for a competitive showing but knows it is essential they produce strong results in the first phase. "I'm very optimistic; everyone has looked good in the training sessions. Chester is at the top of his game and hopefully he'll be on top after the dressage. All the other horses look great as well. I would like to end up on top after the dressage."
 
Competition officially gets underway Thursday with the first of two days of driven dressage. On Saturday the exciting marathon phase will be held, with Team and Individual World Champions being crowned Sunday at the conclusion of the cones phase.

For orders of go and results click here.

Follow the 2012 U.S. Driving Team here.

Photo: Jimmy Fairclough and Chester Weber aim to stand on the Podium with Joe Yoder in 2012. (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

The 2012 AQHA Adequan Select World Championship Show is coming up, August 24-September 1. Featuring the world’s top amateur riders age 50 and over and their American Quarter Horses, the Adequan Select World takes place at the Amarillo National Center in Amarillo. The Adequan Select World is the world’s largest, single-breed world championship horse show open exclusively to amateur exhibitors age 50 and over. It serves as the pinnacle event for Select amateur competitors around the world who must qualify for the event by earning a predetermined number of points to secure a spot in each of the classes, representing English, western and halter disciplines.In honor of the 10th celebration of this event, we’re republishing a story from the 2011 Adequan Select World Championship Show and paying homage to the now 23-year-old Superhorse, Tuckers Vaquero, and his owner, Jerry Lee Barger of Greenwood, Nebraska.

At a time when most show horses would be retired, AQHA Farnam Superhorse Tuckers Vaquero is still going strong at 22.  Grit and determination, guts and a love of the sport are things that keep athletes playing the game. Those are the same attributes that have kept the 1994 AQHA Farnam Superhorse, Tuckers Vaquero, in the show pen.  "He's a good boy, and he's still going at 22," says owner Jerry Lee Barger of Greenwood, Nebraska. "I had him qualified for the working cow horse and ranch sorting (at the 2011 Adequan Select World Championship Show)."

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In hopes of taking it easy on the old show horse, and taking it easy on himself, Jerry decided to only let the 1989 buckskin gelding compete in ranch sorting at the 2011 Adequan Select World.

“I had him qualified for this show in the working cow horse, but I just thought it’d be a little too much. I had two others to ride, and I’m 71, so I didn’t think I could ride three of them down the fence,” Jerry says with a laugh. “If I had made the finals on three of them, I would’ve never made it!”

The decision to only show two cow horses proved to be a good one – Jerry won the Select working cow horse on Rattlen Pepper (Annie Little Pepper-Lenas Hickory by Doc’s Hickory).

Since 1994, when Jerry purchased Tuckers Vaquero right after the son of Doc Tom Tucker had won the 1994 AQHA Farnam Superhorse award with AQHA Professional Horseman Jimmie Paul, the duo have won a trailer-load of awards.

It hasn’t been an easy road, though, for Tuckers Vaquero. In 1997, he faced the challenges of sibling rivalry.  “I showed him in ’95, ’96 and ’97,” Jerry says, “and I actually qualified him for the Superhorse again in 1997, but his three-quarters brother, (Tostada Tucker), beat him out.  “The Doc Tom Tuckers have been good to me,” Jerry says with a smile.

But what’s the secret behind keeping Tuckers Vaquero going strong all these years? Jerry says that the gelding has never had a lame day in his life, but they keep him going in his prime with the help of Adequan. It doesn’t hurt that Jerry’s wife, Tammy, dotes on the buckskin. “We treat all of our horses good, but there are a few special ones that are just pretty close to your heart.”

Photo: Tuckers Vaquero and Jerry Lee Barger started tearing it up in the show pen in 1995 and were still going strong for the 2011 AQHA Adequan Select World Championship Show. Journal photo.

With the roars of the crowd at Greenwich Park still ringing in their ears, five medallists from the London 2012 Olympic Games will be in action as the last leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 gets underway at the Royal Dublin Society showgrounds in Dublin (IRL) next Friday afternoon.  And it promises to be a real battle, because just 3.5 points separate the bottom six teams as the premier eight-leg, eight-nation contest draws to a close.The defending series champions from Germany hold a strong 10-point lead over France at the head of affairs, but Great Britain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Ireland and Belgium are all bunched closely together, and none of them want to finish up at the bottom of the pile.

The Swiss side boasts the new Olympic individual jumping champion, Steve Guerdat, while Olympic team gold medallist, Nick Skelton, is included in the British selection.  Team silver medallists, Jur Vrieling and Marc Houtzager, will be lining out for The Netherlands and the Irish crowd will be celebrating the return of Cian O’Connor who clinched individual Olympic bronze.

Cherished
It is eight years since the Irish last won their cherished Aga Khan Trophy which is presented to the winning team in the FEI Nations Cup™ at Dublin.  The host nation finished second in both 2010 and 2011, and it went to a two-way jump-off against the British to decide the result 12 months ago.  Nick Skelton’s clear with Carlo clinched it for the visitors that day, and the 54 year old rider will be guaranteed a tumultuous reception when he arrives into the ring again this week because the Irish know a horseman when they see one.  The old cross-channel rivalry will be put aside, for a few moments at least, as the crowd show their appreciation for what this exceptional competitor achieved in London last week, and throughout his spectacular career.

Skelton is joined on the British squad by Tina Fletcher, William Funnell, Robert Smith and John Whitaker.

Steve Guerdat’s fabulous individual gold medal winning performance will surely boost Swiss confidence.  This country rejoined the top-level series in 2012 following a period in the Promotional League, and there is a real determination to reinforce their status amongst the leading jumping nations in the world.  Guerdat’s Olympic ride, Nino des Buissonnets, is taking a break, so the 30 year old rider brings Jalisca Solier amongst his string, and is joined by Pius Schwizer, Jannika Sprunger, Nadja Steiner and Arthur da Silva in the Swiss squad.

Leaderboard
After the previous seven legs of the series, the Swiss are in equal-fourth place on the leaderboard along with Sweden whose line-up includes Angelica Augustsson, Jens Fredricson, Lisen Fredricson, Angelie von Essen and Daniel Zetterman.

The Dutch, lying sixth and only two points further in arrears, were just pipped by the British in the battle for Olympic team gold last week so they are likely to come out with all guns blazing.  It is a super-competitive Dutch side, with London 2012 silver medallists Houtzager and Vrieling joined by 2000 individual gold and silver Olympians Jeroen Dubbeldam and Albert Voorn along with Hendrik Jan Schuttert, and they could prove hard to beat.  The Dutch have only won twice in Dublin even though they have been competing there since 1926, and Vrieling and Houtzager were on the second of those two winning sides back in 2010.

Belgium is lying last on the league table, so there will be plenty of pressure on the four riders selected from Dirk Demeersman, Pieter Devos, Francois Mathy Jr., and father-and-son Ludo and Olivier Philippaerts. And plenty of pressure on the home side too because the Irish are only 0.5 points ahead of the Belgians.

US-based Darragh Kerins and Richie Moloney are on call-up for Ireland along with Clem McMahon, Billy Twomey and Cian O’Connor - the latter bringing out his Olympic individual bronze medal winning ride, Blue Loyd, again this week.  

Most Dominant
At the other end of the leaderboard the two countries that have been most dominant throughout the ten-year history of the FEI Nations Cup™ Top League series are positioned prominently yet again in this year’s closing stages.  Germany and France are each four-time champions, but with a ten-point lead going into Friday’s clash it seems that only something very out of ordinary can stop the 2011 title-holders from Germany from making it a remarkable five.

