Latest from Horse & Hound in Fontainebleau

Gold medals for Britain and Ireland at pony Europeans

Flora Watkins — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 09:49:00 +0000

Britain’s pony showjumpers continued their domination of the European Championships, taking team and individual gold – plus bronze – in Fontainebleau, France this weekend.

Fourteen-year-old Millie Allen, on her father’s nine-year-old bay mare, Song Girl took top spot on the podium.

The pair jumped double clears in the team competition and the first round of the grand prix, going into the decisive second round with a fence in hand.

Millie kept her cool after lowering a pole to jump round within the time to secure gold.

The Netherlands’ Lisa Nooren with Rock Dee Jay took silver, while 15-year-old Alex Chitty from Kent and his mother’s 10 year-old grey mare Amilie JR Z had to jump a third round to decide who would get bronze.

Alex – making his debut at Championship level – jumped the only clear to secure the medal.

Chef d’ ©quipe Katrina Moore described their performance as “superb”.

She said: “To secure two individual medal winners once again just shows what an incredible depth of talent we have within the sport.

“It is something we all, as a nation, should be incredibly proud of.”

There were celebrations in the Irish camp, too, as they took the pony eventing team title for the first time – along with individual gold and bronze.

The team established a narrow lead over the British on dressage day and never looked back. Pathfinder Cathal Daniels finished on his dressage mark of 45.2 with Master Murrose to take individual gold, while Ana O’Brien – daughter of Flat trainer Aidan – riding prolific winner Ice Cool Bailey, secured bronze.

Britain’s Louisa Nesbitt and Carrowmore Gemstone also finished on their dressage score to take silver, to add to Britain’s team silver ahead of The Netherlands in bronze.

In the dressage, Britain finished just outside the medals. Germany took team and freestyle gold and the Netherlands’ Sanne Vos the individual title.

Don’t miss H&H’s full report from the Pony Europeans in this week’s magazine, on sale Thursday 26 July

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British team in silver position at European Eventing Championships

Horse & Hound — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:25:24 +0000

The British squad made an excellent start at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships in Fontainebleau, France, today.

After the first day of dressage, the British team lies in silver medal position behind Germany, with William Fox-Pitt (pictured) third individually. German team member Frank Ostholt and individual Dirk Schrade hold the top two placings as the only riders to break the 40 barrier.

“We came here fully expecting to surrender the dressage to the Germans, and to be so close behind Frank is very exciting,” said William, who scored 41.5 on the chestnut Badminton runner-up Idalgo, a horse making his championship debut.

“He’s always had huge potential, but he’s also got a huge sense of humour and not a great work ethic — but so did Tamarillo. He’s very mentally active and like a troublesome child, but he couldn’t have gone much better today.”

German team member Frank Ostholt was also delighted with the experienced 14-year-old Air Jordan 2 (pictured left): “He arrived a little stiff from the 9hr journey, so we’ve been working on gymnastics and transitions to get him looser. He knows the basics so well we can work on the small details and he’s like red wine — as he gets older, he gets better.”

The judges suddenly seemed to find the 8 and 9 buttons this afternoon with Frank and William’s tests. German pathfinder Michael Jung was disappointed to score only 45 this morning with his Luhmühlen winner La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, while the first British team member, Nicola Wilson, had also hoped for a better mark than her 56.7 with Opposition Buzz (20th equal overnight).

“He’s not the easiest on the flat, but I’m really pleased with him, though I’d have loved to be in the 40s,” she said.

British individual Lucy Wiegersma and Woodfalls Inigo Jones equalled Michael Jung’s score this afternoon to tie for fourth overnight. Their test was only marred by a bounce through the first flying change.

“That was a shame as he’s actually got very good changes, but he finds them harder on the turn than the straight,” explained Lucy. “He’s a relatively young, inexperienced horse, being only 10, and he did some lovely work, despite getting a bit tense as he went in.”

Several riders said that first impressions of Pierre Michelet’s cross-country course suggest that this competition will not be settled in the dressage.

