UGAR FEI WORLD CUP 2007: »Top sport spectacle in a wirl of an elegance and prestige!«
»I entered the home course with Silvana. Bent by her neck I gave her a friendly tap like I have done that a thousand times at trainings at home arena throughout the year. Nearly full grandstand gave us a bluster when an announcer called our names among other world elite competitors and presented us as Ugar team members and ... Yes, I felt a responsability and huge desire to show the beautiful audience what kind of horses we have at Ugar. And the horses are real top athletes. Silvana twitched. A slightly stroke with stirrups was enough. I held the reins decisively and we started our home race UGAR 2007.«
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Posestvo Ugar! What you have read right now were the feelings of our UGAR Equestrian Team member and one of the best slovenian professionals of this olympic sport Maks Riossa that he described after the first day of a competition UGAR 2007 FEI World Cup. Among strong competition Maks Riossa and his mare Silvana had proudly presented the colours of slovenian flag and their show had proved the effort and work put in at Ugar where world-class equestrian elite has joined at the top sport event for the second time in row.
Old and new friends, bussiness partners and amateurs
of this noble, aristocratic and prestigious sport has reached each other hands at Ugar between 14 and 16 september. If last year we have been breaking the ice at Ugar with organising the top international equestrian competiton in our idyllic nature for the first time then this years FEI World Cup competition is a continuation of a strong foundation made by last years praises and stimulations. This sport spectacle has finally put Ugar and its wonderful scene on map of Central European qualification tournaments of the International Equestrian Federation, making them World Cup competitions.
We are greatly honoured that there had been 85 competitors from 20 countries who had presented themselves at our show. Competitors were also from USA and Argentina, a country of equestrian sport. Over 10.000 viewers watched the races live. Atractive settings of the stakes were made by famous Canadian Michel Vaillancourt, the olympic vice-champion which won the silver medal in Montreal Olympic Games in 1976. His settings of the stakes was praised by many riders especially Austrian Gerfried Puck who confirmed setting was really tough but also very atractive. He also said the ovations of the audience enraptured him after he won the challenge with height and gravity in the last really long line of stakes and without any penalties in an astonishing tempo deservedly won the Saturday FEI World Cup competition under sponsorship of Insurance Company Triglav (Zavarovalnica Triglav).
The words of the FEI president HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein who believed Ugar will soon become world known place and Slovenia one of the major awakening countries in equestrian sport started to became real to us and our sponsors after successful Sunday show. It is hard to describe the atmosphere of the full stands. The icon of Canadas e
questrian sport Michel Vaillancourt has again proved his professionalism at Sunday event. The audience were holding their breath, clenching their fists and roaringly applauding the elegant jumps at epic shows demonstrated in the arena. They even stimulated the competitors when knocking down the stakes. Ladies and gentlemen, the Sunday race was really something special like the olympic spirit of desire and passion was in it. 29-year old Swiss Alain Jufer, who has attended the heavy international competition for the first time, had even stood at Sunday throne twice. In the morning he glorified his victory at speed competition – Pivovana Union Farewell Speed Stakes and in the afternoon he beat all the
competitors at Inotherm Grand Prix. These really tough competitors usually win Central European World Cup competitions.
Swiss Jufer and his horse Sanne R made a remarkable performance through tough settings and jumping and ending the jump off with no penalties. German Jurgen Kurz and his horse Lord conquered the second place on Saturday as well as on Sunday and the third place went to American Janet Hischer and her horse Classic Europa.
Among slovenian riders was Irena Drobnič who achieved 22. place with her 10-year old mare Calimera. Primož Rifelj and his 7-year old horse Rolling Stone ended Sunday course at 22. place, one place behind was Živa Šefman with Cornetta. Luka Založnik (28.), Borut Knapič (29.) in Tomaž Laufer (30.) set places up to 30. Among young horses competition Primož Rifelj and his mare Dorin
a la Reina won double victory. UGAR Equestrian Team member Manja Koren and her horse Unaniem won excellent 4. and 12. place which proves that future champions are being upbrought at our stalls.
Slovenian sport history has started a new page with UGAR 2007 FEI World Cup show. Equestrian sport is being brought to Slovenia at Posestvo Ugar on highest possible level that means new bussiness opportunities have been set. Some successful slovenian companies also believed in our vision this year so with the help of their sponsorship investments we managed to bring the whole event a step further. The award prize fund of 48.000 EUR was increased to this years 77.000 EUR and as consequence the competition reached status CSI3*-W.
