Tag Archives: Pan American Games

Dressage, Jennifer Ward, Pan American Games

Canadian Dressage Team Lying Second in Pan Am Games Competition

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Chris von Martels riding Zilverstar. Photo © Cealy Tetley – www.tetleyphoto.com.

Caledon, Ontario – The Canadian Dressage Team comprised of Brittany Fraser of New Glasgow, NS, Megan Lane of Collingwood, ON, Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, and Chris von Martels of Ridgetown, ON is currently sitting in second position following the first of two days of team competition at the TORONTO 2015 Pan American Games. Dressage competition is taking place July 11, 12, and 14 at the OLG Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Caledon, ON.

The USA currently sits in first place with a score of 230.504 points, followed closely by Canada in second position with 226.071 points. With 206.703 points, Mexico has edged ahead of Brazil, who scored 206.500 for fourth position. A total of ten countries are competing, with the best three scores from each team counting towards the team total.

In his major games debut, von Martels, 32, was the first rider into the arena for Canada. Riding Zilverstar, an 11-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood gelding sired by Rosseau, von Martels displayed a clean and expressive test to earn a score of 75.026% from the five-member judging panel.

“I’m ecstatic,” said von Martels following his performance. “I’m really, really happy. It could not have been better, especially for the first day of competition. We had our goal and our strategy to go in and ride a really clean test, and that’s exactly what we did.”

Of his mount, von Martels said, “His overall focus was fantastic. It’s a big atmosphere in there, very energetic and very uplifting. He is a real show horse, and he rises to the occasion. He was certainly in that form today. The crowd is extremely supportive, and that is, without a doubt, a big help.”

Fraser, 26, was next in for Canada riding All In, a ten-year-old liver chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding (Tango x Damiro) owned by the athlete and Marc-Andre Beaulieu. Fraser held nothing back, producing a powerful test highlighted by incredible trot work, to put her name at the top of the leaderboard with a score of 76.105%. By day’s end, the Nova Scotia native was in second place in the individual rankings.

Brittany Fraser is currently ranked second individually with All In.
Brittany Fraser is currently ranked second individually with All In.

“My horse was amazing!” said Fraser, who, like von Martels, is also making her major games debut. In praise of All In, Fraser continued, “He’s never experienced a crowd or atmosphere like that. He’s ten years old. He doesn’t have that much experience in an atmosphere like this. He’s the horse of a lifetime.”

While von Martels and Fraser rode the Prix St. Georges test, Lane and Trussell both contested the Grand Prix, which meant that a ‘bonus’ of 1.5 points was added to the team total for each athlete. Only teams comprised of Grand Prix competitors are eligible for 2016 Rio Olympic qualification, putting Argentina, Canada, Mexico and the USA in the running for the one and only Olympic qualifying spot available at the Pan American Games. As the host nation, Brazil is pre-qualified.

In the Grand Prix, Lane, 24, rode Caravella, a 14-year-old bay Dutch Warmblood mare (Contango x Riverman) owned by the athlete and her mother, Cathy Lane. The pair produced a precise test to earn a score of 70.900%.

“I was really happy with my performance and with my horse,” said Lane of the mount she also rode at last year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France. “It is unbelievable to have my own horse, my junior horse, come all this way. We’ve essentially grown up together. I’m at a loss for words!”

Lane is based at Deer Ridge Equestrian in Loretto, ON, which is a ten minute drive from the OLG Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park. Deer Ridge Equestrian also acted as the host for the Canadian Dressage Team Pan Am training camp.

“If I didn’t know I was in Palgrave, I wouldn’t believe it,” said Lane. “The work that they have put in here is mind-blowing! It’s really fantastic, a great venue to ride at, and the horses seem really happy here. That makes for a beautiful Pan Am experience. I’m thrilled to be here.”

Riding in the anchor position was Canadian Olympian Belinda Trussell, who is also a three-time World Equestrian Games competitor. Her international experience paid off, earning a score of 73.440% riding Anton, a 15-year-old dark bay Sachsen-Anhaltiner gelding (Antaeus x Melit) owned by Robyn Eames and Marc Trussell.

When Trussell’s score was posted, it became apparent that the race for team gold is far from over.

