Tag Archives: Allison Brock

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

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

High Performance Dressage Riders Passionate about Brooke USA’s Cause

Wellington, FL – April 8, 2015 – Grand Prix dressage riders Allison Brock and Shannon Dueck are passionate about Brooke USA, the world’s largest international equine welfare charity.

Brock, of the United States, was introduced to the charity and all that they do for working horses and donkeys by Fritz and Claudine Kundrun. She knew that it was important to bring awareness to it.

“I think Brooke USA is one of the best charities around for working horses and donkeys,” Brock said. “They actually educate people on how to take care of them, and they work towards more sustainable, long term quality care of the animal. To me it’s the best case scenario because when you help the animals the owners benefit, too.”

Brock competes at the international Grand Prix level with Rosevelt, a 13-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by the Kundruns. She recently won team gold with USA Team 1 at the Stillpoint Farm Nations Cup CDIO3* in Wellington, Florida.

Brock is an athlete who is at the top of the high performance dressage world and her success only continues to grow. At shows, she shares information about Brooke USA to encourage others to become involved.

“I typically will have banners out and bring pamphlets,” Brock said. “I talk to people who ask about it, direct them to the website and try to raise awareness. We live in this world where our horses are taken care of better than people, and you need to balance it out a bit.”

As the Brooke’s presence continues to grow in the United States, Brock hopes that more people who learn about the charity are motivated to help. She believes that at the end of the day, horse people are passionate about helping animals, and involvement will increase as awareness of the charity spreads.

Brooke veterinarian treats a malnourished horse who works in tourism in the Middle East
Brooke veterinarian treats a malnourished horse who works in tourism in the Middle East

“I think awareness is going to grow and we can keep raising funds at horse shows, among other things, in the U.S.,” Brock said. “I think once people know what the charity is about, they’ll be all for it. It’s such a good cause, and the money is spent so well. People just need to know about it; horse people want to take care of horses and donkeys.”

Dueck, who is also successful in the world of high performance dressage, likewise competed at the Stillpoint Farm Nations Cup CDIO3* on Canada’s Team 2, taking home the team bronze medal. Dueck said she is a “sucker for animal charities,” and she has been supporting the Brooke for around 15 years.

“They’re really helping our horses and our working equines,” Dueck said. “It also makes a difference to so many impoverished people, so it’s a win-win situation for both the animals and the people who rely on them.”

The Brooke was founded in Great Britain. Dueck, like Brock, believes the key to increasing the numbers of U.S. supporters is building awareness of the charity in the U.S., since once people understand the positive impact of the work it does, they want to be involved.

“It’s such a wonderful charity that helps on so many levels,” Dueck said. “The amount of money that goes directly to helping the animals and the people is huge, and the administrative costs are quite low. For that reason, we need the awareness out there, and I’m hoping that in the next five years everybody in my industry knows about this charity.”

Though some people may not be in a financial situation to be donating funds, donating time and knowledge is just as important, which is what Dueck hopes to do.

Brock and Dueck have both had successful winter seasons in Wellington, culminating with their appearances in the Nations Cup. Dueck was especially pleased with her performance that weekend with the 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding Cantaris, who is owned by Elizabeth Ferber.

“We got personal best scores through all of our tests and we were the starters both in the Prix St. Georges and the Intermediaire I, so we kind of had to set the bar,” Dueck said. “I was super proud; we didn’t make a mistake all weekend, so that was a very nice way to end the season. It was fantastic to end on such a high note.”

Brock was also happy with her season with Rosevelt. The pair’s two wins in Grand Prix CDI classes and consistent performances at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival established them among the top U.S. combinations. Though Brock believes Rosevelt enjoys showing, it is still important to her to maintain a balance. His wellbeing is far more important to her than winning a blue ribbon, and it is easy to see how this mindset translates to her support of the Brooke.

“I was really, really happy with my horse,” Brock said. “He is just getting better and better. Both of us needed experience, and I think I was smart to not over-show him. He was still happy to show at the end of the season, and I think that’s really important. You can take advantage of the shows, but you don’t want to overdo it. They have to want to go out there and be happy to be in that ring, and I think he was.”

