Wellington, FL – February 9, 2011 – Noted and distinguished photographer Susan J. Stickle has been announced as the professional photographer for two exciting events that are coming to Wellington the week of March 10-13. The World Dressage Masters returns to Wellington March 9-11, 2011, for the third year on its international tour, with three different competitions for dressage enthusiasts and the public alike held at the Jim Brandon Center. The weekend events wrap up with the tenth annual Challenge of the Americas March 12, 2011, which includes a Grand Prix team dressage quadrille and musical freestyle competition. This year, the Challenge will also feature a four-on-four polo match featuring patron level players. The Challenge is held at International Polo Club Palm Beach and benefits the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Stickle, originally from Maplewood, New Jersey, has been shooting professionally since 1995, covering local, regional and National Dressage championships. She bought her first camera at age 17 with her very first paycheck after always having an interest in photography. She began riding western at age 20, and then moved to a dressage barn where she fell in love with the sport.
“At that time, there were no real professional photographers shooting the actual classes, only the awards,” noted Stickle. “We just shot each other and our friends, and never looked back.” Stickle started her business, Susan J. Stickle Photography, with longtime partner Jonna Koellhoffer and the two continue working together today. Susan rode dressage competitively with her chestnut Thoroughbred mare, Bonnie. The pair were high score champions at training level and went on to compete thru the lower levels. Her love of horses and her knowledge of dressage have given her a wonderfully keen eye that shows in her work.
Throughout her esteemed career, Stickle has photographed the majority of the top events in the world, including the 2008 Beijing Olympics where she shot all three of the different disciplines: Dressage, Eventing and Show Jumping.
Stickle continued, “Being a Dressage rider, I think that really helped me to develop my eye as to accurately shoot Dressage. It’s a real thrill for me to shoot movements accurately, and had I never ridden Dressage I think shooting it would have been a lot harder. I really enjoyed shooting the Olympics and all three of the different disciplines, as they are truly unique.”
Stickle has also shot at the 2007 and 2009 FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, NV, as well as the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY, where she shot reining, driving (for the first time), show jumping, eventing and dressage. She has been the official photographer for the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach for the past two years in Wellington, along with the Official Photographer for the Challenge of the Americas for the last several years.
Stickle is an award winning photographer who has had her work published in equestrian magazines such as Dressage Today, USA Equestrian, The Chronicle of the Horse, HorseSport and numerous other publications, as well as book covers. Her print of the World Trade Center Tribute in Lights hangs in the US Customs Department Headquarters in Washington DC.
Based now in Bradenton, Florida, Stickle is excited to shoot the 2011 World Dressage Masters and the 2011 Challenge of the Americas. “Both events are so incredible and I am excited to be a part of them. It will be a great weekend for the horses in Wellington. The events are both so wonderful and unique, and I am looking forward to shooting them both in the same weekend.”
To learn more about the Challenge of the Americas, please visit www.challengeoftheamericas.com or call Mary Ross at 561-852-2591.
To learn more about World Dressage Masters, please visit Information for table reservations and tickets for the WDM Palm Beach can be obtained by contacting Maria Feola at 561-282-5334 mfeola@internationalpoloclub.com or Julie Pickens at 561-282-5334
Media Contact: Mason Phelps
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
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