“We came here to leave a mark and we did that,” said Trussell, who is competing in her first Pan American Games. “We came for gold and we’re still going to strive for it. Tomorrow is another day out there. I know it’s going to be hard, but one of our goals today was to achieve personal bests and a lot of us did that. I am so proud of my team!”

Team competition continues on Sunday, July 12, with both team medals and the all-important Olympic qualification hanging in the balance. Fraser and von Martels will perform the Intermediaire I test, while Lane and Trussell will contest the Grand Prix Special.

On Tuesday, July 14, individual medals will be decided by the popular freestyle to music competition. Currently, Steffen Peters of the United States leads the way with a score of 77.240% earned riding Legolas 92 with Canada’s own Fraser hot on his heels with 76.105%. American Kimberly Herslow sits third with a score of 75.184% riding Rosmarin.

Laura Graves of the United States is fourth with Verdades on 75.080% while von Martels is currently ranked fifth, followed by Trussell in sixth. Lane currently holds the eighth position, putting all four Canadian Dressage Team members in the top eight individually.

For more information on equestrian events at the Pan American Games, please visit www.toronto2015.org.

Contact: Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439
www.startinggate.ca

Dressage, Pan American Games, USEF

US Pan American Dressage Team Has Sights Set On Olympic Qualification

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Laura Graves and Verdades (StockImageServices.com)

Caledon, Ont. – The 2015 Pan American Games equestrian competition will begin tomorrow with dressage. New for the 2015 Pan American Games, dressage teams may be comprised of both Small Tour and Big Tour combinations. The following nations have entered at least one Grand Prix combination in team competition and are thus eligible to compete for 2016 Olympic qualification: Argentina, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The remaining six teams have entered Small Tour combinations only, but are still eligible to compete for team medals. Competition gets underway tomorrow at the Caledon Equestrian Park with the first day of team competition. Small Tour combinations will contest the FEI Prix St. Georges test, while Big Tour competitors will perform the FEI Grand Prix test. All United States horses passed inspection yesterday. There were two draws, one for each tour, and the U.S. has drawn fifth in the order for the Small Tour and fourth in the order for the Big Tour. The U.S. will ride in the following order with Small Tour combinations competing first, followed by Big Tour:

  1. Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo (11:34 a.m. ET)
  2. Kimberly Herslow and Rosmarin (2:39 p.m. ET)
  3. Laura Graves and Verdades (4:27 p.m. ET)
  4. Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 (5:12 p.m. ET)

The stakes are high as the team of Laura Graves, Steffen Peters, Kimberly Herslow, and Sabine Schut-Kery aim to qualify the U.S. for the 2016 Olympic Games. Direct qualification will be secured by earning the Pan American Games Team Gold medal.

“All our U.S. combinations had a wonderful warm-up in the main arena today and I feel extremely confident in their ability to excel in each phase of competition,” said U.S. Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor Robert Dover. “We are focused on achieving Olympic qualification and realistically this means we need to win Team Gold. We are ready for this challenge.”

Graves, of Plymouth, Fla., will ride down center line on her own Verdades, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding. Graves and Verdades made their international debut last year and were on the U.S. Team at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, where they earned fifth place in the Grand Prix Freestyle and helped the U.S. Team to a fourth-place finish. In 2015, Graves and Verdades had another spectacular finish on the world stage, taking fourth place individually at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final in Las Vegas.

Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 (StockImageServices.com)
Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 (StockImageServices.com)

Peters, of San Diego, Calif., will partner with Four Winds Farm’s 13-year-old Westphalian gelding Legolas 92. Peters is one of the most successful dressage athletes ever to represent the U.S., having participated in three Olympic Games, three FEI World Equestrian Games, and four FEI World Cup Dressage Finals. At the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, Peters rode Weltino’s Magic to Team and Individual Gold medals. Upon the retirement of his famed mount Ravel, Peters has continued his winning ways with Legolas 92. In 2014, the pair clinched their third consecutive The Dutta Corp./USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship title. In 2015, they performed beautifully at the Aachen CDI5* Grand Prix to finish in third place.

