10.30.14
Posted in National Horse Show at 4:24 pm by EPR
Lexington, KY – October 30, 2014 – – The National Horse Show, now underway at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, is proud to announce that Dover Saddlery has joined forces as the presenting sponsor of this year’s ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay National Championship which takes place as the concluding class on Sunday, November 2, 2014.
Dover Saddlery offers the finest selection of English riding apparel and tack for English riders at all levels and is well known for its vast inventory of equestrian products. Dover prides itself on its tack stores which are designed to evoke a premier horse barn and are beautifully merchandised with saddles, tack, apparel and horse care items.
Dover was recently voted favorite tack store by readers of the equestrian publication Equestrian Quarterly.
In addition to the presenting sponsorship of the ASPCA Maclay National Championship, Dover is generously donating prizes for the always popular Barn Night, including a wheelbarrow full of barn supplies and two gift certificates.
“We are glad to welcome Dover Saddlery to the National Horse Show,” said Mason Phelps, Jr. the President of the National Horse Show Association of America. “The ASPCA Maclay is the highlight event for our young riders and we’re delighted to have the name Dover Saddlery associated with such an important class.”
Dover Saddlery’s Janet Nittman noted, “We wanted to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to be associated with a nationally renowned class. Dover Saddlery has been a long-time sponsor of the USHJA and of many equestrian events throughout the country,” she said. “Dover offers the widest selection of quality products for the hunter/jumper riders and it is very rewarding to sponsor and to meet many of our customers at the various shows. We look forward to being in Lexington for the Maclay.”
On Sunday history will come full circle as former Maclay winner Peter Wylde (1982) will award the trophy to the winner of the 2014 ASPCA Alfred. B. Maclay Championship. Wylde will be bestowing the honor on behalf of his longtime sponsor Dover Saddlery, first time sponsors of the Maclay at the National Horse Show this year.
Wylde won the Rolex-Maclay National Equitation Championship at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden in 1982. Like many of his peers who achieve the honor, Wylde chose a career as a professional rider and went on to represent the United States in international competition earning team and individual Silver medals at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada in 1999 as well as the Male Equestrian of the Year title from the United States Olympic Committee.
In 2002, Wylde and Fein Cera won the individual bronze medal at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, where Fein Cera was awarded the coveted “Best Horse” honor. The pair was again chosen to represent the United States at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where they helped the U.S. to win the team gold.
Wylde’s classic riding style has earned leading rider titles from some of the world’s finest horse shows including the Washington International Horse Show, the CSI-W Geneva, and the CSN Manheim. He has won the Style of Riding Awards at the CHIO Aachen, Germany, the CSI Vienna, Austria; at the American Gold Cup; and three times at the Hampton Classic.
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| Peter Wylde, pictured here on Sandor de la Pomme, will present the ASPCA Maclay trophy for Dover Saddlery at the National Horse Show on Sunday. |
The ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship class has been held since 1933, and it is one of the most prestigious competitions for junior riders in the United States. Its winners are some of the biggest names in equestrian sport. Previous winners include: William Steinkraus in 1941, Frank Chapot (1948), George Morris (1952), Leslie Burr Howard (1972), Stacia Klein Madden in 1987, and Nicole Shahinian Simpson in 1992. The 2012 ASPCA Maclay National Championship winner was Jacob Pope, and in 2013 Lillie Keenan was named the winner.
Tickets for the 2014 National Horse Show are available at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The highlights for this year’s show include on Thursday night, the Copernicus Stables, LLC $75,000 International Open Jumpers – Time First Jump Off. Friday night’s feature is the Chansonette Farm $45,000 Gambler’s Choice Top Score Costume Class in honor of Halloween night. On Saturday, it’s the main event, the $250,000 CP National Horse Show Grand Prix. On Sunday afternoon the National Horse Show plays host to the Maclay National Championship for the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Class Presented by Dover’s Saddlery beginning early in the morning and continuing with the final round at approximately 3:00 PM.
All evening sessions begin promptly at 7:00 p.m.
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Posted in National Horse Show at 4:21 pm by EPR
Lexington, KY- October 30, 2014– The National Horse Show is one of the oldest shows in the history of the United States. Founded in New York in 1883, the National Horse Show was originally held at Madison Square Garden. Since then, it has expanded exponentially, finding its current home at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.
During the National Horse Show, visit the exhibit, A Sporting Tradition: Iconic Horse Shows Across the United States at the USHJA Wheeler Museum. The museum is open weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The featured exhibit will be hosting special hours and refreshments this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Museum is located at the USHJA Headquarters. Don’t miss out on this opportunity while visiting the Kentucky Horse Park for the iconic National Horse show.
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10.27.14
Posted in National Horse Show at 4:16 pm by EPR
Lexington, KY- October 27, 2014 – Off-site wagering for the 2014 Breeders’ Cup races will be available at the National Horse Show at the Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena on Friday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m., andSaturday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Both walk-up and drive-thru wagering will be available in the parking lot adjacent to the arena, and signs will be posted directing guests along the way. Park admission is not required and parking will be free.
Guests are invited to stay and enjoy the National Horse Show, America’s oldest indoor horse show, both Fridayand Saturday, which is taking place at the park Oct. 28 to Nov. 2. Admission to the show is free both days that Breeders’ Cup wagering is offered until 6 p.m., then is $8 in advance/$10 at the door on Friday night and $16 in advance/$20 at the door on Saturday night after 6 p.m.Children 12 and under are free. 
