Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2014/2015 – Freestyle: Living the dream – Dujardin And Valegro Make It A Delightful Double Of Reem Acra Titles

The sensational British duo, Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, secured their second consecutive title when winning the Freestyle at the Reeem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack arena in Las Vegas, USA today. On an afternoon of superb sporting entertainment during which the spectators played a major role, the Olympic, World and European title-holders threw down another of the iconic performances that have set them apart from the rest over the last four extraordinary years.

They came close to their world-record Freestyle score when posting 94.196, and finished almost 10 percentage points ahead of their nearest rivals, The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover who scored 84.696. Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Unee BB slotted into third with 80.464, and America’s Laura Graves lined up fourth with Verdades on a mark of 79.125.

“I’m just living the dream!”, Dujardin said, after accepting the beautiful new trophy designed by New York fashion designer, Reem Acra.

Peters Steffen, (USA), Legolas 92
Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final
Las Vegas 2015
© Hippo Foto – Dirk Caremans
16/04/15

New dimension

Dressage has taken on a whole new dimension at the Thomas & Mack Centre this week. American spectators are encouraged to totally immerse themselves in what is going on in the ring, and they clapped and roared their approval throughout every test. It was clear from the outset today that they would be louder than ever, but the horses and riders rose to the challenge, and many revelled in it. Denmark’s Mikala Munter Gundersen and her 15-year-old mare, My Lady, set the arena alight when sixth to go, their musical score carrying the audience with them all the way and ensuring the leading mark of 75.018 at the halfway stage of the competition.

But it just kept getting better and better, Russia’s Inessa Merkulov and Mister X producing another real crowd-pleaser when first to go after the break as the handsome gelding rolled out his expressive trot extensions and great piaffe/passage for a mark of 76.911 to take the lead.

And if ever there was a stage that suited Isabell Werth and El Santo this was it. The German rider always throws her heart and soul into every test, and even though her 14-year-old gelding decided, like several others, that the spotlight on the beautiful new Reem Acra trophy that took pride of place by the ringside was extremely suspect, the lady who has stashed 14 Olympic medals into her trophy cabinet just rode him through a scary moment and drew a riotous reaction to her courageous extended canter and hip-swinging passage for a new leading mark of 77.875.

Raised the bar

The Netherlands‘ Hans Peter Minderhoud raised the bar higher again with a quality ride on the elegant Glock’s Flirt that put 79.036 on the board, only to be immediately overtaken by America’s Laura Graves and Verdades. This bay gelding was much happier in the arena today, and his every move was greeted by applause as he posted 79.125. But then along came Dujardin and Valegro, who just blew the rest away as they punched out passage and piaffe of the finest calibre, pirouettes that drew gasps of disbelief from the crowd and a final march down the centerline that was greeted with rapturous applause as their massive score went up on the board.

Follow that

Edward Gal had to follow that, and despite the pressure produced great work from Glock’s Undercover who, earlier in the week, was very sensitive to the atmosphere. In the Thomas & Mack arena there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, but the black gelding held his nerve to rocket his rider up to second spot, and they wouldn’t be demoted.

America’s Steffen Peters had the audience in the palm of his hand as, second-last to go, he scored 80.286 with Legolas, but sadly he was eliminated after a small amount of blood was found on the horse’s side at the post-competition vet-check. With Peters’ score set aside, that allowed Graves to move up into fourth spot when the final pair, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Unee BB, were awarded 80.484 and third place despite some early mistakes, the 14-year-old gelding, Unee BB, recovering his equilibrium to deliver some fabulous passage/piaffe and extended trot.

Defending champions, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, lived up to expectations when winning the Grand Prix on the opening day of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack Centre in Las Vegas, USA. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Close to perfection

But once again it was all about Dujardin and Valegro whose performance today was very close to perfection. The sport of Dressage has entered a whole new era thanks to the incredibly high standard they have set. Edward Gal said this evening, “when I started out, scoring over 60% was something, then it was 70% and then 80% – but now it seems 90 is the new 80! To come out on the top now you need near-perfection, and with the horses we have we can compete very close to perfection.”

Dujardin said this evening that she wondered if the crowd’s enthusiasm would be difficult for Valegro today, but instead, “he just went, yahoo! I must be doing something they like!” She down-played her role in yet another vintage performance. “Valegro just loves his job, I don’t have to force him to do anything, I just sit there and steer and off I go, there’s no sweating, no pushing, no pulling, he knows his job and it’s just fantastic!”

Asked about the wall of noise in the arena she said “that’s what it’s all about! I don’t go into the ring to do less than a 10, and Valegro lets me do that. If he gets worried I know I can reassure him, he trusts me, but he’s always been a brave horse.”

And she was made an incredible offer by Reem Acra, who has supported the FEI World Cup™ Dressage series for the last five years. When Dujardin thanked her for her sponsorship of the Western European League and Final this evening, Reem Acra replied – “I’m very happy to do it. And you know Charlotte that your wedding dress is coming from me!”

For further information on the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April, visit http://www.worldcuplasvegas.com or contact Press Officer Marty Baumann, marty@classic-communications.com, +1 508 698 6810.

Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin holds the new Reem Acra trophy aloft after making it a back-to-back double of victories with the amazing Valegro at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015 Final in the Thomas & Mack arena in Las Vegas, USA today. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Result: 1, Valegro (Charlotte Dujardin) GBR 94.196;

2, Glock’s Undercover (Edward Gal) NED 84.696;

3, Unee BB (Jessica von Bredow-Werndl) GER 80.464;

4, Verdades (Laura Graves) USA 79.125;

5, Glock’s Flirt (Hans Peter Minderhoud) NED 79.036;

6, El Santo NRW (Isabell Werth) GER 77.875;

7, Mister X (Inessa Merkulova) RUS 76.911;

8, Painted Black (Morgan Barbancon Mestre) ESP 76.161;

9, My Lady (Mikala Munter Gundersen) DEN 75.018;

10, Qui Vincit Dynamis (Fabienne Lutkemeier) GER 74.804.

Facts and Figures:

Defending champions, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, made it a back-to-back double of wins when coming out in the Freestyle competition at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack arena in Las Vegas, USA today.

The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover filled second place with a mark of 84.696.

This was the 30th anniversary of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage series. The inaugural Final took place in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands in 1986 where Sweden’s Anne-Grethe Jensen came out on top for Sweden.

The Ground Jury for today’s competition consisted of: At K, Annette Fransen Iacobaeus SWE; At E, Hans-Christian Matthiesen DEN; At H, Stephen Clarke GBR; At C, Liselotte Fore USA; At M, Peter Holler GER; At B, Maria Schwennesen AUS; At F, Francis Verbeek von Rooy NED.

Winning rider, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, was presented with a brand new silver trophy designed by New York fashion designer Reem Acra. Complete with a leather belt and silver equestrian buckle it marries Reem Acra’s two passions – horses and fashion. The new trophy has been mounted on the original base that has been used for the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final since it was first presented at the Final in 1986 at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED).

The Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, USA where the FEI World Cup™ 2015 Finals will get underway on Thursday 16 April. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Quotes:

Charlotte Dujardin: “I don’t think about the pressure, because that’s distracting and things can start to go wrong so I just go in there to do the very best I can do!”

Edward Gal: “I wouldn’t normally be the oldest one (on the podium), usually Isabell is here! I feel like I’m 25, and after a few operations I could look like it too!”

Robert Dover, US Dressage Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor : “Sadly Legolas did have a tiny bit of red on one side following his test, the rules are clear and we understand the decision that was made. Steffen is the ultimate sportsman and true ambassador for the sport. When you watch riders, like Steffen, who are so loving and sympathetic to their horses, have something completely unexpected happen, all you can feel is immense empathy and sadness for them.”

Edward Gal: “my horse was nervous on the first day but when you have control you can cope better. The clapping was ok, although it got a bit wild in the prize-giving! The audience is really with you in the ring, they like it and they show it. It’s fine as long as it doesn’t make you make mistakes!”

Ground Jury President Lilo Fore:“from where we sit, the judges can only see good horses and riders. No matter how many years I am doing this job the excitement never goes away! Horses nowadays are such amazing athletes. Their movement is more exuberant, they have more suppleness and their impulsion and collection is better than ever before”.

Laura Graves: “I was happy that my horse was more relaxed than Thursday. It was fun and I couldn’t be more pleased”.

Edward Gal: “the very best should win and Charlotte does such an amazing job and we need horses and riders like them in our sport.”

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl: “I had a roller-coaster of emotion in there today. He (Unee BB) was a bit scared of the light on the trophy and there were some mistakes at the beginning so I thought now I have to go for it, but he did a really good job. I was very pleased at the end”.

Edward Gal, when asked what it was like to be the oldest rider on the podium: “I wouldn’t normally be the oldest one, usually Isabell (Werth) is here! I feel like I’m 25, and after a few operations I could look like it too!”.

Laura Graves: “it’s exciting to have the World Cup in the US, and yes, Las Vegas is surreal. I left my hotel before six this morning and there was a party going on in the bar. And what’s really special is that the crowd bring the party to the stadium!”

FEI YouTube: https://youtu.be/DOQuSmcBAOs

Louise Parkes

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014/2015 – Competition 2: Guerdat gallops to victory in second-round thriller

Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat showed exactly why he’s the reigning Olympic champion when coming out on top in the gripping second round of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack arena in Las Vegas, USA tonight. Anthony D’Ambrosio’s course proved very tough indeed, and just six of the 32 starters qualified for the jump-off against the clock in which the 32-year-old rider and his 12-year-old mare, Albufuehren’s Paille, clinched it with a superb run when second-last to go.

It was a thriller from the outset, and with the crowd getting behind every competitor the atmosphere was electrifying. The home supporters had even more to cheer about when four of the six to jump first-round clears were flying the US flag, 2013 champions, Beezie Madden and Simon, filling second spot at the end of the night ahead of Lucy Davis and Barron in third, while the 2012 champions, Rich Fellers and Flexible, finished fourth. Norway’s Geir Gulliksen and Edesa S Banjan lined up fifth ahead of America’s McLain Ward and Rothchild in sixth.

