equine international fall2012web

www.alltech.com/EquineInternationalFall 2012 • Vol. 4 • Issue 3

offIcIal publIcatIon of thE

highest ranking for anY american horse show in 2011!By the North American Riders Group

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EquinE intErnational

Alltech Global Headquarters3031 Catnip Hill PikeNicholasville, KY 40356 USATelephone: 859.885.9613Fax: 859.885.6736

Letter from T. Pearse Lyons ..............................................................................................................5

That was then, this is now ..................................................................................................................6

A force of nature ......................................................................................................................................11

the alltech fei world equestrian games™ 2014 in Normandy ....................14

London 2012: Celebrating a Century of Olympic Equestrianism ...................19

U.S. Show Jumpers Tackle 2012 London Olympics ..................................................... 26

george morris: memories of madison square ............................................................30

Lyons farm international chef showcase ....................................................................34

talk of the town....................................................................................................................................... 36

Fall 2012 • Vol. 4 • Issue 3

Cover Photo: Susan J. Stickle

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EQUINE INTERNATIONAL 5

Raising the BarThe 2011 debut of the Alltech National Horse Show created an exciting buzz in the equine community and earned high accolades,

including number one show in North America by the North American Riders Group. However, just as no top rider would be satisfied with one win, neither are Alltech or the National Horse Show Association. The Alltech National Horse Show is back, and our sights are

set higher than ever.

There are already three new things to look forward to this year: bigger prize money, an extra day of competition, and perhaps most exciting of all, the return of the dazzling American Saddlebreds, which were a traditional crowd pleaser throughout the show’s Madison Square Garden era.

And while we have focused on ways to make this year’s Alltech National Horse Show a success, we are simultaneously ensconced in preparations for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, which will take place August 24 through September 7, 2014. This joint signing between Alltech and the Normandy 2014 Organizing Committee represents a historic partnership in the world of equestrian sports with a commitment from Alltech to the value of €10 million.

Alltech’s sponsorship of equestrian sport brings our brand to life and creates value for our partners, generating strong ties with the people who use our products. Normandy, with its worldwide reputation of excellence in horse breeding, is a strategic location for our company. Alltech has a longstanding history of serving the agricultural community in France, and we are thrilled to share in the pride of this spectacular event in Normandy.

Please join us on our journey to these exciting events through EQUINE INTERNATIONAL.

—T. Pearse LyonsPresident, Alltech, Inc.

Letter from Dr. pearse Lyons

6 EQUINE INTERNATIONAL

Veteran photojournalist and equine publicist Diana De Rosa shares her memories of the National Horse Show of years gone by and her observations of the inaugural Alltech National Horse Show, which was held November 2-6, 2011 in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.

My memories of the “old” National Horse Show are mostly from the era when it was held in Madison Square Garden, where for many years I handled the show’s public relations. Dealing with the media in the Big Apple was tough, but we managed to get publicity

for the show on the weather programs, early morning talk shows and others. I recall the mini horse show we organized outside of the NBC Studios, the dog agility demonstration at Central Park, and the lasso demonstration in front of the Penn Plaza hotel.

Joan Lunden, then with “Good Morning America,” was a terrific supporter and would come each year and do a morning vignette about the show. CNN was just across the street from the Garden, and they did multiple features. We even had the retirement of the legendary race horse Cigar (who now resides in the Hall of Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park) take place center stage. This is only a portion of a very long list of media that we were able to convince to do stories about the National when it was held in Madison Square Garden, where competition for so many things to do in New York City at times made it difficult to lure the masses inside.

But that was then and this is now. Last year I attended the National again after many years of watching it move from the Piers

that was Thenthat was Thenthis is nowthis is now


in New York City, to Florida, then Syracuse. Finally last year it made its debut at the Kentucky Horse Park in the Alltech Arena, where it became known as the Alltech National Horse Show.

Welcome to a New HomeThe “new” National followed closely after the Washington International Horse Show (for which I was doing the advance equine PR and during the week handled the in-house photography). Washington had taken place just a week beforehand in Washington, D.C. Despite the time crunch, I felt compelled to make the trek to Lexington, knowing that at last the National would be arriving in its final new home. I wanted to see what its first year in Lexington would bring and whether I could regain those memories from the past, when the National was so closely tied to the other indoor shows that they often worked together.

My vision for the future is that these shows once again find ways to join hands. There was a time when Washington, the National and Toronto all joined forces to hold a Nations Cup series. Together they were a team working toward a common goal of having each of these shows be successful independently, while also finding ways to work together to cut costs and offer a great array of classes. I believe that potential still exists, and I hope the leadership of these shows makes

Text and Photographs by Diana De Rosa

that was Thenthat was Then

an effort to somehow tie these indoor shows together in a way that benefits them and the sport.

So my journey to this “new” National Horse Show was geared to arrive in time for the Saturday night $250,000 Alltech Grand Prix and Sunday’s Maclay Finals. Of course I was scrutinizing everything, and here are my observations.

A Photographer’s Paradise

I don’t know if any thought was put into the arena backdrops for photographers, but if you positioned yourself properly, the backdrops

and the beautifully designed fences made those of us snapping pictures very happy. The Alltech Arena is a photographer’s paradise. There were still those jumps that you couldn’t avoid getting empty seats as a backdrop, and sadly there were too many of those.

Those empty seats were a bit of a surprise to me. I expected more people to come to this inaugural event. After the show ended there were rumors that Alltech would take the lead on innovative ways to fill those seats this year and in Alltech fashion they have been diligently working on just that.

In fact, Alltech has a number of promotional events they are doing to spread the word.

this is nowthis is now


2011 Alltech national horse show, lexington, kentucky


More than just a Horse Show

The inaugural edition of the Alltech National Horse Show in its new home at

the Kentucky Horse Park was met with rave reviews and top accolades last year, including being ranked #1 in the United States by the North American Riders Group for 2011 and voted Horse Show of the Year by the National Show Hunter Hall of Fame. The event attracted more than 560 horses and 350 riders from nine countries, including nine Olympic veterans. Even those who couldn’t attend showed great enthusiasm, with close to half a million viewers watching the show online on the Alltech Ag Network (http://www.ihigh.com/alltech/).

This year’s attendees will notice we’re building on that success and raising the bar just a little higher,” commented Alltech owner and founder, Dr. Pearse Lyons.

“We’re interested in not only a first-class equestrian event but a legacy for the Lexington community and an event with something of interest for everyone. You’ll find shopping, live entertainment and delicious food ringside at the Alltech Arena, but there’s even more to explore this year including an Alltech Countryside Canter 5K and Alltech’s Trot the Town! Passport program in downtown restaurants. As a taste of what’s to come, sixteen top chefs will join us in Lexington Oct. 26-27 for an International Chef Showcase that will serve as a palate-pleasing prelude to the main Show. This is truly more than just a horse show.”

“Best of all, the Alltech National Horse Show is affordable. Daytime admission is free for everyone, and kids ages 12 and under are always admitted free.”

Something Old, Something New

In addition to focusing on filling the seats, the leadership at the Alltech National

Horse Show has focused their efforts on bringing back some of the “old” National.

“In a nod to the heritage of the National Horse Show, this year’s program sees the return of American Saddlebreds,” continued Dr. Lyons.

Saddlebreds were always a favorite in the Madison Square Garden arena and they are sure to be a favorite in Kentucky. The Saddlebred Horse division will feature four sections: Amateur and Open classes for Five and Three Gaited Horses, Fine Harness Horses and Amateur classes for Three Gaited Park Horses.

In addition the dynamic Roadster Horses will compete for a $25,000 prize money jackpot in the Equine Services Roadster Cup sponsored by Walsh Harness and Equine Services LLC.

“You’ll see something old and something new this year because we’re also adding a $50,000 ANHS Puissance that is sure to be a crowd favorite,” added Dr. Lyons.

The Puissance was always a crowd favorite when the show was held at Madison Square Garden. Of special note was in 1973 when Anthony D’Ambrosio set a record of jumping the big wall at 7’4” riding his Thoroughbred, Sympatico.

These new events will be combined with what made the Alltech National Horse Show so special last year, including the Saturday night party at Gracie Street Garden, which was fabulous with a wonderful turnout, packed dance floor and smiling faces. Dr. Lyons was there with his wife Deirdre, and they both took part in the fun. They were seen on the dance floor along with the famous Pedro Cebulka, the keeper of the in-gate, who always dons the most creative outfits. Bruce Springsteen was there with his wife Patti, celebrating his daughter Jessica’s third-place finish in the Alltech Grand Prix. Jesse was also named the show’s Leading Lady Rider. That was a huge victory for this young woman, whose career in the open jumper ranks is fairly new.

