Tag Archives: Live Oak International

JRPR, Show Jumping

$34,000 CSI** Hollow Creek Winning Round at Live Oak International 2014

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Catherine Pasmore and Z Canta. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com)

Ocala, FL (March 23, 2014) – Poise, precision and power landed Catherine Pasmore of White Hall, VA and Pasmore Stables, LLC’s Z Canta at the top of the John Deere stadium leader board in the $33,000 CSI2* Hollow Creek Winning Round on the final day of competition at the 2014 Live Oak International in Ocala, FL.

Pasmore topped a field of 32 contenders including U.S. Olympic veteran ‘Leapin’ Leslie’ Howard, of Darien, CT, whose fault-free effort on The Utah Group’s Utah over Leopoldo Palacios’ course was close (55.55 seconds) but not enough to catch Pasmore’s own flawless effort of 54.62 seconds.

The final fault-free round belonged to Andre Thieme of Plau Am See, PA, and Conthendrix, with a gallop through the timers at 56.25 seconds.

This marked the second year that Hollow Creek Farm sponsored Sunday afternoon’s premier show jumping class.  Having attended the inaugural Live Oak International show jumping event in 2012, business partners Andrea King and Angel Karolyi of Hollow Creek Farm in Aiken, SC, were anxious to lend their support.  In 2013, they stepped up to sponsor the Winning Round competition and committed to do so again this year.

“Live Oak is, without a doubt, the prettiest farm in the state of Florida,” said Angel Karolyi of Hollow Creek Farm. “We really appreciate that the Weber family has opened its doors and invited the show jumping community to come to Live Oak.  They’ve done a great job, with wonderful footing, and a really nice, well-run event.  It’s a special venue, of which there are very few in this sport, and we were excited to be a part of it again this year.”

At the conclusion of the show jumping, the luck of the Irish was with Live Oak International $10,000 E2 Leading Rider Award winner and 2012 Olympic Individual Bronze medalist, Cian O’Connor.

Live Oak Plantation’s incredible atmosphere, world-class facilities, and top-of-the-line competitors once again came together to create the country’s premier driving and showjumping event. Managed and organized by the brother/sister team of Chester Weber and Juliet W. Reid, the 2014 Live Oak International continues to set the standard for competition, entertainment, and equestrian sport in the United States.

For more information on Live Oak International, including a full schedule of events, visit their website at www.liveoakinternational.com.

For more information contact:
Damian Guthrie
561 290 9668
Live Oak International
www.liveoakinternational.com
info@liveoakinternational.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Driving, Show Jumping

Record Breaking 10,000 Attendees – Record Wins

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Chester Weber and his team on course in the marathon. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com)

Ocala, FL (March 23, 2014) – The motto on its show program, Chase Perfection, Catch Excellence, perfectly encapsulated this year’s Live Oak International, March 20-23, at Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, FL, as history was made in U.S. National Four-in-Hand competition, Olympic Show Jumping champions converged, and Super Bowl stars of both the commercial TV screen and stadium met in one superlative week of competition in front of a record 10,000 fans.

Writing yet another chapter in American combined driving history, Chester Weber of Ocala, FL, defended his U.S. Four-in-Hand Horse title with a record 11th victory on a final score of 116.33, also accepting the Jean Keathley Award sponsored by Michael Freund for lowest dressage score by an FEI whip.  Second place went to Sarasota, FL whip Misdee Wrigley-Miller, who accepted the Anne Bliss Memorial Award sponsored by Michael Freund as the most elegant lady driver throughout the competition.

Bringing an Olympic cachet to the show jumping competition was reigning 2012 Olympic Individual Gold medalist Ben Maher, whose flawless rounds on Jane Clark’s Aristo Z led to another Florida championship for him this season after victory in Saturday’s $50,000 CSI2*W Live Oak Grand Prix (42.48 seconds).  Second place was Ashlee Bond Clarke riding Little Valley Farm’s Agrostar, whose win qualified her for the World Cup.

