2008 Olympic Show Jumping

Reigning Olympic individual gold medalist Rodrigo Pessoa handicaps the Olympic show jumping field, giving Germany the edge and deeming the U.S. worthy of silver.

I’m going to pick Germany for gold, and then the United States and then Great Britain.

The Germans have an outstanding team of riders this year—and they all have strong horses. Each of them has been performing well all season, and I think that the team is ready to erase the disappointing result from the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. [They were stripped of their team gold medal (their third consecutive) after Ludger Beerbaum’s mount Goldfever tested positive for a forbidden substance and was eliminated. The team fell to bronze.]

For the U.S. team, you have two very experienced pairs. When it comes to events like this, you want a rider who knows his horse well, and McLain Ward knows Sapphire perfectly. They will try to peak on the right day, and they will be a strong possibility. Does he have the mettle to do it? I don’t know. But that’s really a combination that knows how to be ready on the right day.

Beezie Madden, of course, is an amazing rider, and talk about someone who knows how to get ready for the right day! That is one solid combination. Laura Kraut is a super rider, but her horse Cedric is still a little bit green and could be a little bit surprised. We don’t really know about Will Simpson yet. Will doesn’t have too much international experience. The horse also is pretty green, so he’s a little bit of a question mark, but I still put the team in second.

Great Britain looks pretty good—they’re my pick for team bronze. On that team you have a lot of experience between Michael and John Whitaker. This will be Tim Stockdale’s first championship, and the horse [Fresh Direct Corlato] is performing well. And then they’re taking a young rider, Ben Maher, for his first major championship, but he’s quite a good rider. So I think England could be close.

Canada could play a role as well—they’re not looking bad at all. The riders all have good international experience, and they could end up with a medal if everything goes right. With Eric Lamaze and Ian Millar, you have two very strong combinations, so they might get right up there.

The Dutch team was looking good, but with Albert Zoer and Okidoki off the team their chances have fallen some. [Zoer broke his leg in two places while training a young horse July 8, ending his Olympic bid.] Eurocommerce Berlin is a powerful horse with a good rider [Gerco Schröder] and has plenty of good experience, but he had a bad fall in Aachen (Germany) in the Grand Prix. I don’t know if that’s going to affect him at all. But we’ll see.

As for Brazil, we have three riders that have really good experience [Olympic veterans Bernardo Alves, Álvaro Affonso de Miranda Neto and Pessoa will join rising star Camila Mazza de Benedicto in Hong Kong.] We might lack a little bit in horsepower, but in 1996 and 2000 we had an inferior team and horses, and we came up and took third, so we’re always a team to watch out for.
Pessoa’s Strategy

You don’t have to prepare differently for the Olympics, but the horse has to be in very good physical condition because of the heat and the difficulty of the Games. They have to be physically very tough, but training-wise there’s nothing different to do, just follow the formula.

You want to go through the qualifier and the Nations Cup in a good way. You don’t absolutely have to jump only clean rounds; you just be ready on the day of the final and jump two clear rounds. Then if you can jump two clears, you’ll be very close to the podium.

There’s one thing that I don’t understand with the Olympic Games. Why do we jump normal, big, difficult grand prix all the time, and at the Olympics we have to jump bigger and wider? It’s so extreme—there’s never a jump-off with four or five in it—it’s only one horse who can mange to go double clear. I’ve never really understood that. But we’ll see how it goes this year.

The meteorological conditions in Hong Kong will be tough, but the conditions for the horses, the footing and stabling, will be quite nice. So we’ll see if weather will play a role or not for the competitors—I believe it will for some horses.

For individuals, it’s tricky. After the team competition, you start at zero on Sunday. When the class starts, it can be anyone’s day. There could be any one of 10 or 15 riders who could make it, maybe even more. I could give you 10 names who could win on the right day.

I’m picking the Germans Marco Kutscher and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum for gold and silver. Marco’s horse, Cornet Obolensky, has been jumping extre-mely well, and Marco is a solid rider. Overall, I think that he has the package that it takes to get the job done. Meredith does as well, but if I had to pick one to win, I’d take Marco. Meredith’s horse, Shutterfly, is secure, but he’s a little more on the spooky side. He’s the kind of horse that could be surprised with something.