Founded in 1883 at the original Madison Square Garden, the National Horse Show is firmly established as a major fixture on the national and international sports and social event calendars, and has been held at the Kentucky Horse Park since 2011. Show jumping elite from around the globe will be competing at the event for numerous prestigious titles, including the ASPCA/NHSAA Alfred B. Maclay National Championship, and more than $750,000 in cash prizes, the biggest prize money on the United States indoor tour.
For more information about the National Horse Show, or ticket information for Thursday or Sunday, call 859-608-3709 or visit www.NHS.org. Media inquiries for the National Horse Show should be directed to 561-753-3389. For information on the Kentucky Horse Park, call859-259-4200 or visit www.KyHorsePark.com.
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Posted in Competitions, National Horse Show at 4:12 pm by EPR
Lexington, KY – October 27, 2014 – The 131st National Horse Show kicks off this week with a click! Whether you are in Kentucky enjoying the festivities and competition, travelling or back at home, you can still be a part of the action – virtually. The National Horse Show app is now available to download for Apple and Android devices for free.
Catch up with all the latest news and press releases about the National Horse Show and ASPCA Maclay Finals on the app’s News tab. In the Maclay Points section, equitation riders can keep track of the points they have earned for 2015, listed in descending order of points.
While you’re there, check out our Sponsors and Media Partners that are scrolling through the Sponsors tab. In case you need to contact the National Horse Show regarding exhibitors, vendors or advertising, the appropriate official’s name and e-mail address is listed on the Info tab of the app.
Most importantly, on the app’s Dashboard tab, the day’s Orders of Go will be posted and users can conveniently keep up-to-date on the current and next day’s schedule. The Dashboard app will also list the results of this year’s National Horse Show classes as well as previous years’ classes up to 2011. In addition, the 2014 qualifying lists are also available for every division, including the ASPCA Maclay Regions for the Finals on Sunday.
Go download the National Horse Show App, now available for free on Apple and Android devices.
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/genre/ios/id36?mt=8
Android: https://www.android.com/apps/
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10.23.14
Posted in National Horse Show at 4:04 pm by EPR
Lexington, KY – October 23, 2014 – An all-star roster of equestrian superstars featuring show jumping’s very best are headed to Kentucky as the top-rated National Horse Show returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington on October 28 –November 2, 2014. This year’s line-up features numerous Olympians, including a handful of Gold medalists, plus many of the sport’s fastest rising stars.
Riders from around the globe all have their eyes on the big cash prizes and the numerous prestigious titles. This year’s show will be offering an impressive $755,000 in prize money. The National Horse Show offers an International Open Jumper division with $460,000 in prize money, while the top rated hunter sections have a total purse of $195,000. Meanwhile, $100,000 in total is offered to the Amateur-Owner and Under 25
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| Katie Dinan returns to defend her NHS GP title. Photo by Kenneth Kraus |
Jumper sections.
The National Horse Show, for the fourth year in a row, received a top ranking from NARG, the North American Riders Group and was again named the Show Hunter Hall of Fame Horse Show of the Year in back to back years.
Katie Dinan, who soared tovictory in last year’s main event on Saturday night, is scheduled to return to defend her title in Lexington. She’ll be faced with a roster of riders, all trying to make sure that Dinan does not double up this year in the new CP National Horse Show Grand Prix.
Topping the list are three of the four riders on the 2014 Bronze medal winning team at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.
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| 2011 NHS Grand Prix winner, McLain Ward. Photo by Kenneth Kraus |
Beezie Madden, who also captured the Individual Bronze medal, will be joined by teammates McLain Ward and Kent Farrington. Madden, the 2013 World Cup champion, also added the Keystone Classic at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show to her list of big time wins in 2014. In addition to his other top finishes, Ward led the round of honor in this year’s Global Champions Tour Grand Prix at Antwerp, Belgium and won the National Horse Show Grand Prix in 2011. Farrington meanwhile, rode to victory in the Grand Prix of Barcelona and added numerous Spruce Meadows wins to his already impressive list of victories.
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| Kent Farrington, Bronze medalist at WEG, is on the roster for the 2014 NHS. Photo by Sue Stickle |
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| Beezie Madden, double Bronze medalist at the World Equestrian Games. Photo by Rebecca Walton |
Other Olympians making the trip to Lexington this year include Peter Wylde, Leslie Howard, Laura Kraut, Charlie Jayne, Todd Minikus and Margie Engle. They will be joined by Pan American Games Gold medalist, Christine McCrea.
The above list of some of the all-time best show jumpers in the United States are credited with an amazing total of over one thousand grand prix wins among the group.
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Three of four members of the US WEG team will compete at this year’s National Horse Show.
Photo by Susan Stickle |
Part of the next generation of show jumping stars, Georgina Bloomberg, fresh off her win in the Central Park Grand Prix in New York City will be joined by Jessica Springsteen, winner of the celebrated American Gold Cup this year. Last year’s American Gold Cup champion, Brianne Goutal, is joined by the last two Individual Gold Medal winners from the North American Junior and Young Rider Championship Wilton Porter, the Gold medal winner this summer at the Horse Park in Lexington and Lillie Keenan, who claimed the top of the podium in 2013.
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| Georgina Bloomberg captured the inaugural Central Park Grand Prix in NYC. The Book LLC |
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| Jessica Springsteen won the American Gold Cup this year in North Salem, NY. By Emily Riden |
Rounding out the list of American riders competing at the National are Quentin Judge, Meagan Nusz, Candice King, Schuyler Riley, Ali Wolff, Kirsten Coe, Charlie Jacobs, Denise Wilson, David Beisel, Molly Ashe-Cawley, Paige Johnson, Kama G odek, Alex Granato and Audrey Coulter.