Ireland’s Bertram Allen and the brilliant grey mare, Molly Malone, won the opening Speed competition of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack arena in Las Vegas, USA. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Proven right

Course designer, Anthony D’Ambrosio, accurately predicted the number that would make it into the jump-off, but those spots were hard-earned as his first track took a heavy toll. Poles fell all around the course, with the line from the triple bar at seven to the following double – vertical to oxer – claiming plenty of victims. But it was the penultimate triple combination of two big oxers followed by a vertical that was the bogey of the night. A total of 16 horses faulted here, and D’Ambrosio said afterwards, “there was a difficult choice of distances, and either choice needed to be executed to perfection. Many of those who chose to go on six strides ended up without enough impulsion at the middle element, and I was surprised more didn’t go for the five”.

Last into the ring first time out were Thursday’s Speed-leg winners Bertram Allen and Molly Malone, and they went on the five strides here, clearing the two big oxers only to lower the final vertical. However with the quickest four faults, the 19-year-old Irishman slotted into seventh place to keep himself well in contention going into Sunday’s finale when his mare may well feel the benefit of not having had to return to the ring for a second time tonight.

Against the clock

Gulliksen led the way against the clock, faulting at the third-last, and Davis showed there was plenty of room for improvement on his time of 40.06 when she shaved almost eight seconds off that with a brilliant round from Barron that went perfectly to plan until they lost their distance to the final fence and left that on the floor.

Third to go, Madden produced the first clear in 33.31 seconds, but it wasn’t all plain sailing as she explained. “I can be fastest with Simon on the turns, and I angled the liverpool (second fence on this track) but he lost his footing to the skinny (following vertical) and I had to do an extra stride to the double as a result. I felt a bit rattled, but we picked it up and I thought we did pretty well in the end” she said.

Ward was next to go, but his round fell apart when Rothchild ground to a halt at the skinny vertical, third fence on the course, and they completed with 18 faults on the board. In stark contrast however, Guerdat’s tour of the track was as smooth as a bar of Swiss chocolate, the mare who helped him win the Western European League qualifying series with a last-leg victory in Gothenburg, Sweden last month, breaking the beam in 32.87 seconds to take the lead. And when, last to go, Flexible hit the first fence, Fellers was only challenging for a strong four-fault result as he raced home in 32.80 seconds.

Vrieling Jur, (NED), VDL Zirocco Blue
Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final I
Las Vegas 2015
© Hippo Foto – Dirk Caremans
17/04/15

As many points as possible

Guerdat said the courses so far have been very tough. “We will have to see which horses recover best after the last two days. Stamina will count for a lot now, they need to be in top shape to jump again on Sunday” he pointed out. And Madden agreed. “Now it comes down to clear round jumping and speed doesn’t count so much. There’s usually a lot of movement in placings on the last day, and in a small indoor like this, well anything can happen!”, she said.

The Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping title is one that has eluded Guerdat, and it’s been a pretty frustrating experience. “In 2012 I went into a jump-off with Rich and he won, and in 2013 it was a jump-off with Beezie and she won, and then last year I was leading going into the final day and I messed up again!” he said with a laugh tonight. So maybe this time lady luck will be on his side, but we have to wait until Sunday to find out.

And with results turned into points after the first two competitions it’s going to be edge-of-the-seat excitement to the very end, because Guerdat and Fellers now share the lead on a zero score, closely followed by Bertram Allen carrying just one penalty point while Penelope Leprevost from France is next in line with five. It’s still very much all to play for before the destination of the 2015 Longines title is decided.

For further information on the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014/2015 in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April, visit http://www.worldcuplasvegas.com

Result:

1, Albfuehren’s Paille (Steve Guerdat) SUI 0/0 32.87;

2, Simon (Beezie Madden) USA 0/0 33.31; 3,

Barron (Lucy Davis) USA 0/4 32.53;

4, Flexible (Rich Fellers) USA 0/4 32.80;

5, Edesa S Banjan (Geir Gulliksen) NOR 0/4 40.06;

6, Rothchild (McLain Ward) USA 0/18 48.44;

7, Molly Malone (Bertram Allen) IRL 4/69.39;

8, Casello (Douglas Lindelow) SWE 4/69.66;

9, Vagabond de la Pomme (Penelope Leprevost) FRA 4/70.01;

10, Domino (Jos Verlooy) BEL 4/70.43.

The 2012 champions, America’s Rich Fellers and Flexible, (FEI/Kit Houghton)

Facts and Figures:

Course designer, America’s Anthony D’Ambrosio, presented another 13-fence track for tonight’s second competition in the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack arena in Las Vegas, USA.

The time-allowed in the first round was 73 seconds.

The bogey fence on the track was the penultimate triple combination.

35 horse-and-rider combinations started in tonight’s class.

16 countries were represented.

5 horse-and-rider combinations qualified for the thrilling second-round jump-off won by Olympic champion Steve Guerdat from Switzerland riding Albfuehren’s Paille.

The youngest horse in the competition was the eight-year-old mare KS Corradina, ridden by Latvia’s Andis Varna.

The oldest horse competing was the 19-year stallion Flexible, who was lying second with his American rider Rich Fellers as the competition began and who finished fourth tonight but goes into Sunday’s finale sharing the lead with Guerdat on a zero score after the results of the first two competitions were converted into points.

