Photo by Tom Donoghue
LAS VEGAS – Two days ago, before the 60th edition of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo opened, saddle bronc rider Cort Scheer was sitting in ninth place and ready to make his first Finals appearance since 2015. Over the next two days, Scheer has won back-to-back rounds, posted a round record, won $62,462 and climbed all the way to third in the 2018 PRCA | RAM World Standings.
LAS VEGAS – Justin Rumford was twice as happy as the rest of the winners at the PRCA’s annual awards banquet after winning the 2018 Coors Man in the Can award and the Clown of the Year award at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa’s Grand Ballroom in Las Vegas, Dec. 5.
Christie’s International Real Estate Vaulting competition will open tomorrow and continue throughout the week at the Indoor Arena at TIEC.
Spectators can expect an exciting mix of energy, athletic powers and theatrical skills when Christie’s International Real Estate’s Vaulting discipline opens its gymnastics on horseback at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 on Tuesday, September 18. The Indoor Arena at Tryon International Equestrian Center will be a bubbling cauldron of music, noise and anticipation.
Great Britain will once again be the team to beat when Adequan® Para-Dressage begins at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 on Tuesday.
And British talisman Sir Lee Pearson will break a WEG record if he adds to his medal collection during a packed Para-Dressage program that sees more than 60 competitors from 23 countries lining up.
Tryon, NC USA – September 17, 2018 – Great Britain’s eventers claimed a golden double on an unforgettable day of action at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG). Rosalind Canter not only led the British team to glory – their first world Gold medal since 2010 – but she also won the Individual title with her brilliant 13-year-old gelding, Allstar B.
By Luke Norman
The British team, overnight leaders after cross country, all sailed through this afternoon’s rain-soaked horse inspection, as did individual leaders, German Ingrid Klimke’s SAP Hale Bob OLD and Briton Rosalind Canter’s Allstar B.
LEXINGTON, KY (Sept. 13, 2018) – Amer Abdulaziz’ Phoenix Thoroughbreds paid $2.1 million for a Medaglia d’Oro colt who is a half-brother to 2015 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Stopchargingmaria to top Thursday’s fourth session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Six million-dollar horses were sold during the session, the final day of the premier Book 1, increasing the total number of seven-figure purchases to 26, the most since 2007, and driving double-digit gains in gross, average and median prices when compared to last year’s Week 1.
By Luke Norman
German Eventer Julia Krajewski treated the sun-drenched spectators at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG) to one of the great dressage rides of all time as she finished a thrilling first day 7.2 points clear of the field.
By Simona Diale
The Johnson Controls Reining Team Competition and first Individual Qualifier at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 today offered an amazingly high level of competition. The athletic ability of the great reining horses competing was superbly highlighted by riders representing 20 National Federations. Team USA clinched the gold, led by the talented 18-year-old Cade McCutcheon who posted a 229-top score on Custom Made Gun.
Tryon, NC USA – September 12, 2018 – The United States underlined their domination of Johnson Controls Reining competition by taking Team Gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 on Wednesday, September 12. The American team, led by the brilliant 18-year-old Cade McCutcheon on his grandfather’s horse, Custom Made Gun, claimed a comprehensive victory from Belgium in second and third-placed Germany. It was Team USA’s third successive FEI World Equestrian Games™ Gold medal triumph as they claimed the Johnson Controls Reining crown on a team score of 681 points.
Belgium, meanwhile, completed a hat trick of silver medals, while Germany’s bronze was a Reining first for them at WEG.
Cade McCutcheon and Custom Made Gun Cade, who was joined in the team by Casey Deary, Daniel L Huss and Jordan Larson, it continued the family’s remarkable connection to WEG success, given that his father won Individual Gold in 2010 and his mother Mandy claimed silver four years ago.
“I was real nervous, but all the guys really helped me and that made a huge difference,” Cade said. “My grandfather owns my horse and he’s trained it as well. He is a pretty good owner to work for.”
And Deary added, “Cade did an amazing job. He showed all that he had and we are all extremely proud of the job he did.”
Reflecting on another second-placed finish, Belgium’s Bernard Fonck said, “I think everybody did everything that they could do with their horses and although it was a strong competition, I think Belgium was also pretty strong.”