For bronze, I was going to predict Zoer until his accident. But with him out I’m going to put Eric Lamaze as bronze with Hickstead. The horse is really secure, and Eric is very solid. And Eric’s hungry to take a big event like that.

But there are plenty of other names who we should add to the list—Ludger Beerbaum and his horse [All Inclusive NRW] have been performing really well the past couple of weeks. You can’t find a better rider to rise to the occasion on big moments like this. He has all the experience in the world.

Don’t forget about Jos Lansink from Belgium. He’s a consistent rider, and he’s always there on a big occasion. He’s definitely one you want to watch out for.

Ian Millar is a top jockey, and in the one-day competition [for an individual medal] he certainly has a card to play. I’m not sure if he has enough horsepower to get the job done, but he’s definitely a man to watch.
Christina Liebherr may have a good chance as an individual on L.B. No Mercy. But the rest of her Swiss
teammates are lacking horsepower.

I’m going to take Rufus to Hong Kong. He’s been going OK. I’ve been having some little issues with his bridle, but we’ve been making some changes and pursuing the right bridle. He’s had a lot of really good rounds, some clears, and a lot of fours. I hope we can turn that around and have good, consistent rounds in Hong Kong.

Rodrigo Pessoa

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Four-time Olympian Rodrigo Pessoa anchored the Brazilian show jumping team to bronze-medal finishes at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games and earned the individual gold in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Aboard Baloubet du Rouet, Pessoa won an unprecedented three consecutive FEI World Cup Finals in 1998, 1999 and 2000. In 1998, he also added the World Championship to his résumé with victory at the World Equestrian Games (Italy). The 36-year-old trains with his father, Nelson Pessoa, on a farm outside Brussels, Belgium.

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Competitors for the showjumping events were in the eye of the storm in Hong Kong.

Things quietened down for a while, but the weather started to get quite bad again and it is expected to get a lot worse - and that is a worry for the horses and riders here.

At the moment there has not been too much damage. Some flags, hoardings and barriers have been blown down around the Olympic venue at Sha Tin and there are some very wet looking microphones.

Other than that, everything is in one piece.

Under Hong Kong law, if a typhoon reaches category 8, as this one now has, all employees have to go home, so the shops are shut and public transport is not running.

Luckily there was a short lull in the weather for the Olympic transport to start running again so competitors managed to get to the Olympic venue at the Hong Kong racecourse.

Forecasters are predicting the typhoon to last for two days which could have a big impact on the riders and horses.

A contact I have who is at the event has spoken to all of the British grooms and they are not at all worried at the moment.

Unlike grooms with other teams, the Brits are all staying here with the horses so are on hand to look after them during the storm.

For other teams stuck away from their horses, it means letting someone else do that.

So the British team is very happy now - but the worry is that that might change if this lasts for two days, as forecast.

The main problem will be the fact everyone has to stay indoors.

Like all of us, horses like a bit of outside space and if they cannot be exercised properly they could get restless and agitated.

There is an indoor arena - but with more than 100 horses on site access would have to be tightly controlled.

There is also going to be much less time to practice in competition conditions. In the show jumping for instance, each nation is given a slot so they can get used to jumping under lights. But the practice has been cancelled today.

I imagine the organisers will be able to cope with all this and squeeze in enough practice for all the teams to get their fair share once the typhoon passes.

But it is a worry at this late stage, with the equestrian competition starting on Saturday.

Previous in series

Prize-money for Hickstead’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup competition will be £9,000 this year, thanks to a new sponsor of the class — the Old Lodge Stud in Sussex.
The Queen’s Cup was the UK’s only international women’s jumping class.

But in February, Hickstead sparked controversy when they announced that, after 59 years, it would be downgraded to a national class and would also be open to male riders.

The class is now open to the top 20 riders on the British Show Jumping Association’s international trials points list.

