July 11, 2015
USEF Communications Department

Caledon, Ont. - The 2015 Pan American Games equestrian competition will begin tomorrow with dressage. New for the 2015 Pan American Games, dressage teams may be comprised of both Small Tour and Big Tour combinations. The following nations have entered at least one Grand Prix combination in team competition and are thus eligible to compete for 2016 Olympic qualification: Argentina, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The remaining six teams have entered Small Tour combinations only, but are still eligible to compete for team medals. Competition gets underway tomorrow at the Caledon Equestrian Park with the first day of team competition. Small Tour combinations will contest the FEI Prix St. Georges test, while Big Tour competitors will perform the FEI Grand Prix test. All United States horses passed inspection yesterday. There were two draws, one for each tour, and the U.S. has drawn fifth in the order for the Small Tour and fourth in the order for the Big Tour. The U.S. will ride in the following order with Small Tour combinations competing first, followed by Big Tour:

1. Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo (11:34 a.m. ET)
2. Kimberly Herslow and Rosmarin (2:39 p.m. ET)
3. Laura Graves and Verdades (4:27 p.m. ET)
4. Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 (5:12 p.m. ET)

The stakes are high as the team of Laura Graves, Steffen Peters, Kimberly Herslow, and Sabine Schut-Kery aim to qualify the U.S. for the 2016 Olympic Games. Direct qualification will be secured by earning the Pan American Games Team Gold medal.

“All our U.S. combinations had a wonderful warm-up in the main arena today and I feel extremely confident in their ability to excel in each phase of competition,” said U.S. Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor Robert Dover. “We are focused on achieving Olympic qualification and realistically this means we need to win Team Gold. We are ready for this challenge.”

U.S. Pan American Dressage Team (StockImageServices.com)

Graves, of Plymouth, Fla., will ride down center line on her own Verdades, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding. Graves and Verdades made their international debut last year and were on the U.S. Team at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, where they earned fifth place in the Grand Prix Freestyle and helped the U.S. Team to a fourth-place finish. In 2015, Graves and Verdades had another spectacular finish on the world stage, taking fourth place individually at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final in Las Vegas.
Peters, of San Diego, Calif., will partner with Four Winds Farm’s 13-year-old Westphalian gelding Legolas 92. Peters is one of the most successful dressage athletes ever to represent the U.S., having participated in three Olympic Games, three FEI World Equestrian Games, and four FEI World Cup Dressage Finals. At the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, Peters rode Weltino’s Magic to Team and Individual Gold medals. Upon the retirement of his famed mount Ravel, Peters has continued his winning ways with Legolas 92. In 2014, the pair clinched their third consecutive The Dutta Corp./USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship title. In 2015, they performed beautifully at the Aachen CDI5* Grand Prix to finish in third place.

Herslow, of Stockton, N.J., will ride Kiroli Enterprises LLC’s Rosmarin, a 10-year-oldHanoverian gelding. Competing in the Small Tour classes, the duo began the 2015 season in top form as they helped the U.S. Team to victory in the Stillpoint Farm FEI Nations Cup in Wellington, Fla. Competing in Europe for the first time this summer, Herslow piloted Rosmarin to wins in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I at CDI4* Achleiten and CDI1* München-Riem.

Also successful in Small Tour classes and competing as a member of the U.S. Pan American Dressage Team is Schut-Kery, of Thousand Oaks, Calif. Schut-Kery will pilot Alice Womble’s Sanceo, a nine-year-old Hanoverian stallion. Schut-Kery has competed Sanceo since his five-year-old year, forging a long and successful partnership. This year, the pair has had tremendous success on both U.S. coasts with wins in California and Florida. Extending their efforts to Europe, they were third in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I at CDI4* Achleiten and second and third, respectively, in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I at CDI1* München-Riem.

Poised and focused, the U.S. Pan American Dressage Team will be a formidable competitor at the 2015 Pan American Games.

Pan American Games Order of Go and Results

Behind the Scenes with the U.S. Teams: USEF Sport Director Will Connell’s Blog

July 10, 2015

Falsterbo, Sweden (July 9, 2015)— Grand Prix dressage rider Devon Kane is proudly ready to represent Team USA at the Nations Cup CDIO5* in Falsterbo, Sweden, July 10-12. She and her twelve-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding Destiny (Diamond Hit-Midt-West Regina, Rubenstein) have spent the past month training at the Flyenhof stables in Etteln, Germany, with Olympic Gold Medalist Hubertus Schmidt. Kane and “Desi” have been working hard in Germany’s unseasonably warm weather, and are poised for success as they prepare to compete in Sweden.

