Misdee Wrigley-Miller at the 2012 Live Oak International (Picsofyou.com)
Ocala, FL – A small but mighty field lines up to contest the 2013 USEF National Pairs Championship at the Live Oak International March 21-24. Competition gets underway Thursday with the driven dressage and continues Saturday as competitors navigate the exciting marathon. On Sunday, drivers return to the John Deere Arena for the final cones phase.
Misdee Wrigley-Miller (Lakewood Ranch, FL) will be eyeing her first USEF National Pairs Championship, having claimed Reserve Championship honors in 2012. Wrigley-Miller is no stranger to top driving competition after representing the United States at the 2011 FEI World Pair Driving Championship in Conty, France. Also an active Saddlebred competitor, Wrigley-Miller has already enjoyed success in the 2013 season with wins at the Sunshine State and Little Everglades CDEs.
Lisa Singer (Chadds Ford, PA) is among the most experienced pairs drivers in the United States and will be looking to display her expertise at Live Oak. An eight-time National Champion in this division, Singer was the first female driver to win the Pairs National Title in 1994. She also represented the U.S. seven times in World Championship competition.
Rounding out the pairs field are Scott Dancer and Steve Wilson. Dancer (Woodside, CA) is very familiar with international competition having served as navigator for his wife, Kathi, at numerous competitions including the 2011 FEI World Pair Driving Championships. Most recently, he picked up a third-place finish at Little Everglades. Wilson (Louisville, KY) is an active competitor as well as being an organizer of the Hermitage Classic CDE. In January he was fifth at Sunshine State.
In addition to National Championship competition, Live Oak International will also host Four-in-Hand, Pairs, Singles, and Pony driving competition at both the FEI and Intermediate levels. For a second year, it will host world class jumping competition in conjunction with the driving. The USEFNetwork.com presented by Smartpak will host wall-to-wall coverage of the marathon on Saturday and Sunday’s cones, in addition to Saturday’s $50,000 Live Oak International CSI 2* Grand Prix and the $33,000 CSI 2* Hollow Creek Farm Winning Round on Sunday. The live stream, video-on-demand, photos and news can be found here.
Rodrigo Pessoa competed in the inaugural CSI2* Live Oak International. Photos by www.PicsOfYou.com.
Show Jumping and Driving Coverage on USEF Network
Ocala, Florida – Live Oak International, the only equestrian event in North America to feature both world-class driving and show jumping, takes place from March 20 to 24 at Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, FL. For the first time, live coverage of Saturday and Sunday’s events from the Live Oak International will be available for viewing on the USEF Network, www.usefnetwork.com.
A total of 14 nations will be represented in the show jumping competition, including 2004 Olympic Champion Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil, and 1996 Olympic team silver medalists Leslie Howard of the United States. Newly crowned 2012 Olympic team gold medalist Ben Maher of Great Britain will also be in attendance, as will Andres Rodriguez of Venezuela, a winner at last year’s Live Oak International.
Featured show jumping events include Friday’s $5,000 1.30m Waldron Wealth Management Power &Speed competition at 2 p.m. and the $10,000 E2 Show Jumpers Welcome Stake at 4 p.m., Saturday’s $50,000 CSI2* Live Oak International Grand Prix at 2 p.m., and Sunday’s $33,000 CSI2* Hollow Creek Farm Winning Round at 2:30 p.m. As an added incentive for competitors, G&C Farm will offer a $10,000 Leading Rider bonus while Jerry Parks Insurance Group will reward the Leading Junior Rider and the Leading Amateur Rider.
Two-time Olympic course designer Leopoldo Palacios will be setting the tracks in the John Deere Arena, one of the few grass show jumping venues in the United States, while Damian Guthrie will manage the show jumping competition with assistance from Spruce Meadows personnel.
Chester Weber won the FEI Four-in-Hand division at the 2012 Live Oak International
While show jumping is being offered for the second year, Live Oak International has hosted international driving competition for more than 20 years. This year, it will offer the highest amount of prize money of any driving event in North America in addition to hosting the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Championship for Pairs. Sanctioned as a CAI-B driving event by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and offering single, pair and four-in-hand divisions for horses and ponies, Live Oak International attracts the top driving competitors from across North America. In the four-in-hand division, four entries will vie for top honors, including last year’s winner Chester C. Weber, who is also the Co-President of the Live Oak International.
“We are overwhelmed by the amount of support that this year’s event has received from both the show jumping and driving communities,” said Weber, a two-time World Championship individual silver medalist. “We are in a unique position of having more entries in both disciplines than we can accommodate. With the best athletes in the sport and the addition of live coverage on the USEF Network, those watching in person and from afar will be treated to world-class competition at this year’s Live Oak International.”
Driving will be held in three phases, beginning with Dressage on Thursday and Friday morning, Saturday’s Driving Marathon phase is especially thrilling as carriages negotiate complex obstacles, each individually sponsored. Sunday’s driving events feature the all-deciding cones competition. In 2012, over 5,000 spectators turned out to enjoy Saturday’s Driving Marathon competition followed by the $50,000 CSI2* Grand Prix for show jumping.