The Brooke is currently working in 11 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, and in the last year it reached 1.5 million working horses, donkeys and mules, benefiting several million of the world’s poorest people. Brooke USA is a 501(c)(3) charity and exists solely to support the overseas work of the Brooke.

For more information, contact Cindy Rullman, 859-296-0037, cindy.rullman@brookeusa.org or go to www.brookeusa.org.

Contact: Cindy Rullman
Brooke USA
(859) 296-0037
Cindy.Rullman@BrookeUSA.org

US Team 1 Holds Strong Lead in First Day of Stillpoint Farm FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* Competition

Laura Graves and Verdades. Photos copyright SusanJStickle.com.

Lisa Wilcox and Galant Capture PSG CDI1* Win

Wellington, FL – March 25, 2015 – The first half of the Stillpoint Farm FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* competition began today at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) with Team 1 of the USA leading the way after their overall performance in the FEI Prix St. Georges and the FEI Grand Prix classes. The team composed of Allison Brock, Kimberly Herslow, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, and Laura Graves reached a total score of 223.304 for the first portion of the competition. The Stillpoint Farm FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* will continue tomorrow with competition in the FEI Grand Prix Special for Large Tour pairs and the FEI Intermediaire-1 for Small Tour entries, after which the team medals will be awarded. Canada Team 1 currently sits in second place, while USA Team 2 is in third. The final week of AGDF, sponsored by Stillpoint Farm, Martha Jolicoeur and Maria Mendelsohn of Illustrated Properties, and Regal Horse Products, continues through Saturday, March 28.

Watch the test for Laura Graves and Verdades! Video courtesy of Campfield Videos.

USA Team 1 put in a dominant performance to handily take the lead in the Stillpoint Farm FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* after the FEI Prix St. Georges and FEI Grand Prix classes. The team, which is composed of two Large Tour combinations and two Small Tour pairs, performed spectacularly. Not a single member of Team 1 scored below a 70.000% overall. Chef d’Equipe for Team 1, Robert Dover, was thrilled with the performance of the team as a unit and the statement they made about the resurgence of dressage in the United States. “First of all I’m so proud of all of our American riders. They have made everyone so proud,” he said. “The riders themselves came to this arena to do a job, and they will continue to go on doing that job until the end of the competition. They showed why we are ready to be ranked among the best nations in the world.”

Laura Graves and Verdades put in another solid performance, giving them another great prep test for their FEI World Cup Finals debut in April. Verdades is becoming incredibly consistent at the Grand Prix level. Graves, who went last in the class as the team’s anchor rider, felt that their late ride time was to their advantage. “I like going last, especially when it’s hot like this and the class is at this point in the day I think it’s an advantage for us,” she remarked. “I’m so lucky to be on a team with three other women who are equals and incredible competitors. I’m really very proud to be a part of this team.”

As the pair has major international plans ahead of them, Graves hopes to remove all of the kinks from their routine now so that they can get the most out their performances. “We’re still green at this. Hopefully by the end of this year, which will be our second full year riding Grand Prix, I think we will be able to ride a bit more confidently,” she noted.

Allison Brock and Rosevelt
Allison Brock and Rosevelt

Allison Brock and Rosevelt had the second-highest score, just behind Graves in the Grand Prix, with another very stellar test from the young stallion. Brock has taken her time with Rosevelt, as he is very sensitive and reactive. “He got a little hot in the warm-up with some of the commotion, but he came back to me and I was just trying to gauge with the heat how much time I needed. I wanted to take a horse in that still had gas, but wasn’t too reactive. I think we did a good job feeling that out,” said Brock. “My goal was to go and have a really clean test and for the most part he was very honest, and he went for it. He was with me, and I’m really pleased with him.”

The first to go for Team USA, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz felt some pressure before leading off, but said that “Lono” made some great improvements and it was the most extravagant test, movement-wise, he has shown so far this season. “We did have a few uncharacteristic bobbles in the test, but he was still fabulous and continued to settle as the test went on, which is great to know that he is progressing to where he can do that,” she remarked.

