Tuesday 31 January 2012

Wealth Manager, Collins Stewart Wealth Management, and international law firm Pinsent Masons, have joined forces to announce a major new sponsorship deal with the British Handball Association which will run throughout 2012.

Collins Stewart Wealth Management and Pinsent Masons have become Official Partners to British Handball, and both the Great Britain (GB) men’s and women’s handball teams will carry the Collins Stewart Wealth Management and Pinsent Masons logos on their shirts in all competitions and training matches in the build-up to the Olympics.

In addition to the sponsorship, Collins Stewart Wealth Management has also launched an initiative, which will see the company donating £10.00 for every goal scored, by both the men’s and women’s teams in the run up to the Olympics in August, to a Fund designed to assist the players who are making big sacrifices, to compete on the global stage.

Since London was awarded the 2012 Olympic Games in 2005, British Handball has been focussed on building two teams to mount a competitive challenge to the handball competition which will be played at the specially created handball arena at the Olympic Park.

Neil Darke, Head of Collins Stewart Wealth Management commented: “Handball is an exciting and dynamic sport to watch, and has great potential to grow in popularity throughout this Olympic year. We look forward to working alongside Pinsent Masons and the talented team at British Handball, to support the athletes who work so hard to help raise the sport’s profile in the UK, particularly during this exciting year.”

“We were attracted to British Handball as an organisation as, despite the sport being relatively unknown, their approach to building the game’s familiarity chimed with us. We were also very pleased as an anchor partner, to help bring Pinsent Masons to the partnership. Like Collins Stewart Wealth Management, Pinsent Masons’ business is built around its clients, which has given us a shared vision when looking to get involved with a sports organisation.”

Trevor Watkins, Head of Sport and a Partner at Pinsent Masons, said: “The sports sector is a key part of our firm’s business. We are delighted to take this opportunity to invest back into sport and make a real difference in doing so. It gives our staff across all of our offices a tremendous opportunity to be part of the GB Handball journey as the teams prepare for what will be one of the greatest sporting events in this country in our lifetime and to play their part by volunteering, supporting and helping to create a strong foundation for the sport beyond 2012.”

Paul Goodwin, Chief Executive Officer at British Handball, commented: “We are thrilled that the sport has attracted two high profile, award-winning companies as major partners; it demonstrates that British Handball is in a strong position in the build-up to the Olympics and we look forward to working closely with Collins Stewart Wealth Management and Pinsent Masons throughout the year to further develop the popularity of the sport into the future.”

The sponsorship will give a major boost to British Handball’s plans to make handball more popular in Britain. Handball is already one of the fastest growing sports in the country following its inclusion in the Change 4 Life programme, which has seen the sport introduced in more than 400 schools across the country. As a result of this, handball has seen a six-fold increase in the number of young people being introduced to the sport.

25 January 2012

The Rolex One to Watch – January 2012

The Rolex One to Watch for January 2012 is jointly awarded to René Tebbel (GER) and Shalva Gachechiladze (GEO). The pair both jumped from number 304 to 238 during December – a move up the Rolex Rankings of 66 places.

Based in Emsbüren, Germany, 42-year-old René Tebbel had a very successful young riding career, winning gold at the German Junior Championships in 1986 and again at the European Junior Championships the following year. Tebbel went on to win team silver at the 1990 World Cup, and his victories did not end there.

Tebbel won gold in the German Championships in 2005 riding Source Homme, and won again in 2006 and 2007 riding Coup de Coeur. As well as his successes at the German Championships, Tebbel has also earned numerous first and second place rankings at various Grand Prix events with horses Radiator, Farina and Levien of Cabanes. Tebbel also trains his two children, Maurice and Justine, who are amongst the best young riders in Germany for their age groups.

Shalva Gachechiladze tasted success at an early age in 2009 when, aged only 20, he finished first riding Saturn at the CSI2* Tbilisi FEI World Cup Qualifiers. Together, Gachechiladze and Saturn have won Championships both in Georgia and the Caucasian League.

Gachechiladze’s progression up the Rolex Rankings stems from some strong results in 2011. At present, Gachechiladze competes in the FEI World Cup Caucasian League where he is currently ranked fourth. The young Georgian rider hopes to one day compete in the Olympic Games.

The Rolex One to Watch is an initiative which identifies the rider who has made the biggest jump within or into the Top 250 of the Rolex Rankings the previous month.

Photo Caption: Germany’s René Tebbel, pictured here riding Light On, shares the Rolex One to Watch for January 2012 with Shalva Gachechiladze of Georgia. Unfortunately, a high resolution image of Shalva Gachechiladze was not available.

