Philipp Weishaupt (GER) riding Monte Bellini (Montender x Ramiro), winner of the seond round of Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final. Kit Houghton/FEI photo.
Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt won tonight’s second leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in a thrilling three-way jump-off against the clock. But it is runner-up, Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer, who holds the advantage going into Sunday’s final competition which will decide the fate of the 2011/2012 title.
As the going got tough this evening, the cream rose to the top, and clear rounds proved very elusive indeed. Weishaupt’s fellow-countryman, Marco Kutscher, was the only other starter to find the key to the course set by Louis Konickx, but reigning Olympic champion, Canada’s Eric Lamaze, was unlucky to miss out on the final barrage when stopping the clock just 500ths of a second off the pace for a single first-round time penalty to finish fourth and is in serious contention going into the closing stages.
Masterpiece
Another masterpiece from Konickx not only tested rider’s judgement and nerve, but the pure scope of the horses tonight. The course was relentless from start to finish, with the double of big oxers at four, the vertical with water-tray at five, and the dog-leg line to fence 10 all taking their toll. Once again the Dutchman gave them plenty to look at and think about, with another unusual wall, narrow and shaped like an inverted triangle, at fence nine, but it was the triple combination at fence 11 that proved the real bogey of the class. Riding off a left-hand turn, riders needed plenty of momentum coming down to the opening vertical in order to make the two-stride distance to the following oxer of white poles and, time and again, this hit the floor as horses struggled to reach the back bar. Second-placed Kutscher explained the challenge at this fence which fell for 17 different riders tonight – more than half of those on the start-list.
Rich Fellers (USA) riding Flexible (Cruising x Safari xx), winners of round 1. Kit Houghton/FEI photo.
The oldest horse in the competition, the 16-year-old Irish-bred Flexible, won the first leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Final 2011/2012 for America’s Rich Fellers at the Brabanthalle in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands tonight.
Living up to his name, the stallion’s super-tight turn to the double of verticals at fence five on the 13-fence track set by Dutch course designer Louis Konickx proved pivotal in every sense, and none of the rest could match his pace as he broke the beam in 60.26 seconds.
Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets were over a second slower when slotting into second, while the remarkable Rik Hemeryck finished third for Belgium with Quarco de Kerambars, despite having the dubious distinction of being first into the ring.
Pius Schwizer (SUI) and Ulysse lined up fourth ahead of Kevin Staut and Silvana HDC for France in fifth, while reigning FEI European Champion, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson from Sweden, was sixth with Casall La Silla.
IJF Graduate Zenith ISF (Judgement ISF x Clever Trick xx) won the Advanced division at Poplar Place HT.
Leslie Law and Zenith ISF continue to amaze as they work their way up the levels. In their third Advanced outing they won at Poplar Place with a score of 53.80 [16 XC time and 38.70 dressage].
Here’s what Leslie has to say: “Poplar proved to be quite the event for us all. Most newsworthy was the fact that Zenith ISF had his first big advanced win in what was only his third event at the level. He is an outstanding horse and has been such a Cinderella story for us thus far. We are excited to see how he handles the CIC *** at the Fork in a few weeks!”
The Fork proved to be less successful in dressage, although the pair went clear in the XC round. Stay tuned for more!
Zenith ISF is by grand prix jumper Judgement ISF out of the TB mare, Sly Jezzie, by Clever Trick. Zenith ISF’s third dam, Judy Rullah, produced the race horse and stallion, Creme de la Creme, sire of multiple steeplechase winner Café Prince.
Mario Deslauriers produced a blazing fast double-clear effort with Cella (Cento x Chin Chin) to win the 2012 $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational. All Photos By: V.Valenti/The Book LLC.
Tampa, FL – April 7, 2012 -It was a night of nail-biting excitement as 32 of the nation’s top riders went head-to-head in the 2012 $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational presented by G & C Farm at Raymond James Stadium. It was with speed and accuracy that Mario Deslauriers was able to triumph tonight with Cella during a five-horse jump-off. They raced through the finish line in 44.50 seconds after completing a clear short course during the Molly Ashe-Cawley posted a speedy time aboard Carissimo, leaving all rails in their cups and capturing the second place prize in 45.81 seconds. Beezie Madden was the third of the double-clear efforts, but her time of 46.31 seconds proved too conservative, taking the third place honors for the evening’s event.
The USA's Richard Spooner and YJC graduate Cristallo (Caretino x Cicero) won the North American West Coast FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifying series and will line out at 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands for the 2011/2012 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Final in two weeks time. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.
by Louise Parkes
The 2011/2012 North American FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifying leagues concluded last weekend at Tampa in Florida (USA), yielding a star-studded selection of contenders for the 34th Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final at ’s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands which is now only two weeks away.
