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FEI signs landmark agreement with Olympic Channel

News Desk — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 08:17:59 +0000

The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the global governing body for equestrian sport, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Olympic Channel. The FEI is one of 27 International Federations to have signed an agreement with the IOC to work together to bring sport to a massively increased television audience worldwide.

“Sport touches many cultures and people of all ages and, in our efforts to maintain a long-lasting positive impact worldwide, we are delighted to be part of this ground-breaking initiative value and to provide content to the Olympic Channel”, FEI President Ingmar de Vos said. “This is a unique opportunity to open a global window on our sport, encouraging fans around the world to pursue their potential through sports contribution.

“By sharing our sport and our athletes’ stories on the Olympic Channel, we will be part of a new global network, together with our International Federation counterparts within the Olympic Movement, inspiring generations through the power of sport at its very best.”

IOC President Thomas Bach, who recently chaired a joint Olympic Channel Board of Directors meeting at the newly inaugurated OCS facilities in Madrid, said: “The Olympic Channel will mark a major shift in how the Olympic Movement connects with young people all year round. The International Federations have embraced the Olympic Channel and we look forward to working with them on the exciting programming and promotional opportunities. The newly formed Olympic Channel team is making steady progress, with the emphasis on ensuring the product is right and the quality of the programming matches our ambition. We look forward to announcing the 2016 launch date in the coming weeks.”

Mark Parkman, General Manager of Olympic Channel Services, said: “Preparations for the launch of the Olympic Channel are on course and the announcement of these cooperation agreements with our IF partners is another important step forward. We expect to make further announcements regarding collaborations with other IFs and stakeholders in the near future. Content production has begun, the technology and platforms are being tested, and there is a growing sense of energy and excitement here among the Olympic Channel team as we prepare for launch this year.”

The creation of an Olympic Channel was one of the key recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020, aiming to provide a new way to engage young people and core fans in the Olympic Movement, while also promoting the Olympic values on a consistent basis.

The Channel will broadcast live sports events, news and athlete stories, as well as historical Olympic footage and official films from the IOC’s archives. There will also be a focus on educational and youth-oriented programming, sustainability, sports science and nutrition, and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.

The Olympic Channel collaborations aim to complement the International Federations’ current broadcast and distribution arrangements. The Olympic Channel team is currently working with the IFs to create innovative partnerships, including live event coverage, highlights, magazine shows, news coverage and original programming.

In addition to the FEI, OCS has concluded agreements with Badminton World Federation (BWF); International Basketball Federation (FIBA); International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF); International Boxing Association (AIBA); International Canoe Federation (ICF); International Fencing Federation (FIE); International Golf Federation (IGF); International Gymnastic Federation (FIG); International Hockey Federation (FIH); International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF); International Judo Federation (IJF); International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM); International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF); International Ski Federation (FIS); International Swimming Federation (FINA); International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF); International Tennis Federation (ITF); International Triathlon Union (ITU);International Weightlifting Federation (IWF); United World Wrestling (UWW); World Archery Federation (WA); World Curling Federation (WCF); World Rowing Federation (FISA); World Rugby (WR); World Sailing (WS) and World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)

As well as its ongoing discussions with other IFs, the Olympic Channel Services team is working to build and strengthen collaborations with athletes, National Olympic Committees, Rights-Holding Broadcasters, Worldwide TOP Partners, Organising Committees for the Olympic Games, candidate cities, recognised sports organisations, as well as with major digital and social media platforms.

Brilliant Belgians top first round at Furusiyya 2015 Final

News Desk — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 07:42:32 +0000

Judy-Ann Melchior and As Cold as Ice Z helped Belgium take top spot in today’s first round of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona (ESP). (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

The Belgian team came out on top in the super-tough first round of the €2.3 million Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2015 at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona (ESP) today. With only eight places up for grabs for Saturday’s second and deciding round, there was a ferocious battle between the 19 competing nations, and some heroic performances from sides that didn’t make the cut.

Written by Louise Parkes

Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, USA, the defending champions from The Netherlands, Ireland and Switzerland claimed the remaining qualifying spots in that order, and the stage is now set for a spectacular finale on Saturday night.

The testing course set by Spain’s Santiago Varela produced only seven clear rounds from a starting field of 76 horse-and-rider combinations, and the penultimate triple combination claimed a huge number of victims. A total of 33 horses faulted here, and at least 24 of those left the middle element on the floor. All four members of the French team picked up penalties at this one, and the country that won the first Furusiyya Final back in 2013 finished well down the line in 16th place on their final tally of 24 faults.

The countries that just missed out were Qatar, Mexico and Brazil who shared ninth place on a 16-fault scoreline at the end of the day, and it was interesting to note that three of the rare clear rounds were posted by riders from countries that finished outside the qualification zone. Pedro Veniss got Brazil off to a perfect start when fault-free with Quabri de L’Isle, while both Australian pathfinder Jamie Kermond (Quite Cassini) and Egypt’s anchorman Karim Elzoghby (Amelia) did likewise – the latter two countries sharing 12th place at the end of the day.

Fair but unforgiving

Varela’s course was fair but unforgiving, riders having to plan every step of the way in order to leave all the timber intact and to avoid exceeding the 81 seconds time-allowed. The pressure really began on the roll-back to the planks at fence five which was followed by a big double, and then a right-bending line to the open water. As the Spanish course designer explained afterwards however, the majority of mistakes later on the track were created by loss of control after the open water which was followed by a big oxer and then a turn back to a two-metre-wide triple bar.

“It was six (strides) to the vertical after the triple bar and oxer, but the majority of the riders went on seven and some upset the balance of their horses” he explained this evening. Many paid the price at the blue oxer at fence 11, the front pole kicked out time and again before riders turned down the final line.