After four classes of show jumping competition, the luck of the Irish in the $10,000 E2 Leading Rider Award went to 2012 Olympic Individual Bronze medalist Cian O’Connor.

Clydesdales
The Budweiser Clydesdales

Super Bowl sports star power was apparent in a double dose at Live Oak International. The 6’5” two-time National Football League Super Bowl linebacker Max Montoya of Hebron, KY, known and loved for his signature lime-green ‘fauxhawk’ helmet, was large and in charge as he drove to the top of the Intermediate Pair Horse championship with his Georgian Grandes.  Also drawing thousands of fans and rightly winning applause throughout the week were the world famous stars of the Super Bowl television commercials, the Budweiser Clydesdales.

While the big boys had star power some of the littlest riders stole the show on Sunday when a small herd of small riders entered the ring for the leadline class to resounding applause.  Special thanks to sponsors Sleepy P Ranch.

Demonstrating that driving horses (or ponies) isn’t just for the gentleman was Misdee Wrigley-Miller of Sarasota, FL, the reserve champion in the U.S. National Four-in-Hand and winner of the Anne Bliss Memorial award as the most elegant lady driver of the event. Wrigley-Miller, who drove her first pony at age four, was adamant that combined driving was not about muscle, but finesse and saw her reserve championship as an a opportunity to serve as a role model for younger equestriennes.

Ten thousand spectators and 17 nations added up to a winning equation for Live Oak International organizers and brother-sister team, Chester Weber and Juliet Reid.  Weber intimated that there is still more to come, with plans in 2015 of expanding the program to embrace Three-Day Eventing, too.

“I foresee Live Oak International as America’s Aachen,” Weber said, comparing the goals of the Ocala venue to the esteemed European venue.

In Florida’s ‘horse capital,’ it’s amply possible. For more information on Live Oak International, visit www.liveoakinternational.com.

For more information contact:
Damian Guthrie
561 290 9668
Live Oak International
www.liveoakinternational.com
info@liveoakinternational.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Driving

Weber Wins 11th USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship at Live Oak International

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Chester Weber takes his victory lap after winning his 11th USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship (Picsofyou.com)

Ocala, Fla. – The competition came to a close Sunday afternoon for the drivers in the FEI Four-in-Hand division sponsored by Seminole Wellness at Live Oak International. Held in conjunction with the USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship, the division’s results were decided following the cones phase. After meeting the challenge put forth by the 720-meter 19-obstacle course designed by Harmut Kaufmann (GER), Chester Weber won not only the division but his 11th USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship. The championship also serves as the Selection Trial for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG), giving Weber’s performance another reason for being a special achievement.

Weber (Ocala, Fla.) smoothly guided his and Jane Clark’s team of Royal Dutch Warmblood geldings through the cones course, earning the only double clear round in the division. Adding nothing to his score on the final day of competition, he finished with a score of 116.33.

“They’re all as special as the first one,” Weber commented on winning his 11th USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship. “It was one of my big goals this year to attend the national championship. I am pleased to be here and have the opportunity.”

As he aims for the 2014 WEG, Weber noted, “It was really good experience to have to drive clear under some pressure. We trained a lot over cones since our last event and it really paid off. My team was really great today. That was one of the nicest cones rounds I’ve ever driven. There was no resistance and it flowed and felt really good.”

Misdee Wrigley-Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) earned her first USEF National Four-in-Hand Reserve Champion title upon the completion of the cones phase. She and her team of Dutch Warmblood geldings knocked five balls from their cones and incurred 13.02 time penalties for a total of 28.02 penalties added to their previous score for a final score of 350.56.

“It’s really something to be sitting here next to Chester and I feel honored. I started driving Four-in-Hand in December and three months later to have completed a competition in this atmosphere is really wonderful.”