However the four riders chosen by German Chef d’Equipe, Sonke Sonksen from a pool that includes Hans-Dieter Dreher, Johannes Ehning, Jorg Naeve, Carsten-Otto Nagel and Tim Rieskamp-Goedeking, are likely to experience serious opposition from the crack French force selected from Roger Yves Bost, Penelope Leprevost, Kevin Staut, Jerome Hurel and Aymeric de Ponnat.

The action begins at 15.00 local time, and even if you can't be there you can take a ring-side seat with live coverage on FEI TV as another page of equestrian history unfolds....

For further information on the eighth and last leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 series in Dublin, Ireland on Friday 17 August, check out website www.dublinhorseshow.com or contact Press Officer JP Montgomery, Email jp.montgomery@rds.ie, Tel: +353 1 2407222.

FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 - Standings after Round 7 at Hickstead (GBR):
1.   Germany  -  47
2.   France -  37
3.   Great Britain  -  32
4.   Sweden  -  31.5
4.   Switzerland  -  31.5
6.   Netherlands  -  29.5
7.   Ireland -  29
8.   Belgium  -  8.5   

Facts and Figures:
Dublin Horse Show presents the eighth and last leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 series.
The defending series champions from Germany have a 10-point lead over France at the top of the leaderboard going into the final competition.
The host nation of Ireland lies only 0.5 points ahead of Belgium at the bottom of the league table as the competition begins.
There are very few points separating most of the teams going into the final day.
Newly-crowned individual Olympic jumping champion, Steve Guerdat, will compete on the Swiss team.
Nick Skelton, who was a member of the gold medal winning British jumping team at the London 2012 Olympic Games, will also be in action.
Last year's FEI Nations Cup™ in Dublin (IRL) came down to a two-way jump-off between Great Britain and Ireland, with Nick Skelton, riding Carlo, sealing it for the visitors.
Dublin Horse Show is one of the oldest equestrian events in the world.
It was first staged in 1864 and has demonstrated the affinity between the Irish people and their horses ever since.
There were 366 entries at the first show, with a total prizefund of £520.
The 2012 fixture, which has a full programme of 131 classes including 15 international jumping competitions and over 1,400 entries, has a prizefund of €944.010.

The FEI Nations Cup™ is the oldest of the FEI series. The team competition has existed for over a century, but it was in 1964 that the Nations Cup became a series when a ranking was established. Since then it has gone through a number of transformations, run as the President’s Cup, the Prince Philip Trophy, and more recently as the Super League. In recent years there has been an awareness that the concept was in need of a major review and the proposed restructuring process is seen as key to ensuring the future of the series.
 
The FEI Nations Cup™ Top League is currently run at eight selected European venues, but the concept was debated at the Sports Forum in Lausanne and, following further consultation, proposed changes to the format will be voted on at the General Assembly in Istanbul (TUR) in November.
 
FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 Calendar:
La Baule (FRA), 10-13 May; Rome (ITA), 24-27 May; St Gallen (SUI), 31 May – 2 June; Rotterdam (NED) 20-24 June; Aachen (GER) 3 - 8 July; Falsterbo (SWE) 12-15 July; Hickstead (GBR) 19-22 July; Dublin (IRE) 15-19 August.

Photo Caption :  Steve Guerdat, pictured with Nino des Buissonnets on his way to taking individual jumping gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games last week, will be a member of the Swiss team in the exciting last leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ 2012 series at Dublin Horse Show (IRL) on Friday 17 August.  Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

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

Lexington, Kentucky – Emanuel Andrade of Venezuela dominated two weeks of competition at the Kentucky Horse Shows Summer Series held July 25-29 and August 1-5 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.  The 15-year-old claimed the Low Junior Jumper Championship and Reserve Championship titles during both weeks of competition at the Kentucky Horse Shows Summer Series, and also took the High Junior Jumper Reserve Championship title during week two.During the opening week of competition, Andrade captured the Low Junior Jumper Championship riding Casanova Junior, a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding, after winning the $2,500 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic on Sunday, July 29.  He tied for the Reserve Championship title riding Luky des Rocquelines, a 13-year-old selle francais gelding, having won a class earlier in the week.

Andrade continued to excel during week two, posting a string of one-two finishes.  In the Low Junior Jumpers, Andrade placed first and second in two out of the three classes, including the $2,500 Low Junior Jumper Classic held Saturday, August 4.  Both wins came aboard Mikos, a horse that had been Andrade’s mount in the children’s jumper divisions in his native Venezuela.  Their success earned them the Championship title despite only competing in two of the three classes.  Andrade also claimed the Low Junior Jumper Reserve Championship title riding Casanova Junior, who finished second to Mikos in both classes.

The decision not to compete in one of the classes was a strategic one made by Andrade’s coach, Venezuelan show jumping team veteran Angel Karolyi, who operates Hollow Creek Farm in Aiken, South Carolina, with business partner Andrea King.

“Emanuel is starting to realize that there’s more to a competition than just competing every day; there is horsemanship involved,” explained Karolyi.  “He’s learning that giving horses a day off to rest after performing so well is a great way to prepare for the Classics at the end of the week.  His results in Kentucky attest to that.”

Karolyi continued, “Kentucky has been pretty amazing for Emanuel.  He had a strong showing in all of his classes and we’re really happy with how consistent he was.  The courses were all very technical and built to maximum specifications.  It was a really tough competition, but he came out on top.”

Andrade claimed another one-two victory during the first day of competition during week two in the High Junior Jumper division, taking the win on Costa, a 13-year-old Holsteiner mare, and placing second riding Tiny Tim, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.  Andrade and Tiny Tim also claimed victory in another of the High Junior Jumper classes, earning them the Reserve Championship title.

Stepping up to the top level of the sport despite his young age, Andrade also earned impressive results in several classes where he was competing against seasoned professionals.  Riding Walter 61, a 10-year-old gelding recently imported from Germany, Andrade turned in a fast four fault effort to place sixth in the $50,000 Rood & Riddle Grand Prix on August 4.  The pair also earned a tenth place finish, having turned in a four-fault performance, in the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic II on August 2.

“We are proud of how well he is handling the larger classes, especially since he is still getting to know his horse,” remarked Karolyi.  “We bought Walter in May and it does take a while for horses and riders to get acquainted with one another, but we couldn’t be happier with how this pair is performing.  I give Emanuel a lot of credit.  He’s tall for his age, and sometimes we forget that he’s only 15.  He’s doing such an amazing job!”

Karolyi also enjoyed success during the Kentucky Horse Shows Summer Series.  During week two he won a Six-Year-Old Young Jumper class riding Si Como No, one of several young horses he is bringing along.

“My young horses were super,” said Karolyi, who was a member of Venezuela’s team in the 2012 Nations’ Cup in Wellington, Florida.  “I’m really excited with the way all of them are coming along.  In addition to Si Como No, I also have a few really nice five-year-olds coming up, including Wicked, a mare we bred.  I think she’s really quite special and will be one to watch in the future.”

The next stop on the summer tour for Hollow Creek Farm and its riders will be the Hampton Classic, held August 26 through September 2 in Bridgehampton, NY.

For more information on Hollow Creek Farm, a large training business focusing on both horses and riders, please visit www.hollowcreekfarms.com.