Old Lodge already sponsors classes at Addington and the young riders class and young horse breeding championships at the Royal International Horse Show.

Its spokesman Corinna Duncan said the stud was “very excited” to be involved with the Queen’s Cup.

She also said the stud has designs on winning this year’s Queen’s Cup with Geoff Luckett already qualified for the class. He will ride one of two of Old Lodge’s horses — Brickfield Boy or Little Lefanie.

The winner of the first Queen’s Cup (then the Princess Elizabeth Cup) in 1949, Iris Kellett, took home the princely sum of £30.

The final winner of the cup in its old format — Tina Fletcher in 2007 — landed £6,000.

Hickstead owner Douglas Bunn has welcomed news of the sponsorship deal, saying: “We are happy Old Lodge has seen the enormous potential of this competition in its new format and decided to add it to the formidable list of classes that have its support.”

Charlotte, NC - March 26, 2008 - The 2008 Charlotte Jumper Classic will host some of the best show jumpers in the United States and hold one of the biggest purses in grand prix events in U.S. history, the $500,000 Grand Prix of Charlotte. The show runs from April 11-13, 2008, at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

A special demonstration at this year’s Charlotte Jumper Classic are the Budweiser Clydesdales. This will be the first time in the show’s five year history that the Budweiser Clydesdales will make an appearance. They will be prominently featured in the Charlotte Bobcats Arena Plaza on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. During the Saturday and Sunday competition sessions, the Budweiser Clydesdales will hitch up to their wagon and give demonstrations in the arena.

The Clydesdale breed was recognized in the 19th century and began along the River Clyde in Lanarkshire, Scotland. It was the breed’s hauling power and confident style that attracted North Americans to the Clydesdale. They are capable of pulling huge loads and were used prominently for farmers and especially for brewers that had to send heavy loads over long distances. Today’s Budweiser Clydesdales are even bigger than their Scottish ancestors. To qualify for the world-famous, eight-horse hitch, a Budweiser Clydesdale must meet certain requirements. Size, color and disposition are the important considerations.

Standing at 18 hands high (about 6 feet) at the shoulder when fully mature, Budweiser Clydesdales weigh approximately 2,000 pounds. They must be geldings, bay in color, have four white stockings and a blaze of white on the face, as well as a black mane and tail. A gentle temperament also is important, as hitch horses meet millions of people each year.

The Charlotte Jumper Classic is one of a few show jumping events where the Budweiser Clydesdales come to visit, and they are always very popular with equestrians and those new to the sport of show jumping. The Clydesdale hitches travel some 100,000 miles a year, and with each mile they cover, so continues the Anheuser-Busch tradition.

Also new this year will be Saddlebred demonstrations, which will run between competition sessions at the Charlotte Jumper Classic. They are hosted by the American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA), whose Saddlebred Registry is the oldest breed registry in the United States for an American breed of horse. It was established on April 7, 1891, in Louisville, Kentucky. Today, there are over 8,000 active ASHA members, 50 ASHA Charter Clubs, and 40 ASHA Youth Clubs. ASHA carries out administrative, promotional and educational activities for the benefit of its members and the breed.

Join the Charlotte Jumper Classic in celebrating the horse! See the best show jumpers in the world and in between some of the most competitive jumping classes in the country, stay to check out the famous Budweiser Clydesdales and the energetic Saddlebreds.

For more information on the Charlotte Jumper Classic, please visit http://www.charlottejumperclassic.com.

2008 CHARLOTTE JUMPER CLASSIC FAST FACTS

EVENT: The Charlotte Jumper Classic

WHAT: The premier equestrian event in the Carolinas and home to one of the richest grand prix events in the United States. The Charlotte Jumper Classic is an American Grand Prix Association event, FEI sanctioned, CSI 5* show.