Kimberly Herslow, who continues to search for the perfect warm-up routine with Rosmarin when the weather is hot, felt that considering the time the pair had to warm-up today, their test went very well. “We both tend to lose a little bit of focus in the heat because it’s hard to push for the max in that, but I’m really happy with how he went considering last time it was this hot, I couldn’t create power,” she remarked. “I don’t feel like we’re maxed out at all, and I am really happy with where we are. I know he has a lot more to give still and we’ll keep building off that.”

Kasey Perry and Goerklintgaards Dublet, members of USA Team 2 in Perry’s debut international team competition, impressed in the Prix St. Georges class scoring a 73.816% to lead that class. “Dublet” came in very hot to the test, but Perry rode beautifully to keep the talented gelding composed. “It is so comforting to be on a team when something like that happens because there are so many people around you, and it really calms your nerves,” she said. “Right when I went down the centerline though, I felt him check in with me, and I knew that I had his attention and we were good to go. He never missed a beat, and he was with me the entire time.”

For LaGoy-Weltz, Brock, and Perry, this is their first international team competition, and all three felt that the team environment changed not only their attitudes about the competition, but their mentality and focus. “You feel the pressure. You’re learning the process and wanting to do well for everyone else; that’s what makes it a team thing,” said LaGoy-Weltz. Graves, who has participated in team competition before, was quick to express her pride in being named to this specific team with her fellow competitors. She expressed, “(It’s great) being with my teammates in the barn all day and feeling like we’re all in this for the same reason, and we love our horses. Having such a strong team has shown what everyone is working towards and that we are growing the depth in our sport.”

Lisa Wilcox (USA) and Galant, a 2006 Belgian Warmblood gelding, topped the FEI Prix St. Georges CDI 1* class, presented by Regal Horse Products, with a score of 69.868%. Diane Creech (CAN) and Diana C followed in second receiving a 69.368%, and Mary Rollins (USA) aboard Royal Prinz was third with 68.553%.

Lisa Wilcox and Galant
Lisa Wilcox and Galant

Wilcox, who has been steadily improving aboard the fiery chestnut gelding all season, was thrilled with their performance in the first class of Small Tour competition this week. They were the first to go in the large class, meaning they led from start to finish. “The early bird gets the worm, as they say. It’s cooler and when you feel the temperature now, during the day, there are advantages to going early. It was helpful for us this morning,” she remarked. “I was really happy with him. We’ve been going through a phase where he’s almost too light. He was wonderful, and we’re at a great point in our development.”

Wilcox and Galant have had success at AGDF before as they took home wins in the FEI Prix St. Georges and FEI Intermediaire-1 last year, but this was their first CDI win so far in 2015. “We’ve had him since he was four, and he’s nine now so it has been a real journey. The development between him and me and the amount of trust we have in our relationship is immense. He’s very horse shy, and things that we would find difficult in the past have greatly improved this season,” said Wilcox. “I’ve seen so much growth in him this year alone, and I have noticed that I can keep his focus and the relationship between the two of us has really been built upon.”

Galant, who is a typically nervous horse, has truly settled for Wilcox in the warm-up and as a result, in the ring, which is why she feels their improvement has been so consistent this season. “I always felt like I had to choreograph my warm-up to what other horses in the ring were doing because he would get nervous when he felt his space was being invaded,” she explained. “The best thing for him and for us was to get out and do it this season and constantly feel surrounded by it. He finally, at some point, just let go and even though it’s still there, it’s manageable and that’s been a huge turning point for us.”

Competition at AGDF continues through Saturday March 28. Team medals will be awarded on Thursday evening, and the finale of the Stillpoint Farm FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* will be individual medals following the freestyle classes on Friday evening. FEI CDI3* and CDI1* competition continue through the week for the conclusion of the 2015 AGDF circuit. For more information and full results from the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

About the Adequan Global Dressage Festival:

The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits featuring 7 FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations’ Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The AGDF offers more than $650,000 in prize money for the seven international competitions, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center facility includes the Van Kampen covered arena (made possible by Kimberly and Frederic Boyer and family) and four outdoor arenas with world-class footing, 200 permanent stalls, and a VIP seating area.