Every element of the triple combination at 12 saw plenty of action. “It was at the end of the course, and the jump in was a bit short”, Varela said. The red poles at the vertical second element were further complicated by a water tray below them which distracted some of the horses. The course wasn’t only difficult to ride, Varela said it was also difficult to build. “We only had the warm-up competition and then a 1.60m class – I think it was a fair course with faults everywhere from the start to the end. The question today was not to win, it was to be in the eight teams that qualify for Saturday” he pointed out.

Impossible to predict

It was impossible to predict how the competition would play itself out until the very end as each rider had only one chance to get things right, but the British looked secure having posted a nine-fault scoreline by the end of the third-rider rotation, while Christian Ahlmann’s opening clear with Taloubet Z helped seal Germany’s eight-fault total. Rolf-Goran Bengtsson did the same for Sweden when third to go for his side, but the Dutch had a bit of a moment when one of their dream-team combinations – Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Verdi – collected 17 uncharacteristic faults. However with a foot-perfect run from the superstar partnership of Jeroen Dubbeldam and Zenith they finished with 10 on the board after five-fault efforts from both Jur Vrieling (VDL Zirocco Blue) and Gerco Schroder (Glock’s Cognac Champblanc), and the defending Furusiyya champions still look well set to continue on the glory trail they have been following over the last year.

The final placings were undecided to the very end however, the Americans heaving a huge sigh of relief that at last, after missing the cut at the previous two Furusiyya Finals, they are through on a nine-fault finishing score while the Irish and Swiss claimed the last two places when posting scores of 13 and 15 faults respectively.

Clear winners

The clear winners today however were the Belgians who confidently cruised home with a final tally of five faults thanks to a fantastic last-to-go clear from newly-crowned European silver medallist, Gregory Wathelet.

Their pathfinder, Olivier Philippaerts (H&M Armstrong van de Kapel) made a mistake at the planks at fence five, but, next to go, Judy-Ann Melchior, collected only a single time penalty with the ever-reliable Cold as Ice Z. Jos Lansink fell victim to the middle part of the combination with For Cento, but Wathelet’s clear sealed it in style.

Wathelet said afterwards “for sure I am really happy about my clear round, but today my team was really good and they made it easy for me! There was not so much pressure when I was going in so I could ride a nice, quiet round. I’m happy for my team, and I hope we can keep it this way for Saturday. We will try to do the same on Saturday but it is a whole new day. Our goal was to be in the top eight this evening, and the main thing is we succeeded in that” he said stoically.

Result:

1. Belgium 5 faults: H&M Armstrong van de Kapel (Olivier Philippaerts) 4, As Cold as Ice Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) 1, For Cento (Jos Lansink) 5, Conrad de Hus (Gregory Wathelet) 0.

2. Germany 8 faults: Taloubet Z (Christian Ahlmann) 0, Fibonacci (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) 5, Cornet d’Amour (Daniel Deusser) 4, Chiara (Ludger Beerbaum) 4.

2. Sweden 8 faults: H&M Tornesch (Malin Baryard-Johnsson) 4, Tinkabell (Angelie von Essen) 21, Unita Ask (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) 9, Cantinero (Henrik von Eckermann) 4.

4. Great Britain 9 faults: Diva ll (Ben Maher) 1, Spirit T (Jessica Mendoza) 4, Utamaro D’Ecaussines (Joe Clee) 4, Cassionato (Michael Whitaker) 13.

4. USA 9 faults: Nouvelle (Laura Kraut) 1, Barron (Lucy Davis) 12, Ohlala (Lauren Hough) 4, Cortes C (Beezie Madden) 4.

6. Netherlands 10 faults: SFN Zenith NOP (Jeroen Dubbeldam0 0, VDL Groep Verdi (Maikel van der Vleuten) 17, VDL Zirocco Blue (Jur Vrieling) 5, Glock’s Cognac Champblanc (Gerco Schroder) 5.

7. Ireland 13 faults: Molly Malone (Bertram Allen) 5, MHS Going Global (Greg Broderick) 5, Good Luck (Cian O’Connor) 4, All Star (Denis Lynch) 4.

8. Switzerland 15 faults: Quorida de Treho (Romain Duguet) 1, Clooney (Martin Fuchs) 9, Bonne Chance CW (Janika Sprunger) 16, Castlefield Eclipse (Paul Estermann) 5.

Michael Jung Returns to Eventing World Number One Spot

News Desk — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 06:50:22 +0000

Michael Jung (GER), pictured here with La Biosthetique Sam at last month’s CCI4* Luhmühlen, fourth leg of the FEI Classics™, has jumped back to the top of the FEI World Eventing Rankings. (EventingPhoto/FEI).

Michael Jung (GER) is back as world Eventing number one after his brilliant third-place finish with La Biosthetique Sam FBW at last month’s Luhmühlen CCI4* (GER) presented by DHL, fifth leg of the FEI Classics™.

Switch back

Jung (32) jumped to the top of the FEI World Eventing Rankings in May for the first time in his career, breaking the one-year reign of William Fox-Pitt (GBR). Fox-Pitt then toppled Jung in June to take back his lead.

Now Jung, the first Eventing athlete to hold the European, world and Olympic titles simultaneously in 2012 after scoring individual and team gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and Fox-Pitt, the multiple Olympic, World and European medallist, have switched places yet again!

Jung now has a 17-point lead over Fox-Pitt (591 points), with New Zealand’s Jonelle Price up into third (520 points). Germany’s Ingrid Klimke – winner at Luhmühlen and current leader of the FEI Classics™ series – has also moved up and is now in fourth (504 points). Australia’s Stuart Tinney has leapt into the top 10 and is now in ninth from 17^thin the FEI World Eventing Rankings.

