Sport-heute: ReportMix - ALLTECH FEI WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES 2010

27. September 2010, 10:45

ALLTECH FEI WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES 2010

DAY TWO GETS UNDERWAY AT THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK by Louise Parkes

It's all happening at The Horse Park in Kentucky this morning where the closing stages of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ Reining Team Championships are taking place in the Alltech Pavilion while the Endurance competitors are enjoying perfect weather conditions on their 160kms course.

Brüttisellen, 27.9.10 Red. (mk) Kentucky turned noticeably chillier overnight and the current temperature is about 60 degrees, but the cooler weather is ideal for the Endurance challenge, and horses were looking happy, keen and comfortable as they set off. The Endurance result will be known by about 7pm this evening, but the medals will not be presented until tomorrow (Monday) morning, after the Best Condition Award has also been decided at 10.30am.

By the time the Endurance horses arrived at Gate 1 this morning the team from the United Arab Emirates - His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum (SAS Alexis), His Excellency Sheikh Majid Mohammed Al Maktoum (Kango D'Aurabelle) and Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum (Rukban Dikruhu Mmn) - had posted a combined time of 04:34.53 and were leading the team rankings ahead of the USA in second and Bahrain in third. However there was still a long way to go.

The very first medals of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ will be presented later this afternoon to the winners of the Reining Team Championship which is due to conclude about 3pm local time.

Meanwhile the Dressage horse inspection is taking place, and this discipline kicks off in the fabulous new outdoor stadium tomorrow morning (Monday). A total of 24 nations will be represented, including 14 teams and 66 riders pending the result of today's vet-check.

Above you will find a link to an interview with German dressage star Isabell Werth who talks about her decision to leave Satchmo at home, the strength of the Dutch team and her great rival Anky Van Grunsven.

Attached is a photograph from last night's spectacular Opening Ceremony.

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ is the World Championship of equestrian sport and runs for 16 days, from Saturday 25 September to Sunday 10 October. It includes eight separate disciplines - Reining, Endurance, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Jumping, Vaulting and Para-Dressage - and this is the first time for the Games to be held outside Europe.

For full results and startlists go to www.alltechfeigames.com

NOTES TO EDITORS:
Alltech - Founded by Dr Pearse Lyons, Alltech is a global animal health and nutrition company with 30 years’ experience in developing natural products that are scientifically proven to enhance animal health and performance. With more than 2300 employees in 120 countries, the company has developed a strong regional presence in Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle-East, Africa and Asia. For further information, visit www.alltech.com.

The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and includes
133 National Federations.

http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/Isabell%20Werth-GER%20dres%2025-9.mp3

