Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2014/2015 – Preview…,Viva Las Vegas – Valegro is coming to town!

Las Vegas, USA knows all about welcoming stars, and this weekend another big name can expect the red-carpet treatment when he arrives in the entertainment capital of the world ahead of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final.

Cameras flashing, TV crews following his every move and the frenzy and razzmatazz that goes with super-stardom are all in a day’s work for this handsome, talented and sophisticated athlete whose fancy footwork has broken every record in the book in recent years.

Super-hero Valegro, the Dressage horse with the Midas touch, is coming to town. And the Lord of the Dance has top billing as he battles to claim the supreme title of indoor Dressage for his rider, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, for the second year in a row when the action gets underway at the Thomas & Mack Arena on Thursday 16 April.

He comes with a full supporting cast and crew that includes the man who created one of the most exciting Dressage partnerships of all time, Dujardin’s friend, mentor and trainer Carl Hester. However, reclaiming the Reem Acra title will be no walk-in-the-park for the daring British duo, their back-up team or their army of fans. Because there are plenty of pretenders to the Reem Acra throne.

Former winners

Major contenders include three former winners: Germany’s Isabell Werth, The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and the USA’s Steffen Peters. Werth’s stellar career has seen many meteoric moments, including victory with Fabienne at the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in Gothenburg back in 1992. She was only 22 years of age at the time, and she’s never disappeared off the radar since. One of the most medalled athletes in the sport, she went on to take the title a second time 15 years later with Warum Nicht. And that was 2007 in Las Vegas where she was also runner-up in 2009, suggesting a strong degree of comfort and familiarity when she returns to the scene of her former glory next week, this time partnering El Santo NRW.

Gal brings the horse with which he won the last qualifying leg on home ground last month in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the venue at which he was crowned FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion with the great Totilas in 2010. The result promoted him to the top of the highly-competitive Western European League, edging out longtime leader Jessica von Bredow-Werndl from Germany by a single point. Gal’s fabulous stallion, Glock’s Undercover, who helped claimed team bronze for The Netherlands at both the London 2012 Olympic Games and at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, gave a glimpse of the further potential that lies beneath his sometimes nervous disposition that day. And Gal is hoping his horse will grow into the atmosphere at the Thomas & Mack Arena and produce his very best, which would certainly put the rest under pressure.

Ulla Salzgeber and Herzruf’s Erbe won the seventh leg of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Western European League at Neumünster, (FEI/Karl Heinz Freiler)

American winners

There have only been two American winners of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage title during its 30-year history, so when Steffen Peters and Ravel followed in the hallowed hoof-prints of Debbie McDonald and the great mare Brentina, and did so under the Las Vegas lights in 2009, the celebrations could be heard a very long way off. Peters comes to the 2015 Final on the crest of a wave after a double of convincing FEI World Cup™ Dressage victories with Legolas in recent months, but the three-time Olympian will be hoping to stay out of the shadow of fellow-American Laura Graves, whose star has been rising at a rapid rate ever since she came under the spotlight in Normandy last summer with Verdades.

Graves is one of the burgeoning generation of young talent benefitting from the legacy of nine-time FEI World Cup™ Dressage title-holder, The Netherlands’ Anky van Grunsven, who remains the undisputed Freestyle queen. When first introduced 25 years ago, Freestyle Dressage to music was considered almost outrageous by the more conservative element in the sport. However it has brought about an explosion of interest in the discipline, with a whole new public enthralled by the sight of horse and rider working in harmony and, seemingly, dancing to their musical score.

So much promise

Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Fabienne Lutkemeier are two more of that up-and-coming generation with so much promise, and with many more show-stealers including Finland’s Terhi Stegars and her much-loved little stallion Axis TSF and Spain’s Morgan Barbancon Mestre partnering van Grunsven’s former ride Painted Black all in the mix, the scene is set for a cracking contest.

But if Valegro were to design his own stage, then the Thomas & Mack Arena would probably be it. But for a blip in Aachen, Germany last summer, his career has been a series of sensational results since he stole the show in Greenwich Park, London just three short years ago when claiming double Olympic gold. The 167cms gelding and his rider went on to add the European, World and Reem Acra titles and, along the way, have reset all three world record scores for Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Freestyle.

Their spell-binding performances have won the hearts of spectators all across the globe, and American fans will relish the chance to see them live. Of course in sport, nothing is ever certain, and anyone involved with horses knows that better than most. But one thing is for sure, the FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas promises spine-tingling entertainment, supreme horsemanship and a worthy winner of the Reem Acra crown.

The Lord of the Dance, the amazing Valegro, has top billing as he battles to claim the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage title for his rider, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, for the second year in a row when the 2014/2015 Final gets underway at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday 16 April. (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)

Facts and Figures:

New York fashion designer, Reem Acra, presents the 30th FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April.

18 athletes from 9 nations will compete.

The countries that will be represented are: Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Russia and USA.

Defending champions are Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, winners at the 2014 Final in Lyon (FRA) and Olympic, world and European gold medallists.

Also on the start-list are former FEI World Cup™ Dressage series winners Isabell Werth from Germany (1992 in Gothenburg and 2007 in Las Vegas), America’s Steffen Peters (2009 in Las Vegas) and Edward Gal (2010 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch).

The Netherlands holds the record for most wins in the FEI World Cup™ Dressage series with 12 in total, and nine of those recorded by Dutch Freestyle queen, Anky van Grunsven.