“It’s twisty, the time will be difficult to get, and although it’s not dimensionally massive, it is technical,” said Lucy Wiegersma. “Even the straightforward fences ask a question by being on a turn or downhill.”

The organisers are watering parts of the track, which runs on sandy paths through woods and over grassed areas which are quite firm.

“I worry the tracks will get deep and you don’t want to be making up time on the turns — it would be easy to have a silly fall on the flat and get eliminated,” said William Fox-Pitt.

RESULTS AFTER FIRST DAY OF DRESSAGE

1. Frank Ostholt on Air Jordan 2 (GER) 39.2

2. Dirk Schrade on Gadget De La Cere (GER) 39.6

3. William Fox-Pitt on Idalgo (GB) 41.5

4eq. Michael Jung on La Biosthetique-Sam FBW (GER) 45

4eq. Lucy Wiegersma on Woodfalls Inigo Jones (GB) 45

6. Eric Vigeanel on Coronado Prior (FRA) 46.7

TEAM SCORES AFTER TWO TEAM MEMBERS

1. Germany 84.2

2. Britain 98.2

3. France 101.3

4. Belgium 105.9

5. Italy 115.4

6. The Netherlands 117

Pictures of cross-country course

Full individual results

Official website

Read daily reports from the Europeans at www.horseandhound.co.uk/eventingeuros2009 and don’t miss H&H on 1 October for our full eight-page special report.

European Eventing Championships 2009: video preview

Horse & Hound — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:59:57 +0000

British chef d’equipe Yogi Breisner, British team member William Fox-Pitt and other top rider and trainers talk about the challenges ahead as the European Eventing Championships in Fontainebleau, France get underway.

Stay in touch with all the action from the European Eventing Championships at www.horseandhound.co.uk/eventingeuros2009

European Eventing Championships: preview and tips

Pippa Roome — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:39:29 +0000

Sixty-nine riders, eighteen nations, eight teams, three phases, six medals. Welcome to the European Eventing Championships 2009.

This week the eventing world turns to Fontainebleau, just 40km south of Paris, for the year’s HSBC-sponsored senior championship (23-27 September).

For the Brits, the focus is on claiming the country’s eighth team gold medal in a row at this level — no pressure then.

The combinations who finished first and second at Badminton, Oliver Townend (Flint Curtis) and William Fox-Pitt (Idalgo) are joined in the team by Olympic double bronze medallists Tina Cook and Miners Frolic (pictured).

Britain’s fourth team member is still to be confirmed — Mary King was originally named for the slot with Imperial Cavalier, but following an injury he was withdrawn and Piggy French called up with Some Day Soon. She is likely to ride as an individual, with most pundits believing Nicola Wilson will join the team on Opposition Buzz.

The third British squad rookie is Lucy Wiegersma, who makes her long-awaited debut on Woodfalls Inigo Jones.

As Mark Phillips says in H&H this week, the Brits’ main rivals are likely to be the French and the Germans.

The Germans are likely to build their team on rock solid cross-country combinations Andreas Dibowski on Euroridings Butts Leon and Ingrid Klimke on FRH Butts Abraxxas. Frank Ostholt’s Air Jordan 2 has proved himself fallible in recent years, but is still likely to make the team, while the new star of the German firmament is 27-year-old Michael Jung, who won at Luhmühlen and the World Cup final this year with his ride here, La Biosthetique-Sam FBW.

The French can run 12 combinations as the home side, so it’s tough to know who will be on their team and who will ride as individuals. Defending champion Nicolas Touzaint brings a championship debutant in exciting 11-year-old Tatchou, while 2002 world champions Jean Teulère and Espoir De La Mare could also feature.

Look out for…

There are notable individuals from the lesser nations too. Belgium’s Karin Donckers brings her Badminton dressage leader Gazelle De La Brasserie and is unlikely to repeat her mistake of miscalculating the cross-country time, while Portugal’s Duarte Seabra should go well on his 2008 Blair CCI*** winner Braveheart.