WHERE: Charlotte Bobcats Arena, 333 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 28202

WHEN: April 11-13, 2008
Friday, April 11 - 6:00 p.m.
$15,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Competition
8:00 p.m.
$50,000 Charlotte Welcome Stake

Saturday, April 12 - 12:30 p.m.
$15,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Accumulator
2:30 p.m.
$25,000 International Competition
8:00 p.m.
$25,000 Accumulator Competition

Sunday, April 13 - 1:00 p.m.
$50,000 Charlotte Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic
3:00 p.m.
The $500,000 Grand Prix of Charlotte for the Charlotte Bobcats Cup

HIGHLIGHTS: The Charlotte Jumper Classic is a signature fundraising event for the Bobcats Youth Foundation, which focuses on improving the lives of children and youth in the community. The upcoming 2008 Charlotte Jumper Classic will benefit the Bobcats Youth Foundation’s three signature initiatives - building reading and technology centers, resurfacing outdoor basketball courts and supporting the Presbyterian Hospital Community Care Cruiser, a mobile health clinic providing needed healthcare to disadvantaged children.

Thursday, April 10 - Welcome Reception featuring great food, spirits and entertainment, casual attire at an outdoor event that is Invitation Only
Friday, April 11 - Charlotte Jumper Classic Luncheon featuring Steve Stephens, CJC Course Designer and 2008 Olympics Show Jumping Course Designer. Tickets and table sponsorship available. Proceeds benefit the Bobcats Youth Foundation.
Tented rider hospitality village providing complimentary food and beverage
Expanded competition ring
Commemorative fifth anniversary gift items for riders and rider support team
Well appointed stabling area and schooling ring
Live broadcast of competition inside schooling ring area
Great entertainment
Wide array of vendors
Rider Pavilion to continue to educate the public on the growing equestrian industry and to introduce new fans to the sport. Features include mini horsemanship seminars and industry information for both the novice and seasoned rider
Host hotel within walking distance of the Charlotte Bobcats Arena
$700,000 in overall prize money
ADMISSION: Price level one seating - $25.00 per session
Price level two seating - $15.00 per session
Child’s tickets - $5.00 for all shows

VIP SEATING: VIP Seating is available to sponsors and donors and includes Front Court hospitality. For more information contact LaRita Barber at 704-688-8790, e-mail lbarber@charlottejumperclassic.com or visit http://www.charlottejumperclassic.com.

PARKING: More than 30,000 parking spaces are available within walking distance of the arena. To purchase advance parking for an event, or view directions, please visit the directions or parking page at http://www.CharlotteBobcatsArena.com for additional information. Prices range from $7.00-15.00 per day.

DIRECTIONS:
I-77 from the South - Exit at either John Belk Freeway (I-277) or Trade Street
I-77 from the North - Exit at either Brookshire Freeway (I-277 East), 5th Street, Trade Street or John Belk Freeway (I-277)
I-85 from the South - Exit at the Billy Graham Parkway, take the Billy Graham Parkway to I-77 North, exit at either I-277 North or Trade Street
I-85 from the North - Exit at the I-77 exit at either John Belk Freeway (I-277) or Trade Street

Inside the City:
Brookshire Freeway (I-277) from the West - Exit at either I-77 South or Brevard Street. NC49/US29 from the Northeast - Follow Tryon Street to Uptown, Charlotte Bobcats Arena is one block east of the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets
Airport - Follow Josh Birmingham Parkway 1.4 miles to Billy Graham Parkway South. Proceed on Billy Graham Parkway to I-77 North. Exit at either John Belk Freeway (I-277) or Trade Street

HOST HOTEL:
Marriott Charlotte City Center
100 West Trade Street
Charlotte, NC 28202 (.2mi away)
1-800-228-9290 or 704-358-6579
*Ask for Charlotte Jumper Classic rate*
http://www.marriott.com

ADDITIONAL NEARBY HOTELS:
Holiday Inn Charlotte, Center City, 230 N. College St., 704-335-5400 (.1mi away)
Hilton Charlotte, 222 East Third St. 704-377-1500 (.2mi away)
Hilton Garden Inn Charlotte Uptown, 530 E. Second St., 704-333-9213 (.3mi away)
AmeriSuites Coliseum, 4119 South Stream Blvd, 704-357-8555
Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel, 2800 Coliseum Centre Drive, 704-357-1414
Sleep Inn Coliseum, 701 Yorkmont Road, 704-525-5005
Wyndham Garden Hotel, 2600 Yorkmont Road, 704-357-9100