A star-studded international field of riders is also making the journey to the heart of the Bluegrass this year. They include a strong Irish contingent led by the red-hot Darragh Kenny, along with Shane Sweetnam, Richie Maloney and Conor Swail.
South America is well represented with Paulo Santana of Brazil and Daniel Bluman and Roberto Teran of Colombia.
Top riders from Europe include Belgium riders Francois Mathy and brothers Nicola and Olivier Philippaerts and Switzerland’s Beat Mandli who comes to Lexington fresh off a victory in the FEI World Cup Grand Prix De Penn National at Harrisburg.
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Wilton Porter, center, won the Individual Gold Medal at NAJYRC this year.
Photo by Kendall Bierer |
Tickets for the 2014 National Horse Show CSI-W 4* are available online at Ticketleap.com, the official ticket provider for this year’s event. The top-rated equestrian showcase returns to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 28 –November 2, 2014.
Tickets purchased through Ticketleap.com are discounted 20% as compared to tickets bought at the gate. Children 12 and under are always admitted at no charge.
Tickets for each prime-time show on Thursday evening, Friday evening, Saturday evening and Sunday daytime can be purchased now at Ticketleap.com at: http://nationalhorseshow.ticketleap.com/nhs2014/
The highlights for this year’s show include on Thursday night, the Copernicus Stables, LLC $75,000 International Open Jumpers – Time First Jump Off. Friday night’s feature is the Chansonette Farm $45,000 Gambler’s Choice Top Score Costume Class in honor of Halloween night. On Saturday, it’s the main event, the $250,000 CP National Horse Show Grand Prix. On Sunday afternoon the National Horse Show plays host to the Maclay National Championship for the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Class Presented by Dover’s Saddlery beginning early in the morning and continuing with the final round at approximately 3:00 PM.
All evening sessions begin promptly at 7:00 p.m.
For tickets to this year’s show visit TicketLeap.com at: http://nationalhorseshow.ticketleap.com/nhs2014/
The prize list for the National Horse Show can be downloaded at: https://www.nhs.org/prize-list-and-entry-forms/
2014 National Horse Show Fast Facts
What:
The National Horse Show is a week-long championship event featuring “AA”-rated hunters, open jumpers, junior/amateur jumpers, and the ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals. The event will run October 28 –November 2, 2014, indoors in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games.
Parking:
The Kentucky Horse Park has waived the normal parking fee during the National Horse Show. Parking is free. While dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash, no dogs are allowed in the Alltech Arena during the NHS.
Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located at 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511. The KHP is 8 miles northeast of Lexington at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.
Information:
2245 Stone Garden Lane Lexington, KY 40513
Cindy Bozan
Email:
Website:
Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located in the Alltech Arena.
Additional Contacts:
or
Hotels:
CLARION HOTEL (formerly Holiday Inn North) –
859 – 233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles
FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES BY MARRIOTT – 859 -977-5870 – Approximately 4 miles
FOUR POINTS SHERATON – 859-259-1311 – Approximately 4 miles
LA QUINTA – 859-231-7551 – Approximately 4 miles
KNIGHTS INN – 859-231-0232 – Approximately 4 miles
EMBASSY SUITES – 859-455-5000 – Approximately 4 miles
MARRIOT GRIFFIN GATE – 859-231-5100 – Approximately 4 miles
RESIDENCE INN – 859-231-6191 – Approximately 5 miles
COURTYARD BY MARRIOT – 859-253-4646 – Approximately 5 miles
HOLIDAY INN GEORGETOWN – 502-570-0220 – Approximately 6 miles
RAMADA INN – 859-299-1261 – Approximately 6 miles
RED ROOF INN – 859-293-2626 – Approximately 6 miles
HAMPTON INN – 502-867-4888 – Approximately 6 miles
SUPER EIGHT – 502-863-4888 – Approximately 6 miles
MICROTEL INN & SUITES – 502-868-8000 – Approximately 6 miles
For further information on housing in the Lexington area, we invite you to visit:
Management:
Kentucky Horse Shows, LLC
P. O. Box 11428
Lexington, KY 40575-1428
859-233-0492 (phone)
859-233-0495 (fax)
Horse Show Secretary:
Cindy Bozan
859-233-0492
NATIONAL HORSE SHOW MEDIA CONTACT:
Re: News and Information:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd
Suite 105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
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09.01.14
Posted in 2018 Games at 10:34 pm by Thomas
I have been trying to keep up with all the events at WEG (Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014) in Normandy France from here in the States but do to the time difference and other obligations I have not been able to catch any of the live video of the competitions. Ultimately what I have been hearing through the proverbial grape vine hasn’t been good, now I always take internet chatter with a certain grain of salt but there does seem to be a bit confirmation in the variety of sources that are reporting issues. Keep in mind a large event like this is always going to have some issues and people’s expectations for this event were a bit out of line with what the French were going to be able to do given certain financial, political and logistical constraints they had. This is a tough one for France because they are looking to bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics and how these Games are perceived to have went will certainly have a bearing on that bid especially given the competition they will face from the Germans for the 2024 Olympics. I want to be clear, I want to see these Games be successful because I want to see the World Equestrian Games out live me and return to Kentucky at least a couple of more times before I pass. So I am wishing everyone currently at the Games, all my best whether you be competitor, spectator, volunteer or official and may I say one more thing to the volunteers, no matter what, your service will make these Games better then they otherwise would of been, so to everyone else, please be nice to the volunteers, because if you are having a tough day, I can assure you theirs is tougher.