Germany Pips France in Two-Way Showdown at Sopot

News Desk — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 07:45:51 +0000

Sopot, Poland – 2015 June 5: during Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup competition at CSIO5* Sopot at Hipodrom. (photo: © Herve Bonnaud)

Not for the first time in the history of the popular CSIO in Sopot, Poland, Team Germany came out on top at the fourth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 2 League today. However they had to work hard for their success, forced into a jump-off by the French who eventually had to settle for runner-up spot.

Written by Louise Parkes

Belgium finished third, but it was the host team and Russia that scooped the maximum qualifying points towards the Furusiyya 2015 Final when sharing fourth spot ahead of Great Britain in sixth and Denmark in seventh, while last year’s Sopot winners from Turkey had to settle for eighth place this time around.

With the maximum number of 13 nations lining out at this leg, the teams from Norway, Sweden, Ukraine, Austria and The Netherlands failed to make the cut into the second round when only eight teams returned. And it came to a thrilling climax, with Andre Thieme clinching it for Germany when clear with Conthendrix in the two-way jump-off.

Shared the lead

France and Belgium shared the lead at the halfway stage carrying four faults each, but the German, British and Polish sides were close behind with just five faults apiece. And the other three teams to make the cut into the second round were Russia and Turkey carrying nine faults each, and Sweden whose faster first round gave them the nod over Norway when both put 10 faults on the first-round scoreboard.

The Belgians lost their grip when Wouter Devos, who was eliminated first time out, collected eight faults at his second attempt with Tonik Hero, and Catherine van Roosbroeck (Gautcho da Quina) also double-faulted. This meant that, despite superb double-clears from both pathfinder Jos Lansink (Ensor de Litrange LXll) and anchorman Jerome Guery (Papillon Z) they had to add eight to their scoreline which proved way too expensive.

The Polish side added 12, and the British added 13 to also slip out of contention, but the Germans put huge pressure on the French with clears from Thieme, Janne-Friederike Meyer (Goja) who had picked up just a single time fault first time out, and anchorman Patrick Stuhlmeyer who produced one of the four double-clears on the day with Lacan. Holger Wulschner’s single second-round error with BSC Cavity could therefore be discarded, leaving them on their first-round total of five.

Level pegging

The French meanwhile slipped onto level pegging when having to count the single time fault collected by Cyril Bouvard (Quasi Modo Z). Laurent Goffinet (Quinette du Quesnoy) followed his opening four-fault effort with a clear and Jerome Hurel was double-clear with Quartz Rouge but seven faults from Alexandre Fontanelle (Prime Time des Vagues) ensured Bouvard’s score had to be added. So a two-way showdown was assured.

Germany’s Thieme was first to go in the third-round gallop against the clock and set the standard with a foot-perfect run in 35.45 seconds. And although Fontanelle was more than two seconds quicker with his 12-year-old bay, he put four faults on the board for France to settle the matter.

German Chef d’Equipe, Heinrich-Hermann Engemann, was well-pleased with the result. “We had a discussion before the jump-off and agreed that Andre would jump it. He did a really good job and fought a lot to jump clear which placed pressure on the French rider to jump clear with a fast time” he said afterwards.

Hero of the day, Thieme commented, “now that the jump-off is over, I feel great! Normally I am very calm, almost too calm, and people try to wake me up! For the first time today before the jump-off I felt a bit ‘aaah’. We didn’t have the right bridle, so the groom had to run back to the stable to get it. We didn’t have an ideal preparation in the build-up, but anyways, it worked out in the end!” he said happily.

On top of things

Talking about how the competition evolved, Thieme said, “the Brits, the Belgians and the French were all ahead of us coming into the second round – they really looked on top of things. It was really surprising to see teams with strong line-ups such as Ukraine and The Netherlands not doing so well. But we knew there would be a lot of good competitors. With our three clear rounds in the second round we managed to claw our way back!” he said proudly.

Talking about his winning ride, the 11-year-old Conthendrix, he explained, “from the very beginning, when I got him a few years ago, he was a talent but a bit too wild and fresh. From last year onwards, he has really started to settle down. He has done some great Nations Cup 5-Star shows – he was in Hickstead, Calgary, Dublin and won it in Falsterbo as well. Today he had one down in the first round, but from the second round he started jumping extra good. He was extremely consistent. That’s the great thing about him, you can keep jumping and he doesn’t get tired – he is just exceptional!” he added.

Patrick Stuhlmeyer was understandably delighted too. “The course was very long and the time required to complete it was very short. It was a good job from the course designer. I’m really proud, my horse jumped a great double clear!” said the rider who is based near Osnabruck in Germany.

Janne-Friederike Meyer was also a happy lady. “When you just won the Nations Cup, it’s easy to say that we love it here in Sopot! On a serious note though, it’s a super show from all aspects; whether the arena, the crowd or the accommodation. Yesterday, there were some small issues with the ground but they rectified it immediately. The jump-off was really exciting today, and in the end there were enough faults from the other teams for us to clinch it. The organisation as a whole here was fantastic!” she said.

The next leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 2 League will take place in Budapest, Hungary on 17 July and it promises to be a frenetic affair, with 12 teams in the race for points towards the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final in September.