Herslow, of Stockton, N.J., will ride Kiroli Enterprises LLC’s Rosmarin, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Competing in the Small Tour classes, the duo began the 2015 season in top form as they helped the U.S. Team to victory in the Stillpoint Farm FEI Nations Cup in Wellington, Fla. Competing in Europe for the first time this summer, Herslow piloted Rosmarin to wins in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I at CDI4* Achleiten and CDI1* München-Riem.

Also successful in Small Tour classes and competing as a member of the U.S. Pan American Dressage Team is Schut-Kery, of Thousand Oaks, Calif. Schut-Kery will pilot Alice Womble’s Sanceo, a nine-year-old Hanoverian stallion. Schut-Kery has competed Sanceo since his five-year-old year, forging a long and successful partnership. This year, the pair has had tremendous success on both U.S. coasts with wins in California and Florida. Extending their efforts to Europe, they were third in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I at CDI4* Achleiten and second and third, respectively, in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I at CDI1* München-Riem.

Poised and focused, the U.S. Pan American Dressage Team will be a formidable competitor at the 2015 Pan American Games.

Pan American Games Order of Go and Results

Behind the Scenes with the U.S. Teams: USEF Sport Director Will Connell’s Blog

From the USEF Communications Department

Competitions, Pan American Games, Show Jumping

Minikus Commands Canadian Podiums at Spruce Meadows as Pan Am Games Approach

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Todd Minikus was third with Two Swan Farm’s Babalou 41 in the $400,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup on July 4th at Spruce Meadows. (Photo courtesy of Spruce Meadows Media)

Calgary, AB, Canada (July 7, 2015) – 2015 U.S. Pan American Games Show Jumping Team Traveling Reserve Todd Minikus continues to occupy the leader board before the 2015 Games in Toronto, delivering two trips to Spruce Meadows podiums this past week. At Spruce Meadows’ ‘North American’ CSI 5*, Minikus took home reserve in the $85,000 Enbridge Cup 1.50m on July 5th with Quality Group’s Quality Girl, and third with Two Swan Farm’s Babalou 41 in the $400,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Less than a week before, the 2007 U.S. Pan American Games Team Gold Medalist had the victory lap against a field of 77, riding Plum Creek Hollow Farm’s Con Capilot to first-place in the $34,000 WestJet Cup of the ‘Canada One’ Tournament FEI series at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

In the $85,000 Enbridge Cup, Minikus and twelve-year-old Oldenburg (Quidams Ruben x Dobrock) mare Quality Girl kept the heat on fellow American rider and two-time Olympic Gold medalist, McClain Ward, on HH Carlos Z, staying within less than a second of Ward’s 40.50-second winning effort and delivering the second-fastest (41.26 seconds) clean ride over Santiago Verala’s 1.50m course.

Minikus also faced two-time U.S. Olympic Gold medalist and three-time Queen’s Cup champion Beezie Madden on July 4 in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Minikus finished third on ten-year-old Oldenburg mare Babalou 41, after Madden retired Cortes C and ceded to the 39.52-second effort by Ward and HH Azur in the jump-off.

Minikus was thrilled with Babalou 41 and her performance, saying “I have been riding her since she came to the states as an extremely green five/six-year-old in the schooling jumpers and on, so it is very rewarding for me to get to this stage with her. I am very proud of her and very thankful to Two Swans Farm for their support.”

The Florida-based rider, with over 75 grand prix titles, has been amply successful in acclimating his Pan American Games Traveling Reserve partner, Babalou 41, to Canadian show soil leading up to Toronto. Earlier in June at Spruce Meadows, the pair were second in the $210,000 CP Grand Prix during the ‘Continental’ CSI 5* Tournament, and fourth in the $34,000 Duncan Ross Cup. The pair had a spectacular start to their season in March at Wellington, Florida, with double clears to anchor a U.S. squad to victory in the $100,000 Nations Cup and first-place in the $150,000 Winter Equestrian Festival 8 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix.

When not proving his and his horses’ talent in the show ring, Todd Minikus offers sales and training services just minutes from Wellington, Florida’s Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) show grounds. Follow Team Minikus on Facebook or click www.toddminikus.com to ensure you don’t miss a minute of Minikus or the news that keeps the world jumping.

