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Posted March 24, 2006 Margie Engle and Lauren Hough Neck in Neck After World Equestrian Games Trial 2
Held under FEI Table A Article 238.1.1, the class allowed each rider to compete with two horses, and the time taken on course broke ties for today’s placings and prize money distribution. For the WEG selection process, faults are cumulative throughout the trials, and the time on course is not a determining factor. The 2006 World Equestrian Games will be held in Aachen, Germany, on August 20th through September 3rd. “I was very happy with my day,” smiled Engle. “I’ve always felt Quervo Gold is a really good horse. Maybe not the quickest horse in the world, but he has a ton of scope, and he’s really brave. I haven’t had a chance to show him that much, so it’s kind of nice to be able to do a little more and get to know him as we go.” When describing Quervo Gold, Engle compared him to Hidden Creek’s Perin, her veteran Hidden Creek Farm mount whom she competed with in the 2000 Olympic Games. “Quervo Gold is a totally different type of horse. He is probably not as fast as Perin, but I think this horse is comparable with his scope and with his stamina. When you’re sitting on him, you feel like you could canter down to a house.” She further explained, “Like that triple bar to the oxer, I can just hand canter down to it and I don’t feel like I have to press him so hard…When you’re jumping him, you never feel like you’re at the bottom of his scope, and he’s probably one of the best water jumpers I’ve ever sat on.” In addition to her successful ride aboard Quervo Gold, Engle finished today’s trial with a four fault score on her second mount, Hidden Creek’s Wapino. Hidden Creek’s Wapino, owned by Hidden Creek Farm, acquired only five faults over yesterday’s course and now ranks in the fourth spot for the trial selection process. “My other horse [Hidden Creek’s Wapino] felt super. He jumped really well, and he actually felt like he just barely had that [rail]. I maybe started to think of the steady five too early. I kind of said ‘whoa’ in the air, and he opened up just a hair and had the back rail.” After the second Selection Trial, Engle is tied with Lauren Hough and Casadora, owned by Laura Mateo. Hough, of Wellington, FL, and Casadora led yesterday’s victory gallop after winning the class with just one time fault, and the pair finished in fourth place in today’s trial with a clear round. Engle, who also earned only one time fault yesterday, and Hough currently lead the WEG Trial Standings. “I felt better today,” related Hough about her fault free ride. “I think it’s a super course, and I had the opportunity to ride one horse earlier. Casadora felt very good warming up. I knew I was flirting with the time a little bit; I felt there were a couple places where I took a little more time than I needed to. But, all that matters at this point is making it under the time allowed. I’m thrilled with the result today.” She admitted, “I was nervous about the first day, to see how she would react after being sick for a few days. Then I rode her this morning, and she felt like her old self.” She added, “I think a horse, sick or not sick, by the third day is going to be a little tired. Hopefully she has that extra bit of stamina to pull through for me. She had a temperature and a viral infection on Friday, and we weren’t sure we were going to make it here. It was very touch and go.” Both riders agreed that today’s course, designed by Leopoldo Palacios-Jugo of Venezuela, contributed to their success in the Internationale Arena. “It just asks all the questions you need to ask,” remarked Hough about the course. “It asks rideability. There was a question to the water jump; I did five on one horse and six on another horse. Leopaldo is just an unbelievable course designer. There are subtle differences, but there are questions throughout the whole course.” She stated, “There isn’t one jump you can think ‘Oh, this is a gimme. I can take a deep breath here.’ You really have to be on your toes and your horses have to try that extra little bit, and you have to ride that much better.” Engle agreed and interjected, “I thought this course was a really good, myself. Today was a rider’s course; you had to be thinking all the time. He [Palacios-Jugo] asked all the right questions: scope, carefulness, rideability. I don’t think he missed anything. The water was quite wide, and you had to really have a lot of control afterwards to get the horse back to that liver pool. I think this is one of my favorite courses he’s done.” Molly Ashe on Jane F. Clark’s horse Neuville, and Robin Sweely aboard Qarco V’T Merelsnest, owned by Acorn Hill Farm, produced two clear rounds today as well. Ashe is currently ranked in fifth overall, and Sweely moved into seventh in the standings. The World Equestrian Games Selection Trials continue tomorrow in the Internationale Arena with the third Selection Trial. On Saturday, March 25th, Selection Trials four and five will conclude the trials and determine the short list team scheduled to compete in Aachen, Germany. Results of Class 2 USEF WEG Selection Trial #2
Current World Equestrian Games Selection Trial Standings:
PHOTO CREDIT: Margie Engle and Quervo Gold. PHOTO BY: Jennifer Wood for PhelpsSports.com |
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Wellington,
FL – March 22, 2006 – The second class of five for the World
Equestrian Games (WEG) Selection Trials was held today at the Palm Beach
Polo Club in Wellington, Florida. Margie Engle of Wellington, Florida,
who competed with Wyndhurst Stables’ horse Quervo Gold, skyrocketed
to the top of the WEG Trial Rankings after finishing fault free and
carrying over one time fault from the first trial yesterday.