Photo: 15-year-old Emanuel Andrade of Venezuela had impressive grand prix placings riding Walter 61 during the Kentucky Horse Shows Summer Series in Lexington, KY. Photo courtesy of Phelps Media Group

Frankfort, KY  – As the 2012 Olympic Games in London close, Gov. Beshear today recognized the Kentucky Horse Park as an elite international equestrian facility for consistently hosting world-class and Olympic-caliber athletes.  The Horse Park is also a significant economic contributor to the Commonwealth, with an estimated economic impact of approximately $180 million each year.

“The Kentucky Horse Park is the only place in our state—and one of the few places in the world—where visitors can see world-class equestrian competitions on a regular basis,” said Gov. Beshear.  “We are not only the Horse Capital of the World, but Kentucky is also one of the premier homes for high-level equestrian sports.  I encourage Kentuckians and visitors to attend one of the many top-rated shows held at the Kentucky Horse Park and witness elite competition firsthand.”

More than 115 athletes who participated in equestrian events in the 2012 Olympics have competed at the Kentucky Horse Park.  Seventeen of those athletes earned a medal in the London Olympics. Athletes frequently travel from Australia, France, Great Britain and many other countries to the Lexington facility to contend for top honors in equestrian sports such as dressage, jumping and eventing.

The Horse Park also hosted the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which marked the first time the elite competition was held outside of Europe.  That event placed Kentucky in the international spotlight and generated more than $200 million in economic impact, and also built on the park’s international reputation as a signature event site.  The new facilities added to the Horse Park for WEG continue to attract competitors and tourists to Kentucky from across the country and around the world.

"We appreciate the continued support from the Governor and First Lady.  We are exceedingly proud of our facility and the competitions that bring in visitors and athletes from around the globe,” said John Nicholson, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park.  “The Kentucky Horse Park is clearly one of the leading equestrian competition facilities not just in North America, but anywhere in the world.  We expect the tremendous growth of the sport horse industry in Kentucky will accelerate in the years ahead."  

The Kentucky Horse Park is a 1,200 acre competition facility and tourist attraction recognized as the epicenter of equestrian life, sports and business.  Most notably, the park annually hosts the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.  The event is ranked at four stars, which is the highest level in international competition.   

The Horse Park hosts a number of other award-winning shows as well.  The Alltech National Horse Show won the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame’s Show of the year. They were also named the top U.S. show by the North American Riders Group. North American Junior and Young Rider Championships and the two weeks of Kentucky Spring Hunter Jumper were named among the top 25 events in North America.

This year, the facility will host 21 grand prix jumper classes as well as seven national or international hunter derbies, with more than $1 million offered in prize money.

The Park will host three upper-level dressage events in 2013, including the U.S. Dressage Finals.

For more information on the Kentucky Horse Park and its world-class events, please visit http://kyhorsepark.com/

Less than two weeks after netting Olympic team gold, Germany’s Ingrid Klimke triumphed in the third leg of the FEI World Cup™ Eventing held in Malmö, Sweden.  Riding the 12-year-old Trakehner Tabasco 70, her winning mount at this year’s Luhmühlen CIC***, Klimke added just one knockdown in the Jumping to her first-phase score of 42.6.

Only Clayton Fredericks (AUS) earned a better Dressage mark from the Ground Jury of Gillian Rolton (AUS), Mercedes Campdera (MEX) and Anne-Marie Taylor (GBR), with Bendigo III recording the sole sub-40 score to lead the first phase. However the Australian’s hopes were dashed when his 13-year-old gelding picked up jumping penalties on Cross Country day.

There was compensation for Fredericks, though, in the shape of fifth and sixth places for Walterstown Don and Brookleigh respectively, while Sara Algotsson-Ostholt (SWE) and Mrs Medicott were best of the host nation in third, less than half a penalty ahead of her husband Frank (GER) and Little Paint.

Germany dominated the top 10, filling five slots, including Dirk Schrade aboard Hop And Skip who finished second 2.5 penalties adrift of Klimke. She now lies third on the overall leaderboard on 65 points behind fellow German Sandra Auffarth, who has 67 points, with only the final leg at Le Pin au Haras in France (22-26 August) to go.

The Jumping phase saw just 10 combinations leave the arena with no penalties to add after contesting Jan Dulow’s track while Rudiger Schwarz’s 25-fence Cross Country track caused a handful of problems. Of the 41 starters, 11 finished with Jumping penalties to add, one combination retired and there was one elimination for a horse fall.

Besides Fredericks, Sweden’s Hannes Melin lost his claim to equal ninth after Gaston KLG glanced off the final part of a three-part combination at 21. The seven-minute optimum was achieved by 12 starters, including the top five, but time faults were the undoing of Denmark’s Irene Mia Hastrup, lying fourth, who stopped the clock 31 seconds adrift with Odin to drop 16 places.

Event director Viveca Byhr Linden said: “The competition in Malmö has been a great success. We’ve had the best weather possible with the sun shining on riders and spectators. The beautiful course by the sea has been very appreciated by riders from 18 countries and I hope they take away many nice memories from Sweden. We hope to welcome back all of these riders in the future.”

Individual results
1. Ingrid Klimke/Tabasco 70 (GER) 42.6 + 0 + 4 = 46.6
2. Dirk Schrade/ Hop And Skip (GER) 49.1 + 0 + 0 = 49.1
3. Sara Algotsson-Ostholt/Mrs Medicott (SWE) 50.2 + 0 + 0 = 50.2
4. Frank Ostholt/Little Paint (GER) 50.4 + 0 + 0 = 50.4
5. Clayton Fredericks/Walterstown Don (AUS) 48.3 + 0 + 4 = 52.3
6. Clayton Fredericks/Brookleigh (AUS) 43.9 + 8.4 + 0 = 52.3
7. Felix Vogg/Maverick McNamara (SUI) 49.1 + 0 + 4 = 53.1
8. Marilyn Little-Meredith/RF Smoke On The Water (USA) 53.1 + 0 + 0 = 53.1
9. Ingrid Klimke/Parmenides 4 (GER) 49.3 + 0.4 + 4 = 53.7
10. Andreas Ostholt/So Is Et (GER) 51.1 + 0 + 4 = 55.1

FEI World Cup™ Eventing leaderboard (after 3 out of 4 events)
1. Felix Vogg (SUI) 68 points
2. Sandra Auffarth (GER) 67
3. Ingrid Klimke (GER) 65
4. Clayton Fredericks (AUS) 62
5. Frank Ostholt (GER) 56
6. Maksim Vakin (RUS) 41
7. Dirk Schrade (GER) 38
8. Andreas Dibowski (GER) 36
9. Sara Algotsson-Ostholt (SWE) 36
10. Ilonka Klutymans (NED) 34

FEI World Cup™ Eventing 2012 calendar
1. Strzegom (POL) 1 - 3 June 2012
2. Minsk (BLR) 13 - 17 June 2012
3. Malmö (SWE) 10 - 12 August 2012
4. Le Pin au Haras (FRA) 22 - 26 August 2012

Photo caption: Germany’s Ingrid Klimke with Trakehner Tabasco 70 win third leg of the FEI World Cup™ Eventing in Malmö, Sweden. Image: Lotta Gyllensten.