Olympian Nick Skelton of Great Britain was seen enjoying the camaraderie at Gracie Street Garden after having finishing second in the Grand Prix on Carlo 273 behind the winner, Richard Spooner aboard Cristallo. Nick was following in the footsteps of his victory at the Washington International, where he and Carlo won the President’s Cup Grand Prix. He almost made it two in a row, but mere seconds put him behind Spooner.

This year Nick helped end a 60-year drought when he and his British teammates won a Gold medal at the London Olympic Games.

The Social Scene and More

While busy with my work, I made some friends along the way. There were

two gentlemen sitting behind me as I was photographing the scene with Nikon’s 200-400 lens, and one started asking me about my camera equipment along with all sorts of other questions. These weren’t horse people, but Craig and his friend were having the best time watching the show and then networking at the soiree at Gracie Street Garden. The after-parties at the MSG National were always a big draw, so this party was a bonus that everyone appreciated.


The media setup was similar to that at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ satellite setups in 2010 and was totally adequate for what we in the press needed to do. I had seen many of the same media representatives in October at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico and at the Washington International. Here they were again, discovering the new National along with me.

The Alltech Arena’s concourse was filled with vendors, and the array of items was varied and fun. There was also a Kidzone packed with activities that delighted the youngsters. Pearse’s Place was a nicely turned out lounge and eatery where competitors and spectators mingled in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

The VIP seating area at the show was packed and, from what I understood, tables were sold out. It was an ideal location from which to view the Alltech Arena while enjoying a fine meal.

In between the social events and the competition were press conferences, including one pertaining to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2014 in Normandy. The phrase that sticks in my mind from that was: 15 months of preparation, 15 days of competition and 15 years of a legacy as a result of these Games. The 2014 Games also have a big pot of money, thanks to Alltech’s contribution and major funding from the French government. Because of that, ticket prices will be extremely affordable. (For more information on the 2014 Games, turn to page 14.)

Drs. Pearse and Mark Lyons participated in the press conferences. When I asked Pearse what the face of Alltech would look like at the 2014 Games, his response was: “the same yet different.” He went on to explain that Alltech will continue to have a strong presence at the 2014 event, as it did in 2010, but this time will bring an increased focus on the European market. That makes sense, since Alltech is a large global company and has long had a presence in France with its offices in Paris and Nantes.

Maclay Takes Center Stage

Maclay day began early with the first group of 200, which was ultimately

narrowed down to the final 18 who competed on Sunday afternoon. Before that the media were invited to a sumptuous brunch sponsored by the ASPCA, and that is when I took the extra time to wander around and see what else I could find out about this “new” National.

After the 18 riders finished competing, they were brought back and asked to switch horses in order to pin the top three riders. Once those riders finished, it was time to name this year’s winner of the coveted Maclay trophy.

It was Sarah Milliren who had her name etched on the trophy next to such legendary equestrians as Bill Steinkraus and George Morris. Second to Milliren was Demi Stiegler and in third place was Elizabeth Benson.

Dawn of a New Era

The presentation of the trophies marked the end of the 2011 Alltech National

Horse Show but the beginning of a new era. For those who attended the inaugural show, it was a really fun competitive event with top-notch competition, fabulous parties and an exciting, electric feeling in the air throughout the entire seven days.

With Alltech and the many other supporters who helped bring the show to the Kentucky Horse Park, the future for this event looks bright. While it will never be like the horse show held in Madison Square Garden, that’s okay because this one will gain its own look and feel. And that is as it should be because that was then and this is now!

We’re interested in not only a first-class equestrian

event but a legacy for the Lexington community and an

event with something of interest for everyone.


10 EQUINE INTERNATIONAL10 EQUINE INTERNATIONAL

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Because horses have different needs and are required to perform at varied levels, now there are three specialized LIFEFORCE™ daily-use products to choose from. The cornerstone of the Alltech Equine Advantage series, the LIFEFORCE™ Range has been tailored in 2012 with specialized formulas to meet the needs of horses in the three most common lifestyles:

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Since you can’t avoid the external and internal stresses of everyday life, a sound nutrition program is

essential. The five active ingredients in LIFEFORCE™ have all been demonstrated to be effective through

peer-reviewed research done in horses, thus helping enhance performance through nutrition. Ensure your

horse has every advantage possible by utilizing a natural, scientifically proven supplement like LIFEFORCE™.

Promotes overall digestive health • suPPorts immune function • oPtimizes Performance

l i f e f o r c e h o r s e . c o m

preventive care. It creates an ideal digestive environment, allows good bacteria to work most effectively throughout the gut, helps prevent digestive upset, addresses challenges related to thriftiness and body condition, and provides organic trace minerals that are more easily absorbed and maintained.

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After introducing its unique LIFEFORCE™ supplement for horses in 2009 and witnessing the results across the board with performance, breeding and leisure horses, Alltech has taken a major step forward in equine nutrition to help horses around the world, whether they are relaxing at home or preparing to compete in major events such as the Alltech National Horse Show 2012 or the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy.

the “building blocks” to enhance the body’s natural immune system. LIFEFORCE FORMULA contains organic minerals, which are closer to nature’s form, thus allowing them to be better absorbed, stored and utilized. This gives the horse’s immune system the ability to cope with and recover from stress. LIFEFORCE FORMULA plays an important role in immune function by providing organic trace minerals that are more easily absorbed and retained, allowing the horse to cope with oxidative stress from the production of free radicals and supporting the reproductive system for mares and stallions.

A force of Nature


LIFEFORCE Elite: For competition horses and those in high levels of activity Specifically designed for performance horses in stressful situations, LIFEFORCE ELITE helps to manage the effects that a challenging work environment can have on a horse’s well-being. It supports a healthy immune system, increases the availability of antioxidants, stimulates an anti-inflammatory response, naturally maintains hydration, creates an ideal digestive environment and enhances peak body and muscular condition.

Those who have tried LIFEFORCE products with horses in various disciplines have reported impressive results. Warmblood breeder Donna Garner, owner of Chinook Arch Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky, has been feeding LIFEFORCE to her horses since November 2010. She started with one horse and after seeing the benefits is now feeding it to five. In

particular she noted improvement in their coats, weight and feet.

“When I saw that LIFEFORCE was a yeast-based product, I was keen to start using it, knowing that yeast improves digestion of fiber and therefore helps creates a healthy digestive system as well as providing an excellent water soluble source of B vitamins,” says Garner. “I have been extremely happy with my horses on LIFEFORCE. The biggest changes I have seen have been in the young performance horses. They are focused and calm, their coats gleam, and the farrier cannot believe the growth and health of their feet.”

Doug Shaw of Crown Point, Indiana, started using LIFEFORCE after learning about it at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2009. The first thing he noticed was that his horses loved the taste, which had not been the case with other supplements. Then he noticed the shine of their coats. “It seemed like the horses were getting more out of the feed. We had not changed anything else so we attribute the change to LIFEFORCE,” he says.

The most significant benefit Shaw saw with LIFEFORCE was how rapidly one of his horses healed after being kicked. The mare had suffered a very deep cut on her leg in a place that could not be stitched. The veterinarian suggested adding a supplement to help with healing because he thought her grazing might decrease and her intake of trace minerals would suffer.

“We told him about LIFEFORCE, showed him the label and he said, ‘That should do the trick,’” says Shaw. “He estimated her healing at six months. Well, her healing was amazing! The wound closed in about a month with no sign of proud flesh at all. Her appetite never diminished, and she happily went after her grain and LIFEFORCE every morning and evening.

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Whitney Morris of Morris Farm Eventing in Lexington, Kentucky, tried LIFEFORCE on the farm’s two hardest keepers. “My mare is a 7-year-old Dutch/TB who always drops weight with the stress of training and competing. My gelding is recently off of the track, and I have had trouble getting the last little bit of weight on him,” says Morris. “After two months on LIFEFORCE, the change was amazing. Both have gained and are maintaining weight and muscle and their coats are gorgeous.”

Sterling D. B. Graburn, head trainer at Gayla Driving Center in Georgetown, Kentucky, and 2008 USEF National Single Horse Combined Driving

I really like LIFEFORCE, as it maintains peak body condition, a fantastic-

looking coat and keeps their temperament the same and their minds level.


Champion, put a client’s Dutch Harness Horse on LIFEFORCE. Says Graburn: “He is a hard keeper and tends to be fretful. In a veterinary exam, he showed signs of stomach ulcers. After about a month on LIFEFORCE, he had actually gained weight, the signs of ulcers were gone, and he became much more relaxed and less reactive in his work. I have all five of my Hackney ponies on it now. ”

Tyrel Flewelling, a professional Team Roper, had been using LIFEFORCE for about eight months when a real change became noticeable in the farm’s horses. “I have a younger horse that really gets the miles in the pasture checking yearlings and (a lot of work) in the practice pen. He is a short, stocky little horse and when he gets ridden down all the time, he tends to get tucked up around his flank and loses weight and muscle formation,” says Flewelling. “Since I have started using LIFEFORCE I have noticed he keeps his shape and muscle formation a lot better and looks really good. He tends to be a bit of a rambunctious horse, and I have had trouble with some products keeping his temperament level. With LIFEFORCE he stays at a level you can handle and doesn’t get high off the product, also maintaining a shiny coat and great body condition.

