David Marcus and Chrevi’s Capital. Photo by Sue Stickle, www.susanjstickle.com.
Campbellville, Ontario – David Marcus of Campbellville, ON has been named to the Canadian Dressage Team for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, from August 23 to September 7.
Marcus will ride Chrevi’s Capital, a 14-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Chrevi’s Cavallo x Weinberg) owned by Deborah Miculinic Kinzinger, at the World Equestrian Games. Marcus and Chrevi’s Capital made their major games debut at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
“I’m honoured to once again be representing Canada at a major championship such as the World Equestrian Games,” said Marcus, 33. “This has been in our sights since the Olympics, and it has been a long road to get here. I am excited that it is now only weeks way!”
Marcus and Chrevi’s Capital departed for Germany on July 3 to further their training and competition goals. They are based with renowned trainer Jean Bemelmans at Gut Landfrieden in Ratingen, alongside fellow Canadian teammates Megan Lane and Karen Pavicic. Marcus’s own personal trainer, Oded Shimoni, will also fly back and forth from his base in Wellington, FL, to provide expertise.
“Everything went well; it is fairly easy for us to travel here,” explained Marcus of the trip overseas. “My stable in Campbellville is only 25 minutes from the Toronto airport. From there, it was a direct flight to Amsterdam, followed by a two-hour drive to where we are stabled at the training center of Jean Bemelmans. The trip went very smoothly for Capital; he is now a seasoned traveler and arrived in top form.”
The pair are preparing to compete at the prestigious CDIO5* Aachen, Germany, from July 11 to 20 where Marcus will represent Canada as an individual. The opening Grand Prix test will be held on Thursday, July 17, followed by the Grand Prix Special on Saturday, July 19, and the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music on Sunday, July 20.
“This week has been about slowly building Capital up for Aachen,” said Marcus. “It is very exciting, especially because Aachen is going to be a very competitive this year with a lot of the top nations coming from around the world to compete. It’s almost going to be as competitive as the World Equestrian Games themselves!”
Marcus is able to train and compete in Europe thanks to the generous provision of his owner, Deborah Miculinic Kinzinger.
“Deborah has been incredibly supportive throughout this whole process, not only in allowing me to come on this European tour, but also in the lead-up and qualification process for the World Equestrian Games,” said Marcus graciously. “I greatly appreciate her support, without which I could not be doing what I am doing; riding this amazing horse and representing our country at our first World Equestrian Games.”
Marcus’s teammates for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games are Megan Lane, Karen Pavicic and Belinda Trussell. Lane, Pavicic and Trussell all received High Performance European Training and Competition Grants from the Canadian Dressage Athlete Assistance Program (C-DAAP) to off-set training and competition expenses.
Marcus made his grand prix debut at the beginning of 2012 and, six short months later, was competing at the 2012 London Olympic Games. In 2013, he topped the North American World Cup League to qualify for the annual World Cup Final. At his last competition on Canadian soil in June, Marcus rode Chrevi’s Capital to victory in the Grand Prix at CDI-W CornerStone Spring Into Dressage, the official test event for the 2015 Pan American Games.
Marcus operates David Marcus Dressage, a full-service dressage training facility located one hour west of Toronto. For more information on David Marcus, please visit www.davidmarcusdressage.com.
Contact: Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439
www.startinggate.ca