Lexington, KY - The Alltech Arena was alive with action as the morning fog began to settle over the Kentucky Horse Park. It was the conclusion of the US Pony Hunter Championships presented by Sallee Horse Vansand the EquiSport Insurance/US Pony Medal Finals that brought the 2012 US Pony Finals to a bittersweet finale. It was Lucy Deslauriers and Center Field who rode to the top of the leaderboard and garnered the championship prize with two solid rounds and a fantastic final test.The top 25 riders returned for the second round including 15 medium ponies, five small ponies, and five large ponies. Today's courses were designed by Bobby Murphy and consisted of an in-and-out, short lines, rollbacks, a halt, and a trot jump, all set in the format of a serpentine with twists and turns to test pony and rider alike. The four top riders of the second round were welcomed back into the ring for a test phase, where they were asked to take the first vertical at a canter and then come to a halt. They immediately picked up the counter canter and took the second obstacle at the far end ofthe ring, continuing into a left rollback over a white vertical. This was where pace became the name of the game. Riders spurred on their mounts with an open hand gallop, taking the final natural oxer, and returning to the sitting trot as they exited the ring.

Ava Stearns was at the top of the order for today's first round, holding a steady lead throughout all three sections, small, medium and large. Although she laid down a beautiful second round, she eventually earned the third place ribbon after her turn in the test. Samantha Cohen of New York, NY, also posted striking rounds, returning for the second round as the subsequent combination in the order, her test proved good enough for the fourth place honors.  

The true nail biter came down to Daisy Farish of Versailles, KY, and Lucy Deslauriers of New York, NY. Both girls had astounding trips; however, it was Lucy who emerged on the top, moving from the ninth position into the top call. Farish emerged the reserve champion, graciously accepting her silver medal aboard Denmark.   "I was a little nervous but I knew that he was going to be good, he's the best," Farish explained. "I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to ride him, the owner was very generous. I think we made a great team-I love him."

Farish continued, "I followed the plan in the test, and in the second round, but during the first round I made a few changes to the plan. I was really happy with my second round, it was a great way to end Pony Finals."

Deslauriers and Center Field proved unstoppable as they executed a seemingly flawless second round and test phase. Deslauriers also rode to the third place last year aboard Macy Gray, and this year she took the US Pony Finals by storm with the third place finish overall, also aboard Center Field.  

"I thought the course was really good, and it was really fun," Deslauriers smiled. "I really like these types of rounds where there were lots of turns, it's challenging but fun. This is my last year doing Pony Finals, and I am really happy with how it all went, especially since I have only been coming for two years."

"The second trip I was a bit nervous just because I wanted to do really well, but I knew my pony was good, so I just went in and did what my trainer told me," Deslauriers continued. "I was nervous because the others put in pretty good testing trips, too. I just knew I had to go in and lay down the best trip I could."

Deslauriers has been riding Center Field since Fall 2011, deciding to purchase him shortly after the Indoor Circuit. So far, they have been a match made in heaven. Trainer Krista Freundlich commented on Deslauriers, "I think she is a great student. She really listens and wants to listen. She tries hard. She's been doing children's jumpers since February, and I think that has given her more confidence and timing on different courses and through turns. She's a great kid, good attitude; she's done a great job."

It was apparent that the judges had nothing but confidence in their final decision after the test phase. The top 10 riders were asked to stand in the center of the ring, and as the names were called for the pinning, Deslauriers admitted that she felt her nerves creeping up on her.

Deslauriers gave advice for future competitors, "I have had a fantastic time at Pony Finals, but the important thing to remember is that we are all here to have fun. Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves, but don't let it get to you. There are a lot of people who compete, but go in and do it like anything else. Just have fun and do the best you can."

Today marked the conclusion of 2012 US Pony Finals. Next week's competition will begin on Wednesday at the Kentucky Horse Park for the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show. This exciting event will feature the $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, the $5,000 Hallway Feeds National Hunter Derby, the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic, and the $40,000 Bluegrass Festival Grand Prix. 

USEF Network will post results and videos from the US Pony Finals daily at http://usefnetwork.com/featured/2012USEFPonyFinals/

Find out more about the Pony Finals at www.usef.org.
 
 Photo: Lucy Deslauriers won the Gold Medal at the 2012 EquiSport Insurance/US Pony Medal Finals with Center Field. (Kendall Bierer/PMG)

East Dorset, Vermont – The 2012 Vermont Sumer Festival concluded its six-week circuit on Sunday, August 12, with an exciting win for Alissa Kinsey, of Danville, NH, in the $15,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Child/Adult Jumper Classic. Kinsey rode her talented mare Grisset to victory in a lightning fast round, last to go in a 20-horse jump-off. The six-week Vermont Summer Festival ran July 4 to August 12 at Harold Beebe Farm in East Dorset, VT.Eric Hasbrouck, of North Salem, NY, was the course designer in the grand prix ring for week six. In the $15,000 Child/Adult Jumper Classic, a total of 39 entries showed over the first round course and 20 jumped clear to advance to the jump-off.  Nine of those 20 entries completed double clear rounds, and it was a race against the clock as riders vied for top prizes.

Gillian Kelley, of Rye, NH, was first to go in the jump-off, and set the pace with a clear round in 36.58 seconds riding Emerald Isle Jumpers’ Aramis. Maddie Sico, of Newtown, CT, went next and upped the time to 36.16 seconds aboard Dennis Sisco’s Ensor. Tara Dee, of Bennington, VT, finished a little slower in 38.00 seconds riding Katia Manuel Adams’ Lavendel MBF. The three riders finished eighth, seventh, and ninth respectively.

Lilly Ulrich, of Rochester, NY, went next and blazed through the course in 34.31 seconds riding Up the Creek Farm’s Up Stream. The pair’s time would hold on to the lead for 12 more rounds until the final three competitors surpassed it, giving Ulrich the fourth place prize.

Many of the following entries had rails down as they raced through the course in an attempt to catch Ulrich, but a few still jumped clear. Alissa Kinsey jumped clear in 34.56 seconds riding Caretina to grab the fifth place prize. Thomas Cervelli, of Hanover, MA, finished in sixth with a clear round in 35.59 seconds aboard Universal.

Nina Montross, of Bedford, NY, was the first rider to pass Ulrich at the end of the class. Montross and Palm Meadow Farm, LLC’s Caprifol cleared the course in 33.41 seconds to eventually finish third.

Haley White, of Westport, MA, did her best to up the ante once more and moved into the lead with Danielle Stacy’s Tiona in a time of 32.77 seconds. White would have to settle for second place however, as Alissa Kinsey and Grisset entered the ring, last to go, and sped through the course in 31.74 seconds to capture the win.

Kinsey and Grisset are no strangers to the winners circle at the Vermont Summer Festival. The duo has been on quite a roll throughout the six-week circuit, dominating in the adult jumper division. They doubled up with wins in both the $2,500 M&S Adult Jumper Classic and $2,500 NAL/WIHS Adult Jumper Classic during weeks one, two, and four, and topped the $2,500 NAL WIHS Adult Jumper Classic during week five. Kinsey has also been awarded the Adult Amateur Jumper High Circuit Award.

After a disappointing round on Saturday, Kinsey was not sure what to expect of Grisset in Sunday’s class, but the mare put it together and impressed as usual.

“I knew we could beat the time, but you can have a rail, you can have a refusal, anything can happen,” Kinsey said after the class. “She felt great. She kind of let me down last weekend and yesterday, and I thought that today she had to be beyond 100% after what happened and she was.”

“Last week I turned too tight and I caused her to stop,” Kinsey detailed. “It was my fault, but we didn’t do well. Then yesterday she had a rail in the first round, which is really unlike her, so I was kind of nervous today. I didn’t know which way she would go; she was either going to be even better or maybe she was just tired from six weeks and the luck was going to run out or the gas tank was going to run dry. Actually I think that it was a good thing that she didn’t make it to the jump-off yesterday because she had just that little bit more today.”

