Organised on the estate of the Marquess of Exeter, with in the background, the Burghley House, one of the most spectacular of England’s stately homes, the Burghley Horse Trials is the longest continuous running international event. No other international horse trials site has staged as many Championships, a record ten in all including the first world Championship in 1966. With a first prize of £25,000, the trials consist of a three-day event- Dressage, Cross Country and Show Jumping.

Photo Gallery 2003

( Yahia Nazroo)

 

The first edition of the British Open Show Jumping Championships was meant to be quite a show and the organisers have fulfilled that promise. This new event was the first major indoor equestrian event to be launched for over 30 years. After the performance offered to the  public by the best of the best of Show Jumping, the event is likely to rank itself high up in the show jumping calendar. The Championships contained world-class show jumping as well as the very best in equestrian entertainment during every performance and the public had a real feast. The four-day event was attended daily by about 6,000 people.

The Championships:
A total of thirty riders contested the championships over the four days. The top twelve ranked British Riders as at 1st January 2003 (Robert Smith, Michael and John Whitaker, Tim Stockdale, Richard Davenport, Andrew Davies, Robert Whitaker, Di Lampard, William Funnell, Scott Smith and John Renwick) were automatically qualified to compete at the British Open. They were joined by a strong representation from abroad, including Marcus Fuchs, Dermott Lennon, Peter Charles, Franke Sloothaak, Ludo Phillipaerts, Hauke Luther, Gier Gullikson, Francois Mathey Jnr and Helena Weinberg, recently the world's leading lady rider who ed to her home town of Sheffield for the Championships. With world class show jumping interpersed with exciting equestrian attractions, the British Open caught the imagination of thousands of equestrian enthusiasts. The Championships featured a revolutionary new class format which provided excitement throughout the entire show. Each performance hosted a top international show jumping class which carried qualifying points towards the championship class on the last evening. In PREMIUM category classes, the first placed rider received 70 points reduced by 2 points down to 12 points for the rider in thirtieth place. In the SECONDARY category classes, the first placed rider received 35 points reduced by 1 point down to 6 points for the rider in thirtieth place. The top twenty points scorers were eligible to compete in the Championship class on Sunday evening with the highest points scorer going last in the first round. Designed to produce an overall winner of the coveted British Open Championship title, the final class had a bonus of 240 points for the winner. It was a with lot of pride that the British public applauded ‘their’ own Robert Whitaker toping the board with a total of 465 pts. Markus Fuchs (Sui), Michael Whitaker (Grb)and Billy Tworney (Irl) came in second place with an equal total of 309 pts. In fifth place came Helena Weinberg (Ger) with 292 pts.

Equestrain Attractions:
The four attrcations consisted of The Household Cavalry Spectacular, Falconery on Horseback, the Scurry Driving Challenge and the Horseball European Club Challege.

The Household Cavalry Spectacular:
It was the first time that the Household Cavalry’s amazing display was performed at a major venue outside London. Specially choreographed for the occasion, the display was performed in an array of spectacular lighting effects, accompanied by vibrant music. Mounted on beautiful black horses and resplendent in their red and blue tunics, gleaming steel cuirasses and plumed helmets, the Household Cavalry captivated with their fast-moving intricate display. The Household Cavalry Spectacular is made up of twenty-seven serving soldiers from the squadrons of The Blues and Royals and The Lifeguards. The soldiers wear full dress, as used on all state occasions, and are joined by the four State Trumpeters, mounted on grey horses and the magnificent drum horse.

Falconery on Horseback:
From France came 'Vol Libre', Falconry on Horseback, featuring numerous birds of prey including falcons, hawks and even an eagle. It was the first time ever that a display of this type was performed indoors at a major UK show. The dexterity and agility of both man and bird captured the British public who could not have enough of the performance.

( Yahia Nazroo)

 

Am Swiss Life CSI Zürich verabschiedete sich Calvaro mit einem rührenden letzten Auftritt von seinen zahlreichen Fans. Der Wunderschimmel von Willi Melliger ist mit einer Gewinnsumme von knapp zwei Millionen Franken das erfolgreichste Schweizer Springpferd aller Zeiten. Mit Willi Melliger gewann der sprunggewaltige Wallach mit der besonderen Aura Olympiasilber in Atlanta 1996 und in Sydney 2000. Dazu wurde er 1996 Zweiter im Weltcup und verhalf seinem erfahrenen Reiter auch zu vier EM-Medaillen (Gold 1995 und Silber 1999 mit der Equipe, Bronze 1995 und 1997 im Einzel). Zudem sind Melliger/Calvaro das einzige Schweizer Paar, dem es in der Geschichte des Swiss Life CSI gelungen ist, die höchstdotierte Prüfung der Veranstaltung, die Swiss Life Classic, zu gewinnen. Calvaro musste seine Aktivkarriere auf Grund einer Meniskus-Verletzung im Frühling 2001 beenden und geniesst seither im Stall von Willi Melliger in Neuendorf (SO) seinen wohlverdienten Ruhestand.