With the crowd adding to a memorable atmosphere by getting fully involved in the action, there was also plenty for Germany to celebrate as they completed the podium places.
“This is the fifth WEG I have been a competitor at,” said Grischa Ludwig. “All the other competitions we’ve always been fourth and fifth, we’ve been beaten so many times by a half point and one point and now we’ve beaten the others (Austria) by a half point, which makes this feel even sweeter.”
“I did not think that it takes five FEI World Equestrian Games to get a medal! But, in the end, we really deserve it. This team really deserved it. We’ve been consistent. We had no low score and we were really fighting for the medal.”
Endurance Competition Canceled at FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018
Competition for the discipline of Endurance at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 Tryon was cancelled on Wednesday.
Equestrian sport’s governing body, Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), said in a statement that the decision was made “due to a potentially dangerously high combination of heat and humidity, and the conditions out on the trail following heavy rain this afternoon.”
“The decision to cancel, which is in accordance with FEI General Regulations, Article 109.12 was unanimous between the President of the Ground Jury, Technical Delegate and President of the Veterinary Commission, and the Organizing Committee.”
Earlier in the day, the event was reduced from its original 100-mile (160 kilometers) distance to 74 miles (120 kilometers) – and from five course loops to four – after it was announced that some teams had been “unfortunately misdirected” at the 6:30 am EST start.
The competition was stopped at the first Vet Gate inspection and each horse underwent a vet check before the race could restart. No substitution of horses was allowed.
A restart took place 45 minutes after the last horse was inspected and a statement released on behalf of the FEI read, “As there is no possibility to reschedule the ride tomorrow, the President of the Ground Jury, the President of the Veterinary Commission, Foreign Veterinary Delegate and the Organizing Committee agreed that this was the only pragmatic solution.”
The FEI said the cancellation decision “was also in line with the FEI Code of Conduct for the Welfare of the Horse, which states ‘extreme weather – competitions must not take place in extreme weather conditions that may compromise welfare or safety of the horse’.”
President of the Veterinary Commission, Thomas Timmons said: “This was a difficult decision to make, but it was done with horse and athlete welfare in mind as the conditions this afternoon after the rain resulted in extremely high levels of humidity and combined with rising heat, it was deemed unsafe to continue the ride.”
British scientist Dr. David Marlin, who has been working on heat and humidity studies for the FEI for more than 20 years, provided the Ground Jury with data from the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index which showed a reading of 31. Anything over 25 is monitored very closely, and the officials agreed unanimously that 31 presented an unacceptable risk to horse welfare for the sport of Endurance.
The decision was backed by Netherlands Chef d’Equipe Pieter Wiersinga, who said: “The race was stopped, and I was asked as the Chef d’Equipe if I was okay with the decision.”
“I spoke to my veterinary (team) and asked them what they thought. They said that in terms of it [race] continuing that for horse welfare it might be a problem and then I told them I was okay with that. It was the right decision. For horse welfare, yes, always,” he concluded.
In an update, meanwhile, on events in the morning, the FEI said: “Following this morning’s false start, the FEI has tasked the independent Equestrian Community Integrity Unit (ECIU), which is onsite here at Tryon, to do a full investigation into the circumstances that resulted in some horse/athlete combinations being misdirected.
“The investigation will include interviews with the officials, volunteers, Organizing Committee and all other relevant personnel to provide a full picture of what happened.
“The findings will be presented to the FEI Bureau and the conclusions will then be made.”
Germany Marking the Territory for Team Gold in Helgstrand Dressage
Team Germany is reaching out for the next medal in their collection by building up a strong lead in the Helgstrand Dressage discipline at FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018. After two riders out on the first day of competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center, the current champions sit on 76.677%, aiming to complete their medal dozen. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl leads the individual ranking and Dorothee Schneider currently sits in third place with a 75.062%.
Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB
Sweden came out as the day’s surprise when veteran Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén and Juliette Ramel both turned in top performances for ranking their team second on 75.248%. Ramel squeezed in between the favorites on silver position individually, presenting her gelding Buriel K.H. in a much improved way. “Most of that is my trainer’s doing. Patrik Kittel gives me a lot of confidence and he believes in us. That makes me stronger,” Ramel explained.
