Ravel ridden by Akiko Yamazaki making celebrity appearance for equine therapy. Ravel was retired to Akiko’s Northern California farm after last summer’s Olympic Games. © 2013 Jerry Yang

Ravel was ridden by Akiko Yamazaki in a celebrity appearance for the benefit of the equine therapy center near the horse’s retirement home of Four Winds Farm owned by Akiko Yamazaki and Jerry Yang in Northern California.

Akiko, who bought Ravel for Steffen Peters to ride for the United States–which he did in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, medal winning at the 2010 World Equestrian Games and 2009 World Cup title holder–at the therapy center she rode at in rehabilitating from a riding accident 12 years ago.

“What an honor to be able to ride no other than the King in front of so many supporters!” Akiko said of the event attended by about 200 people.

“He was so amazing! From the warm up at home, to walking in the center with baby strollers, kids running around, he was all business and as usual put 150 per cent effort into everything we asked of him, including posing for photos.

“We had a huge line. I think we must have posed for at least 80 shots! And then Miki rode him home proudly!

“It is amazing that he keeps giving and giving… people told me they were crying when they were watching him and I get a bit teary eyed just thinking of his amazing character.”

Akiko will be at the World Equestrian Festival Nations Cup in Aachen, Germany next week to watch Steffen ride her Legolas for the United States team.

Apassionata being worked by Brandi Roenick who will compete the seven-year-old mare successfully shown in German young horse events.

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

Apassionata, a seven-year-old Oldenburg mare that has been successful in German young horse shows, has been bought for Brandi Roenick, one of America’s top young riders, to compete with Olympics and championships as the long term goal.

Brandi, 18 years old and a gold medal winner at the North American Junior/Young Rider Championships, is in Germany working with the black mare (Sir Donnerall x Friedensfurst) that was bought by a group of supporters, including her parents.

“She is so eager to please and take care of her rider,” Brandi told dressage-news.com of the mare she calls “Pia” and she said is schooling Grand Prix movements.

“She is so motivated to do everything right and make sure at the end of the day she has done the job correctly. She is so talented. and so amazingly kind to be around on the ground and just so kind to ride.”

Apassionata was owned and competed as a young horse by Andrea Müller-Kersten, based in Vechta, Germany, and who has successfully developed several young horses. In the Bundeschampionate, the German young horse championships, the mare was second in the final of the four-year-old riding horses mares and geldings and a year later also qualified for the Finals.

Andrea “took me under her wing while I have been here in Germany for a month,” said Brandi who moved from her home in Scottsdale, Arizona to San Diego, California to train with Steffen Peters at the beginning of this year.

“She has been training me and teaching me on her young horses and showing me the ropes of Germany and introducing me to people so I can become networked here.”

This week, she takes Apassionata to Voerde, Germany, the location of the training center of Jo Hinnemann where Steffen is preparing Legolas for the United States team for the Nations Cup at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen June 26-30.

“I am planning on staying here in Germany and working towards our first show together when we are ready to go out and nail it,” she said. “I have Pan American Games 2015 in my eyes, but everything right now is just a goal.

“I am waiting to take her in to the ring when her and I are both ready. I am really excited for this horse and the future that we have in store together–2016, a longshot but I am hoping to be passaging in the arena.

“But I am going to stay in Germany for a couple of months to train and get the mare confirmed GP. I might stay until December or January of next year. I will probably stay a little longer to compete her and try to get some experience in the ring over here in Germany while I have the opportunities to do so.”

Brandi Roenick and Apassionata.

The group that bought Apassionata and will support Brandi’s career with the horse includes her mother, Tracy, a lifelong rider and for many years also a dressage trainer, and her father, Jeremy, who retired four years ago after 18 seasons in the National Hockey League where he was an All Star and played for the United States.

“I am very excited that the group that has come together in purchasing Pia for me and are very committed to supporting the future of my partnership with Apassionata and me,” Brandi said.

Brandi was a North American Junior and Young Rider Championships gold medal winner on Pretty Lady and Weltino’s Magic a Westfalen gelding she leased after Steffen Peters won both team and individual gold medals at the 2011 Pan American Games held at small tour. They also won the small tour at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany the same year.

David Marcus and Chrevi’s Capital. © Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

ROCKWOOD, Ontario, June 15–Olympian David Marcus rode his London Games mount, Chrevi’s Capital, to the win the Grand Prix Freestyle and claimed the Special with Don Kontes at the Angelstone International CDI3* Saturday their first competition in Canada in a year.

David and Chrevi’s Capital, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Chrevi’s Lavallo x Weinberg) won the Freestyle on 72.725 per cent with his Olympic team mate Jacqueline Brooks and D Niro second on 72.325 per cent and Simone Williams and Wuner Ein in third on 65.850 per cent.

David and Don Kontes took the Grand Prix Special on 67.938 per cent. Evi Strasser on Rennaisance Tyme was second on 66.667 per cent and Megan Lane on Caravella was third on 66.583 per cent.

