Team Sterling Is 2nd Overall at Live Oak International
GEORGETOWN, KY – MARCH 30, 2012 – Sterling Graburn and his equine partner Ulano gave another exceptional performance at the Live Oak International Combined Driving Event held in Ocala, FL March 22-25.
In the highly contested FEI Single Horse competition Team Sterling battled hard to finish 1st in dressage with a score of 44.54 and 2nd overall with a score of 124.61, ceding top honors by a mere 1/10 of a point.
Ulano, the 11-year-old Dutch Harness horse owned by Larry Denny, dazzled in the dressage portion of the CDE while he continued to show improvement in the marathon, noted Graburn. “It was a very challenging marathon course with many technical hazards,” he said. “But we are still fine tuning our marathon and expect to see even better results next time.”
Chester Weber on his victory lap with wife My at his side. (picsofyou.com)
A picture perfect day in Ocala Florida provided the idyllic backdrop for the conclusion of competition at the Live Oak International Combined Driving Event. Taking the lead the first day and never looking back, Chester Weber and the team he co-owns with Jane Forbes Clark concluded their performance by putting in a solid round in the cones competition, thereby earning Weber an unprecedented ninth National Four-in-Hand Championship title. “It is very nice to have it back,” says Weber of the trophy. And perhaps the win is even more noteworthy given the fact that this was Weber’s first competition with this new team. “I am so thankful for Jane Clark’s support and participation, and for helping me put this combination together,” Weber noted. “I’m really excited about the future.”
Topping other classes in the FEI Division, Australian Janelle Marshall turned in a total score of 126.39 to come away with the win in the Single Pony class. Jennifer Matheson maintained her lead in the FEI Pony Pairs competition, and Lisa Stroud put in a double clear performance to secure her win in the FEI Pony Teams with a score of 150.28.
Chester Weber in Position to Win a 9th USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship
Chester Weber (Picsofyou.com)
Ocala, FL – Record crowds turned out Saturday to watch the marathon phase of the Live Oak International Combined Driving event. Harmut Kaufmann’s course challenged the 78 drivers who tackled the technical and option-filled hazards along the route.
On a marathon score of 80.86, Chester Weber has secured a formidable lead in his bid for a record-breaking ninth USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship title. “My team was fantastic today,” explained Weber following his quick round. “This is the first time with this combination. With ‘Boy’, who I drove at Kentucky, as the right lead horse and ‘Nick’, who is owned by Jane Forbes Clark, on the left, the team performed just as I had hoped they would,” Weber added, “and of course my wheelers ‘Para’ and ‘Splash’ are always very good; they are like driving a car.” The National Championship will be awarded on Sunday after completion of the obstacle phase.
The 20th Annual Live Oak International got underway today on the serene grounds of Live Oak Plantation, also home to leading Thoroughbred breeding and training facility, Live Oak Stud in Ocala Florida. The Live Oak International represents the very best that combined driving competition has to offer and the event traditionally attracts the best drivers from around the world. “This really is the premier event in the country,” according to the Technical Delegate Ed Young and U.S. Driving Team Chef d’Equipe, “they really go over and above here; the grounds are turned out to the nines.” In addition to the stellar driving competition, Live Oak International has added FEI CSI** Show Jumping to its roster on its 20th anniversary. For the first time in 2012, jumpers will compete; initially on Friday afternoon in the $15,000 EyeD Welcome Stake, and then again on Saturday afternoon in a $50,000 Grand Prix. The event this year boasted a wishful waiting list of entrants who were eager to get into the competition, but the event is full and running at capacity.
The driving event started this morning, and in total, 41 FEI and Intermediate dressage scores were turned in today.
Funds Aid Combined Driver Sterling Graburn’s Quest for World Championship Gold
GEORGETOWN, KY – MARCH 21, 2012 – On Friday March 16, TeamSterling hosted a successful fundraiser at Spindletop Hall in Lexington, KY. The event brought together members of the Bluegrass Regions’ equestrian community for an evening of dining, music, and a silent auction.
The event raised nearly $7,000, with proceeds going to the nation’s leading combined driving competitors Sterling Graburn and the Larry Denny-owned Dutch Harness Horse Ulano and their quest for the gold at the FEI World Singles Driving Championships 2012, to be held in Lezirias, Portugal Sept. 12-16.
Chester Weber has been named to the Board of Directors at the Florida Horse Park Foundation. (Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber)
Ocala, FL (March 13, 2012) – Combined Driver Chester Weber, the eight-time United States National Four-In-Hand Champion, has been named to the Board of Directors at the Florida Horse Park Foundation, located in Ocala, Florida. Weber, a favorite son of his hometown of Ocala, is one of America’s most decorated Combined Drivers as well as a strong supporter of the equestrian community.