Wrigley-Miller plans to travel to Europe this summer to give herself and her horses more experience and while the WEG is a thought, she has another reason for driving a team of horses. When asked if she sees herself as a role model for girls, Wrigley-Miller replied, “That’s one of my main reasons for doing this. I think this is a wonderful sport and I think women can do it too at the highest level.”

While Wrigley-Miller received a Reserve Champion title, she finished third in the FEI Four-in-Hand division sponsored by Seminole Wellness behind Darryl Billing of Canada. He added 50.42 penalties following the cones phase to finish with a final score of 267.24 to earn second place.

The FEI Single Horse division, which also served as the Selection Trial for the 2014 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles being held September 25-28 in Izsak, Hungary, was won by Suzy Stafford (Wilmington, Del.). She guided PVF Peace of Mind to a 5.73-fault round after knocking the ball at cone two and incurring 2.73 time penalties to end up with a final score of 112.57. Stafford was only 0.67 penalties ahead of second-place finisher Leslie Berndl (Newcastle, Calif.), who guided Uminco to clear cones round with just 1.16 time penalties to finish with final score of 113.24. Jacob Arnold (Ocala, Fla.) rounded out the top three with one ball down and only 0.97 time penalties with Wise Guy to finish on a score of 135.68.

If you want to catch up on the action from Live Oak International, on-demand video footage of the driving marathon and cones phases and the jumping classes from Saturday and Sunday will be available shortly on USEFNetwork.com.

By Kathleen Landwehr

For more information about Live Oak International, visit http://liveoakinternational.com/.

Follow the U.S. Driving Team here.

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Driving

Weber Delivers on Marathon Day of USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship at Live Oak International

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Chester Weber (Picsofyou.com)

Ocala, Fla. – A warm, sunny morning at Live Oak International set the stage for the USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship sponsored by Ariat. The competitors had a large undertaking guiding their teams of horses through the seven-obstacle marathon course designed by Hartmut Kaufmann of Germany. The Ocala, Fla. venue saw a huge turnout of spectators present to see an exciting day of competition. Chester Weber maintained his lead in the Wellness being held in conjunction with the championship.

Weber (Ocala, Fla.) remained in top form throughout the marathon phase adding 81.31 penalties to his dressage score of 35.02 to sit in first place with a score of 116.33. He expertly drove his and Jane Clark’s team of Royal Dutch Warmblood geldings through the obstacles, having the quickest times of the day for the Four-in-Hand competitors.

“The horses were like music today. It was fantastic! It felt like I was a conductor sitting behind them. Everything was light, nice,” said Weber. “It was really quite warm for an end-of-March day in Ocala. It was 80 degrees.” However, the team didn’t seem fazed by the warm conditions and performed as usual.

“The crowd was fantastic! Every time I went out of an obstacle they got louder,” Weber commented about the phenomenal turnout. “It had a really nice feel, a real European [competition] feel. It was really nice. You had the feeling that the spectators were really enthusiastic about what was going on. The horses couldn’t have been better; they all showed up at a national championship like they were supposed to.”

Misdee Wrigley-Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) lies in Reserve Champion position after tackling the challenging marathon course. She and her team of Dutch Warmblood geldings struggled at times but finished strongly. After earning a dressage score of 51.97 and 270.57 penalty points on Saturday, Wrigley-Miller sits in second place in the national championship heading into Sunday’s cones phase with a score of 322.54.

In the FEI Four-in-Hand Horse division, Darryl Billing of Canada moved up to second place with his team. After earning 63.59 in the dressage phase and finishing second in the marathon phase with a total of 153.23 penalty points, he is in second place with a score of 322.54 going into the last day of competition.

Championship competition concludes Sunday with the cones phase beginning at 9:00am ET.

