Horsesdaily News:2005 World Cup Finals - E-Cards from Behind the Scenes

2005 World Cup Finals - Dressage and Show Jumping
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
April 20-25, 2005

FEI Las Vegas World Cup Final - After the Show

E-Cards from Behind the Scenes and Those Who Were There

Karin Offield - Offield Farms - World Cup Final Dressage Sponsor - I'm still on cloud nine following our very successful sponsorship of the 2005 World Cup Dressage Finals in Las Vegas last week. I feel so fortunate and honored to have played a role in sponsoring and promoting this event and for having made it possible for the event to be televised (June 6th, Outdoor Life Network). Read More...
Arlene (Tuny) Page - FEI Rider, Trainer - Debbie...ahhhh Debbie...what can I say but that as an American and as a friend that I would love to have seen her win...Her degree of difficulty...excellent and creative...her choice of music...artistic, suitable for her and her horse and for her audience...her technical presentation... Read More....
Anne Gribbons - FEI World Cup Appeals Committee, Judge, Rider/Trainer - This World Cup turned out to be an event that will prove revolutionary for dressage in this country. Slowly, but surely, our sport has grown from nothing thirty years ago to what we have today. Read More...
Wendy Insinger - horsesdaily reader - I had the privilege of chatting with Joep Bartels, founder of the Dressage World Cup to Music, Sunday night after the performance. He said, "This was the best World Cup in the history of the event." The two reasons he gave for this were the high quality of the rides and the high quality of the audience. He felt especially that Debbie MacDonald's freestyle had helped to bring the sport to a whole new level by providing real aritisitic competition for Anky! Read more...
Jodie Kelly - Young Rider Gold Medalist - Having spent a majority of my summers at Anky's since I was 11, I must admit that I am slightly prejudice and will never complain when she comes out on top.... The precision she rides with and the degree of difficulty she puts into her Kurs are amazing. By having her music written for her horses, if she is so much as one hoof beat off, it throws the whole test off, and let me tell you, there was nothing throwing that test off on Saturday. Read More...
Carol Gordon - Accounting Smart Pak Equine - I was there and agree completely with Axel Steiner. The top three rides were phenomenal but it was generally agreed by the audience that Gal should be first, McDonald second and Van Grunsven third. It was somewhat disappointing to see the results differ from “our” reality. Read More...
Betty Barnes, Zephyr Farm Dutch Warmbloods Ellensburg, WA - I was there (with great seats) and yep, I agree wholeheartedly with Axel's placings. It should have been Lingh, with Brentina second, and sorry, Salinero third. They were all wonderful rides but, if any horse other than Anky's had shown that same walk and tense back, they would have clearly and quickly moved into third. Just my opinion.
Axel Steiner - World Cup Judge - After being the '1' in a 4:1 decision, I appreciated that so many 'insiders' and general public were kind enough to let me know that they agreed with my placings. In this case I don't feel wrong or right by being the odd man out. Judging is a team event.... Read More....
Robert Dover Reflects - "It was a great week full of memories that I will treasure forever. From my wonderful Kennedy's two fantastic tests, having my parents there, once again watching from the stands, to our EAF concert which was more successful than I ever imagined possible (completely sold out!), I could not have asked for anything more perfect." Read More....
Nancy Dow, CPC Best Ever is the general consensus from the judges, riders and spectators. Those that missed this one should be kicking themselves by now. I'm just glad I'm not one of them!
Emmy Adwers - FEI Rider - The most inspirational moment for me was when Debbie did her final centerline, and the lyrics to Arethra Franklin's R-E-S-P-E-C-T started up during her piaffe pirouette. Once she passaged out of that movement, the crowd started clapping and then paused fearing we would disrupt Brentina and therefore her chances at a medal, then Debbie nodded and smiled that it was OK, and we all started clapping and stomping in rhythm to Brentina's passage. The noise drowned out the music. Once Debbie halted we all simultaneously leapt (not stood) to our feet and screamed.
Debbie Becklin - horsesdaily reader - I was very disappointed that Edward did not take the top prize, even my non-horsey husband could see that his was the winning performance. Why do the judges continue to give the high marks to Anky even when they are not always deserved? That is one of the problems with our sport. Most of the audience knew who really won, and I think Anky felt it too. Edward knew that the crowd was with him, and he reacted appropriately. It was a great show, and I loved every moment of it. The entertainment was fabulous.
Heather & Daniela Morgan - Horsesdaily readers - My daughter Daniela and I attended the world cup last weekend. We both thought the show was fabulous, truly Las Vegas Style. The crowd were so enthuastic, and the atmosphere was electric. We also thought Edward Gal had by far the best ride, although we loved Debbie's performance, her music was fantastic, the crowd were encouraged by Debbie to clap along, it was a true party atmosphere. It's impossible to describe the excitement of attendiing an event like this, it has to be experienced. I would encourage anyone involved in any level of Dressage to make the effort to attend the next world cup. I know that Daniela and I will be there where ever it's held. It was a weekend we will never forget. Well Done to all the organizers, and thank you.
Announcer Brian O'Connor History in the Making - "I did feel, as have a lot of others, that Edward (Gal) should have won the title. His freestyle had the difficulty, but more than that, the elegance, beauty and choreography to win. I think that if he had been in the final slot, he would have won." Read more...
Hanna Johnson, Dressage rider, trainer - Tonight, I caught a story on the television news magazine "Extra". The subject was the return of Siegfried and Roy to public view, in Las Vegas, at the correctly pronounced "FEI World Cup Dressage Finals". It was a great moment, and a great story, and we can ride to worldwide exposure on any coat tails that we can find !
B-Finals Perfect Warm Up for Saturday - "The day started in the arena at 6am with the top 12 riders doing sound checks. Each rider was given 15 minutes, with or without their mount, to literally test the sound, the ride, and the arena. There was a handful of spectators to witness what happens backstage. The sound checks went off well, ending about 9 am." Laura Petroff Read more....
The Draw at the Ritz Carlton -

"The setting was beautiful. The FEI President's reception was held in the gardens along the shores of Lake Las Vegas at the new and fabulous Ritz Carlton Resort. All of the riders were present and the judges as well. Laura Petroff Read more...