Grisset is a 15-year-old Hanoverian mare that Kinsey purchased as an eight-year-old. The pair has won classes at pretty much every major horse show in the country and continues to be a dominant force nationwide.

“She just wins for the most part. We have our moments, everybody does, but she is amazing,” Kinsey smiled. “She just wants to win as bad as I do. She is like my pet; at home, everywhere we go, she is like a dog. She comes with me everywhere. I take care of her myself and I think that, that bond is what makes her try just maybe that much harder. She knows that I’m the only one that really cares for her, so we are a team.”

Kinsey also had a great fifth place result with her mare Caretina in Sunday’s class, and was very pleased with the finish after a difficult year.

“I could not be happier with Caretina,” Kinsey praised. “She was off for a year. She fell down on blacktop at Devon last year before she even got to show there and it traumatized her. She was not hurt, but needed time off because she bruised herself and then something happened during the time off. She just didn’t want to horse show; she didn’t want to do anything. It has taken a year of trying to get her confidence back.”

“It did something to her when she fell down,” Kinsey explained. “I don’t know what, but it was really upsetting because she was second at WEF that year right behind Grisset, almost beating her. She did beat her in a couple of Classics. She won a couple of $10,000 classes. She was finally coming into herself and then it just all got taken away. It was a gamble bringing her back here last week, but right off the bat she was double clean, got second right behind Grisset, just right back where she belonged.”

“Today in the jump-off, we really tried to go for it, but in the last turn she just really got stuck. Otherwise she was amazing,” Kinsey said.

Kinsey has been showing in Vermont since 2008 and concludes another fantastic year with Sunday’s top finishes. Commenting on the show, she stated, “I love this horse show. The people, the show grounds; it is just perfect.”

The Vermont Sumer Festival is set to return to Harold Beebe Farm in 2013, running from July 2 through August 11. Offering more than $750,000 in prize money, the Vermont Summer Festival is the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont. For over 20 years, the Vermont Summer Festival has attracted exhibitors and their families to the Manchester region in southern Vermont.  The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall Of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL).  For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail: info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

$15,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Child/Adult Jumper Classic Vermont Summer Festival VI
Rider     Horse    Faults     Time

1.  Alissa Kinsey   Grisset   0:0   31.74
2.  Haley White   Tiona   0:0    32.77
3.  Nina Montross    Caprifol   0:0   33.41
4.  Lilly Ulrich    Up Stream   0:0  34.31
5.  Alissa Kinsey    Caretina   0:0    34.56
6.  Thomas Cervelli    Universal    0:0  35.59
7.  Maddie Sisco    Ensor    0:0   36.16
8.  Gillian Kelley    Aramis    0:0    36.58
9. Tara Dee     Lavendel MBF   0:0     38.00
10.  Gillian Kelley   Charlotte Des Bruyeres   0:4   32.36
11.  Ava Lindsay   Commander Tom  0:4  36.29
12.  Wendy Libert    Papillion Peanut   0:4   36.49

Photo:  Alissa Kinsey and Grisset won the $15,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Child/Adult Jumper Classic on Sunday, August 12, at the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT.
Photo by David Mullinix Photography

Germany claimed team and individual gold at this weekend’s European Young Riders Eventing Championship held in the Swedish port city of Malmö. The team, the only one to complete with four riders, won in convincing style having led from day one.Germany's leading rider Pia Münker won individual gold with the seven-year-old Louis M. It was a deserved victory for the pair, who topped the leaderboard after Dressage and stayed in front throughout.

Eight teams contested the Championship which, Germany aside, proved a competition of mixed fortunes. Five nations - Germany, Great Britain, France, The Netherlands and Ireland - fielded full teams while Italy, Poland and Switzerland each had three riders. Thanks to a high scoring test from Münker, the last of their four riders, Germany took the lead after Dressage ahead of Great Britain with France in third.

Rudiger Schwarz’s Cross Country test proved influential, however, and at the end of the day there were five teams left to contest the Jumping, with Germany - despite two of their riders picking up 20 penalties - still out in front. France, the only team to produce four clear Jumping rounds pulled up to second place just 1.1 penalties behind Germany, while Ireland had also jumped up the leaderboard to third.

Despite young British event trailblazer David Doel paving the way with a clear inside the time, it was all over for Great Britain after the remaining three riders faulted. Two of these had trouble at fence 7b, a drop to a 'skinny’, which proved influential throughout the day and resulted in the elimination of five riders and added penalties to the score sheets of another 11. There were however 22 clear rounds, 17 inside the time, from the 38 finishers.

Seven riders were then withdrawn before Jumping. One was France’s second-highest scoring team members Esteban Nedelec and Matin du Neipo, who suffered the same fate at last year’s Championship. This resulted in France dropping to third and Ireland, fifth after Dressage, moving up to second. British team member Evie Paterson was also withdrawn, leaving Germany with the only complete four-member team in the competition.

The tightly-timed Jumping was also influential with just five riders producing rounds without faults. There was also further disappointment for Great Britain when the second of their remaining three riders had two refusals, eliminating the team from the competition. This was the first time since 1998 that Great Britain, gold medallists at this Championship for the last seven years, had not won a team medal.

With the luxury of a discard score and two riders producing clear rounds in the time, Germany pulled further ahead to win the title. “We couldn’t believe that there was such a wonderful course between the city street and the beach,” said German chef d’equipe Mathias Otto-Erley. “The course was unique and impressive and was a real test, and the girls all did brilliantly.”

Germany finished 24.4 penalties ahead of Ireland, scoring their second consecutive team silver thanks to impressive Jumping performances from Katie Nolan (Kilbeg Cool Diamond), who moved 25 places up the leaderboard from 33rd to eighth with a double clear, and Shane Power (TLB Interactive) who improved 20 places on his Dressage score. France took the bronze ahead of Italy, the fourth and last team to complete.

A Leading Performance
Münker and her Rhineland-bred Louis M impressed the ground jury of Christian Landolt (SUI), Sandor Fulop (HUN) and Dr Ernst Topp (GER) to head the Dressage, 2.7 penalties ahead of Elmo Jankari (FIN) and Isabel Djivanovic (GBR).

All three produced clear Cross-Country rounds inside the time meaning these three stayed top of proceedings, but neither Jankari nor Djivanovic lined out for the following day's Jumping, promoting British individual Dani Evans (Raphael II) to second and German individual Charlotte Hachmeister (Kassio 10) to third on the start list, and allowing Münker the luxury of a fence in hand.

With four fences down Hachmeister dropped out of contention and when Evans added four faults to her sheet 19-year-old Münker knew she could have two fences down. She did, but finished inside the time to add just the eight Jumping faults to her score and clinch the Championship gold medal. “For me it was a brilliant weekend,” said Münker. “The horse did a great job and I am so proud of him.”

It was however a narrow victory. Thanks to a brilliant double-clear, Italian Eleonora Bosch (Hotchkiss McManus) climbed the leaderboard from 14th after Dressage to eighth after Cross-Country and into the silver medal position at the finish on her Dressage score of 50.0 and just 0.3 penalties below the winner. Evans collected bronze to add to the team gold she won last year.

