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Tampa Equestrian Festival to Start with Tampa Bay Classic on March 31st Stadium Jumping's Michael Morrissey is looking forward to two exciting weeks of competition in Tampa. © Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com.
Tampa, Florida – Stadium Jumping, Inc. announced today that the first week of the Tampa Equestrian Festival has been cancelled. Michael Morrissey of Stadium Jumping, Inc. made the announcement on Tuesday morning, and said the change in schedule was long overdue. “That first week has always been a transitional week for us,” said Morrissey of the cancellation. “We are listening to what our exhibitors have been telling us regarding that week. They have told us that they feel there is just too much showing.” “Those coming from Ocala which will have just ended, needed an extra week to prepare, and those that were competing at WEF simply told us they needed a week off,” Morrissey detailed. “Over the years, this has always been a lightly attended event and this extra time allows us an extra opportunity to concentrate on the preparations for our big show, the Tampa Bay Classic, which is the host for two very important events this year.” The Suncoast Internationale was scheduled to run March 24-28th. Aiken Olympic Gala Benefits USET Foundation with Great Success Left to right, Bonnie Jenkins, Phillip Dutton, and Mark Phillips. Photo © 2010 listaphoto.com
Aiken, SC – March 15, 2010 – Held at Phillip and Evie Dutton’s True Prospect Farm winter training facility in Aiken, SC, March 11, 2010, the Aiken Olympic Gala was enjoyed by all who gathered in attendance for the benefit of United States High Performance Eventing riders and the United States Equestrian Team Foundation. Evie Dutton reflected on the evening, saying, “The event was a great success and we had fabulous attendance. There were approximately 250 people there, and everyone had a good time. This was our third year putting on the Gala, and it has grown more and more each time. We look forward to it every year; we get such incredible support from the community and it goes to a great cause as it benefits riders, drivers, and the USET Foundation.” Guests enjoyed cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres as they bid on silent auction items and listened to guest speakers Phillip Dutton (United States Leading Event Rider for the past ten years), Boyd Martin (2009 Eventing Rider of the Year), and Mark Phillips (Chef d’Equipe of the U.S. Eventing Team). Custom Saddlery to Donate Saddle to Winner of Dressage under the Stars Finale at The Players Club Neil Hirsch (right), owner of the Players Club Bar & Restaurant, and event host Jenna Wyatt (left) want to know who the winner of the custom saddle will be. (Photo courtesy of Frederic Roy)
Wellington, FL (March 15, 2010) – Custom Saddlery, whose famous dressage clients include Steffen Peters, Sue Blinks and Hilda Gurney, has announced they will donate a custom saddle to the winner of the finale at the Top Shelf Dressage under the Stars competition at the Players Club & Restaurant on March 17. The lucky winner will ride away with the saddle of their choice, as well as an assortment of amazing prizes, during the prestigious and star-studded event that has proven to be a who’s who of dressage stars and judges throughout the season. “Dressage under the Stars features many of our best dressage riders today, either riding or judging this spectacular event. We are excited to be part of it and look forward to awarding the finale winner with a saddle from Custom Saddlery,” said Cary Wallace, President of Custom Saddlery. “The winner will be able to pick the saddle of their choice and Custom will make it for them.” Wallace said Custom Saddlery is looking forward to supporting the dressage community as a large number of their clients spend the winters in Wellington. “We really want to support the people who have supported us over the years,” Wallace said. Hillary Dobbs Clears Her First Hurdle towards Securing Slot at the World Equestrian GamesHarvard Senior Joins U.S. Nation’s Cup Teams in Europe to Determine Final 5-Member Squad WELLINGTON, Fla. — March 9, 2010 — Hillary Dobbs of Wantage, NJ and Palm Beach, FL, who celebrated her 22nd birthday today, achieved her first goal toward securing a place on the U.S. show jumping team for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky., this fall. After the final Grand Prix selection trial at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida on Sunday, Dobbs finished sixth on the ranking list. A total of 15 horse/rider combinations are being named to the long list from which the Cup teams will be assembled. Dobbs, who led the standings with her mount Quincy B after the second trial, had two errors in the third trial that dropped her down the list by adding 8 penalties to her score. She came back in the fourth trial with only two time penalties and was on her way to a clean round in Sunday’s final Grand Prix trial, when her jumper knocked rails at the last two fences for another 8 penalties. Wilhelm Genn & Happy Z Double Down, Banking Two $25k Prix at Gulf Coast Winter Classics Fifth Week Wilhelm Genn & Happy Z ©Flashpoint Photography
GULFPORT, MS – MAR. 14, 2010 – Lebanon, OH based Wilhelm Genn has done it again, winning both the $25,000 Nordic Lights Grand Prix and the $25,000 Budweiser Grand Prix during the fifth week of the 2010 Gulf Coast Winter Classics. International great Dave Ballard took up the reins of course designing for the double prix week. For Thursday’s $25,000 Nordic Lights event, the co-creator of the 2008 Olympic layouts built a 15 effort test full of curves that had some riders struggling to keep the horses balanced. Add to this the deceptive appearance several obstacles presented and competitors faced quite the challenge to clear the course in less than 96 seconds. “Sometimes when you have a lower oxer and then a higher vertical the horses jump a little flat and then don’t get enough height for the vertical,” Genn offered as explanation for one troublesome spot. From the 25 starters Genn and the Laura Ryan-Barnaclo owned Chantal were third in the order and first to make a clear run, finishing in 88.191. Five spots later owner-rider Kari Frey of Fulshear, TX aboard Solinus guaranteed a jump off round with their clear time of 87.750. Not long after New Jersey’s Amanda Flint with her mount Tiffany E VDL joined the list to return with a faultless ride in 86.677. And then there was Happy Z, Genn’s fearless 12-year-old Dutch bred mare. “With Happy, I looked where I went with Chantal, I went really tight with him, and I didn’t think I could stay on the inside track so I decided to just keep her straight for 1 to 2 extra strides, balance her and then turn her real quickly to get a run back to the oxer,” Genn explained his strategy for that last vital line. The duo’s time was 90.263. |