Flewelling’s other competition mount is a 14-year-old gelding. “He is my main heel horse, so he is hauled every weekend to about three or four rodeos, anywhere from San Antonio, Texas, to Northern Alberta, Canada. Long hauls can be very hard on him,” says Flewelling. “He is a bit of a hard keeper and I have to pour the feed into him 24/7 to keep him maintained. After a weekend of hard rodeoing he would be skinny. Ever since I have been using LIFEFORCE he maintains his body condition from the beginning to the end of the weekend. I also noticed this spring he shed his coat a lot quicker than the rest of the horses.

Overall, says Flewelling, “I really like LIFEFORCE, as it maintains peak body condition, a fantastic-looking coat and keeps their temperament the same and their minds level.”

Such results are not surprising. As a leading global animal health company,

Alltech ensures that its natural solutions for equine health are proven, reliable and fully traceable. The company has set the standard in animal nutrition by providing scientifically proven nutrients for equine feeds for more than 30 years.

Alltech has once again partnered with the FEI to be the title sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy—the next milestone for the largest and most prestigious animal sports event in the world. This world championship of equine competitive performance showcases animals at their peak, and how better to achieve that pinnacle than by ensuring that the nutrition of these athletes is supported by equine-specific research and solutions, such as LIFEFORCE.

For further information or to order any of the products in the LIFEFORCE range go to LIFEFORCEHORSE.com

I really like LIFEFORCE, as it maintains peak body condition, a fantastic-

looking coat and keeps their temperament the same and their minds level. —Tyrel Flewelling


The Alltech FEI

worldworldworld

gamesgamesgamesEquestrianEquestrianEquestrian

We are now less than twenty-four months away from the event that everyone is focused on.

The Normandy 2014 Organizing Committee is taking its cue from the precedent already set. It is aiming for excellence, to make a real success of the event from every point of view: competition, general organization, work on the different venues, reception and visitor services.


gamesgamesgames201420142014EquestrianEquestrianEquestrian

in Normandy

The London Olympics and

Paralympics are over.

Time to make way for the Alltech

FEI World Equestrian Games™

2014 in Normandy

Accommodation: Normandy has a wide range of choices

With an expected 500,000 spectators and 1,200 media representatives during Normandy’s fortnight in the spotlight, the Organizing Committee has had to define an all-important accommodation strategy for welcoming the public.

There are two common goals: guarantee overnight accommodation for accredited people and ensure the best possible reservation conditions and controlled-prices for spectators.

The equestrian family will be lodged as close to the competition venues as possible: nearly 45,000 rooms have been booked on a first option basis in 51 of the Calvados area’s establishments. This provisional booking represents a direct economic benefit of 6.7 million Euro, of which three million will be paid for by the Organizing Committee, in accordance with its commitment to the Fédération Equestre Internationale.

Committed tourism professionalsNevertheless, hotel capacity will not be saturated: 80% of the hotel rooms in the Calvados area will remain available. The Lower Normandy region boasts a wide range of varied, high-quality accommodations in the three areas that make up the region. Normandy has more than enough choice when it comes to receiving

all different types of public: hotels, campsites, country cottages, and bed and breakfasts.

It is estimated that spectators will book a further 40,000 overnight stays through direct contact with booking offices in Normandy. This is the first time that a regional entity has worked with tourism professionals on such a large-scale event, and notably, two years before the beginning of the event.

2012 —Feet firmly on the ground When it comes to getting all the different competitions ready, the sports management team, headed by Laurent Cellier, is hard at work on a number of major issues.

One such concern is the importance of equestrian surfaces – which is no small task when the well-being of horses and the quality of the competitions is to be taken into account. Contracts have now been signed with specialist equestrian surface suppliers. Course upgrade work has begun at Le Pin National Stud to get the Eventing cross country track up to standard.

Another seminar will bring the discipline managers together in October. The Organizing Committee is laying down the groundwork to ensure that it can provide an answer to all the different requests from the various official delegations. British and Australian delegations have already been to Normandy and they will be followed by the U.S. delegation.

"In London, everyone was told to mark Normandy 2014 in their diaries. I know that each and every national delegation is working towards the same goal —they all want to come out on top. The Norman people are also mobilizing, they’ll be ready to give their full

support to everything we are trying to achieve. It’s true that we’re still two years away from the event, but we can already feel the growing enthusiasm throughout the region."

—Laurent Beauvais, President of the Normandy 2014 Organizing Committee.


TheAlltech

Partnership

2013—Test eventsTo make sure that nothing is left to chance, test events will be organized at the competition venues: endurance, eventing, driving, and reining in the summer of 2013 and at the d’Ornano stadium for jumping and dressage in 2014.

These real-life rehearsals will be the occasion to test the choices made by the Organizing Committee’s teams in conjunction with the Fédération Equestre Internationale. The national federations will be able to take a good look at the different sites and check the resources made available to them.

Opening to the public2013 will see the launch of a recruitment drive for volunteer workers and of the ticketing office during the second quarter. It will be an ideal opportunity to formally publicize the ticket reservation details and prices.

“Equestrian sports fans are eager to book their places at the event. The Organizing Committee has developed an affordable pricing policy in the interest of attracting as many people as possible to the competitions. The average ticket price will be fixed at 25 Euro, with different competitive options such as special ‘event passes’ or ‘one-day passes’. This will guarantee that the event remains as accessible and far-reaching as possible,” said Fabien Grobon, Managing Director of the Organizing Committee.

PMU and EQUIDIA LIFE: enthusiastic partners!We are pleased to welcome PMU, who have become an Official Sponsor. In addition, Equidia Life have come on board as a Media Partner, a few days after the arrival of the daily newspaper—Ouest-France.

PMU, a key player in the world of sport (Stade de France, Tour de France, National Rugby League, French Football Federation), also play an essential role in the equine sector in France.

Equidia Life, THE television station for all equestrian disciplines, as well as behind-the-scenes reports, will also broadcast 100% of the 2014 edition’s live events.

The arrival of new partners goes to show how much an event of this type can bring everyone together.

PMU and Equidia Life provide the event with further momentum and greater visibility.

Their financial investment goes to bolster the budget which is already consolidated up to a level of 82%. With less than two years to go before the event, this is worth noting. Welcome to both of these new partners: together we will head towards 2014.

Across Normandy, more than 44,000 farmers produce the food that our families enjoy every day. Farming is a commitment to providing us with safe, nutritious and affordable food, caring for our animals and our land, and giving back to our communities. While the role of title

sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy is what we associate with Alltech, the company has built a reputation around the world as a nutrition partner, adding value throughout the food chain from the feed industry, to farmers, to the consumer. We spoke to the president and founder of Alltech, Dr. Pearse Lyons, to find out about his company’s plans to partner with the agricultural region in which the event will take place.

TheAlltech

PartnershipWhat have food, feed and farmers

got to do with it?


question: Why has Alltech committed to being title sponsor of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ for a second time?

Answer:“We are proud to continue our partnership with the FEI World Equestrian Games™ and to contribute to history, as these Games will be the largest equestrian event ever organized in France.

Growing up in Ireland, horses were part of our heritage. They are part of our culture. I can still remember Easter Monday and the excitement of the Irish Grand National Steeplechase. All of Ireland would gather and watch it on television. In 2014, more than 500,000 people will come together to watch the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy.

The Alltech Games are about connecting with the horse and about animals performing at their peak. This is essentially what Alltech is about: animals with optimum nutrition performing at their peak. Of course the Alltech Games are also a tremendous opportunity to promote Normandy around the world as hundreds of millions of people tune in to watch the competitions.”

TheAlltech

Partnership

An abstract of this article was first printed in Ouest-France September 16th 2012.

question: how is Alltech represented in Europe and especially in France?

Answer:“Alltech has been working with nutritionists and farmers in Normandy, France and across Europe, to ensure that they have the nutritional ingredients to optimize the health and performance of their animals. We know that providing the correct diet for cows helps farmers to improve their production on a quantitative and qualitative basis in a more efficient and sustainable way. It’s what we provide inside feed that makes the farmer more efficient, sustainable and ultimately more profitable—at the same time providing better and more nutritious food to the consumer. Even though the Alltech brand may not be well known among consumers, we have in fact served the French agricultural community for more than 20 years with offices in Carquefou in the department of ‘Loire Atlantique’ and in Paris.”

question: The 2014 edition will be held in Normandy. What does that mean to you and what are your ambitions for this event?

