Ariat International, Inc. would like to congratulate sponsored rider Beezie Madden and Simon, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Abigail Wexner, for being crowned the 2013 champions of the Rolex FEI World Cup Finals. With this victory, Madden becomes the 5th woman to ever hold the coveted trophy in her hands. After three rounds made up of six courses of world-class competition over four days, Madden emerged as the victorious winner!

Madden started the competition at the Gothenburg, Sweden Horse Show with a bang on Thursday, April 25th by claiming her first ever Rolex FEI World Cup Finals win of an individual round. Friday’s course was impressive and helped put Madden in second place going into Sunday’s two final rounds. It was a closely fought contest, but Madden more than held her own against some of the world’s best riders. Simon’s final round – beautifully clear-, left them walking out of the arena victorious.

When asked about the win, Madden stated, “I always consider it an honor to ride for the U.S., and there are no words to describe how it feels to deliver a win. Simon has just been amazing. He is an incredible partner. The World Cup Finals definitely test the horses at every level. This was a marathon, and I am so proud of him.”

“Beezie Madden truly embodies the principles of the Ariat brand and we are honored to have worked with her over the past five years as an official Ariat sponsored rider and are thrilled for her incredible accomplishment at the World Cup Finals.” said Susan Alcala, vice president of Partnership Marketing at Ariat International. “She is a true champion and her stellar determination and skills are virtually unparalleled.