FEI Single Driving World Championships Begin Today
GEORGETOWN, KY – SEPTEMBER 12, 2012 – It’s official! Kentucky-based combined driving National Champion Sterling Graburn and his equine partner Ulano will lead the team representing the United States at the 2012 FEI Singles Driving World Championships, which begin today in Lezirias, Portugal and run through September 16.
Graburn will begin his quest for the gold with the Dressage competition tomorrow morning. The Marathon phase will follow on Saturday and the three-day event will end with the Cones contest on Sunday.
Graburn, who is the head trainer at the Gayla Driving Center in Georgetown, KY, has had a banner year in 2012.
He won the USEF National Single Horse Championship in April with Ulano, the 11-year-old Dutch harness gelding owned by the Ohio-based Larry Denny. It was Graburn’s second National title having also won the championships in 2008. Earlier this year Graburn took 3rd place in the Little Everglades CDE and 2nd place at the Live Oak CDE.
He now hopes to be the first American – as well as the first Kentuckian – to earn a gold medal at the World competition.
“I’m incredibly honored for this opportunity,” said Graburn. “We’ve worked so hard and I’m just so proud to be a part of this wonderful team representing the U.S.”
Rounding out the American team are Donna Crookston and her own 16-year-old Morgan gelding RG Cowboys Black Cadillac and Leslie Berndl driving the 11-year-old KWPN gelding Uminco, owned by Fritz Grupe.
Leading up to the World Championships, Graburn has competed in the Netherlands, where he finished 3rd overall at the August 3 Beesd competition, and he has spent time training in the fields and forests around Dreieich, Hessen, Germany.
A nationally recognized handler of sport horses, Graburn has won championships at the prestigious Dressage at Devon, and Horse of the Year awards from both the USEF and the U.S. Dressage Federation, as well as from national breed organizations.
For additional information about Graburn or Ulano visit the website at www.teamsterlingdriving.com.
Media inquiries: Contact Cynthia Grisolia (347) 423-7322, cagrisolia@yahoo.com or TeamSterling at info@teamsterlingdriving.com.