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WORLD CUP WESTERN PLEASURE-SUNDAY GERMANY WINS THEIR FIRST GOLD WHILE SWEDEN GETS THEIR SECOND SILVER. BY TONYA RATLIFF-GARRISON AND CHRISTINE HAMILTON
As the placings were announced, Philip Knebel was getting worried. He’d been called back for the final western pleasure heat on Sunday, July 2, along with 20 other riders. He knew he’d put in a good ride aboard One In A Hundred, the same horse he’d placed second on in the same event on Saturday. But as more and more of his fellow competitors were called forward to accept their medals, Philip began to wonder if he’d done as well as he thought he had. “I knew that when the American girl (Sharnai Thomspon) was sixth, I thought it was very possible I would place well,” he said. “But I was getting very nervous.” Then, as the Swedish flag was handed to silver medal winner Malin Billberg, Philip heard his name called out. He’d won the gold. With a whoop of joy, Team Germany Coach Torsten Haier ran into the arena, grabbed his country’s flag and handed it to Philip. “I am just so excited,” Torsten said. “I’m so pleased with him. He did such a great job on that horse.” For Philip, the gold medal was a nice accomplishment for him. The 16-year-old German only began riding western about four years ago. “I was riding English, and I wasn’t very good,” he said. “Some of my friends were riding western style. I wanted to try that and when it came time for me to buy a new horse, I wanted a Quarter Horse.” Philip likes the American horse he was given to ride for the 2006 Youth World Cup. One In A Hundred, a 1990 sorrel gelding owned by Alexandra Nichols, is by Mr Rusty Zipper and out of Karen One Hundred by Dirk One Eleven. “He’s a really good horse,” he said. “He’s an old horse but he does his job.” The pair will also compete in western riding and horsemanship. To read Philip's other winning story, click here. TEAM SWEDEN CAPTURES SECOND SILVER
Malin Billberg of Team Sweden barely took time to let her silver medal win in western pleasure soak in. She headed straight back to the barns to help teammate Sara Karlman put in a horse’s fake tail for another class. “I was surprised,” she said. “I didn’t do so well yesterday [in western pleasure].” Malin was riding the same horse today, Masteritall, but the results were very different. “I don’t know [why],” Malin said. “It was my first time, and you don’t know the horse and everything. I had a bit more confidence today.” Her Youth World Cup events include trail, reining, hunter under saddle and hunt seat equitation. Malin got involved with showing Quarter Horses through her parents, Michael and Monika Billberg. “We worked at Quarter Horse shows,” Malin explained, “and people crossed us over to Quarter Horses.” She and her teammates are taking a lot back to Sweden from their Youth World Cup experience. In addition to what they’ve learned in clinics, they’ve stocked up on show clothes and pads and tail conditioner. “We have it, but it’s expensive,” she said with a smile. They use artificial tails in Sweden, too! She’s a good hand at putting one in. For complete results, click HERE.
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