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World Dressage MastersWorld Dressage Masters Palm Beach Set to Begin 2011 WDM Palm Beach Champion shares the podium with Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven of Sweden and Tina Konyot of the US - photo credit Sue Stickle Wellington, FL (January 25, 2012) – The World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach will be officially under way at 12:30 pm on Thursday, January 26th, when 15 of the world’s top international dressage horses are presented at the FEI horse inspection. The Jim Brandon Equestrian Center is, for the second consecutive year, the venue for this unique and exciting event, which is organized by Wellington Classic Dressage. “The International Polo Club team has come into the Jim Brandon Center and created an environment that rivals that of any international equestrian venue anywhere in the world,” said Mason Phelps Jr. of Phelps Media Group. The World Dressage Masters presented by Axel Johnson Group is the world’s richest dressage series and the only series that holds the highest classification of FEI dressage competition, at the five star level. In the coming days, 17 of the world’s top ranked horses and riders from Europe and North America will compete for €100,000 ($130,000) at the only WDM event to take place outside of Europe. IPC Palm Beach became the presenting sponsor just a few weeks before the 2011 WDM Palm Beach after the previous sponsor cancelled its support. The 2011 WDM Palm Beach was a spectacular, sold out event, but the 2012 WDM is expected to exceed even last year’s success. Five Americans Headline World Dressage Masters Palm Beach
The U.S. effort is led by last year’s defending champion Steffen Peters (San Diego, CA) who returns to the venue in which he swept to victory last year on Akiko Yamazaki and Four Winds Farm Ravel. Ravel, now 14, first represented the U.S. at the 2008 Olympic Games, and has gone from strength to strength since that trip. Peters was also the double-Gold medalist in October at the 2011 Pan American Games with Weltino’s Magic. World Dressage Masters Palm Beach: List of Competitors and Schedule Tinne Vilhelmsson Silfven and Favourit, second place in the freestyle at WDM Palm Beach in 2011 Wellington, FL (January 19, 2012) – Excitement is mounting for the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach, which gets under way in just one week. The World Dressage Masters presented by Axel Johnson Group is the richest dressage series in the world; over half a million dollars in prize money was awarded at four WDM competitions in 2011. The WDM Palm Beach is the only WDM event outside of Europe, and the only five star CDI in North America. International Polo Club Palm Beach became the presenting sponsor for the WDM Palm Beach in 2011. An elite group of horses and riders, including several of the world’s top ten ranked pairs, will compete at the 2012 WDM Palm Beach. Six nations are represented by 14 riders who have now confirmed their participation. The 2011 WDM Palm Beach champions, Steffen Peters of the US and Akiko Yamazaki’s charismatic horse Ravel, will seek to defend their title against stiff rivals from Europe and North America. The number of Swedish competitors has now swelled to three, following the addition of Per Sandgaard and his horse Lomumba Havdal to the list of entries. Sandgaard represented his native Denmark at the 2004 Olympics in Athens before moving permanently to Sweden and changing his citizenship. European Champion Carl Hester to Compete at World Dressage Masters Palm Beach Carl Hester and Uthopia. Photo by Leslie Bliss Wellington, FL – January 13, 2012 – Organizers of the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach received confirmation on Thursday that Great Britain’s Carl Hester has accepted an invitation to compete at the 2012 WDM Palm Beach, which takes place from January 26th to 28th, 2012. Hester led the British Dressage Team to a historic gold medal at the 2011 European Dressage Championships, and went on to win individual silver riding the nine year old stallion Uthopia. Hester’s exclusive appearance at the WDM Palm Beach will be his first time competing on American soil since he was a member of the British Dressage Team that won a silver medal at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. “We are thrilled that Carl has accepted our invitation to attend the 2012 WDM Palm Beach,” says Noreen O’Sullivan of Wellington Classic Dressage. “We already have an impressive group of world class horses and riders, and the addition of Carl’s name to that list is exciting news for the WDM’s presenting sponsors, for the organizers, and of course for the spectators.” World Dressage Masters Palm Beach Announces Change to Line-Up Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro. Photo courtesy of British Dressage Wellington, FL – January 6, 2012 – Organizers of