Lexington, KY- This past weekend at the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival (July 1-6, 2008) the U.S. Show Jumping Team took third in the Nations Cup which improved the U.S. Team’s placing overall in the Samsung Super League with FEI. The U.S. now sits in Fourth Place with three competitions left.
We had very strong performances from our riders though out the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival. Beezie Madden and Authentic were fourth in the Rolex 350,000 Euro Grand Prix of Aachen. McLain Ward and Sapphire almost won the class with the fastest time in the jump-off, but dropped a rail, and came in a solid sixth place. Anne Kursinski dropped a rail in the first round but had a clear in the second round of the two round competition and came in eleventh place.
Beezie Madden and Danny Boy, an 8-year-old Belgian Warmblood Gelding showed off their hard work by winning the first Sparkassen-Youngsters-Cup class by more than three seconds. In the second class of the Cup, Madden and Danny Boy were ahead on time but unfortunately that cost them a rail dropping them into eighth place for that class. Madden won the last class of the series by more than two seconds. Her overall score for the division brought the win along with it the special prize of a FOAL. Madden and Prima 22 also competed in the Prize of Dubai Equestrian Club, Best of Champions, a jumping competition with the riders rotating horses. Madden competed against Jos Lansink, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Rodrigo Pessoa. Each rider rode their own horse first, and then the other three, Madden, Lansink and Michaels- Beerbaum all had four double clear rounds. Madden won the jump off by three seconds.
Olympic Veteran, Laura Kraut was diligent at the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival. Riding Likido, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Kraut won the Prize of Kreises Aachen by 0.01 second. Likido and Kraut prevailed again on a few days later in the Miele- Prize. The first rider to go, Kraut got around the course very quickly and carefully. Kraut’s time held up against the 28 riders after her, securing the win.
The same day, Kraut riding Miss Independent took second in the big jump-off class of the day, the Warsteiner Prize of Europe
In other competitions, McLain Ward was third with Goldika in the Prize of Handwerk Hunting Competition and Kursinski was third with Roxana 112 in the Prize of Aachen Münchener.
ENDS