Adrienne Lyle and Steffen Peters brought the U.S. team to third position. Lyle’s score of 74.581 % has her and stallion Salvino sit fourth individually. “I was really pleased with him, especially considering we warmed up in a downpour and then it’s blazing hot the next second. Fitness is a big factor – he’s a big dark horse and I’ve done my best to get him fit, and I’m glad that I did, because it took every ounce of fitness today,” Lyle beamed.
Juliette Ramel and Buriel K.H.
It was rain and shine at the opening of the Helgstrand Dressage competition, not only because of changing weather. Isabel Cool from Belgium had to retire when her stallion Aranco V quit following her aids, leaving her team without a scratch result.
But, for Australian Alexis Hellyer, day one of the competition already felt like an unexpectedly happy end. The first-timer at WEG had to present her horse Bluefields Floreno for re-inspection only in the morning of the competition and was relieved to find that the stallion was considered fit to compete. “His infection in the foot got better at the last minute. If I am called into the team ever again, I hope it is a little smoother,” she said, placing 23rd in Wednesday’s ranking.
Dorothee Schneider and Sammy Davis Jr.
The team medals will be decided on Thursday, September 13, with a 9:00 a.m. EST start in the U.S. Trust Arena, but nothing is set in stone yet with the best riders of each team still to come.
Will The Price Be Right For New Zealand Eventing Couple
Husband and wife dream team Tim and Jonelle Price will turn their attention to possible world domination of Eventing at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG).
The New Zealand riders have enjoyed a stellar season, with Jonelle claiming her first Badminton Horse Trials title in May before Tim landed the United Kingdom’s other major four-star event – the Burghley Horse Trials – in early September.
Now they are part of a New Zealand team that also features double Olympic champion Mark Todd and twice World individual gold medalist Blyth Tait, as they chase a third WEG crown in the Mars, Inc. Eventing.
“It is obviously a different situation here than Burghley,” Tim Price said. “But it was only a couple of weeks ago of being out there with a bit of pressure, and I will keep reminding myself of Burghley.
“But this is very much a team effort, and it is not going to be about one single individual performance.”
Lining up alongside them, though, are a host of teams and riders with serious gold medal aspirations in both the team and individual competitions.
Defending world champions Germany might be without the genial reigning Olympic champion Michael Jung, but it says everything about their remarkable strength that the team still features current world champion Sandra Auffarth and 2017 European Individual Gold medal winner Ingrid Klimke, who was part of German World Equestrian Games-winning teams in 2006 and 2014.
“I am really happy to be here with my horse,” Klimke said. “We are ready for the next adventure. We have a wonderful venue and I am very proud to be here and be a part of it all.”
Great Britain, world title winners in 1994 and 2010, might have seen a major selection surprise with current world number one Oliver Townend not making their team, but few can doubt claims to a podium finish, given the presence of multiple major championship medalist Tina Cook, world number three Ros Canter and 2011 Olympic Test event winner Piggy French.
And the quality is further emphasized by France fielding two members of their Rio 2016 gold medal-winning team in Thibaut Vallette and Astier Nicolas, the United States being led by Rio individual Bronze medalist Phillip Dutton and Australia featuring Andrew Hoy, a three-time Olympic team gold medal winner.
Considerable interest, too, will surround a Japanese team led by the highly experienced and reigning Asian Games champion Yoshiaki Oiwa two years out from the Tokyo Olympics.
A total of 83 combinations from 23 countries were presented at Wednesday’s first horse inspection in front of judges Anne-Mette Binder (Denmark), Jane Hamlin (USA) and Andrew Bennie (New Zealand), with all being accepted.
Belgium’s Joris Vanspringel with Imperial van de Holtakkers was held, but then passed on re-inspection, along with the Netherlands’ Merel Blom and Rumour Has It N.O.P, but they also passed after being held.
Action starts with Thursday’s opening day of Dressage in Tryon Stadium, followed by day two on Friday, before attention switches to the Cross-Country course designed by former USA Eventing team coach Captain Mark Phillips, which will shape the leaderboard ahead of Sunday’s jumping finale.
For more information on the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 and to view start lists and results, please visit www.Tryon2018.com.
