Top Riders Come to Kentucky to Compete at the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games Venue
April 13, 2010 – LEXINGTON, KY – The Kentucky Cup Jumping Test Event in preparation for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will feature some of the biggest stars in the sport.
The test event, to be held April 19-22 in conjunction with the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, is in preparation for the Games. The 2010 Games will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park September 25-October 10, marking the first time that equestrian sport’s biggest event is being held outside Europe.
Beezie Madden heads the list of entries to test the show jumping venue for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. At the 2008 Olympic Games, Madden helped lead the US team to the gold medal in the Team Jumping competition and also took the bronze medal in the Individual Jumping event. One of her greatest accomplishments was her win at the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen in Aachen, Germany. To add to this honor, she was named leading rider in Aachen, one of the most coveted leading rider titles in the world.
Geneva (SUI), 13 April 2010 – “If your horse is found to have a banned substance in its system, you are looking at a two-year suspension,” FEI Veterinary Director Graeme Cooke warned riders competing at this week’s Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final.
The warning came at the riders’ briefing before the start of five days of competition in Geneva (SUI) as part of the FEI’s drive to raise awareness of the Clean Sport Campaign.
Riders were provided with Clean Sport Information packs containing an updated Athlete’s Guide and a brochure outlining How Testing Works, both of which are also available online at www.feicleansport.org. These publications have been sent to all National Federations for distribution to stakeholders.
Cannes on the French Riviera has been confirmed for the 2010 lineup of Exquis World Dressage Masters events with the Euro100,000 (US$136,000) competition scheduled for June 10-13.
The WDM event that began the world’s richest dressage events in Cannes two years ago will be held at the same time as the Global Champions Tour CSI5*. The Cannes WDM competition had been in doubt because of conflicts with dates of other major dressage shows.
The glamorous Cannes competition, which was won in the inaugural year of 2008 and in 2009 by Anky van Grunsven of The Netherlands, is one of the four CDI5* competitions sponsored by Exquis, Moorlands Stables and Moorlands Investments, Nürnberger Versicherungsgruppe and Jerich International.
It will also kick off the second year of the Nürnberger WDM Rider Rankings offering a bonus of Euro 25,000 (US$34,000).
April 14, 2010 – Edition 7 – This Unwanted Horse Coalition news summary is provided as an educational service to those interested in the issue of the unwanted horse. The articles do not reflect the opinions of the Unwanted Horse Coalition or any of its employees. The listing of events does not constitute an endorsement of a particular event. If you see an article or event that may be appropriate for inclusion in Media Roundup, please e-mail it to ecaslin@horsecouncil.org.
Ex-Racehorses Find a Future in Fulfilling Second Careers
The plight of many horses who have finished their racing careers is no secret. Those who aren’t headed for the breeding shed or lack caring owners too often wind up at auction or with another uncertain future. Read More…
Repole, NYRA Donate to Retirement Causes
In order to raise awareness for and benefit horse rescue and retirement organizations, Mike Repole, owner of Repole Stable, and The New York Racing Association are donating a total of $30,000 to Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, and the Exceller Fund on Wood Memorial Day, April 3 at Aqueduct Racetrack in addition to an on-track retirement ceremony for Cool N Collective. Read More…
The 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions will return to Gladstone, New Jersey, August 6 – 8 and August 13 – 15. This Festival of Champions will once again feature the National Championships for the Grand Prix, Intermediaire I, Young Adult “Brentina Cup”, Young Rider, and Junior divisions, in addition to the Selection Trial for the US Dressage Team for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
The initial deadline for World Equestrian Games/Grand Prix National Championship applications and Intermediaire I National Championship applications is May 31, 2010. For more information, including applications, selection procedures, and ranking lists, please visit the USEF website at this link: http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldressage/hpDressage.aspx. For more information about these High Performance divisions, contact Jenny Van Wieren, Assistant Director of Dressage, at jvanwieren@usef.org.
WHO: The Kentucky Horse Park and the family of Clarence Scharbauer
WHAT: Dedication and unveiling of new Alysheba statue at his gravesite
WHEN: Friday, April 16, 2pm
WHERE: Hall of Champions, Kentucky Horse Park
WHY: Clarence Scharbauer III, whose family raced Horse of the Year and Kentucky Derby winner Alysheba, has commissioned a bronze statue for Alysheba’s grave, created by sculptor Shelley Hunter. Before coming to the Kentucky Horse Park, Alysheba spent the previous eight years of his life in the royal stables of His Majesty King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Known on the track as “America’s horse,” he was sent to the Kentucky Horse Park as a gift from His Majesty to the American people in October 2008.