Results
Team Championship: GOLD - Germany 169.4: Louis M (Pia Münker) 49.7, Lardina (Jana Weyers) 51.5, Parlando 23 (Franca Lüdecke) 68.2, Havana Club (Maria Kraack) 79.9; SILVER - Ireland 193.8: TLB Interactive (Shane Power) 58.6, Kilbeg Cool Diamond (Katie Nolan) 58.7, Red Baron (David Hannigan) 76.5, Mr Beau Jangles (Jessica Driscoll) 1,000; BRONZE – France 205.3: Obelix de Mai (Arnaud Etienne Ducoin) 58.1, Lilyth du Loup (Camille Geiger) 68.9, Mitou du Mass (Margot Chabanne) 78.3, Matin de Neipo (Esteban Nedelec) 1,000.

Individual Championship: GOLD - Louis M (Pia Müncker-GER) 49.7; SILVER - Hotchkiss McManus (Eleonora Boschi-ITA) 50.0; BRONZE - Raphael II (Dani Evans-GBR) 51.2.

Photo caption: Pia Münker (GER) won individual gold with seven-year-old Louis M at the European Championship for Young Riders in Malmö, Sweden. Image: Lotta Gyllensten.

Zionsville, IN - Kelley Farmer and Taken stole the show on the Grand Prix Field at the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at the Traders Point Hunt Charity Horse Show held on the grounds of Wild Air Farms. Not only is Taken a pro when it comes to the Derby, he took his owner, Jessica Stitt of Elburn, IL, to the championship win in the Amateur 3'3" class in Traverse City, MI, just one week ago."He's the coolest thing I've ever owned," Stitt said with a big grin. "He loves his job and he loves his life. He's the sweetest horse in the barn, but he knows when it's time to work. He is the most self-assured and wonderful horse."

Farmer piloted the 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood imported from Holland to a win in the first round while taking two higher options to earn points. The course, designed by Phil DeVita, started with a birch bark oxer with a right turn over a wagon wheel vertical. Then up a ramp to a vertical at the top of the course with a high/low option to earn more points. After a left turn and a cross on the diagonal was an oxer to oxer stone wall combination with two strides in between. After a right turn, a solid wood snake fence with a high/low option was followed by a trek up a small bank with a pillar vertical. After a dogleg, a sawn-log oxer offered another high/low option and then a cross on the diagonal to a gray stone pillar oxer was followed by a gallop to an oxer with plank walls and birch standards for another high/low option.

"The course is beautiful," Farmer said. "Look at the field. The jumps are beautiful and Phil built an amazing course. The high options were plenty big and I am a big fan of working on a grass field."

After the first round with 21 entries, Taken and Farmer came out on top with a score of 188 and the dynamic duo and 11 other horse/rider partners earned the right to advance to the Round Two Handy Hunters including Caroline Weeden and The Spy (174), Lisa Goldman and Ariano (173), Kelley Farmer and Bases Loaded (172), Caroline Weeden and Lucky Times (166), Holly Orlando and Vox (162), Ashton Alexander and On Top (159), Holly Orlando and Spoken For (147), Erin McCabe and Castlewellan (145), Lizzie Van Der Walde and App For That (141), Freddie Vazquez and Quintero's Silhouette (140), and Rachel Porter and Rio (122).

Flags snapped in the wind and fluffy clouds dotted the blue sky as the Handy Round began. The course for the handy started with a natural straight birch fence to a wagon wheel vertical. After a turn to the right, the rider had a high/low option and then a rollback left to an oxer over to oxer combo with two strides in the middle. Then was a right turn to a solid wood snake fence with another high/low option. A small bank to a vertical was followed by a high/low option with birch standards and then a left turn to a trot fence followed by log oxers, and finally, left to a stone oxer with stone pillars.  

Farmer had a determined look on her face as she and Taken took the high options and made sharp rollbacks to earn bonus points from the judges, Rob Bielefeld and Mike Rosser. "Come on little buddy," trainer Larry Glefke yelled from the side as the duo rounded the turn to the final jump. "Bring it on home."
 
And bring it on home they did. Farmer and Taken earned a 195 in the second round to come out on top with a 383%. Other top winners were second place for Caroline Weeden riding The Spy owned by Ila Lemonis of Lake Forest, IL, (174/193/367%), third place for Lisa Goldman and Ariano, owned by Brooke Saltzman of Hawthorn, Woods, IL, (173/181.5/354.5%), and fourth place for Caroline Weeden and Lucky Times, owned by Emma Heise of Northfield, IL, (166/182/348%).

Farmer also rode three other horses in the Derby but in the end, she and Taken were the victors, to his owner's delight. "The horse is honest," Stitt explained. When he wants to win, he's going to win." Stitt added that her horse has an attitude with a apt barn name of "Ali." "He's the Muhammad Ali of the horse barn, she said."  Glefke added, "He thinks he's the greatest."

"He's a ham," Farmer said of Taken. "He's so spoiled−he'll only go in a rubber bit. He is not a bit spooky. You know, a few of us get lucky enough to ride a once in a lifetime horse and I do. I am so blessed."

 Photos: Kelley Farmer and Taken win both rounds to take the USHJA International Hunter Derby; Caroline Weeden and The Spy didn't have to sneak into second--they won it handily

Lexington, KY - August 11, 2012 - It was the crowning of the champions today at the Kentucky Horse Park as the 2012 US Pony Finals and US National Pony Hunter Champions completed their fifth day of competition. It was the Large Pony Hunter Over Fences that dawned on the Walnut Arena early this morning, and Meredith Darst aboard For The Laughter stole the show with their fantastic round, capturing the Overall Large Pony Hunter Championship for the second consecutive year.As the US National Hunter Pony Championships presented by Sallee Horse Vans came to a conclusion, the Grand Pony Championship title was presented to Madeline Schaefer and Hi Lite for their efforts in the Small Pony Hunter division.  

Earlier in the week, Madeline Schaefer of Westminster, MD, and Hi Lite had an incredible performance in the Small Pony Hunter division. They were third in the rankings heading into the over fences phase, but with a beautiful trip, they scored the blue ribbon and were eventually presented with the Overall Small Pony Hunter Championship. Their phenomenal scores of 88, 90 and 88 gave them overall total of 1047.20 points. The pair was also awarded the International Jumping Derby Perpetual Trophy as Overall Grand Hunter Pony Champion.

"I wasn't expecting to win the Grand Pony Championship, but after yesterday, and seeing how well Hi Lite did in the different phases, we were hoping it could happen," Schaefer said. "This was the first time I had ever earned a championship at Pony Finals, and in a way I thought we had a bit of a Pony Finals curse, but this year everything changed!"

Schaefer added, "Hi Lite was fantastic, he really proved himself out there. He is one of those ponies where you need to do very little at home, but when he enters the ring he knows his job."

The Large Pony Hunters took center stage in the Walnut Ring, with the last competitors hoping to catch the judges' eyes over fences. Darst and For The Laughter, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker of Middleburg, VA, earned the top call in yesterday's model, and entered the ring today as the leader. It was Beau Rivage with Daisy Farish in the irons who posted the target scores of 86, 87 and 86 points; however, Darst entered the ring with the blue in mind. She piloted For The Laughter to the beautiful scores of 87, 89 and 87 to rise to the top of the leaderboard and score the Overall Large Pony Hunter Championship tricolor. This is For The Laughter's fourth consecutive year winning the prestigious championship title, and the second year with Darst in the saddle.

"I haven't ridden For The Laughter since Devon, he has been able to relax and freshen up for Pony Finals," Darst explained. "He is becoming more and more used to what we expect of him, he knows his job."

Darst added, "The course was pretty straightforward, but I definitely did go in with a plan. I wanted to open up the course with a more direct approach, and depending on how the course went I was deciding whether or not I would add a stride in the last line. I think this was a great show, this is my last year, and I have had a lot of fun."

