Bebe Davis and Bohdjan. (Photo courtesy of Debby Witty)
Bedminster, NJ (Novmeber 13, 2013) – As the “Season of Giving” approaches, 15-year-old Barbara ‘Bebe’ Davis is not asking what she can get but instead what she can give. This season, Bebe Davis donated her two top FEI dressage ponies to a foundation that promotes dressage education and horsemanship for riders 21 years and younger, Dressage4Kids LLC.
The famed ponies, Poldy 10 and Bohdjan, earned Davis record breaking dressage scores like her 75.9% score in the FEI Pony Individual Test in 2012 and in 2012 a Champion and Reserve Champion placing at the USEF Festival of Champions.
“I wanted to donate them to Dressage4Kids because I wanted to give others the the opportunity to do what I did. A lot of people are not as fortunate as I am and I want to share my blessings with them. I hope that our donation helps to strengthen and grow the pony program here in the United States,” stated Bebe Davis.
Bebe Davis along with her father, Michael Davis, are members of the Piaffe-Performance dressage team, under the tuteledge of Dr. Cesar Parra. The Davis Family is an avid supporter of the dressage sport not only as competitors but also as sponsors of Parra’s successful slew of horses, including Van the Man, Simply Nymphenburg, Borett, Linder, Fiderhit OLD, and Grandioso, who Parra rode to 2011 Pan Am Games Team Gold.
“It’s a lifestyle for our family and being able to compete along side, and maybe even one day against, my daughter is a true gift,” commented Bebe’s father, Mike Davis. “As we were considering the alternatives for the ponies, as a family we agreed that building our dressage riders from within is important and by donating these two ponies we would be giving back to and helping to improve this sport that we all love.”
Now, Bebe Davis and her new mount, Rotano, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding are compting on the FEI Junior dressage circuit and most recently won the coveted ACGO/USEF Junior Dressage National Championship.
Looking back over her years with her first ponies, Bebe commented, “The ponies helped me tremendously, and I am so grateful to them for that. I grew as a rider as well as a person. I think that all of the work that I did with ponies helped me have a seamless transition between the FEI Pony and FEI Junior divisions.”
Dressage4Kids welcomed the ponies, Poldy 10 and Bohdjan, into their program and plan to educate the next generation of riders with their two new FEI level dressage stars.
For more information on Dressage4Kids or to make a donation, please access: www.dressage4kids.org.
To follow Bebe Davis’ continued success and learn more about dressage training, please visit www.bebedavisdressage.com.
Michael Davis
mdavis@panapesca.com
781 844 2172