For further details of the eleventh leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 2 at Sopot, Poland visit www.csio.sopot.pl or contact Press Officer Karolina Ferenstein-Krasko, EmailKarolina.ferenstein@wp.pl, Tel +48 601 39 1111. The next leg of the series will take place in Rotterdam, Netherlands on Friday 19 June. For details of the Dutch fixture visit www.chio.nl or contact Press Officer Anita Lussenberg, Email press@chio.nl Result:

1. Germany 5 faults, 0/35.45 in Jump-Off: Conthendrix (Andre Thieme) 4/0/0 35.45, Goja (Janne-Friederike Meyer) 1/0, BSC Cavity (Holger Wulschner) 9/4, Lacan (Patrick Stuhlmeyer) 0/0.

2. France 5 faults, 4/33.26 in Jump-Off: Quinette du Quesnoy (Laurent Goffinet) 4/0, Prime Time des Vagues (Alexandre Fontanelle) 0/7/4 33.26, Quasi Modo Z (Cyril Bouvard) 4/1, Quartz Rouge (Jerome Hurel) 0/0.

3. Belgium 12 faults: Ensor de Litrange LXll (Jos Lansink) 0/0, Cautcho de Quinta (Catherine van Roosbroeck) 4/8, Tonik Hero (Wouter Devos) Elim/8, Papillon Z (Jeromy Guery) 0/0.

4. Russia 17 faults: Copperphild (Mikhail Safronov) 4/17, Quilata (Maria Madenova) 0/1, Cosimo (Natalia Belova) 5/1, Griffone (Vladimir Beletskiy) 18/6.

4. Poland 17 faults: Abigej (Marek Lewicki) 6/12, Zoweja (Krzysztof Ludwiczak) 0/4, Emperio van’T Roosakker (Zusanna Gowin) 4/8, Osadkowski v. Halen (Piotr Morsztyn) 1/0.

6. Great Britain 18 faults: Basic (Guy Williams) 9/9, Bintang ll (Laura Renwick) 0/4, Ashkari (Yazmin Pinchen) 4/0, Calcourt Falklund (Michael Whitaker) 1/10.

7. Denmark 22 faults: Thornhill Kate (Linnea Ericsson-Carey) 9/4, Qualico du Bobois (Rikke Haastrup) 5/4, Antares (Torben Frandsen) 4/8, Allstar (Andreas Schou) 1/4.

8. Turkey 26 faults: Harry K (Derin Demirsoy) 0/4, Chiara (Husnu Dinc) Elim/DNS, Beau du Rouet (Efe Siyahi) 5/9, Dadjak Ter Putten (Omer Karaevli) 4/4.

FEI RuleApp launched on Apple Store and Google Play

News Desk — Wed, 13 May 2015 06:21:06 +0000

The FEI has launched the free FEI RuleApp, which gives access to the full official FEI rules and regulations.

The app, available now on the Apple Store and Google Play, allows users to easily view the latest FEI rules and regulations in a “virtual bookshelf” approach, both online and offline, on mobile devices.

Instant search and find

With the simple instant search feature embedded in the FEI RuleApp, users can immediately find exactly what they need by typing a few key words.

Getting organised

The FEI RuleApp has a host of additional features, including a share function for social applications, and the option to print pages for reference.

The app also has a handy bookmark feature, allowing users the opportunity to go back to specific parts of the FEI rules and regulations for quick reference.

Staying up-to-date

FEI RuleApp users will be kept up-to-date with any changes to the FEI rules and regulations with instant notifications, and thanks to automatic updates by the FEI, access to the very latest rules and regulations is guaranteed.

The FEI RuleApp is currently available in English, Chinese, French, German, Italian and Russian.

“The new FEI RuleApp is the latest of our stable of tailored apps for athletes, officials and our growing equestrian fan base,” explained Gaspard Dufour, FEI Head of IT. “All of our apps are designed to cater to specific needs, and the FEI RuleApp is perfect for everyone preparing for competition and on the ground at events with the helpful online and offline modes.”

Download the FEI RuleApp:

Apple Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fei-ruleapp/id982217322

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.fei.ruleapp

Guerdat Claims The Longed-for Longines Trophy at Last

News Desk — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 09:11:31 +0000

Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat was a happy man when claiming the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2015 title at the Thomas & Mack arena in Las Vegas, USA today. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment!”, said the 32-year-old Olympic champion whose last-to-go ride was an absolute thriller.

Written by by Louise Parkes

He came into today’s drama-filled final competition sharing the lead with America’s Rich Fellers, but it was French rider Penelope Leprevost who lined up second at the end of the day, while 19-year-old Irish talent, Bertram Allen finished third.

“I’ve been trying a long time to win this and I’ve come close many times. It’s the third time I was in the lead going into the final competition, and today I nearly messed it up again! Coming to the last I was riding more like a cow-horse rider”, Guerdat said afterwards. “I’m so happy, I feel blessed!”

Six clear rounds

With riders going in reverse order of merit, there were only six clears from a start-list of 29 over another tough course from Anthony D’Ambrosio in the first round today. The vertical at fence nine claimed a number of victims but there were also plenty of faults posted later on the track, with horses beginning to fade after three days of demanding jumping.

One of the features of the 2015 Final has been the remarkable performances of the younger generation, and it was 24-year-old Douglas Lindelow from Sweden, lying 12th with Casello, who was first to leave all the poles in place. The Netherlands’ Maikel van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Verdi immediately followed suit and when America’s Beezie Madden (Simon) and Belgium’s Jos Verlooy (Domino), who each carried six penalty points into the last day, were also fault-free, they shot up the leaderboard, while Penelope Leprevost (Vagabond de la Pomme) carrying five penalties, put the pressure on the top three when also foot-perfect .