“I’m happy to be visiting this beautiful and prestigious show and town,” Kane said about traveling to Falsterbo for the Nations Cup. “Everyone has wonderful things to say about the area, and I am looking forward to the cooler weather.”

Kane admitted that the heat has been a challenge during the last week of training going into Falsterbo, and she and Schmidt have had to alter their schedule to allow for more breaks for Destiny. Despite the reduced training, Kane said her gelding has been consistently improving in his collected gaits.

“I have been able to continue progressing and practicing the test movements enough that I feel very comfortable going into the show,” she said. “We have been focusing on making his collected gaits larger and more expressive. I am asking more of Desi and he is working harder; I am very proud of him.”

Kane traveled without Schmidt to Falsterbo, as he will be competing in Hagen, Germany, at the same time. The coach helped her plan the warm-ups, schooling exercises, and training schedule for her Swedish show. Kane said she could not do it without her talented team from her home base of Wellington, Florida’s Diamante Farms. Her working student McKenzie Jenkins traveled with her to Falsterbo, while groom Roberto Gallardo remained at the German training facility to care for the other four horses Kane has there. Some of the berieters (or trainers) at Schmidt’s will ride the horses for her in her absence. Her mother, Terri Kane, also traveled with her to Sweden. “She will be at the show cheering and supervising as always,” her daughter smiled.

Confident in her training and in the bond that she and Destiny share, Kane is excited to go down centerline representing her country. She and Destiny will look and feel the part of champions, too— Kane plans to use her favorite equestrian clothing and equipment to be even more prepared for the competition.

“I’m excited to debut my new Animo tails for this show! I will also be wearing a new model Uvex helmet. Desi will be wearing his Back on Track everything— as always, Desi only wears the best. Destiny will also pack his Choice of Champions supplements to help keep him relaxed and healthy.”

For Kane, one of the best parts about representing the U.S. at the Nations Cup in Sweden will be enjoying the experience with her teammates. “I am really looking forward to reuniting with some USA friends this weekend and seeing some familiar friendly faces,” she said.

International competition won’t stop after the Nations Cup for Kane— she was recently selected to compete in Verden, Germany, at the prestigious International Dressage and Jumping Festival on August 5-8. She will then compete in Darmstadt-Kranichstein, Germany, at the Kranichsteiner Sommerfestival on August 20-22.

“I got confirmation from the Verden show office this week that I will be in their CDI,” she said. “I am very excited to represent the USA at this fabulous show. I am most excited to go with Hubertus Schmidt and be able to experience the show with him! There is so much to learn!”

Kane is the owner and head trainer at Diamante Farms in Wellington, Florida, where she will return to with all that she learned in Europe at the end of the summer. To find out more about Devon Kane and Destiny, and about Kane’s successful dressage training, showing, and boarding business Diamante Farms, visit www.DiamanteFarms.com or call 561-307-2831

Photo: Grand Prix dressage rider Devon Kane will compete in the Nations Cup CDIO5* in Falsterbo, Sweden, and then in the International Dressage and Jumping Festival in Verden, Germany (Photo courtesy of Jack Mancini)

Hagen (GER), 10 July 2015

Photo caption: Team Germany stamped their authority all over the fourth leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage 2015 pilot series when coming out on top at CDIO Hagen, Germany today. Pictured (L to R): Isabell Werth, Kristina Broring-Sprehe, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Hubertus Schmidt. (FEI/Karl-Heinz Freiler)

Authoritative German victory on home ground at Hagen

By Louise Parkes

Team Germany were in a league of their own when winning the fourth leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage 2015 pilot series on home soil in Hagen today. With three scores in excess of 70 per cent and a massive 81.160 for last-line rider, Kristina Broring-Sprehe with Desperados FRH, they finished more than 15 points ahead of their nearest challengers from Denmark, while Spain slotted into third.

A total of eight nations lined out for this highly-competitive leg that gave Chefs d’Equipe a chance to test horse-and-rider combinations, and team spirit, ahead of next month’s all-important FEI European Championships in Aachen (GER). Russia lined up a close fourth ahead of Switzerland in fifth while the defending series champions from The Netherlands slotted into sixth ahead of the USA in seventh and Great Britain in eighth and last place.

