June 4, 2015

Dressage at Devon – September 29 to October 4, 2015

Wellington, Florida (June 1, 2015)— Internationally successful dressage rider and trainer Katherine Bateson-Chandler’s strong performances seem to come from fluid communication with horses that are eager to please. Bateson-Chandler treats KWPN gelding Alcazar (Contango x Polina/Ferro) and Dutch Warmblood mare Wellnetta (Hexagon’s Louisville x Rubiquil) with GumBits, which are small treats that encourage acceptance of the bit and help keep the horses happy and willing while in training and competition. As GumBits continue to help Bateson-Chandler in her Grand Prix success, the company has decided to make Bateson-Chandler an official GumBits Ambassador.

GumBits promote the salivation process and help eliminate teeth grinding, which often can occur during the intense training of high performance sport horses like Bateson-Chandler’s equine partners. GumBits also encourage chewing activity, and horses love the sweet taste of the round treats. GumBits are made of all-natural FDA approved ingredients and are safe and palatable.

“I’ve noticed a big difference with how my horses take contact with the bit when I use my GumBits. They love the taste, and now always look for GumBits before I put their bridles on,” says Bateson-Chandler.

Bateson-Chandler enjoyed a spectacular season with Alcazar, owned by Jane Forbes Clark, at the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida. The pair won multiple Grand Prixs and Grand Prix Specials. Currently, Bateson-Chandler is spending time competing and training in Europe, where she and Alcazar recently placed in the top 10 at the Royal Windsor Horse Show Grand Prix. A particularly impressive aspect of her recent achievements with Alcazar is his transformation from a horse who once struggled much more with nerves and taking the bit. The ten-year-old KWPN gelding is now consistently delivering remarkable rides  — having claimed the 2014 United States Dressage Federation Horse of the Year title for the Intermediaire II division. GumBits-using Alcazar recently stepped up to the international level, where he has already proven himself in the arena with multiple wins.

“GumBits has known and followed Katherine for six years, where we met at the 2009 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Championships,” explains Shereen Fuqua, founder and owner of the company that produces GumBits. “This year as sponsors at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, we ran into Katherine coming off of a victory gallop— and she was so excited to describe once again how GumBits has continued to help her competition horses over the years. We really focus on supporting equestrians who are passionate about GumBits and who use GumBits to help reach success.”

Bateson-Chandler trains each summer in Europe with 2012 Team Gold Medalist Carl Hester, and she says that GumBits will continue to be an integral part of Alcazar’s and Wellnetta’s training.

“I highly recommend using GumBits daily for a soft, frothy mouth and a happy horse!” says Bateson-Chandler. In choosing to be a GumBits Ambassador, Bateson-Chandler joins some of the world’s top riders and fellow GumBits Ambassadors— including U.S. Olympian Steffen Peters, Canadian Olympian David Marcus, U.S. Pan American Games Team Gold Medalist Susie Dutta, Australian Olympic Long Listed Nicholas Fyffe, Three-Star level eventer Matt Brown, German World Equestrian Games Bronze Medalist Christoph Koschel, 2014 U.S. Eventing Leading Lady Rider Lauren Kieffer, western dressage champion Lynn Palm, New Zealand High Performance Coach Jeremy Steinberg, and New Zealand eventing champion and FEI competitor Britta Anna Pedersen. Learn more and locate a retailer near you at www.gumbits.com

Photo: GumBits Ambassador Katherine Bateson-Chandler gives GumBits to her winning Grand Prix dressage mount, Alcazar

June 2, 2015

By: Lake Placid Horse Shows

Todd Minikus of Wellington, Fla., rode Babalou 41 to victory in the $75,000 I Love New York Grand Prix. (The Book LLC)

Lake Placid, N.Y. - The 46th annual Lake Placid Horse Shows, presented by Sea Shore Stables LLC, will once again host three amazing weeks of top horse show competition this summer set against the beautiful backdrop of the Adirondack Mountains.  New footing and increased prize money, combined with a world-class venue and perfect weather, made last year’s Lake Placid, I Love New York and Adirondack Horse Shows a resounding success.

“We’re always excited to welcome back our horse show family and we know they will be very happy with our continued improvements,” said Richard M. Feldman, Chairman of the Lake Placid Horse Show Association.

The nation’s best horses and riders compete in four show rings at the Lake Placid Horse Shows, which offer over $750,000 in prize money. More than 100 classes of competition are featured each week for all levels of riders ranging from young children on ponies to grand prix competitors and Olympic medalists.

The Lake Placid Horse Show will run June 23-28, highlighted by the $75,000 Devoucoux Grand Prix of Lake Placid on Sunday, June 28. The I Love New York Horse Show will follow, June 30 – July 5, highlighted by the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby presented by Eastern Hay & Grain and Purina Animal Nutrition, on Saturday, July 4, along with the $75,000 Equine Insurance Services/Great American Grand Prix on Sunday, July 5. The Adirondack Horse Show will conclude show jumping’s three-week stay in the Adirondacks, July 7-11, highlighted by the $100,000 Woodlea Farms Adirondack Grand Prix on Friday, July 10. The Richard and Diana Feldman Perpetual Challenge Trophy for Excellence along with $2,000 will be awarded to the rider who has competed in and accumulated the most money from all three Grand Prix classes.

