Lexington, Ky., Sept. 26, 2010 — The powerhouse team from the United States took the gold medal at the FEI Reining World Championship, presented by John Deere. Their victory made it a three-peat, since they’ve been victorious in each World Equestrian Games that has included reining.
Belgium won the team silver medal, while Italy earned the bronze.
The order of finish for the remaining top-10 teams was: Austria, Canada, Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Mexico.
U.S. Reining chef d’equipe Jeff Petska noted how tough the competition was at this year’s World Games, but he said the United States “brought a bunch of heavyweights to a heavyweight fight.”
Veteran rider Tim McQuay – who also won the individual silver medal in reining at the 2006 World Equestrian Games – said, “The difference in quality of the overall exhibitors at this event has grown so much. It’s just unbelievable how much better they’ve gotten.”
But Team USA, as Petska said, brought its best. In order of their runs, McQuay and Hollywoodstinseltown scored a 220.5; Craig Schmersal and Mister Montana Nic scored 223.5; Tom McCutcheon and Gunners Special Nite scored 224; and Shawn Flarida and RC Fancy Step earned a team-competition high score of 227.
Flarida’s performance came after the United States had effectively sewn up the gold medal, so his score wasn’t even necessary for the win. But it’s not like Flarida, who claimed the 2002 WEG individual gold medal and has earned more than $3 million in National Reining Horse Association competition, to back down.
“I’m not good when I go in there and cruise around,” he said. “I need to go in there and do my job.”
For Belgium, which has a small but developing reining community, the 2010 World Games brought the country’s first-ever team reining medal.
“We were dreaming for third place, but getting silver is like a dream come true,” said Belgian chef d’equipe Susy Baeck, whose sister, Cira Baeck, is a team member. “Tomorrow morning when we wake up, we will realize, and we will have a headache for sure.”
For the Italians, however, international success is nothing new. They have claimed reining bronze medals in each of the previous World Equestrian Games. In 2008, they bested the U.S. team by winning the FEI World Reining Championships.
“We’re tired of being third for the third time. It’s time to move up!” said Italian chef d’equipe Mario Sbrana.
The Belgium team members were Baeck, Jan Boogaerts and Bernard Fonck and his wife, Ann Poels. Italy’s team members were Nicola Brunelli, Dario Carmignani, Stefano Massignan and Marco Ricotta.
A “second-chance” qualifying competition for the individual finals will be held Tuesday. The top five riders will advance to the finals, which will be held on Thursday, along with the top 15 horses from the team competition.
Lexington, Ky., Sept. 25, 2010 — With roughly half of the rides completed in the team Reining competition of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Team Italy is on top in the Reining World Championships, presented by John Deere.
Italian Stefano Massignan scored a chart-topping 224 aboard Yellow Jersey, winner of the 2009 Italian Reining Horse Association Level 4 Open Derby. Yellow Jersey is a 6-year-old American Quarter Horse stallion sired by Wimpys Little Step and owned by Arcese Quarter Horses USA.
“He’s an easy horse, but he has a big heart, a big mind,” Massignan said of his mount. “He’s phenomenal. You can make that go-round if you ride a special horse, (and) he’s special – for the rest of my life.”
The team Reining competition continues Sunday, September 26, with the remaining 35 riders.
U.S. team rider Craig Schmersal is sitting in the second-place slot with a score of 223.5 aboard his “old faithful” horse, Mister Montana Nic, a 12-year-old American Quarter Horse stallion who was the 2005 FEI World Reining Master silver medalist.
Tim McQuay of the United States and Grischa Ludwig of Germany are tied for third with scores of 220.5.
Ludwig, who was the last rider of the day Saturday, admitted to having some nerves as he entered the World Equestrian Games arena, but midway through his run, he was actually smiling.
“When I saw the second stop there, I knew, exactly, we were going to have a good run. And then I was trying to get the German corner [of fans] a little bit loud,” he said.
The adrenaline even got to veteran rider McQuay, who earned a team gold and individual silver at the 2006 WEG in Aachen, Germany.
“When I quit getting nervous, I won’t do it anymore,” he said.
Another highlight of Saturday’s reining competition was the performance of dressage star Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands. She scored a 211, her personal best.
“I know it can be much better than this, but for me, I am very happy that I was here and that I did the equestrian games in Reining. It’s a new challenge. … I love it,” she said.