Photo: SPORTFOT/Rolex

Swedish show jumper Rolf-Gӧran Bengtsson has claimed the coveted Green & Gold armband from Canadian rider and Rolex Testimonee, Eric Lamaze, after he was crowned the Number One rider in the world according to the latest Rolex Rankings. Bengtsson is the first ever Swede to become the number one ranked rider in the world.

Lamaze originally held the Green & Gold between July and August 2010, and also between September and December 2011; however, following impressive performances at the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifiers in Lyon (first place), Stuttgart (third place) and Geneva (second place), Bengtsson soon staked his claim to the Number One spot.

Bengtsson’s great run of recent form also includes fourth place in the Grand Prix at the CSI5* in Abu Dhabi (UAE); fourth place at the CSI5* in Paris (FRA); and fifth place in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifier in London Olympia (UK). Not forgetting his individual victory at the FEI European Championships in Madrid (ESP), Bengtsson had a truly remarkable 2011; his achievements were duly recognised when he won Sweden’s most prestigious sports award at the Swedish Sports Gala 2012.

First launched in December 2009 and supported by the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC), the Green & Gold is worn at all FEI competitions and bears the words “Number 1 Rolex Rankings”.

Since its launch, the Green & Gold has been worn by four riders – Marcus Ehning (GER), Pius Schwizer (SUI), Kevin Staut (FRA) and Eric Lamaze (CAN).

Rolf-Gӧran Bengtsson will be competing at this year’s Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final from 18-22 April 2012 where he will be aiming for his first victory in this pinnacle event in the Jumping calendar.

For details online featuring the Rolex Rankings please visit: www.fei.org/disciplines/jumping/rolex-rankings

Photo Caption: Rolf-Gӧran Bengtsson wearing the Green & Gold at the ninth qualifying leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping in Leipzig (GER)

Photo: Karl-Heinz Frieler / ROLEX

1 January 2012

Saudi Arabia’s equestrian Show Jumping team, Saudi Equestrian, gained official qualification to the London 2012 Olympic Games (27 July – 12 August) at the CSI-W4* Doha (QAT) on Friday 30 December 2011. 15 teams, each with four riders, are now qualified in the equestrian team Show Jumping competition, which takes place over three days from Saturday 4 to Monday 6 August at the World Heritage Site of Greenwich Park.

The Saudi team secured its place in the Olympics during the Group F (Africa and Middle East Region) FEI Select Olympic Qualification event held in the Qatari capital of Doha (December 27 – 30, 2011).

News of officially qualifying for the Olympics follows earlier success in Doha: The Saudi Equestrian team claimed the coveted Nations Cup and Abdullah Sharbatly won the Grand Prix.

15 Show Jumping teams are now lined up for the Summer Olympics. They include the host nation – Great Britain – and five teams – Germany, France, Belgium, Brazil and Canada – who automatically qualified from securing the top five places at last year’s FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. The Saudi team took eighth place at these Games.

Saudi Equestrian was founded in November 2009 to take the team through the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games and prepare for the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Saudi Equestrian team comprises six riders, including previous 2000 Sydney Olympic bronze medallist, Khaled Al Eid, and 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games silver medallist, Abdullah Sharbatly. Saudi Equestrian has its training facility at Haras de Wisbecq, Belgium and is backed up by dedicated support staff that includes experienced trainers, management, grooms, farriers and vets.

Saudi Equestrian first qualified for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta where Khaled Al Eid, riding Eastern Knight, finished in 30th place. In the 15 years since then, it has developed into a highly respected outfit that has notched up exceptional results on the global equestrian stage. That includes an Olympic medal, the second in the nation’s history, at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games when Al Eid, aboard Khashm al-‘Aan, won bronze in the individual Show Jumping event. This is the first and only Olympic medal won by an Arab or African nation in any of the three Olympic equestrian disciplines (Show Jumping, Dressage and Eventing). In the individual Show Jumping competition at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, Saudi Equestrian rider, Abdullah Al Sharbatly, won silver in the coveted Rolex Top Four competition – the Middle East’s first medal in Show Jumping at a World Equestrian Games.

Now the Saudis have reached their fifth Olympics in Show Jumping. Saudi Equestrian’s managing director, Ziyad Abduljawad, commented: “This is a milestone for Saudi Equestrian and our country. We are all thrilled that the years of preparation have paid off”.

Abduljawad, himself a former show jumper, continued: “There are impressive and formidable Show Jumping teams lined up for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Saudi Arabia is proud to have the opportunity for our nation to compete on the world stage.”

Prince Faissal bin Abdullah bin Muhammad Al Saud, Chairman of the Saudi Equestrian Board of Trustees, commented: “All of us in Saudi Arabia are overjoyed that the Saudi Equestrian Team has officially qualified to compete with the world’s best in Show Jumping at the 2012 London Olympics”.