Anyone interested may watch the cones phase live on the USEF Network presented by SmartPak. USEFNetwork.com will be live streaming the driving cones phases on Sunday beginning at 9:00am ET. Live Oak International also hosts a CSI 2* jumping competition and USEF Network coverage will include Sunday’s $34,000 Winning Round CSI 2*at 2:30pm ET. On-demand video footage of the driving marathon and Saturday’s jumping class, the $50,000 CSI 2*-W Live Oak International Grand Prix will be available shortly on USEFNetwork.com.

Suzy Stafford (Wilmington, Del.) remains in the lead in the FEI Single Horse division, which is also serving as the Selection Trial for the 2014 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles being held September 25-28 in Izsak, Hungary. Following the marathon phase, she added 65.75 penalty points to her dressage score of 41.09 to sit atop the leaderboard with a score of 106.84.

By Kathleen Landwehr

For more information about Live Oak International, visit http://liveoakinternational.com/.

Follow the U.S. Driving Team here.

*Featured/Spotlights, Driving

Chester Weber Dominates after Marathon in FEI Four-in-Hand Horse USEF National Championship

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Chester Weber and his team on course in Saturday’s marathon. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com)

Ocala, FL (March 22, 2014) – Ocala, Florida horseman Chester Weber makes it look so easy.  The 10-time USEF Four-in-Hand National Champion and his KWPN team made one of the most challenging combined driving marathon courses in America look like a walk in the park, rounding the second of the championship’s three phases with an astonishing 81.31-point score overall and establishing a lead after Saturday morning’s competition that will be very tough to catch.

Weber’s command of his team was all the more appreciated after his closest challenger after dressage, Misdee Miller, of Sarasota, FL, struggled at the water hazard, costing she and her KWPN team both time and penalties. Miller’s 270.57-point score dropped her to third, making the likelihood of catching ‘Mr. Dressage’ in Sunday’s cones phase virtually impossible, while Canadian whip Darryl Billing brought his KWPN team up to second-place (153.23) and Casey Zubek, of Manhattan, IL and his Dutch Warmblood team dropped to the bottom of the Four-in-Hand standings after elimination at the second hazard.

“Today, the horses were like music,” said Weber, “and I felt like their conductor.  They showed their National Championship form.”

In the FEI Single Horse, Suzy Stafford of Wilmington, DE and her Morgan dropped to second (65.75 points) behind fellow Morgan driver, Cheryl Pratt Rivers of Stockbridge, VT, who moved into a narrow two-point lead (63.49) going into Sunday.

Also moving into top seed in their respective FEI divisions were Canada’s FEI Pair Horse entry, Rae Fischer, whose KWPN team unerringly answered the questions posed by Live Oak International driving course designer Hartmut Kaufmann of Germany to move into first place (71.20) over the Lipizzan pair of Steve Wilson of Louisville, KY (95.09).

A four-point margin separates leader (71.98) Jennifer Matheson, of Aiken, SC, and her German Riding Ponies from Elizabeth Keathley, of Woodbury, TN, and her Welsh pony’s 75.88-point effort in the FEI Pair Pony sponsored by Hillcroft Farm. In the FEI Single Pony, also generously sponsored by Hillcroft Farm, the German Riding Ponies of Tracey Morgan of Beallsville, MD maintained their lead (68.19).

Showing her mettle in Live Oak International’s Intermediate Single Pony, sponsored by Wayne Humphreys, was Doris Leacy of Oro Valley, AZ, whose German Pony crosses delivered a strong 62.12-point finish to seed them first. John Levy, of Grass Valley, CA successfully brought his Welsh Cob into the lead (67.81) in Intermediate Single Horse, with former leader and Ocala hometown favorite, Ellen Epstein, only three points behind (70.16) for the reserve.

Another Ocala driver, Boots Wright, is holding her lead (66.75) in Intermediate Pair Pony, and two-time NFL Superbowl linebacker Max Montoya of Hebron, KY, sporting his now-trademark lime-green ‘fauxhawk’ helmet, negotiated his Friesian/American Saddlebred crosses (aka, ‘Georgian Grandes’) to a 10-point lead (73.53) in Intermediate Pair Horse ahead of US driver Joni Kuhn (83.24).