Two separate leagues take place on the North American continent. The East Coast league began at Blainville in Quebec (CAN) last July, while the West Coast league kicked off at another Canadian fixture, Langley CSI2*-W, a month earlier. A total of four groups of athletes can qualify from this region – two from Canada, another two from Mexico, three from the USA West Coast League and seven from the USA East Coast series. And many of the riders who have made the cut for this season’s decider are big names that are likely to make their presence felt when the action gets underway at the Brabanthalle on 19 April. Continue reading Star-Studded Line-Up Emerges from North American FEI World Cup™ Jumping Qualifying Leagues
Beezie Madden and YJC Graduate Mademoiselle (Libertino x Silvester) were the winners of the $50,000 Grand Prix of Tampa CSI 2*-W after completing a jump-off round with blazing fast speed, beating Margie Engle by only a fraction of a second. Photo By: Kendall Bierer/PMG.
Tampa, FL – Sunday, April 1, 2012 – It was the concluding day of the Tampa Bay Classic today at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center, and competition was fierce as the nation’s top competitors strived to pave their way to the 2012 World Cup Finals in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. The $50,000 Grand Prix of Tampa CSI 2*-W was the last opportunity for riders to qualify for the impending World Cup Finals, and the battle came down to two as Beezie Madden and Margie Engle fought to the finish. Madden and Mademoiselle emerged the victors, beating Engle’s jump-off time by only six-tenths of a second.
This afternoon, riders gathered beneath the Covered Arena to compete over courses designed by Michel Vaillancourt of Canada. The first round featured an imposing opening oxer-vertical line, followed by an oxer leading to another vertical-oxer line. Riders were also challenged by a vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination, an oxer-vertical double combination and a daunting grey wall. The course tested horse and rider alike, with combinations finding fault in multiple places, including the triple combination, double combination and the final oxer.
Only two riders were able to complete the first round without fault and advance to the short track. The course began with a single vertical bending to an oxer, after landing riders had the choice of making a wide turn around the fourth obstacle and moving onto an oxer or slicing the turn and saving some seconds. The oxer required an immediate right rollback leading to the last vertical of the triple combination, and then riders made a hard left over the oxer-vertical double combination. Finally, riders were faced with the grey wall, and galloped over the final oxer. Continue reading Beezie Madden Secures World Cup Spot With Victory Aboard YJC Graduate Mademoiselle
Ever wonder which country is producing the largest number of show jumping prospects for the future? While we can’t speak to the total volume of foals produced world-wide, we can share the breakdown of horses competing in the Young Jumper Championships so far this season. Based on verified country-of-origin for 720 horses to date in 2012, here is the break down:
Wellington, FL – March 31, 2012 – Twenty-two-year-old Daniel Bluman, of Colombia, jumped to an exciting victory on Saturday night in the $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale Grand Prix, CSI 5* at the 2012 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF). Over 7,000 fans filled the stands to see the best of the best from the winter circuit compete under the lights in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. Bluman and his mount Sancha LS earned the top prize in a three-horse jump-off over Canada’s Ian Millar and Star Power and USA’s Lauren Hough and YJC Graduate Quick Study.
Wellington, FL – March 30, 2012 – The FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival hosted the Adequan Young Jumper Finals today in the International Arena for three age groups. The $20,000 Adequan 8-Year-Old Young Jumper Final victory went to Ronan McGuigan (IRL) and Capall Zidane. Andres Rodriguez (VEN) and Aberdeen took the top spot in the $20,000 Adequan 7-Year-Old Young Jumper Final. Riding Lionshare Farm’s Wayfarer, Peter Leone (USA) won the $15,000 Adequan 6-Year-Old Young Jumper Final. In the Rost Arena, Arriana Boardman of New York City won the Horseware Ireland Adult Amateur 3′3″ Hunter championship with Red Carpet.
Wellington, FL – March 29, 2012 – Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum rode to an exciting one-two finish on Thursday afternoon in the $32,000 WEF Challenge Cup Round 12 at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Michaels-Beerbaum topped the class aboard Cantano and finished second riding Checkmate 4, both owned by Octavia Farms LLC. Other wins for the day went to Johannes Ehning and Cayenne 162 in the $32,000 G&C Farm 1.45m Classic and Darrin Dlin and Janou in the $10,000 Adequan 5-Year-Old Young Jumper Final. In the hunters, Hayley Barnhill and Surfs Up were presented championship honors in the Performance Working Hunter 3′3″ division.
Olympic course designer Linda Allen brings you the complete guide to course building on DVD. 
