Reining’s Team USA wins first gold medal of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

From left are teams Belgium, USA and Italy, with the chefs d'equip in front.

The powerhouse team from the United States took the gold medal at the FEI World Reining Championship presented by John Deere, making it a three-peat, with team wins in every World Equestrian Games in which reining has been included.

Belgium won the team silver medal, while Italy earned the bronze. The order of finish for the remaining top-10 teams is: Austria, Canada, Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Mexico.

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Team USA leads after Day 1 of the team reining competition at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

By Holly Clanahan of America’s Horse

U.S. rider Craig Schmersal and Mister Montana Nic lay down a 223.5 -- currently the second-highest score.

With roughly half of the rides completed in the team reining competition of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Team USA is on top.

Here is the team ranking so far:

• Team USA – 444
• Team Austria – 432.5
• Team Brazil – 425
• Team Belgium – 424.5
• Team Netherlands – 422
• Team Mexico – 420.5
• Team Australia – 420
• Team Great Britain – 404.5
• Team Italy – 224
• Team Germany – 220.5

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Reining kicks off the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with the first horse inspection.

By Holly Clanahan of America’s Horse

In Friday morning's horse inspection, Pierre Barret of France leads Whizard Star, an 8-year-old Whizard Jac stallion bred, owned and shown by Pierre.

Sixty-three horses from 21 countries are gearing up for team reining competition at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Reiners are the first ones to perform in this all-out event, the largest equestrian competition in the world and the largest sporting event of any kind in the United States this year.

Friday morning, the reiners were put through their paces in the FEI horse inspection, which asks riders to lead their horses at the jog before a ground jury that inspects them for soundness. Three horses failed the test and will not be able to compete. All Team USA horses were deemed ready for competition.

Team USA’s team has a slightly different configuration than first planned. Team member Craig Schmersal will be riding Mister Montana Nic instead of Boom Shernic, because of concern for his soundness. Team Chef D’Equipe Jeff Petska said that Boom Shernic likely would have been fine to Read the rest of this entry »

A quick overview of dates and times you need to know regarding the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

By Holly Clanahan of America’s Horse

On NBC:

• On Sunday, September 26, live coverage from noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern will feature team reining competition.
• On Sunday, October 3, from 1 to 4 p.m. Eastern, individual reining will be covered, although the footage will be pre-recorded.
• And on Sunday, October 10, from 4 to 6 p.m. Eastern, reining will be featured as part of the overall WEG recap.

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Meet the commentator who’ll give expert play-by-play as reining gets its best network airtime ever.

Aaron Ralston and Smart Paul Olena at the 2006 World Equestrian Games.

In 2006, the world met Colorado reiner Aaron Ralston in a big way when he competed aboard Smart Paul Olena on the gold-medal-winning U.S. team at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, where he also took home the individual bronze medal.

This time around – as an international audience prepares to come to Lexington, Kentucky, for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games – Aaron is in the spotlight again, but in a different capacity.

He’ll be the on-air commentator for NBC Sports during its coverage of WEG. The network is offering an unprecedented six and a half hours of coverage over three Sundays. On the first Sunday, September 26, the team reining competition will be featured live, brought to you by AQHA and the Reining Horse Sports Foundation.

Aaron’s role as commentator will come quite naturally to him. In addition to being a top reining and working cow horse competitor and clinician, Aaron also hosts a weekly TV show on RFD-TV, “The Ride, with Aaron Ralston.” On it, he spotlights skilled horsemen in a variety of disciplines – from ranchers to steer wrestlers – and he rides with them, sharing the experience with the audience at home.

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Holly Clanahan
Editor, America's Horse magazine

Just 16 days before the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, all is looking well for the reining competition.

Eric Straus, the honorary steward general for reining for the Federation Equestre Internationale – the body that governs international equestrian competition – says that the Games are in good condition, and the world should be ready to marvel at the reining.

As the steward general for reining, Eric is in charge of building the stewards program for reining.