The next most prolific winners are Germany, with eight to date.

The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2015 will begin on Thursday 16 April with the Grand Prix which is open to all 18 horse-and-rider combinations.

All participants who finish the Grand Prix with a score of at least 60% will continue to the Grand Prix Freestyle which will decide the destination of the 2015 title on Saturday 18 April.

Louise Parkes

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014/2015 – Preview

Dream line-up for Longines Final in Las Vegas

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014:2015

The line-up for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA contains all the ingredients for one of the most exciting ever in the 37-year history of the world’s most prestigious indoor Jumping tournament.

All sorts of scenarios could play themselves out once the curtain is raised at the Thomas & Mack Arena on 15 April, as the riders and horses that have worked so hard to earn their place amongst the stars make their bid for glory. This is one title every Jumping rider wants to take, placing them amongst the greats of the sport including legendary partnerships and double-champions Ian Millar and the mighty Big Ben from Canada, and Great Britain’s John Whitaker and the magical Milton.

Since Austria’s Hugo Simon first punched the air in triumph after victory with Gladstone at the inaugural finale in Gothenburg (SWE) in 1979, the battle for this trophy has thrilled audiences all across the globe. And it never fails to spring a few surprises, as spectators witness previously unexposed talent rising to the challenge of the big occasion.

And it doesn’t get much bigger than under the bright lights of the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas where the tension and pressure are already near boiling point with only a few days to go before the action gets underway.

Poignancy

There are all sorts of possibilities for the final outcome, but even before the competitions begin there is a poignancy about the very presence of one horse-and-rider combination. New Zealand’s Katie Laurie can feel rightly proud no matter how her week turns out, because as she rides into the arena with Kiwi Iron Mark she will be realising the hopes and dreams of her late friend, Melanie Purcell, whose great ambition was to see her horse qualify for the Longines Final. Melanie died of cancer three years ago, but Katie never lost sight of her target, and there will hardly be a dry eye in the house should this pair have a successful week.

The country with most wins at the Final is Germany with a total of 10, including last year’s victory for Daniel Deusser who will partner his 2014 ride Cornet d’Amour once again. And the 33-year-old defending champion will be celebrating even before he arrives in Las Vegas, because he has just been confirmed as the new world No. 1 in the Longines Rankings.

Marco Kutscher, Marcus Ehning and Hans-Dieter Dreher complete the German line-up, and Ehning will have a mission all his own. Only four riders have won the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping title on three occasions, and he is one of them. He will go into the record books if he can become the first four-time champion, and as one of the great stylists of the sport, few doubt his ability to do so.

Youngest rider

The youngest rider ever to clinch the trophy was Canada’s Mario Deslauriers who had just turned 19 when coming out on top with Aramis in Gothenburg in 1984. There are two talented 19-year-olds on the start-list again this year, Belgium’s Jos Verlooy who will turn 20 in December and Ireland’s Bertram Allen, who celebrates his 20th birthday in August. And there are lots of eyes on the young Irishman, who produced two stunning wins to challenge for the leadership of the super-tough Western European League over the winter months.

Allen’s potential has been clear from the outset of his career, and despite his lack of years he is already one of the most feared competitors on the international circuit. His extraordinary instinct for speed riding placed him out in front on the opening day of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ Jumping Championship in Normandy (FRA) last summer where he eventually finished seventh individually. That was no fluke, as he had won the Longines Grand Prix on home soil in Dublin (IRL) a few weeks earlier and with superb form over the winter he has risen all the way up to 10th in the Longines Rankings. Together with his wonderful little grey mare, Molly Malone, he is one to watch out for when the action gets underway in Vegas.

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)

Top step

Two other men who will also be chasing down that trophy will be Switzerland’s Olympic champion Steve Guerdat, and Pius Schwizer, who have made it onto the podium in recent years but not quite managed to secure that top step. And there are eight ladies amongst the 42 starters from 20 nations. The USA’s Beezie Madden was the last female champion, pinning Guerdat into runner-up spot in a thriller at Gothenburg two years ago. And when it comes to female winners the Americans have sent out four of them, and can claim a strong association with Californian-born three-time champion Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum who flies the German flag.

Of the eight ladies starting at this year’s Final, five fly the stars-and-stripes and Madden looks a powerful contender once again, following on from her bronze medal individual finish at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy and a great winter on the Florida circuit.

Fairy-tale finish

But if it’s a fairy-tale finish you want, then look no further than fellow-American Rich Fellers and his comeback king, the amazing Flexible. Written off three times during his career due to serious illness and injury, the stallion has battled back bravely on each occasion, and his victory at the 2012 Final in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED) broke a 25-year drought for his country which earned him a very special place in the hearts of US Jumping fans.

Flexible’s latest spectacular recovery resulted in victory in the FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 West Coast qualifying series and now, at 19 years of age, the little Irish-bred horse with his unique way of going, and his rider who looks like he’s just stepped off the set of a Hollywood movie, are going to give it another shot.

If they were to succeed again, then the roof of the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas is likely to go into orbit with the wild delight of the host-country fans when the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final draws to a close on Sunday 19 April.

And even the on-site fans will be super stars! Longines Ambassador of Elegance Stefanie Graf, the most successful female tennis player of all time, will be on hand to present the coveted trophy to the winner alongside Juan-Carlos Capelli, Vice President of Longines and Head of International Marketing. A truly star-studded cast in the entertainment capital of the world!