She rode Whizashiningwalla BB, an American Quarter Horse bred in Belgium. As most of the horses in the reining competition are Quarter Horses, the American Quarter Horse Association is the official breed sponsor of reining at the games.
Countries competing with full reining teams include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Mexico, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United States. Eleven of those countries will field four riders, allowing them one drop score while the remaining three teams will have three competitors. Countries competing as individuals include: Columbia, Dominican Republic, Spain, Ireland, Israel, Poland, South Africa and Uruguay.
LEXINGTON, KY—The day before the official start of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the stars of the reining world began their quest for the Reining World Championships, presented by John Deere, during the official horse inspection. Some 74 competitors from 22 nations presented their horses to the five-person ground jury. Three horse-and-rider combinations were not accepted, leaving 14 countries competing for team medals and seven countries represented by individual riders.
“The level of competition here is going to be second to none,” said Reining discipline manager Brad Ettelman. “This is truly the equestrian event of a lifetime for the U.S., and we are thrilled that Reining is experiencing a homecoming of sorts. Reining has experienced incredible growth internationally over the years, and we will certainly be showcasing the best the world has to offer at this WEG.”
Duane Latimer from Canada, the reigning individual gold medalist, is back to defend his title aboard a new mount, and Tim McQuay, a member of the U.S. gold-medal team in 2006, will help his defend their title again. Dressage star Anky van Grunsven of The Netherlands has traded in her breeches for chaps during these World Games and will attempt to make a successful transition to “Western” dressage.
Reining made its debut at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, and has since been dominated by horses and riders from North America. The majority of the equine reining athletes are Quarter Horses, and the American Quarter Horse Association is the official breed sponsor of reining.
Countries competing with full teams include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Mexico, The Netherlands, Sweden and USA. Eleven of those countries will field four riders, allowing them one drop score, while the remaining three teams will have three competitors. Countries competing individuals include: Columbia, Dominican Republic, Spain, Ireland, Israel, Poland, South Africa and Uruguay.
Reining officials include technical delegate Dan Wall (USA); chief steward Eric Straus (USA); ground jury president Greg Darnell (USA); foreign judge Patti Carter (CAN); equipment judge Yaron Fabrikant (ISR); and ground jury members Thiago Boechat (BRA), Ralf Hesselschwerdt (GER) and Eugenio Latorre (ITA).
The competition will begin tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. with part 1 of the team competition and will continue at 2:00 p.m. with part 2 of the team competition.
The driving course designer for the upcoming Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Richard Nicoll, was recently on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park for several days to work with the course builder, meet with various decorators, and generally check on the progress of the marathon obstacles.
According to Nicoll, construction is now about ninety-five percent complete on the marathon obstacles. Once everything is finished, all that will remain is the decorating. Some of this will need to be completed at the last minute because two obstacles contain portable elements that will be moved into place after the eventing cross-country phase (on the first Saturday during the WEG).
After his meeting with the decorators, Nicoll was pleased to note how enthusiastic and, with the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event having been at the KY Horse Park for so many years, how experienced they are. He expects that spectators familiar with driving, and those new to the sport, will be wowed by the beauty of the course.
The drivers themselves may not appreciate the beauty of the obstacles to the same degree that the spectators will, but they will have their own beautiful views earlier in the day. While he was here, Nicoll inspected the course he had laid out for Sections A and D of the marathon. The track does not just go “round and round a field,” as he said, but follows roads, pathways, and pastures through several working farms adjoining the Kentucky Horse Park. So the drivers will get a unique view of some truly beautiful Kentucky countryside and farmland.
Nicoll says that he’s “very encouraged and excited about all the progress that’s been made at the Horse Park.” And he encourages everyone to come out on Saturday, October 9, to watch the driving marathon, if for no other reason than this is probably the only time in our lifetimes that we’ll be able to see so many FEI-level four-in-hand drivers in one North American location. Nicoll recalled how, after the 1993 World Pairs Championship in New Jersey, a number of people said they had heard how wonderful the championship was and how much they regretted having missed it.
“This time around, don’t be someone who regrets not having come to see the driving championship. This is going to be too good to miss!”
LEXINGTON, KY—The Kentucky Cup Dressage Test Event in preparation for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games is gearing up to be a spectacular showcase of top level dressage.
