LOUISVILLE — At about 7 p.m. Saturday, 25-year-old Mario Gutierrez was escorted by a group of handlers and several police officers into the paddock at Churchill Downs. The sign over his head, the one touting the 138 years of Kentucky Derby history by listing the first and last winners, had already been changed to add: I’ll Have Another.
Gutierrez became the 42nd jockey to win in his first try at the Derby, guiding the long-striding, Doug O’Neill-trained colt past 4-1 morning line favorite Bodemeister in the final furlong to a victory by 11 / 2 lengths… Read more>>
Team FLAIR’s Fredericks & Griffiths Change Plans
Posted on Saturday, May 5th, 2012 at 4:46 am.
Olympic hopefuls for Australian Eventing team confirm plans ahead of London
After the cancellation of Badminton Horse Trials, overseas based Aussie eventers have revised their preparations ahead of team selection and the 2012 Olympic Games.
Since notification of the event cancellation came through on Monday, the seven athletes due to compete at Badminton have looked to other major events in Europe to show selectors they’re ready for the Games.
With the exception of Sam Griffiths and Wendy Schaeffer, all combinations due to start at Badminton will head to the Saumur CCI3* in France from 17-20 May 2012. Other Badminton starters have chosen different events to take on with Griffiths heading to Tattersalls CCI3* in Ireland at the end of May and Schaeffer to compete Luhmuhlen CCI3* in Germany in mid-June.
Equestrian Australia’s National Performance Director for Eventing, Prue Barrett, said she is happy with each athlete’s individual plans leading into London.
“Since we were notified of Badminton’s cancellation we have spent the last few days working with all our shadow team members to re-look at their individual plans ahead of selection,” she said.
“We have been working hard with event organisers overseas to secure our riders a start in major events, such as Saumur, and were pleased we were able to lock in places at all of our chosen events. There were many countries such as New Zealand and Great Britain that were in the same position as us, so we needed to work quickly to make sure we could get our riders into the bigger events, which I’m pleased to say we were able to do.
“The nature of our Eventing program is that we work with each athlete and horse combination on our squads to prepare the best individual program for them that will maximise performances for the Olympic Games and do what is necessary to be selected.
“While the cancellation of Badminton did disrupt our plans it has in no way impacted our preparation and we are confident the schedules each rider has chosen will produce a well-prepared and strong Australian Eventing Team come the London Games,” said Barrett.
Australian Team selectors will be on hand at the Saumur CCI3*, with 11 Aussie combinations taking part, including:
1. Bill Levett Hippolyte
One Two Many NJ
2. Chris Burton Holstein Park Leilani
Haruzac
3. Clayton Fredericks Be My Guest
Walterstown Don
4. Lucinda Fredericks Flying Finish
5. Paul Tapner Inonothing
Wickstead Didgeridoo
Kilronan
2008 Beijing Olympian Clayton Fredericks won the Saumur CCI3* in 2011 and will be out to not only defend his title but to show selectors what his made of.
This weekend Clayton Fredericks and Bill Levitt will compete in France at Jardy CIC3*. Fredericks will have his squad listed horses Bendigo, Be My Guest and Walterstown Don, as will Levitt riding One Two Many NJ and Hippolyte.
Fredericks is currently holding the top three places at Jardy CIC3* with Levett placed just behind him. For full results – click here.
As was always planned, riders will continue to compete in various CIC events throughout Europe ahead of selection – details of final start lists will be confirmed closer to each event. The Australian Eventing Team is due to be announced on 18 June 2012.
Jargon buster
CCI – Eventing International Three Day Event (same format as the Olympic Games)
CIC – Eventing International One Day Event (shorter and revised format)
3*/4* – The different levels of Eventing competition is determined by a star (*) rating and ranges from 1* to 4*. The higher the star, the harder the event. The event at the Olympic Games will be a 4* event.
Sam Griffiths Blogs Badminton & More…
Posted on Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 at 5:26 am.
