Feb 22, 2012
California’s Dressage Riders Begin Olympic Journey at This Weekend’s Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI-W/Y/J in Burbank
Burbank, CA
The 2012 Mid-Winter Dressage Fair CDI-W/Y/J, which begins Thursday, February 23 in Burbank, CA and continues through Sunday, February 26, is the first West Coast qualifying competition for the 2012 Olympic Games Dressage Team Selection Trials and will provide a glimpse of some of the country’s most exciting new horse and rider combinations.
An international field of ten horses and riders will contest the CDI Grand Prix division, headlined by American dressage superstar and Olympian Steffen Peters with his spectacular new partner, “Legolas.” In only their second show together, Peters is bringing Akiko Yamazaki’s ten-year-old Westfalen gelding to the Mid-Winter Dressage Fair for their FEI competition debut and the pursuit of crucial qualifying scores to hopefully join his famous stablemate “Ravel” in consideration for an invitation to London. Additionally, fellow Olympian Guenter Seidel will present his new mount, Toyon Farm’s “Fandango”, but will be competing for top honors against his famous 2009 World Cup Finals “Phantom of the Opera” Pas de Deux partner Elizabeth Ball and “Orion”, as well as perennial favorites Kathleen Raine with “Breanna”; Canada’s Lindsey Stroh riding “Lancelot”; Yvonne Losos de Muñiz and “Liebling II” representing the Dominican Republic; and Jan Ebeling with “Rafalca”, who represented the USA at last year’s Reem Acra/FEI World Cup Dressage Finals. More info...
Feb 22, 2012
Global Dressage Festival 1st National Competition Launches
Wellington, FL
The first of four nationally recognized competitions on an unusual schedule of mid-week shows instead of weekends was launched Tuesday at the new Global Dressage Festival with fewer than 50 entries over three days but lots of enthusiasm from riders.
“This is great for young horses,” said Austria’s Gabriele Stumpf, an adul amateur who is spending her second winter in Florida and competed her Stereo Love in First Level Test 3. “It’s nice and quiet and the weather is beautiful.”
The first national competition, recognized by the U.S. Equestrian Federation for championship qualifications and year-end awards, came after the first two CDI World Cup events at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center’s Stadium complex that includes the newly built multimillion dollar dressage venue.
The mid-week competitions were designed to provide riders and horses with a less stressful environment than during the big money CDI events on weekends and allow trainers competing at the top level to devote time to students without conflicting starting times. Some trainers said it was an opportunity to show sale horses in a competition. More info...
Feb 21, 2012
The Dressage Foundation's Equestrian Fundraising School Inaugural Session is Underway!
Lincoln, Nebraska
Major General Jonathan R. Burton, Chairman of The Dressage Foundation Board of Directors, proudly announces the opening of The Dressage Foundation’s Equestrian Fundraising School, offering lessons in fundraising and giving. “The School has been in the planning and development stage for the past two years, and its inaugural class of students began on January 3, 2012.”
“The Dressage Foundation has a growing family of funds that awards grants and scholarships to help equestrians pursue their dreams in horsemanship and horsemastership. Now, there is help in learning how to fund those dreams through our Equestrian Fundraising School,” said Michael Poulin, Olympian and Vice-Chairman, The Dressage Foundation Board of Directors. “We invite you to take a look at this new opportunity today.” More info...
Feb 20, 2012
Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven Wins FEI Grand Prix at $50,000 Florida Dressage Classic CDI-W
Wellington, Florida
The FEI Grand Prix at the $50,000 Florida Dressage Classic CDI-W, presented by the United States P.R.E. Association, was truly an international event as the top three places went to three different nations on Friday. Sweden's Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven won the event at the Global Dressage Festival, Ashley Holzer of Canada was second and Todd Flettrich finished as highest placed American rider in third place.
Vilhelmson-Silfven scored a 72.681% on Don Auriello, which was impressive since this is his first show in Florida this season. The pair performed the test in a relaxed steady tempo, as if on air, with steadiness and ease.
"There is lots of atmosphere here. It's like a really, really big show," said Vilhelmson-Silfven of the newly built Stadium section of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC.) More info...
