Source:  News Release/Helen Murray

Farrington Wins Second Leg of 2014 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final
as U.S. Sends Eight to Final Competition

Lyon, France - Valuable World Cup points were at stake Saturday evening in the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final as riders vied for a place in Monday's final competition. Thirty-eight riders took on Frank Rothenberger's 13 obstacle track in the Lyon Eurexpo with a total of 21 returning for the jump-off. Riders within the top 30 placings following Saturday's round qualified to jump in Monday's final competition and of those entries eight will be representing the United States.

All 11 Americans riders put forward determined efforts in the 2014 Final's second leg of competition looking to climb the leaderboard following Friday's Speed Leg. Kent Farrington, Beezie Madden, Charlie Jayne, Leslie Burr-Howard, Katie Dinan, and McLain Ward all posted fault-free efforts on Saturday evening to join the jump-off list that included many of the world's best.

Kent Farrington and Voyeur  (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst/Pool Pic )

In the jump-off, Farrington (Wellington, Fla.) and Amalaya Investments' 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood Voyeur were one of 11 pairs to leave all the rails in the place in a time of 39.69, which would prove unassailable by the remainder of the field. The 2011 Pan American Games Team Gold medalist utilized Voyeur's natural speed and rode extremely efficient lines to seize the 41 World Cup points that were up for the taking on Saturday.

"My horse was really special tonight. I treated it like an individual Grand Prix," said Farrington of his jump-off strategy. "I just try to stay smooth because he's naturally a fast horse. His speed is his speed; the more I leave him alone, the better he goes."

Farrington stands in equal tenth place overall on six faults heading into Monday's final.

Finishing in third place on Saturday night were reigning World Cup champions 

Madden (Cazenovia, N.Y.) and Abigail Wexner's Simon with clear effort in a time of 40.35. In the jump-off, the 15-year-old KWPN gelding demonstrated why he has earned

Beezie Madden and Simon  (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst/Pool Pic )

top placings in many of the sport's most prestigious classes with a blazing round. Additionally, the two-time Olympic Gold medalist showed her experience as she shaved the turn to the third to last, jumping the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final vertical at a drastic angle and saving valuable time.

"It's easy to say now that it was maybe a little soft, but I think also there were some really good riders and really good horses on form tonight," reflected Madden of the large field that qualified for Saturday's jump-off. "Obviously it was a championship course, and to have that many clear, maybe says a lot for the horses and riders that are here too."

The pair now stand tied for fourth in the overall standings on four faults; within reach of claiming their second-consecutive title.

"I feel good and hopefully if he can stay on form for Monday, maybe I can claw my way up a little higher," said Madden of her chances of retaining her title. "I've dug out of deeper holes before!"

Ward, Howard, and Jayne also climbed the standings with their strong performances in the second leg of World Cup competition, to all stand inside the top 15 overall. Former World Cup champion Howard (Darian, Conn.) and Jane Clark's Tic-Tac looked on target to produce a fault-free round in the jump-off until the 11-year-old Belgian Sport Horse gelding lowered the rail at the second to last vertical to finish the class in 13th place. The talented combination stands in 12th overall after two legs on 10 faults.

Ward (Brewster, N.Y.) chose to ride Sagamore Farms' 13-year-old veteran Warmblood gelding Rothchild on Saturday lowering two-rails in the jump-off to finish Saturday night's class in 18th place. The 2009 FEI World Cup Final runner-up, lies 13th heading into Monday on 13 faults. Jayne (Elgin, Ill.) stands 14th overall on 14 faults after producing a clear jump-off with Alex Jayne and Maura Thatcher's 11-year-old Zangersheide stallion Chill R Z on Saturday in 42.52 seconds to finish seventh in the second leg.   

Heading into Monday's final competition in 20th place are Dinan (Wellington, Fla.) and Grant Road Partners LLC's 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding Nougat du Vallet on 17 faults. They looked to challenge the leaders in Saturday's jump-off with a quick pace but with two rails coming down for eight faults they completed round two in 17th place.

