Shane Sweetnam wins Canadian Derby

SHane Sweetnam and Traffic Boy.
By Spruce Meadows Media Services

The final event of the Spruce Meadows "North American" tournament, the Cenovus Classic Derby was headed by Ireland's Shane Sweetnam and Traffic Boy.

A total of 18 horse and rider combinations tackled the course, originally designed by Britain's Pamela Carruthers in 1985.

Eric Lamaze wins Spruce Meadows' QEII Cup

Erc Lamaze and Hickstead. By
Spruce Meadows Media Centre

ric Lamaze and Hickstead won their fourth ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Spruce Meadows, Canada, on Saturday (9 July 2011).

Germany's Werner Deeg designed a demanding forward-riding course. Only two riders of the 29 starters managed to go clear in the first and the second rounds: Canada's Eric Lamaze (Hickstead) and the USA's Rich Fellers (Flexible).

Americans dominate first day of North American

Sun Life Financial's Paul Boundy and
Rich Fellers. By Spruce Meadows
Media Services

American riders Rich Fellars and Mario Deslauriers dominated opening day at the Spruce Meadows "North American" tournament with wins in the three international division events.

In the Suncast Cup,  a 1.45m speed class, Rich teamed up with his 16-year-old Irish-bred gelding McGuinness to win over 64 rivals.

Ben Maher gets ride on Tackeray

Ben Maher on new ride Tackeray

Emma and Mike Phillips, the owners of Quainton Stud, have bought the 11-year-old stallion Tackeray for their rider, Britain's Ben Maher, to compete. This will strengthen his string, which he is also increasing with a number of younger horses.

Rich Fellers wins Esso Challenge World Cup

Rich Fellers and Flexible. By Spruce
Meadows Media Services

America's Rich Fellers jumped to victory at Spruce Meadows yesterday (3 Jukly 2011) in the $65,000 ESSO Challenge World Cup. Rich teamed up with his 15-year-old Irish bred stallion Flexible to post two flawless rounds over Canadian Michel Vaillancourt's courses.

Nine of the 24 starters went to the jump-off after answering all of the challenges on the 510m 16-jumping effort first-round course. In the jump-off, Rich and Flexible produced a clear-round trip nearly two seconds faster than runners up Mario Deslauriers and Urico.

McLain Ward scores his first Canada One victory

McLain Ward amd Pjotter van de
Zonnehoeve. By Spruce Meadows
Media Services

Double Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward bested an international entry of 52 to score his first victory of the Spruce Meadows Canada One tournament in the Westjet Cup. Riding his 10-year-old Dutch gelding Pjotter van de Zonnehoeve, McLain piloted a fast trip around the jump-off course in 42.52 seconds to defeat fellow American Mario Deslauriers (Urico).

Pius Schwizer takes first day's big-money class in Estoril

Pius Schwizer and Ulysse. By
Stefano Grasso/GCT

Switzerland's Pius Schwizer made the most of an altered time in the Massimo Dutti Trophy 1.50m jump-off class, which carried a fund of €141,000, taking the win in the second round on Ulysse.

Rodrigo Pessoa wins Estoril opener

Rodrigo Pessoa and Palouchin de
Ligny. By Stefano Grasso/GCT

Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa claimed the first of the five-star classes, a 1.45m speed competition, at the Global Champions Tour's Portuguese leg in Estoril.

The course was set by German designer Frank Rothenberger, utilising the entire space of the large turf arena. It required horses to take big strides and travel at a quick pace. And the final fence, a wall, caught quite a few out.

SFN secures former British ride for Jeroen Dubbeldam

Zenith with his original rider
Andrew Saywell in 2010

Zenith, who was produced by Andrew Saywell before being ridden by David McPherson, has been bought by Springpaarden Fonds Nederland (Jumpers Fund Netherlands). He will now be ridden by Dutch rider Jeroen Dubbeldam.

Car winner John Whitaker among weekend's big prize winners

John Whitaker and Keeley Durham's
Argento. Geesteren Grand Prix winners

It was unsual not see four-times Derby winner John Whitaker at Hickstead. He had said a few weeks earlier he did not have a Derby horse and instead was heading to Aalst and Geesteren in Belgium.

