Mynanke A and Amy Speck-Kern (Photo by Gwen Poulin)
Ocala, FL (October 24, 2020) – New faces and old faces at Excel Dressage came together this October at the Florida Horse Park in Ocala. Excel’s founder and Grand Prix rider Amy Speck-Kern and her team qualified 4 horses at levels from Training to Intermediaire I for the Championships, and closed out a rollercoaster 2020 with top finishes. A number of Excel imports also made their mark at Regionals, and the final scores resulted in all of Excel’s horses and riders qualifying for the 2021 Dressage Finals.
Speck-Kern’s newest young superstar is Mynanke A (Hennessy x Ferro), aka Maya, who since her arrival from Holland in July has won each of her tests and finished 3rd out of 18 in her fourth show ever, the 2020 Regional Championships. Speck-Kern piloted Maya to a 74.569% in the Training Level Open, and one the Training Level Test 3 Open class with a 75.345%. Hand-selected by Speck-Kern earlier this year in The Netherlands, Maya has proven herself to be a focused and talented competitor despite being on the brink of turning 4 years old.
Excel’s student and business partner Katie Hoog of Stal Hoog in Loxahatchee, Florida rode the 14-year-old Zhivago (Obelisk x Fruhling) to a 6th place finish in the Intermediaire 1 Freestyle Championship with a 69.038%. A relatively new partnership, Hoog and Zhivago clicked immediately, qualifying for the Regional Championships with a Freestyle set to the music of Portugal. The Man, Justin Bieber, Kygo, and Selena Gomez. Another of Hoog’s horses, Gimmick (Oscar x Olivi), ridden by Wellington-based trainer Caleb Scroggins, danced to Reserve Champion in the First Level Freestyle with a score of 73.901%. Gimmick and Scroggins also finished 7th overall in the Training Level Open Championship with a 70.776%. Hoog’s sister, Sarah Hoog, rode her own US bred Federer (Fidertanz x Rubentein) to12th place in the First Level AA Championship with a 65.417%.
Two Excel alums also joined in the competition at Regionals. Marilyn Mannroe, a horse selected by Speck-Kern for friend Emily Kiefner, finished 8th in the First Level AA Championship with a 66.459% and 3rd in the Training Level AA Championship with a 71.982%. At the Region 2 Championships, an Excel Dressage/Stal Hoog import, Esteban (Rosseau x Naturel), won the AA Prix St. Georges Championship with a 67.353.
For more information on Amy Speck-Kern, Excel Dressage, or its services, visit www.ExcelDressage.com.
Loxahatchee, FL (August 1, 2019) – The first official Grand Prix is a defining moment in any dressage horse’s career. The relatively quiet test is usually the result of buckets of tears and sweat, sleepless nights, endless training, and a significant emotional investment on the part of the rider; this was the case for Amy Speck-Kern of Excel Dressage as this July she and her bay KWPN mare Zenanta (Krack C x Ferro) hit that important milestone, debuting their Grand Prix at the White Fences Summer Fun II held at White Fences Equestrian Center in Loxahatchee, Florida. Just a few weeks later, the pair logged a qualifying score at a second Grand Prix outing during the Wellington Classic Dressage Tropics I & II held at the Global Dressage Festival Stadium.
After debuting the Prix St. Georges just two years before, the high powered Zenanta’s piaffe-passage and tempi changes were the highlight of her test, and despite a few typical mistakes for a first Grand Prix, Speck-Kern was thrilled with her performance. Under the guidance of Olympian Ali Brock, Excel Dressage’s founder has been training Zenanta since her first days under saddle. Exceptionally athletic and sensitive, Zenanta’s Grand Prix debut has been an eagerly anticipated moment for the Excel Dressage team, and is the second horse Speck-Kern has trained from young horse through the Grand Prix.
“Zenanta, or Z as we call her, has come a long way in terms of balance, trust, and strength,” said Speck-Kern. “Ali and I have really strived to build a training plan to best match her personality and play to her strengths. Reducing tension and encouraging relaxation without losing her spectacular movement has been the ultimate goal. Despite a few easily corrected errors in our first official Grand Prix, it was a very successful debut.”