Facts and Figures:

Longines presents the 37th FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April.

42 athletes from 20 nations will compete.

The countries that will be represented are: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and USA.

Defending champions are Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Cornet d’Amour, winners at the 2014 Final in Lyon (FRA).

4 riders have claimed the FEI World Cup™ Jumping title on three occasions:
Austria’s Hugo Simon, winner at the inaugural Final in Gothenburg, Sweden with Gladstone, went on to record a back-to-back double of victories with ET FRH in 1996 and 1997.
Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was also a three-time winner with Shutterfly – at Las Vegas in 2005, Gothenburg in 2008 and again at Las Vegas in 2009.
Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa and the stallion Baloubet du Rouet hold the record as the only horse-and-rider partnership to post three back-to-back wins. They came out on top in 1999, 2000 and 2001.
Germany’s Marcus Ehning, winner in Las Vegas in 2003, in Kuala Lumpur (MAS), in 2006 and in Geneva (SUI) in 2010 will be attempting to become the first four-time FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion.

The youngest riders at this year’s final are both 19 years old, Jos Verlooy from Belgium and Bertram Allen from Ireland.

The oldest horse is the 19-year-old Irish-bred stallion Flexible, ridden by the USA’s Rich Fellers.

Germany holds the record for most wins in the FEI World Cup™ Jumping series with 10 in total.

Riders from the USA have claimed the title on 9 occasions.

This will be the sixth time for the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final to be staged in Las Vegas, and the 10th time the Final has been held in the USA.

Louise Parkes, FEI,

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014/2015 Athletes Confirm

A total of 40 athletes from 19 countries have so far confirmed their participation in the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014/2015, which will take place in Las Vegas, NV (USA), on 15-19 April.

Definite entries
The definite entry deadline for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final is Monday, 6 April at midnight. A full preview of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final will follow, confirming the final entries (riders and horses).

The athletes that have already confirmed their participation are:

Defending Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Champion: Daniel Deusser (GER)

Arab League (2 slots):
Bassem Hassan Mohammed (QAT)
Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani (QAT)

New Zealand League (1 slot):
Katie Laurie (NZL)

South America South League (1 slot):
Joao Eduardo Ferreira de Carvalho (BRA)

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)

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Western European League (18 slots, plus 2 extra athletes):
Steve Guerdat (SUI)
Bertram Allen (IRL)
Kevin Staut (FRA)
Marco Kutscher (GER)
Marcus Ehning (GER)
Maikel van der Vleuten (NED)
Douglas Lindelöw (SWE)
Jur Vrieling (NED)
Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER)
Martin Fuchs (SUI)
Geir Gulliksen (NOR)
Pénélope Leprevost (FRA)
Sergio Alvarez Moya (ESP)
Luca Maria Moneta (ITA)
Pius Schwizer (SUI)
Gerco Schröder (NED)
Jos Verlooy (BEL)
Patrice Delaveau (FRA)
Extra athletes:
Lucy Davis (USA)
Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS)

Central European League (3 slots):
Kristaps Neretnieks (LAT)
Vladimir Beletskiy (RUS)
Andis Varna (LAT)

North America East Coast League (7 slots):
Todd Minikus (USA)
Laura Kraut (USA)
Elizabeth Madden (USA)
Jack Towell (USA)
Kirsten Coe (USA)
McLain Ward (USA)
Katherina A. Dinan (USA)

North America West Coast League (3 slots):
Richard Fellers (USA)
Karl Cook (USA)
Vinton Karrasch (USA)

North America East and West Coast Leagues: Canada (1 slot):
Chris Sorensen (CAN)

North America East and West Coast Leagues: Mexico (2 slots):
Manuel Alvarez Ruigalindo (MEX)
Everardo Hegewisch Diaz Infante (MEX)

Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Final 2015 Entries Confirmed

The FEI has today confirmed the entries for the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2015 which will take place in Las Vegas, NV (USA) in three weeks’ time.

The following rider/horse combinations will be taking part in the event:

Western European League (9 slots)
Edward GAL/Glock’s Undercover (NED)
Jessica VON BREDOW-WERNDL/Unee BB (GER)
Fabienne LÜTKEMEIER/D’Agostino (GER)
Isabell WERTH /Don Johnson/El Santo (GER)
Hans Peter MINDERHOUD/Glok’s Flirt (NED)
Agnete KIRK THINGGAARD/Jojo (DEN)
Morgan BARBANCON MESTRE/Painted Black (ESP)
Paulinda FRIBERG/Di Lapponia T (SWE)
Malin HAMILTON/Fleetwood (SWE)

Central European League (2 slots)
Elena SIDNEVA /Romeo Star (RUS)
Tatiana DOROFEEVA /Kartsevo Upperville (RUS)

North American League (2 slots)
Steffen PETERS/Legolas 92 (USA)
Laura GRAVES /Verdades (USA)

The girl with the floating horse: Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) on a lap of honour with Valegro after their win in the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2014 in Lyon (FRA). Dujardin and Valegro will defend their title in Las Vegas (USA) next month. FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst

Title Defender
Charlotte DUJARDIN/Valegro (GBR)

FEI extra starting places
Lars PETERSEN/Mariett (DEN)
Mikala GUNDERSEN/My Lady (DEN)
Inessa MERKULOVA/Mister X (RUS)
Terhi STEGARS /Axis TSF (FIN)

The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2015 will begin on Thursday 16 April with the Grand Prix which is open to all 18 combinations. All participants who finish the Grand Prix with a score of at least 58% will continue to the Grand Prix Freestyle which will be held on Saturday 18 April.