Kentucky Colonel
Thomas P. Demond
KyWEGO®сондажи
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08.11.14
Posted in 2014 Games at 9:56 pm by EPR
All roads lead to Normandy in France where the much-anticipated Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 begins in two weeks’ time. The seventh edition of the FEI’s flagship event is the biggest in its 24-year history, and with a massive increase in entries, and visitors already flying into northern France from all around the globe, it promises to be the greatest showcase for equestrian sport to date.
Staged at the halfway point between each Summer Olympic Games, the FEI World Equestrian Games™ brings together the World Championships for all FEI disciplines. Previously these had been held in different locations, but, strongly supported by then FEI President Prince Philip, the concept that had been floating around for quite some time became a reality at the first edition held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1990.
A total of 421 competitors from 37 nations took part in the six disciplines of Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance and Vaulting at the Swedish fixture which was initially intended to be a “one-off” event. However it was so successful that it was decided it should continue, and the event has firmly established itself on the calendar of world sport.
Increased to seven
It was subsequently staged in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez de la Frontera (ESP) in 2002, Aachen (GER) in 2006 and by the time it arrived in Lexington, Kentucky (USA) in 2010 the number of disciplines had increased to seven with the inclusion of Reining and the incorporation of Para-Dressage into the Dressage programme. A total of 632 athletes from 58 nations took part at the last edition of the Games, but those figures will be exceeded yet again this time around as, with equestrian sport continuously expanding its reach around the globe, the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy has attracted a 25% increase in nominated entries from which the startlists in each discipline will be finalised over the next 11 days.
Approximately a thousand athletes from 74 nations are expected to compete.
Jumping has attracted the largest number of nations – 54 in total – while Endurance is next in line with 48. Australia, Austria, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden and the United States will be represented in every discipline, while 12 countries will make their FEI World Equestrian Games™ debut. They are Hong Kong, US Virgin Islands, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Morocco, Mauritius, Peru, Palestine, Romania, Thailand and Tunisia.
The deadline for definite entries is 14 August for Dressage and Para-Dressage, Eventing, Endurance and Reining and 22 August for Jumping, Driving and Vaulting.
The opening ceremony of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy will take place on Saturday 23 August and the action begins on Monday 25 August when Dressage and Reining both get underway. The event will conclude on Sunday 7 September with the closing stages of Jumping and Driving.
World famous
The region of Normandy is world-famous for its horse-breeding and sporting connections. The rich land is ideal for raising young stock, and Normandy is home to 93,000 horses with 408 equestrian centres and two National Studs, at Le Pin and Saint-Lo.
While the city of Caen is the central location for the Games, the State-owned Haras du Pin is the venue for the Dressage and Cross-Country phases of Eventing. The largest of the 20 National Studs located in France, the 16th century estate has long been home to world-class Eventing fixtures and is widely acclaimed for its beauty. Tickets for Eventing are fully sold out.
When it comes to magnificent backdrops, it doesn’t get much more awesome than the venue for Endurance at the bay of Mont St Michel. Located in the La Manche area, this iconic island which is located just 600 metres from the mainland is one of the most recognisable landmarks in France and welcomes three million visitors each year. The spectacular Endurance course will begin at the town of Sartilly and will circle around the bay.
Caen is the venue for the remaining disciplines with the D’Ornano Stadium home to the Opening and Closing ceremonies along with Dressage, Jumping and the Jumping phase of Eventing.
Para-Dressage and Driving will take place at the Prairie Racecourse in the city centre while Vaulting and Reining will take place at the Zenith indoor arena and exhibition centre.
The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 will be broadcast in over 200 territories worldwide, bringing the best of international equestrian sport to a bigger audience than ever before.
Facts and Figures: Normandy in France hosts the seventh edition of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ from 23 August to 7 September 2014.
7 competition venues
7 disciplines
27 sets of medals
1,000 athletes from 74 nations are expected to compete
3,000 volunteers
500,000 spectators
1,000 journalists
300 photographers
Stockholm in Sweden hosted the first FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 1990 when 421 competitors from 37 nations took part.
Media contacts
Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
Email: grania.willis@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 142
Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
Email: malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 133
These press releases appear as sent to Kentucky World Equestrian Games Ovation and are not edited for spelling, grammar or punctuation.
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06.15.14
Posted in Horse Shows, Kentucky at 9:54 pm by Thomas
This time of the year is Great in Kentucky for so many reasons, the weather is warm, though usually not too hot just yet. The Days are long as its not truly dark until 10, which makes for a Great Evening at a horse show, which are also very numerous this time of the year. So this past weekend my family and some friends of ours loaded up 3 of our horses, my OTTB “Mont(e)y”, their Saddlebred “Kiss This” and Walking Horse “Pepper” for a fun all be it, very long evening at the Just Horsin’ Around horse show in Brodhead, Kentucky. This was actually our second horse show in a week and certainly helped to lessen my disappointment over us not winning the 2018 World Equestrian Games.
We rolled into the show grounds just before 5 PM, the show wasn’t slated to start until 5:30 and we knew it might not get started right at 5:30 because these kind of shows are more about an enjoyable atmosphere then following some specific schedule, it was a Saturday night after all and anybody there wanted to be there and had no where else they wanted to be. I tacked up Monte as soon as we got there and headed into the ring the warm him up and see what he thought of all the horses and people. Speaking of horses and people, I don’t know that I have been to a horse show that was as packed as this one which of course makes me happy, because it means there is still a large population of people who enjoy horses and know just how important they are to the Commonwealth.