Bertram Allen and Molly Malone were just one penalty point behind the leaders as the day began, but they began to look vulnerable when the massive 1.75m-wide oxer at fence five hit the floor. And when Guerdat jumped clear, but joint-leader Fellers had two fences down, the Swiss star went into the second round still on a clean sheet. With Leprevost and Allen now lying joint-second with five faults apiece, he had a fence in hand as the second round began. But things didn’t go quite to plan for the eventual champion this time out.

Faulted once more

Both Leprevost and Allen faulted once more to put them on a nine-fault final total, and it seemed the Longines 2015 title must surely already be in Guerdat’s grasp. But the crowd gripped their seats and gasped when his chestnut mare, Albfuehren’s Paille, hit the first element of the double at five. And then it almost completely unravelled for the Swiss star on the turn to the last.

“I don’t really want to think about it!” he said afterwards. “I didn’t expect the first mistake, those four strides (from fence 4 to 5a) turned out to be very, very long, and that triple combination wasn’t good for me at all, but once we were past that I thought now stay calm. But coming to the last I knew the time was tight. I could hear Martin Fuchs outside the arena saying “go, go!” and I don’t know what I did. I just went as fast as I could to the finish line, but unfortunately there was a big fence in the way!” he said with a laugh.

The last fence indeed hit the floor with crash, and it was only his ferocious gallop to get through the beam inside the 68 seconds time-allowed that saved the day. If he had added a single time fault to the eight fence penalties he had just collected, would have been forced into a three-way jump-off against Leprevost and Allen. And he has endured too many unsuccessful FEI World Cup™ Final jump-offs before to make that an enticing prospect.

Leprevost’s faster time of 65.30 with Vagabond de la Pomme secured runner-up spot while Allen had to settle for third when a half-second slower.

A real fighter

Guerdat described his winning ride, Albfuehren’s Paille, as “a real fighter, today a lot of horses were really struggling but every time she sees a fence she wants to jump it, no matter what.”

Today’s victory is particularly sweet for the new champion. “I’ve been three-times on the podium, twice in the jump-off and always finished in the top 10. I always wanted to win this”, Guerdat said. Talking about his determination to eventually succeed, having competed at 10 finals, he said, “I have good people around me who keep me calm and confident and keep me going. You need a little bit of luck, you have to keep believing in yourself and your horse and if you come so close so many times you deserve to win it one time!”

Bertram Allen IRL commented- “In the first round I made a mistake but felt she (Molly Malone) jumped quite good, but the second round was a bad round – I got much too close to fence two. But I’m very happy to be here. I’ve had a great week and feel honoured to be sitting up her with these riders at this young age.”

Result: 1, Steve Guerdat SUI 8; 2, Penelope Leprevost FRA 9/65.30; 3, Bertram Allen IRL 9/65.87; 4, Beezie Madden USA 10/65.78; 5, Jos Verlooy BEL 10/67.34; 6, Maikel van der Vleuten NED 12; 7, Rich Fellers USA 16/67.70; 8, Douglas Lindelow SWE 18; 9, Lucy Davis USA 19; 10, Jur Vrieling NED 20.

“We Give Horses Wings” – Vegas horse party takes to the air

News Desk — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 07:07:36 +0000

A hugely valuable cargo was loaded onto the Qatar Airways B777 chartered freighter aircraft departing Schiphol Airport in The Netherlands at 05.55 CEST today (Saturday 11 April). “We estimate there’s about €150 million worth of horses on the flight,” says Tim Dutta, the man in charge of transporting many of the world’s elite equine athletes from Europe all to the way to Las Vegas, USA for the FEI World Cup™ 2015 Finals (15-19 April).

Written by By Louise Parkes

“Horses are just like you and me,” says the man whose company banner reads We give horses wings. “Some fall asleep before departure and snooze most of the way, and others start praying from the minute they take off and don’t stop until they’ve landed! But the majority of them are like seasoned CEOs, they’ve flown so many times that they just take it all in their stride.”

Established

Dutta has been in the horse transportation business since the Dutta Corporation was established in 1988. “Over 26-plus years it has grown into a global venture, flying 5,000 horses a year, most of them sport-horses,” he explains. “We are the largest player in the US and we transported horses for the Pan American Games in Guadalajara and for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky where we worked with Martin Atock from Pedens in the single biggest air transportation of horses ever.

Double Olympic champion and Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage title holder Valegro, who competes for Great Britain in partnership with Charlotte Dujardin, and his groom Alan Davies smile before boarding their flight to Las Vegas, USA (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

“There’s a group of companies involved in air transportation of horses, and we work well together. We are all horseman first – this job needs to be done by horsemen, and all our staff are also experienced horse people,” he points out.

Supervision and comfort

There were a total of 40 horses on the flight departing from Schiphol, and they were looked after by a team of 10 grooms, under the supervision of world-famous Dutch veterinarian Jan-Hein Swagemakers who works with the German Jumping team. “Jan-Hein is very experienced. He’s been to Hong Kong, Kentucky and many of the Global Champions Tour events and he supervises the health and well-being of all the equine passengers with the help of grooms from Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Ireland and Russia. These are grooms who work for riders who will compete in Las Vegas, and there is also one further groom who works for me and whose job is to be Jan-Hein’s assistant,” Dutta says.

Each horse is allocated “a stall and a half”, which is a generous amount of space in the cargo hold, “and we like to keep them together by country. There are two horses per box and it’s a business-class service. We pay attention to each horse’s little idiosyncrasies and requirements – do they like wet hay, or not? Do we use sea salt to encourage them to drink?