Following the noon conclusion of the Marathon phase, the world famous Budweiser Clydesdales returned to the John Deere stadium at Live Oak International with a standing-room-only performance by the six-in-hand team and set the stage for the only thing larger than the mighty horses:  the fences facing the 38 horses and riders from around the world competing in Saturday afternoon’s $50,000 Live Oak International CSI**W Grand Prix.

Ocala’s only World Cup qualifying event will also offer its show jumping riders their final chance to claim the Live Oak International’s $10,000 E2 Leading Rider Award. Currently seeded first is Ireland’s Cian O’Connor, with Brazil’s Paulo Santana second, and US contender Andrew Ramsay third.

The heated competition on the luxurious 5,000-acre Live Oak Plantation estate of Chester Weber and his family was complemented by an evening of cool chic under the VIP Tent for the James Bond 007-inspired Lugano Diamonds Competitor’s Party.  The title sponsor of the 2014 Live Oak International Competitors Party, Lugano Diamonds delivered an evening of elegance truly as remarkable as its collection, which may be viewed at luganodiamonds.com.

The final day of the 2014 Live Oak International promises to continue to deliver the precision and athleticism that has become the hallmark of this Florida horse country tradition.  The Cones, or Driving Obstacle Competition, begins Sunday morning at 9am.  A special Coaching Presentation will be offered at 1:15pm to introduce horse lovers to this beloved American driving tradition, followed by an impossibly cute Leadline Class for the youngest equestrians at 1:30pm, and Live Oak International will wrap up for 2014 with the $33,000 CSI**W Hollow Creek Winning Round.

Admission is $10 at the gate for adults and $5 for seniors and children under 12. It is strongly recommended that spectators bring lawn chairs. Concessions and a Vendor Village will be open throughout the competition.

For more information on Live Oak International, including a full schedule of events, visit www.liveoakinternational.com.

For more information contact:
Damian Guthrie
561 290 9668
Live Oak International
www.liveoakinternational.com
info@liveoakinternational.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

Ben Maher Wins $50,000 CSI2*W at 2014 Live Oak International

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Ben Maher and Aristo Z. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com)

Ocala, FL (March 22, 2014) – It only took 42.48 fault-free seconds for Ben Maher of Great Britain to prove why he is show jumping’s reigning Olympic Individual Gold medalist as he boldly negotiated Jane Clark’s Aristo Z over Leopoldo Palacio’s eight-fence jump-off and, in front of a full house of spectators at its John Deere stadium, clinched this year’s $50,000 CSI2*W at the 2014 Live Oak International in Ocala, FL.

“It was a fantastic ride,” said Maher, who no sooner completed his victory gallop than was boarding a plane for a second grand prix in south Florida that evening at FTI Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington.

“He stayed quiet and adjusted to the temperature,” Maher continued, referring to the exceptionally fine weather on Saturday.  “Chester (Weber) put on a great show and it was a pleasure to come.”

Second to Maher, but successfully clinching her berth for this year’s World Cup, was U.S. rider Ashlee Bond Clarke, who was also penalty-free in the jump off, on Little Valley Farm’s Agrostar, crossing the timers just three-tenths of a second behind Maher (42.73).

“I won’t lie; I was sweating,” said Clarke, 29.  “I’m not so young anymore.  I still feel twenty but today was stressful.  I knew if Jenni (McAllister, the first to go in the jump-off) went clear she could beat me for a place on the World Cup.  I had to be no worse than fifth.  Her rail made my life easier!”  McAllister set the pace in the jump off — 45.30 seconds – but also collected four faults.

Continuing the international caliber of the field was Angel Karoyli of Venezuela, who was third on Hollow Creek Farm’s Indiana 127.  Karoyli, who has been riding the chestnut KWPN gelding for just under two years, was no stranger to Palacios’ courses, and made an aggressive grab at the win only to find his nemesis going from Palacios’ wall into its grand prix plank fence.