Speck-Kern and Zenanta’s second Grand Prix during the Wellington Classic Dressage Tropics I & II reflected a steady improvement, with Zenanta gaining even more confidence and consistency in the more trying moments of the test. Ali Brock, who has been coaching Speck-Kern for the past year and half, was also pleased with Zenanta’s performance: “Very respectable first outing,” said Brock, 2016 Olympic Team Bronze Medalist for the USA. “Now Zenanta needs to get mileage at this level. I think she will be very confident at the Grand Prix within the next year and I’m excited to watch their progression!”
Going into August, Zenanta gets a well-deserved break from training in the Florida heat while Speck-Kern travels to Old Salem, New York to coach working student Katie Teehan and Zinca as they compete in the 2019 Adequan/FEI North American Youth Championship presented by Gotham North. Teehan is a working student for Excel Dressage and Stal Hoog, both located in the Deer Run community of Loxahatchee.
For more information on Amy Speck-Kern, Excel Dressage, or its services, visit www.ExcelDressage.com or call 414 550 1176.
Wellington, FL (March 26, 2019) – Excel Dressage’s working student Katie Teehan has taken the term ‘excel’ to new heights: this February she and her horse, Zinca, under the guidance of Excel’s Amy Speck-Kern, tackled her first Junior CDI during the Seventh Annual Youth Dressage Festival. She was the highest placed North American Junior rider all three days, finishing third in each class and third overall in her division. She then went on to win the Junior Team Qualifier and was second in the Junior Individual test this past weekend at AGDF 11, with scores over 68%. Only with Excel Dressage and its partner training center Stal Hoog since January 10th, Teehan’s impressive performance is also underscored by hard work, one of the main tenets of Excel Dressage.
New to the Junior level, Teehan first began training with Speck-Kern only a little over a month before her first time trotting down the Junior CDI centerline. She and Zinca, a 15-year-old Dutch mare (Kennedy x Freestyle), first took their skills to White Fences. Scoring a 70.7%, the pair was named the Junior High Point Rider of the show. At the CDI, they logged scores through 67%.
“Coming to work in Wellington for both Amy Speck-Kern and Katie Hoog has been a life changing experience,” said Teehan. “Not only has this job affected my riding, but it has also changed me as an individual. They have been such a positive influence on me as both an athlete and a person: always patient and positive in my training – I have learned so much. They have given me guidance that will help me reach my goal to succeed as a professional. Amy and Katie have also let me ride wonderful horses, and both of them helped me succeed in my first CDI. This was such an amazing experience to place 3rd overall in the junior division, and was one of the most exciting and fun shows I’ve ever competed in. I was thrilled to compete with riders from all over the globe, future professionals with amazing skills.”
The 16-year-old Wisconsin native’s mount, Zinca, has been part of her family since the summer of 2018. The 14-year-old KWPN mare done Intermediaire 1, and as a pair they have competed through the Prix St. George. Her experience at Excel Dressage and Stal Hoog has helped build their partnership. “It is very inspiring to help such a talented, hardworking, and motivated young athlete,” said Speck-Kern. “She exemplifies the qualities we need in the next generation of equestrians: she’s polite, honest, demonstrates good sportsmanship, and always puts her horse first.”
For more information on Amy Speck-Kern, Excel Dressage, or its services, visit www.ExcelDressage.com or call 414 550 1176.
Amy Speck-Kern and her Grand Prix mount Amadeus earning their USDF Gold Medal. (Photo courtesy of Harry Furey)
Let It Show, Let It Show, Let It Show
Jacksonville, FL (December 18, 2018) – The holiday and school vacation season is here and the Jacksonville Equestrian Center has promised to let it show, let it show, let it show.
For horse lovers, Dressage on the First Coast, December 1-2, brought more than 50 skilled riders and horses together to compete, delivering performances that suggested future international champions may be in their midst.