The U.S.-born rider and Chrevi’s Capital scored 69.809 per cent for the win in the Grand Prix Friday with Jacqueline Brooks and D Niro second on 67.511 per cent and David riding Don Kontes third on 66.617 per cent.

Since the Olympics in London last summer, David has competed Chrevi’s Capital on the East Coast of the United States and Florida’s winter circuit before this show.

This is one of only two CDIs ranked at 3* or higher in Canada scheduled for 2013, the same number as 2012. No World Cup events are scheduled for the second year in a row although Canada is a member of the North American League along with the United States.

Results:

Aleksandra Korelova – Baikal at Nizhniy Novgorod World Cup event.

NIZHNIY NOVGOROD, Russia, June 15–Russian Olympian Aleksandra Korelova and Baikal returned to the competition arena for the first time in almost a year after an injury timeout to win the Nizhniy Novgorod Grand Prix Freestyle Saturday and capture the second leg of the World Cup Central European League.

Aleksandra and the 16-year-old black Russian stallion (Barin 31 x Prisyw 27) scored 73.125 per cent with fellow Russian Tatiana Dorofeva on Khorovod second on 70.850 per cent and the Ukraine’s Svetlana Kiseliova and Parish in third on 70.825 per cent.

The winning pair took the Grand Prix Friday with a score of 69.298 per cent with Svetlana anf Parish second on 67.319 per cent and Katsiaryna Varchenia of Belarus and Daily Double third on 66.851 per cent.

The World Cup event was the sixth scheduled for the CEL in the 2013/14 season in Lipica, Slovakia last month was won by Russia’s Elena Sidneva and Romeo-Star.

The Nizhniy Novgorod result places Aleksandra and Elena at the top of the standings for the CEL that is awarded two places in the World Cup Final scheduled for Lyon, France April 17-21, 2014.

Aleksandra, who rode Balagur at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics as well as the 2002 and 2006 World Equestrian Games, began competing Baikal at CDI at this event a year ago after taking over the ride from Irina Heuls of France.

The next CEL event is scheduled for Brno, the Czech Republic next week.

Results:

Grand Prix Freestyle

Grand Prix

David Marcus and Chrevi’s Capital. © 2013 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

ROCKWOOD, Ontario, June 14–David Marcus rode his Olympic mount Chrevi’s Capital to victory in the Grand Prix at the Angelstone International CDI3* Friday in their first international competition in Canada in a year.

David and the 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Chrevi’s Lavallo x Weinberg) scored 69.809 per cent for the win with Olympic team mate Jacqueline Brooks and D Niro second on 67.511 per cent and David riding Don Kontes third on 66.617 per cent.

Since the Olympics in London last summer, David has competed Chrevi’s Capital on the East Coast of the United States and Florida’s winter circuit before this show.

This is one of only two CDIs ranked at 3* or higher in Canada scheduled for 2013, the same number as 2012 and has no World Cup events for the second year in a row although Canada is a member of the North American League that includes the United States.

Markus Gribbe and Robert Dover, both of whom worked with Canada ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games. © Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

OTTAWA, Ontario, June 14–Canada is seeking a Dressage Technical Advisor/Chef d’Equipe to lead the country through the next World Equestrian, Pan American and Olympic Games. Although residency in North America is preferred it is not a requirement.

“The successful candidate will provide leadership in working with Equine Canada and the Dressage Canada committees to design and develop a sustainable high performance program resulting in the achievement of specific performance targets in World Equestrian, Pan American, Olympic Games and other major international events,” according to the description announced Friday by Equine Canada.

“A proven ability to work in a team environment, in a leadership role with strong technical knowledge of the discipline of dressage is considered an asset.”

A major issue will be to qualify a team for the next Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Under a format proposed by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) qualification opportunities for nations in the Americas–both North and South–have been reduced from recent Games.

The top four teams at next year’s World Equestrian Games will earn a berth at Rio, but only one instead of two in past from the Pan American Games that will be held in Toronto in 2015, adding additional pressure for the home team if Canada does not not finish high enough at the WEG.

Applications are being accepted until July 31 for the contracted position that starts Sept. 1, 2013.

Details of compensation and time commitment will be outlined in the interview process.

A complete job description is available here: http://equinecanada.ca/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=6607&Itemid=88&lang=en&utm_source=Equine+Canada+Seeks+Dressage+Technical+Advisor%2FChef+d%27Equipe&utm_campaign=Equine+Canada&utm_medium=email

Applicants are asked to submit a resume detailing qualifications and suitability and a cover letter outlining their philosophy and their experience with high performance sport to:

Christine Peters
Manager, Dressage
Equine Canada
308 Legget Dr.
Kanata, ON K2K 1Y6
Fax: 613-248-3484
E-mail: cpeters@equinecanada.ca

The position has been vacant since the Olympics in London last September when Markus Gribbe of Germany was the official coach as he was for the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico a year earlier where Canada qualified a team for the London Games.

Markus took over as Technical Leader of the Canadian program after six-time U.S. Olympian Robert Dover resigned when agreement could not be reached on terms to extend his contract.

Robert is the Technical Advisor/Chef d’Equipe for the United States through the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

.