(Nido)

 

Zur Auswahl standen Paul Freimüllers Himmerdor, Beat Mändlis inzwischen an den Schweden Rolf-Göran Bengtsson verkaufter Gryfino, Glaudia Gislers mächtiger Lugano und Markus Fuchs bewährter Hengst Tinkas Boy. Alle vier Pferde hatten im Jahr 2002 mit Spitzenleistungen geglänzt. Mit 79 Prozent der Stimmen haben die Leser der grössten Schweizer Pferdefach-Zeitschrift den erfolgreichen Tinkas Boy zum Springpferde des Jahres gewählt – zum vierten Mal hintereinander. Im vergangenen Jahr ersprang der 14jährige Tinkas Boy insgesamt 465'199 Franken ans Preisgeldern. Auf seinem Konto wurden 2002 total sechs Blankorunden an Nationenpreisen notiert, unter anderem in Aachen, wo die Schweiz im letzen Jahr den den Nationenpreis gewann. Tinkas Boy wechselte vor fünfeinhalb Jahren in den Stall des St.Gallers. Begeistert von seinem Sprungvermögen und Kampfgeist kaufte Isolde Liebherr, Sponsorin von Markus Fuchs und Schwester von Calvaro-Besitzer Hans Liebherr, de Hengst für knapp zwei Millionen Franken.

(Nido)

 

A Göteborg, après le dernier tournoi de qualification de la ligue de l'Europe de l'Ouest, les douze ligues ont maintenant terminé la sélection de leurs représentants. Voici les cavaliers suivant leur ligue d'appartenance, en commençant par la ligue la plus importante en nombre de qualifiés:

Rolf-Göran BENGTSSON (SWE)
Jan TOPS (NED)
Marcus EHNING (GER)
Ludger BEERBAUM (GER)
Toni HASSMAN (GER)
Malin BARYARD (SWE)
Lars NIEBERG (GER)
Rodrigo PESSOA (BRA)
Otto BECKER (GER)
Markus MERSCHFORMANN (GER) 63
Ludo PHILIPPAERTS (BEL)
Jos LANSINK (BEL)
Jerry SMIT (ITA)
Thomas VELIN (DEN)
Meredith MICHAELS-BEERBAUM (GER)
Franke SLOOTHAAK (GER)
Gerco SCHRÖDER (NED)
Michael WHITAKER (GBR)
Eric VAN DER VLEUTEN (NED)

Quatre cavaliers de la ligue d'Europe centrale se sont qualifiés :
Jozsef TURI (HUN)
Jacek ZAGOR (POL)
Petr DOLEZAL (CZE)
Robert CHELBERG (USA)

Un seul représentant d'Asie centrale s'est qualifié :
Gairat NAZAROV (UZB)

La ligue d'Amérique du Nord aura trois participants :
Jill HENSELWOOD (CAN)
Eric LAMAZE (CAN)
Melissa BROWN (CAN)

Pour chacune des ligues suivantes, l'Afrque du Sud, l'Asie du Sud-Est, le Japon, et la Nouvelle-Zélande, un seul cavalier est qualifié :
Karen VAN DER BURGH (RSA)
Qabil AMBAK (MAS)
Ryuma HIROTA (JPN)
Greg BEST (NLZ)

Deux cavaliers de la ligue australienne sont qualifiés, mais un seul effectuera le déplacement : Vicki Roycroft (AUS)

L'Amérique du Sud délèguera deux cavaliers :
Victor Alves Teixeira (BRA)
Bernardo Naveillan (CHI)

Pour la ligue des Etats-Unis d'Amérique se sont qualifiés pour la Côte Est :
McLain WARD (USA)
Laura KRAUT (USA)
Todd MINIKUS (USA)
Chris KAPPELER (USA)
Leslie HOWARD (USA)
Lauren HOUGH (USA)
Vanessa HAAS (USA)

...Et pour la Côte Ouest:
Will SIMPSON (USA)
Duncan MACFARLANE (USA)
Ray TEXEL (USA)
Richard SPOONER (USA)

 

Après les 15 tournois de qualification, nous donnons ici la liste des candidats ayant accès à la finale qui se disputera à Leipzig (GER) du 1er au 5 mai 2002:

1. Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) 90
2. Jan Tops (NED) 88
3. Marcus Ehning (GER) 78
4. Ludger Beerbaum (GER) 70
5. Toni Hassman (GER) 69
6. Malin Baryard (SWE) 68
7. Lars Nieberg (GER) 68
8. Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) 65
9. Otto Becker (GER) 65
10.Markus Merschformann 63
11. Ludo Philippaerts (BEL) 62
12. Jos Lansink (BEL) 60
13. Jerry Smit (ITA) 58
14. Thomas Velin (DEN) 56
15. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum(GER) 55
16. Franke Sloothaak (GER) 54
17. Gerco Schröder (NED) 54
18. Michael Whitaker (GB) 52
19. Eric Van Der Vleuten (NED) 52
20. René Tebbel (GER) 51

(n.b. : après le sigle de leur pays d'appartenance est indiqué le nombre de points obtenus.)