I entered Monte in one class, Western Pleasure just to give him that experience and spent the rest of the evening just riding around the fair grounds to see how he would react to all the people and horses. I did un-tack him and give him a long rest at one point until he got bored with that and then I tacked him up again and off we went. By this time it was after dark which can always present new experiences. Monte wasn’t phased by anything, I was so impressed with how he behaved with all the different scenarios we encountered. We spent a long time standing at the entrance to the ring watching a number of classes with numerous other people on horse back, certainly an enjoyable way to watch a horse show. He stood quietly taking it all in, much like he did everything else that night. By the time we left it was 1 AM and of the 8 hours we had been there I probably spent half that time on horseback which is where I wish I could spend more time. The time I spend at horse shows is always quality time that always proves the point of how much horses are a part of Kentucky and how Kentucky wouldn’t be the same without them.
Kentucky Colonel
Thomas P. Demond
KyWEGO®икони
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06.09.14
Posted in 2018 Games at 9:50 pm by Thomas
So the announcement came out earlier today and as many of you can guess, my disappointment was significant. I really did believe in my heart and soul that we would win the bid to host the World Equestrian Games again in 2018 and even in my very logical brain I could easily support the argument for why Lexington was the logical choice. Now with that said, the one argument that I always knew undid the rest of the logical reasons why the Games should come back to Lexington was the very fact that we had had them only 4 years before. This actually is a real factor, though its impossible to judge the real impact on the decision but you can not discount it. In the end I don’t look at why we didn’t win the Games to look for something wrong in the past, I look at this as a way to be better in the future.
I want to first and foremost congratulate and wish Bromont and Canada as a whole Great Success with these Games and if there is anything I can offer to help I will be glad to. As I have said many times before, I am passionate about these Games, as a Horse person its just an awesome concept, and I always want to see them be successful whether they are in Lexington or not. I actually hope that the Games in Normandy are better than they were in Lexington and that the Games in Bromont are better than Normandy. This is how you keep anything going, event, business even your personal happiness, you have to keep setting the bar a little higher each time and this makes us strive to want to do these things. My real concern for the Games is that they are not successful one year and everyone who is of a negative personality piles on and says see, the Games are not worth it and people stop wanting to pursue the Games.
So going forward, my plans haven’t really changed. I will continue to pursue opportunities that help me be successful and help me to pursue bringing the World Equestrian Games back to Lexington, whether that is sooner or later, I will persever and I will see the Games back here.
Kentucky Colonel
Thomas P. Demond
KyWEGO
Сео
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05.01.14
Posted in Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event, Thoroughbred Racing at 9:10 pm by Thomas
I am not sure there is a bigger week in Kentucky that defines us as the Horse Capitol of the World like the 10 days from the start of Rolex through Saturday’s Kentucky Derby this year. There are a number of interesting factoids in regards to these two events. The Rolex Three-Day Event takes 4 days from Start to Finish, the Kentucky Derby is decided in 2 minutes plus or minus a few seconds. Both events are consider a leg of the Triple Crown in their respective sports. A number of successful Rolex horses are Thoroughbreds that started out as race horses and transitioned to Eventing. Generally Jockeys are short and only weighing about 100 pounds, Eventers tend to run the gambit on body size, William Fox-Pitt who won this year’s Rolex is something like 6′ 5″. The Rolex is in Lexington, The Derby in Louisville, two cities defined by Horses and Basketball both with a taste for Bourbon. Both events draw big crowds with significant economic impact both locally and on a State basis. The Derby does beat the Rolex in the area of TV coverage, 4 days of Rolex are turned into 1 hour of TV a week after the fact, where as the 2 minutes of the Derby equals many hours of live coverage across several channels. The obvious difference is that you can’t bet on the Rolex, well technically I guess you could, but who would want to, and if you do, you probably need to seek help. Another thing they have in common is that men and women compete equally and women are certainly a force to be reckoned with in the horse world, maybe more so there then anywhere else in business. I am sure that last sentence will draw some comments and I don’t have any scientific studies to back that up but feel pretty good about the validity of that statement. All of this is to make the point that we are The Horse Capitol of the World and that is a pretty cool thing, especially this time of the year.
Kentucky Colonel
Thomas P. Demond
KyWEGO
Permalink
04.27.14
Posted in Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event at 8:36 pm by EPR
Lexington, Ky., April 27, 2014 – With everything on the line, William Fox-Pitt of Great Britain calmly guided Bay My Hero faultlessly around the show jumping course to win the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Land Rover, for the third time.
His score of 44.0 topped second-placed Lauren Kieffer, of Middleburg, Va., on Veronica (46.7) and third-placed Buck Davidson, of Ocala, Fla., on Ballynoe Castle RM (51.7). Kieffer, 26, also won the USEF Four-Star Championship, the title Davidson won in 2013 when he finished fourth on Ballynoe Castle RM.
Sinead Halpin, of Oldwick, N.J., rode Manoir De Carneville to fourth (51.7); and Marilyn Little, of Frederick, Md., rode her two horses-RF Smoke On The Water (52.5) and RF Demeter (55.3)-to fifth and sixth.
For Fox-Pitt, 45, this Rolex Kentucky victory was his 13th win in a CCI4*, the highest level of eventing. This victory was worth $80,000.
“Each one is special for its own merits,” he said of his three Rolex Kentucky wins, the first two aboard Cool Mountain in 2010 and Parklane Hawk in 2012. “You can never believe it’s happened until it’s come off. I didn’t come here expecting to win. I came here expecting to enjoy two nice horses,” he said.