Among the top riders that weekend was Germany’s Franziska Seidl, who posted one of the highest scores of the show (74.750%) while winning the 2018 FEI Freestyle, as well as the FEI Grand Prix (68.913%), on her 16.3-hand Brandenburg gelding, Romano K. Seidl then won the 2017 FEI Grand Prix and Freestyle tests, riding her 16.3-hand bay KWPN gelding, Sigalia.
“We had an exciting but wet show in Jacksonville,” laughed Seidl. “Romano won his classes and was Reserve Champion in their level. Sigalia is still very fit (almost too fit) and won his Grand Prix. Overall, it was a special weekend because my parents, who were visiting from Switzerland, enjoyed being with us in Jax!”
Amy Speck-Kern from Loxahatchee, FL scored a new personal best, earning her final score for her USDF Gold Medal while riding her 16.3-hand, chestnut KWPN gelding Amadeus (Welt Hit X Fleming) to reserve honors in the 2018 FEI Grand Prix. “We had a great weekend at Dressage on the First Coast,” she added. “It’s been quite the journey from the first time Gwen Poulin and I saw him in Holland as a three-year-old to becoming a real Grand Prix horse!”
Show manager Carlie Evans said, “There were nice scores all around and lots of riders earning their first qualifiers of the show season. The Jacksonville Equestrian Center is a great place for a show. It has a great arena and good footing. Since it rained that weekend, it was nice to have the indoor arena, and covered warm-up rings.”
December 7-9, the Jacksonville Equestrian Center bow-wowed visitors with more than 100 dogs competing over three days in the USDAA Pals and Paws Dog Agility Club Show, one of four such trials held annually for canine sport enthusiasts from the Jacksonville, Orange Park, and surrounding areas. The US Dog Agility Association (USDAA) was formed in 1986 and serves members in the US and internationally, and sets the rules and standards that ensure that all competitions (such as those held at Jacksonville Equestrian Center) abide by the same rules.
“We have been using the Jacksonville Equestrian Center for several years and love the facility. It provides protection for our dogs, our competitors and spectators from wind, rain, and sun,” said Pals and Paws organizers, who added that the December show marked the 25th anniversary of the club hosting USDAA trials, and marked the retirement of a local canine competitor and one of the top Belgian Tervuren dogs in USDAA history.
Demonstrating their own degree of agility were the horses and riders competing December 8 in the Dixon Arena at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center in the third and final Holmes Ranch Jacksonville All Breed Open Horse Show of the season. The series, presented in September, October, and December by the Lawtey, Florida-based natural horsemanship and foundation training facility, offers more than 50 classes at each show, with year-end awards in halter, hunter, western, gaited, and trail divisions.
“This is the kind of great facility that helps horse shows grow. We’ve seen firsthand the popularity the show has gained since adding jumping classes,” said All Breed Open Show organizer, Ruth Holmes, who also credited good footing, and the all-weather accessibility of the Jacksonville Equestrian Center indoor arena and warm-up rings, with encouraging the show to expand and offer more over fences classes, including a Hunter Hack division for beginners (one jump) through seasoned hunters (four jumps).
Up next at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center is the Youth Equestrian Development Association Show (December 15), No Bull Grand Slam Barrel Racing Show (January 4), Gypsy Vanner Show (January 10-13) and National Team Roping Finals (January 24).
Amy Speck-Kern and Zenanta in their I1 Freestyle (Photo courtesy of Jonna Jodko)
Wellington, FL (July 14, 2018) – A sweltering Florida summer couldn’t stop Excel Dressage’s Amy Speck-Kern and her KWPN mare Zenanta from attaining another milestone in their dressage career. During June’s Gold Coast Summer Solstice, held at the Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex in Wellington, Florida, Speck-Kern and the elegant bay mare topped their debut FEI Freestyle class with a 72.230%. Zenanta (Krack C x Ferro) made her Intermediaire I debut only in beginning of 2018, and her debut Intermediaire I freestyle victory demonstrates the alacrity with which she is successfully progressing up the levels. The pair danced to a selection of violin covers of pop music from Avicii, Kygo, Lindsay Sterling, Justin Bieber, and Selena Gomez, all choreographed to the movements of the Intermediaire I. Winning their first freestyle is a meaningful step as the mare continues to make progress towards the Grand Prix, and Speck-Kern also has her sights set on possibly taking Zenanta to regionals to do the Prix St. Georges, Intermediaire I, and Intermediaire I Freestyle.