Weber’s extensive resume continues to grow each year, and Weber and his award-winning team of horses kicked off 2012 by driving into the winner’s circle at the Sunshine State CDE, which took place at the Florida Horse Park. He followed Sunshine State with a victory at the 2012 Little Everglades CDE, taking the FEI Four-in-Hand Division with a spectacular dressage test. Weber also had a great deal to celebrate in 2011 as the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) named him a 2011 Equestrian of Honor and he was also the recipient of the Becky Grand Hart Trophy. He was named the 2011 Driving Horseman of the Year in The Chronicle of the Horse Magazine’s annual American Horses In Sport issue. Weber’s successful 2011 included a European tour that kept him in the winner’s circle, with wins at CAIO Veces, CAI Altenfelden and CAIO Riesenbeck. “We had our best results ever at Aachen, it was truly a memorable summer,” Weber said.
Cherri Reiber performed a tandem driving demonstration with Zerbino Interagro and Vistor Interagro at the “World of the Horse Spectacular”. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)
Ocala, FL (March 9, 2012) – The weather was challenging at the “World of the Horse Spectacular” demonstration held during the $50,000 Grand Prix at Horseshows in the Sun(HITS) Ocala, but the show must go on – and it did! Two magnificent Interagro Lusitanos, along with their international rider and trainer Cherri Reiber, presented a thrilling tandem demonstration at the event that showcased the magnificent Lusitano breed and their talent for performing upper level dressage movements.
“It was stormy and the weather was challenging, but just as we were about to present our tandem driving it stopped raining for about 15 minutes and we went and the audience was thrilled. We were certainly a hit,” Reiber said. “We were invited to the ‘World of the Horse Spectacular’ by Galopando TV, and the event was simulcast on their station.”
Chester Weber and his team during the marathon phase at the 2011 Live Oak International. (Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber)
Aiken, SC (March 9, 2012) – For the second year in a row Chester Weber, the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving National Champion, donated lessons to the “Salute to Driving” Benefit to support the USET Foundation. The fundraiser featured a dinner and live auction, as well as clinics, held over three days at Wendy O’Brien’s Trout Walk Farm in Aiken, South Carolina.
“This was a wonderful event put on in Aiken to raise money for the USET Foundation. Last year the debut event benefited the country’s High Performance Driving programs for the USET Foundation and raised over $30,000,” Weber said. “I was pleased to be part of the event last year and once again this year.”
Weber said he was also happy to donate lessons to the auction. “I will provide the lessons to the winner during the Live Oak International in March,” Weber said. “Jack Wetzel purchased the tickets for the lesson and gave them to Jacob Arnold. I know Mr. Arnold will enjoy his driving experience at Live Oak.”
Sterling Graburn and Ulano Still No. 1 in Single Horse
Photo by Picsofyou
GEORGETOWN, KY – MARCH 2012 – Team Sterling took a giant step forward on the road to the Combined Driving Single Horse World Championships at the Little Everglades International Combined Driving Event in Dade City, Fla.
The first USEF Selection Trial was held Feb. 23, with Team Sterling placing third overall.
Sterling Graburn drove away with first place in the dressage test with a score of 40.1, and took third in the marathon phase, which was enough to keep him at the top of the field. But a tough and technical cones course promised to be a game changer and it was. There was only one double clear in the FEI division, dropping Graburn and his equine partner Ulano, owned by Larry Denny, to third.
Lexington, KY – In 2012 the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will offer more than $20,000 in grant money to qualified students and high school equestrian clubs or teams across the nation through its High School Equestrian Athlete program.
To be eligible for a grant an applicant must be a current USEF High School Equestrian Athlete program participant and have successfully completed at least one year of the program. The applicant must also be a member of at least one USEF Recognized Breed/Discipline Affiliate or International Affiliate Association. (See below for a list of affiliate organizations). A subcommittee of the National Affiliate Working Group will select one applicant from each Recognized Breed/Discipline Affiliate or International Affiliate Association to receive a $1,000 grant to be used for academic or equestrian educational pursuits.
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Team Sterling Is 2nd Overall at Live Oak International
Funds Aid Combined Driver Sterling Graburn’s Quest for World Championship Gold
Lexington, KY – In 2012 the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will offer more than $20,000 in grant money to qualified students and high school equestrian clubs or teams across the nation through its High School Equestrian Athlete program.
