Wellington, FL (March 27, 2012) – Erynn Ballard, a Canadian rider and trainer, cruised to victory in the Regular Conformation Hunters aboard Timber Ridge during the eighth week of the 2012 Winter Equestrian Festival, capturing the championship in the division. The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center, a world-class rehab and conditioning facility located in Ocala, Florida, sponsors the Regular Conformation Hunters as well as the First Year Green, Second Year Green and Green Conformation classes.
Ballard is one of Canada’s most talented equestrian show jumpers and trainers. She has become one of the most recognized names in the industry due to her consistent wins in the show ring as well as her exceptional training methods. Ballard trains out of her Looking Back Farm in Ontario, Canada.
Other Sanctuary sponsored champions during week eight of the Winter Equestrian Festival included: Peter Pletcher who won the First Year Green Championship on Westbrooke; Shawn Casady aboard Paul Stuart, winners of the Green Conformation Hunters: and Christa Endicott who captured the Second Year Green Championship on Come Monday.
Pletcher is also well known in the hunter world, having won the title of World Champion Hunter Rider of the Year in 2002, 2004 and 2007. Pletcher has many other titles to his name, including winning the Emerson Burr Trophy in 2002 and being named the Chronicle of the Horse Professional Rider of the Year in 2002.
“The Sanctuary is honored to sponsor the hunter divisions and we want to congratulate Erynn, Peter, Shawn and Christa on winning the championships in their divisions,” said Brenda McDuffee, General Manager of The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center in Ocala. “The Sanctuary is dedicated to supporting the equestrian community, which is why we enjoy sponsoring classes and divisions at the Winter Equestrian Festival.”
Located on 30 beautiful acres in Ocala, The Sanctuary’s world-class facility has become known as a true sanctuary for the injured or high performance athlete. “Our goal is to provide the equine athlete with top of the line rehabilitation and conditioning,” McDuffee said. “Our Ocala facility has had wonderful success over the years with helping to either rehab horses and get them back in the show ring or help condition horses so that they are competing at their very best.”
The Sanctuary is the most advanced facility of its kind in the world and all of the therapies used at The Sanctuary are based on methods used for human rehabilitation and conditioning. “The Sanctuary was founded on the principles of trying to help equine athletes reach their peak condition or, if injured, reach complete recovery so they can return to competition as quickly as possible,” McDuffee said.
The Sanctuary offers a variety of therapies, including an Equine Vibration Plate, designed to increase bone density and circulation in horses while at the same time reducing muscle soreness and inflammation. “The vibration plate not only offers rehab and conditioning benefits, but the horses seem to enjoy the process of standing on the plate. They relax and enjoy the movement and stand quietly during the process,” McDuffee said.
In addition to the Equine Vibration Plate, The Sanctuary is home to the Aqua Pacer Water Treadmill, the safest, most effective water treadmill available. The Sanctuary also features: a Cold Saltwater Leg Spa featuring 34 degree, highly salinated water for all types of leg therapy; an Equine Swimming Pool – a 110 foot long, 14 foot deep inline pool with therapeutic water; a 5/8 mile race track; two Eurocisers with therapeutic tracking surface – one under cover and one outdoors; Solariums; Temperature-controlled veterinary inspection area with semi-surgical lighting, and rubberized surfaces in most areas.
For more information on The Sanctuary, visit their website at www.sanctuaryequinerehab.com.
For more information contact:
Tom Grabe
The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center
www.sanctuaryequinerehab.com
1-352-369-HEAL (4325)