Answer:“Normandy is one of the most famous regions for French haute-cuisine and is also world-renowned for its agricultural produce. It is France’s largest dairy exporter and horse breeding region. The equine sector in Normandy employs around 10,000 people, from breeders and trainers, to researchers and veterinarians. Equestrian tourism is a big business too, especially with prestigious sites such as Haras du Pin and the bay of Mont Saint Michel, which will provide the magnificent backdrop for the 160 km of

endurance tests that will meander around the UNESCO world heritage site.

For us, it is about sharing in the excitement of the Games and celebrating the rich tapestry of food, feed and farming in Normandy, France and across the world. You can be sure that every Alltech office will be doing their bit to tell the story of Normandy and the Games in their region.”

question: You have visited Normandy several times now. Are you captivated by the region?

Answer:“Yes, my wife Deirdre and I have been to Normandy numerous times. We recently visited with a delegation of 35 leaders from Kentucky. The Normandy countryside not only reminds us of our native homeland of Ireland but also the rolling hills of Kentucky, where we are now based. I also got to practice my French, reminding me of my old school days in Ireland!

We wanted to share the Normandy experience with our fellow Kentuckians in the hope that it would create new business opportunities.

The connections formed during this visit will continue to create new business opportunities and projects long after 2014. Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Steve Beshear and Laurent Beauvais, President of the Regional Council of Basse–Normandie also spent valuable time together discussing the event.

You see, for us, the sponsorship is about partnering with the food industry and farmers, to help them deliver better and more nutritious food in the communities in which we live and work. What better way of doing this than to sponsor the largest equestrian event, taking place in a renowned agricultural region, in a country world famous for its food, France!”

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15 Days

1,000 Horses

1,000 Competitors

60 Countries

500,000 Visitors

500 Million TV Viewers

1,200 Journalists

2,000 Volunteers

300 Exhibitors

Photography, ©, Kit Houghton

Alltechfeiweg2014normandy.com

Alltech | 3031 Catnip Hill Pike | Nicholasville, Kentucky 40356 Tel: 859.885.9613 | Fax: 859.885.6736Alltech.com AlltechNaturally @Alltech

15 Days

1,000 Horses

1,000 Competitors

60 Countries

500,000 Visitors

500 Million TV Viewers

1,200 Journalists

2,000 Volunteers

300 Exhibitors

Photography, ©, Kit Houghton

Alltechfeiweg2014normandy.com

Alltech | 3031 Catnip Hill Pike | Nicholasville, Kentucky 40356 Tel: 859.885.9613 | Fax: 859.885.6736Alltech.com AlltechNaturally @Alltech

“I give a big A+ to London 2012. It was all so fantastic,” said dressage rider Steffen Peters of the United States. He said he thought the judging in London was “very fair.”

Great Britain won the most equestrian medals in London: three golds (team show jumping, team and individual dressage); one silver (team eventing) and one bronze (individual dressage), for a total of five medals. It was the first time Great Britain had ever medaled in Olympic dressage and the first time in 60 years that it won show jumping gold.

Germany and the Netherlands each earned four medals. Germany took two golds (team and individual eventing), one silver (team dressage) and one bronze (individual eventing). The Netherlands earned three silvers (team show jumping, individual jumping, individual dressage) and one bronze (team dressage).

Switzerland won one gold (individual jumping) and Sweden earned one silver (individual eventing). Bronze medals went to: Ireland (individual show jumping), New Zealand (team eventing) and Saudi Arabia (team show jumping).

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Celebrating a

Century of O

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Equestrianism

Without exception—from the grooms in

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packed the stadium—the verdict on the 2012 Olympic

equestrian events was the same.

By Darlene Ric

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Medal count aside, the biggest winner at Greenwich Park was equestrian sport itself, which reached a massive new audience. Some called London 2012 the perfect celebration of 100 years of equestrian sport within the Olympic movement. The 12 days of equestrian competition, which began with eventing July 28 and ended August 9 with dressage, marked a number of important “firsts” for Olympic equestrianism.

In the dressage freestyle, there were an unprecedented seven dressage judges (previously five) and a judges supervisory panel. Charlotte Dujardin and Adelinde Cornelissen of the Netherlands each broke the Olympic freestyle dressage record, set eight years ago by Anky van Grunsven and Salinero at the 2004 Olympics. Charlotte and Valegro scored 13 perfect 10s in the musical freestyle.

With brilliant foresight, organizers arranged for the first time ever for the grand prix freestyle to be the final equestrian event at an Olympic Games. The event engaged the crowd, from those in the 23,000-seat stadium, which was filled to capacity, to viewers in the worldwide televised audience. Eventing’s cross country day drew more than 50,000 spectators to Greenwich Park.

Eventers Front and Center as Games OpenWhen the curtain went up Friday evening, July 27, at the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, most three-day eventers were in the stables tending to their mounts after the day’s veterinary inspection. Many decided to forego the demanding hours-long

march required of athletes who participated in the Opening Ceremonies.

The first of the three equestrian disciplines at London 2012 got under way on Saturday, July 28, with the dressage phase for Team and Individual Eventing. Thirty-seven horse-and-rider combinations competed the first day, with Dirk Schrade of Germany finishing in second place individually. He scored 39.8 penalty points aboard King Artus, just a hair behind the leader, teammate Ingrid Klimke (39.3) on Butts Abraxxas, a member of the gold medal team at the Beijing Games in 2008. Mary King of Great Britain ranked third (40.9) on Imperial Cavalier.

In team eventing standings on Saturday, Australia led, closely followed by Germany and the United States. Australia scored 133.20, giving it a four-point lead over Germany, and almost 17 points ahead of the third-ranked U.S. team.

That day, enthusiastic spectators startled some of the horses. Mary King — a veteran of five Olympics and winner of two team medals — put her fingers to her lips as she emerged from the tunnel at the end of the dressage arena. The crowd obeyed in a hush.

“It’s absolutely fantastic here,” King said after her ride as tears streaked down her face.

Everyone, of course, was thinking ahead to Monday’s cross-country phase. Said Klimke: “It’s a very beautiful course. When we walked it, I thought that it’s very clear to the horses what they have to do, and that is good,” Klimke said.

There was a lot more dressage to be seen before cross country. Japan’s Atsushi Negishi and Pretty Darling were first into the arena

on Sunday. Former World and European champion Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, was a big spectator draw when she went third of the remaining 36 who had yet to go in dressage.

As it turned out, Schrade had more to be proud of than his own rides. His student, Japanese rider Yoshiaki Oiwa, won the eventing dressage phase over the weekend. Schrade, who had been in second place after the first day of dressage on Saturday, finished the phase in sixth place Sunday.

“Yoshi,” as he is known, is based with Schrade in Germany. After scoring 38.1 on the Selle Francais mare Noonday De Conde, he was smiling and proud as he lauded his horse. “She was very relaxed and soft, so I could really ride her,” said Oiwa. “I felt everything was as good as I can do it.”

But of course in dressage, there is always room for improvement. While Schrade was pleased with Oiwa’s placing, his pupil’s ride still “wasn’t good enough” for the trainer’s discerning eye, said Oiwa. “He straightaway said there were a few things I could do (better).”

Oiwa’s dressage test was the strongest performance ever by a Japanese rider at this level of competition. He joked to media afterward that even his home country would be startled to find he was in front.

“Probably everybody is a little bit (shocked) now. Nobody was expecting it,” he said, noting that there were very few Japanese media representatives covering the equestrian events at Greenwich Park.

Oiwa echoed the voice of many other riders in saying that Monday’s cross country phase—in which horses jumped 28 solid obstacles over a hilly and twisting course about three-and-a-half miles long —could prove taxing to his mount. Individually, Italy’s Stefano Brecciaroli finished dressage second on Apollo WD after Wendi Kurt Hoev, followed by veteran Olympian Mark Todd of New Zealand in third aboard Campino.

The team eventing standings after dressage were less surprising than the individual rankings, with Germany and Australia in front, followed closely by Great Britain. German team trainer Hans Meltzer said the teams were so close after dressage that Monday’s cross country phase would be like “starting at zero.”

The more than 20,000 seats in the Greenwich Park stadium, which hosted the dressage and show jumping phases, were packed Saturday. The crowd swelled to more than 50,000 for cross country on Monday.

Yoshiaki Oiwa

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London 2012: Celebrating a Century of Olympic Equestrianism

Cian O’connor

The Cross Country CourseWhen she was chosen five years ago to design the cross country course, Sue Benson said she struggled with the initial concept because the trees and roads on the property got in the way of her vision. As time went on, however, she saw that a Greenwich Park course could be “something very special” and now considers it an “inspirational site.”

While “the iconic vision became ‘let’s do England,’” she told reporters, it was important that the fences fit comfortably within their environment “without it becoming a theme park.” The true challenge, she added, was creating a track that uses the hills but also offers enough gallop stretches for the horses and riders to enjoy the course.

The 10-minute course’s tight, twisting nature was designed to present a unique challenge compared with the type of courses most riders and horses have encountered in their international careers. The 3-mile London course and the arena were set against a backdrop of sweeping views looking out across the River Thames to St. Paul’s Cathedral and beyond.

