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WCE: Warwick (AUS) and Kalispell (USA)
Friday, August 1st, 2008
Down under With only two more FEI World Cup™ qualifiers to run in the 2008 season, Australia’s Kevin McNab has sensationally swept into a huge lead in the FEI World Cup™ rankings, after scoring a one-two at his local qualifier at Warwick (AUS).
A popular member of the local Queensland Eventing Committee, McNab, 30, is now on 220 points, 60 clear of his nearest rival, Clark Montgomery (USA) on 160.
McNab won at Warwick on Hufflepuff, his Melbourne (AUS) runner-up, and finished second on Game Play. He is now planning a trip across the world to challenge for the HSBC FEI World Cup Final at Deauville (FRA) on September 18-21.
Two riders from South Australia were third and fourth, Kerrie Bowman on Foxhill Aphrodite and Melbourne winner and Atlanta Olympic gold medallist Wendy Schaeffer with Koyuna Sun Dancer.
As a result, Schaeffer has also moved dramatically up the leaderboard and is in third place behind Montgomery on 130 points.
On the other side of the World On the same weekend over in the States, Tory Smith (USA) of Camarillo, California, won the Kalispell qualifier, held at Rebecca Farm, Montana, on her 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse Bantry Bay V.
Smith, 21, went into the final, stadium, phase with a massive 16-penalty lead after the withdrawal of the overnight leader, Jolie Sexon (USA) on Killian O’Connor, but did not need the luxury of this leeway, finishing with a foot-perfect clear.
“He has springs in his feet and hates to touch a rail,” said an elated Smith.
Her long-time trainer, Debbie Rosen (USA), was second on the Alchemist, and Chelan Kozak (CAN) was third on her new ride Tasman Sea.
Nine riders started the dressage, judged by Eric Smiley (IRL), Janis Linnan (USA) and former US team rider Jim Graham, who unanimously placed Sexon first on 44.1pen. Smith was second at this stage on 49.4.
Five horses jumped clear over the cross-country course designed by Mark Phillips (GBR). Nicholas Cwick (USA), lying third after dressage on Asterix, drifted slightly off line and missed the skinny out of the Trout Pond. Sexon was fastest, home with 2.8 time penalties, ahead of Smith on 2.8.
Results from the weekend
Results – Warwick (USA) 1. Kevin McNab, Hufflepuff - 53.3 2. Kevin McNab, Game Play - 54.8 3. Kerrie Bowman, Foxhhill Aphrodite - 70.1 4. Wendy Schaeffer, Koyuna Sun Dancer - 85.6 5. Natalie Siiankoski, Kolora Stud Archie - 86.7 6. Robert Palm, He’s the One - 111.8
Results – Kalispell (USA) 1 Tory Smith (Bantry Bay V, USA) 49.4 + 5.6 + 0 = 55 2 Debbie Rosen (The Alchemist, USA) 59.1 + 12 + 8 = 79.1 3 Chelan Kozak (Tasman Sea, CAN) 73.3 + 7.6 + 16 = 96.9 4 Barbara Crabo (Eveready, USA) 63.7 + 20/16 + 16 = 115.7
Up ahead With just two European qualifiers left in the 2008 FEI World Cup™ series, at Martinvast (FRA) on August 21-24 and Schenefeld (GER) on August 28-31, British riders Oliver Townend and Pippa Funnell, both of whom have missed out on the Olympics, have a chance to further their status in the rankings. They share equal fourth place on 115 points, ahead of Irish Olympic rider Geoff Curran, fifth on 112, and British Olympic team member William Fox-Pitt, sixth on 110. All in with a chance to be crowned FEI World Cup™ Champion at the HSBC FEI World Cup™ Eventing Final to be held in Deauville (FRA) from 18-21 September…