Strong Turnout For FEI World Cup™ Jumping Qualifiers Across Four Continents

FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 – Leagues Update 2

Horse-and-rider combinations from the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe have enjoyed some great competition during the FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 qualifiers, with a particularly strong turnout in South America.

The Caucasian, South African and Central Asian leagues are also complete, and invitations to attend the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA continue to be processed.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014:2015

South America

The South America South League was an impressive affair, with six legs staged between May and October 2014 in which 79 athletes participated, and it was Brazil’s Sergio Henriques Neves Marins who came out on top.

The first and fifth rounds of competition were held in Argentina, at Sol de Mayo and Buenos Aires, while the remainder took place in Brazil, visiting Sao Paulo twice and Porto Alegre once before concluding at Rio de Janeiro.

The winning rider sealed victory with four starts, and although runner-up, fellow-Brazilian Artemus de Almeida, counted two wins along the way, Sergio Henriques Neves Marins racked up 56 points to top the final leaderboard by a convincing seven-point margin. Uruguay’s Marcelo Chirico Ferreira finished third while Brazilian riders filled the next six places.

Henriques Neves Marins, a veteran of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Jerez (ESP) in 2002 and the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, was in flying form throughout the 2014 season. The 45-year-old rider has found a consistently good performer in his 13-year-old horse Landpeter do Feroleto, and together they claimed team silver and individual bronze at last summer’s South American Games in Quillota (CHI) before coming out to clinch maximum points at the opening FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 qualifier. They didn’t win that day, finishing second behind Jose Roberto Reynoso Fernandez, but claimed 20 points as their Brazilian counterparts were not in the hunt for points.

Henriques Neves Marins then joined up with Reynoso Fernandez, Artemus del Almeida and Francisco Jose Mesquita Musa to win the Nations Cup at CSIO4*-W at Porto Alegre in October, and rounded up the year with another good result at the last FEI World Cup™ Jumping leg to clinch pole position in the league.

Riders from Colombia and Venezuela battled it out in the South America North League in which 12 riders competed in the four legs. The first two qualifiers took place in Caracas, Venezuela while rounds three and four were staged in Bogota, Colombia. Riders could count results from three legs, but Colombia’s Camilo Rueda won with just two scores to count, and Colombians filled all of the top five places on the final leaderboard.

Santiago Medina finished second ahead of Juan Manuel Gallego in third, Juan Clavijo in fourth and Ricardo Alerto Villa in fifth spot.

Rueda was impressively consistent with his 13-year-old grey Holsteiner stallion, Cassaro, and finished with a final tally of 25 points ahead of Medina’s 23.

South African and Caucasian Leagues

The South African league began last May and ran through to October, embracing five legs. Visiting Midrand, Shongweni, Polokwane, Kromdraai and Port Elizabeth it attracted 38 South African athletes and Nicole Horwood clinched the league title ahead of Barry Taylor in runner-up spot, Shaun Neill in third and Dominey Alexander in fourth place.

Norwood kicked off with a 12th-place finish at Midrand riding Capital Colnardo, but she really got into her stride with victory at Shongweni with Capital Don Cumarco, the 12-year-old grey Belgian stallion she partnered for the remainder of the series and who has a great record as a three-time winner of the coveted South African Derby.

At Polokwane they lined up third, and at Kromdaai and Port Elizabeth they finished sixth and seventh respectively, accumulating 46 points which left them a full five points clear of their nearest rivals in the final analysis.

The Caucasian series consisted of three legs, and victory went to Azerbaijan’s Kanan Novruzov. The first competition took place at Tbilisi in Georgia and the remaining two rounds were held in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan. There were 11 athletes in action, and 10 of them collected points.

Novruzov made the perfect start with a win at the opening leg in Tblisi riding the 11-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding Concorde 57. The 24-year-old rider followed that with a fourth-place finish in Baku a few weeks later, and those two results were good enough to leave him a single point clear of series runner-up Alexandra Olejnik.

Of the 11 participating riders throughout the series only two hailed from Georgia, and riders from Azerbaijan dominated the final leaderboard, with Elmar Abdulayet finishing third ahead of Seyid Musayev in fourth and Patrick McEntee in fifth.

Thailand’s Siengsaw Lertratanachai won the FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 South East Asia League (FEI/horsemovethailand.com)

Central and South East Asia

The Central Asian League was another three-leg affair in which 21 athletes from three countries – Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – took part, and the winner was Kyrgyzstan’s Rinat Galimov.

The league opened in Tashkent, Uzbekistan with the second round taking place at Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan and the third at Astana in Kazakhstan, and Galimov got off at a great gallop with a win in Tashkent partnering her 13-year-old Swedish-bred mare, Charlize. The 30-year-old rider then repeated her success in Bishkek and was in an unassailable position by the time she arrived in Astana for the last leg, where she was just pipped for the honours by Kazakhstan’s Oleg Popelyaev who filled runner-up spot on the league leaderboard.

Uzbekistan’s Gairat Nazarov finished third in this series ahead of Kazakhstan’s Asset Tolkumbekov in fourth and Kamil Saitov in fifth place.