Held at Live Oak Plantation, the private 4,000-acre farm of the Weber family, the Live Oak International is produced by nine-time winner of the USEF Four In Hand Driving Championship Chester C. Weber of Ocala, FL, and his sister, Juliet W. Reid, who led the Washington International Horse Show as President of the Board for the past four years. Offering unparalleled hospitality, competitors will enjoy the fun and excitement of Saturday night’s Denim & Lugano Diamonds Exhibitor’s Party.
Given the recent concerns over the spread of EHV-1 in the state of Florida, Live Oak International is working diligently with the organizing committees of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, and the Stadium Jumping competitions in Tampa, FL, to establish protocols and enact biosecurity measures to ensure a seamless transfer of horses between the three venues. Live Oak International also acts as a qualifying event for the $200,000 Gene Mische American Invitational presented by G&C Farm in Tampa, FL, on April 6.
In addition to the competition, spectators can enjoy the Classic Car Show, sponsored by Palm Chevrolet & Kia, as well as a vendor village and the Signature Brands Kids Zone featuring pony rides and a bounce house. Admission is $10 per person, $5 for children under 12, with proceeds benefiting the Marion County Therapeutic Riding Association.
Live Oak International wishes to recognize its generous sponsors for their support, including 14 Hands Vineyards, ABBA, Adequan, American Invitational, Michael Ayers, BB&T Chazel Insurance, Beloved Farm, Ned Bliss, Brandywine Tent, Camping World, Cannon Carriages, Cape Code Finished Wood Siding, Charles Owen, Cheney Brothers, Jane Forbes Clark, The Clothes Horse, Coast to Coast Truck & Trailer, Connollys Nursery, Dever, Don Stewart Stables, Dutta Corp, E2 Show Jumpers, Equine Journal, Fidelity Investments, Dr. Rae and Nancy Fischer, Florida Express, Freund, G&C Farm, Gloria Austin, Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club, Grand Oaks Resort & Carriage Museum, Great American Insurance Group, Hermitage International Training Center, Hillcroft Farm, Hilton, Hollow Creek Farm, Wayne Humphreys, Insight Credit Union, Iron Spring Farm, Jerry Parks Insurance Group, Joan Pletcher Realtor, John Deere, Johnson Horse Transportation, Pixie Keating, Kentucky Classic, Kentucky Equine Research, Mary Mott-Kocsis, John Levy, Louisburg Farm, Lugano Diamonds, Marion County Visitor and Convention Bureau, Mark’s Steak House, Mid State Electric, MorganStanley, Ocala Star-Banner, Palm Chevrolet & Kia, Party Time Rentals, Pine Flakes, PlaneSense, Peterson & Smith, RBC, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, The Sanctuary, Seminole Wellness, Shepherd Kaplan LLC, Signature Brands ,Sleepy P Farm, SmartPak, Christine Smith-Byerly, Stella Artois, Stonecliff Farm, Tequestrian, Trout Walk Farm, Waldron Wealth Management, Harley Waller, Waterside Environmental Care, Woodside Stables, WR Ranch and Dave and Boots Wright.
For more information on the Live Oak International, including VIP Hospitality seating and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.liveoakinternational.com.
Contact: Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439 www.startinggate.ca
Lexington, KY – From March 21-24, USEF Network will be producing and broadcasting from the Live Oak International CAI/CSI Combined Driving and Jumping event in Ocala, FL. Jumping and driving from Live Oak will be streamed live, online, on the event’s USEFnetwork.com coverage page. The Marathon and Cones phases of the driving competition will be streamed live, as well as the $50,000 Live Oak International CSI2* Grand Prix on Saturday and the $33,000 CSI2* Hollow Creek Farm Winning Round on Sunday. Other phases and classes of competition will be made available as on-demand video.
Live Oak International is well established as one of the most important driving events in the U.S. Last year the event broadened its reach by adding FEI show jumping classes.
You’ll be able to follow USEF Network coverage of Live Oak International on Twitter via the hash tag #LiveOak2013.
Where & When to Watch
Saturday March 23th:
9:00am ET – Driving Marathon
2:00pm ET – $50,000 Live Oak International CSI2* Grand Prix
Sunday, March 24th:
9:00am ET – Gloria Austin Driving Obstacle Competition
2:30pm ET – $33,000 CSI2* Hollow Creek Farm Winning Round
March 6, 2013 – Ocala, Florida – Due to recent concerns over the spread of EHV-1 in Florida, the Live Oak International organizing committee is enacting biosecurity measures to ensure the safety of all horses participating in the event, which runs from March 20 to 24 at Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, FL.
“The Live Oak team has been working diligently with our FEI veterinary commission, treating vets, jury members, and our fellow competition organizers to create a comprehensive biosecurity plan to ensure the welfare of every horse entered in our tournament,” said Chester C. Weber, Co-President of Live Oak International. “My family has been in the horse business for decades, crossing over many disciplines, and the values of horsemanship run in our blood. It is a great pleasure for our family to welcome our fellow horsemen to the Live Oak International, and we want to do everything we can to maintain everyone’s safety.”
