News

Thu

Dec

CARL HESTER DOES THE DOUBLE AS VALEGRO RETIRES IN STYLE

OLYMPIA, THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL HORSE SHOW DAILY REPORT

The Olympia Grand Hall saw a sell-out crowd this evening, as many of the world’s greatest Dressage riders took to the arena. The FEI World Cup™ Dressage Freestyle to Music wowed the packed crowd, with Carl Hester dominating for the second night running.

The talking point of the Show was the retirement of one of Dressage’s greatest horses, Valegro, with spectators treated to a special performance ahead of an emotional retirement ceremony.

Wed

Dec

Riding sensation dies aged 55

Walter Swinburn won the Derby three times

Walter Swinburn was one of the finest Flat jockeys of his generation, his Derby win on Shergar one of many highlights
Multiple Group 1-winning jockey and formerly successful trainer, Walter Swinburn, has died peacefully at his home at the age of 55.
His first winner on a racecourse came at Kempton Park on July 12, 1978 on a horse called Paddy’s Luck.
At just the tender age of 19, he steered the Aga Khan’s superstar Shergar to an emphatic ten-length success in the 1981 Epsom Derby. His easy win on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt in the Chester Vase earned him the nickname ‘Choirboy’.
Swinburn followed his first Derby with another five years later for the same connections under the chestnut Shahrastani, who that day got first run on Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Dancing Brave and fellow jockey Greville Starkey.

Sun

Dec

Stunning Spanish win for Billy Twomey and Diaghilev in La Coruna Longines Grand Prix

Billy Twomey and the 13-year-old gelding Diaghilev

Cork-born Billy Twomey scored one of his biggest career wins to date, when he landed the €270,000 Longines Grand Prix at La Coruna’s five-star show in Spain on Saturday night.

Tue

Oct

Shane Sweetnam Wins $25,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix

Shane Sweetnam Concludes Tryon Fall IV Competition with Win in $25,000 Tryon Resort Grand Prix on the Grass Complex

Luis Larrazabal and Atlodetto FZ Fly Through Timers To Capture $25,000 U25 Grand Prix; Carolinas' Challenge Cup Series Concludes at Tryon International Equestrian Center Showcasing Five Divisions of Top Hunter Competition

Tue

Oct

TJ O'Mara Wins Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal Final

Pessoa/US Hunt Seat Medal Final Winner TJ O' Mara © Al Cook - alcookphoto.com

TJ O'Mara Wins Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal Final at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show

Harrisburg, PA - October 16, 2016 - T.J. O'Mara was in disbelief after taking top honors in the Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal Final, presented by Randolph College, at the at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, presented by The Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund. The 17-year-old Rumson, NJ, resident moved up from fifth to first to win the coveted title.
"I just can't believe it. Two years ago I got my first ribbon here and it meant the world to me," said O'Mara. "I am in shock right now. I never expected this to happen. My goal was just to be in the test, I would have been happy with a top four ribbon. I just can't believe it right now."

Annabel Revers of Weston, MA, jumped from 13th place after the first round to the runner-up spot and McKayla Langmeier, East Granby, CT, was third.

Wed

Aug

Six New Gold Medal Mares

Breeders of dressage mare of the year, Eva Götzsche and Mogens Pedersen.

At the Danish Warmblood EQUSANA Eliteshow at Vilhelmsborg 45 newly graded mares were awarded breeder medals – and the new champion mares were proclaimed
Every foal or mare participating at the Danish Warmblood Eliteshow has been selected at a regional show. The young mares courting for the breeder medals have been hand-picked for the eliteshow at the saddle gradings during the summer throughout the country.
The judges from the Danish Warmblood breeding committee were extraordinarily happy with the quality of the newly graded mares – 16 show jumper mares and 29 dressage mares. 20 mares were awarded a bronze medal, 19 mares got silver and the remaining six mares were invited to the ”gold finals” where the best dressage mare of the year and the best show jumping mare of the year were to be named.

Wed

Aug

Dressage fillies the bestsellers at the Elite Foal Auction

Price highlight of the auction: Dressage filly foal Lissau's Ginger sold for 350,000 DKK to Norway.

83% of the foals sold at the Danish Warmblood Elite Foal Auction. A Franklin daughter became the price highlight selling for 47,000 EUR
Auctioneer Casper Cassøe auctioned 83% of the foals at an average price of 80,000 DKK which equals 10,775 EUR. The 59 foals which sold produced a turnover of 3.92 million DKK equalling 526,000 EUR.

The foals went to countries like Australia, Norway, Sweden, the Czech Republic and the USA. Among the buyers based in Denmark were Andreas Helgstrand and several of his riders like the Spanish Olympian rider Severo Jurado.

Wed

Aug

Exquisite foals at Vilhelmsborg

The Danish Warmblood judges have had a hard time selecting the best of the best foals today at the Elite Show at Vilhelmsborg. A hard time because there were several extraordinarily good foals

Tue

Aug

2008 Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze Leads Canada into Team Final in Rio

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 2008 Olympic Champion Eric Lamaze of Schomberg, ON, anchored the Canadian Show Jumping Team with a clear round on Tuesday, August 16, to qualify Canada for Wednesday’s Team Final at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A total of 15 nations started the first round of team competition with the top eight advancing to Wednesday’s Team Final. Brazil, Germany, The Netherlands and the United States are all on a perfect score of zero, followed by France carrying one fault, Canada with four faults, and Sweden and Switzerland tied on eight faults heading into the second and final round of team competition. With only two rails separating the top eight countries, and Brazil and The Netherlands down to three riders, the Team Final will leave no margin of error for those nations hoping to stand on the medal podium at the conclusion of Wednesday’s competition.

Tue

Aug

Dujardin retains her Olympic title

The last day of the dressage competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games concluded earlier today and with it saw Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, retain her Olympic title, whilst posting a new Olympic record with her dancing partner Valegro.
After shining earlier in the week during the team event, Charlotte and Valegro (owned by Rowena Luard, Anne Barrott and Carl Hester) looked determined as they entered the arena today, to cheers from the gathered spectators. Together the dynamic duo produced some stunning work in the Deodoro Olympic Equestrian Centre to the backing of samba music. After a beautiful test, with some highlights coming in the pirouettes and extended trot work, a massive score of 93.857% was confirmed.