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

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.

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

13 October 2011

The Rolex One to Watch for October 2011 is Ukrainian rider, Oleg Krasyuk. Based at Magna Racino near Vienna, Austria, the 34-year-old jumped from number 399 to 185 during September – a move up the Rolex Rankings of 214 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 19 April 1977, and brought up in a small town near Dnepropetrovsk, (USSR), Krasyuk’s first trainer was Alexandr Kuvichko, who has now sadly passed away. Krasyuk has also been trained by Viktor Poganovsky, one of the most decorated Soviet riders and a team Olympic champion at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.

After his gold medal at the Ukrainian Championships in 1997, and at the age of 20, Oleksandr Onischenko – a wealthy businessman and philanthropist – offered Krasyuk the opportunity to travel to Germany and train with three-time European champion Paul Schockemöhle –– and Norbert Nuxoll – ex Show Jumper and colleague of Schockemöhle. Training with Schockemöhle and Nuxoll turned out to be a pivotal moment in Krasyuk’s career. Under their leadership, Krasyuk competed in Grands Prix, European and World Championships. To this day Krasyuk considers Nuxoll to be one of the most influential people in his life.

During 2011, Krasyuk’s horse, Caligula, has been consistently excellent in the ring, taking first place in the Grand Prix of Donetsk (UKR) in September.  Krasyuk’s other horses – Shalimar and Captain Nemo – were also outstanding in Donetsk, and have given him crucial points to help his rise up the Rolex Rankings. Krasyuk describes Shalimar as an exceptional horse; a real workaholic with an excellent character. Caligula and Captain Nemo, on the other hand, are two very promising stallions and he believes that they have a very bright future ahead of them.

Over the last few years Krasyuk has been sponsored by his owner, Svitlana Vinnichenko, whom he met in 2005 when Svitlana was starting her career as a horse owner. Since then, the number of horses that Svitlana owns and the time she spends at the stables has grown considerably. Svitlana’s daughter, Marina, now rides as well, and Krasyuk believes his team’s incredible partnership will bring many successes in the future.

Krasyuk admires Marco Kutscher, Ludger Beerbaum and, in particular, Marcus Ehning. He also likes the style of Michel Robert and Rolf-Gӧran Bengtsson. Krasyuk dreams of one day winning at the FEI World Equestrian Games and the Olympic Games.

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

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

Photo Caption: Oleg Krasyuk riding Caligula at CSI4* Donetsk (UKR).

Photo by Donbass Tour.

21 September 2011

The Rolex One to Watch for August 2011 is German rider, Katrin Eckermann. Based at Gut Berl near Münster, Germany, the 21-year-old jumped from number 424 to 245 during August – a move up the Rolex Rankings of 179 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 8 July 1990, and brought up just 50 metres from the Dutch border on the family farm in Kranenburg, Germany, Eckermann’s first trainer was her father, Otmar, and her subsequent successes undoubtedly stem from this early mentoring.  She has also been trained by Holger Hetzel, who has been the official Jumping trainer for junior and young riders in the Rhineland since his appointment by the FN (German Equestrian Federation) in 1998. Eckermann is now trained by the former German national Jumping coach, Kurt Gravemeier, at the Gut Berl training centre.

Eckermann’s most notable victory in 2011 came at the Rolex-sponsored CSI5* San Patrignano (ITA). Eckermann and her Belgian chestnut gelding, Nabab De Revel, comprehensively won the Lamborghini Tractors Prix, completing the tough course over five seconds quicker than second-placed rider, José Larocca. Eckermann rode her bay gelding, Carlson 46 (Casco x Sable Rose) at the FEI European Jumping Championship for Young Riders 2011 in Comporta, Portugal, to win the bronze medal in the individual competition. Eckermann won individual gold, riding Carlson 46, at the 2011 Young Rider German Championships in Freudenberg, a title that she also won in München in 2009.

Other career highlights include her performance at the 2010 Young Rider European Championship in Jardy, France. Riding Carlson 46, she won the silver medal in the individual competition, and won the gold medal as part of the German team.

Eckermann’s most recent impressive result came at the CSI4* Münster, when she rode Carlson 46 double clear to win the Grand Prix of Münster, the BMW Hakvoort Trophy. Eckermann triumphed over the likes of Robert Whitaker and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, and this clearly demonstrates what a promising and talented young rider she is.

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

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

Photo Caption: Katrin Eckermann riding Carlson 46 in the Young Riders Nations’ Cup first round in Comporta, Portugal 2011

Photo: SPORTFOT/Rolex