The joint-oldest horse is Sweden’s Stand By Me, now 19 years old. He and rider Linda Algotsson were individual silver medallists 10 years ago in Luhmühlen and again in Punchestown in 2003. The other 19-year-old equine is Coronado Prior, ridden by France’s Eric Vigeanael. The youngest is eight-year-old mare Bridget, ride of the Netherlands’ Jan Van Beek.

Personal predictions

Money on the table time — you heard it here first:

Team medals

Gold: Britain

Silver: Germany

Bronze: France

Individual medals

Gold: Ingrid Klimke and FRH Butts Abraxxas (Germany)

Silver: Tina Cook and Miners Frolic (Britain)

Bronze: Karin Donckers and Gazelle De La Brasserie (Belgium)

Read daily reports from the Europeans at www.horseandhound.co.uk/eventingeuros2009 and don’t miss H&H on 1 October for our full eight-page special report.

European Eventing Championships 2009

Horse & Hound — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:47:36 +0000

Pictures — more than 100 photos from the championships online now

Pictures of the British squad in Fontainbleau

Backstage at the championships

The German, Italian and Belgian medallists

More action pictures from all three phases

Pictures of the cross-country course

Reports

Britain wins team gold, plus individual gold and silver

French team out of contention after final trot-up

Tina Cook leads individually after cross-country and British team has a clear lead

Britain holds team and individual gold after dressage

British team in silver after first day of dressage

Previews

H&H’s online preview of the European Eventing Championships

Watch a video preview

How to follow from home

Where to find coverage on TV and online

Pre-event news

Piggy French called into British squad from reserve list

Mary King ruled out of British squad following injury to Imperial Cavalier

British selectors name squad for Fontainebleau

Biographies of the British squad

Don’t forget to buy H&H on 1st October for our full report from the European Championships, including comment from British team member Tina Cook and Irish performance manager Ginny Elliot

Re-live the last European Championships in 2007

Britain clinch seventh consecutive team gold

Britain leads after cross-country

Germany heads leader board after dressage

ingrid Klimke leads after first dressage day

Britain’s eventers all pass the first trot-up

Piggy French joins British squad for European Championships

Pippa Roome — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:12:22 +0000

Piggy French and Some Day Soon have been called off the reserves’ bench into the British squad for the eventing European Championships in Fontainebleau, France (23-27 September).

It was announced yesterday that Mary King had had to withdraw Imperial Cavalier from the team following a “slight setback”.

Piggy and Some Day Soon were third at Bramham earlier this year and this will be Piggy’s senior squad debut.

It is not yet known who will now be in the team and who will ride as individuals. The original team was William Fox-Pitt on Idalgo, Oliver Townend on Flint Curtis, Tina Cook on Miners Frolic and Mary King on Imperial Cavalier, with Nicola Wilson (Opposition Buzz) and Lucy Wiegersma (Woodfalls Inigo Jones) riding as individuals.

Listen to interview with Piggy French

British selectors name European eventing squad for Fontainebleau

Pippa Roome — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:17:32 +0000

The selectors have named the team charged with securing Britain’s eighth consecutive European eventing team gold medal at Fontainebleau this autumn (24-27 September).

Team:

Tina Cook on Miners Frolic, owned by Nicholas and Valda Embiricos and Sarah Pelham
William Fox-Pitt on Idalgo, owned by George and Jayne Apter (with Jane Kier’s Macchiato as direct reserve horse)
Mary King on Imperial Cavalier, owned by Edwin and Sue Davies and Janette Chinn
Oliver Townend on Flint Curtis, owned by Robert and Edward Nicholson, or Carousel Quest, owned by Andrew Cawthray

Individuals:

Lucy Wiegersma on Woodfalls Inigo Jones, owned by Ginnie Lyne
Nicola Wilson on Opposition Buzz, owned by Rosemary Search

The team riders are all former medallists, although Idalgo and Imperial Cavalier will both be at their first international championship, as will Carousel Quest if he is chosen over Flint Curtis as Oliver Townend’s mount.

