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/.
We are joined by Rood & Riddle vet Dr Chris Newton, and speak to him about being the official vet of the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games. Lauren Hough also joins us for a short chat before taking off for Europe for the World Cup Final riding Quick Study. In the news…. Molly the Pony is coming to Kentucky. Listen in…
2010 Radio Show Episode 83 – Official WEG Vet and WEG Hopeful Jumper Lauren Hough:
The 2010 Radio Show has a big announcement this week and we speak with Kimberly Brown, Templeton Thompson and Mark Peterson about the International Equestrian Festival. Listen in….
2010 Radio Show Episode 84 – A Big Announcement and the IEF:
News: The news this week starts in Great Britain in a story by our friends at Horse and Hound… Britain’s equestrian team has been set a target of 1 to 3 medals of any flavor for the World Equestrian Games this fall here in Lexington.
FEI Round Table Conference Participants on Rollkur/Hyperflexion - 9Feb2010 (click for larger image)
Lausanne (SUI), 9 February 2010 – Following constructive debate at the FEI round-table conference at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne today (9 February), the consensus of the group was that any head and neck position achieved through aggressive force is not acceptable. The group redefined hyperflexion/Rollkur as flexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force, which is therefore unacceptable. The technique known as Low, Deep and Round (LDR), which achieves flexion without undue force, is acceptable.
The group unanimously agreed that any form of aggressive riding must be sanctioned. The FEI will establish a working group, headed by Dressage Committee Chair Frank Kemperman, to expand the current guidelines for stewards to facilitate the implementation of this policy. The group agreed that no changes are required to the current FEI Rules.
The FEI Management is currently studying a range of additional measures, including the use of closed circuit television for warm-up arenas at selected shows.
The group also emphasised that the main responsibility for the welfare of the horse rests with the rider.
The FEI President HRH Princess Haya accepted a petition of 41,000 signatories against Rollkur presented by Dr Gerd Heuschman.
The participants in the FEI round-table conference were:
HRH Princess Haya, FEI President
Alex McLin, FEI Secretary General
Margit Otto-Crépin, International Dressage Riders Club Representative
Linda Keenan, International Dressage Trainers Club Representative
Sjef Janssen, Dressage Representative
Frank Kemperman, Chairman, FEI Dressage Committee (by conference call)
François Mathy, International Jumping Riders Club Representative
David Broome, Jumping Representative
Jonathan Chapman, Eventing Representative
Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare Representative
Tony Tyler, World Horse Welfare Representative
Ulf Helgstrand, President, Danish Equestrian Federation
John McEwen, Chairman, FEI Veterinary Committee
Dr Sue Dyson, Veterinary Representative Dr Gerd Heuschman, Veterinary Representative
Prof. René van Weeren, Veterinary Representative
Jacques van Daele, FEI Honorary Steward General Dressage
Graeme Cooke, FEI Veterinary Director
Trond Asmyr, FEI Director Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage
John Roche, FEI Director Jumping and Stewarding
Catrin Norinder, FEI Director Eventing
Carsten Couchouron, FEI Executive Director Commercial
Richard Johnson, FEI Communications Director
The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and includes 133 National Federations. Equestrian sport has been on the Olympic programme since 1912 with three disciplines – Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. It is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete on equal terms. It is also the only sport which involves two athletes – horse and rider. The FEI has relentlessly concerned itself with the welfare of the horse, which is paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.
Bonnie Mosser joins us to tell us what her plans are for the season and Karen O’Connor explains the Instructors Certification Program. Plus, Ashley Adams makes her debut on the show as guest co-host. Take a listen…
Eventing Radio Episode 60 – Instructor’s Certification Program:
Note: We apologize for technical issues that resulted in poor audio quality for Bonnie Mosser’s interview. We decided to air the interview anyway, so that we could share Bonnie’s valuable comments.
News: The United States Equestrian Federation approved a landmark Drugs & Medication Rule at its Annual Convention in Kentucky following months of debate on the controversial use of therapeutic Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs
The first Spalding Labs/United States Eventing Association (USEA) Young Event Horse (YEH) competition of the year is being held February 3 in Ocala, FL
This week the Dressage Radio Show is hosting its first Quiz Show with two teams (Heather Blitz & Lauren Duncan vs. Debbie McDonald & Adrienne Lyle) facing off in their knowledge of the sport and some fun trivia. Listen in…
Dressage Radio Episode 33 – The Dressage Quiz Show:
Co-Hosts: Chris Stafford and Glenn the Geek
The Teams: Heather Blitz and Lauren Duncan vs. Debbie McDonald and Adrienne Lyle
Alltech’s Susanna Elliot helps us welcome in 2010, the year of the Games, and we catch up with our spotlight driver Mike McLellan in Texas. Plus, all the news about the Alltech 2010 World Equestrian Games, listen in….
2010 Radio Show Episode 73 – Spotlight Driver Mike McLellan:
News: Thousands of volunteers are still needed to help run this year’s World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky. All volunteers will receive an official Ariat uniform, and a volunteer credential which will give them General Admission entry into the Kentucky Horse Park for all 16 days of the Games.
News:Two new inhabitants at the Kentucky Horse Park, will help usher in a new exhibit at the museum, “A Gift from the Dessert: The Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse” which will be on display whilst the 2010 WEG takes place.
News: Georgetown, Kentucky, situated right next to the Horse Park, where the 2010 World Equestrian Games will take place in September, is looking to capitalise on it’s location with a new International Equine Expo.
News:Sue-Ellen Lovett has been announced as this year’s Australia Day ambassador, but is gunning for Lexington, Kentucky and the World Equestrian Games, despite having limited sight.
After many years of successfully competing as an adult amateur Grand Prix rider, Tami Hoag recently announced she is now becoming a professional rider.
Wellington, FL (January 4, 2010) – New York Times bestselling mystery writer Tami Hoag has long enjoyed a dual career as a suspense novelist and adult amateur dressage competitor. After many years of successfully competing as an adult amateur Grand Prix rider, Hoag recently announced she is now becoming a professional rider.
“I feel good about this change of status. Even though I make my living as a writer, not a rider, I have always approached my riding in a very professional way,” Hoag said. “I’ve always looked at it as a second career in terms of dedication. My first Grand Prix was with Feliki at the Gold Coast Opener in January of 2001. It was a big open class and we placed sixth and I never looked back.”
Hoag won’t immediately jump into the ring; however, as she will be embarking on an 11-city tour for her new book Deeper Than The Dead in January. “I won’t be able to get my show season under way until February. Then I’ll be making the rounds of the Wellington shows,” Hoag said. “I’m really excited to be finally getting into the show ring with Bacchus de Light, my top Grand Prix horse who has been out for a year rehabbing an injury. He’s coming back into great form.” Read more> http://www.horsesinthesouth.com/article/article_detail.aspx?id=9628
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