The test event, to be held April 19-22 in conjunction with the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, is in preparation for the Games which will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park, September 25-October 10.
Riders and horses from eight countries will be competing at the Kentucky Cup including Michelle Gibson, who with her mount Peron scored 75.20% at the Atlanta Olympic Games, the highest score ever awarded an American at an Olympics; Ashley Holzer, Olympic veteran and 2009 Canadian Equestrian Athlete of the Year; Oded Shimoni, the first Israeli to qualify for and compete in the World Equestrian Games and the Olympics.
The three-star test event will feature all three classes of international competition, the Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and the Grand Prix Freestyle, a stylized competition set to music and choreographed for each horse and rider, allowing the rider to create their own test which must include specific compulsory movements.
Kentucky Cup Dressage will begin the week of official test events. All Kentucky Cup Dressage events will be held in the Outdoor Stadium. The schedule includes
Tuesday, April 20, 9:00 a.m. Dressage Grand Prix
Wednesday, April 21 10:00 a.m. Grand Prix Special
Thursday, April 22 at 7:00 p.m. Dressage Freestyle
The Freestyle competition on April 22 is a ticketed event, priced at $15. Tickets to all test events can be purchased online through April 7 and at the gates of the event. To purchase tickets to Kentucky Cup Dressage, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, and Kentucky Cup Jumping, visit https://www.ticketreturn.com/prod2/team.asp?SponsorID=2513.
LEXINGTON, KY—The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will host its final series of Kentucky Cup Test Events, held in conjunction with the annual Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Dressage, Eventing and Jumping competitions will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park April 20-25.
“This final series of test events will be an important test of the planning for many of the competition aspects of the Games,” said Kate Jackson, Vice President of Competition for the World Games 2010 Foundation. “By hosting sessions of different disciplines on several days, we will really be able to test many of our procedures for the actual Games.”
Kentucky Cup Dressage will begin the week of official test events. The schedule includes:
Tuesday, April 20 9:00 a.m. Dressage Grand Prix
Wednesday, April 21 10:00 a.m. Grand Prix Special
Thursday, April 22 7:00 p.m. Dressage Freestyle
The Freestyle competition on April 22 is a ticketed event priced at $15. All Kentucky Cup Dressage events will be held in the Outdoor Stadium. The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event includes:
Thursday, April 22 9:00 a.m. Dressage
Friday, April 23 9:00 a.m. Dressage
Saturday, April 24 9:00 a.m. Cross Country
Sunday, April 25 Noon Jumping
For more information about the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, go to www.rk3de.org.
Kentucky Cup Jumping will complete the official test events for the 2010 Games. The schedule includes:
Friday, April 23 7:00 p.m. Warm –Up class
Saturday, April 24 7:00 p.m. Jumping Grand Prix
Sunday, April 25 6:00 p.m. Speed Class
Saturday’s Jumping Grand Prix is a ticketed event priced at $20. Tickets to the Speed Class on Sunday will be $15. All Kentucky Cup Jumping sessions will be held in the Outdoor Stadium.
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY-October 15, 2009- The United States dominated the Kentucky Cup Endurance FEI CEI***, sponsored by Emirates Equestrian Federation, and the official endurance test event for the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games, garnering all three team and individual medals on Wednesday. The winners were officially declared at an awards ceremony held at the Kentucky Horse Park on Thursday morning.
Danielle McGunigal of Ft. Valley, Virginia, was the individual gold medal winner of the modified CEI*** in a ride time of 6:30:41 with an average speed of 18.43 kph. The race was originally an FEI qualifying event at a distance of 100 miles (160 km), but was shortened to 75-miles (120 km) after the footing became questionable due to the inclement weather that began shortly before the race began and continued throughout the day making the trail slippery and muddy.
“I was disappointed by the race being shortened but happy to be finished,” lamented the 1996 Endurance World Champion. “This was the toughest ride I have ever done. It was like swimming up hill with a hole in your paddle.”
The race was shortened—from six loops down to four—and McGunigal led almost the whole way riding Gold Raven, her 8-year-old Arabian mare. McGunigal’s mother, two-time Endurance World Champion, Valerie Kanavy, came to the mandatory vet check ahead of her daughter, but was later eliminated after her mare slipped on the second loop.