THE FACILITY:

Box office locations and hours:

Charlotte Bobcats Arena offers event guests convenient ways to purchase tickets to arena events online, by phone, at the arena’s on-site box office window, or at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center box office.
Online at CharlotteBobcatsArena.com - The arena offers tickets to its events at CharlotteBobcatsArena.com. The Bobcats’ in-house ticketing solution allows guests a fan-friendly system through which they can view schedules of all upcoming arena events then search for tickets by price, by seat or by best available option. The Bobcats partnered with ticket enabler Paciolan for this state-of-the-art infrastructure.

Telephone - Tickets are available via toll-free phone at 1-800-495-2295.
Charlotte Bobcats Arena Box Office - Charlotte Bobcats Arena box office is located on the Club Concourse level in the lobby mid-way between the Trade Street and Fifth Street entrances. It features 16 box office windows, with six accessible from the outside. Box Office Hours - Box Office hours are 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Saturday; and closed Sunday.
Blumenthal Performing Arts Center Ticket Outlet - Blumenthal Performing Arts Center ticket outlet is located in Founder’s Hall at 130 North Tryon Street in Uptown Charlotte. Ticket Outlet Hours: Ticket Outlet hours are 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday; and closed Sunday.

Guests with disabilities:

Charlotte Bobcats Arena takes pride in its efforts to meet the needs of all guests. The arena satisfies, and in many cases, exceeds the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. These are some of the services available to our guests with disabilities:

Access to Charlotte Bobcats Arena - We recommend that guests with disabilities access the arena on the Fifth Street side near the disabled drop-off location. Guests with disabilities also can access the arena through the Trade Street entrance during regular box office hours (10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Saturday; and closed Sunday).

Wheelchair and Companion Seating - Wheelchair and companion seating is available at various locations throughout Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Wheelchair users shall be limited to one (1) wheelchair and three (3) companion seats per event [or any combination of seats not exceeding four (4) seats]. Additional companion and/or wheelchair seats will be sold on a case-by-case basis. To purchase wheelchair and companion seating, please call VOICE: 1-800-495-2295 or TTY/TTD 1-800-735-8262. Please be advised that Charlotte Bobcats Arena reserves the right to take appropriate legal action against individuals who fraudulently obtain wheelchair and companion seating.

Assistive Listening System (ALS) - Charlotte Bobcats Arena has been equipped with the most advanced ALS. Assisted listening devices are available to guests who are hard of hearing, blind or partially sighted at no charge at Guest Services. A driver’s license, credit card or some form of identification will be required as a deposit. Guests who choose to bring their own headset and receiver may access the system on a standard FM broadcast.

Guide Dogs and Service Animals - Animals are not allowed in Charlotte Bobcats Arena; however, an exception is made for guests with guide dogs or service animals. Please contact our ADA Coordinator if any accommodations are required.

Interpreting Services - Guests requiring interpreting services for concerts should contact our ADA Coordinator no later than three weeks after concert ticket sales begin.

If you require assistance while visiting Charlotte Bobcats Arena, please contact an usher or staff member, or visit our Guest Services, where Representative will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Please e-mail us with any additional questions regarding guests with disabilities.

CHARLOTTE JUMPER CLASSIC
333 East Trade Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Tel: 704-688-8790
Contact: LaRita Barber, Executive Director
E-mail: lbarber@bobcats.com
Web site: http://www.charlottejumperclassic.com

Michael Thompson
Director of Corporate Communications, Charlotte Bobcats Arena
704-688-8856

Cindy Carrasquilla
Corporate Communications Manager
704-688-8815

MEDIA CONTACT
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
13833 Wellington Trace
Unit E-4 #221
Wellington, FL 33414
Tel: 561-753-3389
Fax: 561-753-3386
E-mail: pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com
Web site: http://www.phelpsmediagroup.com

CLINTON CORNERS-Blue Danube, an 8-year-old horse raised and trained in Clinton Corners, took first place in show jumping at the DeLuca Toyota Tundra Grand Prix in Ocala, Fla.
Blue Danube was raised and trained at Tatra Farm in Clinton Corners. Blue Danube is a warm blood thoroughbred cross.