The pair’s freestyle was designed by Karen Robinson of Applause Dressage. Beginning with a tribute to the late Avicii in the opening canter song, Gonna Love Ya, the test progressed to a Martin Z cover of Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man for Zenanta’s trot, a Lindsay Sterling cover of It Ain’t Me by Selena Gomez and Kygo for her canter, and Love Yourself by Justin Bieber for her walk. “I chose music that was easy to ride to and upbeat to match her elevated gaits,” said Speck-Kern, who trains out of her Loxahatchee facility with Olympian Ali Brock. “We decided to do the Freestyle as a step towards the winter CDIs next season; I’ve never done a CDI and wanted to practice with her in the summer when there was less pressure. She’s really been stepping up in her training, and our lessons with Ali [Brock] have been going really well. We are preparing her for the Grand Prix, but are very much taking our time and letting Zenanta determine when we are ready. There’s no rush, and the emphasis will be on quality. For now my plans are to show our I1 freestyle one more time this summer, then maybe go to regionals with an eye on nationals before seeing where our training is for the beginning of the 2019 season.”
Speck-Kern closed out her 2018 winter season with successful rides on her two campaign horses, Zenanta and Amadeus (Flemmingh x Welt Hit II). A and Z, as they are known around the barn, put in solid tests at the national level during the 2018 Adequan Global Dressage Festival. Zenanta began by making her Intermediaire I debut just before the start of season and closing AGDF Week 12 with a personal high score at the level; she and Speck-Kern also won the Intermediaire I during the Palm Beach Dressage Derby with a score of 66%. Amadeus, a gelding Speck-Kern scouted and imported from Europe as a 3-year-old, is making currently competing at Intermediaire and making steady progress towards the Grand Prix.
Loxahatchee, FL (December 24, 2017) – A balmy December for Excel Dressage was highlighted by career high scores of 70.132% and 69.3% in the Open Prix St. Georges class during the White Fences Polar Express dressage show, held December 16 & 17 in Loxahatchee, Florida. Zenanta, a KWPN mare (Krack C x Ferro) owned by WBS Group, broke the 70% barrier after just a handful of shows at the FEI level. Ridden and trained by Excel Dressage’s founder Amy Speck-Kern, the flashy mare has been steadily improving her consistency and presence in the dressage arena since her FEI debut.
The busy Polar Express show, which no doubt served as a warm up for Wellington’s bustling winter season, hosted large classes and a competitive atmosphere for Zenanta and other students of Excel Dressage. Speck-Kern’s training program with Z, as she is known around the barn, is based on using familiarity with both her surroundings and the training principles to establish relaxation. Once the relaxation is achieved, boundaries are pushed to gently bring the mare to a higher degree of collection and power within the program without undue stress. And strict adherence to these principles, as well as regular training sessions with US Olympian Ali Brock, has yielded impressive results: Zenanta was awarded an 8.5 for her entry halt, 7.5s for both canter pirouettes, and 8s on her trot half-passes.
“Zenanta has continued to develop consistency and confidence in the show ring,” said Speck-Kern. “She knows her job, and by building that confidence she is able to demonstrate her athleticism, balance, and impulsion. Ali Brock has been instrumental in helping me define the steps in our routine and figure out where and when to ask for more. I’m also extremely grateful to her owners, the WBS Group, and our team of sponsors for giving us the support to reach for our goals and continue to break our own records!”
For more information on Amy Speck-Kern, Excel Dressage, or its services, visit www.ExcelDressage.com or call 414 550 1176.