When asked how he’ll wear three Rolex watches, Fox-Pitt replied, “My wife, Alice, has the second one, and I guess this one will be for one of my sons.”
With the scores especially close after the first two phases, every rail seemed to count double. Third to 10th places were separated by just 1.4 points, and Davidson and Halpin, standing in fifth and seventh, increased the pressure on the top three with their faultless performances.
Earlier in the day, Phillip Dutton had withdrawn third-placed Mr. Medicott before the final horse inspection, leaving Little in third place on RF Demeter. But Little lowered the final rail of the triple combination to fall three places.
Then it was time for Kieffer, riding at Rolex Kentucky for the third time, to face the beautifully decorated show jumping course, designed for the 17th year by Richard Jeffery. Showing tremendous confidence, Kieffer guided Veronica to a perfect round, putting her in position to become the first American to win Rolex Kentucky since Dutton in 2008.
The roar that erupted in the Rolex Stadium when Kieffer landed from the last fence nearly unnerved the normally implacable Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero, who could not afford to lower a single rail to keep their lead.
“He got a little bit excited when the crowd went wild when Lauren jumped a clean round,” said Fox-Pitt with understatement. “He tried to leg it back up the chute [into the ring], and I thought I might just do the same.”
Kieffer showed remarkable composure in front of the completely sold-out Rolex Stadium. Today’s attendance was 22,388, bringing the event total to 78,623.
“It took a lot of mental focus to try to keep cool, to ride it was like [it was just another event],” she said. Second place earned prize money of $37,000. Veronica is a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare.
Davidson, 38, marveled at the consistency Ballynoe Castle RM, 14, has shown in his career, especially at Rolex Kentucky. “Basically you tell him its Kentucky, and he’s ready to go,” Davidson said with a smile. His third-placed prize money was $30,000.
He was, though, “a bit disappointed with my dressage score. I thought it was the best test he’s ever done.”
Still, “We have such a great partnership. I was like a little kid talking to my pony on cross-country. I was saying, ‘Come on, Reggie, we only have two more minutes to go!’
“He’s truly a horse of a lifetime. Every time I ride him, I think how lucky I am,” Davidson added.
Kieffer’s, Davidson’s and Little’s scores propelled the U.S. to victory in the first Dubarry of Ireland Nations Team Challenge, in which the three-highest riders from each nation determined the result. The winning team members shared $10,000 in prize money.
The U.S score of 150.1 easily bested Great Britain (163.8) and Canada (200.9).
The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Presented by Land Rover, April 24-27 at the Kentucky Horse Park, is one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian competitions and features the world’s best horses and riders vying for their share of $250,000 in prize money, as well as a shot at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, which is awarded to any rider who wins the Rolex Kentucky, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton and Land Rover Burghley four-star Events in succession.
The 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is a selection trial for the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games and will crown the 17th Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Champion. The only four-star event in the Western Hemisphere, Rolex Kentucky draws an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 spectators and is seen by millions more on worldwide telecasts.
This year, for the first time ever, Rolex Kentucky includes a team challenge. The Dubarry of Ireland Nations Team Challenge will award $20,000 in prize money, while helping national teams prepare for the team competition at the World Equestrian Games this summer. The winning nation will be the nation with the fewest penalties after adding together the final scores of the three highest-placed individuals from that nation.
Rolex Kentucky is a fun time for all in attendance. Aside from the competition, the event features exquisite shopping in the Sponsor Village; an International Trade Fair with almost 200 booths and tents displaying designer clothing, artwork, gifts, sport clothing, horse-related items, and event souvenir items; and the brand-new “Kentucky Uncovered,” which highlights products unique to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Rolex Kentucky also features a variety of other entertaining attractions. General admission to the Kentucky Horse Park, America’s only theme park dedicated to horses, is included with each Rolex Kentucky ticket.
Coverage of America’s only Four Star Event includes an NBC broadcast – the Rolex Equestrian Championships presented by Land Rover – which will air on Sunday, May 4. All four days of the competition were streamed online LIVE on USEFNetwork.com, presented by SmartPak, beginning on Thursday, April 24.
For equestrian fans throughout the rest of the world, FEI TV is airing LIVE coverage of Saturday’s cross-country and Sunday’s show jumping competitions. To sign up for FEI TV, visit www.feitv.org.
The broadcast schedule is listed below, and is also available on the USEF Network coverage page, www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2014Rolex/. All broadcast times are subject to change.
* May 4: Rolex Equestrian Championships on NBC, 2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT
Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI) is a non-profit charitable Kentucky corporation that was established initially to produce the 1978 World Three-Day Event Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park. Following the success of those championships, EEI established an annual event which quickly evolved into what is today the only Four Star three-day event in the Western Hemisphere, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. The Kentucky Reining cup was incorporated as part of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event schedule in 2011.
For complete information, please visit www.RK3DE.org.
Stay up to date with Rolex Kentucky!
William Fox-Pitt accepted the Rolex watch for winning the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event on Bay My Hero from President and CEO Stewart Wicht.
(Ben Radvani photo)
Lauren Kieffer rode Veronica to second place in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Land Rover.
(Ben Radvani photo)
Buck Davidson rode Ballynoe Castle RM to third place in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Land Rover.
(Ben Radvani photo)
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Posted in Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event at 8:32 pm by EPR
Lexington, Ky., April 27, 2014 – Phillip Dutton won the Land Rover Best Ride of the Day award on Saturday at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Land Rover. His prize was a two-year lease on a 2013 Range Rover Evoque, a car he drove away on Saturday afternoon.