It was a close-fought battle for the South East Asian title which went to 18-year-old Siengsaw Lertratanachai by a narrow one-point margin over fellow-Thai rider Chewin Manathanya. All three legs took place in Pattaya, Thailand.

Lertratanachai was silver medallist at the FEI World Jumping Challenge Final 2013 in Caracas, Venezuela and finished fifth individually at the South East Asian Games at Naypyidaw, Malaysia in that same year. She was on the Thai team at the Asian Games 2014 in Incheon, Korea and, like so many other champions this season, her success in the FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 South East Asian League began with a win at the opening leg. Partnering the 13-year-old AES mare, Viranka B, she then went on to finish third and fourth at the two remaining competitions, but she was stalked all the way by Manthanya who finished third at the first leg but then came out to win next time with Blue Boy. It was nip-and-tuck at the final leg which was won by French rider Mathilde Montginoux ahead of Sweden’s Helena Gabrielson.

In the end, Letratanachai’s faster eight-fault result gave her fourth place ahead of 31-year-old Manthanya in fifth, and that result would count as riders used their best two scores to decide the final standings.

Louise Parkes,

Guerdat Gallops To Second Longines Victory At Last Western European League Leg In Gothenburg

Olympic champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, produced a brilliant performance from the 12-year-old mare, Albfuehren’s Paille, to record his second victory of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at the final qualifying round in Gothenburg, Sweden today. In a desperate battle for those chasing the last remaining points that would earn them a place at the Longines Final in Las Vegas, USA in April, it was Sweden’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson who lined up second with Casall Ask while Germany’s Marco Kutscher clinched third with Cornet’s Cristallo ahead of The Netherlands’ Jur Vrieling and Zirocco Blue NOP in fourth place.

Guerdat had no fears about qualification when earning his place in the 13-horse jump-off, as he was already lying third on the league leaderboard as the day began. However his result today has boosted him to the top of the Western European League table, demoting young Irishman, Bertram Allen, to second place.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014:2015

Found the key

Course designer, Spain’s Santiago Varela, set them a tough first track, but 13 of the 39 starters found the key.

The triple combination took its toll, as did the oxer at fence eight and the vertical at fence 11 which was three from home. The final two fences however proved particularly interesting as riders had to negotiate the Longines double, a 1.80m-wide triple bar followed by a vertical, and then take a careful left-bending line to the final oxer which often came up on a difficult stride.

It was Italy’s Francesco Franco who led the way against the clock with Banca Popolare Bari Cassandra, but it was third to go, Belgium’s Judy-Ann Melchior and her lovely grey mare, As Cold as Ice Z, who set the early target with the calmest of clear rounds in 47.62 seconds. This time always looked beatable, but Varela’s jump-off track was inviting to those prepared to take more risk, and Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer was almost two seconds faster when faulting at the very last with Toulago when next into the ring.

Olympic silver medallist, The Netherlands’ Gerco Schroder, looked set to go well out in front until also lowering the final fence with Glock’s London, but Guerdat and Paille made no mistake. There’s always excitement in the air when the Swiss rider sets off against the clock, and this 12-year-old chestnut mare seems to relish the pressure, lowering her head as she picks up speed and galloping home to really put it up to the rest of them when breaking the beam in 43.13 seconds.

Couldn’t better that

And try as they would, the remaining seven couldn’t better that. Home-side hero, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, came closest when next to go with his great stallion Casall Ask who crossed the line in 43.49, and although Kutscher’s turn to the penultimate oxer was superb, the talented 12-year-old Cristallo was fractionally slower when clear in 43.89 seconds.

Vrieling also left all the fences intact as did Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (Cantinero), but with their times not challenging for the lead only last man in, Kevin Staut from France, looked like threatening Guerdat. Staut’s great 16-year-old mare, Silvana, has competed at five FEI World Cup™ Jumping finals during her long and sparkling career, but when the penultimate oxer hit the floor they would have to settle for seventh place today.

After another extraordinary Longines season however, the Frenchman sits third on the Western European League table which he has continuously dominated in recent years, and he is well on the road to Las Vegas.

Olympic champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, pictured with Casper Gebeke, Longines Sweden country manager, after winning the twelfth and final qualifying round of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League with the mare Albfuehren’s Paille at Gothenburg, Sweden today. (FEI/Roland Thunholm)

Winning horse

Talking about his winning horse, Guerdat said this evening, “she arrived at my stables 10 months ago having already jumped quite successfully with another Swiss rider, Alexandra Fricker. It took a while to get to know her, but she jumped clear in her very first Grand Prix and this is her first very big win with me”.

Looking ahead to Las Vegas, he said, “I’m not exactly sure which horse I will take, but Paille would be my first choice because she’s been very good during the entire indoor season and I’d like to save Nino for the Championships this year. Nino would be my second choice for Las Vegas though”.

His Longines season has certainly been a spectacular one. From nine starts he earned a massive 77 points, but it wasn’t all plain sailing as he only collected points from five events beginning with third place in Oslo (NOR), victory in Helsinki (FIN), third again in Stuttgart (GER) – all with Nino – a 10th place with Paille in Verona (ITA) and then his win today with the same chestnut mare.

Make the cut

A total of 18 riders qualify for the final from the Western European League, and one to lose out today was The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders who collected 56 points on the US circuit but needed to add some Western European League points today if he was to make the cut.

