FEI Reining World Final Entries in Principle Indicate Historic Event

Malmö, Sweden – March 20, 2011 – The Organizing Committee of the FEI Reining World Final announced today that Entries in Principle for the 2011 event will be the strongest in the sport’s history. With intended participation from 20 nations, the WRF will be held at the renowned equestrian facility of Bökeberg, just outside of Malmö, Sweden, offering several days of FEI Reining classes and the $100,000 FEI World Reining Final on May 21, 2011.

The FEI Reining World Final is a reinvention of the old FEI World Reining Masters. Each National Federation may send athletes to compete on behalf of their country in the annual championship with national pride, prize money and the individual title of World Reining Champion at stake. “Malmö 2011” will represent the first time that the annual individual final has been held outside North America since 2005.

Nations that have indicated they intend to field athletes include:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Israel
Italy
The Netherlands
Norway
Poland
South Africa
Spain
Sweden (host nation)
Switzerland
United States of America


Reining is a sport born of the American West with maneuvers similar to those a working ranch horse might have been asked to perform on day-to-day tasks. Today, the sport has exploded around the world as the level of technical sophistication and horsemanship style has evolved into an intricate and beautiful display of power and finesse.

Now represented on six continents and in more than 40 nations, the sport of Reining is an internationally-approved event under the FEI, the international governing body for equestrian sport. The incredible success of the sport at the recent 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) gave Reining significant momentum for continued growth worldwide.

The FEI Reining World Final official event website is available at Malmo2011.com and includes schedules, competitor resources, hotels, facilities, ticket information and much more. Sponsorship opportunities are available for a select number of interested stakeholders. For more information on the 2011 FEI Reining World Final, please contact Brad Ettleman of HorsePower, Inc., the official Organizing Committee, by e-mail at Brad@HPowerInc.com, or by phone at: (+1) 720.982.3574.

The Fédération Équestre Internationale is the single international governing body for equestrian sport and the official Federation reporting to the International Olympic Committee on behalf of equestrianism. The primary mission of the FEI is to advance the orderly growth of equestrian sport worldwide by promoting, regulating and administering humane and sportsmanlike international competition in the traditional equestrian disciplines. For more information about the FEI, go to: FEI.org

"Dala" - Official Mascot of the 'WRF - Malmo 2011'

Ariat International Signs On As Title Sponsor for Inaugural Kentucky Reining Cup CRI5* and World Championship Freestyle Reining

Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), producer of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, is excited to welcome Ariat as the title sponsor and Official Apparel and Footwear of the Kentucky Reining Cup, which will debut alongside this year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, April 28-May 1, 2011, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.


Joining Ariat as sponsors of the inaugural event are the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), SmartPak and Markel Insurance.


The Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup will include a CRI5*, the sport’s highest level, as well as the first-ever World Championship Freestyle. The CRI5* will offer $50,000US in prize money and will be the only Five Star Reining event in the western hemisphere in 2011.


The World Championship Freestyle, expected to draw the sport’s most elite competitors, will mark the first time that the title of “World Champion” will be awarded in Freestyle Reining, a consistent crowd favorite. The event’s $25,000US prize money will also mark the largest purse for a Reining Freestyle anywhere in the world.


"We couldn't be more thrilled to have Ariat as the title sponsor and the Official Apparel and Footwear of the Kentucky Reining Cup," said Lisa Ball, president of EEI. "This goes well with their position as Official Apparel and Footwear Sponsor of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Ariat's products are recognized for their quality, style and durability in both the English and Western communities, making their sponsorship of both events a perfect fit!"


Ariat is the world’s leading performance equestrian brand and is America's number one English and Western performance footwear brand. Ariat was the Official Apparel and Footwear Sponsor of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG), the title sponsor of the Games’ volunteer program and creator of a special limited edition line of WEG apparel that sold out in the first few days of the 16-day event.


Shortly after last fall’s Games, EEI and Ariat agreed on a new sponsorship with Ariat becoming the "Official Apparel and Footwear Sponsor" of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. As part of that sponsorship, Ariat has developed a line of Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event merchandise featuring a collector's edition event jacket in navy and “Rolex” green. They have also developed specially designed polo shirts for the event’s volunteers.


“We are thrilled to be part of the Kentucky Reining Cup,” said Susan Alcala, Vice President, Partnership Marketing at Ariat. “Reining is an exciting discipline that has drawn large support across the world, and we are happy to do our part in bringing it back to Kentucky where it was so well received during last year’s World Equestrian Games."


The Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup competition will be managed by HorsePower, Inc., Reining’s leading event production firm. Based in Denver, Colorado, HorsePower, Inc. is led by veteran FEI Reining show manager, Brad Ettleman, who also served as director for the 2010 FEI Reining World Championships at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.


"We would like to welcome all our new sponsors to the Ariat Kentucky Reining Cup," said Ettleman. "Their sponsorships show dedication to helping promote the sport of Reining, and for that we are extremely grateful."


Tickets for the Friday evening CRI5* that begins at 6:00 PM are only $10, while tickets for the World Championship Freestyle, Saturday at 5:30 PM, are only $20 in advance. Tickets may be purchased online at www.KentuckyReining.com.