A Spectator’s View of Cross CountryBelgian event rider Patrick Keereman went to London specifically to observe the cross country phase. He said the demands of Monday’s course virtually ensured that the horses would be tired going into the stadium jumping phase.

“Even the fastest horses were also tired at the end of cross country, which means it was a well built course,” said Keereman. He added that its demanding nature was reflected in the fact that only a handful of riders maintained their dressage scores after cross country.

Keereman described the course as “very technical” and said that was a given, due to the geography of Greenwich Park. “There are nearly no flat lanes in the park. You are always going uphill or downhill or on the side of a hill, so it’s difficult to get speed between the fences,” he said.

He noted three particularly difficult fences: a steep drop followed by a vertical; the second water obstacle; and fence number three, which caused problems for several riders, some of whom had stops or falls there. Keereman said the obstacle didn’t look especially difficult but turned out to be tricky to ride. Although the double upright was not very high, it had to be jumped at an angle, he said.

Keereman said the Park’s lush greenery made it beautiful but also made it difficult in many places to see the course. “There are a huge number of trees and they are full of leaves that hang down, so the spectators couldn’t see the course very well. In some places you could only see one fence,” he said.

A Rider’s Perspective on Cross Country

Schrade, whose team held first place after

cross country, sailed through the cross country course aboard King Artus and said he was looking forward to the final phase of stadium jumping.

“Jumping [the cross country fences] was no problem for my horse,” said Schrade on Monday evening. The footing, however, was a challenge for the entire field. The ground was soggy from Sunday’s rains and caused serious difficulties for several riders, whose horses slipped and fell coming off steep banks.

“I struggled with the going a little bit and

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had some ups and downs,” said Schrade, whose horse lost a shoe on course. Ranked 17th individually after cross country, he said he was looking forward to Tuesday’s jumping. “My horse is normally a very good jumper,” said Schrade. “Hopefully he is fit and sound tomorrow. Cross fingers that he goes clear!”

His student, Oiwa, was eliminated when he was unseated coming off a bank on cross country (the Royal Greenwich Borough drop at obstacle #20B). When asked about the mishap, Schrade said that Oiwa had a good ride overall but that at that fence “he sat not too tight enough, and sometimes that’s what happens.”

Leading the individual standings after cross country was Schrade’s teammate, Ingrid Klimke of Germany, on Butts Abraxxas, who was tied for first place with Sara Algotsson Ostholt of Sweden on Wega, both with a score of 39.30. Olympic veteran Mark Todd of New Zealand was in third place with Campino (39.50) after an unfortunate step that caused time penalties at the last fence.

After cross country, Germany led the team eventing standings with 124.7 penalty points, followed by Great Britain (130.20) and Sweden (131.40).

The eventing competition concluded on Tuesday with the final phase of show jumping. Germany won its second consecutive Olympic gold medal, with 124.70 penalty points. Britain took the silver (130.20) and New Zealand the bronze (131.40). The course rode well for the 25 riders who advanced after the qualifier round for the individual jumping final. There were nine fences and 11 jumping efforts.

Grooming: A Big Job for Olympic Riders’ TeamWith completion of the eventing competition on Tuesday, the dressage and show jumping horses started arriving en masse at Greenwich Park in advance of Thursday’s dressage and Friday’s show jumping.

Wednesday was the busiest horse traffic day ever at the Park, as 40 vans containing 54 dressage horses and 90 show jumpers rolled in. There were an additional 78 horses on site for the Paralympic Games. All told, horses from 40 countries on six continents called Greenwich Park their home during the London 2012 Olympic equestrian events.

Tending to them, even to a single horse, is an enormous job. What’s different about that job at Greenwich Park?

“It’s the Olympics!” said Maarten Roels, who for ten years has groomed for champion show jumper Jos Lansink of the Belgian team. “That’s what makes this a different venue. In the Olympics you do everything extra. Everything has to be spotless.”

According to Roels and others, the equestrian facilities at Greenwich Park were impeccable. There were 200 stalls total, each 11-and-a-half by 13 feet. There were also wash stalls and an onsite 24-hour veterinary clinic.

Because Greenwich Park was not previously an equestrian facility, everything had to be built from scratch. Said Roels: “The Park is super. It was really well thought out and the horses like it here.” He said there were rubber mats throughout and fans in the stalls. The layout of the equestrian complex was also good, he said, with only one road that the horses had to cross going

from the stabling to the arena. “It was not a problem,” said Maarten. “When a horse needed to cross, [park attendants] put everything on hold for us.”

Sara Baban, wife of Saudi Arabian show jumping team rider Ramzy Al Duhami, said, “The setup is very beautiful. Our horse is very comfortable. The stables are well protected and stay cool because of the fans. The boxes are big enough and the shavings are good.”

The majority of the jumpers were vanned across Europe and then shipped by train through the Chunnel from France to England. The horses stayed on the trucks, which were driven onto the trains, a process Roels said was less disruptive to the horses than crossing the English Channel by boat and enduring sometimes choppy seas. However, he said, the Belgian horses arrived three hours before the equipment – much to the dismay of the riders, many of whom wanted to tack up and get their mounts acclimated to the grounds.

On Thursday afternoon, Baban said her husband’s horse, Bayard van de Villa Theresia, a sensitive 11-year-old bay Belgian warmblood, “is quite relaxed...he’s eating his hay with lots of commotion going on. He knows where he is. He’s smart – he saves his energy for the ring.”

Lansink’s horse, Cavalor Valentina van’t Heike, is also sensitive, said Roels. The 14-year-old chestnut Belgian warmblood mare is allergic to the sun, hates dust and flies, “and above all, she is very strong,” said Maarten. “We call her Tina, like Tina Turner, because she is a bit of a wilder one and can be feisty.”

Great Britain Dominates DressageThe home team ended the first part of the Team Dressage competition Friday, August Aug. 3, in the gold medal position, and one of its riders set a new Olympic grand prix record. Great Britain topped the team standings with a score of 79.407. Germany was second (78.845) and the Netherlands ranked third (76.809). British team member Charlotte Dujardin had a record-setting ride on Valegro (83.784%).

Steffen Peters of the United States held sixth place. He was delighted with his horse’s performance. “It was an exciting test today, one of those amazing rides. I am thrilled with Ravel,” he said. “He has done this for six years and he still feels the same, very energetic. He takes it up a notch for the Olympics.”

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British Gold medal Jump Team


When asked about his experience at Greenwich Park, Steffen said, “It couldn’t be better. The footing is outstanding, the competition is extremely well organized and the people are so friendly. It’s a great atmosphere.”

Great Britain’s team total of 79.407% put it in first place. Germany’s final rider, Helen Langehanenberg, scored 81.140% on Damon Hill, putting her in third place individually and giving Germany an aggregate score of 78.845%, for second place in the team standings. Adelinde Cornelissen and Parsival’s 81.687%, the second-highest individual score, helped the Netherlands move into the bronze position (76.809%). The fourth-placed team was Denmark, followed by the United States in fifth.

Great Britain Jumps for Joy

Dressage took a brief hiatus while show jumping was held. Great Britain won the show jumping gold medal and the Netherlands took silver before a cheering crowd of 23,000 spectators. Saudi Arabia, anchored by Prince Abdullah al Saud, finished ahead of Switzerland, Sweden and defending Olympic team champions the United States.

Saudi Arabia has made a major effort in recent years to fund top horses and trainers for the country’s riders, and it paid off in London. Winning an Olympic medal “means everything,” said Saudi Prince Abdullah Al Saud, who competed aboard Davos. “I am speechless.”

Saudi rider Ramzy Al Duhami galloped to glory aboard Bayard van de Villa Theresia, helping Saudi Arabia clinch the team bronze medal. “The whole team is very happy, and our horses performed well every day,” said Al Duhami, who is a veteran of several previous Olympic Games.

He said the competitors found Monday’s course extremely difficult, both in scope and also because it was the fourth consecutive day the horses had to jump big courses.

“The courses kept getting more difficult every day,” he said. “The horses were already exhausted after the last three days, so today was very tough,” he said. “But this is the Olympics, and it’s always tough.”

Al Duhami described Monday’s course as “very technical and very big. You could have a problem with any fence, so you had to be focused all the time. Every jump was an effort.” The two most difficult fences, he said, were a double combination and a


line with a water jump, where most of the faults happened.

The team competition also served as a qualifier for the individual show jumping event on Wednesday, including the top 35 riders out of the field of 75. Al Duhami said that on Tuesday the horses would rest and have “a bit of light work” in preparation for what were expected to be two big rounds Wednesday, followed by the medals ceremony.