Whether you are a rider, supporter or spectator, there is something for everyone at the Lake Placid Horse Shows.

Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, NJ claimed victory in the $100,000 Woodlea Farms Adirondack Grand Prix aboard Quointreau Un Prince to culminate the inaugural Adirondack Horse Show, presented by Sea Shore Stables. (The Book LLC)

The National Show Hunter Hall of Fame recently honored the Lake Placid Horse Shows, presented by Sea Shore Stables LLC, as one of the nation’s top ten horse shows of 2014.

The National Show Hunter Hall of Fame honors excellence in the horse show world by providing recognition, education and appreciation for the achievements of the horsemen and horses who have made the sport so rich in history. The Lake Placid Horse Shows received the prestigious award in recognition of its overall excellence, and was selected as one of the top horse shows in the country by trainers, owners and riders, who voted by ballot.

General Admission for June 23 – July 11, 2015:
Weekdays: $2.00 per person per day
Weekends: $5.00 per person per day
Children under the age of 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more.

Tickets are available at the entrance gate.  Advance purchase is not necessary as there is plenty of general seating available.

For a special behind-the-scenes look at the horse shows, take a guided Walking Tour for just $1.00. Tours offered Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 11:30 a.m.  Meet at the Lake Placid Horse Show’s Retail Booth to begin your tour.

Jeff Welles rode Prem Dollar Boy to victory in the $75,000 Devoucoux Grand Prix of Lake Placid at the 45th annual Lake Placid Horse Show, Presented by Sea Shore Stables. (The Book LLC)

There will be free admittance for anyone you has attended the I Love Barbecue & Music Festival from Friday, July 3 – Sunday, July 5.  All you need to do is bring your ticket stub from the Festival and you will be admitted free at the I Love New York Horse Show.

Additional information on the Lake Placid Horse Show Series, Presented by Sea Shore Stables, LLC is available by calling the Lake Placid Horse Show Association at 518-523-9625 or by visitingwww.lakeplacidhorseshow.com.

June 2, 2015

USEF Communications Department

Lexington, Ky. – The World Equestrian Festival held from May 29 – May 31, 2015 at the renowned Aachen, Germany equestrian venue was an exciting display of excellence in the disciplines of dressage, driving, and jumping. The United States held their own on the international stage with excellent placings by American participants in all three disciplines.

Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Dressage
The U.S. was well represented in Grand Prix competition by Shelly Francis and Patricia Stempel’s Doktor and Steffen Peters and Four Winds Farm’s Legolas 92. In Saturday’s Grand Prix, Peters and Legolas 92 placed third with a test highlighted by the pair’s signature piaffe to earn a score of 75.780%. Francis and Doktor placed eighth on a score of 70.600%. The class was won by Germany’s Isabel Werth and Don Johnson FRH on a score of 76.300%. Sunday’s Grand Prix Freestyle saw an impressive showing by Francis and Doktor who finished sixth on 75.350%, Peters was a close seventh scoring 75.000% with Legolas 92. Swedish rider Tinne Vilhemson Silfven and Don Auriello won the Freestyle on a score of 82.470%.

Driving
The ten best drivers in the world contested the STAWAG Prize for four-in-hand competition in the main stadium. The lone American entry, Chester Weber, finished in sixth place. The difficult course was mastered by Belgium’s Glenn Geerts and his team of chestnut KWPN horses. Dutch drivers Ijsbrand Chardon and Koos de Ronde took second and third places.

Jumping
Three U.S. combinations contested Sunday’s Rolex Grand Prix. Kent Farrington and Amalaya Investments’ Voyeur were the top-ranked Americans in fifth place. Farrington was double clean in the first two rounds of competition, while incurring just four faults in the jump off with a great time of 48.65. Great Britain’s Scott Brash and his stellar Olympic gold medal mount Hello Sanctos won on the strength of three clear rounds and the fastest jump-off time of 48.04 seconds. A total of four riders accomplished a triple clear effort, with Daniel Deusser and Cornet D’amour breaking the jump-off timers fractions of a second behind the time of Brash and Hello Sanctos. Third prize went to France’s Simon Delestre and Ryan Des Hayettes who added more than one second to Brash’s time, and fourth place to Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum and Chiara 222. Beezie Madden and 2014 USEF Horse of the Year, Cortes ‘C’ owned by Abigail Wexner, incurred an unlucky four faults in the first round of competition to finish in ninth place overall. Lauren Hough and The Ohlala Group’s Ohlala placed 15th with four faults in round one and eight faults in round two.

CHIO Aachen Complete Results