As defending champion, Germany’s Daniel Deusser is automatically qualified even though he has finished in tenth place, while the results for America’s Lucy Davis and Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander, who finished fourth and sixth respectively in the WEL series, are transferred to their own regional leagues. Bengtsson today confirmed that he will not travel, so that opens the door of opportunity for Belgium’s Jos Verlooy who currently lies in 24th position.

For further information on the 12th leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League series in Gothenburg, Sweden today, check out website http://www.gothenburghorseshow.com

The Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014/2015 will take place in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April. For details of the event visit http://www.worldcuplasvegas.com

Ireland’s Bertram Allen clinched his second victory in the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at Bordeaux, France riding Romanov. (FEI/Pierre Costabadie)

Result: 1, Albfuehren’s Paille (Steve Guerdat) SUI 0/0 43.13;

2, Casall Ask (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) SWE 0/0 43.49;

3, Cornet’s Cristallo (Marco Kutscher) GER 0/0 43.89;

4, VDL Zirocco Blue NOP (Jur Vrieling) NED 0/0 44.38;

5, As Cold as Ice Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) BEL 0/0 47.62;

6, Cantinero (Henrik von Eckermann) 0/0 49.74;

7, Silvana HDC (Kevin Staut) FRA 0/4 43.75;

8, Glock’s London NOP (Gerco Schroder) NED 0/4 44.93;

9, Casello (Douglas Lindelow) SWE 0/4 44.98;

10, Toulago (Pius Schwizer) SUI 0/4 45.98;

11, VDL Groep Arera C (Maikel van der Vleuten) NED 0/4 46.09;

12, Fair Light van’t Heike (Edwina Tops-Alexander) AUS 0/4 48.76;

13, Banca Popolare Bari Cassandra (Francesco Franco) ITA 0/4 52.65.

Facts and Figures:

The Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden hosted the 12th and last qualifying leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League today.

Course designer was Spain’s Santiago Varela.

13 fences on today’s course, time-allowed 75 seconds in first round.

7 of the top 10 riders in the Longines rankings participated.

13 horse-and-rider combinations qualified for the jump-off, including three from the host nation.

Winner was London 2012 Olympic champion Steve Guerdat from Switzerland riding the 12-year-old mare Albfuehren’s Paille.

Gothenburg has a long link with the FEI World Cup™ Jumping series. The first Final was staged in the Swedish city in 1979 when Austria’s Hugo Simon came out on top.

The FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final has been staged in Gothenburg 13 times during the 37-year history of the event.

The Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg stretches 69 metres in length but only 39 metres in width.

18 riders from the Western European League qualify for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 which will take place in Las Vegas, USA from 15-19 April.

Quotes:

Steve Guerdat SUI: “This is only my third time to compete in Gothenburg, and both of the other times I was competing in World Cup finals. My last time to be here was in 2013 when I finished second in the Final”.

Henrik von Eckermann SWE: “I knew I couldn’t catch Steve but I wanted to do my best for the crowd, in the end I had to stay realistic for my horse and I’m very happy to finish sixth!”

Rolf-Goran Bengtsson SWE: “my horse has been very consistent and I’m very proud of him today. It would have been very nice to win in front of the home crowd today – it was a very good course”.

Marco Kutscher GER: “I was lucky in the first round because we touched a few rails but they stayed up! In the jump-off I wanted to do one stride less between the first two fences, but I had to change my mind after we started”.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League – Standings after Round 12 at Gothenburg (SWE):

1. Steve Guerdat SUI – 77
2. Bertram Allen IRL – 71
3. Kevin Staut FRA – 65
4. Lucy Davis USA – 62
5. Marco Kutscher GER – 59
6. Edwina Tops-Alexander AUS – 57
7. Harrie Smolders NED – 56
8. Marcus Ehning GER – 53
9. Mikael van der Vleuten NED – 51
10. Daniel Deusser GER – 50
11. Douglas Lindelow SWE – 49
12. Jur Vrieling NED – 46
13. Hans-Dieter Dreher GER – 44
14. Rolf-Goran Bengtsson SWE – 42
15. Simon Delestre FRA – 41
16. Martin Fuchs SUI – 40
17. Geir Gulliksen NOR – 38
18. Penelope Leprevost FRA – 38
19. Sergio Alvarez Moya ESP – 37
20. Luca Maria Moneta ITA – 36
21. Pius Schwizer SUI – 34
22. Gerco Schroder NED – 34
23. Reed Kessler USA – 33
24. Jos Verlooy BEL – 33
25. Patrice Delaveau FRA – 33
26. Judy-Ann Melchior BEL – 32
27. Roger-Yves Bost FRA – 30

Longines Live Timing Jumping application: available free for download from The App Store (iPhone) & Android Markets. Combining precision and performance, this is a detailed and exclusive application designed especially for Jumping fans – follow live results, see latest Longines Rankings, view competition schedules, obtain exclusive information and alerts on your favorite riders and get all the latest FEI news.

Louise Parkes

Equestrian IT Workshop Held In Lausanne

Equestrian IT experts, show secretaries and event organisers from around the world flew into the Olympic capital of Lausanne this week for a high-tech work-out with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI).

Last year alone, 3,557 equestrian events were held globally, representing over 150% growth since 2003. As the rapid expansion of equestrian sport continues, the FEI has developed cutting edge IT systems to manage competition entries, results, produce athlete rankings and biographies, and is delivering this content across a variety of IT and digital platforms.