Prince Faissal continued: “Our riders and horses continue to achieve impressive results in top level international events. They have earned their place along with the other 14 Show Jumping teams competing in the Olympics. Horses and horsemanship have always been closely woven into the culture and history of Saudi Arabia and we are proud that Saudi Equestrian will be representing the nation in this exciting equestrian event at the Summer Olympics.”

Photo caption (from left to right): Abdullah Sharbatly aboard Jalla de Gaverie; Ashraf (Sharbatly’s groom); Badr Alfayes; Ramzy Al Duhami; HH Prince Faisal; and Kamal Bahamdan aboard Delphi at the CSI-W4* Doha (QAT)

Photo credit: Saudi Equestrian

Notes for writers and editors

Olympic equestrian disciplines

There are three equestrian disciplines on the Olympic programme at Greenwich Park: Dressage, Eventing and Show Jumping. All three feature both Individual and Team events and a total of 200 riders will compete in the three disciplines.

75 riders will compete in two Show Jumping events: a total of 60 riders from 15 countries for the team show jumping event and 15 riders for the individual jumping event.

London 2012 – Team and Individual Show Jumping schedule:

Saturday 4 August
– Team Jumping – Qualifier for Round 1
– Individual Jumping – 1st Qualifier

Sunday 5 August
– Team Jumping – Round 1

Monday 6 August
– Team Jumping – Round 2 and Victory Ceremony

Wednesday 8 August
– Individual Jumping – Final and Victory Ceremony

The 15 teams in the team Show Jumping competition at the 2012 London Olympic Games are:
Great Britain, (Host Nation)
Germany, France, Belgium, Brazil, Canada (2010 FEI World Equestrian Games five best-ranked teams)
Australia, Ukraine, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United States, Mexico, Chile and Saudi Arabia

The six riders of the Saudi Equestrian team from which four will compete are:
Khaled Al Eid, Ramzy Al Duhami, Abdullah Sharbatly, Kamal Bahamdan, HRH Prince Abdullah Bin Miteb, and HH Prince Faisal Alshalan

11 December 2011

La Dolfina proved too strong against the newly formed Ellerstina team, as they recaptured the Argentine Open Championship title on Friday 9 December 2011, in a 16-10 victory over Ellerstina in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina in front of over 15,000 cheering fans.

La Dolfina dominated the throw-ins and controlled the ball early on, limiting Ellerstina to just a pair of penalty goals in the first three chukkers. La Dolfina displayed a strong team defense that limited Ellerstina’s shots on goal and had them struggling for a goals from the field. Penalties were also the bane of the young Ellerstina team as they gave up seven goals from fouls. Three missed penalty scoring opportunities from Cambiaso (two blocked, one missed) kept Ellerstina in the game, but it was clear early that Ellerstina would have trouble scoring.

La Dolfina took advantage of continued disciplined teamwork and some missed opportunities from Ellerstina to run the score to 7-2 at the end of the third chukker. Nero added two more goals from the field and Cambiaso scored his fourth of the game (first from the field) while Facundo Pieres missed scoring on a breakaway and had a 40-yard penalty shot blocked. Ellerstina continued to press the La Dolfina defense in the fourth, capitalizing on a pair of penalties that allowed Facundo to add a pair of goals to the Ellerstina total.

Cambiaso responded with a 30-yard penalty conversion and found a streaking Stirling down field with a pinpoint pass for another goal. The first half ended with La Dolfina riding off the field with a comfortable five goal, 9-4 advantage over a frustrated Ellerstina foursome.

A determined Ellerstina team took the field in the fifth chukker as Facundo Pieres broke through the La Dolfina defense in the opening minute of play to score his first goal from the field. He added a penalty goal less than a minute later, but that would be the end the scoring in the chukker. Ellerstina cut into the La Dolfina lead, 9-6, but were unable to take control of the play.

Gonzalito Pieres scored his first goal of the game in the sixth period on a pass from Nachi Heguy, but La Dolfina responded with a pair of penalty goals from Cambiaso. Ellerstina continued to press, but at the end of the period La Dolfina lead by four goals, 11-7. Cambiaso opened the seventh with a penalty goal followed by a goal from Facundo Pieres as he took the ensuing throw-in and raced down the field for a goal, 12-8. Four consecutive La Dolfina goals (two from Pablo MacDonough and single goals from Cambiaso and Stirling) all but ended it for Ellerstina.

The boys in black rebounded from seven goal deficits late in two earlier finals against La Dolfina, but that would not be the case this time. Determined not to give up their title without a fight, Ellerstina charged onto the field in the final chukker as if it were all even, but the La Dolfina defense would just not crack. A penalty goal from Facundo Pieres and a goal from the field from Nico Pieres would close out the scoring, giving the 2011 Argentine Championship trophy to La Dolfina in a thrilling 16-10 triumph.