Gladstone, New Jersey – April 14, 2010 – The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to present The Road to Kentucky Continues on May 8, 2010 at Staysail Farm in North Salem, NY. Benefiting the USET Foundation in support of the U.S. Show Jumping High Performance programs, The Road to Kentucky Continues will honor the Long Listed Show Jumping riders for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games as they head to Europe for the Meydan Nations Cup Tour.
The Honorary Chairman and Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe George H. Morris, as well as Co-Chairs Elizabeth Miller & Jamie Dinan and Becky and David Gochman look forward to welcoming guests and riders to Staysail Farm in celebration of the continuation on the Road to Kentucky. “Jamie and I are delighted to co-chair this benefit event at our farm on behalf of the USET Foundation. The Westchester, NY community is steeped in equestrian sport, including being home to numerous riders who have represented us on US Equestrian Teams. This event will bring together the entire equestrian community to support a cause about which we are so passionate, as well as bring together the community in the North Salem area to raise some money and have lots of fun,” said Elizabeth Miller.
Geneva (SUI), 9 April 2010 – It’s been a long and winding road to the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping final in Geneva, with riders qualifying from 13 leagues around the globe. The battle for precious points has been hard-fought by a total of 814 men and women hoping to take their place amongst the stars who will jump for the coveted title in the Palexpo Arena next week, and for each of those who earned a spot, that alone is a considerable achievement.
The smallest qualifying league in terms of participant numbers was the South East Asian series which attracted just seven riders to its four events and which was won by Malaysia’s Qabil Ambak Dato Mahamad Fatil. In stark contrast, the North American leagues jointly attracted a massive 184 starters to 28 competitions, and with 12 representatives at next week’s fixture seem likely to prove highly influential.
GREAT WIN
The Arab League concluded at Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates on 23 January with a great win for Abdullah Sharbatly and Goldex from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who then came out to top an early class during the last Western European League fixture at ‘s-Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands two weeks ago. When Abdullah showed his absolute delight at finding himself in the winner’s enclosure at the Dutch venue he won his way into the hearts of the spectators who subsequently greeted him with roars of support every time he re-entered the ring.
There were 11 rounds staged in the Australian league which ended in Sydney in December with a runaway victory for three-time Australian champion Chris Chugg, while Kyrgyzstan’s Andrey Shalohin headed up the three-leg Central Asian series which drew to a close at Astana in Kazakhstan last August. There were also only three legs in the Caucasian league in which Rashod Samadov from Azerbaijan reigned supreme, but there were 17 legs for the Central European countries before the final at Tallinn in Estonia last month which was a highly-successful and competitive event. The sport of jumping has grown immeasurably in terms of participation and rider expertise in this region in recent years, and Estonia will be well-represented in Geneva by Belgian-based 27 year old Tilt Kivisild and the considerably more experienced 49 year old Rein Pill.
FINAL LEG VICTORY
Toshiki Masui came out on top of the eight-round Japanese League series when producing a final-leg victory at Osaka last October, and there were also eight competitions in New Zealand where Katie McVean pipped Anna Trent for the regional title. Over the five legs of the South African series a total of 29 riders lined out, and it was Shaun Neill who headed the leaderboard following the last leg in Cape Town in November. The seven-round South American series attracted a strong entry of 69 riders, but this has already provided one of the hard-luck stories of the season as Brazil’s Yuri Mansur Guerios, who earned his ticket to Geneva with a win in the final leg at Rio de Janeiro last November, suffered a bitter blow when his top horse, the 14 year old French gelding Ideal de Balia, was struck down by a colic attack last Friday. The chestnut horse remains in intensive care following an operation on Tuesday of this week.
It has been a long climb to the top for 30 year old Yuri who hails from Sao Paolo and who broke into the show jumping scene after spending three years working as a groom at Ludo Philippaert’s yard in Belgium. He achieved his long-held dream when he qualified for the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Final, but fate has ensured he will only get to compete in the minor competitions at the Palexpo Arena next week. “I’m not just disappointed for myself, I’m sorry for my horse because we worked hard together to qualify – I just hope he will be OK and that we get the chance to try again,” Yuri said yesterday.
INTRIGUING
The USA East Coast League result is particularly intriguing because the international line-up is led by Olympic gold medallist Mclain Ward from New York followed by young Irish rookie Darragh Kenny in second place with Russia’s Ljubov Kochetova in third ahead of Canada’s Karen Cudmore in fourth, while over in the USA West Coast it was World Cup specialist Rich Fellers who came out on top. The 13-leg Western European League meanwhile produced some spectacular jumping over the winter months at the end of which Ireland’s Jessica Kuerten led the leaderboard with Germany’s Marco Kutscher in second ahead of Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer in third.
It has been another great season, and with the sport continuing to develop rapidly world-wide, the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final promises plenty of quality performances along with, no doubt, a few new surprises.
The 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final begins next Wednesday, 14th April. For further information check out website http://www.worldcupgeneva.com/.
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