Rounding out the American contingent heading into Monday's final are Lucy Davis and Charlie Jacobs in equal 28th on 25 faults. Davis (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Old Oak Farm's 11-year-old 2004 Belgian Warmblood gelding Barron produced a four-fault round on 

Saturday to finish in 25th place. Jacobs (Boston, Ma.), who is making his World Cup Final debut in Lyon, looked to repeat his clear round from Friday with CMJ Sporthorse, LLC's 15-year-old Irish gelding Flaming Star but it was not to be as they collected 12 faults for three rails down on Saturday to finish the round in 35th place.

On Saturday, the U.S. also sent Ashlee Bond Clarke (Hidden Hills, Calif.), Saer Coulter (San Francisco, Calif.), and Jenni Martin-McAllister into competition. While all three did not have the rounds they hoped for in order to qualify for Monday's final, they gained valuable experience competing at the 2014 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final.

Switzerland's Steve Guerdat and France's Patrice Delaveau lead the overall standing on zero faults, with Germany's Daniel Deusser third on two faults.

Learn more about the 2014 FEI World Cup Finals here.

To watch the 2014 FEI World Cup Finals live visit feitv.org. 

Follow the U.S. Jumpers here.

Konyot and Parra Produce Determined Efforts in Grand Prix at
2014 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final

The highly anticipated 2014 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final got underway Saturday afternoon at the Lyon Eurexpo. As 17 of the world's best horse-and-rider combinations performed the FEI Grand Prix Test before the Ground Jury of Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode, Dr. Jean-Michel Roudier, Thomas Lang, Dr. Evi Eisenhardt, Gary Rockwell, Jacques van Daele, and Leif Tornblad. The U.S. combinations of Tina Konyot with Calecto V and Cesar Parra on Van the Man produced determined efforts to overcame mistakes in their performances on Friday and look forward to Sunday's Freestyle. 

Tina Konyot and Calecto V (MA Brakenridge/PSdressage.com)

Konyot (Palm City, Fla.) and her 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and 2012 London Olympic Games partner once again demonstrated an impressive trot-tour to score 70.443% for their Grand Prix test. However, a few mistakes including in the one-time changes and over anticipation on final centerline kept the pair from scoring even higher. Additionally, they overcame an unenviable starting position, number one in the order, to finish the day in 11th place.

"I was very happy with my horse, I made some mistakes that cost me. But I am very pleased and it is an honor to be here," said Konyot who did not let her pathfinder status on Saturday deter her from the task at hand. "It is always disappointing but someone has to go first. But I've been doing this awhile, so it didn't affect me."

Parra (Whitehouse Station, N.J.) and Michael and Sarah Davis' Van the Man showed impressive work in their test on Friday but moments of tension kept them from landing higher up the leaderboard as they finished in 16th place with a score of 65.543%. After breaking to the canter in the first extended trot they rebounded with a solid finish to their trot work. However, following the walk tour the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding became nervous in the corner by M resulting in a disobedience and backing-up. 

Nevertheless, Parra was still pleased with the progress his horse has made in the last year and is excited about competing in Lyon.

"I'm very excited to be here; this is a beautiful venue," said Parra. "At the beginning and going around the ring the feeling was very good and he was feeling very well. He's grown up a lot and he feels more and more confident."

As expected it was the world first and second ranked combinations battling it out for top honors on Saturday. Collecting second-place honors was the World number two combination and 2013 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final champions Germany's Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW on a score of 83.343%. Finishing almost four points ahead of the field, and setting a new World Record as well, were the World's number one combination and reigning Olympic and European Champions Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro of Great Britain. In their first ever Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final start they claimed the Grand Prix victory on a score of 87.129%.

All eyes will be on Dujardin in Saturday's Freestyle as she debuts new music and tries to top her current Freestyle World Record of 93.975%.

To find a full list of orders of go and results from the 2014 FEI World Cup Finals visit; http://eventcontent.hippoonline.de/890/index.html.

Learn more about the 2014 FEI World Cup Finals here.

To watch the 2014 FEI World Cup Finals live visit feitv.org. 

Follow the U.S. Dressage Team here.

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