Neue Schule Ambassadors Todd Minikus, Danielle Goldstein, and Candice King Duel in Battle of the Sexes
Wellington, FL (January 20, 2014) – Neue Schule Ambassadors Todd Minikus, Danielle Goldstein, and Candice King recently took part in the sixth FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival’s (FTI WEF) $75,000 Nespresso Battle of the Sexes. After a week of record-breaking rains, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect for a night of jumping under the lights Saturday, January 11, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
Candice King captained the women‘s team which included Pippa Allen, Nicole Bellissimo, Danielle Goldstein, Brianne Goutal, Lauren Hough, Maggie Jayne, Laura Kraut, Catherine Pasmore, and Debbie Stephens. Charlie Jayne led the men’s team, which included Stefano Barcho, Mark Bluman, Lorenzo de Luca, Todd Minikus, Richie Moloney, Samuel Parot, Nick Skelton, Shane Sweetnam, and Hardin Towell.
“I was thrilled to be asked to be a part of it,” said Goldstein, who rides for Israel. “I rode Waliba VDL. It’s not only fun to do these classes, but our sport is often sorely lacking in spectators, and this class is a great way to get the crowd into it.”
The two teams rode head-to-head in a speed round, a match race, and a six-bar competition. The crowds watched the exhilarating rounds with bated breath, groaning as rails fell, erupting in cheers and applause for each clear round. Even spectators who knew nothing about riding, horses, or show jumping were clearly caught up in the thrilling spectacle.
The men won the first speed round of competition, 6 to 4. They tied in the following match races, men and women competing side by side over identical courses, each winning five, making the score 11 points for the men and 9 for the women. The final six-bar competition decided it. Four men and four women returned from each team, jumping six fences which started at 5’3″ in height and moved up to 5’7″ in the second round.
Todd Minikus was the only man to jump a clear in the first round for the men, but then had a rail down in the second. Maggie Jayne and Catherine Pasmore each cleared round one. Catherine Pasmore and Bibi Sijgje each cleared all six jumps in round two to clinch the win for the women.
Communication is everything between a horse and a rider. Candice King, Danielle Goldstein, and Todd Minikus all endorse Neue Schule bits. These ergonomically-designed bits are available through North American distributor Mette Larsen, of Metlar Saddlery, in Riverhead at the “fork” of New York’s Long Island.
“My overall impression of Neue Schule bits is that they are well-crafted, with construction of the horse’s mouth in mind,” said Todd Minikus. “They are made from high quality, lightweight material that’s both durable and comfortable for the horse.”
“A bit is really important, because it helps me communicate with my horses,” said Candice King. “I especially like Neu Schule bits, because they are very welcoming to the horse. I like how they sit in the horse’s mouth. The horses seem content and willing to work when I use a Neue Schule bit.”
For more information on Neue Schule visit their website at www.metlar-us.com
Photo 1: Todd Minkus during the awards ceremony of the 2014 Battle of the Sexes. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)
Photo 2: The winning ladies team. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)
Mette Larsen Metlar-Neue Schule Bits Mlarsen@metlar-us.com 631-252-5574