(Ed note: Since this post was written, Badminton HT has been cancelled due to flooding. We will bring you news of Sam’s revised schedule as soon as possible.)
The beginning of the season has just flown past and now we’re just a week off Badminton! It always comes up quickly, but having said that we’ve been gearing up for it for months! Happy Times has started the season off well – I’ve just been giving him some quiet runs to prepare him and he’s put up some good performances. I’ve been working hard at home on his dressage with our Aussie team dressage coach, Brett Parbery and also with Charlotte Dujardin. Then I’ve also been training the show jumping phase with Ros Morgan, who has been fantastic with Happy, as he is a very quirky horse to train at home! Ros has even had me out to jumping shows with Happy and some of my other horses which has been so useful, working out warm up plans etc. Although I think I did ’scream’ event rider when I was warming up at Wales and West in my xc hat and sheepskin breastgirth alongside Billy Twomey and one (never know which one as there are so many) of the Whitaker boys!! Rather embarrassing. But Lucy has rectified this by ordering me a very expensive show jumping hat….Better jumps some clears in it and win some money to pay for it!
We had a great weekend up at Belton with Happy and Paulank Brockagh (Brocks). Happy ran well, felt like a machine cross country, but it has to be said that Brocks stole the show – she was AMAZING! She scored a definite PB for her at advanced level in the dressage and then jumped the most fantastic double clear to finish 3rd in a seriously competitive advanced class. See pic of her flying the xc below. I am so excited about her – she could actually be a serious back up for me for the Games…we’ll see! Bramham is her next big run and I’m so looking forward to it.
I’ve also got a new ‘toy’ – a lovely young horse called Favorit Z aka Frodo! He is stunning! He was bought for me recently from Constantin van Rickvorsel who has produced him beautifully so I am very lucky to have him. He is still quite green but I am really hoping I might get him to Le Lion D’Angers at the end of the year – he’s a serious horse that’s got everything going for him. Very exciting. See pic below of him just ‘popping a 1m30cm oxer with ease….
In amongst all this, I’ve been doing quite a bit of training – I had a very succesful day at Boomerang for Horsequest, who had set up a competition to win xc training with me. What a lovely group of people they were. Then, similarly, Cosequin had set up a competition to win a lesson with me here at our yard – a lovely girl called Melanie came for a lesson (see pic) and by all accounts really enjoyed her time and I hope learnt a lot…?!
All the novice horses have been going well, although I’ve had a few balloted recently which has rather stopped play. Lucy’s two horses have been excellent too and both had very successful debuts at Novice level for Angelo and Intermediate level for Beaurepaire Nemo – both finishing in the top 5 at Gatcombe. I’ll have to start giving her duff information to stop her ‘cleaning up’ !! It was a great shame not to get a run at Hambleden, especially as we’d been going on and on about the amazing Hambleden bluebells to all our newly arrive antipodeans -aka Chris Burton and Alice Montgomery – they certainly wouldn’t get that at an Aussie/Kiwi event! Although, they probably wouldn’t get events rained off either!!
So with Badminton just days away now, it’s all just been putting the polish on things…Lucy has been videoing my schooling sessions at home and we have our grass arena set up now and I’ve been running through the test and then analysing the videos. Although, having said that, Lucy is my toughest critic so she doesn’t let me mess up too many square halts that’s for sure! We’ve had Brett here for a day last week and the week before and then I’ve got Ros coming again on Friday. Just to add a cherry on top to the tension of these next few days, I am running my head groom, Mouse’s horse, Mumbo Jumbo, in his first advanced at Withington this weekend…I think she may need some serious supplies of Rescue Remedy to get through all this. Having said that, maybe Mumbo needs some to help him through the dreaded flying changes!! I’ve got Real Dancer and Brocks running too this weekend….Brocks will then head to Chatsworth World Cup and Real Dancer is being aimed at Aachen and the new Nations Cup series later in the season. In the meantime, I’ve got a couple more gallop sessions to do on Happy and then the big ‘B’ is upon us…wish me luck!!! ~ Sam
Rolex Kentucky: Springer takes home the Range Rover…
Posted on Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 at 4:20 am.