Contact: Amanda Minikus
toddminikus@yahoo.com
562-762-3762
www.toddminikus.com

Dressage, FEI, Pan American Games

Dressage Gets Equestrian Events Underway at 2015 Pan-Americans

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American riders claimed team gold and all the individual medals in Dressage at the 2011 Pan-American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Pictured at the individual medal prize-giving (L to R) Heather Blitz (silver), Steffen Peters (gold) and Marisa Festerling (bronze). (FEI/Stockimageservices.com)

Lausanne (SUI), 6 July 2015 – With definite entries now confirmed, a total of 44 horse-and-rider combinations from 16 nations will line out in Dressage when the equestrian action gets underway at the Pan-American Games 2015 in OLG Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Toronto, Canada next Saturday, 11 July.

The Pan-American Games are the world’s largest multi-sport event apart from the summer Olympic Games, and take place on a four-year cycle leading up to each summer Olympics. The Pan-Ams provide Olympic qualification opportunities for athletes in FEI geographical regions D and E – North America and Central/South America.

Approximately 6,135 athletes from 41 nations will compete in 36 sports at this 17th edition of the event which runs from 10 to 26 July. And a record 45% of competitors are expected to be female, the most ever for any multi-sport event. The Games will also be the largest multi-sport event ever held in Canada, with double the number of athletes that competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The equestrian programme also includes Jumping and Eventing. The deadline for definite entries for these two disciplines is Monday 13 July.

Single qualifying spot

A total of 10 nations – Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, USA and Venezuela – will line out in the Dressage Team competition, but only four will be eligible for the single qualifying spot on offer for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. With teams made up of a combination of Big Tour and Small Tour pairs, only Argentina, Canada, Mexico and the USA can make the cut directly, as they are armed with the required Grand Prix-level partnerships.

However, apart from the single team spot up for grabs, countries can also qualify if three strong individual performances provide them with the option of creating a “composite” team.

The American record at the Pan-Americans has long been outstanding, and at the last edition staged in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2011 they returned a record-breaking fourth consecutive team victory and filled all three steps of the individual Dressage medal podium as well.

Cruised confidently

They cruised confidently into pole position in the team event ahead of the silver medallists from Canada, while Colombia claimed the bronze. And Steffen Peters set a new Pan-American Games record when posting a mark of 80.132 with Weltino’s Magic in the team competition before claiming individual gold ahead of Heather Blitz with Paragon in silver and Marisa Festerling and Big Tyme in bronze. It was a thoroughly convincing performance at all levels, and anchorman Peters was the linchpin of the US side.

He will fill that role once again this time around, partnering Legolas, the horse that gave the home fans so much to cheer about when the pair finished third in the Grand Prix at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2015 Final in Las Vegas, USA in April.

Ones to beat

The 2011 result brought the US tally to seven team and eight individual Dressage Pan-American titles, and there is little doubt that they are the ones to beat. Peters will be joined by Laura Graves (Verdades), Kimberly Herslow (Rosmarin) and Sabine Schut-Kery (Sanceo) in the bid to further improve the already-impressive US strike-rate.

Canada sends out Brittany Fraser (All In), Megan Lane (Caravella), Beldina Trussell (Anton) and Chris Von Martels (Zilverstar), while Argentina will be represented by Cesar Lopardo Grana (Tyara), Micaela Mabragana (Granada), Maria Florencia Manfredi (Bandurria Kacero) and Maria Juliana Ugalde (Caquel Cautivo). The Mexican side consists of Jose Luis Padilla Moreno (Donnersberg), Jesus Enrique Palacios (Wizard Banamex), Bernadette Pujals (Heslegaards Rolex) and Mariana Quintana Rivero (Guapo).

Meanwhile, the Brazilian team includes Joao Victor Marcari Oliva whose mother, Hortencia Marcari, is a sporting icon in her home country and Vice-President of the Brazilian Olympic Athletes Commission. The Basketball legend was a member of Brazil’s winning team at the 1994 FIBA World Championship before going on to clinch Olympic silver two years later in Atlanta, USA, so her son is following in a strong sporting tradition.

Taking to the stage

Individuals from Bermuda, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Puerto Rico and Uruguay will also be taking to the stage as Dressage gets the 2015 equestrian events underway at 09.00 local time next Saturday morning.

