Equestrian Vaulting Magazine, American Vaulting Association

EQUESTRIAN WWW.AMERICANVAULTING.ORG

SPECIAL 2018 FEI WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMESTM EDITION!

VAULTING Official Publication of the American Vaulting Association

MEET TEAM USA

LEARN ABOUT VAULTING IN THE US SPECTATORS’ GUIDE TO VAULTING

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A 50-YEAR HISTORY OF GRACE AND PRECISION

V

aulting can be considered one of the oldest known forms of equestrian sport. Often described as gymnastics/dance performed on horseback, vaulting’s origins can be traced back to Roman games, which included acrobatic displays performed on cantering horses.

Historical references are made to vaulting in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance; it was during this time that the practice of La Voltige (drill riding and agility exercises performed on horseback by knights and noblemen) gave the sport its present name. Modern vaulting developed in postwar Germany as a means to introduce children to equestrian sport, and it remains a popular training and competitive endeavor across Europe. Conversely, modern competitive vaulting is relatively new to the United States. Vaulting did not make its way to the U.S. until the late 1950s and the first official competition did not take place until 1969. —US Equestrian

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Find a club in your area.

Contact the American Vaulting Association at www.americanvaulting.org info@americanvaulting.org

COURTESY USDF

ABOUT VAULTING IN THE UNITED STATES

Vaulting in America and the American Vaulting Association American vaulting can be traced to 1956, when Elizabeth Searle first saw the sport during a visit to Europe.

Seeing a potential application for her pony club in California’s Santa Cruz County, she obtained a 16mm film of the basic exercises, and took it back to America.

In 2018, the American Vaulting Association celebrates its 50th anniversary. Elizabeth Searle (pictured above) and J. Ashton Moore founded the association in 1968, and it held the first official AVA competition at the Santa Cruz County fairgrounds in Watsonville, California. In 1974, U.S. vaulters participated in the first international exchange in Stuttgart, Germany. AVA members demonstrated vaulting at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and again at the Atlanta Olympic games in 1996.

Today the AVA has more than 1,300 members and over 130 AVA clubs and affiliates from Hawaii to Massachusetts, and Washington to Florida. American vaulters are competitive on the world

circuit and have won multiple medals at FEI World Equestrian Games and FEI World Championships.

The AVA today has pro-

grams for all types of vaulters, from recreational and pony club vaulters to therapeutic vaulters, and from beginner to elite international levels.

ON OUR COVER PHOTOGRAPHER JERRY YANG CAPTURES PAS DE DEUX PAIR KATHRYN KEVILLE AND FLORENCE RUBINGER. AMERICANVAULTING.ORG

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THE ROLE OF THE LUNGER The lunger is responsible for ensuring that the horse performs his best for the competitors, and earns a high horse score. While it may look easy, correct lunging takes time, training and discipline.

J

udges evaluate competitors based on their abilities to smoothly execute compulsory movements demonstrating strength, flexibility, balance, and harmony with the horse.

Judges also score them on the technical difficulty and artistic expression associated with freestyle routines. Additionally, a portion of every overall score is secured by considering the horse’s quality and consistency of gait.

Individuals compete in four different tests for a combined score: compulsory, during which they are judged on the quality of eight prescribed movements as well as a horse score; the freestyle (technically called the Free Test), during which they are judged on technique (difficulty of movements, performance), artistic merit and the horse. The 15 best vaulters continue to the final round 2

EQUESTRIANVAULTING | WEG 2018

WHERE ARE THE JUDGES? COMPULSORY TEST Judges A & E evaluate the horse Judges B, C, D, F, G, H evaluate the exercises

FREE TEST & TECHNICAL TEST Judges A & E evaluate the horse Judges B, D, F, H evaluate technique (Performance and Degree of Difficulty) Judges C, G evaluate artistic elements

and perform the technical test, which consists of five technical exercises, additional freestyle exercises chosen by the vaulter, and a horse score. Technical exercises may be shown in any order in a one-minute freestyle.

The fourth and final score is a second performance of the freestyle.

In the Pas de Deux (“two steps” in French), two vaulters work as a team to perform two free tests. In the Squad test, a team of six vaulters completes a compulsory and two free tests.

There are eight judges—two evaluating the horse and six evaluating the exercises and artistic elements.

Each movement is scored on a 10-point system, with 10 being an “excellent” score. At the end of the competition, the scores from all tests are added together then divided by the number of tests, for a final, overall score.