Amy Speck-Kern and Zenanta on their way to victory in the White Fences Summer Fun II Prix St. Georges. (Photo by Equinium Sports Marketing)
Loxahatchee, FL (July 21, 2017) – Excel Dressage’s Amy Speck-Kern has had a progressive summer, with multiple FEI debut performances and the advancement of her goal to receive her ‘r’ judging license with training in Lexington, Virginia. Just before flying north to undergo the rigorous judging exams, Speck-Kern also slipped in to win the Prix St. Georges at White Fences Summer Fun II, held July 8-9, in Loxahatchee, Florida. Speck-Kern rode Zenanta, a KWPN mare (Krack C x Ferro) owned by WBS Group, to a 68.421% to win the FEI Prix St. George and qualify for regional championships.
Zenanta, debuted at PSG in June of 2017 with scores in the mid-60s. The flashy moving mare, who has been displaying increasing consistency over the past few months, is becoming more and more relaxed in the show arena, allowing Speck-Kern to showcase her incredible shoulder freedom and engaged hind leg. Speck-Kern has struck a balance between off site lessons with Olympian Ali Brock, a carefully evaluated nutritional program, and innovative tack and equipment to bring the sensitive mare to competition success.
“She continues to improve, and especially showed her balance and impulsion in the canter pirouettes, the left of which we were awarded an 8,” said Speck-Kern. “It has been a long journey with this mare as she is spectacularly talented but needed the time to build her confidence, strength, and to put all the pieces in the right place. I couldn’t be happier with her effort and progress this summer.”
Bred in Holland by Annemiek Raaijmakers, Zenanta’s owners, WBS Group, were formed to support Excel Dressage’s equestrian vision and Speck-Kern’s competitive career. WBS represents ‘work before success,’ which is a reflection of Speck-Kern’s journey with Zenanta. Zenanta’s diet was of particular importance to Speck-Kern throughout her training, and she found complete nutrition in Crypto Aero, a wholefood horse feed that keeps Zenanta cleaning her bucket despite the stress of showing or training. Wanting Zenanta to be as comfortable as possible in her tack, Speck-Kern began riding her in the Tota Comfort System noseband, whose innovative design relieves the torque and pressure along the poll, facial nerves, and TMJ, making it a happier option for Zenanta to step into the hand.
Founded in 2010 by Speck-Kern, Excel Dressage offers training, showing, and sales of top caliber dressage horses minutes from Wellington’s equestrian center. After beginning her career with Olympic Bronze Medalist Michael Poulin and “S” Judge Sharon Poulin, Speck-Kern’s naturally quiet and effective riding style and training methods drew a strong client base of competitive amateurs. A successful FEI competitor, in addition to her recent wins and debuts in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I, Speck Kern was ranked top in the nation at the 2016 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Championships aboard Kathryn Hoog’s KWPN mare Gerona, and has developed a base of international adult amateurs that compete through the FEI level. Excel Dressage imports a select number of exceptional sales and show prospects each year, and Speck-Kern is also an equestrian Ambassador for the Kids Cancer Foundation. By providing the local community and afflicted families with therapies, treatments, counseling and support, the Kids Cancer Foundation is reminiscent of the research and protocols that saved Speck-Kern’s life when she was diagnosed with Acute Myleoid Leukemia at 18. With her sights set on eventually obtaining and international judges accreditation, she was also recently accepted into the USEF “r” program, attended the exams in Virginia in July, and continues to develop her string of competition horses and list of clients.
For more information on Amy Speck-Kern, Excel Dressage, or its services, visit www.ExcelDressage.com or call 414 550 1176.
Media contact:
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
Holly Johnson holly@equinium.com
+1 954 205 7992
Amy Speck-Kern and Zenanta (Photos courtesy of Joanna Jodko)
Loxahatchee, FL (June 26, 2017) – Despite the summer storms and Florida’s sweltering heat, two of Excel Dressage’s FEI competitors advanced through the upper ranks of dressage during White Fences Summer Fun I, held June 3-4, 2017 in Loxahatchee. Amy Speck-Kern rode Zenanta (Krack C x Ferro) in the mare’s debut performance at Prix St. Georges, and Amadeus (Flemmingh x Welt Hit II) in his first official attempt at Intermediaire II. Both horses delivered solid initial performances during the rated show, positioning themselves for more success in the FEI divisions.