Central to the organisation of equestrian events is the FEI Online Entry System, which was launched in 2013 and gives access to over 100,000 competing athletes through a single online platform. This system links to the publicly accessible FEI Database and feeds the free FEI SportApp, which allows fans to access the FEI’s entire sports calendar, event programmes and athlete biographies, and has specific functionalities for event organisers, officials, athletes and grooms.

Joining over 35 specialists from 12 countries at the FEI’s two-day “Hands-On” IT workshop was Andreas Steidle, founder of the online event management system HippoBase which simplifies advanced data exchange between National equestrian Federations and Organisers. “Technology is playing an increasingly central role in equestrian sport,” he explained. “We need to respond quickly to practical needs of event organisers, specific requests from media and to information-hungry fans. To do this, we must have the capability to collect and supply fast flowing information to traditional platforms and mobile devices. These are exciting times for equestrian sport, and it is impressive to see the promising and sensible approaches being taken by the IT team at FEI headquarters.”

Gaspard Dufour, the FEI’s Head of IT, underlined the central role of technology in equestrian sport and running events. “Managing and accessing data is just one aspect of our work. As well as the huge increase in the number of events globally, we now have over 36,000 human and almost 70,000 equine athletes competing internationally for instance. The FEI is helping organisers to access vital data in the run up to events, and grasp the full potential of technology to improve efficiency on the ground as our events take place.”

FEI President Ingmar De Vos welcomed the equestrian experts from all corners of the world to the HM King Hussein I Building, the FEI’s state-of-the-art headquarters in Lausanne (SUI): “The teams behind the organisation of our events are key to the growth of equestrian sport and they fully understand the impact of embracing new and exciting technology.

“As our sport grows and changes, the FEI is keeping one step ahead by dedicating its technological expertise to creating innovative platforms and systems to advance and modernise our sport and the way it is managed.

“Our interactive workshop this week was the first of a series to take place in 2015, as we look ahead to our major events this year including the joint Finals in Las Vegas of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping and Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage in April, the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping series, our European Championships this summer, and of course the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Reem Acra Fei World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 – Preview – Reem Acra’s Dancing Horses Head For The Bright Lights Of Las Vegas

What happens in Vegas won’t be staying in Vegas when the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final comes to town next April.

Show business is at the beating heart of the US city that attracts a phenomenal number of visitors every year. And when you combine that with the sponsorship of a New York fashionista and the most attention-seeking horse-and-rider combinations on the planet, then you have a mouth-watering recipe for a spectacular showdown between the superstars of this ever-expanding sport at the Thomas & Mack Arena in six months’ time.

The equine stars have often been called “dancing horses” in recent years, particularly since Freestyle has come to the fore. Performing difficult and demanding movements to music has ensured increasing public interest ever since Holland’s Anky van Grunsven first broke the mold. Partnering the legendary Bonfire, and later Salinero, she turned the previously ultra-conservative discipline into a fascinating and entertaining sporting spectacle during her 13-year FEI World Cup™ Dressage winning spree that began in 1995 and ended in 2008. During that time she lifted the trophy on nine occasions, and the Dutch head the leaderboard for most wins in the series with a total of 14.

Stalked

Throughout van Grunsven’s career however she was always stalked by Germany’s Isabell Werth, who has claimed the FEI World Cup™ Dressage title twice. Werth recorded her first victory in 1992, at the age of 23, and the second at Las Vegas in 2007. She knows what it takes to sparkle under the spotlight having done it so many times, and she kicks off her 2014/2015 campaign at Odense in Denmark next Sunday on top form, having been part of the gold-medal-winning German team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy, France just a few weeks ago.

She won’t have an easy ride however, because the line-up for the first round of the nine-leg series is a heavyweight one that includes Dutch double-champion Adelinde Cornelissen partnering the 17-year-old Jerich Parzival. Together this pair clinched individual bronze at Normandy, and if their form carries through then they will be a tough act to beat. Also in action is Edward Gal with his top ride Glock’s Undercover. This horse has an uncanny likeness to Totilas, the black stallion with whom the Dutchman lifted the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage trophy in 2010.

During his short career with this great horse, Gal single-handedly raised the level of the sport, becoming an overnight sensation after his medal-winning appearances at the 2009 FEI European Championships in Windsor, Great Britain and following his World Cup success by taking triple-gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky (USA). Totilas showed mesmerising power and extravagant movement with Gal in the saddle, and one of the most exciting prospects for the forthcoming season is the possibility of a head-to-head between the black stallion, which is now competed by Germany’s Matthias Alexander Rath, and the British duo who have taken the sport by storm over the last two years.

The multiple world-record-breaking British partnership of Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro claimed the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014 title at Lyon, France last April. The 2014/2015 Western European League qualifying season begins this weekend at Odense in Denmark. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

All the titles

Defending Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ champions, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, currently hold all the titles on offer in the sport. They set the world on fire when taking double gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and their magical quality is second to none. It seemed they were all but unbeatable until coming up against Rath and Totilas at Aachen, Germany this summer where the German pair came out on top. That means there is now a score to be settled, and Dressage fans all over the globe are hoping that the two greats will have a re-match at the Reem Acra season-closer under the bright lights of Las Vegas next year.