ARND BRONKHORST

SPECTATORS’ GUIDE TO VAULTING

SQUAD

INDIVIDUALS (separate male and female competitions)

What is Individual? One vaulter and one horse

PAS DE DEUX

First Round: Compulsories and Free Test

What is Pas de Deux?

Two vaulters on one horse

The 15 best individuals continue to final round.

Two rounds of free test (two minutes)

Second Round: Technical Test and Free Test (one minute each)

The 12 best Pas de Deux pairs continue to final.

What is Squad? Six vaulters and one horse. Up to three vaulters can be on the horse at any one time.

One round of compulsories, two rounds of freestyle Free Test is four minutes.

Twelve best Squads continue to final round.

HORSE SCORE In all tests, the judging of the horse begins with the entrance into the arena and ends with the final dismount.

If more than one individual vaulter or Pas de Deux enter together to vault on the same horse, the score for the entry, salute and trot round will be taken into account for all vaulters on that horse.

The training scale is the most important guideline for trainers, vaulters, lungers and judges.

The horse score is comprised of five separate scores: Pace (Rhythm, Suppleness, Contact) – 30 percent Impulsion (Impulsion, Straightness, Collection) – 25 percent Submission (Submissiveness, Regularity, Circling) – 25 percent Lunging – 15 percent Entry, Salute and Trot round – 5 percent

DANIEL KAISER

AMERICANVAULTING.ORG

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COMPULSORY TEST Judged On • Horse score • Compulsory exercises (eight exercises) MOUNT Height and position of center of gravity; harmony with the horse 10.0: A handstand position with a straight axis of the body which nearly reaches the vertical. Legs are split with right leg on the vertical line and left leg down.

Hips and shoulders are parallel to the shoulder axis of the horse.

FLAG Balance and suppleness (particularly shoulder and hip); harmony with the horse.

10.0: Elevation without broken arc of topline; totally absorbing the canter in the joints.

MILL Seat, posture, suppleness, scope and timing; harmony with the horse.

10.0: Upper body and leg at nearly vertical SCISSORS FORWARD Coordination of the scissor movement and height; harmony with the horse.

10.0: Pelvis is turned by a full quarter turn by the point of maximum elevation and nearly a handstand position.

SCISSORS BACKWARDS Coordination of the scissor movement and height; harmony with the horse.

STAND Balance and posture; harmony with the horse.

10.0: Erect upper body forming a vertical line thorough shoulders, hips and ankle with knees in optimum extension.

FLANK, FIRST PART Height and position of center of gravity; harmony with the horse 10.0: Straight axis from arms to closed legs with an angle of nearly 90 degrees to the horizontal line of the horse. With maximum arm extension; soft and correct landing to the sideways seat.

FLANK, SECOND PART (dismount) [Individual Compulsories only] Height and position of center of gravity; harmony with the horse 10.0: Straight axis from arms to closed legs with an angle of nearly 90 degrees to the horizontal line of the horse, with additional elevation in the flight phase.

SWING OFF FROM SEAT ASTRIDE TO OUTSIDE (dismount) [Squad Compulsories only] Height and position of center of gravity; harmony with the horse 10.0: Straight axis from arms to closed legs with an angle of nearly 90 degrees to the horizontal line of the horse with additional elevation in the flight phase; soft and correct landing outside.

10.0: Angle of vertical line to upper body around 90 degrees and with an angle of legs to upper body less than 90 degrees.

FREE TEST

INDIVIDUAL TECHNICAL TEST

The most exciting portion of the competition is undoubtedly the “free test” or freestyle. Vaulters choreograph a series of movements in a gymnastic dance on horseback. The heart of a freestyle is presence, poise, a variety of positions, harmony with the horse, engagement with the music, originality, static and dynamic exercises, technical precision and difficulty of exercises.

Consists of five technical exercises and additional freestyle exercises, chosen by the vaulter. Technical exercises may be shown in any order in a one-minute freestyle.

• Shoot Up Mount tests jump force.

• Kneeling Forward to Stand Backwards tests balance.

• Backwards Stand Split tests suppleness.

• Roll Forward From Croup to Seat Forward on Neck tests coordination.

• Push Up Backward tests strength.

