Rafalca Retires; Ravel Returns for Final Performance
New York, NY – September 20, 2014 – The Central Park Horse Show (CPHS), presented by Rolex and produced by The Chronicle of the Horse, hosted its third day of competition in New York City’s iconic Central Park on Saturday featuring an evening of beautiful dressage competition and special performances from some of the world’s best horses and riders. The CPHS concludes on Sunday, September 21.
Five-time Olympic Gold Medalist Isabell Werth of Germany won the inaugural $40,000 Central Park Dressage Challenge, presented by The Axel Johnson Group, riding El Santo NRW. The United States’ Steffen Peters brought his superstar mount Ravel out of retirement for one special freestyle, and Jan Ebeling retired his famous mare Rafalca after the duo had their final performance together. It was an incredible night celebrating the beauty, grace, and power of dressage.
Isabell Werth and El Santo NRW
Performing their freestyle in Trump Rink with an incredible backdrop of skyscrapers in the New York City skyline, Isabell Werth and El Santo NRW received a score of 82.042% from the judges to take top honors in the dressage challenge. Dutch rider Hans Peter Minderhoud showed his mount Glock’s Flirt to a score of 78.833% to finish second, and Canada’s Karen Pavicic and Don Daiquiri scored a 73.500% to place third.
El Santo NRW is a 13-year-old Rheinlander gelding by Ehrentusch x Rythmus owned by Madeleine Winter-Schulze and Isabell Werth. The rider has had great success with the talented horse in Europe and decided to bring him to the United States for the first time for this very special evening.
“I have to say thank you in the name of all riders for the great idea for this event,” Werth stated. “In the beginning when I heard it, I couldn’t believe, but I was waiting to see if it was really coming true, and it really came true. I say a big thank you. It is a special event. If you go here through Central Park and if you arrive in New York, you can’t imagine that you will compete here in this arena. It was a lot of fun and a pleasure to be here.”
Isabell Werth and El Santo NRW in their winning presentation with Mark and Katherine Bellissimo, Tammany Patrick of Axel Johnson Group, Paige Bellissimo, and Jim Wolf
“You need a special horse also, who can deal with the atmosphere here,” Werth added. “I’m really pleased with ‘Ernie.’ He did a great job. I did a really good freestyle, and I am completely happy. I had great days here; it’s my second time (in New York), but this was a special time here. It was like holidays with my horse. We are happy to come back!”
Werth also commented on the great atmosphere of the venue, which is unlike any other. “The really most impressive view is if you see the skyline from that point of view,” she stated. “If you are in the ring and you look around, this is really unbelievable, especially when you come from Germany! It’s a completely different arena or event or atmosphere to a normal show. It is something special because you are in the middle of New York. We have no other show where it’s in the middle of skylines and atmosphere like this. This is really unique and special.”
Hans Peter Minderhoud and Glock’s Flirt
Hans Peter Minderhoud came to New York for the very first time for Saturday’s competition and was also impressed with the park setting.
“The arena is really amazing. Of course in Europe we have some great venues, but the big difference is for our horses,” Minderhoud stated. “You need a bit of a special horse. They came here this morning, and you’re not in the arena a lot. It’s tricky to go through the park, but my horse coped really well with it. I was very happy with the test. He had no mistakes, and he was really trying and going for it. For me, it was really wonderful to be here. It’s my first time in New York. As Isabell said, a big thank you to the organizers. We had a wonderful week, and it’s so nice to be in the city. I think we’ll definitely come back next year.”
Pavicic stated, “I’m thrilled to be here, and it’s an honor to be third amongst these two great rider here. I’m thrilled with my horse. It’s been a fantastic journey this year, for sure.”
Karen Pavicic and Don Daiquiri
Along with the evening’s freestyle competition, dressage star Steffen Peters brought his famous Olympic and World Equestrian Games partner Ravel out of retirement for one special performance. The 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding last competed with Peters in 2012 after a career that launched them to the front of the world dressage stage, including an individual fourth at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, wins in the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Final (Las Vegas) and the 2009 Aachen CDIO (GER), two bronze medals at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (KY), and two U.S. Equestrian Federation National Grand Prix Championship titles. The exciting evening at Trump Rink showcased the world-renowned duo for one final performance of their award-winning freestyle.
Ravel has spent the majority of his retirement at owner Akiko Yamazaki’s Four Winds Farm in Woodside, CA. When Yamazaki called to tell Peters about the idea to bring Ravel back for one night in New York, Peters knew it would be a very special opportunity.
“We were in Europe when I heard about this wonderful idea that Mark and his team put together so perfectly. I was already in France when Akiko called me and she said, ‘Guess what? You and Ravel are going to New York and you’re going to show there.’ I said, ‘Ok, great! Let’s do it!’ It’s very exciting to be here,” Peters acknowledged. “I am so proud of Ravel. Even being two years in retirement, he just gave all of his energy and expression that he had in the time when he was in his prime. I’m super excited to compete here. I’d love to get a chance to come here next year. It was awesome.”
Steffen Peters and Ravel
“He was already so excited this afternoon when we had familiarization (in the ring),” Peters said of Ravel’s experience. “He is such a fun horse. It’s nothing to do with work. People tell me, ‘You make it look so easy.’ He just wants to do it. Going forward, he’s so wonderful in the bridle and still so elastic. To get to ride him once more in a freestyle is so extremely special. It’s really hard to put in words what Ravel really does for us. To compete and to show him, in what I like to call the center of the world, is really special. Central Park is just amazing. What a special feeling tonight.”