“He has a tendency to drift a little to the left, but I over-adjusted,” said the 27-year-old show jumping star.

Watching the CSI2*W finale was its host, Chester Weber.  This is only the third year that grand prix show jumping has been added to Live Oak International’s 21-year tradition of equestrian competition, and Weber foresees the Ocala venue only broadening its worldview.

“I’d like to offer three-day eventing as well.  We’re exploring that. One day, I would like to see Live Oak International bring to Ocala the equivalent of Aachen,” said Weber, referring to one of Europe’s most time-honored equestrian sport venues.

Elite entertainment after the victory gallop continued with the Lugano Diamonds Competitor’s Party on Saturday night, which swapped the golden luster of Maher’s Olympic-level performance for the chic shimmering sparkle of diamonds amid a silver and white décor befitting its 007 James Bond theme.

The final day of the 2014 Live Oak International promises to deliver another show of precision and athleticism during the Driving Obstacle Competition beginning at 9 a.m.  A Coaching Presentation at 1:15pm will feature the history and tradition behind carriage driving, followed by a children’s Leadline Class at 1:30pm. The $33,000 CSI**W Hollow Creek Winning Round completes the week’s competition.

Admission is $10 at the gate for adults and $5 for seniors and children under 12. It is strongly recommended that spectators bring lawn chairs. Concessions and a Vendor Village will be open during the entire competition.

For more information on Live Oak International, including a full schedule of events, visit www.liveoakinternational.com.

For more information contact:
Damian Guthrie
561 290 9668
Live Oak International
www.liveoakinternational.com
info@liveoakinternational.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Driving

Suzi Dixon, Ellen Epstein Lead at Live Oak International in Yellowframe Farm Intermediate Driven Dressage

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Ellen Epstein and her KWPN Elaine hold first place in the Intermediate Single Horse following the dressage. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com)

Ocala, FL (March 21, 2014) – Never has the drive to win been more evident than as the action continued on Friday at the Live Oak International, where equal parts elegance and power merged as some of the best whips in the world brought their A-game for the Yellowframe Farm Intermediate Driven Dressage.

Continuing to prove they are the drivers to beat in their Intermediate classes, Suzi Dixon of Vashon, WA and Ellen Epstein of Ocala, FL lead after Friday morning, creating Ocala’s own competitive heat wave.

Already known for more than two decades as one of the finest combined driving venues in the world, the drivers and horses moving into top slots on Friday firmly represented the quality of such historic competition.  Coming all the way from Washington has proven worth the trip for Dixon and her Welsh Franny, who are holding first place in Intermediate Single Pony, sponsored by Wayne Humphreys.  Pixie Keting and her Paint horse, of Aiken, SC, are their closest contenders going into Saturday’s Marathon.

Ocala local Ellen Epstein and her KWPN Elaine top the Intermediate Single Horse class to second-place U.S. driver, Debbie Egan. In Intermediate Pair Pony, Boots Wright of Ocala’s German Riding Ponies are holding onto the lead over West Coast contender Carina Crawford of Redding, also with a German Riding pony.

Friday’s impressive classes have whetted horse sport fans’ appetites for more, and more is to come, starting with Saturday’s action-packed Driving Marathon. Following the marathon will be a second show by the Budweiser Clydesdales.  At 2pm, the $50,000 Live Oak International CSI**W Grand Prix will jump to the fore, followed by the Lugano Diamonds Competitor Party at 6pm.  Tickets are required to attend the Competitors Party.

General admission for Live Oak is $10 at the gate for adults and $5 for seniors and children under 12. It is strongly recommended that spectators bring lawn chairs. Concessions and a Vendor Village will be open throughout. To reserve a tailgating space contact 352-207-3615. For more about Live Oak International, including schedule of events, click www.liveoakinternational.com.