Zenanta, who is owned by WBS Group, scored 65.1% on Saturday and 65.7% on Sunday, displaying the consistency Speck-Kern was striving for in weekly training sessions with Olympian Ali Brock. The 2004 KWPN mare’s incredible shoulder freedom and engaged hind leg naturally lends her to the FEI levels, but channeling this talent into relaxed power has been the challenge for Speck-Kern. “Because of the sessions at Ali (Brock)’s farm, Zenanta’s entire persona changed. She became much bolder, more confident, and more comfortable in her work, making it much easier to achieve a consistent connection even during the excitement of competitions,” said Speck-Kern. “With Ali’s help and simulating a competition by shipping in for lessons, she was able to progress in leaps and bounds.” Regularly awarded 8s for her half-passes and with exceptional strength to sit in the pirouettes, Zenanta’s newfound confidence ensures more FEI performances in the future.
Speck-Kern’s Saturday morning ride in the Intermediaire II was Amadeus’s first recognized score in the division, and gave them a solid starting point to develop towards a competitive Grand Prix. Brilliant in the piaffe and passage, Amadeus, who was scouted and imported as a 3-year-old by Speck-Kern and Gwen Poulin, also continues to build his confidence in the show ring. Trained to the FEI by Speck-Kern, he also excels in trot and canter extensions, and has a superb walk, for which he received 8s in the extended walk. Speck-Kern was especially pleased with this score as the extended walk comes right after the passage, a challenging transition. “Going from the energy and power needed to produce a good passage to the total relaxation and suppleness of the extended walk can be quite difficult. I was really proud of him because I felt him take a deep breath and start to demonstrate a bit of what he can do,” said Speck-Kern. “Both horses are hot and extremely sensitive, but I am very pleased with them and their effort in this show, and I’m very thankful to my entire team and fantastic sponsors for their support.”
Speck-Kern and Amadeus
Excel Dressage was founded by Speck-Kern in 2010 and offers training, showing, and sales of top caliber dressage horses in Loxahatchee, Florida, just minutes from Wellington’s equestrian center. After beginning her career with Olympic Bronze Medalist Michael Poulin and “S” Judge Sharon Poulin, Speck-Kern’s naturally quiet and effective riding style and training method drew a strong client base of competitive amateurs. A successful FEI competitor, Speck-Kern was ranked top in the nation at the 2016 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Championships aboard the Kathryn Hoog’s KWPN mare Gerona, and has developed a base of international adult amateurs that compete through the FEI level. Excel Dressage imports a select number of exceptional sales and show prospects each year, and Speck-Kern is also an equestrian Ambassador for the Kids’ Cancer Foundation as a way to give back to the research and therapies that saved her life when she was diagnosed with Acute Myleoid Leukemia at 18. With her sights set on eventually obtaining an international judges accreditation, she was recently accepted into the USEF “r” program and continues to develop her string of competition horses.
For more information on Amy Speck-Kern, Excel Dressage, or its services, visit www.ExcelDressage.com or call 414 550 1176.
Media contact:
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
Holly Johnson holly@equinium.com
+1 954 205 7992
Katie Hoog (left) and Amy Speck-Kern with Gerona (Photo courtesy of Excel Dressage)
Wellington, Florida (November 11, 2016) – As 2016 begins to wind down, Excel Dressage and its students are winding up for the national championships and setting personal records in the FEI levels. Based in Loxahatchee, Florida and led by head trainer Amy Speck-Kern, Excel Dressage celebrated a number of milestones over the summer and fall, with top finishes for its riders on a few different levels.