Please visit
www.globaldressagefestival.com
www.equestriansport.com
or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Adequan Global Dressage Festival is located at
13500 South Shore Blvd, Wellington, Florida 33414

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations

Gundersen and My Lady, Brock and Rosevelt, Herslow and Rosmarin Take Top Prizes at AGDF 7

Mikala Gundersen and My Lady. Photos copyright SusanJStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – February 19, 2015 – While competition officially started on Wednesday for week 7 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), awards presentations took place today for three CDI classes. Mikala Gundersen (DEN) and My Lady topped the FEI Grand Prix CDI 4*, presented by The Dutta Corporation, with a 71.600%. Shelly Francis (USA) and Doktor placed second receiving a 71.080%, and Belinda Trussell (CAN) and Anton followed in third place scoring a 70.400%. AGDF 7 competition will continue tomorrow, highlighting the “Friday Night Stars” FEI Grand Prix Freestyles for CDI 3*/4*. Both the CDI 3* (starting at 6:15 pm) and 4* (following with first horse at 8:45 pm) Freestyle classes will be held under the lights in The Stadium Arena at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) with doors opening at 6pm.

If you can’t make it to AGDF, livestreaming will be available at this link: http://bit.ly/1zrcaRN.

“I am so thrilled to have come in first place today. I had a difficult ride with the wind; it was blowing very hard during the test, and Lady is a very sensitive horse,” explained Gundersen. “It made her very tense right in front of the judges which hurt my piaffes. When she got a little bit nervous I did lose some points, but Shelly Francis and I have been so close all season and I got lucky today.”

The atmosphere was challenging for many of the pairs, as wind gusts blustered through the AGDF grounds all day. The colder temperatures and rattling flags created trouble for riders throughout the competition. “I try to keep her very busy, but I don’t want to make her tired. I want her to mentally be fresh, but not make her body tired so I did a lot of posting trot and made her really low in the neck to try to get her to relax,” commented Gundersen when describing how she keeps “Lady” calm when surroundings start to bother her.

“I had some great highlights today. All of the extensions felt great, and I think we had a lot of nice movements in the test. I can’t wait to see them on video,” she smiled. “On days like today, I have to be very soft and giving with my hands because she is such a sensitive horse. I can’t have her strong in my hand because she will take the rein and start to pull through. I’m always moving my ring finger trying to keep her supple, supple, supple.” My Lady continues to improve with each outing, and Gundersen is looking to aim her at the first CDI 5* competition in Aachen, Germany in May just before the Danish Championships and hopefully earning a spot on the European Championship Team for Denmark.

Watch the video for the winning ride of Mikala and My Lady. Video courtesy of Campfield Videos.

Shelly Francis had a great second day of competition at Week 7 of AGDF, placing near the top of the leaderboard with all three of her rides in CDI competition. “I had a very short warm-up with Doktor, but he was lit like a fire-cracker today!” she smiled. “He got a little bit tight in the rhythm in the trot work, but he was very good. The weather was very stimulating, and I’m very proud of the way all of my horses handled it, but it did keep them a little bit hotter.”

Francis has been riding Doktor for nearly six years now, and their partnership is truly starting to shine as the pair has had top place finishes at all of the CDIs they have contested this season at AGDF. “I’m going to plan on doing another World Cup qualifier and see where that gets me. I’ve done one World Cup qualifier already and I plan on doing the next CDI here at AGDF. If it gets me to the World Cup then maybe I will consider that, but my plans are really still up in the air,” commented Francis on her coming plans with the gelding.

Francis has worked diligently to fine-tune their tests and her efforts are obvious, as the duo greatly improved in specific areas that Francis focused on in the past two weeks since their last CDI competition. “I’m always working on getting everything nice and smooth. There were little moments when he would get tense in the middle of a movement, like the half-pass or the extensions. I think that was because of the wind though. I felt overall this week was smoother, and there was a better frame carriage. There are still some bobbles I would like to get rid of to make the test really smooth.”

Allison Brock and Rosevelt
Allison Brock and Rosevelt

Allison Brock (USA) and Rosevelt captured another win this season at AGDF, topping the FEI Grand Prix CDI 3* class, presented by Havensafe Farm, scoring a 71.600%. Lara Griffith (GBR) and Rubin Al Asad followed in second with a 71.020%, and Shelly Francis (USA) and Danilo came in third receiving a 69.540%.