Ellyn Rapp of Dubuque, Iowa, won the silver medal in a ride time of 6:52:16 (17.46 kph) on her 14-year-old Arabian gelding, Berjo Smokey. “Smokey is amazing, said Rapp. He never quits. I have had all my best rides on him.”
Jan Worthington, of Scales Mound, Illinois, won the bronze medal in a ride time of 7:01:33 (17.08 kph) riding Golden Lightning. The 9-year-old Arabian gelding was awarded the prestigious Best Condition award, given to the horse that is judged to be the most fit to continue. Worthington was thrilled with his accomplishment.
“It really took me by surprise,” said the 69-year-old rider of winning Best Condition. “I am blessed with a great horse. I think he did so well in the mud because he has small feet like a mule.”
The individual medals were awarded first and the ceremony turned out to be very moving, thanks to a technical difficulty. The music for the U.S. National Anthem could not be played, so the audience volunteered to sing it instead.
Despite the weather, the event was considered a success and a good test for next year. Competition Manager Emmett Ross said Wednesday provided some excellent learning opportunities, and was pleased with his feedback about the trail.
“We were committed to make the trail wonderful. You never got to see the trail in its full glory because of the weather,” said Ross. “I’m saving some surprises for next year. We are looking forward to making this a very enjoyable trail next year – and it’s not going to rain!”
TEAM RESULTS FOR THE MODIFIED CEI***
Team USA East – Gold Medal
Danielle McGunigal
Dr. Margaret Mary (Meg) Sleeper
Stephen Rojek
Farzad Faryadi
Team Central USA – Silver Medal
Ellyn Rapp
Janice Ann Worthington
Darolyn Butler
Julie Jackson – Biegert
Team Mountain USA – Bronze Medal
Christoph Josef Schork
Suzanne Hayes
Douglas Swingley
Tennessee Mahoney
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY-October 14, 2009- HE Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates and 1996 Endurance World Champion Danielle Mc Gunigal of the United States won the Kentucky Cup Endurance events, sponsored by Emirates Equestrian Federation, and the official endurance test event for the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games.
HE Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum son of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, crossed the wire first in the CEI** 75 mile event in a ride time of 6:05:30. Danielle Mc Gunigal finished the CEI*** in a ride time in 6:30:41. The CEI*** was originally an FEI qualifying event at a distance of 100 miles (160 km), but lost its status when it was shortened to 120 km after the footing became questionable in the inclement weather.
“I have mixed feelings about shortening the race,” said Mc Gunigal. “The footing was only getting worse. Some of the parts of the trail that we have to go over were already slippery and deep and if the race was kept at the original distance, we would have had to go over it again, so in that sense, I am glad they shortened it. But I was hoping to use this race to qualify my horse (Gold Raven) for next year, and now we have to do it at another event, so that is very disappointing.”
HE Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum was thrilled with his win despite the conditions.
“It was amazing. This is the sport that we most love. It’s our history,” said Sheikh Majid. “Given the weather today, the course was amazing. But the weather made it very difficult. There wasn’t any hard part, other than the ground being a bit slippery. Other than that, it was excellent. There wasn’t anything wrong or bad.”
The rain was a recurring focus of the day, with a downpour shortly before the start of the rides. It continued throughout the day for all mandatory veterinary exams, creating a messy vet gate and slippery footing.
Two-time Endurance World Champion Valerie Kanavy and mother of Danielle McGunigal, was affected by the weather and footing. Kanavy was eliminated after her horse LM Parys fell on the second loop.
“We were crossing the road on the blacktop and she just slipped,” said Kanavy. “She went down and I went right after. She has recovered and is doing fine now.”
The event was aptly named as an endurance test. The endurance levels of the athletes from the 23 countries participating were truly tested. However, according to Mubarak Khalifa of the UAE the weather was no big deal. “Endurance riders are used to riding in all kinds of weather, so this is normal.”
One noticeable absentee was HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was expected to compete but never made the trip to Kentucky due to commitments in Dubai.
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY—October 7, 2009— On October 14, riders from more than 20 countries will compete in the Kentucky Cup Endurance race, sponsored by Emirates Equestrian Federation and the official endurance test event for the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games.
Athletes from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Romania, Spain and many other countries are expected to compete in or observe Kentucky Cup Endurance in preparation for next year’s Endurance World Championship at the 2010 Games. The team from the United Arab Emirates will be led by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. His son, HE Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, will also ride for the UAE.