Ireland’s Bertram Allen, winner of Thursday’s opening competition, lies third going into Sunday’s decider, carrying just a single penalty point.

The Jumping horses have a rest day tomorrow, but tonight’s three top riders, Guerdat, Madden and Davis will be back in the arena because they will be teaming up with three National Reined Cow Horse Association riders for a special exhibition, “The Duel in the Desert”, in which they will ride cow horses while their team-mates take up the challenge of jumping fences.

Quotes:

Olympic champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, won the thrilling second round of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final with Albfuehren’s Paille at the Thomas & Mack arena in Las Vegas, USA tonight. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Steve Guerdat SUI, talking about his mare, Albfuehren’s Paille: “she came to me 10 months ago with two other horses from Albfuehrens, she’d already been quite successful for another rider. She has a great character and she’s a big fighter. She doesn’t do a big show over the fences but she has jumped a lot of clear rounds over the winter. She’s jumped clear in seven or eight Grand Prix. I’m very pleased to have her”.

Lucy Davis USA: “I was in 16th going into today so there was no room for being conservative. I went as fast as I could without totally unravelling my horse for Sunday. I wasn’t clear, but I’m glad to move up the leaderboard. I’m not as close to the top as I was hoping, now I will just try to jump clear rounds”.

Steve Guerdat SUI: “I planned to pick up as many points as possible today. In the jump-off I had to try to catch Beezie, and I’m very happy how it worked out”.

Lucy Davis USA, talking about her ride down to the influential triple combination in the first round today: “I planned to do six (strides) but after watching people struggle I decided to switch to five, my horse has a big stride and a lot of scope and he handled it perfectly”.

Steve Guerdat SUI: “I love this show, for a few years it didn’t come back to Las Vegas. I think shows in Europe have a lot to learn from the way they do things here, and a lot of the European riders have asked me what it is like. I tell them it’s so good – the atmosphere, the music, the spectators are happy and laughing and cheering for every horse – it’s all about entertainment for the crowd and I think it’s great, I really like it”.

FEI YouTube:

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014/15 Las Vegas – Steve Guerdat – YouTube – https://youtu.be/LrJYZgiw1kM

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014/15 Las Vegas – Final 2 News – YouTube – https://youtu.be/OTVqOlObSUU

Louise Parkes

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final: Irish wonderboy, Bertram Allen, Wins First Round Of Longines Final With Molly Malone

Ireland’s Bertram Allen and the brilliant grey mare, Molly Malone, won the opening Speed competition of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack arena in Las Vegas, USA tonight. With a performance that mirrored his surprise success on the opening day of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, France last September where he eventually placed individually seventh, the German-based 19-year-old simply left the rest trailing in his wake when going 32nd in the field of 40 starters.

Runners-up were the 2012 FEI World Cup™ Jumping champions, America’s Rich Fellers and the amazing Irish-bred stallion Flexible who, tonight, belied his 19 years of age with a fantastic tour of Anthony d’Ambrosio’s 13-fence track. And there was a divide for third spot when both Patrice Delaveau (Orient Express HDC) from France and Dutchman Jur Vrieling (VDL Zirocco Blue NOP) cleared the line in exactly the same time. Olympic champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, lined up fifth with Albfuehren’s Paille while Frenchwoman Penelope Leprevost filled sixth spot following a copybook round with Vagabond de la Pomme.

Vrieling Jur, (NED), VDL Zirocco Blue
Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final I
Las Vegas 2015
© Hippo Foto – Dirk Caremans
17/04/15

No easy task

The course for tonight’s Speed contest consisted of 13 fences, and in the tight confines of the Thomas & Mack arena it proved no easy task to leave all the poles intact. But another budding young talent, pathfinder 19-year-old Jos Verlooy from Belgium, showed it was perfectly jumpable when setting the standard with a great clear in 68.27 seconds with Domino. The first element of the double at fence five, and the triple combination at fence eight were the bogeys of the evening, but plenty of mistakes were also made elsewhere as riders tried to find the quickest route home. And it was the target set by third-to-go Delaveau, and matched by Vrieling who also cleared the line in 66.44 seconds when 20th into the ring, that they were all chasing right down to the closing stages.

Allen’s round was as exciting as it gets, with breath-taking turns combined with rhythm, balance, accuracy and extraordinary speed. He said afterwards that he didn’t get a perfect stride going into the triple combination but that Molly Malone was very clever there. And the young man who has taken the sport by storm over the last year, and recently moved into the No 10 spot on the Longines world rankings, steadied on the approach to the last. A stride out here would have made him absolutely invincible, but he had the maturity to stick to the plan he had made before going into the ring, and it proved absolutely the right decision as he put the new target of 65.45 seconds onto the scoreboard. He said, “there was a fast eight or a steady nine (strides) there, and I had already decided to go on the nine. I wouldn’t have changed that plan even if it meant I was going to be a half-second slower”.

Faster

Defending champion, Germany’s Daniel Deusser, was faster with Cornet d’Amour but lowered the very last fence when next to go. Even with the four-second penalty added however, he still slotted into tenth place at the end of the night, and this leaves him well in contention going into tomorrow’s second competition.