Mary King said: “I’m absolutely chuffed to bits. This is the first time Imperial Cavalier has been selected for a team; he’s a real worthy horse.

“We’ll obviously all be aiming to defend our European title and for me personally, I’ll be hoping to go one better than my individual silver from Pratoni in 2007.”

Individuals Lucy Wiegersma and Nicola Wilson will both be making their senior squad debut.

Nicola Wilson said: “Hearing the news was such a lovely surprise, I’m very much looking forward to the championships. This is a real dream come true for me.”

The reserves are:

Daisy Dick on her own and her mother Caroline’s Spring Along
Piggy French on Some Day Soon, owned by Wally French, Sue Crane, James and Miriam Midgley
Mary King on Kings Temptress, owned by Derek Baden
Clea Phillipps on her own, her husband Vere and Judy Barnard’s Lead The Way
Polly Stockton on Regulus, owned by Anne Henson

Going to Fontainebleau? Sign up for the International Supporter’s Pavilion

Horse & Hound — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:06:42 +0000

Eventing enthusiasts can buy tickets for the International Supporter’s Pavilion at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships, at Fontainebleau in France (23-27 September).

Tickets cost €230 per person and cover all four days of competition, with morning coffee and pastries, lunch with a glass of wine, afternoon tea and coffee and close circuit TV of all the action.

The ticket price does not include venue admission or parking. For more details contact Rosemary Barlow at rosie.barlow1@btinternet.com

Fontainebleau International Horse Trials results, 20-24 March

Horse & Hound — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:37:11 +0000

FONTAINEBLEAU, France, 20-24 March

CIC***W.— 1, Miss Meller TSF (M Jung), GER 35.4,6,4=45.4; 2, Djina (B Villoing), FRA 49.1,2.4,4=55.5; 3, Ben Along Time (C Fredericks), AUS 36.5,12,8=56.5; 4, Shaabrak (L Wiegersma), GBR 47.8,2.8,6=56.6; 7, Faere Vision (J May), GBR 41.5,20.8,0=62.3; 12, Zin Zan II (R Powell), GBR 44.8,10.8,14=69.6. CCI*.— 1, FBW River Of Joy (M Jung) 43.8,0,4=47.8; 2, Desperado S (M Jung) 43.8,0,4=47.8; 3, Mistral Des Texes (F Lucas), FRA 49.8,0.4,0=50.2. CIC*.— 1, Joker D’Helby (N Touzaint), FRA 43.6,0,0=43.6; 2, Barlovento (N Touzaint) 44.5,0,0=44.5; 3, Golden Boy (A Gherardi), ITA 47.4,0,0=47.4; 18, Jonny Five (L Kemplay), GBR 51.9,4,2.4=58.3.

Zara Phillips withdraws Toytown from Fontainebleau

Pippa Roome — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:45:49 +0000

Eventer Zara Phillips has withdrawn top horse Toytown (pictured) from the World Cup qualifier at Fontainebleau, France, this weekend due to a bruised foot.

The 15-year-old gelding, Zara’s partner in winning the 2006 World Championship and the 2005 European Eventing Championship, is one of Britain’s major hopes for the Olympics in Hong Kong this summer.

Zara will still ride Ardfield Magic Star and Glenbuck at Fontainebleau, alongside around 10 other British entries.

For full report from Fontainebleau, see 3 April issue of Horse & Hound.

Event rider killed at Fontainebleau in France

Horse & Hound — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:59:12 +0000

The sport of eventing has suffered another fatal accident. The tragedy occurred at a national competition at Fontainebleau last Sunday.

French rider Amelie Cohen, 30, fell from her horse at the seventh fence on the cross-country course, which had a height limit of 3ft 7.5in.

A spokesman for the Federation Francaise d’Equitation, told H&H Mademoiselle Cohen had died in a rotational fall.

She said: “The fence in question was not difficult, but the horse somersaulted and landed on top of Amelie. It was one of those very tragic accidents.”