Click here to watch an exclusive interview with William! Springer takes home the Range Rover…
Allison Springer of the United States, on Arthur, held on for second (47.0) and earned $37,000, and Boyd Martin of the United States, on Otis Barbotiere, moved up to third place (51.0) to earn $30,000. Martin also finished eighth on Remington XXV (56.9). By winning the Rolex USET Four-Star Championship as the top-placed U.S. rider, Springer, 37, also won a special prize—an 18-month lease of a 2012 Range Rover HSE courtesy of Land Rover North America. Springer test-drove the car on a lap around the Rolex Stadium during the awards ceremony. “It’s a good thing they kept someone in the car with me, or I’d have been out there doing donuts!” she said with a smile. Springer, of Marshall, VA., said that she was “very, very pleased with Arthur. Four years ago, I went into show jumping in fifth place, and I stopped counting after five rails. But this time I was excited to come in the show jumping ring because I knew what I had to do, and I did it. It’s great to feel that way after all three days.” |
FLAIR® Sponsors Two RK3DE Course Walks
Posted on Tuesday, April 24th, 2012 at 5:56 am.
4-19-2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FLAIR LLC ANNOUNCES SPONSORSHIP OF TWO COURSE WALKS AT THE 2012 ROLEX KENTUCKY CCI4* THREE-DAY EVENT.
Flair LLC, maker of FLAIR® Equine Nasal Strips and a 2012 Rolex Kentucky CCI4* Three-Day Event sponsor, is pleased to announce its sponsorship of two course walks to be held during the 2012 Rolex Kentucky CCI4* Three-Day Event.
The first course walk, lead by two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Phillip Dutton, will be held on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 4:00pm. This abbreviated course walk will focus on four of the most difficult complexes and will be exclusive – with the number of participants limited to 50. Participation credentials will be available on Thursday morning outside the Bit of Britain Tent between 10:30 and 1:00 — prior to the course walk – from a FLAIR representative. Each credentialed participant will receive a FLAIR Strip and memento of the occasion at the conclusion of the course walk.
The second course walk, a full course walk, led in tandem by veteran Four-star Eventers Eric Dierks and Ralph Hill, will begin at 10:30am on Friday, April 27, 2012 – commencing at the start box. This course walk is open to the public.
About FLAIR Nasal Strips: FLAIR Strips provide drug-free support and protection to the respiratory system of the hard-working equine athlete. FLAIR Strips are proven to: reduce airway resistance, reduce lung stress and bleeding, reduce fatigue, and shorten post-exercise recovery time.
For more information about Phillip Dutton, visit http://phillipdutton.com/
For more information about Eric Dierks, http://ericdierks.com/
For more information about Ralph Hill, visit http://www.ralphhillmn.blogspot.com/
For more information about The Rolex Kentucky, please visit http://www.rk3de.org
For more information about FLAIR Strips, Flair LLC and its sponsorship activities, please visit http://flairstrips.com
Media Contact:
Nan Rawlins
pr@flairstrips.com
Win Fair Hill P2P VIP Box Seat Tickets!
Posted on Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 at 9:49 am.
Congratulations to Kate, whose entry was chosen by Random.org! Thanks to all who entered.
We’re holding a quickie contest – only 24 hours duration!
Flair LLC, maker of FLAIR® Equine Nasal Strips, is sponsoring the inaugural Fair Hill Point-to-Point races this Sunday, April 22, 2012! In celebration, we’re giving away — to one lucky winner — a patron’s box that includes: two vip parking passes, six patron seats, and armbands that entitle each wearer to a very nice lunch (Maryland crab cakes have been mentioned)!