Fellers and Flexible then set off at a scorching pace and with the spectators right behind them. The rider from Oregon said afterwards that his stallion’s back is dropping with age, “but it rises up when he hears the crowd – he loves them!” And galloping through the timers in 66.11 seconds he would clinch second place despite the best efforts of the remaining six left to go.

Reflecting

Reflecting on his victory, Allen said afterwards, “I was always going to try to win the class, but for it come off is amazing! I’m very happy with my horse, she jumped super, the atmosphere and the arena were very different but she coped really well with it”. It seems his 11-year-old mare has a naughty side to her nature. Asked to describe her this evening, Allen said, “Molly is quite a strong character and she has her own special ways. She had me worried earlier today because she half ran away with me when I was riding her! But this evening she knew what she had to do and just went in and did it, she always gives her best”.

Fellers insisted he wasn’t surprised to finish so high up the order tonight. “Flexible feels as good as ever and the crowd took four or five years off his age!” But this is a horse who has been written off many times due to injury and illness, and his rider got a bit of a fright earlier in the week. “For the first time in his life he had a little colic issue the other day, it was a bit of a scare, but thanks to my sharp groom it worked out alright. She grabbed the team vet and he did a great job and he (Flexible) seems fine now”.

He is looking forward to tomorrow’s competition and the prospect of making it through to Sunday’s decider, but it’s clearly going to be a tough battle all the way. And after tonight, with results converted into points, Allen holds just a slender two-point lead over the American challenger, while Delaveau and Vrieling are just a single point further behind.

For further information on the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014/2015 in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April, visit http://www.worldcuplasvegas.com

Delaveau Patrice, (FRA), Orient Express
Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final I
Las Vegas 2015
© Hippo Foto – Dirk Caremans
17/04/15

Result:

1, Molly Malone (Bertram Allen) IRL 65.45;

2, Flexible (Rich Fellers) USA 66.11; Equal

3, Orient Express (Patrice Delaveau) FRA 66.44, VDL Zirocco Blue NOP (Jur Vrieling) NED 66.44;

5, Albfuehren’s Paille (Steve Guerdat) SUI 67.09;

6, Vagabond de la Pomme (Penelope Leprevost) FRA 67.57;

7, PSG Future (Martin Fuchs) SUI 68.17; 8, Domino (Jos Verlooy) BEL 68.27;

9, VDL Groep Verdi (Maikel van der Vleuten) NED 68.28;

10, Cornet d’Amour (Daniel Deusser) GER 69.09.

Facts and Figures:

19-year-old Bertram Allen from Ireland won the first leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA tonight riding Molly Malone.

Runner-up spot went to America’s Rich Fellers with the amazing 19-year-old Irish-bred stallion, Flexible, winner of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final’s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands in 2012.

2 riders, Patrice Delaveau from France (Orient Express HDC) and The Netherlands’ Jur Vrieling (VDL Zirocco Blue NOP) shared third place when clearing the 13-fence course set by Anthony d’Ambrosio in exactly the same time, 66.44 seconds.

A total of 40 horse and rider combinations started in tonight’s competition at the end of which the riders’ results were converted into points.

Allen heads the leaderboard going into tomorrow evening’s second leg which starts at 19.00 local time.

Defending champion and World No. 1, Germany’s Daniel Deusser, lies 10th going into the second day of competition.

Quotes:

Ireland’s Bertram Allen and the brilliant grey mare, Molly Malone, won the opening Speed competition of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack arena in Las Vegas, USA. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Bertram Allen IRL: “It was great to do well tonight and get the ball rolling! I didn’t want to take too much risk. I wanted to finish in the top five if I could”.

Jur Vrieling NED: “I didn’t want to go too crazy in the first round and he (VDL Zirocco Blue) did it really well”.

Bertram Allen IRL – talking about what it was like to ride in the Thomas & Mack arena tonight: “the fences are almost on top of the crowd, we are used to extremes in our sport but this is really extreme!”

Patrice Delaveau FRA – “at the beginning of the course it didn’t go right between fences three and four so it wasn’t the best start and there was a bit of a fight for us to keep it together”.

Rich Fellers USA – “Every course for every class is different and it’s nice to get in the ring and see how horses respond but the competition tomorrow is not a speed competition so it will require a different strategy.”

Course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio: “the course worked out as I thought it would and it was a great competition for the crowd”.

FEI YouTube https://youtu.be/p8dy_v9gL-4

Louise Parkes

Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final: Britain’s Dujardin Shines, And Peters Springs A Nice American Surprise

Defending champions, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, lived up to expectations when winning the Grand Prix on the opening day of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack Centre in Las Vegas, USA today. The reigning Olympic, World and European title-holders produced a brilliant test to finish over six marks ahead of The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover, but the big hero of the day was America’s Steffen Peters who lined up third with Legolas just over two marks further adrift.

The home crowd were naturally hoping for strong performances from their two contenders, and, fourth to go, Laura Graves and Verdades were hotly-tipped to give the leaders a run for their money. But it was 50-year-old Peters, winner the last time the FEI World Cup™ Finals visited Las Vegas in 2009, who once again lifted American spirits with a master-class of superb horsemanship.

The Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, USA where the FEI World Cup™ 2015 Finals will get underway on Thursday 16 April. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Tested concentration and nerve

The arena itself is a challenge at the Thomas & Mack Centre, providing only just enough space to fit the dressage boards inside, and the proximity to the crowd tested concentration and nerve. Graves‘ 13-year-old gelding, who has been on fire on the outdoor Florida circuit over the last few months, found it intimidating as her rider pointed out after posting a score of 74.314. “He was at 80% in the warm-up, but he was nervous going in (to the arena) and he was really hot down the first centreline. Luckily we have that extension to get out some of it, but then it just turned into some of our turns – he would get something in his eye, a flash or whatnot – and he just backed-up a little. But he was really obedient, he really tried to be brave, so I couldn’t ask for any more” she explained.

One contender whose nerves definitely didn’t show was the oldest horse in the competition, the 18-year-old Painted Black who was previously ridden by nine-time FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion Anky van Grunsven from The Netherlands, and who is continuing to thrive for new partner, Morgan Barbancon Mestre. The 23-year-old Spaniard produced an extraordinary test, with the stallion apparently on springs through lovely passage and piaffe and giving it his all through extended trot for a score of 73.786.

Defending champions, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, lived up to expectations when winning the Grand Prix on the opening day of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack Centre in Las Vegas, USA. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Whole new level

But once Dujardin and Valegro set sail the bar was raised to a whole new level. The British rider had been concerned about her multiple-record-breaking gelding who she said had been “a bit flat” over the last few days. But when the lights went on the curtain came up he turned into the showman the world has come to know and love. Pounding out his trademark passage and piaffe, strutting his stuff through extravagant extended trot, and producing the most exquisite of pirouettes he soared to the top of the leaderboard with a mark of 85.414, and none of the rest would come near that.

Germany’s Isabell Werth has competed in 14 FEI World Cup™ Dressage Finals and the double-champion can always be relied upon to be competitive, but with a mark of 72.843 with El Santo she had to settle for eighth place today. The main challenge came from the final three, Peters demonstrating his craft by coaxing some wonderful work from the 13-year-old Legolas whose trot-tour was copybook. Posting 76.843 the American was in runner-up spot before Edward Gal and Glock’s Undercover set off.
No-one knew what to expect of this edgy black gelding in this electrifying environment, and he broke into canter in the movement requiring walk to passage. But the quality of the rest of his test was good enough for a mark of 79.057, and once Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Unee BB made some mistakes including fluffing their two-tempis, then they had to settle for fourth place ahead of Graves in fifth and Barbancon Mestre in sixth.

Bounced back

Dujardin was delighted that Valegro bounced back today. “He had a massive journey and it hit him as well as the temperature change, but I got on him today and he was all ready to go. I think he just knew what he had to do and that’s what I mean – he just never lets me down!” she said.

Peters was on a high, because he knew his third-place result was unexpected. “It’s a big surprise to a lot of people and myself too!” he said. He competed Legolas in Florida in January “and it didn’t go so well”. The horse had a break following last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, and had only just come back to work. His poor result was a shock. “We got barely 70%, so I knew if we wanted to qualify for Las Vegas we needed to change things drastically” Peters explained, and it seems he left nothing to chance. “He’s had lots of outings and we even went to an event three hours north where there were about 100 people and a lot of noise and atmosphere. We recorded cheering and music, and put it on a five-minute sound-file and played it over the audio system. We prepared a lot, and I’m thrilled because it has worked out beautifully!” he said, and no-one could argue with that.

Peters Steffen, (USA), Legolas 92
Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final
Las Vegas 2015
© Hippo Foto – Dirk Caremans
16/04/15

Strain

Gal said that the trip from Europe was difficult for horses, and not being able to ride for three days while they were in quarantine was also a strain. “But he felt actually quite ok” he said of Glock’s Undercover.. “He was good in training, but today in the walk to passage we made a mistake. Sometimes I find the tension flows away and then comes back up again when I’m riding him, but he did good. A year ago I couldn’t have done what we did today” he said, knowing that his horse is still improving, even at 14 years of age.

With everyone scoring well over the required 60%, all 18 now go through to the Freestyle which will decide the new champion, and with Dujardin and Valegro in sparkling form it seems a back-to-back double is very much on the cards for the wonder-horse and his super-talented rider. But Laura Graves hasn’t given up hope of making a big impression when the Freestyle gets underway at 12 noon on Saturday.

The American who rocketed to centre stage with a fifth-place individual finish in Normandy last summer said this afternoon, “that’s where we’re going to pull out the big guns hopefully! Now having this one (the Grand Prix) under out belt, we’ll have a little school tomorrow, and I know my horse will be more confident on Saturday and then we’ll push the envelope!”

For further information on the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April, visit http://www.worldcuplasvegas.com

Defending champions, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, lived up to expectations when winning the Grand Prix on the opening day of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack Centre in Las Vegas, USA. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Result:

1, Valegro (Charlotte Dujardin) GBR 85.414;

2, Glock’s Undercover NOP (Edward Gal) NED 79.057;

3, Legolas (Steffen Peters) USA 76.843;

4, Unee BB (Jessica von Bredow-Werndl) GER 74.843;

5, Verdades (Laura Graves) USA 74.314;

6, Painted Black (Morgan Barbancon Mestres) ESP 73.786;

7, Glock’s Flirt (Hans Peter Minderhoud) NED 73.657;

8, El Santo NRW (Isabell Werth) GER 72.843; 9,

Di Lapponia T (Paulinda Friberg) SWE 72.686;

10, Mister X (Inessa Merkulova) RUS 71.343.