Dutton won the Land Rover Ride of the Day on Trading Aces, with whom he was placed ninth after cross-country. The Land Rover Best Ride of the Day award goes to the U.S. rider who finishes closest to the optimum time, with no jumping penalties.
Dutton, of West Grove, Pa., was the fifth rider on the cross-country course with Trading Aces, and he finished exactly on the optimum time of 11:12, checking his watch often as he neared the end of the course.
Dutton has only been riding Trading Aces for a few weeks, substituting for his friend Boyd Martin, who broke his leg in a fall from another horse during an event in March. Martin retired Trading Aces late on course in 2013, but Dutton credited Martin with giving the horse increased experience and fitness since then. “All credit to Boyd and everyone who’s worked with him,” said Dutton.
Dutton smiled and said he would not be sharing his Evoque with Martin, because Martin had won a different model of car with Trading Aces earlier this year.
The Range Rover Evoque, introduced in 2012, features a new ZF-9HP nine-speed automatic transmission to enhance performance and efficiency and a suspension configured for dynamic and agile handling across varied terrain. The Evoque is available in three models, each with a unique design theme.
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04.25.14
Posted in Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event at 7:52 pm by EPR
Lexington, Ky., April 25, 2014 –With a score of 39.5 penalties, Allison Springer, riding Arthur, emphatically took over the lead in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Land Rover. Two-time Rolex Kentucky winner William Fox-Pitt is second, on Bay My Hero (44.0), and Lauren Kieffer is third on Veronica (46.7).
Three riders are tied for fourth with a score of 49.5: Thursday’s leader Michael Pollard on Mensa G, Phillip Dutton on Mr. Medicott, and Jan Byyny on Inmidair. Will Faudree, who stood second on Thursday with Pawlow, is now seventh (49.8).
Some 13,760 spectators watched the second half of the 60-horse field perform their dressage tests today, the precursor to Saturday’s cross-country phase.
Springer, 39, of Upperville, Va., and Arthur also won the Rolex Kentucky dressage phase in 2012. “I think I liked this one better because I was a bit more emotional. But he went into the ring a much more confident horse. I think maybe we’re both maturing a little bit, and I do think this one was a bit better,” said Springer of Arthur, a 15-year-old U.S.-bred Irish Sporthorse.
Springer is also in 44th place on Copycat Chloe.
Fox-Pitt, 45, a member of Britain’s gold-medal team at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park, thought that Bay My Hero did some of his best work too.
“I was very happy with him today. He couldn’t have gone very much better,” said Fox-Pitt, noting that the weather had become dark and blustery by the time he and Springer rode, at mid-afternoon. “He can be quite easily distracted, because he likes to look at everything. But he really held it together well.”
Fox-Pitt is also in 10th place on Seacookie TSF.
Kieffer, 26, of Middleburg, Va., is riding at Rolex Kentucky for the second time, and this will also be Veronica’s second Rolex start. In 2012 Karen O’Connor fell off her at a water complex. Kieffer has been a student of Karen and David O’Connor’s for nine years and has been riding Veronica for about a year.
“There is a lot to do tomorrow, and I don’t think this will be a dressage show,” said Kieffer.
With dressage completed, the riders are now focusing their attention on Derek di Grazia’s cross-country course, which winds its way around the Kentucky Horse Park. Competition begins at 11:00 a.m.
The jump that’s grabbing their attention the most is a new creation, fences 16AB, the Angled Brushes.
“I think the angled hedges are about the most severe angle I’ve ever jumped,” said Springer. “But I really trust Derek as a course designer, and I have a lot of faith in Arthur.”
Said Fox-Pitt about the Angled Brushes: “We’ve all been squinting at them to try to make them look better. The horses will need to be really on the ball there-and all around the course. It’s a tough track, but I think the horses should finish well. It’s going to take some jumping.”
Kieffer called di Grazia “a genius as a course designer.”
She added, “The horses can see all the lines at the combinations if you ride them well. There are no tricks. But if you make a mistake, it will punish the rider, not the horse.”
The effect of the cross-country course will likely be substantial, as the horses placed from eighth to 34th have penalties between 51.2 and 59. 8.
In the new Dubarry of Ireland Nations Team Challenge, the United States is in the lead, thanks to Springer and Kieffer. By adding Pollard’s score, the U.S. total is 135.7 penalties.
Fox-Pitt is two-thirds of the British team, and when combined with Sarah Bullimore’s 52.7 on Reve Du Rouet, the British team’s second-placed score is 148.2.
Canada, with a 54.7 from Jessica Phoenix on Pavarotti and two scores from Selena O’Hanlon, is third with 168.5.
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04.24.14
Posted in Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event at 8:20 pm by EPR
Lexington, Ky., April 24, 2014 – Michael Pollard grabbed the early lead on the first day of dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Land Rover, scoring 49.5 penalties on Mensa G.
That score just eclipsed the score of 49.8 penalties earned by Will Faudree on Pawlow. Doug Payne scored 51.2 on Crown Talisman to claim third place.
The dressage judges at this year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event are Sandy Phillips of Great Britain, Gillian Rolton of Australia and Christina Klingspor of Sweden.
“I like to say that, on dressage day, you can’t win the event, but you certainly can lose it. I’m probably not going to keep the lead tomorrow, but this is a good start,” said Pollard, 33, of Dalton, Ga. “I just tried not to panic before I went in the ring.”