Feb 20, 2012
Todd Flettrich & Otto Win Global Dressage Festival World Cup Olympic Grand Prix Special
Wellington, Florida
The 16-year-old Otto ridden by Todd Flettrich beat a field of much younger upstarts to take the Olympic Grand Prix Special at the Global Dressage Festival’s World Cup event Sunday for the pair’s first international victory in more than two years on a score within a fraction of a personal best.
Todd of Wellington, Florida, and the Danish Warmblood gelding (Rambo x Jubel x Rampal) have competed at Grand Prix CDIs since September, 2009, and were on the United States team at the 2010 World Equestrian Games that secured a place in the Olympics in London this summer.
Otto was trained and competed at Grand Prix by Heather Blitz–their first CDI Grand Prix was exactly five years ago. Sunday, Heather rode her spectacular but still green at age nine Paragon to third place on 70.756 per cent Sunday, a fraction behind Canadian Olympian Ashley Holzer on her new star mount, the 11-year-old Breaking Dawn, on 70.800 per cent. More info...
Feb 20, 2012
AccountNow Gold Visa® Prepaid Card
Prepaid Card 100% Guaranteed Approval* - No Credit Check
100% Guaranteed Approval* - No Credit Check
$25 Cash Bonus when you use direct deposit
Free Online Bill Payment & Check Writing
Free Direct Deposit
Apply Now! More info...
Feb 18, 2012
Pets Warehouse
Buy Pet Supplies for Less
Tired of Paying Too Much? If You Bought Your Pet Supplies or Pet Food from Other Pet Supplies Stores, Chances are You Paid Too Much! Pets Warehouse Offers You Over 50,000 Pet Products.
Buy "Everything for YOUR Pet" at Everyday Low Prices, LESS than Other Online Pet Supplies Stores.
More info...
Feb 17, 2012
A Few Tips For Selling Horses
Photo courtesy of Horse Journal
Maybe you need a different horse that will better match your needs. Or maybe you need to thin your herd.
Whatever the reason, if you’re thinking of selling a horse, you should read this piece by event rider and trainer John Strassburger, the Performance Editor of Horse Journal, about horse shopping:
Giving anyone “a few tips” for selling a horse is a challenging task, and evaluating a horse you’re considering buying is usually time-consuming and fraught with disappointment. And our country’s current economic malaise doesn’t make either task –selling a horse or buying one – any easier, because horses in the same price range can have a very wide range of ability, soundness and training or competitive experience. More info...
Feb 17, 2012
The $50,000 Florida Dressage Classic CDI-W and National Show Gets Underway at 2012 Global Dressage Festival
Wellington, Florida
The second event of the 2012 Global Dressage Festival (GDF), the $50,000 Florida Dressage Classic CDI-W, presented by the United States P.R.E. Association, and National Show took place on Thursday with six levels of competition at the Stadium of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).
Christopher Hickey had the high score of the day on Balissa HTF with a 77.500% in the USEF First Level Test II - Open class. Ilse Schwarz of Australia had the second highest score of the day and took home two blue ribbons winning the USEF First Level Test I -Open on Don Joseph with 73.793% and the FEI Intermediare II-Open on Cadenza with a score of 67.500%. John Amber also won two classes taking the FEI Prix St. George-Open on Shakespeare RSF with a 63.882% and the USEF Training Level 3 - Open on World Games TFH scoring 64.800%. The third double winner went to Laurie Moore winning the USEF Second Level Test I -Open scoring 68.500% on Rolero. The pair improved on their win in the USEF Second Level Test II scoring 73.158%. More info...
Feb 17, 2012
Katie Poag Recieves Instructor Education Grant from the Dressage Foundation
Katie Poag
The Dressage Foundation's Continuing Education for Dressage Instructors Fund has awarded a $1,250 grant to Katie Poag (SC) to participate in the United States Dressage Federation's Instructor Certification Program.
"I am excited to continue my education through the wonderful program that USDF offers to instructors to make their teaching clear and concise following all aspects of the training scale," said Katie. "From the workshops and pre-certification testing, to more intense studying, I want to work toward achieving my certification through 4th Level over the next two years. The Foundation’s grant provides the financial help I need to accomplish this important step in my career." More info...
More Dressage Show News