the World Dressage Masters presented by Axel Johnson Group have been informed that the stallion Totilas and his rider Matthias Rath of Germany will be unable to attend the WDM Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach, which is set to take place January 26th to 28th. “I received a call this morning from Paul Schockemöhle, one of the owners of Totilas,” said WDM Palm Beach organizer Noreen O’Sullivan of Wellington Classic Dressage. “I am very sorry to announce that Totilas will not be able to compete in this year’s World Dressage Masters Palm Beach. The owners feel the horse has just returned to light work after an injury and would not be ready for this event. We have already invited Totilas and Matthias to our 2013 WDM event. The owners and Matthias were very disappointed they would not be able to attend this year’s WDM Palm Beach but also said they look forward to accepting our invitation for next year if the horse is going well.” Susan Stickle to Be Official Photographer at World Dressage Masters Palm Beach Photos: Susan J. Stickle Photos Wellington, FL – December 23, 2011 – Award-winning equestrian photographer Susan Stickle will be the official photographer at the 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach, which will take place at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center on January 26th to 28th 2012. Stickle, who has photographed the world’s top horses and riders at such events as the Olympics, World Equestrian Games and World Cup Finals, was also the official photographer for the 2011 WDM Palm Beach. Her images have appeared in virtually every major equestrian publication in the English speaking world. “I’m very flattered to be back to the WDM again this year,” says Stickle. “Shooting the likes of Ravel and Totilas, and the many other top international horses that are coming to Florida to compete, is a great honor.” The 2012 WDM Palm Beach will feature a much-anticipated show-down between the defending 2011 WDM Palm Beach Champion, Steffen Peters of the US on Akiko Yamazaki’s Ravel, and the current world-record holding World Champion Totilas with his new rider, Germany’s Matthias Rath. In addition to Totilas and Ravel, a total of 20 of the world’s top horses from across North America and Europe will compete for the biggest purse in North American dressage, €100,000 (US $130,000). The highlight of the WDM Palm Beach will be the Grand Prix Freestyle on the evening of January 28th, where the top eight pairs from the Grand Prix test the previous day will perform their custom-choreographed musical programs. Totilas to Make Exclusive Appearance at World Dressage Masters Palm Beach Germany's Matthias Alexander Rath and Totilas will be competing at the 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach. Photo By: John Flannagan Wellington, FL – November 10, 2011 – Totilas, the reigning Dressage World Champion and current world record holder in the Grand Prix Freestyle, is coming to the 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach. His appearance at the prestigious WDM CDI5*’s only event in North America, at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center on January 26 to 29, 2012. This will be the ONLY public appearance of this legendary stallion during his visit to North America. The WDM Palm Beach CDI5* will run concurrently with the Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CDI3*/CPEI3*. The World Dressage Masters CDI5* presented by Axel Johnson Group is the world’s premier dressage series, with over half a million dollars in prize money, and each show boasts over 100,000 Euros in prize money. With his current rider, Germany’s Matthias Alexander Rath, Totilas won the CHIO Aachen 2011 in July; Totilas and Rath went on to help the German Team win a silver medal at the European Dressage Championships in August. The WDM Palm Beach will launch Rath’s and Totilas 2012 competition season, which is directed towards the London 2012 Olympics. Totilas is an 11 year old KWPN stallion co-owned by renowned German Olympic Show Jumper and breeder Paul Schockemöhle and German Olympic Dressage rider Ann-Katrin Linsenhof. International Polo Club Palm Beach to Bring World Dressage Masters Back to United States in 2012 Tinne Vilhelmsson Silfven, Steffen Peters, and Tina Konyot, victorious at last year's World Dressage Masters event in Palm Beach. Photo: Susan J. Stickle Wellington, FL – September 21, 2011 – As an exciting staple of the Wellington winter equestrian scene, International Polo Club Palm Beach will once again bring one of the world’s most elite dressage events to South Florida next year. The World Dressage Masters CDI5* Palm Beach will be sponsored by International Polo Club Palm Beach in 2012, bringing together two of the most thrilling horse sport presenters. Occurring January 26-29, 2012 at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, the World Dressage