Eric Lamaze (CAN), winner of the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen on Sunday, 18 July 2010, wearing the Green & Gold

20 July 2010

Olympic Jumping champion Eric Lamaze (CAN) has returned to the number one spot in the Rolex Rankings.
 
The Canadian, who took individual gold and team silver at the Beijing 2008 Olympic equestrian events in Hong Kong, was ranked second in the world in February and March and was third in the April and May rankings. He is now back at the top of the rankings for the first time since February 2009.
 
Pius Schwizer (SUI), who has been world number one in the Rolex Rankings for the past five months, has now dropped down to second, with reigning European champion Kevin Staut (FRA) moving up one place to third. Rolex FEI World Cup™ champion Marcus Ehning (GER), who was in second in the May rankings, is now in fourth.

10, March 2010

Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing contender, Oliver Townend, confirmed yesterday that he plans to ride Ashdale Cruise Master at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, as well as possibly ODT Master Rose.

Ashdale Cruise Master completed the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials last year with Emily Gilruth, and when she became pregnant the owners, Henry and Edna Harding, moved him to Townend’s Shropshire yard. “He’s a very classy horse, with lots and lots of scope,” said Townend. “My biggest problem is it’s a race against time on the dressage front, but he’s definitely one of the best horses I’ve ridden.”

Townend’s result at Burghley has set up a thrilling competition in Lexington, Kentucky in April, when he could become only the second rider, after Pippa Funnell, to scoop the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam for winning the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, and the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, all in succession. So far the Rolex Grand Slam feat has only been achieved by Pippa Funnell, who won all three competitions in 2003 on two different horses.

The 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is from 22-25 April.

Photos courtesy of Kit Houghton featuring Oliver Townend at yesterday’s Rolex Grand Slam day in London with The Household Cavalry at the Royal Horse Guards Parade and Hyde Park Barracks.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Rod Kohler                  Tel:             +44 207 928 9999
Revolution Sports         Mobile:        +44 7770 647 662

10, December 2009

The International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC), in partnership with The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), today launched a major new initiative to recognize the world’s best rider according to the Rolex Rankings.

Starting at the 2009 Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in Paris, the leading rider will wear a Green & Gold armband featuring the words, “Number 1, The Rolex Rankings”, at all FEI Jumping events throughout 2010.

The Rolex Rankings are updated every week and officially released at the start of each calendar month. The Number 1 ranked rider will wear the Green & Gold for as long as they remain in the top position, handing it over to another rider only when they are knocked off the Number 1 spot.

Presenting the first Green & Gold to Marcus Ehning, FEI Bureau Member Christian Paillot said, “There are many famous items of clothing which recognize sporting excellence including the Yellow jersey in the Tour de France and the Green Jacket at The Masters Golf – the sport of Jumping now has its own.”

Marcus Ehning, the first rider to receive the Green & Gold from IJRC President Rodrigo Pessoa, said, “It is a great privilege to be the first holder of the new Green & Gold armband and I hope to wear it for many months to come! The Rolex Rankings are the only true guide to a rider’s current form, and the Green & Gold is a great way for equestrian fans to quickly identify the leading rider when they compete in competitions throughout the world.”

The World Jumping Riders Rankings were originally launched by the FEI in the 2000 and became the Rolex Rankings in 2007. Points are awarded to riders who compete in FEI events throughout the year and they are the only rankings which provide up to date rider standings on a monthly basis.

Ranking points are awarded to riders who compete in both team and individual events throughout the year, with the number of points dependent on the level of the competition and prize money available. The top rated events for individual riders include The Rolex FEI World Cup™ Final, the final competition of the European Championships and a number of 5* competitions. Top rated team events include the FEI Nations Cup™ Top League competitions, the team competitions at the Olympic Games, the FEI World Equestrian Games and FEI European Championships.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Rod Kohler                    Tel:             +44 207 928 9999
Revolution Sports         Mobile:        +44 7770 647662

16th October 2009

A Podcast featuring Rolex Testimonee, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, has been created and is now available to download from iTunes at:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=313208812

It is also available as an mp3 file at:

http://www.mixbroadcast.com/podcasts/rolex_podcast_002.mp3

This is a copyright free file and is available for use as a radio or website broadcast.