“We are thrilled with the development of Dressage in the Americas,” FEI Director Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage Trond Asmyr said. “For the first time at the Pan-American Games some of the riders will compete at the same level as in the Olympic Games. This also makes the qualifications for the Olympics more in line with the rest of the world.”

Find out more about the Pan-American Games 2015 here and check out the programme of events here, while results will be available here.

The list of definite entries for Dressage can be found here.

By Louise Parkes

Media contact:

At Toronto:

Jean Llewellyn
Press Officer
jean@jeanllewellyn.com

Dressage, Equestrian Assistance, JRPR, Pan American Games

All Four Riders on Canada’s Pan Am Dressage Team Are C-DAAP Recipients

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Belinda Trussell with Anton (left) and Megan Lane with Caravella (right) (Left photo –  CLiXPhoto.com; Right photo – Rob Madronich)

Toronto, Canada (June 23, 2015) — All four members of Canada’s recently announced dressage team for the 2015 Pan American Games have something else in common that they can boast about: they are former recipients of the Canadian Dressage Athlete Assistance Program (C-DAAP). Team members Brittany Fraser, Megan Lane, Belinda Trussell and Chris Von Martels all benefited from the funding that C-DAAP provides for the support and advancement of Canada’s high-performance dressage athletes in their pursuit of excellence.

The non-profit organization offers 100 percent of its net proceeds from fund-raising events to the riders to offset the cost of training and competing for high performance to compete against the world’s best. In fact, more than $130,000 has been awarded to seven riders since 2012 to help them achieve their goals with another $80,000 slated for distribution this summer.

“I am thrilled to see all four C-DAAP recipients represent Canada at the Pan Am Games,” said C-DAAP’s founder, Deborah Miculinic. “It shows how important it is to provide our riders with the necessary programs and funding so they can compete at the very top of their sport. Congratulations to each of these riders on achieving such a remarkable accomplishment. You can bet they will make Canada proud and we will be certainly cheering them on!”

Brittany Fraser with All In (left) and Chris Von Martels with Zilverstar (right) (Left photo courtesy of Horse Junkies Unlimited; Right photo courtesy of Jessica Mendoza)
Brittany Fraser with All In (left) and Chris Von Martels with Zilverstar (right) (Left photo – Horse Junkies Unlimited; Right photo – Jessica Mendoza)

Miculinic added, “C-DAAP depends on the generous support of organizations like Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals, Reser’s Fine Foods and many others for financial support and product donation for our fundraisers. Without these generous sponsors, we would not be able to support the riders to the extent that we do.”

The funding criteria for 2015/2016 have been established with guidelines available at www.cdaap.ca. The deadline for applications is July 31 and recipients will be announced on August 17.

For more information about C-DAAP, visit www.cdaap.ca. Check out C-DAAP’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CanadianDressageAAP.

Contact: Deborah Kinzinger
DKinzinger@skilcor.com
416-347-0999

Eventing/H.T., Pan American Games, USEF

USEF Names Ranked Alternates for the 2015 U.S. Pan American Eventing Team

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Lexington, Ky. – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has named the ranked alternates for the U.S. Pan American Eventing Team for the 2015 Pan American Games.

The alternate athlete-and-horse combinations have been ranked in the following order (pending the approval of the Ad Hoc Selection Group):

Jennie Brannigan (Kennett Square, Pa.) and Nina Gardner’s Cambalda, a 2002 Thoroughbred Cross gelding

Lauren Kieffer (Ocala, Fla.) and Jacqueline Mars’ Vermiculus, a 2007 Anglo-Arabian gelding

Matt Brown (Petaluma, Calif.) and Blossom Creek Foundation’s BCF Belicoso, a 2006 Irish Sport Horse gelding

Will Faudree (Southern Pines, N.C.) and Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables’ Pfun, a 2007 Irish Sport Horse gelding

Tamra Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) and Eric Markell, Alexandra and Ellen Ahearn’s Mai Baum, a 2006 German Sport Horse gelding

Michael Pollard (Dalton, Ga.) and Carl, Nicolas and Stanislas Bouckaert’s Cyrano Z, a 2001 Zangersheide gelding

As the first ranked alternate, Brannigan and Cambalda will travel to Toronto with the U.S. Pan American Eventing Team as the Traveling Reserve.

