Ocala, FL (October 27, 2011) – Combined Driver Chester Weber, the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion, is donating a sterling silver trophy to the winner of the USEF National Championship Combined Driving Single Horse. Entitled the “Jamaica Perpetual Trophy,” the trophy honors Weber’s legendary equine partner Jamaica who was named the 2008 USEF Horse of the Year. The Jamaica Perpetual Trophy will be awarded at the Katydid CDE held November 4th through 6th in Aiken, South Carolina.
Weber, who has made tremendous contributions to the sport of combined driving, said he is thrilled to be donating the trophy. “Jamaica is retired now and living happily at my farm in Ocala, but he will forever be a horse that stands out in my career for his desire to lead my team and win,” Weber said, adding that Jamaica is now 20 years old. “Although Jamaica never competed as a single horse, he had the honor of being the only Four-In-Hand horse ever singled out to win the USEF Horse of the Year title. Jamaica’s fame really helped to promote the sport of combined driving over the years and I am pleased that his contribution will carry on in the form of this trophy.”
The winner of the USEF National Championship Combined Driving Single Horse will have his or her name engraved on the Jamaica Perpetual Trophy each year and the trophy will be on display at the USEF. The winner will take home a silver frame featuring his or her photo with the trophy and this year Weber has also donated an Ariat VIP card to the winner, which gives the winner 40% off all Ariat products. “Ariat is part of my great team of sponsors and I am happy to pass on the Ariat VIP card. My team loves showing in our Ariat clothing and I know Ariat is a favorite of horsemen everywhere,” Weber said.
While Jamaica’s name will go down in history on the trophy, the feisty bay horse came to fame for his rags to riches story that captured the attention of the nation. The award winning combined driving horse was rescued from a slaughterhouse in Belgium, before becoming part of Weber’s team. “Jamaica was rescued from the slaughterhouse and trained to pull a carriage for tourists in Belgium,” Weber said. “True to his nature, however, Jamaica wouldn’t stand still with the tourist carriage and that is how I acquired him. Throughout his career with me he was part of my team that won the Individual Silver Medal at the Four-In-Hand World Championships in The Netherlands, he competed in two World Equestrian Games, four World Championships, and earned seven National Championship titles. He really had an extraordinary career.”
Weber, who recently served as the Chef d’Equipe of the U.S. Pair and Pony Teams, said working with Jamaica was always a challenge as the highly spirited horse liked to do things his own way. “He was the Alpha leader of my team. If he went in the right direction all of the other horses went in the right direction. It didn’t matter if he was the wheel of the dressage or the lead of the marathon, he always wanted to win and the judges couldn’t take his eyes off of him,” Weber said.
In addition to having his name on the trophy, Jamaica was honored by Breyer, Makers of the World’s Finest Model Horses, with a Breyer portrait model. The Jamaica model was released during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games when Breyer created a number of Traditional Series portrait models of key competitors from various disciplines. Breyer also gave Jamaica a star-studded official retirement party early this year when the rescue horse turned champion retired to the rolling hills of Live Oak Stud.
Even though Jamaica is retired, Weber continues to dominate the Four-in-Hand Combined Driving field. This year he added two new horses to his superstar team, Splash and Uniek, owned by Jane Clark. Weber and his team proved to be an unstoppable force in Europe this summer, putting in brilliant performances at the CHIO Aachen and winning at CAIO Vecses, CAI Altenfelden, and CAI Riesenbeck.
For more information on Weber and his combined driving team, visit their website at www.chesterweber.com.
For more information contact:
Chester Weber
chester@chesterweber.com
www.chesterweber.com
1-352-895-1139