Brock and Rosevelt added another Grand Prix victory to their string, as the pair also captured a win in the AGDF 1 FEI Grand Prix CDI-W and placed second in the FEI Grand Prix Special CDI-W the same week. “I felt in my own head a lot more confident. Once you get the first one out of the way, it is always easier. I knew he could handle the venue. I was really only concerned about how the weather would impact his ability to focus,” said Brock.

Click to watch video of Allison’s and Rosevelt’s winning ride. Video courtesy of Campfield Videos.

The duo will contest their first “Friday Night Stars” FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI3* tomorrow night under the lights, which will serve as a great learning opportunity for “Rosie.” “He’s going to have to go in there and cope with the environment, and I won’t know what I have until I get in there, but in a way today was good prep because if it is calm tomorrow night, it will feel like nothing compared to today,” she commented about Rosevelt’s hot personality. “He has to just go in and do it, and this is his year to learn how to deal with it. I don’t have expectations for tomorrow. I want him to go in feeling like he can trust me because that’s when we perform our best.”

The weather was a major factor for most riders today, especially those on sensitive horses, but Brock was pleased with the way “Rosie” handled the atmosphere and the environment considering their warm-up was more difficult than she anticipated. “The warm-up was a bit tricky for me today. The gusting winds with all of the flags flapping, it made it pretty difficult for him. I’m proud because he really went in the ring and let it go and carried on. He was really about as honest as he could have been considering the circumstance.”

Lara Griffiths and Rubin Al Asad had a wonderfully relaxed and mistake-free test to take home the second place prize in the large class. Griffiths, who competed “Rufus” at the Week 5 CDI3*, felt a drastic improvement from the pair’s tests two weeks ago. “I started riding him about four years ago, and he was coming off an injury. It’s taken a while to get his strength back, but even compared to two weeks ago he’s a completely different horse,” stated Griffiths. “That is what is great about these shows and this venue. You can keep bringing them out and showing them, and it really helps their confidence.”

Traveling to Wellington for the winter circuit with her trainer, Laura Tomlinson, has been greatly beneficial for the duo, as Griffiths plans to contest a number of CDIs in Europe after returning home to England in March. “Today was a really special day for us. It was only our second Grand Prix together, and I was pretty happy with him,” she said. “He was a little bit scared in the ring because he still is very green, but he let me really ride him and that was my main goal.”

Griffiths was pleased with the attitude “Rufus” displayed in the ring and feels that their scores will only improve as the big gelding continues to gain confidence with Griffiths in the saddle. “I wanted to get those marks to creep up and not have any mistakes, which we didn’t,” she explained. “I really couldn’t have asked more from him. The general way of going was more confident today, which is what we’ve been working on.”

The FEI Prix St. Georges CDI 1* class, presented by Mission Control for the second week at AGDF, finished this afternoon after starting Wednesday morning due to the large number of more than 40 entries. Kimberly Herslow (USA) and Rosmarin scored a 72.474% to win over the rest of the field. Dawn White-O’Connor (USA) and Aristo followed in second place with 70.184%, and Kasey Perry (USA) and Goerklintgaards Dublet finishing in third on a 69.921%.

FEI CDI 4*/3*/1* competition will continue throughout the week, with the “Friday Night Stars” FEI Grand Prix Musical Freestyle highlighting AGDF Week 7. The event will begin at 6pm with both CDI 3* and CDI 4* Grand Prix Freestyles taking place under the lights in The Stadium’s electric atmosphere. Competition will continue on Saturday and conclude on Sunday, February 22, with the FEI Intermediaire 1 Freestyle CDI 1*, presented by Mission Control.

For more information on the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival, please visit http://www.globaldressagefestival.net.

About the Adequan Global Dressage Festival:

The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits featuring 7 FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations’ Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The AGDF offers more than $650,000 in prize money for the seven international competitions, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center facility includes the Van Kampen covered arena (made possible by Kimberly and Frederic Boyer and family) and four outdoor arenas with world-class footing, 200 permanent stalls, and a VIP seating area.