If you’re a steeplechase fan and would like to take yourself and five guests to the races this weekend – in style – leave a comment below telling us what you love about going to the races. If we draw your name, you’ll win the box package to this weekend’s Fair Hill Point-to-Point races. Good luck!
Share the contest on your facebook page and you can increase your chances to win by adding another comment below telling us you “shared on facebook”. If you tweet this page link, using @FLAIRstrips @FairHillP2P, you can add another comment below and increase your chances of winning even more!
Note: This contest is 24 hours in duration — beginning at Noon ET, April 17, 2012 — ending at Noon ET, April 18, 2012. Winner of the drawing will be announced at 1pm ET, April 18, 2012.
*Winner has 24 hours to respond to an email request for contact information from pr@flairstrips.com or another winner will be drawn.
Good luck!
FLAIR LLC CO-SPONSORS DR. EPP AT EQUINE AFFAIRE
Posted on Tuesday, April 10th, 2012 at 5:54 am.
4-8-2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FLAIR LLC ANNOUNCES CO-SPONSORSHIP OF DR. TAMMY EPP’S EQUINE AFFAIRE PRESENTATIONS
Flair LLC, maker of FLAIR® Equine Nasal Strips is very pleased to announce its co-sponsorship of Dr. Tammi Epp’s Equine Respiratory Health presentations at The 2012 Columbus Equine Affair, held at the Ohio State Exposition Center, Columbus, Ohio.
Tammi Epp, DVM, PHD – from Kansas State University – is a leading authority in the diseases of the Equine Respiratory System. She will speak twice on Saturday, April 14, 2012. In her first presentation — at 12noon in the Demo Ring of the Celeste Center – Dr. Epp will discuss Understanding Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) & How to Manage It. In her second Equine Affair presentation, to be held at 5pm on the Seminar Stage of the Voinovitch Center, Dr. Epp’s topic will be: Breathing: The Forgotten Key to the Horse’s Performance. This is the first time either topic has been presented by The Equine Affaire.
About Equine Affaire: Based in London Ohio, Equine Affaire is generally considered one of the world’s premier equine expositions, with annual expos in Massachusetts, Ohio, and California. Equine Affaire offers equine enthusiasts and professionals unparalleled educational programs and presentations, an extensive trade show, informative breed pavilions and demonstrations, horse and farm exhibits, a youth pavilion, versatile horse and rider competitions, and the and exciting Pfizer Fantasia performances
About FLAIR Nasal Strips: FLAIR Strips provide drug-free support and protection to the respiratory system of the hard-working equine athlete. FLAIR Strips are proven to: reduce airway resistance, reduce lung stress and bleeding, reduce fatigue, and shorten post-exercise recovery time.
For more information about FLAIR Strips, Flair LLC and its sponsorship activities, please visit http://flairstrips.com
For more information about Equine Affaire please visit http://equineaffaire.com. To download a complete copy of the Equine Affaire Columbus Exposition schedule, please follow this link: http://equineaffair.com/u/pdf/12_oh_schedule_program5.pdf
Media Contact:
Nan Rawlins
pr@flairstrips.com
I’ll Have Another edges Creative Cause in SA Derby
Posted on Monday, April 9th, 2012 at 9:39 am.
Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) winner I’ll Have Another out finished San Felipe Stakes (G2) victor Creative Cause andgame pacesetter Blueskiesnrainbows to win a Santa AnitaDerby (G1) thriller on Saturday at Santa Anita Park. “I saw Creative Cause come up on the inside and I thought for a split second, running second in the Santa Anita Derby is pretty freaking good,” said winning trainer DougO’Neill, who trains I’ll Have Another for owner J. Paul Reddam. “All the wins are big at the time, but right now, this feels as big as it ever gets. ”Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, who was riding in the SantaAnita Derby for the first time, the three-year-old Flower Alley colt stalked 42.30-to-1 outsider Blueskiesnrainbows through an opening quarter in :23.11 and a half-mile in :47.11 in the 1-1⁄8-mile race. Read the complete article here>>