Current World Champion Maria Alvarez Ponton of Spain, and the mother-daughter team of Valerie Kanavy and Danielle Mc Gunigal of the United States will also compete. Kanavy is a two-time world champion (1994 and 1998) and also placed second to her daughter in the 1996 World Championships.
Kentucky Cup Endurance will feature both a 75-mile (120 km) race and a 100-mile (160 km) race. Both races comprise a series of loops through the Kentucky Horse Park and surrounding properties, frequently returning to the Kentucky Horse Park for required veterinary inspections.
The 75-mile race will begin at 7:30 a.m. on October 14 and the 100-mile race will follow with a 7:45 a.m. start. Awards for the 100-mile race will be held at 10:00 a.m. on October 15 in the new outdoor stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park. In addition to honoring the top riders, there will also be an award for the best conditioned horse.
Admission to Kentucky Cup Endurance is free to the public. Parking will be $3 per day at the entrance of the Kentucky Horse Park. Kentucky Cup Endurance spectators can also enjoy the other Kentucky Horse Park attractions. Admission to Kentucky Horse Park attractions is available at the Visitor’s Center.
A complete list of competitors and countries is available on the Kentucky Cup Endurance test event page of our Web site.
Lexington, KY – October 4, 2009 – Chester Weber of Ocala, FL, is now in possession of the 2009 Kentucky Cup, which was a test event for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, and a record 7th USEF Four-In-Hand National Championship.
Weber went into the Cones phase a mere 6.86 points ahead of the pack and maneuvered his team around the course with only a 2.30 time penalty, for a final score of 131.35 to take the title.
“This course was up to international standards,” said Weber. “The time is always difficult at a Championship and I felt that this was good preparation for next year where we are going to have to fight to make the time.”
Tucker Johnson, Hobe Sound, FL, placed third in the Kentucky Cup and finished as Reserve Champion, in second place behind Weber as the second highest placing US driver in the National Championship race. Johnson was within the time on the Cones course, but managed to bump two cones and dislodge the balls on top for a penalty score of 6 and a final score of 141.40.
“This was a good course” said Johnson. “I was very pleased and thought it was a very appropriate course for the competition. For next year I plan to build a team from these horses and the team I have in Europe and prepare by competing in Windsor and Aachen. Now that we have gotten a taste of what the course can be, with the hazards and the hills, I plan on coming back with something that is ready to show.”
Boyd Exell, from Australia, spent the week chasing Weber and Johnson and after his spectacular Marathon phase and was less than 7 points behind the leaders going into the last phase of competition. Exell drove his team tight and fast, covering most of the track at an extended trot and crossed the timers with only a penalty of 3, for one ball dropped, for a total of 138.91 and second place in the Kentucky Cup.
“The course was, just like yesterday’s Marathon, very horse friendly” said Exell. “It was also nice to watch. But from my previous competition experience in Europe, this was the most horse friendly. This was a test event and I anticipate that next year it will go up to WEG standards.”
Exell is already guaranteed a spot at the 2010 Games representing Australia. For Weber and Johnson, the Kentucky Cup and USEF National Championship titles are just two among a history of stiff competition between top American drivers.
“Tucker made me work really hard for this all weekend, harder than in the past,” said Weber. “I remember watching his dressage and thinking maybe he has got me here. Cones have been my weakness in the past but this was pretty fluid. I did use Jamaica at the left wheel today and frankly he gave me a bit of grief. That’s what I get for trying to give an 18 year-old a break.”
Lexington, KY – October 1, 2009 – A real shootout is underway for the U.S. Four-In-Hand Driving Championship, which will be decided on Sunday at the 2009 Kentucky Cup, a test event for the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games, being held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
Chester Weber, Ocala, FL, and his team of warmbloods, which includes Jamaica, the 2008 USEF Horse of the Year, turned in a beautiful dressage performance to lead the competition with a score of 40.06. Weber has won 6 consecutive National titles and is looking for his 7th.
Also gunning for a record 7th Four-In-Hand National title, and sitting in second place with a score of 41.98, is S. Tucker S. Johnson, Hobe Sound, FL.
“This is so exciting,” said Weber. “To see so many other American teams competing here. When I first started driving fours in 1999, it was Tucker and Jimmy (Fairclough) and I think that they were happy to have a third competitor with them.”