The following health requirements are mandatory for all horses entering the Live Oak International show grounds:
A State Health Certificate must be provided within 48 hours of arrival
A veterinarian will examine all horses upon arrival
There will be designated arrival times, which will be announced prior to the event
Documentation of Influenza vaccinations no less than 7 days or more than 6 months from arrival date
Documentation of Equine Herpes (Rhino) vaccinations no less than 7 days or more than 90 days from date of arrival
Competitors will be required to take their horse’s temperatures twice daily and record them with the stable manager
No ship-ins will be permitted
Animals not meeting these requirements will not be allowed to enter the premises.
In addition to the biosecurity protocols for competitors, Live Oak International organizers will be pressure washing and disinfecting all stalls prior to the start of competition to further ensure the safety of all animals on the property.
“We have unfortunately had a history of outbreaks of EHV-1 in this country over the past number of years and it is becoming increasingly important that all horse owners take the necessary precautions to protect their animals,” explained Dr. Steve Soule, one of two official International Equestrian Federation (FEI) veterinary delegates for Live Oak International. “The neurological strain of this virus can be life-threatening and has a relatively high contagion rate. Everyone should be proactive in checking temperatures, vaccinating horses, and performing these health examinations prior to transport.”
The Florida Department of Agriculture has confirmed that at least six horses have tested positive for EHV-1 since February. All of the infected animals were stabled at the HITS Ocala show grounds, where the initial case was detected. As a result, the entire facility at HITS has been quarantined. Several farms in the Ocala area are also currently under mandatory quarantine, while numerous others have implemented their own increased biosecurity protocols.
Competitors attending the Live Oak International are being urged to take all necessary precautions to prevent the further spread of EHV-1.
“We continue to work very closely with our veterinary team to implement the necessary biosecurity measures for horses and ponies arriving onto the Live Oak grounds,” said Live Oak International show manager Damien Guthrie. “These new health requirements, along with any updates, can be found on our website, Facebook or by contacting the show office. I have every confidence that the Live Oak International event will be safe for our horses and ponies competing, and we look forward to a successful competition.”
Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil competed in the inaugural CSI2* Live Oak International. Photo by PicsOfYou.com
Wellington, Florida – In its inaugural year, CSI2* Live Oak International in Ocala, FL, was ranked one of the top three ‘Specialty Events’ in North America by the North American Riders Group (NARG). The second annual CSI2* Live Oak International for show jumping takes place from March 20 to 24, 2013, running concurrently with the long-standing CAI-B driving event.
While the NARG’s annual ‘Top 25’ list has become a means of recognizing the top show jumping competitions in North America, this year, a new category for specialty events was introduced. Designed to recognize stand-alone events, usually held for a shorter period and focusing on top level competition, the ‘Specialty Event’ category was created to give special recognition to those quality events that run outside of the typical horse show formula.
Despite having only been held once, Live Oak International was ranked third on the ‘Specialty Event’ list behind the New Albany Classic and Family Day in New Albany, OH, and the American Invitational in Tampa, FL, which is now in its 40th year.
Rodrigo Pessoa competing in the inaugural Live Oak International show jumping tournament. Photos - www.PicsOfYou.com
January 14, 2013 – Ocala, Florida – Live Oak International, the only equestrian event in North America to feature both world-class driving and show jumping, returns to Ocala, FL, from March 20 to 24, 2013.
For more than 20 years, Live Oak International has been known for its international driving competition. This year, it will offer the highest amount of prize money of any driving event in North America.
While driving has a long history at the Live Oak International, each year improvements are made for the benefit of competitors and spectators alike. Held in three phases, beginning with Dressage on Thursday and Friday morning, Saturday’s Driving Marathon phase is especially thrilling as carriages negotiate complex obstacles, each individually sponsored. Last year, over 5,000 spectators enjoyed Saturday’s Driving Marathon competition, followed by the $50,000 CSI2* Grand Prix for show jumping.
Chester Weber, shown here in the cones phase, won the United States Four-in-Hand National Championship at Live Oak International’s 20th Anniversary, making him the only United States Combined Driver to have won the title nine times during his career. (Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber)
Ocala, FL (April 2, 2012) – Chester Weber’s goal at the 2012 Live Oak International, the premier Combined Driving event in North America, was to bring home the USEF National Four-In-Hand Championship trophy. As one of our country’s most driven and decorated competitors, Weber not only accomplished his goal but did what he likes to do best — set another record! Weber’s win puts him in uncharted territory as the only United States Combined Driver to have won the USEF Four-In-Hand Championship nine times during his career.
Heading into Live Oak, Weber faced the challenge of once again claiming the coveted four-in-hand championship. Weber held the title for eight years in a row, but during last year’s USEF Championship he placed second and handed the trophy off to another driver. Armed with a team of horses he co-owns with Jane Forbes Clark, Weber captured the Live Oak victory in style – right down to the customary kissing of the winning trophy. “I am thrilled to have the trophy back home where it belongs, where it lived for eight years,” Weber said. “The best moment of the competition was kissing the trophy!”
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.
Team Sterling Is 2nd Overall at Live Oak International