The U.S. Pan American Eventing Team includes: Phillip Dutton with Fernhill Cubalawn or Fernhill Fugitive, Lauren Kieffer with Meadowbrook’s Scarlett, Marilyn Little with RF Scandalous, and Boyd Martin with Pancho Villa.

From the USEF Communications Department

Dressage, Pan American Games, Phelps Media Group

Diane Creech and Robbie W Named Reserves for Canada’s Pan American Games Team

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Diane Creech and Robbie W. Photo by SusanJStickle.com.

Caistor Centre, ON – June 19, 2015 – Diane Creech and Leatherdale Farms’ Robbie W have been selected as reserves for the Canadian dressage team for the upcoming Pan American Games in Toronto. The pair made a strong bid for the team, earning consistently high scores throughout the qualifying process.

Creech and Robbie W, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Rubin Royal, turned in a series of impressive performances at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida over the winter. They scored as high as 73.368 percent in the Intermediaire I and helped the Canadian team win silver at the Stillpoint Farm Nations Cup CDIO3*.

They closed out the qualifying season in May with two competitions in Canada, picking up two wins at the Palgrave CDI3* and scoring 73.105 percent in the Prix St. Georges at the Ottawa CDI3*.

Two big tour and two small tour combinations were selected for the Pan Ams team. Creech and Robbie W finished in third on the small tour ranking list, with their final average of 72.883 percent putting them less than .3 percent behind second place.

“It sure was a very close ending!” Creech said. “‘Perfect Robbie’ gave me his best effort – he is all heart. I am so proud of him.”

The support of Doug and Louise Leatherdale of Leatherdale Farms is essential to Creech’s success with Robbie W, and Creech is grateful for the efforts of her whole team.

“I have been so blessed to have the best owners possible in my life, supporting me,” she said. “Thank you to Robbie’s groom Chris Bacher for always being on my side, Chris Zizian for being the best farrier, my students for cheering us on and patiently waiting for us to come back, and Lars Petersen and Melissa Taylor for their great support and awesome coaching. And of course, thank you to my incredible family who always pull together and make it possible for me to leave.”

She added, “The race is over, and now we are moving on to the fun part: let the Games begin! Best of luck to all of the Canadian teams, especially to our dressage team!”

About Leatherdale Farms

Situated 20 minutes from Minneapolis, MN, Leatherdale Farms is a privately owned farm owned and managed by Louise and Doug Leatherdale and dedicated to Hanoverian, Trakehner and Oldenburg breeding. The Leatherdale family owns several licensed stallions based in Germany at Hengstation Jens Meyer: Hanoverians Dorum, the premium elite, Damsey (Dressage Royal), First Dance (Florestan II), Rob Roy (Rubin Royale), Hampton (His Highness), Beltano (Belissimo M); the premium elite Trakehner, Herzensdieb (Tambour); and the Oldenburg Fairbanks (Flemmingh). Frozen semen is available in North America and Europe. Leatherdale Farms was also the owner of the Licensing Hanoverian stallion His Highness, who died in 2007 and whose progeny is much appreciated all over the world.

To learn about Leatherdale Farms stallions in Europe, go to www.jens-meyer.com.

For more information, go to www.leatherdalefarms.com.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/leatherdalefarmsworld.

Contacts:

Carrie Wirth – North America
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
Phone: +1 561.753.3389 / Fax: +1 561.753.3386
Email: pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

Mary Adelaide Brakenridge for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

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PhelpsMediaGroup.com

JRPR, Pan American Games, Products/Services, Show Jumping

Todd Minikus and Babalou 41 Named Traveling Reserve to U.S. Pan American Games Jumping Team

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Vita Flex Victory Team member Todd Minikus and Babalou 41 (Photo courtesy of Jack Mancini)

Toronto, Canada (June 19, 2015) – Vita Flex Victory Team member Todd Minikus has been named the Traveling Reserve to the 2015 U.S. Pan American Games Jumping Team by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Minikus’s Traveling Reserve partner will be Two Swan Farms’ Babalou 41, a 10-year-old Oldenburg mare (Balou de Rouet x Silvio I). The pair will travel to Toronto, Canada for the Pan American Games held July 10-26. Babalou 41 and Minikus, of Wellington, Florida, are already making themselves at home in Canada, having just placed second in the $210,000 CP Grand Prix at the ‘Continental’ CSI 5* Tournament at Spruce Meadows in Alberta, Canada on June 14.