“I was already an FEI steward for jumping, so they just said, ‘As of tomorrow, you are an FEI reining steward.’ My job now is to teach the teachers and build the stewarding infrasctructure,” Eric said in the Read the rest of this entry »

Who will be reining at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games? The nations range from newcomers to seasoned veterans.

Many countries are coming to the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with “dream teams” and plans for a fierce competition. However, some of our neighbors to the south are just looking forward to being recognized.

Colombia is being represented in reining for the first time at an Federation Equestre Internationale event. Hernando Jimenez, a trainer from Bogota, qualified while competing in the FEI reining at the Young Riders Championships held in Lexington, Kentucky, in July.

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Check out the accomplishments of the U.S. reining team that will compete at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

USEF medalists Craig Schmersal, Shawn Flarida and Tom McCutcheon. Tim McQuay also qualified for the U.S. reining team, and Casey Deary was named the alternate.

By Holly Clanahan of America’s Horse

Does anybody remember the men’s basketball team that clobbered all opponents at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics? That was one of the first teams dubbed “the Dream Team.” That tag also was tacked on to the crack legal defense team in the O.J. Simpson case. And if memory fails but Wikipedia serves … there have been a whole host of other athletes, and even comic-book superheros, known as dream teams.

Get ready to add one to the list.

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Massive media coverage of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will introduce new people to horse sports.

By Christine Hamilton

“It’s an unprecedented opportunity for our sport in the United States.”

Marty Bauman, director of media services and operations for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, made that statement speaking at the American Horse Publications annual seminar June 17. That date marked 99 days away from the Games’ opening ceremonies in September.

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The United States’ reining team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games has been dubbed the “dream team.”

By Holly Clanahan of America’s Horse

2010 Adequan/USEF national open reining champion Shawn Flarida

It’d be hard to put together a more experienced group of horses and riders. It’s not a stretch to call them the dream team, which was a phrase bounced around more than once Saturday night after the Adequan/United States Equestrian Federation National Open Reining Championship, held as part of Battle in the Saddle in Oklahoma City. The championship also served as the selection trial for the U.S. reining team at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which kick off in September in Lexington, Kentucky.

Shawn Flarida riding RC Fancy Step, a National Reining Horse Association Derby champion, took the gold medal with the highest combined score of two runs — a 223 and a 223.5. The silver medal went to Tom McCutcheon on Gunners Special Nite, a NRHA Futurity reserve champion. The bronze medal was hung around the neck of Craig Schmersal, who rode Boom Shernic, an National Reining Breeders Classic champion. Fourth place and the last spot on the U.S. team went to Tim McQuay on Hollywoodstinseltown, a finalist at both the NRHA Futurity and Derby. The team’s alternate is Casey Deary of Weatherford, Texas, riding Rootin Tootin Dunit. Jeff Petska is the veteran chef d’equipe (or “chief of team”), having served in that capacity in each of the World Equestrian Games of which reining has been a part (2002, 2006 and now 2010).

Casey, who has not previously qualified for a World Equestrian Games, can learn a lot from his teammates. Tom, Shawn and Craig all qualified for the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, where the United States took team gold. Shawn won an individual gold medal and Tom won individual silver. Tim was a team gold medalist and individual silver medalist at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.

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How our athletes qualify for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

By Holly Clanahan of America’s Horse

With fewer than 100 days until the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, excitement is mounting. But which reiners will be representing Team USA? The selection process culminates next month with the United States Equestrian Federation Open Reining Championship, which is being held as part of Battle in the Saddle. Thirty horses will be competing for five spots on the team.

At AQHA, we’re thrilled that the sport of reining – the only western discipline Read the rest of this entry »

Even if you’re not a competitor or a diehard reining fan, the World Equestrian Games “World’s Fair atmosphere” will be something itself.

I hope you are planning to attend the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Lexington, Kentucky, September 25 – October 10. As you know, AQHA is an official sponsor and the official breed sponsor of reining, one of the eight international disciplines spotlighted at the games. Even if you’re not a competitor or a diehard reining fan, the World’s Fair atmosphere that surrounds the games will be something itself.

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