Farish and Beau Rivage were awarded the second place ribbon, while Lucy Deslauriers picked up the third place with Center Field, owned by GC Ponies of Southern Pines, NC . It was 14-year-old Ali Tritschler aboard Dreamland, owned by Linda Evans of South Hadley, MA, who posted scores of 80, 82.50 and 82.20 points to take the seventh place finish over fences. Combined with her scores in the previous phases, Tritschler and Dreamland were honored with the Overall Large Pony Hunter Reserve Championship.  

"He's really lazy, like he'll just trot everywhere. I really have to keep a tight leg on him. I ride with spurs on. But he'll jump from anywhere and he doesn't spook at all. We didn't ride him or lunge him till today actually. He definitely behaves and listens to whatever you say," Tritschler elaborated. " I ended up second in the rankings, and I have never had to enter so late in the jumping phase. My nerves were really eating away at me, which is weird, I usually don't get nervous. This is so exciting though, and he is a great pony!"  

Following the Large Pony Hunter presentations was the Model Championship and the Under Saddle Championship classes where the top three finishers from each division were invited to demonstrate their talented mounts again. Lili Hymowitz and Cloe Hymowitz both showed Enjoy The Laughter, owned by Rose Hill Farm of Bridgehampton, NY, in the model and the under saddle, respectively. Enjoy The Laughter proved to be a dominating force, earning the Overall Model Championship, as well as the Under Saddle Championship.

"I think that he was able to do so well today in the model and under saddle for the same reason he stood out and did so well in the division model," Hymowitz explained. "He is really pretty to look at, and he is built like a horse. He really draws attention for his conformation, and he is always happy to be where he is-his ears never go back."

"I am so excited that we were able to go in and succeed throughout all of the divisions," Hymowitz smiled. "My other pony won two years ago, and it is so nice to hold another championship. It felt so good for both Cloe and me to have that experience."  

Today's other prestigious awards included the High Scoring registered Purebred Welsh and the High Scoring registered Half Welsh in the Regular Pony Hunter divisions. It was Heart To Forget, ridden and owned by Rachael Paradise taking the High Score Purebred Welsh, and the High Score Half Welsh was claimed by Roxbury, ridden by Yasmin Rizvi and owned by Peacock Ridge LLC.

This evening, participants gathered at the renowned Alltech Arena for the Awards Ceremony where the week's top finishers were honored once again. The awards included the newly donated Mindy Darst Perpetual Trophy, which went to Meredith Darst. The trophy is awarded to the child that all judges decide is most likely to become a top professional rider based on fitness and athletic ability of the rider, the compassion and communication between the rider and the pony, and the understanding of track, pace, and ability to create a beautiful jump. Also featured was theHighest Scoring Regular Pony Hunter Pony Auction Graduate, Entourage. The Buttons N' Bows Sportsmanship Trophy went to Aberle Rodgers, while Patricia Griffith received the Emerson Burr Perpetual Trophy, which is awarded to the trainer of the Overall Grand Hunter Pony Champion and was donated by the 2000 Hunter Pony Committee. The High Score State Team was Team Connecticut and they received the International Challenge Trophy.

The 2012 US Pony Finals will come to a close tomorrow following the Equisport Insurance/US Pony Medal. The nation's top pony riders will gather in the Alltech Arena tomorrow morning at seven to vie for the coveted winning title.  

For more information on the 2012 US Pony Finals please visit www.usef.org.

Photo Credit: Madeline Schaefer and Hi Lite win the Grand Pony Hunter Championship at 2012 US Pony Finals. Photo By: Ashley N. Williams/PMG.

East Dorset, Vermont – Colin Syquia, of Ancramdale, NY, rode Perrin Martin’s Don Pedro to victory in the $15,000 3’3” NEHJA Hunter Derby, sponsored by Oughton Limited, on Thursday, August 9, at the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT.  The six-week competition began on July 4 and continues through August 12 at Harold Beebe Farm.The $15,000 3’3” NEHJA Hunter Derby was the final derby event of the six-week Vermont circuit.  In order to qualify for the class, a rider or owner must have competed in a hunter derby during weeks one through five of the 2012 competition.  The $15,000 3’3” NEHJA Hunter Derby was generously sponsored by Oughton Limited, a Vermont-based equestrian luggage manufacturer that presented a beautiful ‘Wellie’ barn tote to the weekly derby winner. The final winner also received a pair of Ovation Rhona Country Boots.

A total of 20 entries showed in Thursday’s hunter derby, jumping a beautiful course designed by JP Godard, of Aiken, SC. The course spanned two rings and featured stunning natural obstacles. The picturesque backdrop of Vermont mountains helped set the tone for a great afternoon of competition.

Bill Ellis and Steve Wall were the judges of the final hunter derby, and pinned Colin Syquia and Don Pedro on top. Syquia and Don Pedro earned scores of 87 and 85 for a two round total of 172. The ten-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, sired by Don Schufro, led the victory gallop in classic style in his first derby win.

Week five hunter derby winner, Jimmy Torano, of Fort Lauderdale, FL, rode James B. Pirtle Ent., Inc.’s Winner to the second place finish with scores of 82.5 and 88 for a 170.5 total. Week four winner Jimmy Toon, of South Salem, NY, piloted Jane Clark’s Tigger to third place with scores of 85 and 84 for a 169 point total. Toon’s wife, Ellen, scored a pair of 83 point scores to total 166 riding Invincible and earned the fourth place prize.

Don Pedro is owned by Perrin Martin, who showed the horse in the hunter derby classes during weeks one and two in order to qualify for this week’s final. Syquia showed Don Pedro for Martin once earlier this year after the rider broke her hand, but this was his first time riding the horse since then.

“Perrin asked me to ride him once in Saugerties and I ended up doing him in the derby there and he was seventh out of 60-something, but then she got better and was showing him all summer,” Syquia explained. “She showed him the first weeks here and then she was about to go on vacation, so she called me and asked if I wanted to take him. I showed him yesterday and he was second in two classes and sixth in the derby warm-up, and then he was awesome today.”

“He is beautiful; he has a beautiful cadence, a lovely canter, a big stride, and good lead changes,” Syquia described. “He is really a lot of fun to ride and he is a very good student because switching riders like this at the last minute and then asking him to perform like that is a lot.”

Commenting on his rounds, Syquia detailed, “The first round he was exceptional. He came right in and he just got better as we went. We just started flowing and he was spectacular. He had a little rub at the wall, but he just kept going and then he was lovely coming down over the last oxer. He was really good.”

Syquia has his own training and sales business called Eurasia, Inc. and does both the hunters and jumpers.  He explained that the busy schedule does not usually allow him to stay in Vermont for the full six-week circuit, but that he tries for a couple of weeks each year.

“I have been coming to this show for quite a few years and I love it here,” he stated. “I usually come at least for week one and then I try to come back for week six. I have other obligations in the Midwest, so I have to go back and forth. It is a lovely event; they try to do a really good job and it is beautiful scenery.”

“It is excellent for them to have this $15,000 derby,” Syquia added. “It is actually my first time riding in it, so this was a good way to kick it off.”

“Maybe I should retire now,” he laughed. “I have not won any others derbies. I haven’t done that many of them, so it is pretty exciting. I think I will start looking for them more.”

Offering more than $750,000 in prize money, the Vermont Summer Festival is the richest sporting event based on purse in the state of Vermont.  The first five Saturdays of the Vermont Summer Festival feature a $30,000 Grand Prix.  The $50,000 Vermont Summer Celebration Grand Prix will be held during the sixth and final week on Saturday, August 11.  The weekly $10,000 Open Welcome Stake, Presented by Manchester Designer Outlets, are held each Thursday.

