Articles: Horse News
U.S. Qualifies Seven for Final Competition of 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup
Final; Fellers Lies Second Overall
Rich Fellers and Flexible (Photo by SusanJStickle/PhelpsSports.com)
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NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2012
By Helen Murray
's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands- Valuable World Cup points were at stake
Friday evening in the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final as riders vied for a place
in Sunday's final competition. Louis Koninck tested the 33 riders that
returned for round two over a demanding track in the Indoor Brabant. Riders
within the top 25 of the placings following tonight's round qualify to
contest Sunday's final competition, of those entries seven will be
representing the U.S.
Rich Fellers, Thursday's round one winner, guided the diminutive Flexible to
a near flawless round just faulting at one fence. Fellers (Sherwood, OR) and
Harry and Mollie Chapman's 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse stallion jumped
another efficient round only adding four faults at the middle oxer of the
triple at fence 11. The pair finished tonight's class in eighth place.
"That was a funny triple. I don't know what was affecting the horses'
vision, what they were looking at, but that's not a typical rail for
Flexible. I felt like I rode him well and I don't know what I would have
done differently there. Anyways, that's the sport." The consummate
sportsmen, Fellers feels he may have benefit from tonight's unlucky
rail. "We always try to see the positive. I thought of that when I came out
of the ring, at least I don't have to jump him off, and he'll just be that
much more fresh for Sunday because you do two rounds"
Fellers goes into Sunday's two round final in equal second place in the
overall standings with a one fault total.
Beezie Madden and Cortes 'C' (Photo by SusanJStickle/PhelpsSports.com)
Beezie Madden was the top placing American rider in round two, guiding
Abigail Wexner's Cortes 'C' to fifth place and the fastest four fault round
of the night. Madden (Cazenovia, NY) utilized the 10-year-old Belgian
Warmblood gelding's ground covering stride and huge jump to execute a near
impeccable round. Like Fellers, they also faulted at 11B; this was their
only mistake.
"I'm a little disappointed with that. But I thought he jumped well and we're
in a good place." Madden likes her chances on the final day and believes the
course will suit her horse. "My horse has lots of scope and normally they
big build on Sunday. So we will look to jump good rounds and I think we can
move up."
They head into Sunday's final competition in eighth place with seven faults.
Margie Engle and Richard Spooner will enter the final round in equal 16th
place on 14 fault totals. Engle (Wellington, FL) and Gladewinds, Griese,
Garber, and Hidden Creek Farm's Indigo were on pace to jump a clear round
until an unfortunate rail at the last fence leaving them in ninth place for
Friday's class. Spooner (Agua Dulce, CA) and Show Jumping Syndication
International's Cristallo faulted at two fences for an eight fault total in
round two.
Earlier in the day Spooner piloted Molly Ohrstrom's Billy Bianca to a win in
the Brabants Dagblad Prijs, out running the field by a full two seconds.
Kirsten Coe (Johnston, SC) heads into Sunday in 18th place on a score of 15
faults. While, Charlie Jayne (Elgin, OH) and Kent Farrington (Wellington,
FL) are tied for 23rdplace in the overall rankings on 19 fault scores.
The final U.S. entry in round two was Francie Steinwedell-Carvin (La Canada,
CA) who gained valuable World Cup experience with Prentis Partners' Taunus
this week.
Switzerland's Pius Schwizer goes into Sunday's final two rounds with a total
of zero faults and the overall lead. Steve Guerdat also of Switzerland lies
tied for second overall with Fellers on a one fault total.
The winner of the second round of the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final was Philipp
Weishaupt and Monte Bellini of Germany, posting a speedy time of 33.04
seconds in tonight's three horse jump-off.
The first round of the final competition in the 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup
Final gets underway Sunday at 2 p.m. CEST.
Watch live action from the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final on
http://www.feitv.com.
Follow the 2012 U.S. Jumping Team;
http://usefnetwork.com/featured/2012Jumping/
Details about the Finals are available at http://www.indoorbrabant.com/
ENDS
The vision of the United States Equestrian Federation(R) is to provide
leadership equestrian sport in the United States of America by promoting the
pursuit
of excellence from the grassroots to the Olympic Games, based on a
foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare
of its human and equine athletes.
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