Olympic show jumping ended Wednesday, August 8. Steve Guerdat of Switzerland won the individual gold medal aboard Nino des Buissonners, followed by Gerco Schroder of the Netherlands, who took the silver on his aptly named horse, London, and Cian O’Connor of Ireland rode Blue Loyd 12 to the bronze. O’Connor and Schroder had to take part in a jump-off for second and third places. O’Connor went all out, clocking a faster time than Schroder in the jump-off, but had one fence down.

Lansink, who competed in London for the Belgian team, had a similar experience with rails and timing. Aboard Cavalor Valentina van’t Heike, he completed the individual finals course with two rails down. “I was thinking too much [about] the time allowed,” he said.

A veteran of seven Olympic Games, Lansink was extremely enthusiastic about his experience at Greenwich Park. He said London 2012 was “Fantastic, the best: the course was fantastic through the whole event, today and every day. The jumps got more difficult and technical every day.” He added that course designer Bob Ellis did an amazing job.

In the team show jumping finals on Monday, Al Duhami galloped to glory aboard Bayard van de Villa Theresia, helping Saudi Arabia clinch the team bronze medal. Great Britain won the gold medal and the Netherlands took silver.

Dressage Horses Dance to a Dramatic Close on the Olympic StageThe final equestrian events of the London Olympics concluded on Thursday, August 9 with dynamic dressage musical freestyle rides before an awed crowd in the packed stadium at Greenwich Park.

The individual freestyle gold medal went to Charlotte Dujardin of Great Britain on Valegro, with 90 percent. Her teammate

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Laura Bechtolsheimer took the bronze on Mistral Hojris (84.34) and Adelinde Cornelissen of the Netherlands earned the silver with Parzival (88.25).

Anky van Grunsven, competing her three-time gold medal mount Salinero for the final time, finished sixth with 82%. Their ride began with Anky’s trademark piaffe-passage choreography and moved into

expressive trot extensions that drew gasps from the spectators. Salinero offered tiny and near-perfect pirouettes and performed half-pass zigzags that were as breathtaking and controlled as ever in his career.

Steffen Peters of the United States piloted Ravel to a powerful, dramatic performance set to music from the movie “Avatar.” His freestyle incorporated numerous zigzags

that demonstrated Ravel’s suppleness and grace. The choreography included a series of pirouettes into piaffe-passage and half pass.

Earlier in the week, after competing in the grand prix, Steffen said he was “thrilled” with Ravel. “He has done this for six years and he still feels the same, very energetic. He takes it up a notch for the Olympics.”

When asked about his experience at Greenwich Park, Peters said, “It couldn’t be better. The footing is outstanding, the competition is extremely well organized and the people are so friendly. It’s a great atmosphere.”

In team dressage standings, Great Britain took the gold medal with a score of 79.407. Germany was second (78.845) and the Netherlands ranked third (76.809).

Belgian Rider Wins Second Gold Medal in 2012 Paralympics Para-equestrian dressage took place two weeks later, with Belgium’s Michele George winning her second gold medal of the London Games. Belgium previously won a Paralympic silver medal in 2000 and a bronze in 2004.

“I am lost for words,” Michele told reporters after her ride. “To achieve this in a country like this with such a strong tradition. I really felt the pressure. I really enjoyed it, but it was hard to keep [my horse] calm. It was really important to me.”

The placings in Tuesday’s individual freestyle were the same as the individual championship rankings on Saturday in Grades IV and III, with Michele and Rainman taking top place with 82.100 percent. They were followed by Sophie Wells of Great Britain aboard Pinocchio (81.1500) and Frank Hosmar of the Netherlands riding Alphaville (78.600).

In other Paralympic placings:Grade III Hannelore Brenner from

Germany secured her second gold in London, followed by Deborah Criddle of Great Britain and Annika Dalskov of Denmark. In Grade 1a, Sophie Christiansen of Great Britain won gold. Laurentia Tan of Singapore took silver, and Helen Kearney of Ireland took bronze.

In total, Great Britain achieved a record 11 medals (five gold, five silvers and a bronze). Germany was second for most medals won, with seven (two gold, three silvers and two bronze).


paralympian Gold medalists

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Rich Fellers

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By: Rebecca Walton

Tackle 2012 London Olympics


This summer, the U.S. show jumping team traveled to Greenwich Park to compete during the 2012 London Olympic Games. Although the United States was unable to bring home a medal, there were great performances by all of the horses and riders during the Games. The horses and riders showcased grace, power and athleticism as they competed against the world’s top combinations.

The competition kicked off with the first of three qualifiers for the individual finals. The U.S. had solid rounds from McLain Ward aboard Antares F, owned by the Grant Road Partners, and Rich Fellers riding Flexible, owned by Harry and Mollie Chapman, who left all the rails intact, while Reed Kessler on her own mount Cylana had just a single time fault. Bad luck struck late in the day, when anchor rider Beezie Madden had an unfortunate elimination with Coral Reef Via Volo, owned by Coral Reef Ranch, after two refusals. Madden was able to continue competing for the team, but lost her chance at the individual finals.

The second day of show jumping marked the first day of the Nations Cup, and the USA was able to advance to the team finals. The standings were very close after the first day, with less then two rails separating those moving forward. The bright light for the Americans came from the ever consistent Fellers and Flexible. With at least ten clear rounds in a row under their belt, the phenomenal duo was right on target once again, producing the team’s only fault-free round.

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Earlier in the day, Ward started the Team off with a solid round aboard Antares F. They worked well through the course but had a tight distance after the double combination, making the ride to the water more complicated and resulting in a four-fault score. After the first two individual qualifiers, they still only had the single rail to their name and were still eligible for the Individual Finals

Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo were next, and this time they were ready to take on the course. After schooling over a combination the previous day and some poles that morning, the pair was ready to tackle the task at hand. Madden pushed Via Volo to the double combination after yesterday’s setback, which resulted in a rail at the first portion. The rest of the course was excellent, and they crossed through the timers with just the four-fault score.

Kessler rode in the third position for the team and also had a good showing at her first Olympic Games. She and Cylana were solid throughout the course but had unlucky rubs in the middle of the triple combination as well as a wide oxer across the middle. They finished with eight faults and were the team’s drop score. The duo’s nine faults made them unable to advance to the individual final.

The United States was unable to climb back to the top of the rankings during the team finals. There were no major errors, but small mistakes from all the horses proved costly, and the team finished with 28 faults, tied with Sweden for sixth place.

Ward was the first to go with Antares F, and did not have the leadoff round he was expecting. Ward suffered an unexpected slow down heading to fence two and also had a rub in the middle of the double combination, which had him ending the day on eight faults. Solid rounds from the previous days helped him advance to the individual final.

Madden was next with Coral Reef Via Volo, and the talented mare continued to improve. They were doing great until the last half of the course. Madden pushed Via Volo to leave out a stride to a tall vertical, and when she tried to bring her back and regroup at the next fence, the horse began rushing and lowered the height of the oxer.

The youngest rider, Kessler was up next, having some unlucky rails aboard Cylana. The big chestnut mare put a toe in the water and then clipped the top of the white vertical. They also had a heartbreaker at the last large oxer going towards the gate, which brought their total to 12 faults.

The final rider was Fellers aboard Flexible, and, in an unfortunate turn of events, their

streak of clear rounds came to a disappointing end. After galloping to the water, Fellers tried to gather Flexible, making the rollback to a skinny vertical, but they got a bit flat. Then, Fellers took a risk across the oxer in the middle of the course, adding another rail to their score for an eight-fault total.

Fellers and Flexible were the highlight combo for the United States during the individual finals. Things looked a bit bleak after the pair had a single knockdown during the first round, lowering the middle of the triple combination. They also added a surprising time fault after tripping the timers a moment too late. But, as Fellers said, “Flexible is a fighter,” and fight he did. They were the third duo to enter the arena during the second round, and they were ready to tackle the track. Flexible stretched himself over the oxers and maneuvered through each test with ease. They were perfect, crossing the finish line with no additional faults and finishing eighth individually.

“Flexible is the best,” smiled Fellers. “That’s a great way to finish, regardless of how it all played out. The course was massive. The biggest we have jumped, which is the way it should be. It was everything. It was scopey and careful. I won’t jump many courses that big in my life.”

McLain Ward also qualified for the individual final with Antares F, but luck was not on their side, and they had 12 faults over the course. The pair had a foot in the water, and then, at the end of the course, they had rails coming out of the triple combination as well as the final plank.

Ward noted, “This week has been disappointing for sure. I have to be honest, I don’t think we had the team that we had going into the Hong Kong without Sapphire and Authentic, but we were trying to be a bit above par and weren’t able to do so. I think all of these horses are great horses, but they don’t have the record of consistency those horses had, and unfortunately it showed itself this week.”

Now, Ward is focusing on the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy 2014. “We have to keep going, keep building,” he commented. “We have top riders and we have good programs, but you’re only as good as the horse stock you are on. We have to look to two years from now and try to put together a stronger team.”