Johnson echoed that sentiment. “Having 16 teams competing here is huge. It is a great step forward for the US. In Europe you will see 30 to 40 teams competing at every show. This shows that we are moving in the right direction with our sport.”
“I would like to get to the low 30s, which I did with my team last year, but the results today were acceptable”, said Weber. “The goal is always to win, but with this competition the goal is also next year.”
Boyd Exell, who hails from Australia, sits in third place behind Weber and Johnson for the Kentucky Cup title with a dressage score of 47.87. “This is a prep for next year”, said Exell, the 2009 winner of the Four-In Hand at Aachen in Germany, third in the 2008 FEI World Four-in-Hand Championships and winner of the 2008 British National Championship. “This was the first dressage test these horses have done as a team. So they did well. I think that it is great that Tucker is chasing Chester. I plan on sitting back and picking up the leftovers.”
Kentucky Cup Driving is both a competition for the National title and a test event for the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games, giving these competitors a chance to preview the venue at the Kentucky Horse Park prior to the Games next year.
The latest results from this event can be found at www.alltechfeigames.com on the News Headlines. Also on the site is information on all the test events as well as general information about the upcoming Games.
The largest gathering of FEI Four-in-Hand drivers ever in the Americas will go head-to-head October 1-4 at the Kentucky Horse Park for Kentucky Cup Driving, the third official test event for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
The CAI-A competition will be held in conjunction with the annual Lexington Combined Driving Classic, (also the 2009 USEF National Driving Championships), and will feature drivers from Australia, Canada, and the United States. Several drivers competing in the test event are veterans from previous World Equestrian Games, including current individual silver medalist from the 2008 FEI World Four-in-Hand Driving Championships, Chester Weber.
Kentucky Cup Driving and the Lexington Combined Driving Classic will be held October 1-4 on the Secretariat Polo Field at the Kentucky Horse Park. The competition will consist of three phases: dressage, cross-country marathon, and obstacle (“cones”). The Kentucky Cup Four-in-Hand Dressage will begin on Thursday, October 1, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, all drivers will complete the marathon phase with FEI Four-in-Hand drivers beginning their marathon phase at 2:00 p.m. Sunday will consist of the obstacle phase, with the Kentucky Cup Driving obstacle class starting at noon.
For a complete list of competitors and competition start times, visit the Kentucky Cup Driving test event page of our Web site.
The 8 Disciplines that make up the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are Dressage, Eventing, Jumping, Driving, Endurance, Reining, Vaulting and Para-Equestrian. For more information on these check out our sister site at http://www.kentuckyworldequestriangames.info or just remember http://www.KyWEGO.com and click on the Info Portal.
Lexington, Ky., Aug. 2 – The Mt. Eden Vaulters, of Saratoga, Calif., finished the Kentucky Cup Vaulting on Sunday they way they started it on Thursday-by sweeping the first-placed awards. Megan Benjamin won the women’s division of the CVI2*, Kenny Geisler won the men’s division of the CVI2*, and the Mt. Eden Sun Team won the team division of the CVI2*.
The Kentucky Cup is the vaulting test event for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, on Sept. 25-Oct. 10, 2010. The World Championships for vaulting and reining will be held in the brand-new, 5,600-seat indoor arena used this weekend.
Benjamin, 21, of Saratoga, Calif., earned her division’s top scores in all but the first of the four phases and climaxed the Kentucky Cup in today’s freestyle with the competition’s highest score (8.127). Her overall score of 7.974 put her ahead of Mt. Eden teammate Mary McCormick (7.823) and Annalise van Vranken (7.562).
Benjamin won the individual gold medal at the 2006 World Championships, and she thought she’d left vaulting to pursue her studies at Cornell University (N.Y.). “I was kind of vaulting-obsessed earlier in my life, and my goal was to win the gold in 2010. But I did it four years early, and I wasn’t sure what to do. So I decided to go on, to go to school and do other things,” said Benjamin.
But her Mt. Eden teammates begged her to return, and now, after her victory here, she’s looking ahead to the 2010 WEG at the Kentucky Horse Park. “I’ve made the decision that if I can make the studying and the training work, I’d like to do it. Vaulting really is my sport,” she said.
