Field of Champions Contest Start of 2009 HSBC FEI Classics™

Outstanding competition is assured at the first event of the 2009 HSBC FEI Classics™, as some of the world’s best riders head for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event at Lexington, USA, this weekend (22-26 April). A strong contingent is flying in from Europe to the famous Blue Grass county, as riders’ quests for valuable early HSBC points combine with a fact-finding mission in advance of next year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games due to be held at Kentucky, the epicentre of the world’s Thoroughbred racing industry.

The 47 riders representing nine nations comprise arguably the strongest Kentucky field since the event upgraded to 4-Star level in 1998. The four highest-placed riders there last year, plus four out of the five leading riders in 2008 HSBC FEI Classics™, will be competing.

Reigning champions

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William Fox-Pitt (GBR), a regular Kentucky visitor and last year’s HSBC FEI Classics™ champion, has a strong hand with the exciting Sea Cookie, a ride acquired from Germany’s Ingrid Klimke last year, and Navigator. The two horses were sixth and 10th at Boekelo (NED) last year and make their 4-star debuts.

Nicolas Touzaint (FRA), makes his USA debut, riding Hildago d’Ile, winner of the 2008 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, and Bettina Hoy (GER), who captured Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the last event of the 2008 HSBC FEI Classics™, will hope to emulate her husband, Andrew, winner of Kentucky in 2006 on Master Monarch, when she brings her 18-year-old grey gelding Ringwood Cockatoo, a veteran 4-star horse and a world gold medallist.

Lucinda Fredericks (AUS), an Olympic silver medallist, will also be hoping to equal her husband Clayton’s record – he won Kentucky in 2007 on Ben Along Time. Fredericks rides at Kentucky for the first time, on her brilliant little mare Headley Britannia, a previous winner of Badminton and Burghley.

Another distinguished visitor is German Olympic team gold medallist Peter Thomsen, who rides his experienced New Zealand Thoroughbred Ghost of Hamish.

Last year’s top four at Kentucky all return for another crack: the winner, Phillip Dutton (USA) on Connaught; his 2008 Olympic team mate Becky Holder (Courageous Comet), who was runner-up; third-placed Missy Ransehausen (Critical Decision) and Stephen Bradley, fourth on Brandenburg’s Joshua.

Fathers and sons

The biggest cheers are bound to be reserved for Kentucky’s most experienced and successful rider, former dual World Champion Bruce Davidson (USA), 59, who rides his popular grey mare Jam and the Irish-bred Cruise Lion. His son, Buck, is also double-handed, with Ballynoecastle RM and My Boy Bobby.

Argentina is represented for the first time in recent years, by Jose Ortelli Jnr, whose father, Jose Ortelli Snr, was a member of the FEI Eventing Committee. South America is particularly prominent this year, as US-based Ecuadorean rider Ronald Zabala-Goetschel makes his 4-star debut on Che Mr Wiseguy.

Cross-country reversal

Olympic course-designer Mike Etherington-Smith (GBR) has reversed the cross-country course, which will run in an anti-clockwise direction this time. Other innovations include the re-shaping of the water complex, the Head of the Lake, and the hollowing out of the old quarry in preparation for next year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games when Eventing will share the cross-country course with the Carriage Driving contest. Considerable work has been done on the footing.

The technical delegate will be Tom Ryckewaert (BEL), assisted by Alec Lochore (GBR). The ground jury is David Lee (IRL), Marilyn Payne (USA) and Nicoli Fife (NZL).

QUOTES

Mike Etherington-Smith, Course-Designer

“Riders should have plenty to keep them thinking on the cross-country, but if they think they will get clues for next year’s WEG, they will be disappointed! The course will look completely different in 2010! What is most exciting this year, however, is the quality of the field. We should be in for a fantastic competition.”

William Fox-Pitt, 2008 HSBC FEI Classics™ Champion

“I’ve long been coming to Kentucky because it’s a great way of broadening the horizons of both horse and rider, not to mention the superb and friendly welcome we always get from organiser Janie Atkinson. I’m pleased to see so many of my colleagues from Europe now think it’s a good idea, too – it should be a really exciting competition this year as we all compete to get a head start on the HSBC FEI Classics™ leaderboard.”

HSBC FEI CLASSICS™ CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2009

1. April 22-26          Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (USA)

2. May 7-10            Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (GBR)

3. June 11-14          Luhmuhlen CCI**** presented by E.ON Avacon Vertrieb (GER)

4. September 3-6    Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR)

5. October 21-25    Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA)