Del Mar, CA – March 13, 2012 – As the Del Mar Horse Park began to clear of flower boxes and white arena borders, Para-Equestrian Dressage riders prepared for a hands-on clinic with Mette Rosencrantz. Each rider was given 45 minutes with Mette allowing a large amount of time to work on short-term and long-term goals. During each session riders demonstrated specific parts of their tests that they performed during the 2012 Rancho Valencia Dressage Affaire CPEDI3*. With only three months until the 2012 London Paralympic Selection Trials Mette gave insight on what types of goals an athlete should start to focus on.
Clinic duos included: Holly Bergay and Rubino Bellissimo (owned by Violet Jen); Mary Jordan and the Knabbstrupper Stallion VPRH Pegasus vom Niehaus-Hof (owners Patrick and Diane Truxillo); Sydney Collier and VPRH Pegasus vom Niehaus-Hof; Laura Goldman and VPRH Pegasus vom Niehaus-Hof; Barbara Adside and 1999 Pan Am Gold Medal Winner, Jazzman (owned by Donna Richardson); Allyson Gagnon with her Fresian Stallion Kobi; and Iana Gonzalez and Kobi.
Del Mar, CA – March 10, 2012 – Day two of the 2012 Rancho Valencia Dressage Affaire CPEDI3* at the Del Mar Horse Park concluded with impressive results from the Para-Dressage competition. Multiple horse and rider combinations built upon yesterday’s scores earning top results under FEI ground jury Hanneke Gerritsen 5* (NED), Marco Orsini 4* (FRA), and Ulf Wilken 5*. Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games participant Laura Goldman (USA) topped Grade Ia with a 64.250% aboard the Knabbstrupper stallion, VPRH Pegasus vom Niehaus-HOF. Sydney Collier (USA) of Ann Arbor, Michigan shared the Knabbstrupper with Goldman and earned the top spot in the Grade II competition. In Grade III, Briana Beckworth (USA) rode Mette Rosencrantz’s Basquewille increasing Friday’s score to 63.056%. Lastly, Canadian Lynne Poole led the Grade IV competition with a 64.032% aboard Vasco E.
Earning the highest score on Friday of the Para-Equestrians was Laura Goldman aboard Patrick Truxillo’s Stallion VPRH Pegasus vom Niehaus-HOF. “Pegasus is such a great horse,” smiled Goldman. “Friday was the first day that I rode the Individual Championship Test aboard him and he was great. Pegasus maintained a smooth gate throughout the test, he was always responsive to my cues, and I really appreciated his perfect head carriage. I feel lucky to be able to ride this type of horse.”
Del Mar, CA – March 8, 2012 – Kicking off the 2012 Rancho Valencia Dressage Affaire Thursday morning were the Para-Equestrian Dressage Riders. Eleven horse and rider combinations entered the ring to showcase their Team Tests in front of FEI Ground Jury Hanneke Gerritsen 5* (NED), Marco Orsini 4* (FRA), and Ulf Wilken 5* (SWE). After traveling from Wellington, Florida in January, to Toronto, Canada, and then on to the Del Mar Horse Park, Canadian Lynne Poole’s efforts paid off in the Grade IV competition. United States Para-Equestrians Holly Bergay, Barbara Adside, Mary Jordan and Briana Beckworth each earned their qualifying scores for the 2012 USEF London Paralympic Selection Trials.
In 2010, Grade IV rider Holly Bergay of Castle Rock, CO qualified for the United States Para-Equestrian Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Unfortunately Holly and her horse, Grand Ballerina, would have to withdraw eventually leading to the horse’s future retirement. “It was heartbreaking,” noted Bergay, “After my horse was retired I wanted to take some time off. My situation lasted one month due to my appreciation and love for riding.”
Global Dressage Festival National Challenge Wrap-Up
Alix Szepesi and William. Photo: www.susanjstickle.com
Wellington, FL – March 8, 2012 – Alix Szepesi of Hamilton, MA took top honors on Tuesday, March 6, the first day of the Global Dressage Festival National Challenge. Szepesi, who is currently based in Wellington, rode William to an outstanding score 77.432% in the USEF First Level Test 2-Open at the Stadium show grounds of the Global Dressage Festival (GDF). Susanne Dutt-Roth of Canada also scored well earning 77.000% in the USEF Fourth Level Test 1-Open riding D2. The GDF National Challenge was only the second show for the eight-year-old warmblood.
The Global Dressage Festival also welcomed their first Para-Equestrian competitor, Jody Schloss, 39, of Toronto, Canada. Schloss scored impressively in both of her classes on Tuesday riding Inspector Rebus. The pair received 74.118% in the FEI Para Test of Choice and 75.500% in the FEI Para Freestyle Test of Choice.
Wellington, FL – March 7, 2012 – Jody Schloss, 39, of Toronto, Canada had another banner day at the Global Dressage Festival National Challenge on Wednesday. The Para-Equestrian rider received the highest score on Inspector Rebus receiving 72.500% in the FEI Para Test of Choice class at the Stadium show grounds of the Global Dressage Festival (GDF).
Schloss rode her first horse at 11 years of age. She left the sport for a while, but then returned to riding as part of her therapy following her injury in 1996. She has only been competing on “Rebus” for one year and is classified to ride in the Grade 1A level, which is for the Para-Dressage rider with the most significant level of impairment. She trains with Jessica Rhinelander while wintering in Wellington. Schloss’ mom, Gail, who was on hand to watch her daughter compete, said that Jody really enjoyed the show.
Denmark’s Stinna Kaastrup, pictured here preparing for the Freestyle Grade Ib competition at the FEI European Para-Equestrian Dressage Championships 2011, which she went on to win aged just 17. Photo: Liz Gregg.
Lausanne (SUI), 10 February 2012 – The London 2012 Paralympic Games look set to take Paralympic Equestrian into the history books for many reasons, as we get one step closer on the eve of the 200-day countdown (11 February).
Sales of Paralympic Equestrian tickets for London 2012 have already broken records.
More than 40,000 tickets were sold before Christmas last year, dramatically overtaking the previous record of 33,000 for the 2008 Paralympic Equestrian events held in Hong Kong.
Mexico will also be making its Paralympic Equestrian début on 30 August – 4 September in Greenwich Park represented by a team of four riders, and Ireland will be competing for the very first time as a Paralympic Equestrian Team.
Steffen Peters and Ravel during the awards ceremony following the 2012 World Dressage Masters Exquis Grand Prix Freestyle, which they won with a score of 83.70%. (Photo courtesy of Susan J Stickle)
Wellington, FL (February 7, 2012) – Thanks to the efforts of the show management team from the Gold Coast Dressage Association and the Wellington Dressage Classic Association, the 2012 Dressage season kicked off with three amazing CDI events in January and 2 Paralympic Qualifiers. With world-class dressage riders providing an air of European competition, the Gold Coast Dressage Association’s Opener CDI W/CDEDI3* January 19-22, 2012, the Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CDI3*/CPEDI3* January 25-29, 2012 and the 2012 Palm Beach leg of the prestigious World Dressage Masters presented by the Axel Johnson Group set the tone for a fantastic Wellington dressage season.
Wellington Classic Dressage once again hosted the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach with International Polo Club as Presenting Sponsor. The Masters proved to be a record setting event for the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, with dressage star Steffen Peters setting the dressage ring on fire with record breaking scores, while the number of spectators also proved to be at an all-time high. “This year’s Masters was one for the record books,” said John Flanagan of Wellington Classic Dressage, Gold Coast Dressage, International Horse Sport, and one of the organizers of the WDM Palm Beach. “The competition was amazing and a record number of people were able to watch this event live, which is a great testament to the strength of our sport in South Florida and the United States.”
Chef d'Equipe Missy Ransehousen, Dale Dedrick, MD, Rebecca Hart, Mary Jordan, Jonathan Wentz, and coach Kai Handt, USA Team that earned the needed first place over Canada in Wellington, Florida January 2012 (Lindsay McCall)
Lexington, KY – Coming off of a strong performance at the recent Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CPEDI3* Team Qualifier for the Paralympics in Wellington, FL USA’s Para-Dressage team has earned a spot at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. “It’s very exciting,” says Chef d’Equipe Missy Ransehousen “I was very pleased with not only the team but with the individuals. They are a good group of people, working hard, and going forward with a good plan in mind.”
Team USA bounced back from a 2nd place finish at the Gold Coast Opener CPEDI3* and earned an important victory over Canada in the Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge.
Though they are excited to be London bound the USA Para-Equestrians won’t be taking time off before the games begin. There are two more CPEDI3* events on the schedule, one in Katy, Texas and one San Diego, California, and the Paralympic selection trials in June.
Team USA earned their qualification by virtue of a Second place finish on the FEI Para-Equestrian team rankings list.
Lausanne (SUI), 1 February 2011 – Para-Dressage riders from 23 nations have qualified to take part in the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The qualification process, which began in October 2010, finished yesterday, 31 January 2012.
As the top three ranked teams at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010, Great Britain, Germany and Denmark will each be represented by a team of four plus one individual rider. Canada, the top ranked nation on the Para-Equestrian Team ranking list for countries not otherwise qualified, will also receive five qualification slots.
Eleven nations, which qualified through the Para-Equestrian Team ranking list and regional distribution of teams, will be entering teams of four riders. The 11 nations are USA, Netherlands, Brazil, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, South Africa, Mexico, Singapore, Australia and France.
Wellington, FL – January 29, 2012 – Over two weeks, Para-Equestrian Dressage riders competed in front of F.E.I. judges Katherine Lucheschi (ITA), Hanneke Gerritsen (NED), and Carlos Lopes (POR), and Marc Urban (BEL) at two CPEDI3* events . This was the first time that Noreen O’Sullivan and her staff graciously hosted two consecutive CPEDI3* competitions (Gold Coast Dressage Opener and Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge) at the beautiful Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. For Para-Equestrian Dressage teams this was the last opportunity to raise the F.E.I. world rankings in hopes of being qualified for the 2012 London Paralympics. For individuals this was a chance to gain input from F.E.I. judges, increase World Para-Equestrian rankings for London, and earn a qualifying score for the 2012 Paralympic Selection Trials. As the evening came to a close on Sunday, 28 horse and rider combinations put forward their best competition freestyles. Participation was far reaching including riders from United States, Canada, Ireland, Bermuda, Mexico, Finland, and Japan.
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Lausanne (SUI), 1 February 2011 – Para-Dressage riders from 23 nations have qualified to take part in the London 2012 Paralympic Games. The qualification process, which began in October 2010, finished yesterday, 31 January 2012.