McCormick, 26, of Woodside, Calif., was the only other vaulter to achieve an average score of 8 or more today (8.033). She didn’t use the same music that she used on Friday. For the Friday freestyle, she said she used a light and free-flowing instrumental called “Better In Time.” She chose a rather different musical genre today.
“I’m originally from Nashville, and my father works in the country music business, so I wanted to go back to my roots and honor the fact that we’re in the South and in Kentucky,” so she used a country song by Jason Aldean.
And she finished with a perfect back flip dismount, the result, she said, of her experience as a high school cheerleader.
Van Vranken, 27, of Mays Landing, N.J., wished her performance had been mistake-free, but she fell out of one handstand had a couple more slips to score 7.562. “It wasn’t quite as clean as I’d hoped, so I was a little upset,” said van Vranken, a member of Shooting Star Vaulters.
Geisler, 28, of Sunnyvale, Calif., won all four phases of the men’s competition to finish .525 points ahead of second-placed Mikkel Vandrup of Denmark.Geisler’s balletic freestyle was nearly flawless as he demonstrated strength and control.
“I had a great performance, and I couldn’t have done it without Hudson,” said Geisler.
Geisler’s regular mount was unable to compete, so he shared Hudson with third-placed Kristian Roberts, 16, of Moss Beach, Calif. Roberts is from the Pacific Coast Vaulters, owners of Hudson.
Vandrup, 23, improved his freestyle score by .347 points to overtake Roberts and finish second. “I was a little bit frustrated with my results on Friday, so I tried to keep it simple and remember to breathe while I was on the horse, because sometimes I forget to do that,” he said.
This time Vandrup also stayed on his feet while performing a forward aerial cartwheel over the longe line to land next to the horse’s head. On Friday, he fell forward on landing and did a somersault across the ground. “I was happy that I landed the dismount this time,” he said.
Geisler also played a key role in the Mt. Eden Sun Team’s victory over the Woodside Vaulters, reversing the standing’s from Saturday’s one-star team competition. In the two-star team division, Mt. Eden scored 6.512 to Woodside’s 6.154.
Geisler was the team’s alternate and stood on the sidelines as his teammates nipped Woodside on Friday. But during that performance, team member Ali Thrasher suffered a minor injury, so Geisler’s teammates spent Saturday fashioning a matching outfit for him. Geisler then played a key role as the base for several of their three-person poses, featuring flier Tasha Thorner.
The Mt. Eden Sun Team also included Geisler’s fiancée Kalyn Noan. They’re due to be married on Aug. 22.
The other Mt. Eden Sun Team members are: Lizzie Ioannou, Heidi Rothweiler and Makayia Clyne. Jessica Ballenger is the coach, and Jodi Rinhard longed Sampson. They were also the American Vaulting Association 2009 A team national champions.
The Woodside team members are: Patrick Stevens, Katherine Wick, Alyssa Bonora, Yvonne Greenen, Kathryn Jaggers, Janie Salsbury and Gabe Aniello. Their coach is Krista Mack, and Erik Martonovich longed Badger.
Cassidy Palmer, 16, of Half Moon Bay, Calif., and Marissa Hamar, 20, of Visalia, Calif., were the winners of the CVI2* pas de deux. Although they live several hours apart, they still put together an enjoyable performance to the Beach Boys’ classic song “Surfin’ USA.”
More than 2,200 people attended the Kentucky Cup Vaulting or watched the online streaming video. More than 300 volunteers helped the staff produce this competition, the second of seven test events planned to prepare for the 2010 World Equestrian Games.
“This facility certainly has a very international feel, and we’re looking forward to 2010,” said Geisler. “We couldn’t ask for more to be fully prepared for next year.”
Lexington, Ky., Aug. 1 – Rachel Bublitz, of Golden, Colo., emphatically won the CV1* women’s division at the Kentucky Cup Vaulting this afternoon, earning the top scores in both the morning’s compulsory round (7.073) and in the afternoon’s freestyle round (6.819).
Bublitz’ overall score of 6.895 kept Kyra McCarty of San Mateo, Calif., in second (6.573) and Kathryn Jaggers, of Portola Valley, Calif., in third (6.508).
Bublitz, 16, of the Golden Gate Vaulters, presented a strong but elegant performance, with some daring movements that outweighed a slight mistake on one pose and her horse, Oliver, breaking to the trot for several strides. She used music by Doris Day for her freestyle.