Choice of formats

Organisers have a choice of formats to decide the results in this pilot series, and Hagen chose to run the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage over just a single competition, todays’ Grand Prix. First out for the German side, Hubertus Schmidt had an uncomfortable time when he and his 12-year-old stallion, Imperio 3, had to endure a heavy downpour as well as gusty winds. However they still managed to post a hefty 72.5 which, when it turned out to be the team discard, gave a strong indication of German superiority on the day.

German Chef d’Equipe, Klaus Roeser, fielded a truly heavyweight side, and when Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Unee BB scored 76.680 and Isabell Werth followed that with 77.440 from Don Johnson they already looked unbeatable. Many of the team managers kept their very best until last, and Broring-Sprehe’s big score with Desperados saw all five members of the Ground Jury – Germany’s Katrina Wuest and Evi Eisenhardt, Italy’s Vincenzo Truppa, Sweden’s Gustav Svalling and The Netherlands‘ Ghislain Fouarge – in complete agreement about the individual leading score of the day.

Defining

She wasn’t the only one to produce a defining last-to-go performance however. The 76.000 awarded to Anna Kasprzak and Donnperignon saw Denmark leap-frog other nations to earn runner-up position. Agnete Kirk Thinggaard’s 67.66 with JoJo AZ was the discard when Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Blue Horse Loxana posted 71.900 and then Mikala Muenter Gundersen and My Lady posted 71.720 for a team total of 219.620. And Beatriz Ferrer-Salat did likewise for Spain. The multi-medalled 49-year-old who claimed team silver and individual bronze at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games steered the 14-year-old Delgado to a score of 75.180 which, when added to the 69.980 from Claudio Castilla Ruis (Alcaide) and 71.620 from Jose Daniel Martin Dockx (Grandioso) gave a team total 215.780 – Jordi Domingo Coll’s 68.78 (Wonder) was the discard here.

Team Russia’s 213.500 left them just over two points adrift in fourth place, and again the anchor partnership proved pivotal. Inessa Merkulova and Mister X are a hugely popular partnership wherever they go, and they lived up to their usual billing when boosting Russian chances considerably with a mark of 75.340.

Switzerland finished fifth on 211.040, the three-member Dutch team finished sixth on 210.360, the USA lined up seventh with 210.000 and Great Britain rounded up the scoreboard with their total of 205.840.

The full story

The individual scoresheet told the full story at the end of the day, with Germany’s Broring-Sprehe, Werth and von Bredow-Werndl filling the top three places ahead of Kaskprazak, Merkulova and Ferrer-Salat. Broring-Sprehe had every reason to be in buoyant mood, as she was married just over two weeks ago to long-time boyfriend Christian Broring in a civil ceremony. They plan a church wedding following the FEI European Championships 2015 in Aachen, and the 28-year-old German Dressage star certainly pleased her Chef d’Equipe today with her sparkling ride in difficult circumstances.

“Kristina was very, very good even though her horse got quite excited due to the weather”, Klaus Roeser said, “and Isabell was very good. Hubertus was a bit unlucky. There was very heavy wind and rain as he started, and he coped really well so his horse could show his quality, but they both had an early shower! All four riders did a great job!”, he added.

Roeser has many of his big guns competing at Hagen this week and said today’s competition gave him the opportunity to see some potential team members for the forthcoming Championships. “But on the other hand we also have other interesting horses and riders going in the other Tour here. We have more days of competition, and by Sunday we will have a better overview of our potential team situation” he explained.

He talked about his team’s winning margin. “We came with a strong team, but everyone faced the same conditions today and everyone had the same job to do. Yes the distance between ourselves and the Danes was not too small – but from our side that wasn’t a problem at all!” he  said with a laugh.

For further information on the fourth leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage 2015 pilot series see www.cdio2015@hagen.de or contact Press Officer Anna Baden, Email anna.baden@psi-sporthorses.de, Tel +49 5401 364543. The next leg of the series will take place in Falsterbo, Sweden with the competition embracing the Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and the Freestyle which concludes on Sunday 12 July.  For all information on the Swedish fixture visit www.falsterbohorseshow.com or contact Press Officer Malin Fredriksson, Email press@falsterbohorseshow.com.