Of the 46 horses entered in the grand prix, only Blue Danube and Shandor 41 advanced to the jump off.

Aaron Vale, Blue Danube’s rider, stated that, “We saw bigger fences in the first round than we had all circuit. It was a long course with some of the harder fences at the end.”
Blue Danube was the last horse to jump. Shandor 41 jumped first and had three rails down. Vale and Blue Danube had a hard rub on the first jump, but the rail stayed up, and the duo easily traversed the rest of the course, clearing it in 41.248 seconds.

Tatra Farm will receive $30,000 of the $100,000 total purse of prize money. The rest will be distributed among the other twelve placing riders and horses.

Patricia Garthwaipe Towle, the owner of Tatra Farm where Blue Danube was trained, was very excited with the win.

It was also an exciting day for Pavel Blaho, Towle’s business partner. A year ago, Blaho underwent emergency surgery and spent the next five months in intensive care.

But Blaho’s recovery went well enough that he was able to fly to Florida to watch the competition and to see Blue Danube’s win. This was Blaho’s first outing since the surgery, and Towle was happy that it turned out to be such a joyous day.

Towle was excited about Blue Danube’s win, adding, “we were able to breed a top notch US horse.”

Blue Danube comes from very good breeding. His grandfather won the Olympic gold medal in 1984 in show jumping.

Blue Danube is a young horse, only 8, and this grand prix was only his third. “He just started competing in grand prix,” Towle commented.

The Florida show jumping circuit begins at the end of January. Rider and horses start preparing for the circuit in December. The competition on March 16 is the grand finale and signals the closing of the Florida circuit.

While Blue Danube is a relative newcomer to the grand prix, he is no stranger to competition. When he was 4, he competed in the International Jumping Futurity held in Raleigh, NC. He also made it to the national finals in Wellington, FL. when he was 5.

“He’s been developing to be a star,” Towle said.

Towle’s young jumper program has also produced other winning horses. Adonis, Blue Danube’s half-brother, was a reserve champion at the nationals when he was 5.

Blue Danube also has four sisters currently in training at Tatra Farm, located in Clinton Corner. They are still young, but Towle expects great things from them in the future.

For now, Blue Danube will rest for two weeks. “It’s been really intense,” Towle stated, referring to the recent competition schedule. She added that he deserves a rest, and that they will figure out what is in Blue Danube’s future after the two-week break.

The young jumper training program at Tatra Farm is part of the Young Jumper Championships. Young Jumper Championships is designed to identify the most promising young show jumping prospected competing in the United States. This program was developed in cooperation with the International Jumper Futurity.

Tatra Farm also boards as well as trains horses. For more information call 914-475-1391.
 

EQUESTRIAN competitor Chris Chugg has jumped the horse flu hurdle and is heading towards the Olympic Games.

The road to Beijing has been a long one from Diamond B Farm in Glossodia where Chugg lives.

Competing in showjumping events at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, Chugg took time out between winning two first places and a third on the first day of competition to speak with the Penrith Press about his Olympic preparation.

“Showjumping at the Easter Show is very important because it falls in April and … it’s important not to ship the horses in two hemispheres in the same season,” he said.

“It’s a super warm-up because this arena is the same size, if not bigger, than the Olympics.”

Chugg will leave for Europe on April 16 to compete with his pride and joy, Vivant.

He bought Vivant in Belgium six years ago on behalf of the Australian Sport Horse Breeders.

The pair will compete in Germany in June, along with the other Australian equestrian competitors, for a place in the Australian Olympic team.

“I’ve spent six years working with this horse and he’s probably a year off being experienced enough to do his best at the Olympics,” Chugg said.

“Because the EI (equine influenza) slowed the season down, this horse has missed a whole season while the European horses have kept going.

“We have a 90 per cent chance of getting to the Olympics and a 50 per cent chance of doing our best.”