For further information please contact:

Rod Kohler  Tel: 0207 928 9999
Revolution  email: rod@revolutionpr.co.uk

7, September 2009

Oliver Townend completed the British four-star double yesterday when he added the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials title, on board Carousel Quest, to the one he won at Badminton in May. The combination produced an immaculate clear round show jumping to add to their clear round cross-country and stunning lead dressage score of 39.8 on day one of the competition.

“I’m still celebrating Badminton,” said Townend afterwards. “It’s amazing and there’s no point in saying anything else because it hasn’t sunk in yet and it probably won’t for another year. Hopefully this puts me in a position to keep going forward for the future and to have more top class horses.”

Townend went into the arena with two show jumps in hand, but jumped a perfect round on Carousel Quest to finish 8.7 penalties clear of the rest of the field.  Townend’s result now sets up a thrilling competition in Lexington, Kentucky next April, when he could become only the second rider, after Pippa Funnell, to scoop the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam for winning Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky consecutively. “I intend to go all out for it!” Townend said.

LAND ROVER BURGHLEY HORSE TRIALS 2009 FINAL RESULTS

1. Oliver Townend on Carousel Quest (GB) 43
2. Polly Stockton on Westwood Poser (GB) 51.7
3. Sam Griffiths on Happy Times (AUS) 52.3
4. Phillip Dutton on Truluck (USA) 54.5
5. Clayton Fredericks on Poilu (AUS) 55.7
6. Paul Tapner on Inonothing (AUS) 58.3
Notes to Editors

The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is one of the three competitions in the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. In order to win this prestigious award the rider must win the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, and the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, all in succession. So far the Grand Slam feat has only been achieved by Pippa Funnell, who won all three competitions in 2003 on two different horses.

In January 2008, Rolex announced that any rider who can duplicate Pippa Funnell’s achievement will now win an increased prize of $350,000.

The 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is from 22-25 April.

Photo courtesy of Kit Houghton: Oliver Townend and Carousel Quest at Fence 14 – Rolex Combination, Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2009.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Merrick Haydon
Tel: 0207 928 9999
email: merrick@revolutionsports.co.uk

29 July, 2009

Rolex, the world’s leading watch company, has announced a major partnership with Polo Club de Deauville to become the presenting sponsor of ”The Rematch” – a rematch of the 2008 Argentine Polo Open between the Ellerstina and La Dolfina teams from Argentina.

The Argentine Polo Open takes place annually in Buenos Aires before 18,000 spectators and is the equivalent of the polo World Cup final. “The Rematch” is the first time a rematch has taken place outside Argentina and it is the only Fédération Internationale de Polo affiliated game in Europe which features eight of the eleven best players in the world with a 10-goal handicap.

Among the eight players will be the greatest of all time, the “Maradona of polo” as he is called by his compatriots, a player who has had a 10 handicap ever since the age of 19, Adolfo Cambiaso.

Jean-Noel Bioul, Co-Director of Sponsoring at Rolex, said, “’The Rematch’ will be the highlight of the European polo season and the only time that players with such a high handicap will compete against each other this season. We are very excited about the match and delighted to be the Presenting Sponsor of this prestigious event.”

Patrick Guerrand-Hermès, President of the Fédération Internationale de Polo, said, “This is the greatest polo match to be played outside Argentina ever since the beginning of the modern era of polo, and having the support of such a globally respected world-class brand highlights how very prestigious ‘The Rematch’ will be.”

This historic match on Saturday, 1 August 2009 will open the month-long Deauville polo season, which includes the traditional Silver Cup and Gold Cup. Many other great names from the world of polo will participate with their teams.