Masters event is sure to entertain spectators, challenge riders, and reflect the athletic spirit of its presenting sponsor, International Polo Club Palm Beach. As the founding force behind International Polo Club Palm Beach, John Goodman and family are pleased to be able to offer dressage enthusiasts a chance to glimpse the world’s best riders. “Last year was so successful, and proved to be a sold-out event,” said Goodman. “With more time to prepare this year, the competition for 2012 looks to be even better than ever.” As a CDI5* event, the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach involves the highest and most difficult levels of dressage tests for riders and their horses. Featuring a Grand Prix, a Grand Prix Special, and a Grand Prix Freestyle, this show brings a new challenge for each day of competition. The World Dressage Masters circuit also awards €100,000 in prize money per show to its winning riders, making this one of the world’s most lucrative dressage contests, as well as one of the most impressive. Noreen O’Sullivan, owner of Wellington Classic Dressage, which produces World Dressage Masters in Palm Beach, added, “The show last year was such a wonderful experience for everybody. We’re very excited to again be able to partner with International Polo Club Palm Beach and bring the top dressage riders in the world back to Wellington this winter.” West Palm Beach Hosts Most Successful Season Ever for International Dressage (L) Noreen O'Sullivan, Steffen Peters, Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven , Tina Konyot, John Goodman. Photo Credit: Lynndee Kemmet Thousands of horses and riders converged in West Palm Beach Florida from around the world to compete once again this winter, making this season the richest and most successful season ever for Dressage in Florida. The ever-popular Wellington Classic Dressage (WCD) and Gold Coast Dressage Association (GCDA) shows at the beautiful Palm Beach County Jim Brandon Equestrian Center were joined this year by International Horse Sport Palm Beach (IHS) shows at the Equestrian Estates Horse Park. Combined, these three Dressage organizations host more than 23 weeks of competitions year-round, including 6 International CDI competitions. The premiere event of the winter season was clearly the World Dressage Masters CDI5* Series Presented by Axel Johnson Group. The World Dressage Masters is one of the richest Dressage Series internationally, with only 4-6 shows hosted around the world, each boasting over 100,000 Euros in Prize Money (approximately $140,000). The WDM CDI5*Palm Beach Show was hosted March 9-12, 2011 by Wellington Classic Dressage, with International Polo Club as Presenting Sponsor. “We are honored to host this very prestigious show for 2011 and beyond, and to work with the WDM team and IPC to make this year’s event a resounding success,” stated John Flanagan, Managing Partner for Wellington Classic Dressage. What an honor too, that America’s top rider, Steffen Peters on Ravel, owned by Akiko Yamazaki, took home the top prize by winning the WDM Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 84.53%, followed by Sweden’s Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven on Favourit with 77.90%, and US Rider Tina Konyot and Calecto V with 76.65%. The 2012 WDM CDI5* Palm Beach is slated for January 26th-29th, 2012. Wellington Classic Dressage’s eleven-show series kicked off high season with the Wellington Classic Holiday Challenge in December and wrapped up the winter season with the Wellington Classic Challenge III on the 1st of May. The WCD series is held at the very popular Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, which boosts excellent footing and stabling, several competition rings, including a covered arena, riding trails and a Western Events area on over 111 acres. Gold Coast Dressage Association, the local GMO hosted their centerpiece show also at Jim Brandon, the GCDA Opener CDIW. International Horse Sport hosted Florida’s traditional favorite and longest-running CDI, the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDIW, as well as 4 other shows at the beautiful Horse Park at Equestrian Estates in nearby Loxahatchee, which this year underwent many upgrades and improvements. Dressage Radio Episode 95 – World Dressage Masters & Dressage Affaire
The World Dressage Masters in Palm Beach, Florida and Dressage Affaire in California are the focus this week with Guenter Seidel, Sara Leiser, and Mary Dressage Radio Episode 95 – Show Notes and Links:
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Lexington, KY – The dressage world descends upon the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach, FL for the 2012 World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach. Fifteen riders from six countries have accepted invitations to compete at the prestigious event which runs January 26-28 at the CDI5* level.