“I like them all to have a haynet so they can at least pick at it during the flight and have something in their belly. Some grooms like to feed them a bran mash mid-flight, but others don’t eat much at all. I like to give them carrots. Horses see them as a treat and associate them with feeling good and being rewarded so it helps them to settle. The grooms are there to help them with their comfort and safety, but I like the horses to have some quiet time too, they need that. So when the aircraft is at cruise then they are left alone for a while, to have a snooze and relax, without being bothered by anyone. If the weather disimproves, the grooms go back to them right away.”

The company that carries the top equine athletes from Amsterdam to Las Vegas 8,564km (5,333 miles) away is Qatar Airways. “Qatar Airways Cargo is proud to transport some of the world’s most admired horses,” Ulrich Ogiermann, Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo says. “We have a wealth of experience transporting star-performing horses around the world, and strive to provide our equine travellers with the same five-star experience as our human passengers, even offering a five-star horse hotel in our home base Doha.

“On board the freighter we provide first-class jet stalls and dedicated product management and support, so the horses are experiencing Qatar Airways’ globally renowned hospitality and comfort.”

Quicker than their riders

It’s a long day for the equine passengers, but many of them will be getting to Las Vegas much quicker than their riders, despite having to be at the airport several hours before take-off. In all, they will spend 11 hours and 20 minutes in the air.

“Their equipment has to be scanned for security and then clear customs, and with around 25,000lbs (almost 12,000kg) of gear – tack, blankets, boots etc – a total of 11 pallets were loaded on the flight as well,” Tim Dutta explains.

The horses get a health-check and, just like their human counterparts, are identified by their passport before boarding. If a horse shows any indication of distress, colic or signs of fever, it is not allowed on board. “Animal welfare comes first, and if there is anything wrong with a horse, the ultimate decision about whether it will be permitted to travel lies with Dr Swagemakers. Fortunately today all the horses were in top form and were allowed to board without a problem.”

Each section of stalls is weighed to get the balance right for the flight. “Most of the time two horses weigh much the same, but sometimes the Dressage horses can be up to 100 kilos heavier than the jumpers.”

On landing there will be another ID check, passports will be examined and bloods taken and sent off to a laboratory in Iowa for testing for diseases, including Glanders and Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA). Once that’s completed the horses de-plane and will be transported to the stabling area at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas where they will go into quarantine until the test results come back from the lab 42 hours later.

Passenger list

The passenger list for flight QR 8197 reads like a “who’s who” of the sports of Jumping and Dressage. Defending Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Daniel Deusser’s Cornet D’Amour, was delighted to be sharing a flying stable with Marco Kutscher’s Cornet’s Cristallo, whom he knows so well. He was also hoping for a chat with Marcus Ehning’s Singular La Silla. Cornet D’Amour wanted to fill his mates in on what he’s been up to lately, and give them a few hints about how to handle the small arena in Las Vegas. No doubt he’s been studying videos of previous Finals at the Thomas & Mack and has a few ideas up his sleeve about how to bring that coveted trophy back to Germany again this year. Singular La Silla however appreciates travelling in peace and was one of only two horses not sharing a stall. The other loner was Dutch rider Jur Vrieling’s stallion VDL Zirocco Blue.

Tim Dutta says he wonders if the horses might like to get in the mood with Elvis music playing in the background while they’re in the air but this early in the morning they were not all fans. However the arrival in Las Vegas of Charlotte Dujardin’s Valegro, the Dressage world-record breaker who has claimed every possible accolade, including the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage title for his British rider, is likely to create as much excitement as the return of The King himself.

Viva Las Vegas indeed!

More Pony Dressage Places For Ireland at Addington

News Desk — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 07:32:00 +0000

FOLLOWING the FEI Individual Pony dressage competition on Saturday at the Addington CDIP, Buckinghamshire, UK, Ireland’s Katie Burns and Caracas qualified for Sunday’s Freestyle to Music (Kur) where they scored 64.62% to place 14th. The class was won by Great Britain’s 2014 European silver medallist Pheobe Peters riding SL Lucci, with 2014 gold medallist, Germany’s Semmeike Rothenberger and Deinhard B second.

Sophie Walsh and Horseleap Bruno scored 64.65% to place 2nd in the consolation FEI Team test while Emily Kate Robinson with Tizrara Hill and Roisin Muirhead with Dunsallen scored 61.40% and 60.00% to place 3rd and 5th respectively.

On Friday the squad secured team qualification for the 2015 European Championships for Ponies to be held in Malmo, Sweden in August.

FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2015: The season springs into action

News Desk — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 07:38:55 +0000

Olympic, World and European champion Michael Jung riding La Biosthetique Sam for Team Germany, winners of the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2012 and 2014. The combination is pictured here at Strzegom (POL) in 2014. (Leszek Wójcik/FEI)

Spring is in the air for the international Eventing community with the eagerly awaited launch this weekend of the FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing 2015 season at the popular French venue of Fontainebleau.

This series, first piloted in 2012, was designed to aid national coaches in preparing their championship squads by providing them with the opportunity to give team experience to a wider selection of riders. Last year, the concept was enthusiastically embraced by 15 nations.

The 2015 season comprises eight FEI Nations Cup™ Eventing competitions across eight countries: France, Ireland, Great Britain, Poland, Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. They are all run at CIC3* level, apart from the last event of the series in Boekelo (NED), which is a CCI3*. Under the rules for 2015, there has to be a minimum of three teams starting the Dressage phase.

Germany, the reigning Olympic, World and European team Eventing champions, have topped the leaderboard of this series twice in three years, and last season enjoyed an extraordinary winning run across five events: Strzegom (POL), Aachen (GER), Malmö (SWE), Montelibretti (ITA) and Waregem (BEL).

Great Britain, the champions in 2013 and a close second last year, and France, third three years consecutively, have both been equally committed, and the French will be very hard to beat on home ground this weekend where the twisting tracks of the forest at Fontainebleau always prove a technical challenge.