The German Under-18 dressage riders scored 218.108 points with the Netherlands second on 207.658 points and Denmark third on 207, 568 in the qualifier for the European Championships.

The German combinations were Johanne Pauline von Danwitz, aged 17, and Habitus 10 fiishing first individually on 73.559 per cent, Claire-Louise Averkorn on Condio B second on 72.523 per cent and Jessica Krieg on Florence third with 72.027 per cent. points.

Dana van Lierop and Sting of the Netherlands was fourth on 71.351 per cent.

Results:

JuniorNationsCup

The poster promoting the World Equestrian Games in Normandy in 2014.

World Equestrian Games all-inclusive passes are being offered through a handful of tour operators around the globe before sales to the general public for the event in Normandy, France Aug. 23-Sept. 7, 2014.

Organizers of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games announced Wednesday that a network of tour operators are receiving the first 25,000 passes to be packaged with transport and accommodation ahead of the ticket office opening to the general public to also buy multiple entry passes in mid-November.

Four types of passes have been created, three of which are being offered in the first phase of reservations:

–Sport Pass combining several sessions of the same discipline, designed to enable spectator to follow just about all the
competition in one of the eight disciplines comprising the games;

–Full Sport Pass to provide spectators with total access to the entire competition of a particular discipline;

–Sensation Pass combining the ‘best” of several disciplines over the weekends and guaranteeing admission to at least one final, and a fourth pass available for purchase from November

–Discovery Pass providing acess to several disciplines over a single day–for example, vaulting in the morning and jumping in the afternoon aimed at spectators new to horse sports.

Tickets for individual performances go on sale next spring.

Over 15 months, 406,000 tickets will be offered at an average price of €25 (US$33) per ticket, and including a wide range from €5 (US$6.60).

About 20 per cent of seats will be reserved.

Foreign visitors are expected to acount for 20 per cent of the total number of spectators, organizers said, with Normandy residents making up the largest segment of about 40 per cent and another 15 to 20 per cent from the general area of eastern France.

Tour operators offering packages in the first phase beginning in June are:

People from a country not listed above can book through any of the operators.

Susan Dutta and Currency DC. © 2013 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

More than 20 American equestrians will compete in all five of the disciplines staged at the World Equestrian Festival CHIO in Aachen, Germany June 26-30 with the biggest contingent of six riders and eight horses entered for every division in dressage.

Americans will compete in dressage, driving, eventing, jumping and vaulting for the first time at Aachen since the World Equestrian Games in 2006.

The lineup:

DRESSAGE
Nations Cup CDIO5*
-Jan Ebeling of Moorpark, California and Rafalca, 16-year-old Oldenburg mare (Argentinius x Ratine x Rubinstein) owned by Ann Romney, Amy Ebeling and Beth Meyer;
-Shelly Francis of Loxahatchee, Florida and Doktor, 10-year-old Oldenburg geding (Diamond Hit x Gurena x Renoir I) owned by Patricia Stempel;
-Tina Konyot of Palm City, Florida on Calecto V, 15-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion (Come Back II x Bahera x Rastell) and owned by Tina, and
-Steffen Peters of San Diego, California on Legolas 92, 11-year-old Westfalen gelding (Laomedon x Furstin x Florestan II) owned by Akiko Yamaki’s Four Winds Farm.

CDI4* Grand Prix
-Susie Dutta of Wellington, Florida on Currency DC, 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Clintino x Classiker). FL) owned by Tim Dutta Inc.

Prix St. Georges/Intermediaite I
-Shelly Francis on Danilo, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding (De Niro x Andiamo) owned by Patricia Stempel.
-Caroline Roffman of Wellington, Florida will ride Her Highness O, 10-year-old Hanoverian mare (Hohenstein x WildLady O x Weltmeyer) that she owns.

Under-25
-Caroline, aged 24, will also compete Sagacious HF, 14-year-old KWPN gelding (Welt Hit II x Cocktail) owned by Al Guden’s Hyperion Farm.

JUMPING
-Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, New York and
-Laura Kraut of Wellington.

EVENTING
Team
-Tiana Coudray of Ojai, California and Ringwood Magister, 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding;
-Buck Davidson of Ocala, Florida and Ballynoe Castle RM, 13-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding;
-Will Faudree of Hoffman, North Carolina and Pawlow, 14-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding, and
-Clark Montgomery of Wiltshire, Great Britain and Universe, 12-year-old KWPN gelding.

Individual
-Marilyn Little of Frederick, Maryland and D) and Smoke on the Water, eight-year-old Wurttemburger gelding.

DRIVING
-James Fairclough of Newton, New Jersey and a team leased from Koos de Ronde, and
-Chester Weber of Ocala, Florida and Jane Clark’s team.

VAULTING
Individual Female
-Alicen Divita of Redwood City, California;
-Elizabeth Ioannou of Saratoga, California, and
-Mary Garrett of Seal Beach, California

Individual Male
-Kristian Roberts of Moss Beach, California.

Pas de Deux
-Cassidy Palmer of Half Moon Bay, California, and
-Kimberly Palmer of Half Moon Bay.