Before all that however, competitors from Western Europe, Central Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific regions will also be fighting for a qualifying spot. The Western European season visits Lyon (FRA), Stuttgart (GER), Stockholm (SWE) and Olympia in London (GBR) before the end of 2014, and the last four qualifiers will be held between January and March 2015 in Amsterdam (NED), Neumunster (GER), Gothenburg (SWE) and ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED).

With another German double-champion, Ulla Salzgeber who reigned supreme with Rusty in 2001 and 2002, included in Sunday’s first-leg start-list along with Holland’s Hans Peter Minderhoud and the talented Swedish duo of Patrick Kittel and Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven, the 2014/2015 series looks set to be a winner from the very outset.

FEI World Cup™ Dressage, the only worldwide series in this discipline, is now in its 29th season. The series, created in 1985, comprises four leagues: Western European, Central European, North American (including Canada) and Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Asia). Each FEI World Cup™ Dressage qualifier consists of a Grand Prix test, which in turn is a qualification for the Freestyle to Music competition, where league points are accumulated towards places in the Final. Judged on both technical and artistic merit, the FEI World Cup™ Dressage combines art, sport and partnership between horse and rider at the highest level and consistently proves a winning formula with audiences all over the world.

Louise Parkes

LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING 2014/2015 – PREVIEW – ALL ROADS LEAD TO LAS VEGAS AS LONGINES SERIES BEGINS IN OSLO

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014:2015

The lure of the bright lights of Las Vegas adds an extra incentive as the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Western European League series gets underway in Oslo, Norway next weekend. There’s nothing quite like the prospect of making it to the entertainment capital of the world and performing in front of a sold-out stadium to seal the fate of one of the world’s most coveted trophies. It’s where every rider will want to be when the curtain goes up at the Thomas & Mack Centre on 15 April 2015.

This will be the sixth time for the event to visit the American venue and the ninth occasion for the Final to take place in the USA. Leagues all around the globe will be played out before we know who is in contention for the crown of indoor Jumping which has been a career-defining achievement for every winning horse-and-rider combination since the series first began back in 1978. A total of 15 leagues will take place across five continents during this 36th season which promises more excitement than ever.

Some riders have come out on top more than once, and four riders are tied on a hat-trick of successes with the most notable being Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa who was champion three years in a row between 1998 and 2000 and, even more remarkably, each time partnering the same horse, the brilliant stallion Baloubet du Rouet.

Defending champion

Reigning champion, Germany’s Daniel Deusser, will be in action at the opening leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League series at Oslo in Norway next Sunday. (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)

The defending champion is Germany’s Daniel Deusser who galloped to victory with Cornet D’Amour at the 2013/2014 Final in Lyon, France earlier this year. The result came as no surprise as Germany’s record in this series is exceptional, with 10 wins to date. However American riders are hot on their heels having secured the trophy seven times over the first nine years and then suddenly bouncing back with two more wins posted by Rich Fellers and Beezie Madden in 2012 and 2013. There will be extra satisfaction for the host nation if US riders can bring them onto level-pegging with their German counterparts at the end of this season.

Ludger Beerbaum was the very first German rider to take the title back in 1993 with the great mare Ratina Z, and such is the multi-medalled rider’s pure consistency that, having been on the podium many more times in the intervening period, he was only just pipped for the top step of the podium again earlier this year. Longevity is one of the stand-out features of many winners of the FEI World Cup™ Jumping title. It is more than extraordinary that three-time champion, Austria’s Hugo Simon who won at the inaugural series Final with Gladstone in 1979 before recording a double with ET FRH in 1996 and 1997, is still taking on the best of them across the international circuit. At the age of 72 he recently won the Grand Prix at Wiener Neustadt in fine style.

The return of the Final to the North American continent is likely to attract additional interest from the riders of that region, and one man everyone will be watching is 10-time Olympian Ian Millar who steered the legendary Big Ben to a double of victories in 1988 and 1989. Widely-known as Captain Canada for his rock-solid under-pinning of so many Canadian successes, he has shown tremendous form again this season with a horse that is closely-related to his former champion ride. And if he maintains form, Millar could, at the age of 68, become the fifth triple-champion in the history of a series that has consistently set the best apart from the rest.

Big guns

There will be a lot of Western European riders trying to stand in his way however, and as the first of the 12 legs of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Western European League begins next Sunday in Oslo, many of the big guns are coming out to try to snatch some early qualifying points. Each rider’s six best scores will count throughout the qualifying rounds, and the start-list looks like the “who’s who” of the sport right now, headed up by the man who has topped the Longines world rankings for the last 11 months, Great Britain’s Scott Brash.

Add to that the defending series champion Daniel Deusser, three-time champion Marcus Ehning and 2011 champion Christian Ahlmann who will also fly the German flag, Olympic champion Steve Guerdat from Switzerland and the world’s leading lady rider Penelope Leprevost from France along with two members of last Saturday night’s winning team at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final – The Netherlands‘ Maikel van der Vleuten and Jur Vrieling – and it is clearly going to be an exceptional season-opener.

The Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League looks set to get off to a cracking start when the first rider enters the Telenor Arena at 13.00 local time next Sunday afternoon.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat! Watch it all LIVE on www.feitv.org

Longines Live Timing Jumping application: available free for download from The App Store (iPhone) & Android Markets. Combining precision and performance, this is a detailed and exclusive application designed especially for Jumping fans – follow live results, see latest Longines Rankings, view competition schedules, obtain exclusive information and alerts on your favorite riders and get all the latest FEI news.

Louise Parkes