Speck-Kern’s 2016 Markel/USEF Young Horse Championship mount, Gerona (Tango X Odessa X Junior STV), forged a new partnership with her amateur owner, Katherine Hoog, and the pair successfully qualified for the 2016 US Dressage Finals, November 10-13. The invitation only competition recognizes the best amateur and professional riders in the country, and Hoog and the elegant 5-year-old KWPN mare will travel to the Kentucky Horse Park this week to vie for the Training Level Adult Amateur Championship. With Speck-Kern at the reins, Gerona, known around the barn as Gigi, placed among the top 15 5-year-olds in the nation this summer, after only a few months of being imported from The Netherlands. Hoog took over the ride on the mare with her sights set on the Finals, and qualified in one shot during the USDF/GAIG Region 3 Championships at the Atlanta National Fall Show in Georgia, the mare’s second National Championship qualification in less than a year. With qualifying scores in the mid-60s, the pair also won an entire Open/AA class with a 73.8% and was fourth in her Championship class out of over 50 riders with a score of 72.5%.
“I’m extremely proud of Katie’s success with Gerona, a horse she scouted and imported and now has qualified for the US Dressage Finals,” said Speck-Kern. “We experienced an almost 30 degree drop in temperature, intense wind, and a huge atmosphere at Regionals. Katie stepped up to the plate and rode like a pro, showing a great deal of poise and skill in presenting a young horse. In training at home, they took time to get to know each other, especially the timing of the aids to get Gigi moving freely forward in self-carriage. Talented young horses are wonderful to ride, but they don’t just do it by themselves. In addition to athleticism and balance, it takes a lot of feel from the rider.”
Bonnie Kretchik, another Excel Dressage student, recently debuted at the FEI level after beginning her career with Excel Dressage schooling 4th Level. With scores in the mid to upper 60s at 4th and Prix St. Georges, in their most recent show at the Wellington Classic Fall Challenge she and her 9-year-old Hanoverian gelding San Dante (Sandro Hit x Weltmeyer) scored a personal best of 66% in the Prix St. Georges, only their third show at the FEI level.
“Bonnie has come a long way in the past year,” said Speck-Kern. “When we first began working together she was just starting to show 4th Level and has made a ton of progress. They are now confident at the Prix St. Georges and are just about ready for the Intermediaire I as well. Sammy [San Dante] was not a schoolmaster and has never been competed at Prix St. Georges by a professional, so Bonnie gets a lot of credit for training him at the FEI level and developing him in to a true show partner.”
Esteban, an Excel Dressage import, also made his way to Nationals with his new owner, after being scouted and imported in November of 2015 and sold in January of 2016.
Excel Dressage was founded by Speck-Kern in 2010 and offers training, showing, and sales of top caliber dressage horses. After beginning her career with Olympic Bronze Medalist Michael Poulin and “S” Judge Sharon Poulin, Speck-Kern’s naturally quiet and effective riding style and training method drew a strong international client base of competitive amateurs. Excel Dressage imports a select number of exceptional sales and show prospects each year, and Speck-Kern is also an equestrian Ambassador for the Kids Cancer Foundation as a way to give back to the research and therapies that saved her life when she was diagnosed with Acute Myleoid Leukemia at 18. With her sights set on eventually obtaining an international judges accreditation, she was recently accepted into the USEF “r” program and competing her FEI mounts on the 2017 Wellington show circuit.
Amy Speck-Kern and Gerona at the 2016 Markel/USEF Young Horse Championships (Photo courtesy of SusanJStickle.com)
Wellington, Florida (October 15, 2016) – For Amy Speck-Kern, dressage is a passion that gave her the inspiration to overcome childhood cancer. This passion, combined with cutting edge treatment protocols and the support of her family, friends, and outreach groups, allowed her to defeat Acute Myleoid Leukemia (AML) and pursue her dream of a successful FEI dressage career. Speck-Kern hit a milestone this summer, after qualifying the newly imported KWPN mare Gerona for the 2016 Markel/USEF Young Horse Championships. The pair finished as one of the top 15 ranked 5-year-old combinations in the nation, and through the generous contributions of her family, friends, and colleagues, was able to pay the success forward in the form of a donation to the Kids Cancer Foundation of South Florida. The 501(c)(3) non-profit charity provides hope and support to local children and families battling childhood cancer, and is a reflection of the support and guidance that was so imperative to Speck-Kern’s conquering the disease.