The U.S. show jumping team will now look ahead to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy 2014 and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with plans to improve their performances and bring home medals for the United States.B

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By Kenneth Kraus

When the National Horse Show is mentioned to anyone that ever attended the event when it was held in the heart of Manhattan at Madison Square Garden, an

immediate sparkle appears in their eye and an involuntary smile magically appears on their face. When thoughts revert to the glory days of the National Horse Show, the memories are still vivid and are always cherished.

Whether you’re reading the fabulous history of the National Horse Show in one of those rare copies of the book, “The National Horse Show,” by Kurth Sprague, or you‘re chatting with one of the many of the folks that actually lived through the magic of the glorious days gone by, it’s a treat to relive the memories.

“There is something in the blood, perhaps, that cries out for beauty, and there are few living things as beautiful as horses. And where there are horses there is danger and danger gives off an appealing scent. At horse shows, the beauty of horses and the scent of danger are mingled with color and dash and youth; their conjoined allure is irresistible. The world of horses and horse shows is a world of dreams and it is said that men live by their dreams. I rode at the Garden seems magically to suggest that the speaker has reveled in those dreams,” said author Kurth Sprague in the above mentioned account of the National Horse Show in his book by the same name.

George Morris, who will judge the ASPCA Maclay Finals this year at the Alltech National Horse Show, has wonderful and lasting memories of the Garden, memories that stretch over decades.

“1950 was my first year there, when I was twelve

Memories of Madison Square

years old. I was a real novice that first time at the Garden,” he laughs. “In 1951, when I was thirteen, I had a very good round in the Maclay. That was the year I had my top horse Game Cock. I had a very good round, but I wasn’t called back. They didn’t have a flat phase; just fifteen riders got called back for the afternoon. I didn’t get called back and my mother harped on me when I got home because some other girl at Ox Ridge did get called back, on a school horse,” he smiles. “I probably should have been called back, but I wasn’t.”

“That was all at the old Garden. It was in New York City and it was electric,” he remembers. “You went to this iconic building, almost like a shrine, bigger than big, right in the heart of New York City. The stabling was uniquely New York, they had that walkway around the arena and everybody and their brother would walk around, looking at who was in the box seats. And of course, every session was packed.”

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That was all at the old Garden.

It was in New York City and it was

electric...You went to this iconic building,

almost like a shrine, bigger than big, right

in the heart of New York City.

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“I remember the International teams. I remember seeing Sir Harry Morton Llewellyn and the great horse Ali Baba and I remember watching Victor Hugo-Vidal. Victor was a great mentor of mine. He would take me over to the horse show and we would watch every division at every session,” Morris recalled.

“We’d get there at about six in the morning and we would watch Henri Saint Cyr, he was an artist, an amazing equestrian and he would practice for a half hour in the ring, he was just a beautiful rider. He won the Gold medal twice for Sweden at Helsinki in 1952. And we would go and stand in the out-gate and watch him ride. The groom turned out to be Lars Sederholm, who later became a great Eventing coach in Great Britain. But he started out as Saint Cyr’s groom.”

“Victor and I would go to every session, every day. I remember, I was so exhausted when the show was over, I couldn’t go to school on Monday,” he laughs. “We would see every Saddle horse class, every Fine Harness, every hunter class, every jumper class, every exhibition. That’s when I started judging. Not for real, but that’s when I started making notes about every round in the horse show program and that’s when I came up with the symbols I still use today. Those are some of my early memories.”

Morris also recalled seeing big-time Hollywood stars. “The second year I went, when I was thirteen,

there I was, walking that walkway, and there was this very famous, but very new actress sitting in the box seats. It was Elizabeth Taylor. She was in a box by the walkway and she was head to toe in this white chinchilla coat and she was bathed in emeralds. I’ll never forget her or that moment at the National Horse Show. It was one of the most beautiful sights that I ever saw. That was in 1951,” he says.

“In 1952, I won everything in America. My partnership with Gamecock really came together. I won all of the equitation classes, all of the big hunter classes, that was my big year,” Morris said. “Three or four weeks before the Garden, I was out on the trail at Ox Ridge, and I was kicked in the knee. Nothing was broken, but I got a huge hematoma. I stayed in bed, with my leg up, for three weeks before the Garden. I went to my trainer, Gordon (Wright) on that Monday and Tuesday before the Garden and had two lessons on a school horse. And then we went to the Garden. We were very successful. I won the Hunt Teams, I won the hack and I won the Maclay.”

“I had a very good open jumper by the name of Gigolo when I was seventeen. So, after missing the Garden in 1954, I came back and had a great show in 1955,” Morris remembers. “I won the ‘Pen’ class. It was a big, big class at the time and that class catapulted me into national prominence among the professionals. That was pretty much the

start of my jumper career, that big win at Madison Square Garden.”

In his heyday in New York, Morris competed against the likes of Frank Chapot, Billy Steinkraus, Adolph Mogevaro, Raymond Burr, Max Bonham, Bobby Egan, Harry de Leyer, George Reed and Johnny Bell, the legends of show jumping.

“When I was eighteen I went away to college, but I never missed a weekend at the Garden,” he said, “always taking the train in from New Canaan.”

“In 1957, I was back at the Garden after leaving the University of Virginia. I was very busy with national jumpers, very close to getting on the team, so I transferred to Columbia, but that didn’t work out because I had to compete on the indoor circuit. They didn’t like that very much,” Morris called to mind. “I had a great horse called War Bride. I later sold that horse to California and he became Robert Ridland’s first jumper.”

“Back in those days, I was one of the ‘fast young men,’” Morris smiles. “A very good friend of mine,

George Morris—Memories of Madison Square

But it’s a great national tradition, it’s a real horse show, and it

deserves the support of every American horseman and horsewoman.

Kentucky is a great step forward and an important step forward in

keeping alive this great American tradition.


Eric Atterbury, was the manager of the show back then. This was before the days of Honey Craven. Eric told me he had a friend coming in from California and that he didn’t know anybody and would I show him around and sit with him. I rode in a class in the morning, went to lunch at the Waldorf and I came back and Eric said, ‘the guy is here, would you go sit with him?’ He took me over. Turns out, the guy was Tab Hunter. Well, Tab Hunter, at that time in his career, was like Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise is today.”

Morris returned to the Garden as a trainer and found immediate success, scoring a win in the Medal with Jimmy Kohn. “That was the first year I was a professional, just after I got back into the business with Jessica Ransenhousen,” he says. “Jimmy Kohn was a superstar, and actually he should have won both classes. He won the Medal easily and then outmaneuvered everybody on the course in the Maclay. But, he got beat by a stylish young girl by the name of Lane Schultz, who had a top round in the morning, but she was totally opposite of Jimmy Kohn, who was a Bill Steinkraus type of rider. But, they kept testing and testing and testing until she eventually won. I personally thought Jimmy won it, but he got second. Not a bad start though, my first year as a professional horseman.”

“As a pro, I had great fun and great success at the Garden. I had Conrad (Homfeld), Sue Bauer, Matt Collins, Tina Pfizter, so many of the top, top riders.”

And the National Horse Show was always the target, always the year-end goal.

“That was it. It was very important to make it to the National Horse Show. There was the Garden and then everything else,” Morris related. “Ox Ridge, Fairfield, Piping Rock, North Shore, Boulder Brook, Harrisburg, they were all important back then, but the Garden, the Garden was it.”

Morris returned to judge his first ASPCA Maclay Finals in 1986.

“That was a couple of years after I gave my business to Bill (Cooney) and Frank (Madden). I judged the Medal at Harrisburg in 1984 and then went to the Garden to judge the Maclay in 1986 with Linda Allen,” he recalled. “I remember that well, I was still recovering from my broken femur, so I judged that year with a cane. The courses that we came up with that year were very interesting. And as it turned out, there was a very heavy favorite that year, a pretty, short-legged girl from California on a chestnut horse. And she was having a beautifully-ridden trip, a top, top trip. She was about to win it all,” he says. “Well, we had this barrier of flower boxes, and this girl jumped a coop and then she jumped out over the flower boxes and we had to eliminate her. That girl was Meredith Michaels (Beerbaum).”

And now Morris comes to Kentucky for the rebirth of the National Horse Show in Lexington, as the judge of this year’s ASPCA Maclay National Finals.

“I was very impressed last year with what Mason Phelps did with the first year of the show in Lexington. It had a very elegant air about it,” he said. “It was very reminiscent of the old National Horse Show. It’s in a great location, center of the country, very advantageous and accessible to a large group of competitors.”

“Nothing is ever going to replace Madison Square Garden, but this was a very, very, very wonderful departure from what we’ve seen. Nothing is able to replace New York, but it is as close as possible without going back to the Garden. Mason did a fabulous job,” Morris said.“It’s very important to carry on this tradition, to have this show,” he continues. “There’s so much history to keep alive. My great, great uncle, Newberry Frost, judged the Garden in the 19th century. So I have a personal affinity for the show. But it’s a great national tradition, it’s a real horse show, and it deserves the support of every American horseman and horsewoman. Kentucky is a great step forward and an important step forward in keeping alive this great American tradition.”