Chugg said the bond between him and Vivant is priceless.

“He’s a mate,” he said. “I could probably sell him and make a tidy profit, but our dream is to keep him on to the London Olympics in 2012.”

BRITAIN’S top sporting family are set for another year of dominance.

Five members of Huddersfield’s Whitaker family have been selected to compete at the British Open Show Jumping Championships at the NEC in Birmingham.

The Championships run from April 3 to 6 and feature the country’s top 12 showjumpers competing for £150,000 and the coveted title.

As the Whitakers make up five of the top 10, they are odds on to take the trophy back to Kirklees.

The family were originally based at Hurst Farm in Outlane, where brothers John and Michael were introduced to the sport by parents Donald and Enid.

John, 52, first began riding at seven and, after 45 years in the sport, he is now the No1 British rider in the British Show Jumping Association’s yearly rankings.

Closely following John in the table is Michael, 47 and hot on their heels are Robert, 24, Ellen, 21, and William, 18, who are ranked at fourth, sixth and seventh respectively.

The top-ten riders list is: 1 John Whitaker MBE (Yorkshire), 2 Michael Whitaker (Yorkshire), 3 Nick Skelton (Warwickshire), 4 Robert Whitaker (Yorkshire), 5 Tim Stockdale (Northamptonshire), 6 Ellen Whitaker (Yorkshire), 7 William Whitaker (Yorkshire), 8 Robert Smith (Warwickshire), 9 William Funnell (Surrey), 10 David McPherson (Kent).

And those five Whitakers could yet be joined by a sixth family member at the Open – 19 year-old Joe Whitaker.

Seventy-second placed Joe won a team bronze at the European Juniors Championship in 2006, and is attempting to enter the Open via qualifying.

Joe and sister Ellen are trained by father Steven, 48, at their base in Barnsley, and he believes at least four of the Whitakers have a great chance of representing their country in the 2012 Olympics.

Steven said: “Both John and Ellen have had an unbelievable 2007.

“John is really in his prime at the moment, and he has had to be to take the top spot away from Michael. Ellen is the No1 female showjumper in the world and is showing great form coming into the British Open.

“Robert is also beginning to prove himself as a formidable competitor, and I think any of those four could easily represent Great Britain at the Olympics.”

So who is Steven tipping to take the British title?

“At the moment I would say Ellen,” he said.

“I am sure my brothers will have something to say about that, but she is really focused at the moment and has two new world-class horses.

“But every day is different and there are at least 50 other tournaments a year – many that the family compete in against each other.

“It is nothing new to them and they just get on with trying to win each competition.”

The four-day event will also feature the British Open Indoor Cross Country Championship, attracting such famous names as last year’s winner Raf Kooremans, world No3 Clayton Fredericks and World Champion Zara Phillips, the former BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Tickets for the show can be bought by contacting the Box Office on 08700 100 216 or by visiting www.britishopenshowjumping.com

International show jumping is set to return to the Royal Windsor Horse Show, in England, after eight years.

The show, which will run from May 8 to 11, will be the first of the season’s major outdoor events and is expected to see some top international names.

With nearly 3,000 entries competing in showjumping, driving and showing classes and competitions, the organisers have announced that the show will hold an additional day for national competitions on Wednesday, May 7.

Director Simon Brooks-Ward said: “We are delighted to be able to bring back international competition to Windsor.

“At the same time we are keen to protect our national competition and the introduction of the
additional day on Wednesday means that we can cater for all.

“The allure of international show jumping in this unique setting will, we hope, become a feature of the show for years to come. It has also given us the incentive to increase the seating capacity and to upgrade all the facilities on the showground.”

The opening day of the competition, set in the private grounds of Windsor Castle, is expected to feature a host of national showjumping classes. This will be followed by a programme of at least three international jumping competitions a day.

Other expected highlights include the DAKS Pony Club Mounted Games and the Shetland Pony Grand National, as well as the return of the Royal Windsor Food and Drink Festival.