Following Ravel’s return to the ring, a moving retirement ceremony was held for Jan Ebeling’s FEI World Cup and 2012 London Olympic Games mount Rafalca, as the mare concludes her successful show career. At 17 years of age, the Oldenburg mare owned by Beth Meyer, Ann Romney and Amy Ebeling will now enjoy her time at Ebeling’s farm The Acres in California. Ebeling has plans to breed her at the beginning of the year and will keep the mare in light work. “I would like to see her out of my window with a baby in my back pasture,” he smiled.
“It was bittersweet, of course. She went fantastic. She didn’t feel like she’s 17 at all!” Ebeling said of Rafalca’s beautiful retirement ceremony and final freestyle performance. “This horse has given me so much.”
Jan Ebeling and Rafalca
“The decision was made to retire her, and what a place to retire a horse,” he stated. “This horse show is unbelievable. Thanks to the organizer. I know you really have to stick your neck way out to do these events. I’m speechless. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to retire my horse here. I’d like to also say thank you to my family, friends, and sponsors that have made this journey for me possible. I hope I come back with another horse. I was familiar with Central Park, but I never thought I would ever ride here!”
Mark Bellissimo, CEO of International Equestrian Group (IEG), concluded another fantastic night with his closing remarks, stating, “This was a very special evening. We had some special champions here this evening, and it was amazing to see high quality dressage here. I’d like to thank Axel Johnson Group for their sponsorship of this event. Our goal was to prove you could get it done, so in many ways having some great athletes come here was icing on the cake. It was a great crowd; they were very engaged, so it was very exciting.”
In addition to the winning prize money, Wellington Equestrian Realty LLC presented a special Owner’s Award to the winning owners of El Santo NRW, Madeleine Winter-Schulze and Werth, for the Central Park Dressage Challenge. A $5,000 donation to charity in their honor will be made.
Isabell Werth in the winning owner presentation with Paige, Katherine and Mark Bellissimo, Matt Varney of Wellington Equestrian Realty, Madeleine Winter-Schulze, Dr. Courtney Varney, Tammany Patrick of Axel Johnson Group, and Jim Wolf
Saturday also featured two matinee performances with various exhibitions representing different disciplines of equestrian sport. The United States Pony Club Games highlighted New York’s top young Pony Club riders in a series of entertaining and competitive games. The inaugural Central Park Grand National Shetland Pony Steeplechase races, part of the WIHS Shetland Pony Steeplechase Series presented by Charles Owen, saw jockeys age seven to 16 riding atop one of the world’s most adorable pony breeds.
U.S. Pony Club Games
Shetland Pony Steeplechase
Young dressage phenom Barbara “Bebe” Davis represented the next generation of dressage stars. The 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games’ U.S. Vaulting Team showcased their world-class horseback gymnastics thanks to sponsor Akiko Yamazaki. Polo’s rising stars took to the ring thanks to support from Wellington’s Grand Champions Polo Club. One-of-a-kind inspirational equestrian entertainment concluded the matinees as Australian Horseman Guy McLean and his equine partners demonstrated the strong bond between horses and humans.
Bebe Davis
U.S. Vaulting Team
“Young Guns” Polo Match
Guy McLean
Along with the wonderful competition for the evening, VIP guests enjoyed beautiful seating and dining thanks to VERANDA magazine. VERANDA magazine is the sponsor of the interior design of the VIP tent including crystal chandeliers from Troy Lighting and carpets from New Moon.
The U.S. Polo Assn. Central Park Polo Challenge will conclude a fantastic weekend on Sunday afternoon at 3 pm. Entertaining matinee performances will also be held on Sunday at 9 am and 12 pm. For more information, please visit www.centralparkhorseshow.com. For tickets, please go to centralparkhorseshow.tix.com.
Final Results: $40,000 Central Park Dressage Challenge, presented by The Axel Johnson Group
Placing, Horse, Rider, Nationality, Judge C score, Judge M score, Judge B score, Total Score
Judge C: Stephen Clarke (GBR), Judge M: Katrina Wuest (GER), Judge B: Linda Zang (USA)
1 El Santo NRW, Isabell Werth (GER): 83.750%, 80.500%, 81.875%, 82.042%
2 Glock’s Flirt, Hans Peter Minderhoud (NED): 78.125%, 76.875%, 81.500%, 78.833%
3 Don Daiquiri, Karen Pavicic (CAN): 74.500%, 73.125%, 72.875%, 73.500%
4 Mane Stream Hotmail, Catherine Haddad Staller (USA): 73.250%, 74.375%, 70.000%, 72.542%
5 Denzello, Lisa Wilcox (USA): 73.625%, 72.125%, 70.375%, 72.042%
6 Dressed In Black, Ashley Holzer (CAN): 69.750%, 70.375%, 69.750%, 69.958%
7 Breaking Dawn, P.J. Rizvi (USA): 67.750%, 63.750%, 62.000%, 64.500%
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Photo Credit: Photos © Kit Houghton/Rolex. These photos may be used only in relation to this press release and must include photo credit.
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