FEI Year End Ranking - U.S. Horse and Rider Are Tops

January 31 2011 - California, United States,

Ann S. Hall, with mare HCC Zara RR, World’s Top Open Combination World Ranking for FEI year end results

Ms. Hall, a veteran endurance rider from Auburn, California topped the FEI ranking of 4764 horse and rider teams world wide to garner the number one spot. Ms. Hall and her mare HCC Zara RR accumulated the highest amount of points as a team in FEI events for the year. Ms. Hall, who has 10,000 miles in competition has been riding FEI events since 2006 and has a 100% finishing lifetime record in FEI events.

“HCC Zara RR has only been under saddle for 2 years, we are very pleased with her progress. Zara is closely related to several other Hall horses that have done very well through KOSCIUSKO, AERC Hall of Fame Stallion and sire of Tevis Champions. We are looking forward to 2011.”

Winner of the individual rider to accumulate more points with various horses went to Virginie Atger of France. Ms. Atger had an impressive year with 15 finishes out of 15 races to top her fellow compatriot, Sarah Chakil, in closely contested race for the world champion title. Ms. Atger rode seven different horses to achieve the world title. Ms. Atger, silver medalist at Aachen, Germany in the World Equestrian Games (WEG), represented France in Kentucky at the WEG and finished in the 10th place spot riding Azim Du Floival.

SAS Alexis, FEI World Top Ranked Horse for the 2010 season, is a 15 year Arabian gelding. SAS Alexis, is owned by the Fazaa Endurance Team from the United Arab Emirates. SAS Alexis, born in Australia, bested a field of 4109 horses to claim the year- end title. His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan Bin Al Maktoum, Captain of the United Arab Emirate team, guided SAS Alexis to bronze individual medal and team gold at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. SAS Alexis, was a mere 17 seconds behind the 2nd place horse.

In 2010, Endurance inspired 270 International Events, a far cry form the modest 16 events held in 1995. This dramatic increase places Endurance as one of the fastest growing discipline in Equestrian sport.

The FEI, founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee. Today, it is the sole controlling authority for 8 equestrian disciplines throughout the world. Of the equestrian disciplines that FEI oversees is the sport of endurance riding.