The grand finale on Sunday will be the Musical Ride of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. Also taking place in the nearby Home Park, is the International Carriage Driving supported by Land Rover, which will run over four days, from Thursday to Sunday.

Tickets are now available. To book visit www.rwhs.co.uk or call 0871 239 5568.

 TWENTY-five riders will compete today in the Grand Prix Class of the His Majesty the King’s Showjumping Championship at the Bahrain Defence Force Military Sports Complex in Sakhir.

This sixth and final class of the championship, which is for His Majesty the King’s Cup, is part of the Arab League which is a qualifier for the World Cup to be held in Germany in August.

The top 25 riders, who qualified from Class Four on Thursday, will be looking to improve on their overall standings in the Arab League when they clash in today’s Grand Prix Class which starts at 2.30pm.

Among riders in the fray in the Grand Prix Class, with BD3,000 total prize up for grabs, will be Syria’s Fadi Zbibi who is presently leading the Arab League with 71 points.

He is three points ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdulla bin Miteb who is holding second position, followed by defending champion and compatriot Khalid Al Eid (61 points) in third place.

Today’s Grand Prix will be an opportunity for Zbibi to extend his lead after neither Prince Abdulla nor Al Eid managed to qualify for the class.

Other riders in the top 10 standings who will have the chance to improve on their standings are fifth overall Shadi Ghareeb (55 points) of Syria, sixth Abdulla Al Miri (54) of the UAE, seventh Ali Al Rumaihi (41) of Qatar and ninth Diaa Bashir (37) of Egypt. The Grand Prix Class will be preceded by Class Five, which commences at 9.30am.

Romelia Calderon and her 2007 FEI World Cup mount Pernot captured the blue ribbon in Sunday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix to conclude the Kachina Classic at HITS Arizona.

Calderon, who won the first Grand Prix at HITS Thermal in 2007, got the best of 25 pairs in the first round and nine combinations in the jump-off to score $7,500 in prize money for Riley Stables. The Mexican rider was also eighth aboard John’s Flight.

Calderon and Pernot were first to go in the jump-off and set Great American Time to Beat at 38.93 seconds. What made Calderon’s effort even more impressive was that only one other pair managed a double-clear round. Natasha Merback and her mount Van Schundel’s Cincy were fourth to challenge the jump-off route and negotiated a clean round, stopping the clocks in 39.08 to secure second place and $5,500 for Redliw Corporation.

The winner of last Sunday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix, Allison Kroff and Miss Hans were sixth to go in the jump-off and had an unlucky rail down midway through the track to secure third place. Another top finisher was Brandie Halloway and her mount Argentina, who finished in fourth place for Hayes Investment Corp. Holloway also saw an unlucky rail hit the floor midway through the course. The veteran of the the HITS Arizona Winter Circuit was also fourth and sixth in last Sunday’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix.

Rounding out the top five were Lane Clark and mount David. Clark and David were inches from a clear round but suffered heartbreak at the final effort as they dropped the last fence on the jump-off course. Clark collected $1,500 in prize money for owner Anne Cole.

In other action at HITS Arizona, Tammy Chiplo and Lottie secured the $4,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper High Classic. Laura Schenker and Calajary led the way in the $2,500 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Low Classic, while Lindsay Udelson and Haute Brian took home blue in the $2,500 Modified Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic. In the hunters, it was Ashley Bolwar and Most Wanted who triumphed in the $1,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic. Sarah Thomas and Quality took first in the $500 Marshall & Sterling Children’s Hunter Classic, while Holly Andrews-Kramber and Time and Again took home the blue in the $500 Marshall & Sterling Adult Hunter Classic. For more results from the Kachina Classic, visit http://www.hitsshows.com/resultswinter_08.html.

The next grand prix show jumping event will be the $25,000 HITS Grand Prix scheduled for Sunday, February 24.

The six-week event has been a staple of West Coast circuits for many years. HITS took over production of the circuit in 1991. The HITS Arizona Winter Circuit offers a full range of competition classes for beginners to advanced riders. Exhibitors gain valuable experience in the show ring under the eye of some of the country’s top judges.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit www.HitsShows.com.