Minikus, winner of more than 75 Grand Prix titles and top seed on the most recent East Coast League World Cup standings, is honored to represent his country at the Pan American Games. Minikus and Babalou 41 will anchor the reserve for the four-member American team of Georgina Bloomberg, Kent Farrington, Lauren Hough, and McLain Ward. Vita Flex, a leader in equine supplements formulated to help horses carry riders to international medal podiums, is proud to congratulate Minikus and Babalou 41 on their USEF selection.

After a victorious winter for Minikus and Babalou 41 in South Florida and a great summer start in Canada, the pair is a natural choice for the U.S. Jumping Team. At Wellington, Florida’s 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival – just minutes from Minikus’s home base in the Homeland equestrian development – the duo won the $100,000 Nations Cup and the $150,000 Grand Prix CSIO4*.

“I could not be happier. She has been fantastic. She was ‘exuberant’ about her jump when she was younger, so we learned to tone it down, which is not usually the story,” Minikus said about the journey through Babalou’s development. “She was always nervous – the surroundings, the tractor, the water truck… Now she barely notices that kind of stuff, which is maturity.”

As a trainer, Minikus knows that getting a horse on solid intellectual footing starts from the ground up – Which is why one of his favorite Vita Flex® products is Master’s Hoof Blend™ (formerly HT 20®), used to achieve and maintain healthy hooves. The biotin-rich Master’s Hoof Blend™ hoof health formula – in a delicious alfalfa meal blend – also supplies a six-culture microbial complex to support digestion, chelated trace minerals, and methionine and lysine, essential for optimum biotin function.

The Vita Flex Victory Team rider credits a well-planned training program complemented by conscientious nutrition and supplements from Vita Flex as part of the winning equation to show jumping. “The fine line between good and great is paying attention to your horses,” he explains. “To be able to feel that power and speed and athleticism is very special.”

“Vita Flex helps me keep horses like Babalou in tip-top condition and makes sure that we keep American show jumping in the winner’s circle.” Next stop – Toronto.

Vita Flex® products include health supplements, antioxidants, electrolytes, joint supplements, performance supplements, topical ointments, vitamins, and minerals. For more information about Vita Flex, its products, and the Victory Team members like Todd Minikus, visit www.vitaflex.com or call (800) 848-2359.

Contact Katie Stevenson
kstevenson@central.com
www.vitaflex.com
(602) 281-3872

Dressage, Pan American Games, Phelps Media Group

Rousseau’s Son Zilverstar Named to Canadian Dressage Team for Pan American Games

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Chris von Martels and Zilverstar. Photo by Jessica Mendoza.

Chesapeake City, MD – June 18, 2015 – The offspring of Harmony’s Rousseau are achieving success around the world in both breeding and sport, and now Rousseau’s son Zilverstar has added another accomplishment to the list. Zilverstar and owner/rider Chris von Martels have been selected to represent Canada in dressage at the upcoming Pan American Games in Toronto.

An 11-year-old KWPN gelding (Rousseau-Hutricia, Rossini), Zilverstar put together a fantastic 2015 winter season in Wellington, Florida, after competing in Europe during the summer and fall of 2014. Under von Martels’ guidance, Zilverstar consistently earned scores in the 70s at the small tour level and collected numerous top three finishes on the competitive Wellington circuit.

The pair capped the season by contributing to a team silver medal for Canada at the Stillpoint Farm Nations Cup CDIO3*. After returning from Florida, they competed at CDIs in Palgrave and Ontario, racking up additional top three placings.

“He’s a very quick learner and a very willing horse who wants to work with you,” von Martels said of Zilverstar. “He’s a very intelligent horse, and he’s aware of everything that’s going on. One of the best things with him at the moment is that he’s extremely consistent.”

