Show Jumping World Cup

Ireland's Jessica Kuerten nearly brought the roof down at the Scandinavium arena in Gothenburg, Sweden today with a rip-roaring ride from Castle Forbes Libertina that scooped their second victory of the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping season.  It's getting down to the wire now with only one qualifying leg remaining and every precious point counting towards a place at the series final in Geneva, but Kuerten has cruised into a qualifying spot with the greatest of ease and today's victory suggests she will be one of the favourites when the final kicks off at the Swiss venue next mo

For the 2009-10 FEI World Cup season, the Fédération Equestre Internationale has made some changes to qualifying procedures for North American riders for the FEI Show Jumping World Cup Finals.

In the past, riders in the United States were split between the U.S East Coast and U.S. West Coast Leagues, while there were separate leagues for Canada and Mexico. This year, the FEI has combined the two U.S. Leagues with the Canadian and Mexican Leagues.

McLain Ward and Sapphire just can’t quite beat the great German horse and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum.

Who would have thought that the Rolex FEI World Cup Final title—decided by a grueling five rounds of jumping over three days—would come down to a margin of 2 seconds?

But that’s just what happened.

As expected, the result of this year’s Rolex FEI World Cup Final came down to an intense duel between two of the greatest horses in the show jumping world today—Sapphire and Shutterfly. They both gave a tremendous display of jumping today, Apr. 19, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., in one of the most exciting and impressive finishes of a Final.

The week before the Rolex FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, Nev., the Fédération Equestre International announced the locations for the next four show jumping World Cup Finals, and Las Vegas wasn’t on the schedule.

Then the question was, why? The 2000, ’03, ’05, and ’07 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas had been big hits with spectators and riders. For the first two years, just the show jumping Final was held, but dressage joined the schedule in 2005 and ’07, and the crowds sold out the Thomas & Mack Arena.

The top placings didn’t shift much after the first of two rounds on the last day of the Rolex FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final today, April 19. Each of the top three horses jumping clear over a massive course in the Thomas & Mack Arena.

Three U.S. riders were among the 11 pairs that managed a clear round over the course: Todd Minikus with Pavarotti, Beezie Madden with Danny Boy and McLain Ward with Sapphire.

Rich Fellers has been having a good week. He's not only sitting in fourth in the Rolex FEI World Cup Final standings on Flexible, but also topped the $75,000 Las Vegas Grand Prix today, Apr. 18, on Kilkenny Rindo.

“I think confidence plays a big part, and winning today has certainly built my confidence, so that’s good for tomorrow!” Fellers said. Tomorrow, he and Flexible with compete in the last leg of the World Cup Final.

It wouldn't be a World Cup Final in Las Vegas without some kind of celebrity challenge. In the past years,  jumpers tried their hand in the hunter ring against some of the top U.S. hunter riders. But this year, the celebrity challenge had a western flavor more in keeping with the location.

It wouldn't be a World Cup Final in Las Vegas without some kind of celebrity challenge. In the past years,  jumpers tried their hand in the hunter ring against some of the top U.S. hunter riders. But this year, the celebrity challenge had a western flavor more in keeping with the location.

It's April 15th...