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Federation
Equestre Internationale News
22nd
April 2003
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- World Cup Final in Las Vegas won by Marcus Ehning
- FEI European Eventing and Endurance Championship in Punchestown
- Test event for Athens 2004 Olympic Games
MARCUS EHNING OF GERMANY WINS THE 25th WORLD CUP TITLE
On 20 April 2003, Marcus Ehning of Germany emerged as the 25th
Show Jumping World Cup Champion with a faultless performance on
Sunday, riding his Oldenburg mare Anka to victory at the World
Cup Final organised at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Three-time World Cup Champion Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil had to
settle for the runner-up position this time aboard Baloubet du
Rouet. Young Swedish rider
Malin Baryard riding H& M Butterfly Flip finished third. The
best US rider was Laura Kraut, who tied for fifth on Anthem.
Ehning received a wonderful birthday present a day late, as he
celebrated his 29th birthday on Saturday. “I can’t believe
it,” said Ehning. “I never thought I would win. If you
think too much about it, it can hurt you, you need to go day to
day.”
On the final day, the top three were less than a rail apart in
placings with Ehning and Pessoa tied for second place with two
faults and Baryard in the lead with a perfect score of zero. Ehning
was the first of the top three to go as they were riding in the
reverse order of merit. Ehning, a Sydney Olympic team Gold Medallist,
went clear putting the pressure on the top two. Pessoa –World
Cup Champion in Las Vegas three years ago - had a fence down in
the first round giving him a score of six faults with only Baryard
to go. Malin Baryard also had a rail down, which moved her down
to second for the final round with a score of four faults.
In the second round, Pessoa went clear putting pressure on the
remaining entries with a total score of six faults. The atmosphere
was thick with pressure as Baryard entered the ring. If the young
Swede had one rail down, there would be no chance to win as that
would give her eight faults while Pessoa was finished with six.
She had a rail and drop to third.
Ehning was the last to go and had no room for error. One fault
would tie him with Pessoa and force a jump-off. Two fences down
would give Pessoa the title. Ehning and Anka rose to the occasion
leaving all the rails up and claiming the title. He threw down
the reins and raised his arms in the air with the crowd on their
feet cheering for them.
Prior to the competition, four US riders received Silver medals
for competing in 100 World Cup competitions. They were Donald
Cheska, Beezie Madden, Eric Hasbrouck and Susie Hutchison.
The World Cup is losing an icon as its initiator Max Ammann is
retiring as director of the World Cup after twenty-five years.
For complete results and the photo gallery, please visit the website
www.worldcuplasvegas.com.
FEI OPEN EUROPEAN ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS CONFIRMED FOR IRELAND
Following the conclusion of successful discussions with both sponsors
and the FEI, the International Sport Horse Show has now confirmed
that they will indeed be organising this year’s FEI Open
European Endurance Championships which will be held at Punchestown
(Ireland) in conjunction with the European Eventing Championship.
It will be the first time that the Europeans of the disciplines
of Endurance and Eventing are organised together.
The Endurance Championship will take place on Sunday 21 September
2003 and, subject to agreement from the FEI Bureau and Endurance
Committee, it will be
run as a one day event run over a 160 kilometres course in the
picturesque Wicklow Hills.
Over 100 competitors from up to 25 countries are expected to take
part in what promises to be an historic event in which the course
will be routed through the beautiful valleys and hills of Kildare
and Wicklow. In a novel and innovative site design, the main Vet
Gate at Punchestown will be located beside the Main Arena where,
on the Sunday whilst the Endurance Championships are in progress,
the top eventers will be fighting for the final places in the
show jumping phase of the European Eventing Championship.
The European Eventing Championships return to historic Punchestown
after a gap of 12 years. Sponsored in a joint Public / Private
partnership by Bord Fàilte, the Irish Tourist Board through
the International Sports Tourism Initiative, and IFG Group plc,
one of Ireland’s leading companies in the growing financial
services sector, the championship that will take place from 18
to 21 September, is expected to attract large numbers of overseas
visitors to Ireland in mid September.
The Punchestown site, which has recently undergone a major €20m
refurbishment, will have a course specially designed for the Eventing
Championships by the Irish course designer Tommy Brennan
Booking both tickets and accommodation can all be done on the
International Sport Horse Show’s web site at www.sporthorseshow.com
OLYMPIC TEST EVENT IN ATHENS
The ATHENS 2004 Organising Committee for the Olympic Games will
host the official equestrian test event in the form of a CIC**,
from Friday, 15 August to Sunday, 17 August at the Markopoulo
Olympic Equestrian Centre. The format of this Eventing competition
aimed at testing the infrastructure and organisation of the 2004
Games will be a CIC and the level of difficulty will be two stars
(**).
The schedule will be available as of tomorrow 23 April at Athens
2004 Olympic Games website at the following address: www.athens2004.com/equestrianCIC.
All NFs wishing to participate in this event shall consult this
website for further information.
www.horsesport.org
.