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The gold medal winning USA reining team. Tim McQuay, Craig Schmersal, Tom McCutcheon, Shawn Flarida. Photo Kit Houghton/FEI. ******AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHTS TAKE TEAM REINING TITLE FOR THE THIRD TIME by Louise Parkes******** The host nation and defending double-champions from the USA scooped the first gold medals of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ when spinning, slide-stopping and galloping to a convincing victory in the Reining Team Championship at The Horse Park in Kentucky today. They dominated the leaderboard when filling first, third, fourth and ninth places and their final score of 674.5 left them almost 10 points clear of Belgium in silver medal position while Italy took bronze. And it was an historic moment for the Belgians as they claimed their first World Championship title in this discipline. ******** "We were always trying for third place, so silver is a dream come true!" said Belgium's Cira Baeck afterwards. However the team effort produced by the Americans was exceptional and, as US Chef d'Equipe Jeff Petska said, "we came here under a lot of pressure - reining is a big sport on our home soil, but my boys really rose to the occasion". ******** ALMOST UNTOUCHABLE* Tom McCutcheon was first of the Americans into the ring today, and when his score of 224.0 with Gunners Special Nite put him on level-pegging with first-day leader Stefano Massignan from Italy it was clear the home runners were almost untouchable at the head of the leaderboard. But last man in, Shawn Flarida left nothing to chance with RC Fancy Step. "My ride was good and the noise coming from the crowd was deafening" said the 41 year old from Springboro, Ohio who, as leading money-winner in his sport in the US has a huge fan-club of supporters. "I was hoping we could be good today and my horse was really sweet. I'm very lucky to be part of a dream team of horses and riders that have won over $9 million between us!" he said after slotting into the number one spot on a score of 227.0 to seal the gold.****** All of the US team members were medal winners at previous FEI World Equestrian Games but Craig Schmersal said today's victory was particularly special. "We may never put together another team like this - we have a great group of riders, and in 20 or 30 years I know I'll be proud and happy to look back and remember I was part of this" he said. ***** CREDITABLE* Belgium's silver medal was particularly creditable because first-line rider, Jan Boogaerts, only got the ride on Gumpy Grumpy a few weeks ago. "My own horse got a stifle infection and had to be operated on, I still don't know if he will ever see the show pen again but he's doing OK otherwise" he explained. After losing his own ride he called Belgian Chef d'Equipe Susie Baeck to explain the situation "and she went very quiet" Jan pointed out. But 30 minutes later Susie, who is sister to team-member Cira Baeck, called back to say "we want you on the team - you can have Cira's alternate horse" Jan explained - "so they're the ones who made sure I came here and I'm very grateful to them for that" he said.****** As the US team fielded questions during the post-competition press conference they exuded a sense of great relief in having lived up to expectations on their home turf, but one reporter took them by surprise. As she looked up onto the podium at the line-up of the three teams she asked if the US side thought they won because of, or despite, the fact that they were carrying "more kilos of bodyweight" than all the others! The room exploded with laughter, but US Chef d'Equipe Jeff Petska was quick to respond when saying that "this is the World Championships, so we brought a bunch of heavyweights to a heavyweight party!".****** The US heavyweights go into Thursday's individual medal decider full of confidence after today's result, but as Shawn Flarida pointed out "that's a whole other day" because all the riders start on a scratch score. "And I know that I will need to be better than I was today and my horse will need to be better than he was" he insisted. Tuesday's second individual qualifier provides those not already qualified with one final chance to make the cut. For now however, its time for the home team to celebrate a superb hat-trick of World Championship Reining titles.******* RESULT* 1 - GOLD: USA 674.5 - Hollywoodstinseltown (Tim McQuay) 220.5, Mister Montana Nic (Craig Schmersal) 223.5, Gunners Special Nite 224.0, RC Fancy Step (Shawn Flarida) 227.0. 2 - SILVER: BELGIUM 659.0 - Gumpy Grumpy BB (Jan Boogaerts) 205.0, Whizdom Shines (Ann Poels) 219.5, Peek A Boom (Cira Baeck) 218.0, BA Reckless Chick (Bernard Fonck) 223.5. 3 - BRONZE: ITALY 655.5 - Smart and Shiney (Mrco Ricotta) 0, Yellow Jersey (Stefano Massignan) 224.0, Red Chic Peppy (Dario Carmignani) 216.5, Spat a Blue (Nicola Brunelli) 215.0.

