More pictures.

More pictures of the Equine Motorcoach

We've taken lots of pictures of the European version of the Equine Motorcoach that debuted at the National Horse Show. Check back here for those photos and hopefully an informal video tour.

We are grateful for the tremendous response we are getting for the Equine Motorcoach and know that our new customers are going to love being on the road with their new coaches.

Dancing With the Equestrian Stars Photo Album

Well over 500 people attended the "Dancing with the Equestrian Stars" after party at the National Horse Show in Wellington, Florida on December 7, 2007. The event was hosted by Equine Motorcoach, Lehel Coach Builders, Cummins Onan Generators, Volvo Trucks North America and Kentuckiana's Premier Truck Center.

Photos of the event are available at http://www.kanephotography.net/equine/Welcome.html.

KANE Photography generously donated their time so we could bring the event to you. For more about them go to www.kanephotography.net. Thanks Gary and Carrie!

Kent Farrington and Up Chiqui Win Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championships Presented by Equine Motorcoach

Photo by Randi Must, MustPhoto, Inc.
Story By Joanie Morris

Wellington, FL – The only clear round in the second leg of the Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship presented by Equine Motorcoach wasn’t enough to wrestle the title away from the consistently impressive combination of Kent Farrington and Up Chiqui. They were the fastest of the four faulters on Sunday, but their stellar performance in the first round on Friday compounded into the best score over the two days. Last year’s winner, McLain Ward, riding the stylish 9-year-old Dutch mare Phillipa, was relegated to second place by one point. Ward won the $100,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier (which served as leg two) but the new Rolex watch and the national championship title belong to Farrington.

An incredibly consistent duo, Farrington and the diminutive Up Chiqui (owned by Alex Boone, James McNerney and Craig Dobbs), looked like they were going to force a jump off with Ward after easily negotiating nearly all of Pierre Jolicoeur's challenging course. Up Chiqui thought very quickly through the difficult related line from fence 11 to the triple combination at 12, and the pair was clear through there but got to a long distance at the penultimate fence. Up Chiqui reached as far as he could but it wasn't quite enough to make the back rail of the oxer, leaving them with four faults at the end of the second round. That meant they lay fourth in Sunday's portion of the championship but beat Ward by one point overall.

“My horse tried his heart out,” said Farrington who hails from Chicago, IL. “He really wanted to win today. I'm thrilled with my horse but disappointed in myself. I was coming around the corner and thinking about the time, I went to move up and he was a split second behind my leg and had it down. It's great to have a national championship but I really wanted to win today.”
Up Chiqui, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood, and Farrington have been very successful this year picking up Grand Prix wins in Florida, Kentucky and Massachusetts. It was a fitting end to the season for them to be crowned the 2007 Rolex/USEF National Champions.

“He's been incredible all year,” said Farrington, 26. “He's incredibly consistent. I've still yet to see what he can and can't do so I look forward to next year. He'd be more geared toward the World Cup Final than the Olympic Trials but it's a long way off so we'll see. He tries really hard.”

Ward lay seventh after the first round, but with Sunday afternoon's class counting for double points, Ward's clear round proved valuable. Margie Engle and Hidden Creek's Quervo Gold were third overall after jumping clear but added one time fault for finishing one-tenth of a second over the time allowed.

“I knew I dodged a bullet when Margie had a time fault,” said Ward about avoiding the jump-off. “It's not very often to win big class without a jump-off. This course was considerably more difficult than Friday's. It was more technical and considerably bigger. Today was real grand prix jumping and the good combinations rose to the top.

Phillipa, owned by Sagamore Farm, has only been competing at this level since May and adds another valuable weapon to Ward’s arsenal supplementing his very experienced Olympic veteran, Sapphire.

“She’s not very experienced but she has phenomenal talent,” said Ward. “It’s kind of exciting because obviously Sapphire is still ready for the Olympics this year and to have this horse coming along gives me a great one-two punch.”

Ward, who celebrated his three week wedding anniversary along with his win, heads to Maui on Monday morning for his honeymoon.

Hillary Dobbs Wins $15,000 National Horse Show Speed Classic

Hillary Dobbs pictured clearing the Equine Motorcoach jump.
Photo by Palm Beach Post
Copyright © 2007, The Palm Beach Post. All rights reserved.

The $15,000 National Horse Show Speed Classic was held Thursday afternoon at the 124th National Horse Show at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club. The winner was Hillary Dobbs riding Marengo, owned by The Dobbs Group. (Bruce R. Bennett/Post Staff)

We're Set Up at The National Horse Show

Equine Motorcoach arrived at the National Horse Show on Monday, December 3. Thanks to Lehel Coach Builders, the European version of the Coach shipped to the U.S. for this important debut at the National Horse Show. Equine Motorcoach is a presenting sponsor of the ROLEX/USEF Show Jumping Championship.

"The Coach is definitely getting some interesting reactions," said Julie Calzone, one of the principals. "It's fun to watch people do a double-take when they see it." Even though the horse show doesn't begin until today, several prospects have already stopped by to take the tour.

Mark and Barbara Lee, Lehel Coach Builders owners, are in U.S. to take part in the debut.