Like his sire, Zilverstar combines character and intelligence with a great deal of athletic talent. His excellent gaits help him stand out in competition, and according to von Martels, he knows when the spotlight is on him.

“Zilverstar is a very, very quality mover, and nowadays you have to have that type of quality,” von Martels said. “He has many, many highlights throughout his performances; it’s hard to single out one thing that he’s exceptional at over the next. I do think he’s a real performance horse. He loves to compete. Every time he’s in the arena, he knows it’s show time.”

Chris von Martels and Zilverstar. Photo by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge
Chris von Martels and Zilverstar. Photo by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge

Show time for Zilverstar and von Martels will be July 11, when dressage at the Pan American Games kicks off with the Prix St. Georges and Grand Prix. Team medals are awarded July 12 after the Intermediaire I and Grand Prix Special, and the individual competition wraps up July 14.

Limited opportunities remain to breed to Harmony’s Rousseau (Ferro-Zsuzsa, Roemer). The stallion is now enjoying his retirement, still based with Hassler Dressage at Riveredge in Chesapeake City, Maryland. A small amount of frozen semen is being carefully managed by Susanne Hassler to make the most of this precious commodity and perpetuate Rousseau’s legacy. Rousseau is owned by Harmony Sporthorses.

For more information, please contact Susanne Hassler at (410) 885-3824 or susanne@hasslerdressage.com.

Mary Adelaide Brakenridge for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
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Dressage, JRPR, Pan American Games

Allison Brock Named as Traveling Reserve for U.S. Pan American Games Dressage Team

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Allison Brock with Rosevelt (Photo courtesy of Meg McGuire)

Buena Vista, VA (June 12, 2015) − Grand Prix rider Allison Brock has been named a Traveling Reserve for the U.S. Pan American Games Dressage Team – and her sponsor World Equestrian Brands, a leading distributer of high quality tack and other equestrian products, couldn’t be prouder.

Brock, a USDF Gold and Silver medalist based out of Wellington, Florida and Keswick, Virginia, earned this top spot with Rosevelt, owned by Claudine and Fritz Kundrun. As a Traveling Reserve, the pair will continue to support their Team USA as riders vie for the gold at the Pan American Games and for a starting spot in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. The Pan American Games will be held on July 10-26 in Toronto, Canada.

Brock and the 13-year-old Hanoverian stallion Rosevelt (Rotspon x Lore, Lauries Crusador XX) will be a Traveling Reserve for the Big Tour, alongside Traveling Reserve Steffen Peters and Rosamunde. Competing in the Big Tour at the Pan American Games will be Laura Graves on Verdades and Peters on Legolas 92.

Kimberly Herslow on Rosmarin and Sabine Schut-Kery on Sanceo will represent Team USA in the Small Tour, with Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and Lonoir as the Traveling Reserve.

Contributing to Brock earning this honorable position was the final 2015 Pan American Games European CDI Observation Event Squad competition, which took place in Achleiten, Austria earlier this month. Brock and Rosevelt took home second place in the Grand Prix Special with a 74.176 percent, directly behind Austria’s Victoria Max-Theurer on Blind Date.

Needless to say, Brock is thrilled to travel to the Pan American Games to represent her country. “We have the best team of horses, riders, grooms, coaches, owners, vets, and management,” she said. “Go Team USA!”

Likewise, Brock’s sponsor, World Equestrian Brands, is cheering for her. “Ali is truly one of the most professional, thoughtful, and diligent riders I know,” said Robin Moore, CEO of World Equestrian Brands. “We are so happy for Ali, and are certain the future holds promise for her.”

With the help of World Equestrian Brands, Brock is always prepared with the products that help her meet her goals. The Buena Vista, Virginia based company offers only the highest-quality products, like Amerigo saddles, Equilibrium leg protection and therapeutic products, Vespucci bridles, and E. A. Mattes saddle pads. Top riders like Brock have discovered the perfect tack for themselves and their horses through World Equestrian Brands.

For more information about World Equestrian Brands, the tack and equipment it offers, and its sponsored riders, visit www.worldequestrianbrands.com or call 1-888-637-8463.

Robin Moore
World Equestrian Brands
540-264-0154
rmoore@worldequestrianbrands.com
www.worldequestrianbrands.com