Competition begins at 8 a.m. daily, Wednesday through Sunday.  Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  On Saturday and Sunday, admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children.  All of the gate receipts benefit the a number of Manchester area non-profit organizations, including the Mark Skinner Library, Friends Foundation for MEMS, Community Food Cupboard, and Second Chance Animal Center.

For over 20 years, the Vermont Summer Festival has attracted exhibitors and their families to the Manchester region in southern Vermont.  The Vermont Summer Festival is a proud member event of the Show Jumping Hall Of Fame, the Marshall & Sterling League, and the North American League (NAL).  For more information about the Vermont Summer Festival, please e-mail: info@vt-summerfestival.com or visit www.vt-summerfestival.com.

$15,000 3’3” NEHJA Hunter Derby, Sponsored by Oughton Limited Vermont Summer Festival VI
Rider     Horse     Round 1    Round 2    Total
1.  Colin Syquia    Don Pedro    87  85  172
2.  Jimmy Torano   Winner   82.5   88   170.5
3.  Jimmy Toon   Tigger   85  84   169
4.  Ellen Toon   Invincible   83   83   166
5.  Molly Yake  Gama Coronado    79    82    161
6.  Mary Lisa Leffler   Gerona 92   74    86    160
7.  Donald Bourque   7th Heaven   81   78    159
8.  Samantha Ruttura     Limone   82   76.5   158.5
9.  Anna Pavlov    Adelante    80   77    157
10. Joanne Kovacs   Obadiah Finn    80.5   76    156.5
11. Tasha Plunket    Rhinebeck    75   75   150
12. Amanda Gellis       Winston    77    40   117

Photo:Colin Syquia and Don Pedro won the $15,000 3’3” NEHJA Hunter Derby, sponsored by Oughton Limited, on Thursday, August 9, at the 2012 Vermont Summer Festival in East Dorset, VT. Photo by David Mullinix Photography

Thursday night the determined mounted their ponies to take on the indoor jump course at the Alltech Arena for the 2012 US Pony Finals at the beautiful Kentucky Horse Park. Riders from all over the nation participated in the US National Pony Jumper Team Championship and also competed at the individual level in phase II, a continuation from Wednesday. By the end of the night, team four united over an outstanding unit score to win the US National Pony Jumper Team Championship. In the second phase of the individual jumper, with a score of 63.511, Caroline Zaunbrecher and Fire Van Battenbroek were ranked in first place.Designed by Marc Donovan, the freshly constructed jump course was made up of 13 classic jump obstacles. The rider's opening fence was a double oxer, creating a wide left along the gate side of the ring leading into a diagonal line of a vertical to double oxer. Taking the far side curve to the right, the rider was then challenged to an outside line of verticals separated by four strides and then to a double oxer. A tight right and a maneuver through fences introduced a single double oxer and a lead change to the far end of the course for a series of tight turns and few stride jumps. The last line of the course led jumpers to a double oxer-vertical-vertical combination to double oxer to stop the clock.

Eight teams of three or four pony riders vied for the top score with the least amount of faults and most efficient time. Four participant teams dropped the least beneficial contribution at the end of the round. In the end it was team four, 15-year old Lindsey Toothman and Jean Claude of Carrollton, GA, 13-year-old Julia Curtis and The Waterboy of Carrollton, GA, 14-year-old Breanna Holmes and American Hero of Guntersville, AL and 16-year-old, Barclay Powell and Cookies and Cream of Gainesville, FL who claimed the gold medal awards and the US National Pony Jumper Team Championship.

"I felt very confident in the second round." Toothman shared while surrounded by her teammates. "In the first round I was off. I was rushed and I'm not used to that. I'm used to coming in and relaxing as I study the course and how others ride it but when I came in a second time I knew exactly what I had to fix and I went in and did it."

"It was amazing out here tonight," Holmes beamed. "Yesterday I let the venue and the crowd consume me but today I went out there and I owned it and laid it down and fixed my mistakes from the first round and that's how I believe we got gold and came to a solid victory tonight."

By Curtis and Holmes clearing their second rounds, team seven needed their last rider to ride clear for best time to be the determining factor. Mattie Hatcher and Erin Meadows Silk Stockings of Milwaukee, WI, having zero faults, and Claire Salopek and Sir Lance-A-Lot of Lafayette, LA, and Elizabeth McDougald and Knock My Sox Off of Lawton, OK, each having four faults, team seven needed their last rider to deliver a faultless ride. Caroline Zaunbrecher and Fire Van Battenbroek of Lafayette, LA, dropped a pole, taking a four fault score and giving team four the automatic victory.

"Tonight the course was a real jumper's course and my pony felt like a grand prix horse," the elated Curtis smiled. "He was jumping amazing and very smooth considering how tight the turns were out there. He is a great pony and I'm very fortunate."

"This is my first year and it's an awesome experience," Powell added. "I've never been to pony finals, not even to watch. It's been fun to be here; to compete and to get gold the first time I come here is really exciting."

Team four was awarded medals and the Willow Grove Farm Perpetual Trophy, donated by William J. Moroney in honor of his parents, Edward and Lorraine Moroney.

Caroline Zaunbrecher and Fire Van Battenbroek asserted the lead in the individual competition after completing Wednesday and Thursday's clear rounds. Elizabeth McDougald and was close on her heels after completing two fault-free efforts aboard Knock My Sox Off. Keely Laughlin and her mount Larger Than Life of Fresno, CA, earned the third place position also ending with two fault-free rounds. The Gold Medal winner will be determined tomorrow evening during Phase III of the Individual Pony Jumper Finals at the Alltech Arena.

USEF Network will post results and videos from the US Pony Finals daily at http://usefnetwork.com/featured/2012USEFPonyFinals/

Find out more about the Pony Finals at www.usef.org.
 
Photo: Zone 4, the US National Pony Jumper Team Champions (Ashley N. Williams/PMG)

FEI Secretary General Ingmar De Vos has spoken publicly for the first time about the Canadian team Jumping horse Victor, which was disqualified under the FEI’s hypersensitivity protocol shortly before the Olympic team competition in London on 5 August.

"Disqualification of an athlete will always spark speculation, but in the case of Tiffany Foster’s horse Victor the protocol established very clearly that this was an obvious case of hypersensitivity”, Ingmar De Vos said today. “This was a unanimous decision, supported by four highly qualified veterinarians who specialise in testing for hypersensitivity using a system that has been monitoring FEI competitions since 2005.”

“These have been really great Games, and all the equestrian disciplines at Greenwich have been very special. The spectacular sport and the fantastic crowds are the memories that we will take away from London 2012.”

The horse Victor, ridden by Tiffany Foster, was disqualified under the FEI hypersensitivity protocol due to an area of clear and obvious hypersensitivity on the front of the coronary band on the left forelimb. The FEI Veterinary Commission stated that the horse had an area of inflammation and excessive sensitivity on the left forelimb and was deemed unfit to compete by the Ground Jury.

A protest lodged by the Canadian chef d’equipe was heard by the FEI Appeal Committee and was denied based on Annex XI of the FEI Veterinary Regulations, which state: "there is no appeal against the decision of the Ground Jury to disqualify a horse for abnormal sensitivity from an Event". The FEI General Regulations also clearly state that there is no appeal against an elimination of a horse for veterinary reasons.