Please visit
www.globaldressagefestival.com
www.equestriansport.com
or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Adequan Global Dressage Festival is located at
13500 South Shore Blvd, Wellington, Florida 33414

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations

Allison Brock and Rosevelt Win First CDI W Grand Prix of the 2015 Season

Allison Brock and Rosevelt. Photos © SusanJStickle.com.

Wellington, Florida — January 8, 2015 — Allison Brock (USA) and Rosevelt topped the competition this afternoon in the FEI Grand Prix presented by MTICA Farm, the first of the 2015 season at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) during AGDF 1 CDI-W. The duo won the class on a 71.00%, followed closely by Tinne Vilhemson-Silfven (SWE) and Mikala Munter Gundersen (DEN) respectively. The first week of AGDF continues through Sunday, January 11, with the first “Friday Night Stars” Musical Freestyle beginning at 7 p.m. on January 9 and an FEI Grand Prix Special on Saturday, January 10.

Brock was elated with the performance of Rosevelt, a 13-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Fritz and Claudine Kundrun, in the large class of 17 riders. Coming off a spectacular 2014 season, accumulating wins at Dressage at Lexington and Devon, today marks a great start to the 2015 season for the pair who will be staying in Wellington throughout the duration of AGDF.

The competition was stiff, as many seasoned riders decided to stretch their legs and begin their seasons on the first day of AGDF competition. “I’m very pleased with him. He was so rideable today. More than anything, I am just pleased to be in the company of these other riders. To be riding with them is such a big deal,” Brock said. “I have the utmost respect for them and I know how hard they have worked to get to this level. It is truly an honor to be competing with them.”

While training with Jan Brink in Sweden, Brock decided to bring Rosevelt back to the U.S. at the end of his 7-year-old season, where she competed him in the Developing Horse Tour and High Performance Prix St. Georges classes in Wellington during his first winter.

Second place finishers Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Divertimento
Second place finishers Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven and Divertimento

Making the move to Grand Prix was not an easy transition for the pair, as they encountered some bumps in the road with before truly hitting their stride in 2014. “I did a year of Small Tour, where he won his regional GAIGs and then I decided to start developing him to the Grand Prix level. It was a longer process than we expected, but with those things, they happen when the horse is ready and you have to just be patient,” she commented.

As for the future, Brock has planned a competition schedule for Rosevelt, which will continue through the rest of the AGDF season. Along with competing at the Grand Prix level, she plans to contest a Friday night freestyle class as a training opportunity for the pair to experience the atmosphere under the lights. “I’m going to use this time wisely, and we’re going to take it one day at a time. Ultimately, my plan is to just keep him happy which he seems to be right now,” she stated. “I would like to see if maybe we can make a run for Pan Ams and at least get on the list and then hopefully shoot for something like Rio (Olympics) long-term.”

Traveling to Wellington each year is highlight for Brock, a native of Hawaii, who has been coming to South Florida to ride for many years. “It’s so competitive here. You’re always going to see world-class horses and riders and not to mention the great weather,” she smiled. “But alongside the competition you really have to think about what you want to accomplish and how to properly manage your horse and keep them fresh.”

It takes a committed team to help riders and horses reach the Grand Prix level, and Brock is truly grateful to the individuals who have helped her reach this stage in her career. “It is so important for me to recognize the people that make this possible. They deserve so much credit and I am continually thankful for their support, the Kundruns, Michael Barisone, and so many others. I am excited for what’s to come and it would not be possible without them.”

For more information on the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

About the Adequan Global Dressage Festival:

The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits featuring 7 FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations’ Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The AGDF offers more than $650,000 in prize money for the seven international competitions, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center facility includes the Van Kampen covered arena (made possible by Kimberly and Frederic Boyer and family) and four outdoor arenas with world-class footing, 200 permanent stalls, and a VIP seating area.

Please visit
www.globaldressagefestival.com
www.equestriansport.com
or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Adequan Global Dressage Festival is located at
13500 South Shore Blvd, Wellington, Florida 33414

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Equestrian Public Relations
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com