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It’s going to be a weekend of culinary panache and international camaraderie with cash, prizes and bragging rights on the line as some of Lexington’s favorite chefs host noted international chefs in the first Lyons Farm International Chef Showcase being held October 26-27 in Lexington.

The three-course meals will be judged by a talented Sullivan panel, including Ryan Laudenschlager, Executive Chef of the Lexington School and Jane Thompson of Dupree Catering. Judging will include categories such as Best Use of Lyons Farm beef and chicken and Alltech libations (Kentucky Ale, Town Branch Bourbon, Bluegrass Sundown and Alltech Café Citadelle coffee); Originality/Uniqueness of Presentation; Most Unusual Cooking Technique; and the ever-popular Judges Choice! The culinary creations will be offered as the evening’s special at each participating restaurant (listed below) over the course of the showcase. Visit lyonsfarm.com to review photos and see the winners!

The Lyons Farm International Chef Showcase is planned to be an annual event.

chefchefchefshowcase

International

Chef Alan ClarkeRepresenting: Ireland • Graduate of Cathal Brugha St DIT

Dublin and studied with the National Hygiene Partnership

• More than 16 years of restaurant and catering experience

• Current Executive Chef for The Right Catering Company in Dublin

Chef Petr EliasRepresenting: Czech Republic • Executive Chef at Hotel Villa in Prague

• Former Head Chef at Ristorante Pasta Fresca in Prague

• Graduate of the High School of Gastronomy and Hotel Services

Chef Ouita Michel • Culinary degree: The Culinary Institute of

America – Hyde Park, New York

• More than 20 years of culinary experience

• Chef / Owner of Holly Hill Inn (Midway, KY), Wallace Station Deli and Bakery (Midway, KY), Windy Corner Market (Lexington, KY); Chef-in-Residence at Woodford Reserve Distillery (Versailles, KY)

Chef Jeremy Ashby • Culinary degree: Johnson & Wales

University – Charleston, South Carolina


• Executive Chef / Co-Owner of AZUR Restaurant & Patio (Lexington, KY)


Chef Alfonso Crescenzo Representing: Italy

• Chef de Cuisine of Splendido Restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Dubai

• Former Chef of two Michelin star restaurant Rossellini and one Michelin star restaurant Positano

Chef Martin Angel Rodriguez Representing: Argentina • Manager of Diapri

• Managing Partner at Buenos Aires Sushi & Grill

• Former Chef of Brunei and Arpafe

Chef Angel Fernandez de Retana Representing: Spain • Current Chef at Ikea Restaurant

• Former Chef at NH Almenara and the Westin Hotel in Maria Cristina

• Gastronomic consultant of Restaurant of Maher

Chef Cyrille BerlandRepresenting: France • Chef at Toques Rebelles Academy of

Cooking in Caen

• Former Chef of Bricourt, Castle Sully in Calvados, and Aubergade in Puymerol

• Specializes in “Cantines” cooking

Chef Javier Ampuero FigueroaRepresenting: Peru • Graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Peru

• More than ten years of restaurant experience

• Owner and Executive Chef of Ampuero Restaurant

Chef Manu BuffaraRepresenting: Brazil

• Graduate of Centro Europeu/Curitiba-Brazil and Corso Professionale de Cucina- ICIF in Costiglioli D’Asti (Italy)

• Currently runs her own restaurant and teaches gastronomy at Centro Europeu

Chef Jonathan Lundy • Culinary degree: Johnson and Wales

University—Providence, Rhode Island


• Chef / Owner of Jonathan’s at Gratz Park (Lexington, KY)

Chef Craig deVilliers • Self-taught chef who got his start as a

teenager working with the kitchen staff at his family’s lodge in South Africa


• Co-Chef at Bellini’s

Chef Jeff Keatley • A self-taught chef who has spent

the last four years at Serafini as a Sous Chef under Executive Chef Tim McGowan

• More than seven years of culinary experience

• Sous Chef at Serafini (Frankfort, KY)

Chef Andrew Suthers• Culinary Training: Le Cordon Bleu

Program, Brown College (Mendota Heights, MN)

• More than ten years of culinary experience

• Chef at The Village Idiot (Lexington, KY)

Chef Josh Winslow • Culinary degree: Johnson & Wales—

Charleston, South Carolina


• Executive Chef at Murray’s and Merrick Inn (Lexington, KY)

Chef Rob Nathanson • A self-taught chef who has spent the

last ten years at Portofino.


• Chef at Portofino (Lexington, KY)


Alltech opens first new lexington bourbon distillery in over 100 years


Talk of the

town


Lexington’s babbling Town Branch once enticed numerous distillers to set up operations along the course of its stream downtown. The Old Pepper Distillery was the lone survivor of

Prohibition but ended distilling operations in the late ‘60s, leaving Lexington without an operational distillery for more than 40 years.

With the snip of a ribbon, however, the course of bourbon history changed this October as Alltech opened its $9.2 million distillery, the first to be built in Lexington in more than 100 years. Located next to the company’s brewery at the corner of Maxwell and Cross Streets, it is believed to be one of only a few sites in the world with both a distillery and brewery.

Built with Kentucky limestone and featuring glass walls on three sides to showcase its centerpiece copper stills, the 20,000 square foot facility is now the production site for Alltech’s Town Branch™ Bourbon, Pearse Lyons Reserve™ malt whiskey and bourbon-infused coffee drink, Bluegrass Sundown™. Both Town Branch Bourbon and Pearse Lyons Reserve were gold medalists at this year’s World Spirit Awards.

The distillery’s namesake, Town Branch Bourbon, takes residence in new, charred white oak barrels and becomes infused with a golden amber honey color. Its resulting aroma is pleasantly woody and oaky with caramel, toffee, brown sugar and hints of cherry. After Town Branch is poured out, the spirit lives on because the barrels are then used to age Alltech’s Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.

Economic anticipation was heightened last month when the distillery became the seventh member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. Alltech’s membership has moved the famed tourism adventure into the heart of downtown Lexington, much to the delight of city and

tourism officials who are eager to welcome the nearly half-million visitors from all 50 states and more than 50 countries who took part in the tour in 2011.

“Bourbon has returned to the Bluegrass,” said Jeff Conder, chairman of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association Board of Directors and vice president of Americas Operations for Beam, Inc, at Alltech’s induction.

“As delighted as we are that our new distillery is being added to the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail excursion, what’s most exciting to us is what this means for Lexington. We’ve always been proud of our downtown location, and now our position on the tour will help guide visitors directly into the heart of the city,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. “Without ever leaving the town

TOP LEFT: Town Branch Bourbon.

TOP RIGHT: The copper pot stills from

Scotland and the open-air fermenters.

BELOW: Ribbon cutting ceremony with (from left)

Dr. Pearse Lyons, Mayor Jim Gray, and

Eric Gregory, Presidentof the Kentucky

Distillers’ Association


vicinity of Lexington, guests can now celebrate the quintessential Kentucky weekend: basketball, bourbon and even Bourbon Barrel Ale.”

Lyons continued, “Bourbon has traditionally been a rural attraction, yet many of our legendary distilleries draw upwards of 100,000 visitors a year. That’s because bourbon is no longer just a drink – it’s an experience, a lifestyle and a part of our culture. Just imagine the potential for Lexington now with this new, centrally located distillery.”

An economic impact study released earlier this year by the University of Louisville confirmed the bourbon industry’s signature status: $2 billion in annual gross state product; 9,000 jobs with an annual payroll of $415 million; and $126 million in local and state tax revenue every year.

According to Conder, the bourbon industry is in its largest expansion phase since Prohibition. Currently, more than 4.9 million barrels of bourbon are aging in Kentucky, the highest inventory in more than 30 years. Given the latest Census figures, this also means there are more barrels than the 4.3 million people living in the state of Kentucky.

“It’s the only state in which the Governor honors your birth by putting a bourbon barrel with your name on it into storage,” joked Dr. Lyons.

Take a look...and a taste, of course: Public tours of Alltech’s Town Branch Distillery are available seven days a week. For details, visit kentuckyale.com.

In honor of the University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team’s

national championship win in 2012, Alltech released a special,

blue-labeled limited edition of its Town

Branch Bourbon, “Title Town.” UK men’s basketball coach John

Calipari, partnered with Alltech this September to host a bottle signing and dinner with all the

evening’s proceeds going directly to the Alltech Sustainable Haiti Project, which

fully funds two primary schools and economic

development projects in the earthquake-ravaged

nation.

...bourbon is no longer just a drink – it’s an experience,

a lifestyle and a part of our culture. —T. Pearse lyons

equine international fall2012web

Documents

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dazzling american saddlebreds

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