Mensa G is a 16-year-old Thoroughbred gelding by Colonial Affair-Fire The Secretary, Stop The Music, bred by Rutledge Farm in Middleburg, Va. Colonial Affair won the 1993 Belmont Stakes. Pollard, wife Nathalie Pollard and father-in-law Carl Bouckaert have owned him for two years.
Faudree ,32, of Southern Pines, N.C., said he thought that he “threw points away” with mistakes at the counter-canter and medium trot. But “all in all he stayed very rideable throughout the test, and overall I was happy.”
Faudree added, “It’s a disadvantage to go on Thursday morning [when the crowd is the smallest] with a horse who benefits from atmosphere. The more atmosphere there is around the ring, the less I have to kick and the more I can show off what he can do.”
Pawlow, 15, is an Irish-bred Thoroughbred gelding by Marcuzzi who finished sixth at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event with Faudree aboard.
But Payne, who celebrated his marriage just a few weeks ago, thought that going on the quieter Thursday was an advantage for him. “Crown Talisman is a little more excitable, so it was good for him to get this experience,” he said.
Unlike the other leaders, Payne will not be starting on Saturday’s cross-country course, though. He’s received a Land Rover travel grant to compete Crown Talisman at the Saumur CCI4* in France later this year. Still, he had high praise for the cross-country course Derek di Grazia has created for this year’s event. Di Grazia has been designing the Rolex Kentucky course since 2011.
“It’s a hell of a lot easier to comment on a course that you don’t have to ride,” he said with a smile. “But I think that Derek often doesn’t get as much credit as he deserves. The great thing with his course is that if you jump into the first element right, it generally works out. The horses really read his questions well and jump them well. I don’t think he penalizes the horses.”
Said Pollard, the father of four young children, “This course always looks big to me. I have yet to walk a four-star where it seems easy. It may be a little bit stiffer this year, because it’s a World Championship selection trial, but it’s always hard.”
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Posted in Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event at 8:15 pm by EPR
Lexington, KY- April 24, 2014-Jan Byyny and Will Faudree are the winners of the first awards to be presented at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Land Rover. At Wednesday evening’s welcome reception, they each earned a new pair of DuBarry boots as the best-dressed female and male riders at the first horse inspection, held on Wednesday afternoon.
Danny Hulse of DuBarry presented the fashionable waterproof boots to them.
Byyny of Purcellville, Va., is riding Inmidair at Rolex Kentucky.
Faudree, of Hoffman, N.C., is riding Pawlow at Rolex Kentucky.
Helen Sproat, a volunteer at Rolex Kentucky for more than 30 years, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
This reception, held at historic Spindletop Hall outside of Lexington, also featured the annual drawing among the competitors for a Rolex watch. Kristin Schmolze of Califon, N.J., won the drawing.
This Rolex watch is one of two signature watches given each year by the event’s title sponsor-the event’s winner receives the second watch on Sunday afternoon. No rider has yet won both watches in the same year.
The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Presented by Land Rover, April 24-27 at the Kentucky Horse Park, is one of the world’s most prestigious equestrian competitions and features the world’s best horses and riders vying for their share of $250,000 in prize money, as well as a shot at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, which is awarded to any rider who wins the Rolex Kentucky, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton and Land Rover Burghley four-star Events in succession.
The 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is a selection trial for the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games and will crown the 17th Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Champion. The only four-star event in the Western Hemisphere, Rolex Kentucky draws an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 spectators and is seen by millions more on worldwide telecasts.
This year, for the first time ever, Rolex Kentucky includes a team challenge. The Dubarry of Ireland Nations Team Challenge will award $20,000 in prize money, while helping national teams prepare for the team competition at the World Equestrian Games this summer. The winning nation will be the nation with the fewest penalties after adding together the final scores of the three highest-placed individuals from that nation.
Rolex Kentucky is a fun time for all in attendance. Aside from the competition, the event features exquisite shopping in the Sponsor Village; an International Trade Fair with almost 200 booths and tents displaying designer clothing, artwork, gifts, sport clothing, horse-related items, and event souvenir items; and the brand-new “Kentucky Uncovered,” which highlights products unique to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Rolex Kentucky also features a variety of other entertaining attractions. General admission to the Kentucky Horse Park, America’s only theme park dedicated to horses, is included with each Rolex Kentucky ticket.
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Posted in John Nicholson, Kentucky Horse Park at 8:04 pm by EPR
Ted Nicholson Chosen to Manage Park During Search for Permanent Executive Director
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 23, 2014) – The Kentucky Horse Park Commission announced today that it has selected Ted G. Nicholson as the interim executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park following the retirement of John Nicholson on April 30. Ted Nicholson will begin his tenure in May and serve until a permanent executive director is hired later this year. A search firm is expected to begin work to conduct a nationwide search for the permanent executive director within the next 30 days.
“The Kentucky Horse Park Commission is pleased to have Ted Nicholson join our team and lead the Kentucky Horse Park during this transition period,” said Alston Kerr, chair of the Kentucky Horse Park Commission. “With his success at operating multi-million-dollar equine and entertainment facilities at various locations throughout the country, we believe that Ted is the right person to serve as interim director.”
Nicholson currently serves as a partner with the Racing Resource Group, a horse racing consulting firm in Louisville. Prior to that, Nicholson was the vice president and general manager of the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, where he orchestrated the grand opening of the $240 million, 22,500-seat sports and concert facility. He also served as the interim president, corporate vice president and vice president of operations at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Before coming to Kentucky, Nicholson served as the chief operating officer of the New York City Off-Track Betting.
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