Result:

1.    Germany 235.280: Imperio 3 (Hubertus Schmidt) 72.5, Unee BB (Jessica von Bredow-Werndl) 76.680, Don Johnson FRH (Isabell Werth) 77.440, Desperados FRH (Kristina Broring-Sprehe) 81.160.

2.    Denmark 219.620: JoJo AZ (Agnete Kirk Thinggaard) 67.66, Blue Hors Loxana (Daniel Bachmann Andersen) 71.900, My Lady (Mikala Muenter Gundersen) 71.720, Donnperignon (Anna Kasprzak) 76.00.

3.    Spain 215.780: Wonder (Jordi Domingo Coll) 68.78, Alcaide (Claudio Castilla Ruis) 68.980, Grandioso (Jose Daniel Martin Dockx) 71.620, Delgado (Beatriz Ferrer-Salat) 75.180.

4.    Russie 213.500: Laetare (Polina Afanasleva) 63.86, Kartsevo Upperville (Tatiana Dorofeeva) 67.840, Vosk (Marin Aframeeva) 70.320, Mister X (Inessa Merkulova) 75.340.

5.    Switzerland 211.040: Dandy de la Roche CMF CH (Antonella Joannou) 67.62, For Compliment (Birgit Wientzek-Plage) 69.680, Raffaello va Bene (Anna-Mengia Aerne) 69.600, Smeyers Molberg (Marcela Krinke-Susmelj) 71.760.

6.    Netherlands 210.360: Radetzky (Marjan van der Jagt) 68.240, Westpoint (Kirsten Beckers) 70.220, Bonzanjo (Diedeick van Silfhout) 71.900.

7.    USA 210.000: Woodstock (Arlene Page) 68.700, Kastel’s Nintendo (Charlotte Jorst) 70.840, Doktor (Shelly Francis) 69.460, Breanna (Kathleen Raine) 66.32.

8.    Great Britain 205.840: Solo Bachelorette (Emily Kate Cousins) 64.18, Weltzin (Hannah Biggs) 68.320, Rubin al Asad (Lara Griffith) 68.320, Die Callas (Anna Louise Ross) 69.200.

Detailed result here

Facts and Figures:

CDIO 5* Hagen presented the fourth leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage 2015 series today.

Teams from total of eight countries –  Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and USA – participated.

The team Germany foursome of Hubertus Schmidt (Imperio 3), Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Unee BB), Isabell Werth (Don Johnson FRH) and Kristina Broring-Sprehe (Desperados FRH) enjoyed a winning margin of more than 15 percentage points over Denmark, while the Spanish team lined up third.

The Ground Jury consisted of: At E, Katrina Wuest GER; At H, Gustav Svalling SWE; At C, Dr Evi Eisenhardt GER; At M, Dr Vincenzo Truppa ITA; At B, Ghislain Fouarge NED.

The sixth-placed Dutch team consisted of just three horse-and-rider combinations while the remaining nations field four per side.

The leading individual score of the competition was posted by German’s Kristina Broring-Sprehe and Desperados, and three members the German team filled the top three places individually.

The next leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage 2015 series begins tomorrow at Falsterbo, Sweden where there will be a different format, including the Grand Prix, and a split of two riders in the Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle, to decide the result.