-END-

For further information:

Pascal Renauldon  Tel: +33 (344) 620 621
R&B Presse   email: p.renauldon@rbpresse.com

20, July 2009

For further information please contact:

Merrick Haydon
Tel: 0207 928 9999
email: merrick@revolutionsports.co.uk

26th April 2009

Lucinda Fredericks from Australia and her gallant mare Headley Britannia earned a standing ovation as they remained on their dressage score to win the 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.

Fredericks burst into tears as she left the arena and was greeted by her husband Clayton, who won this competition in 2007.

The top three all jumped clear over course designer, Richard Jeffrey’s, flowing track in Kentucky’s magnificent new Stadium, where the pressure on leading riders grew as the course was proving eminently jumpable and a mistake could prove expensive.

Bettina Hoy (GER), gracious in defeat after her gripping battle with Fredericks, punched the air in delight as the 18-year-old Ringwood Cockatoo obliged with a clean round, just rattling one fence which luckily bounced in its cups.

Buck Davidson (USA), 33, scored his best ever 4-star result, third on his exciting new ride My Boy Bobby.

www.rk3de.org

Revolution Sports Marketing Group: +44 (0)207 928 9999
rod@revolutionpr.co.uk

24th April 2009

A Podcast featuring the highlights from the Rolex FEI World CupTM Dressage and Jumping Finals which took place in Las Vegas from 16 – 19 April has been created and is now available to download from itunes at:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=313208812

It is also available as an mp3 file at:

http://www.mixbroadcast.com/podcasts/rolex_podcast_001.mp3

This is a copyright free file and is available for use as a radio or website broadcast.

Revolution Sports Marketing Group: +44 (0)207 928 9999
rod@revolutionpr.co.uk

19th April 2009
 
Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum collected her third Rolex FEI World Cup™ after a spectacular clear round in the final, and third leg, of the Jumping World Cup™ Finals.

McLain Ward, second placed after two tough rounds of competition, had to wait and see if his former compatriot from California would copy his perfect final round. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, who stated earlier in the week that she is known for doing things differently, did not copy McLains strategy to stay clear. In the final round, she was the only one to make her horse do five strides towards the double combination, in stead of four.

A jubilant Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum said: “This was my hardest win in a World Cup final. McLain left no room whatsoever. This was a big win for me, for several reasons. It was my most perfect win and it is something special to do that with the greatest horse ever while he is 16 years of age. I lost my father four weeks ago; this is also a big win for him.”

Albert Zoer could only maintain his third position by producing two superb clear rounds aboard his fighter Oki Doki. Christina Liebherr stayed in fourth place, thanks to her super jumper LB No Mercy.

The only one from the top listed riders to make a mistake was Rich Fellers. His small horse Flexible had troubles negotiating the wide oxers, made two mistakes in the first round and no less than 22 in the second. Former Rolex FEI World Cup™ winner Rodrigo Pessoa as not very lucky on the last day. The penultimate jump of the third competition, a huge oxer testing the stamina and concentration of the horses, was only slightly touched by Rufus’ hoofs, which caused the rail to fall own. This fault, however, didn’t drop Rodrigo down, it left the Brazilian in 5th place.

Ludger Beerbaum grew in the competition. The beautiful double clear aboard a relaxed and concentrated Coup de Coeur on the last day made him climb the ranks to 6th place.

Ben Maher and his powerhouse Robin Hood W had a silly mistake on fence number 1 of the first round. Other than that everything went perfect for the stylish rider from Britain, Maher took 7th place. Steve Guerdat held on to his top 10 position, also producing a 4 and 0 performance on the last day, which resulted in 8th place. The Swiss rider had to share this position with Thomas Velin, the only one to make more than one mistake. In the first round Grim st Clair became a bit strong in the mouth and knocked down two fences, in the second the Dnish rider had one fault to his name.

Also 10th position was shared by two riders. Marcus Ehning from Germany and Daniel Etter from Switzerland both ended on a total of 24 World Cup points.

The 31st Rolex FEI World Cup™ Final was dominated by superb horse and rider combinations. The top three riders did not make one mistake during three days of tough competition.

www.feiworldcup.org

Revolution Sports Marketing Group: +44 (0)207 928 9999
rod@revolutionpr.co.uk