Awards: Cambiaso led all scoring with nine goals (seven from the penalty line) and was named MVP for his efforts. Nero scored three times and MacDonough and Stirling scored two goals apiece. Facundo Pieres recorded eight goals (six on penalty shots) and was honored as the leading scorer in Open play.

Copyright free photos from the 118th Argentine Open Final are available, for editorial use only, by clicking on the links below. All photos courtesy of POLOLINE. This is a complimentary service provided by Rolex.

https://rcpt.yousendit.com/1311268398/8b3a991b27fb65e24c9d69e274e62887
https://rcpt.yousendit.com/1311271064/90d58037b2714ceea646598a91f09f14

For more information visit www.aapolo.com

Rolex and Polo

Rolex are proud sponsors of four of the most illustrious events on the polo calendar:
• the Argentine Polo Open Championship
• the Hurlingham Club Open Championship
• the Tortugas Country Club Open Championship
• the Buenos Aires Jockey Club Open Championship

Renowned Polo player, Gonzalo Pieres Jr, is a 10-goal handicapper and a Rolex Testimonee.

Riding Tinka’s Serenade, Twomey won the two-round event featuring the World’s Top 10 riders as based on the Rolex Rankings, ahead of 2nd place Eric Lamaze (CAN) riding Corina Van Klapscheut and 3rd place Ludger Beerbaum (GER) riding Gotha FRH.

For further information and a breakdown of the data please click the link below

7 November 2011

The Rolex One to Watch for November 2011 is Dutch rider, Albert Voorn. Based at Golden Dream Stables, situated approximately 45 kms from Eindhoven (NED), the 55-year-old jumped from number 342 to 225 during October – a move up the Rolex Rankings of 117 places.

The Rolex One to Watch is an initiative which identifies the rider who has made the biggest jump within or into the Top 250 of the Rolex Rankings the previous month. Born on 23 May 1956, and brought up in Hilversum – a small town in the province of North Holland – Voorn started to ride when he was eight years old. Voorn bought a New Forest pony foal called Marinette from his own savings, which he learned to ride with the help of his neighbour when the pony was old enough. It was with Marinette that Voorn rode his first competition, and went on to compete internationally. Voorn sold Marinette to the Vermeulen family in Breukelen, and with this money he bought a three-year-old horse.

These days Voorn is a veteran of Jumping, with 30 years of experience. Voorn has competed all over the world in Grands Prix, Championships, Nations Cups, and the Olympic Games. Voorn used to ride the legendary Nimmerdor, and together they were hugely successful. The pair was selected by the Dutch Jumping team to compete at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles; but due to Nimmerdor’s stud commitments Voorn was unable to compete.

Voorn was once regarded as one of the world’s leading Jumping riders, with horses such as Rasputin, Concern, Winnipeg, Oisterwijks Opstalan, Jewels Amethyst, and Lando. In Lando, Voorn had a Jumping superstar and a superb stallion, and the pair went on to compete in many Grands Prix and Nations Cups, but it was at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney where the pair really excelled when winning the individual silver medal, denied the gold medal by compatriot, Jeroen Dubbeldam and his mount, De Sjiem.

Throughout the month of October 2011 Voorn recorded some outstanding results, the highlight being his win with the bay gelding, Tobalio, in the 1.45m class at the CSI 3* St. Lo (FRA). Other notable results that have helped Voorn’s ascent into the Top 250 of the Rolex Rankings, thereby earning him the accolade of November’s Rolex One to Watch, include second place with the chestnut gelding, Eurocommerce Lexington, at the CSI 2* Barbizon (FRA); four further top 10 places at the CSI 2* Barbizon (FRA) with Eurocommerce Lexington, and the grey stallion, Curtis; and a seventh and eighth place finish with Tobalio at the CSI 3* St. Lo (FRA).

Voorn has been able to achieve great results with horses that others have not had success with. Voorn tries to pass on some of his expertise by giving lessons and demonstrations to riders worldwide. In 2002, in recognition of his training and teaching, Albert was awarded the title of Rider of Honour by Mr. Porte de Theil of the Cadre Noir in Saumur, France.

Voorn entered the Rolex Rankings for the first time in May 2011 and was placed in 1,094^th position, and from there he has moved upwards every month to where he is now. Following the CSI 1* & 2* Vidauban (FRA) in November Voorn’s horses will rest, until they start to compete again in February 2012 on the Sunshine Tour.

For details online featuring the Rolex Rankings please visit: www.fei.org/disciplines/jumping/rolex-rankings

December’s Rolex One to Watch will be announced at the beginning of December 2011.

Photo Caption: Albert Voorn riding Eurocommerce Lexington at the CSI 2* Valkenswaard (NED)

Photo: SPORTFOT/Rolex