By Jennifer Ward,

Starting Gate

July 10, 2015

Brittany Fraser of New Glasgow, NS, presents All In at the horse inspection for dressage events at the 2015 Pan American Games. Photo © Cealy Tetley – www.tetleyphoto.com   Pan Am Games debutant Megan Lane, 24, of Collingwood, ON, presents Caravello at the horse inspection. Photo © Cealy Tetley – www.tetleyphoto.com     Anton, to be ridden by Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, is presented at the horse inspection by groom Lyndsey Rowan. Photo © Cealy Tetley – www.tetleyphoto.com     Canadian Dressage Team member Chris von Martels presents his mount, Zilverstar, for inspection at the Pan American Games. Photo © Cealy Tetley – www.tetleyphoto.com First alternate Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON, presents Robbie W. Photo © Cealy Tetley – www.tetleyphoto.com     Caledon, Ontario – The Canadian Dressage Team comprised of Brittany Fraser of New Glasgow, NS, Megan Lane of Collingwood, ON, Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, and Chris von Martels of Ridgetown, ON, will open the equestrian competition at the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games.  Dressage competition is taking place on July 11, 12, and 14 at the OLG Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Caledon, ON. Four Canadian Dressage Team horses were presented at the horse inspection held Thursday morning, July 9, and all four were accepted.  First reserve, Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON, also presented her mount, Robbie W, owned by Doug Leatherdale, in the event that they are needed. Fraser, 26, is making her major games debut riding All In, a 10-year-old liver chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding (Tango x Damiro) owned by the athlete and Marc-Andre Beaulieu. Lane, 24, will ride Caravella, her mount at last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.  Caravella is a 14-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood mare (Contango x Riverman) owned by the athlete and her mother, Cathy Lane. Trussell, 43, hails from nearby Stouffville, ON, and is a veteran of major games competition, having competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics as well as at three World Equestrian Games (2002, 2010, and 2014).  Her mount is the experienced Anton, a 15-year-old dark bay Sachsen-Anhaltiner gelding (Antaeus x Melit) owned by Robyn Eames and Marc Trussell. Chris von Martels, 32, is making his major games debut with Zilverstar, an 11-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding sired by Rosseau. As the Canadian Dressage Team athlete living closest to the equestrian venue, Trussell is thrilled to be competing in front of a home crowd. “For me, this was a really important games, I wanted to make this team very badly because it was in Toronto,” said Trussell, who is competing in her first Pan Am Games.  “I’ve never competed in a major games in front of Canadians; it has always been in different countries.  I’m really excited to compete in front of a home crowd.  I’m looking forward to entering the stadium and feeling the atmosphere of being a Canadian competing in Canada.” As for her equine partner, Anton, Trussell said, “He’s fresh, he’s happy, and I think he’s in the best shape of his life.  My own personal goal is to have personal bests in all three tests.  I want to have a personal best in the Grand Prix, a personal best in the Special, and a personal best as well in the Freestyle.” Having competed at the Caledon Equestrian Park previously, Trussell is impressed with the dramatic transformation of the venue for the Pan American Games. “The venue looks fantastic; the organizing committee has done a great job,” said Trussell.  “It feels like a top major games.  I’ve been to a few, and it feels like that.  All of the other countries that I’ve spoken with are really happy as well.  The footing is great, the stabling is great.  It’s a beautiful venue!” For the first time, Pan American Games dressage competition will see teams composed of both grand prix and small tour combinations.  Lane and Trussell will be competing at the grand prix level for Canada, which means a ‘bonus’ of 1.5 points will be added to their scores for the two tests counting towards team results, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special.  Fraser and von Martels will be contesting the small tour. The first phase of competition will feature the Prix St. Georges and Grand Prix tests on Saturday, July 11, followed by the Grand Prix Special and Intermediaire I on Sunday, July 12.  Team medals will be awarded at the conclusion of Sunday’s competition.  A total of ten teams are represented at this Pan American Games, with an additional six riders riding as individuals.  The Individual Final, featuring the popular freestyles to music, will be held on Tuesday, July 14. “I am very excited and honoured to be a part of this team,” said Alison Martin of Vancouver, BC, who is acting as the Canadian Dressage Team chef d’equipe for the first time at a major games.  “Being part of the team in your home country is so special; there is an amazing energy and vibrancy that you don’t get anywhere else.  As a Canadian, you feel that the energy is all for you, and you feel extremely well supported. “The venue is amazing, and the Caledon area is so lucky to have this investment in their community to develop equestrian sport in Ontario,” continued Martin. Of great importance to Team Canada is the fact that only one qualifying spot is available for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.  Team USA poses the greatest threat to Canada. “Our number one goal is the team gold, so we get that one spot to go to Rio,” stressed Martin.  “We have a fighting chance.  Everyone is spot-on ready.  We are super strong, our attitude is positive, and we are making a good run for that gold!” Only teams with a mixed combination of grand prix and small tour riders are eligible to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.  In addition to Canada and the USA, Argentina and Mexico are also fielding mixed teams. For more information on equestrian events at the Pan American Games, please visit www.toronto2015.org.   Photographs may be used one-time only with this news release and must include photo credit. For high resolution photographs, please e-mail: jchristie@equinecanada.ca.

Lexington, KY (July 10, 2015) – The United States Dressage
Federation (USDF) announced today the riders selected to represent …

From British Dressage

July 08, 2015