WEG Day 1

American-based Italian, Stefano Massignan, took the first-day lead in the Reining Championship at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky, USA today. However the host nation, who are defending champions, hold the team advantage as the remaining riders go into the arena tomorrow following great performances from Craig Schmersal and Tim McQuay.

A total of 28 horse-and-rider partnerships took their turn as the long-awaited Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ at last got underway with a great buzz of excitement. Weather conditions at the Horse Park in Kentucky improved dramatically as the temperature dropped from over 90 degrees to a considerably more comfortable 77, but the Reining contingent were not concerned about the heat because their discipline was staged in the new state-of-the-art Alltech Stadium. “Its the perfect venue for our sport – a good size arena makes for a more dynamic competition and that’s what we got today” said the happy US Reining Chef d’Equipe Jeff Petska this evening.

BETTERED
McQuay was fourth into the ring with his palomino Hollywoodstinselstown, and his score of 220.5 held the lead until bettered by Massignan riding Yellow Jersey who was awarded a score of 224.0 by judges Thiago Boechat, Patti Carter, Greg Darnell, Ralk Heselshwitch and eugene Latorre. Two rides later, Schmersal pushed his American team-mate down to third when slotting into runner-up spot with the 12 year old Mister Montana Nic. “He was so good” Schmersal of his horse afterwards. “He’s a veteran now and he came through for me today, just like he always does”.

Jeff Petska described the test set for competitors in this first stage of the Reining contest. “We describe each routine as a pattern, and each pattern includes a set of manoeuvres – there were seven manoeuvres today. They included a right-spin four times, left-spin four times, two long fast circles and small slow circles – these are judged on how easily horses slow down. There was a flying lead-change at the centre-line and judges were looking for the horse to be quiet and under control after the second lead change. On the final run the horse should build his canter – like setting up an airplane for take-off – then speed up before the sliding stop. There was a roll-back in which the horse needed to be relaxed and a sliding stop followed by a back-up” he explained. Mr Petska also pointed out “if you stray too far from what you are required to do then you can end up with a zero score” – and that happened to four of today’s starters.

FELL APART
However for Germany’s number one rider it all fell apart at the very beginning. Last to go before the lunch-break, Nico Hormann was executing his opening right-spin with Mister Dual Spring when the 12 year old chestnut lost his footing and fell. Hormann could have continued, but sensibly decided there was nothing to be gained and so retired, thus reducing the German team to just three. However his fellow-countryman, Grischa Ludwig, didn’t allow that to deter him and, last into the ring, he scored 220.5, to join McQuay in equal-third place.

Massignan described the Alltech arena as “a great colosseum with first-class ground conditions – this place is beautiful and we couldn’t ask for anything more”. The 38 year old rider talked about his early days competing in Italy where the sport of Reining “was not so popular”, but how he followed his passion and went to work in a yard in Northern Italy before going to the US where he trained and worked for eight more years. “I’m so happy to represent Italy here in this beautiful country today” he said.

One other competitor who stole a lot of the limelight this morning was dressage super-star Anky Van Grunsven from The Netherlands who recorded exactly the same score as team-mate Fenna Elzinga to slot into equal-14th position. Talking after her performance with her seven year old palomino Whizashiningwallas, Van Grunsven said she thought about riding cautiously today but then decided to “just go for it!” She said she knows her spins need improvement but was very happy with her all-round performance which included two exquisite flying changes. “It’s fun and I really enjoy it and the atmosphere is fantastic” said the lady whose trophy cabinet is weighed down with the awards she has won in the dressage arena over her long and super-successful career.

TOMORROW
The Reining competitors are back in the arena tomorrow morning at 7.30am, but by then the Endurance Championship will already be underway. The United Arab Emirate’s HRH Sheikh Mohammed met the press today, and when asked about the popularity of Endurance riding in the Arab world he said “it’s not only popular in the Arab world, look at what’s happening here in Kentucky – the whole world is here!”

Sheikh Mohammed was still unsure which of his horses he will ride tomorrow but was looking forward to the event. Describing the test ahead of the competitors he said “it will be technical…you can’t dominate this race, 160 kilometres over this terrain is going to require judgement, you have to look after your horse and your crew are an important part of your performance. You have to plan how fast you can go depending on the heat and the terrain” he added. And asked about the chances of the UAE taking a medal he said “the US, the French, the Spanish, the Qataris – they are all strong – but we have as good a chance as anybody!”.

Result- Reining Day 1

Individual
1, Yellow Jersey (Stefano Massignan) ITA 224.0
2, Mister Montana Nic (Craig Schmersal) USA 223.5
3, Hollywoodstinselstown (Tim McQuay) USA & Hot Smokin Chex (Grischa Ludwig) GER 220.5
5, Wimpys Little Buddy (Martin Muhlstatter) AUT & Whizdom Shines (Ann Poels) BEL 219.5.

Teams
1, USA 444.00
2, Austria 432.50
3, Brazil 425.00
4, Belgium 424.50
5, Netherlands 422.00
6, Mexico 420.50.

Facts and Figures – Reining Day 1:
– The US team are defending champions
– 28 riders competed in today’s first qualifying leg
– 4 finished on a zero score
– The overnight leader is Italy’s Stefano Massignan (Yellow Jersey)
– The American team holds the lead followed by Austria in second and Belgium in third
– The sport of Reining was first included in the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Jerez, Spain in 2002

Quotes:
US Chef d’Equipe Jeff Petska – “It’s been an amazing journey. We went to Spain in ’02, Aachen in ’06 and we are here again this time with all these guys who are seasoned riders and who know what they are up against”.

US Chef d’Equipe Jeff Petska – “the changes in our sport since ’02 have been incredible and the way we operate within the FEI system gets better all the time – we are always learning, and constantly tweaking”.