Facts and Figures:
Olympic, World, European and reigning Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage champions, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and the gelding Valegro, won the Grand Prix at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, USA today.

There were four former FEI World Cup™ Dressage winning riders amongst the start-list of 18, and three of them claimed the podium placings, 2010 champion, The Netherlands’ Edward Gal, finishing second with Glock’s Undercover and the USA’s Steffen Peters, who topped the podium in Las Vegas in 2009, standing third.

The Grand Prix decides the starting order for Saturday’s Freestyle which will decide the fate of the 2015 Reem Acra title.

FEI YouTube: https://youtu.be/bz3qwSNiJ-4

Louise Parkes

All-systems-go for FEI World Cup™ 2015 Finals in Las Vegas

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014:2015

The stage is set and it’s all-systems-go at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, USA where the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping and Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015 Finals get underway on Thursday.

All horses passed their veterinary inspections today, and even that provided entertainment with some over-exuberant equines giving their handlers a hard time. Age is no barrier to naughty behaviour as Morgan Barbacon’s 18-year-old stallion, Painted Black, demonstrated when breaking free and going for a quick gallop around the ring before regaining his decorum. And there were plenty of high-jinks from the jumpers too, although Rich Fellers’ 19-year-old stallion, Flexible, was as relaxed as it is possible to be.

Huge anticipation

There is huge anticipation of a great week ahead, and tomorrow is dedicated to warm-up classes before the excitement goes into over-drive with a rapid-fire opening day on Thursday when the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Grand Prix gets the action underway at 12 noon and the opening competition of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping takes place at 19.00 local time.

Early on Friday morning the Dressage riders and horses have the opportunity to rehearse their Freestyle, and at 19.00 the second Jumping competition take place. Saturday brings the much-anticipated Freestyle, which will bring the Reem Acra Final to a close, starting at 12 noon. And then on Sunday the new Longines Jumping champion will be crowned following the top-30 Final.

Defending Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, reports that her super-star gelding, Valegro, is feeling the heat a little. “The temperature has definitely hit him, he doesn’t have long to acclimatise before he starts to compete but it’s great to be here and taking part in this show in the middle of the desert! He’s flown well and the last two days we gave him some easy time, not too much work. He’s gone from winter at home to this incredible heat, and I’m hoping he’s not suffering from jet-lag!” she said. It has been windy and sunny today in the entertainment capital of the world, with the barometer showing a temperature of 85 degrees at 15.30 local time.

Challenges

The Thomas & Mack Arena presents many challenges for equestrian competitions due to its unusual shape and size. It regularly hosts concerts and sporting fixtures, including boxing, football and basketball tournaments. “It’s a bit like a huge lunge-pen!” Dujardin said today, “I’m told it’s bigger than Olympia (London) but it doesn’t feel like it, maybe it’s because the seats rise so high around the ring. How are they going to fit seven judges in there?” she asked with a laugh. “It will be my first time to start my test inside the arena so that should be interesting too!” she added.

It is always a big test for the course designer too, but America’s Anthony D’Ambrosio knows what’s expected because he also presented the tracks for the 2009 FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Las Vegas. He’s been an FEI 4* course designer for over 10 years and is a double-recipient of the USHJA Course Designer of the Year Award.

Defending Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Germany’s Daniel Deusser, said today that the size of the arena is not a problem for him or for Cornet D’Amour. In fact he’s feeling pretty upbeat about his chances of doing the double this week and walking away with that coveted Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping trophy for the second year in a row.

“For my horse it’s not a disadvantage. In a small arena the fences come up very fast but he’s so rideable and has a great technique. I’ve had good results with him in small indoor arenas and big ones too, and recently he was fantastic in Doha (QAT) and in Den Bosch (NED) so I’ve got a great feeling with him right now. I don’t want to say that I’m going to win again, but I’m feeling really confident!”

It’s going to be a thriller from start to finish, so don’t miss a hoof-beat. If you can’t be there, then watch all the action LIVE on FEI TV!!

The Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, USA where the FEI World Cup™ 2015 Finals will get underway on Thursday 16 April. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Facts and Figures:

Things to know about the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final:

A total of 45 Jumping horses were presented at the first veterinary inspection at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas today and were passed fit to compete.

4 riders presented two horses each – Kevin Staut (FRA), Katie Laurie (NZL), Kirsten Coe (USA) and Vinton Karrasch (USA).

Following the withdrawal of Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Alsharbatly, the starting field for the Final is reduced to 41 riders.

The draw for order-of-go in Thursday’s first competition will take place tomorrow (Wednesday) evening.

Course designer is America’s Anthony d’Ambrosio.

In the 37-year history of the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Finals, a total of 496 riders from 53 nations have competed.

The USA holds the record for the greatest number of riders attending the Finals, with a total of 113. The country with the next highest number is Germany with a total of 48.

Austria’s Hugo Simon was the first winner of the FEI World Cup™ Jumping title at the inaugural Final in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1979. Riding Gladstone, he came out on top in a two-way jump-off against America’s Katie Monahan and The Jones Boy.

Great Britain’s Michael Whitaker holds the record for the greatest number of attendances at the Final. He competed on 23 occasions but never won the title.

Defending champion is Germany’s Daniel Deusser (Cornet D’Amour).

Germany’s Marcus Ehning (Singular LS La Silla) is bidding to become the first-ever rider to win the FEI World Cup™ Jumping title for the fourth time.

The 2012 champions, America’s Rich Fellers and Flexible, will be sure to thrill the crowds at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas (USA) next week. (FEI/Kit Houghton)

There are three competitions to decide the Longines FEI World Cup™ 2014/2015 champion:
Competition 1 is a Speed class, with seconds added for knockdowns.
Competition 2 is one round against the clock, and one jump-off which is also against the clock. Results are then converted into points which are carried into the third and last competition.
Competition 3 is two rounds of jumping over a Grand Prix course of fences between 1.50m and 1.60m in height. The top 30 horse-and-rider combinations are eligible to compete but only 20 go through to the second round. The leading rider after the first two competitions goes last, and starts on a zero score.

Total prizemoney for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final is €1.3m.

Ground Jury: Kim Morris (CAN) President, David Distler (USA), Neil O’Connor (USA), Jack Robson (USA), Sven Holmberg (SWE). Technical Delegate Leopoldo Palacios (VEN).

Things to know about the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final:

A total of 18 horses were presented at the first veterinary inspection in the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas today and all were passed fit to compete.

The draw for order-of-go in Thursday’s first competition, the Grand Prix, will take place tomorrow (Wednesday) evening.

The new champion will be crowned following the second competition, the Grand Prix Freestyle, which take place at 12 noon on Saturday 18 April.

What the judges are looking for, as explained by Stephen Clarke (GBR), FEI 5* judge,
“exciting, expressive Dressage, but with the horse completely in harmony with the rider. The energy, so beautiful to watch, comes from impulsion as opposed to tension.”

Ground Jury: Lilo Fore (USA) President, Stephen Clarke (GBR), Francis Verbeek (NED), Peter Holler (GER), Hans Christian Matthiesen (DEN), Annette Fransen-Iacobaeus (SWE), Maria Schwennesen (AUS). Technical Delegate Freddy Leyman (BEL).

Denmark’s Anne-Grethe Jensen was the first winner of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final. Riding Marzog, she pinned Great Britain’s Christopher Bartle and Wily Trout into runner-up spot while Switzerland’s Christine Stuckelberger finished third with Rubelit von Unkelruf at the inaugural event in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands in 1986.

Defending champions are the double Olympic gold medallists and multiple world-record holders, Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro from Great Britain.

This is the 30th anniversary FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final, and the fifth time for the event to take place in the USA.

Los Angeles hosted the Final in 1995, and it has subsequently been staged in Las Vegas in 2005, 2007, 2009 and again this year.

Symphony in blue: Germany’s Daniel Deusser holds the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping trophy aloft after victory at last year’s Final in Lyon (FRA) with Cornet D’Amour. (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)

Ticket Sales:

Tickets for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping and Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015 Finals have been sold in all 50 states in the USA and in 30 countries around the world.

Timetable:

Thursday April 16: Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Grand Prix – 12 noon
Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 1 – 19.00

Friday April 17: Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2 – 19.00

Saturday April 18: Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Freestyle Final – 12 noon

Sunday April 19: Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 3 – 12 noon.

“We Give Horses Wings” – Vegas Horse Party Takes To The Air

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

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

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

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

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014:2015

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Viva Las Vegas indeed!

Facts and Figures

Flight details
Qatar Airways Flight QR 8197 ex Schiphol Airport, The Netherlands
Aircraft type: Boeing 777 freighter
Business Class
Departure – 05.55 CEST (local time in The Netherlands), Saturday 11 April 2015
Arrival – 08.15 PDT (local time in Nevada), Saturday 11 April 2015
Length of flight – 11 hours 20 minutes
Temperature inside the aircraft during flight: 17°C (62.6 degrees Fahrenheit)

Passenger List
40 horses representing 17 countries – Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Includes defending Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Daniel Deusser’s Cornet d’Amour (GER) and defending Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion, Charlotte Dujardin’s Valegro (GBR).
24 geldings, 9 stallions, 7 mares.
26 Jumping horses, 14 Dressage horses
Estimated value of equine cargo – €150 million.

Passport
Full ID, places travelled to and up to date with all required vaccinations etc.

Check-in Baggage
11 pallets of equipment including tack, blankets, boots etc
Weight – approx 25,000 lbs (almost 12,000kg)
Sun shades (optional)

Carry On
Headcollars and ropes
Blankets
Boots or bandages (equivalent of flight socks)
Toys (occasionally)
Earplugs

Onboard dining
120 pre-packed haynets
Water ad lib – sea salt optional
Oat bran for mash
Mixed feed
Carrots
Apples

Flight attendants
10 professional grooms
1 world-class veterinarian

Louise Parkes