MIGHTY MARIA WINS ENDURANCE GOLD, UAE SCOOP TEAM TITLE by Louise Parkes****** Spain's Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton and her super-horse, Nobby, wrote their names into the history books of the sport of Endurance today when adding the individual gold medal at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky to their 2008 World Championship and 2009 European Championship titles. The hat-trick has never been done before, and Nobby's extraordinary recovery-rate proved key to their success once again. But Ponton herself is something of a super-woman. Only seven weeks ago she gave birth to her daughter, Maria, yet she had the stamina, skill, physical fitness and concentration to win the coveted title against the sharpest competition today. ****** His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took the silver medal with Ciel Oriental while his son, His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan Bin Al Maktoum took bronze, and it was no surprise when the UAE claimed the team title as His HE Sheikh Hamdan joined with HE Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum to finish well ahead of the French in silver medal position and Germany in bronze.****** FIRST VET-GATE HH Sheikh Mohammed was in the lead at the first vet-gate ahead of Ponton in second, and the eventual winner was still lying in runner-up spot at vet-gate 2. But she established a 12-second advantage at vet-gate 3 and once she got the bit between her teeth she didn't let go. She increased her lead to 33 seconds at vet-gate four but it was on the final loop that she left the rest behind, pushing for home. She really moved on in the closing stages, completing the last loop at an average of 29.44 kilometres per hour and although HH Sheikh Mohammed and HE Sheikh Hamdan were considerably faster, averaging 31.66 kilometres on this part of the course, Ponton's overall average speed won the day.****** Back in the field, a battle for fourth place ensued between America's Heather Reynolds, riding Ssamiam, and Jean-Philippe Frances riding Hanaba du Bois for France in the closing stages. Reynolds left the final vet-gate in second position behind Ponton, but was overtaken by HH Sheikh Mohammed and HE Sheikh Hamdan and it was the Frenchman and his 2007 European Championship winning horse who finished just outside the medal placings in the final analysis.******* FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH Ponton and Nobby first burst onto the international scene in December 2006 when slotting into third in the 120 kilometres race in Dubai and they have been a force to be reckoned with ever since. Her husband, Jaume Punti-Dachs who is one of Sheikh Mohammed's leading trainers, is also a highly competitive international Endurance competitor so while Maria was waiting for their baby to arrive Jaume kept Nobby in good shape, steering him into fourth in the Dubai CEI 3-Star in April. Today however his job was looking after Sheikh Mohammed's horses while his wife and her team ensured Nobby gave of his best. Her win looked like a breeze for Ponton and her little 148cms super-champ, but the winner insisted that while the win felt wonderful, it had been no easy victory.****** "There were a lot of good horses and the track was really strong. People said it would be easy because the course was flat but it wasn't flat at all!" she said. She admitted that securing this title so soon after the birth of her baby was something of a tall order. "I thought it was probably impossible to compete at the Games once I was pregnant. But I was riding him for the first five months and my husband took him over then. I've been back riding for the last couple of weeks" she explained to the astonished listeners. ******* Talking about Nobby she said "he has a huge heart and it responds really well but when he wins a race he doesn't just win it with his heart, he also wins it with his head!" she pointed out. She said that this win was much more difficult than the one she faced when taking the World title in Malaysia two years ago - "I had to fight much harder against almost 20 horses today" she said. "In this sport you have many sad days, then some happy days, but days like today are something very special" she added. ******* Nobby will now have a two-month break but he won't be turned out in a field because he travels with Ponton wherever she goes and she is now heading back to Dubai where she spends half the year - the other half based in England. Her next target may be the 2011 European Championships, but for today she was just delighted with her extraordinary horse and happy to return to her baby daughter to tell her the good news. Those who saw the 34 year old rider and her incredible 15 year old horse finishing so fresh and elated today knew they were watching a special moment in the history of any sport - they were simply in a class of their own.******* For full results and startlists go to www.alltechfeigames.com Facts and Figures:* The winning team from the UAE completed with a combined time of 23:53:36.* The third-placed German team were one of the surprises of the competition. Japan fielded a team for the first time in these Championships, but did not complete.* Quotes:****** His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum who took individual silver today "I just took care of my horse and finished strong". Gold medallist Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton "this was really nice, I came here under plenty of pressure today so I feel very relieved!" *+*+MariaMercedes Alvarez Ponton (ESP) crosses the line in first place.*****Photo Copyright: Kit Houghton/FEI

Start of the endurance with the eventual winner Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton and Nobby in blue at the front.Copyright: Kit Houghton/FEI

Opening Ceremony.Copyright: Kit Houghton/FEI.

Shawn FLARIDA USA riding RC Fancy Step has the top individual score in the team competition.Copyright: Kit Houghton/FEI.

The top 3 reining teams, USA gold, Belgium silver medal, Italy bronze.Copyright: Kit Houghton/FEI.