The New Zealanders were so strong last year that they finished fourth on the leaderboard on the strength of only three appearances, two of which were winning ones, and Ireland, the Netherlands and Italy featured strongly as well.

“We are very encouraged by the way riders and team managers have entered into the spirit of the FEI Nations Cup Eventing,” said Catrin Norinder, FEI Director, Eventing & Olympic.

“The series has provided a chance for up-and-coming riders to attract the attention of their team selectors and for some of them it has clearly provided valuable experience before tackling their first championships.

“Every year, the final event of the series has become more and more exciting and there have been some hotly contested competitions on the way. We fully expect 2015 will be an equally competitive series.”

Four nations line up for the opener at Fontainebleau this weekend: France, Australia, with a trio including Chris Burton on his Adelaide CCI4* winner TS Jamaimo, Great Britain, whose squad includes Francis Whittington on the 2014 Blenheim CCI3* winner Easy Target, and the Netherlands, fielding some of the riders from their triumphant bronze medal effort at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014.

Follow the action on www.crazyhorseride.com

In Memoriam: Richard Meade (GBR), 1938-2015

News Desk — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 07:48:37 +0000

Richard Meade (GBR), triple Olympic gold Eventing champion, former member of the FEI Bureau, FEI Eventing Committee and Chairman of Group II (Northern Europe), is pictured here after winning the Badminton Horse Trials in 1982 with his horse Speculator III. He will be remembered for his life-long dedication to equestrianism. (Bob Thomas/Getty Images)

Richard Meade (GBR) OBE, triple Olympic gold Eventing champion, former member of the FEI Bureau, FEI Eventing Committee and Chairman of Group II (Northern Europe), has passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 76 years old.

He became the first British athlete to win individual Eventing gold at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games, after making his Olympic début in Tokyo eight years earlier.

In Munich, he also helped Great Britain to secure their second consecutive Olympic team gold medal following the Mexico 1968 Olympic Games where, in a tropical downpour in the Jumping phase, he clinched the team title and secured fourth individually with a clear round on Cornishman V, a horse he had never sat on before.

In total he competed in four Olympic Games, as well as the substitute event at Fontainebleau (FRA) in 1980 during the partial boycott of the Moscow Games, and also carried the British flag at the closing ceremony of the Munich Olympics.

He went on to claim team silver at the FEI World Eventing Championships in 1974, and by 1981 had scored team gold three times for Great Britain at the European Championships (1967, 1971, 1981). In 1982, he won his final team Eventing gold at the World Championships in Luhmühlen (GER). As an individual, he also won at Badminton in 1970 and 1982, and the Burghley Horse Trials in 1964.

His dedication to equestrian sport was life-long, and after retiring as an athlete he served as President of the British Equestrian Federation, chairman of the Federation’s British Horse Foundation and on the British Horse Society’s Council.

He was also focused on developing Eventing globally. As well as being a former member of the FEI Bureau and FEI Eventing Committee, and Chairman of Group II (Northern Europe), he was an FEI coach and judge and worked closely with the FEI and the Olympic Solidarity programme to develop Eventing at grass roots level.

“Richard Meade was a brilliant, courageous horseman with a strong sense of team responsibility, who became a household name in Great Britain,” said Hugh Thomas, Chairman of the Board of British Eventing and Director of the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.

“He was known for his reliability as a member of the British team at the height of its success, and as a rider who had the ability to get on any horse and immediately form a successful partnership with it. Most recently, he gained great pleasure from seeing his son, Harry, compete for the senior British team. Richard will be very sorely missed by many people around the world.”

“Richard Meade was the horseman of his day, putting Eventing on the map and the spotlight on the glamour and excitement of horse sport,” said Catrin Norinder, FEI Director, Eventing & Olympic. “He inspired sports fans and athletes around the world at the Mexico and Munich Olympic Games, World and European Championships, and back on home soil at Badminton and Burghley, which continue to showcase international Eventing at its best.

“After competing, he continued to dedicate his life to equestrian sport and the equestrian community in many valuable roles, including giving his services as a volunteer at the London 2012 Olympic Games. We are all truly grateful for his loyalty and commitment, and immensely proud of his Olympic Eventing legacy.”

The FEI expresses its sincere condolences to Richard Meade’s wife Angela and their three children – Team GBR member Harry, James and Lucy – his many friends, the British Equestrian Federation and the global Eventing community.

Belgium’s Ingmar De Vos elected as FEI President

News Desk — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 08:29:12 +0000

Ingmar De Vos (BEL) was elected as President of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) yesterday by an overwhelming majority in the first round of voting, earning 98 votes out of a possible 131.

De Vos, 51, Secretary General of the FEI since May 2011, was elected to take charge of the world governing body of equestrian sport during this morning’s session of the FEI General Assembly in Baku (AZE).

The result was announced by HRH Princess Haya, the outgoing President, with the simple words, “I am pleased to announce we have a new FEI President, Ingmar De Vos”. Her words were met with prolonged applause from close to 350 delegates representing 91 National Federations, stakeholders, sponsors and international media.

“I’m really very honoured and overwhelmed by this enormous support,” a clearly emotional De Vos said, “and I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your confidence. Baku will be in my memory forever.

“Elections are always difficult, as it splits a little bit the family, but I guarantee that I will be the president of all of you, I will serve all the members of our community and I will work very hard to keep this unity.”

He went on to thank his great friend and mentor Jacky Buchmann, who has recently been re-elected as President of the Belgian Equestrian Federation. And finally, with great emotion, he thanked outgoing President Princess Haya.