“I wasn’t sure I’d won by the time I finished, because of those bobbles,” admitted Bublitz.
Josef Martonovich, her longer, said that Bublitz’ personality overcame the minor mistakes. “It was her experience and her cool head that won. It was my mistake that the horse broke to the trot, but she just stayed quiet to let him canter again,” said Martonovich.
He also thought Bublitz performed a more difficult test than most of her competitors, meaning she earned high marks for degree of difficulty. “She’s pushing the edge, and I think that balances it out if there are little mistakes,” he added.
McCarty, 17, vaulted with Vermeer, a relatively new horse on the Mt. Eden Vaulting Team, longed by Jessica Ballenger.Her performance was bold and assured and earned the second-highest freestyle score (6.504).McCarty also earned the second-highest score in today’s compulsory round (6.947).
She said she chose a slow piece of classical music for her freestyle because “it gives me a chance to present myself well, and this time every single move worked. It was the best it’s been all year, so I didn’t really care about the score or the placing because of that.”
Jaggers, 15, a member of the Woodside Vaulters, used an instrumental version of the Rolling Stones classic “Brown Sugar.” Her mount was Pepper Jack, longed by Jennifer Arntsen. Pepper Jack also carried Yvonne Greenen to fourth place and Grace Koz to fifth place.
“I’d used Latin and other types of music before, and this year I decided to try something new, and it was really fun,” said Jaggers.
Joey Gadd, of the Mt. Eden Vaulters, easily held on to the lead he grabbed in the first round of compulsories, decisively winning the men’s one-star freestyle (5.893) to coast to the overall victory (5.843) over Shawn Ricci (5.524) and Clay Thomas (5.318).
To the heavy drumbeats from the theme of the movie “Waterworld,” Gadd, of Saratoga, Calif., turned in a dramatic and mistake-free performance.
“It’s strong music, and I think my horse, Lanson, and I work well with it,” he said.
Gadd, 14, added, “I’m going to go home to California and tell a lot of people how great the Kentucky Horse Park is and tell them to come watch the vaulting at the WEG next year.”
For the two one-star teams, this afternoon’s second and final freestyle was absolutely decisive. The seven-member teams, both from the San Francisco Bay Area, had traded the lead through the two previous rounds, with Mt. Eden winning the compulsory round and Woodside taking the lead after the first freestyle. This afternoon Woodside edged the Mt. Eden Eclipse by .2, leaving them just .013 points ahead in the final calculations.
The Mt. Eden Eclipse team-containing two girls in the top 10 of the one-star individual standings and the leader of the two-star individual competition-showed more sophisticated choreography and musical interpretation. Woodside relied largely on the daring poses of their two 11-year-old fliers (Tessa Divita and Siddhartha Kreaden) to soar high above the ground, and two of the three judges preferred their verve and excitement.
Grace Koz used to be one of the team’s fliers, but now she’s the base for Kreaden. She said that lifting Kreaden over her head is her favorite part of the routine. Kreaden agreed.
“It’s really fun, and I trust Grace a lot,” she said. “I’m going to go home with a smile on my face and remember all the good times we had on our team.”
The other Woodside team members are: Julia Plungy, Katrina Nibbi, Sarah Dunn and Christine Hermann.
The Mt. Eden Eclipse team members are: Megan Benjamin, Kyra McCarty, Laura Yelavich, Merina Rainville, Adna Revell, Stacey Burnett, Steffi Schade and Cate Thomas.
Anna Thomas, of Richmond, Va., and Elizabeth Brigham, of Potomac, Md., won the National Pas de Deux Competition today. They’ve been working together for abut three years and also won the American Vaulting Association national championship last month.
The CVI2* continued today with the technical program, in which vaulters must perform five specified moves within one minute, but they can perform them in any order and add additional moves to enhance their programs.
The two round 1 leaders-Megan Benjamin (7.927) and Kenny Geisler (7.046)-increased their leads with assured and nearly flawless performances.
Mary McCormick (7.753) and Anna Van Vranken (7.498) are trailing Benjamin. Kristian Roberts (6.406) and Mikkel Vandrup (6.405) are trailing Geisler.
The CVI2* competition climaxes on Sunday, starting at 10 a.m.
AbitaNet Corporation