Following her national championship debut, Speck-Kern attended the Kids Cancer Foundation’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Celebration at Lands End Farm in Wellington, Florida. In addition to ponies and face painting, the day of equine fun also centered around raising support and awareness for the children that battle the disease. “It’s important to remember that treatment is just one piece of the puzzle,” said Speck-Kern, “and normally the only one covered by health insurance. Education, support, and resources like psychologists and the camaraderie of other children who are experiencing the same reality are priceless. I love that we can work the horses into the support programs because I know that was a huge drive for me, and to see the kids interacting with them makes it obvious how much of an impact it has.”
Wellington’s equestrian community has a long history of supporting children’s cancer research and the Kids Cancer Foundation. This past winter, the KCF’s team at the Great Charity Challenge placed 3rd overall, earning a donation of $112,500. In September, the Southeast Medal Finals auctioned off a Kids Cancer Foundation custom Wood Craft Solutions jump with all of the proceeds to benefit the KCF. And it’s not just showjumping and dressage: international polo star Nic Roldan is also one of the Kids Cancer Foundation’s Ambassadors, channeling his success on the polo fields into awareness and support for this local charity.
Mini humans and equines at the Childhood Cancer Awareness Celebration at Lands End Farm (Photo courtesy of Moonstruck Photography)
“The equestrian community has always been exceptionally generous and supportive of our organization, and have made a huge difference in the lives of these children and their families,” said Michelle O’Boyle, RN, CPON, founder and executive director of the Kids Cancer Foundation, Inc. “Having survivors and high profile riders like Amy and Nick involved gives the kids hope for their own futures, as they see that there is life after leukemia or childhood cancer and that its worth fighting for.”
To learn more about the Kids Cancer Foundation, visit their website at www.KidsCancersf.org. Help us help them fight!
Amy’s Story: Riding for Childhood Cancer Research
In 2003 and at the age of 18, only barely still considered a child by medical standards, Amy Speck-Kern was diagnosed with Acute Myleoid Leukemia. Known by the acronym AML, this childhood cancer attacks multiple blood cell types, including red blood cells, platelet-forming cells, and white blood cells other than lymphocytes (when leukemia attacks lymphocytes, it is known as acute lymphoblasic leukemia, or ALL). AML represents only 20% of leukemia diagnoses, so Amy and her doctors realized it would be a challenge to successfully defeat the disease.
“They told us they couldn’t guarantee her next month, next week, or even tomorrow,” says Liz Mikutowski, Amy’s mother. With high school graduation quickly approaching, Amy went onto the course of treatment, a newly devised protocol from the Children’s Oncology Group, for which she was one of the first patients. Previous treatments had a 60% survivor rate for AML, and around the time of Amy’s diagnosis, the survival rate experienced a surge up to 90% thanks to advanced research and development into cures for childhood cancer. The new protocol for Amy featured these advancements, and coupled with diet, exercise and the support of family and childhood cancer organizations, she completed the treatment at an accelerated rate. After only 6 months, Amy was cleared of AML, thanks to the tireless work of children’s oncologists, doctors, nurses, and the generous funding, grants, and donations that made the research possible.
“I know that I’m here because of the research,” said Speck-Kern. “The disease and course of treatment inspired me to pursue my passion, and find a way to give back to the cause that has made it possible.” Her passion can be found in the saddle, astride thousand-pound dressage horses she teaches to move and dance in tandem with their riders. Now a professional FEI dressage trainer in Loxahatchee, Florida, she rides, trains, shows, and competes on Wellington’s prestigious international show circuit. After learning from and working with some of the best trainers in the industry, Amy founded Excel Dressage and, leading into the 2016 show season, has begun the process of giving back to childhood cancer research.