Judged On • Technique (performance and degree of difficulty) • Artistic - Variety of exercises - Variety of position - Unity of composition - Music interpretation - Creativity and originality • Horse score • Timing - Individual: one minute - Pas de Deux (two vaulters): two minutes - Squad (six vaulters): four minutes

Judged On • Each technical exercise receives a score based on very specific criteria • Performance of additional exercises • Artistic score - Selection of elements, sequences, transitions - Unity of composition - Music interpretation • Horse score

PHOTO CREDITS FACING PAGE: TOP ROW (L-R) PRIMO PONIES, JERRY YANG, PRIMO PONIES; SECOND ROW: DANIEL KAISER (2), JERRY YANG; CENTER: DANIEL KAISER; BOTTOM ROW: PRIMO PONIES (2), TIM SUTHERLAND

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EQUESTRIANVAULTING | WEG 2018

MOUNT

FLAG

FRONT SCISSORS

MILL BACK SCISSORS

STAND

STAND SPLIT FLANK PUSH UP

KNEES TO FEET AMERICANVAULTING.ORG

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MEET THE TEAM Meet the United States Vaulting Team

TIM SUTHERLAND

DANIEL KAISER

MARY MCCORMICK

ELIZABETH OSBORN

HOMETOWN: Sonoma, California AGE: 35 YEARS VAULTING: 24

HOMETOWN: Menlo Park, California

WEG EXPERIENCE: 2006, 2010, and 2014

AGE: 28

HORSE: Paris, 16 hh, 14-year-old Percheron

YEARS VAULTING: 2000–2008 and 2015–2018 WEG EXPERIENCE: 2006 WEG competition as a Female Individual

LUNGER: Christian Ramos

HORSE: Atterupgaards Sting, 17.3 hh, 12-year-old Oldenburg LUNGER: Krista Mack

DANIEL KAISER

TIM SUTHERLAND

INDIVIDUAL FEMALE

TESSA DIVITA HOMETOWN: Portola Valley, California

EMILY ROSE-STEFFENS Alternate AGE: 24 HORSE: Diva 506, 18.1 hh, 14-year-old Oldenburg LUNGER: Carolyn Bland

AGE: 20 YEARS VAULTING: 15 WEG EXPERIENCE: Member of the 2014 WEG Squad HORSE: Pino del Rio, 18hh, 14-year-old Westfalen LUNGER: Julie Divita AMERICANVAULTING.ORG

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DANIEL KAISER

DANIEL KAISER

KRISTIAN ROBERTS HOMETOWN: Moss Beach, California AGE: 25 YEARS VAULTING: 12 HORSE: Charly, 17.1 hh, 13-year-old Hannoverian LUNGER: Carolyn Bland

DANIEL JANES HOMETOWN: Monroe, Washington AGE: 22 YEARS VAULTING: 7 HORSE: Sir Charles, 17.1 hh, 13-year-old Hanoverian LUNGER: Carolyn Bland

TIM SUTHERLAND

TIM SUTHERLAND

INDIVIDUAL MALE

COLTON PALMER HOMETOWN: Half Moon Bay, California AGE: 20 YEARS VAULTING: 15 HORSE: Zygo, 17.3 hh, 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood LUNGER: Maurits deVries 8

EQUESTRIANVAULTING | WEG 2018

GEOFFREY WOOLSON Alternate HOMETOWN: Tujunga, California AGE: 21 YEARS VAULTING: 12 HORSE: Maximillion, 17 hh, 11-year-old Irish Draft LUNGER: Devon Maitozo

PAS DE DEUX HORSE: Palatine, 17 hh, 20-year-old Westfalen

DANIEL JANES HOMETOWN: Monroe, Washington

LUNGER: Carolyn Bland

AGE: 22 YEARS VAULTING: 7

HALEY SMITH

DANIEL KAISER

JERRY YANG

SQUAD

PACIFIC COAST VAULTERS, THE SEASONS AUDREY KIERNAN DANIEL JANES EMILY ROSE

HOMETOWN: Parker, Colorado

HALEY SMITH KRISTIAN ROBERTS

AGE: 17

MAGGIE LONG

YEARS VAULTING: 7

Alternates: CAMERON BROWN GABE ANIELLO

SQUAD HORSE: Diva 506, 18.1 hh, 14-year-old Oldenburg

PAS DE DEUX

LUNGER: Mary McCormick

TIM SUTHERLAND

PAS DE DEUX HORSE: Revlon, 17hh, 20-year-old Hanoverian

LUNGER: Carolyn Bland

KATHRYN KEVILLE HOMETOWN: Cotati, California AGE: 27 YEARS VAULTING: 24

HOMETOWN: Santa Rosa, California AGE: 31 YEARS VAULTING: 26

US EQUESTRIAN

FLORENCE RUBINGER

CHEF D’EQUIPE

EMMA SEELY COACH/LUNGER: 2006 WEG “FAME” squad, silver medal; 2006 Megan Benjamin, gold medal; 2015 Junior World Championships, Pas de Deux, gold medal.