“Words cannot explain what she has done for our organisation. She has shown leadership, she has guided us through difficult waters, she has innovated us, she has modernised us. She has left us with a great legacy and I believe, together with many of you, that it is our responsibility to preserve the legacy and go on with the roadmap she has shown us. Words are not enough to thank her. Over the years we have become good friends, and I am thankful and grateful for your support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Congratulations from IOC President

Shortly after his election, De Vos received a letter of congratulations from IOC President Thomas Bach. “Please accept my congratulations on your election as President of the International Equestrian Federation. The IOC enjoys a long-standing relationship with FEI, its elected members and administration. We are sure that FEI will continue its growth under your leadership. Your previous experience in different positions of the Equestrian sports will be invaluable for you in this new office. On behalf of the IOC and the entire Olympic Movement, I wish you every success in the new role you are undertaking.”

De Vos takes over the reins as FEI President at the conclusion of today’s FEI General Assembly for a four-year term, and is eligible for re-election for up to three consecutive terms. He has stated that he will resign as Secretary General as soon as he takes over the Presidency this afternoon and will appoint an interim Secretary General to take over the role until a permanent replacement is found.

The other candidates standing for election were Pierre Durand (FRA), Pierre Genecand (SUI), John McEwen (GBR), and Ulf Helgstrand (DEN). Helgstrand withdrew his candidacy before the vote, and a sixth candidate, Javier Revuelta del Peral (ESP) withdrew from the election process in November.

Eccles Sisters Celebrate Double Victory In Paris FEI World Cup™ Vaulting

News Desk — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 07:34:35 +0000

World champion Joanne Eccles (GBR) captivated crowds at the FEI World Cup™ Vaulting 2014/15 second qualifier at the Salon du Cheval in Paris where, on WH Bentley and lunged by her father John Eccles, she won the female individual competition and the Pas-de-Deux with her sister Hannah. (Eric Malherbe/FEI)

World champion Joanne Eccles (GBR) captivated crowds at the FEI World Cup™ Vaulting 2014/15 second qualifier at the Salon du Cheval in Paris at the weekend, winning the female individual competition, followed swiftly by the Pas-de-Deux with her younger sister Hannah (GBR).

Written by Daniel Kaiser

Defending FEI World Cup™ Vaulting and former world champion Nicolas Andreani (FRA), known as “Nico” to his many fans, also stormed to male individual victory in Paris, where a total of 18 athletes from seven countries battled it out.

Joanne Eccles displayed her full range of style and skill on WH Bentley, lunged by her father John Eccles, earning an outstanding 8,828 points, which gave her 15 World Cup points as she targets the Final next year.

This was her first international competition since securing her second consecutive world title at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 this summer. Before heading to Paris, Eccles had said she wanted to show “how amazing vaulting is”, explaining “when spectators enjoy my performances I enjoy them even more.” In Paris, she definitely reached her goal, impressing the audience with two clear and extremely difficult freestyles, including performing her unique one-handed handstand, which has become her trademark this season.

Individual vaulters now have an additional 20 seconds to impress the judges following a recent rule change to extend the one-minute routines. Eccles, the 25-year-old dentist from Scotland, said of these precious extra seconds: “It allows more time to really engage the audience and to truly feel the performance. It was a great competition in Paris as always, and the arena and organisation were brilliant for us and the horses.”

Corinna Knauf (GER) finished second with Echt Stark and her sister and lunger Alexandra Knauf, with Hannah Eccles (GBR) securing third on WH Bentley also lunged by her father John Eccles.

Highest score

Nicolas Andreani secured the male individual spot 705 points clear of his nearest rival. His classy performance on Just A Kiss with Marina Joosten Dupon, who has been his lunger and coach since he started vaulting as a child, earned him 8,933 points. “Thanks everyone for your great support!”, said Andreani to his loyal fans, who came in droves to cheer him on in Paris.

Lukas Klouda (CZE) finished second with Echt Stark and his sister and lunger Petra Cinerova, with Lukas Heppler (SUI) also collecting vital FEI World Cup™ Vaulting points with third place on Waimar CH lunged by Barbara Zürcher.

Pas-de-Deux duel

The Pas-de-Deux competition in Paris ended with the same duel as last year, but this time Germany’s Pia Engelberty and Torben Jacobs on Danny Boy lunged by Patric Looser were denied the number one slot by Joanne and Hannah Eccles, who finished with a 285-point lead (8,828). Gera Marie Grün and Justin van Gerven (GER), training partners of Engelberty and Jacobs, finished third.

Next stop Salzburg

A total of 16 vaulters, including the reigning FEI World Cup™ Vaulting champion Anna Cavallaro (ITA), will now head to the third qualifier of this series at the spectacular Salzburg Arena Messezentrum (AUT), which has played host to the likes of Bryan Adams, Pink, Carlos Santana and Bob Dylan.

FEI TV Live

Tune in to FEI World Cup™ Vaulting in Salzburg live on FEI TV (www.feitv.org) on 13 December (13.00 local time).

Paris results

Male individual: 1. Nicolas Andreani (FRA), 8,933; 2. Lukas Klouda (CZE), 8,228; 3. Lukas Heppler (SUI), 8,037 (full results here)

Female individual: 1. Joanne Eccles (GBR), 8,828; 2. Corinna Knauf (GER), 8,248; 3. Hannah Eccles (GBR), 7,968 (full results here)

Pas-de-deux: 1. Joanne Eccles/Hannah Eccles (GBR), 8,602; 2. Pia Engelberty/Torben Jacobs (GER), 8,317; 3. Gera Marie Grün/Justin van Gerven (GER), 8,132 (full results here)