It proved a wise move. He headed the Van Twente Om De Grolsch four-star Grand Prix with Keeley Durham's Argento after an 11-horse jump-off. Producing the fastest of three double clears, each of which won an Audi, he beat The Netherlands' Natalie van der Mei (Ultimo) by two seconds.

Tina Fletcher wins the Carpetright Hickstead Derby

Tina Fletcher and Promised Land
leap over the water jump

This afternoon (25 June 2011), Tina Fletcher became the first woman to win the Carpetright Hickstead Derby since Alison Westwood’s 1973 victory on Mr Banbury, formerly known as the Maverick.

Peter Charles wins Derby Trial; Guy Williams is Hickstead Master

Peter Charles and Murka's Vindicat

Peter Charles thinks Murka’s Vindicat has a big future ahead of him, and after the way he performed when winning the Bunn Leisure Derby Trial, he has every reason too.

Steven Whitaker speeds to Hickstead victory

Steven Whitaker and Royal Rose

Steven Whitaker’s run of international success continued at Hickstead today (23 June 2011) when he won the Stoner Jewellers Vase with his own Royal Rose. His exceptionally fast time, produced from and early draw was only bettered by Shane Breen (KEC Alicante), but at the expense of the second last wall.

The weekend's biggest international winners

Guy Williams and Derpardieu
Van'TKeizelhof

With the fastest of three double clears in the class, Britain's Guy Williams headed the Lons le Saunier Grand Prix with Lindsay Doran's Derpardieu Van'T Kiezelhof.

McLain Ward wins third HITS grand prix

McLain Ward and HITS' Tony
Hitchcock and Christine Pankratz.
By ESI Photography.

McLain Ward, aboard Oh' D Eole, has taken HITS-on-the-Hudson by storm, capturing Sunday’s $75,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and earning his third consecutive Grand Prix victory. Ward also clinched the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS-on-the-Hudson I on his own Oh' D Eole last Sunday, and Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix aboard Blue Chip Bloodstock’s Domino.

Hickstead gets its own app

Hickstead has become the latest equestrian venue to embrace modern technology, following the launch of its exclusive free iPhone app. Available to download now, the app will be a must-have for anyone who wants to keep up to date with the action from the British Jumping Derby Meeting (22-26 June), the Longines Royal International Horse Show (26-31 July) and the All England Jumping Championships (8-11 September).

Media release: Ahlmann claims Rolex FEI World Cup

L-R: Eric Lamaze, Christian Ahlmann
and Jeroen Dubbeldam. By Kit
Houghton/FEI

Germany's Christian Ahlmann claimed the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2010/2011 title in a thrilling finale on his home ground in Leipzig today with superb jumping from his stallion, Taloubet Z. Sharing the lead with fellow-countryman Marco Kutscher, the 36-year-old rider added just four faults to an otherwise foot-perfect performance to finish ahead of reigning Olympic champion Eric Lamaze from Canada, while The Netherlands' Jeroen Dubbeldam rocketed up from overnight 11th to finish third when producing one of only two clear double clears on the final afternoon.

Media release: Irish riders take top two places in Leipzig Grand Prix

Irish riders claimed the top two places in the Leipzig Grand Prix in Germany this afternoon (Saturday) with Denis Lynch taking the winner's prize of 20,000 euro and Billy Twomey collecting 17,000 euro for his runner-up position.

Media Release: German duo share lead going into Rolex World Cup final leg

Eric Lamaze, winner of the second
leg on Hickstead.
By Kit Houghton/FEI

Germany's Christian Ahlmann and Marco Kutscher share the lead going into Sunday's third and deciding competition at the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2010/2011 on their home ground at Leipzig. But it was reigning Olympic champion, Canada's Eric Lamaze, who reigned supreme in today's second qualifier riding the great stallion Hickstead. The win has bounced Lamaze up to fifth spot, just six points behind the leading pair as the thrilling series draws to a close.

Lauren Hough wins Wellington's CSIO**** Grand Prix

Lauren Hough and Quick Study.
By sportfot.com

From a strong field of competitior's, the USA's Lauren Hough emerged victorious in the $150,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix riding Laura Mateo's Quick Study at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.

Of the 47 entries who rode over Steve Stephens' track, 12 found the way to a clear round and went forward to the jump-off.