For more information contact:
Damian Guthrie
561 290 9668
Live Oak International
www.liveoakinternational.com
info@liveoakinternational.com

Community/Charity, Driving

Wake Up Each Morning to Something Special: WOCA Radio 96.3FM and NBC Sports Radio 100.1FM Talk Horses

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The Budweiser Clydesdales during Thursday’s performance at the 2014 Live Oak International. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Ocala, FL (March 20, 2014) – Live from the Live Oak International, tune your radio dial in to Friday and Saturday morning broadcasts bringing Ocala the most interesting characters and champions competing this weekend at Florida horse country’s most prestigious annual tradition.

On Friday, March 21, WOCA Radio 96.3FM/1370AM will air “Horse Sense” presented by the Equine Alliance of Marion County live 9:30 a.m.to 11:00 a.m. with news talk show hosts Joe Martone and Crystal Fernung.

On Saturday morning, NBC Sports Radio 100.1FM/900AM will broadcast “Horsetalk” presented by Tack Shack of Ocala, live from Live Oak from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. with host Louisa Barton.  Or listen live online anywhere at floridasportstalk.fm.

Wake up with some of the most famous horses and horsemen in the world as Ocala’s favorite morning radio hosts take you behind the scenes with the competition, talk with its defending champions, and learn about the horses, athletes and local volunteers who make Live Oak International one of the most important Ocala events of the year.

The Live Oak International CAI/CSI-W 2*, now through Sunday, March 23, at Live Oak Plantation is hosting 2012 British Olympic Team Gold Medalist Ben Maher, 2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist Cian O’Connor, Olympian McLain Ward, 10-time National Four-in-Hand Champion Chester Weber, and the Super Bowl’s world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales. Live Oak also was selected by the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) to host Ocala’s only 2014 Showjumping World Cup qualifier.

For more information on the Live Oak International please visit www.liveoakinternational.com.  Follow Horsetalk, presented by Tack Shack of Ocala, on NBC Sports Radio at floridasportstalk.fm.

For more information contact:
Damian Guthrie
561 290 9668
Live Oak International
www.liveoakinternational.com
info@liveoakinternational.com

Dressage, Driving, JRPR

Chester Weber, Suzy Stafford Take Early Leads Following Yellowframe Farm FEI Driven Dressage

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Chester Weber and his team during the Yellowframe Farm FEI Driven Dressage. (Photo courtesy of PicsofYou.com)

Ocala, FL (March 20, 2013) – The 2014 Live Oak International is underway, bringing the best competitors in show jumping and combined driving to Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, Florida.  The prestigious competition, considered the premier combined driving event in North America, was favored with flawless weather and a strong showing of appreciative spectators as the equestrian extravaganza began.

Wednesday opened with FEI Horse Inspections for the Combined Driving Event (CDE) whose modern roots trace to 1968 when Britain’s Prince Philip, then-president of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), initiated the formulation of international rules for a sport performed by countless generations around the world.

The first phase of the CAI Live Oak International kicked off Thursday morning at 9am with the FEI driven dressage (from the French word, ‘to train’) that tested each driver and team with a prescribed sequence of movements, driven from memory, and executed within the parameters of lettered markers around the arena.

“Today was great sport and I have high hopes for the rest of the weekend,” said Chester Weber.  Facing a roster of challengers from the United States and Canada, defending Four-in-Hand champion Weber is seeded first (78.1%) in the FEI Four-in-Hand Horse USEF National Championship sponsored by Ariat with a better than 10-point lead ahead of closest contender and last year’s Pair Horse champion at Live Oak, Misdee Wrigley-Miller (67.5%). Proving once again why his crisp presentation and accuracy have earned Weber the nickname, Mr. Dressage, judges Skar, Turbe, Counsell, Nicoli and Christ all scored him handily (35.02 points) for this first of three deciding phases.

USA driver Suzy Stafford leads in the FEI Single Horse division, with a 74.3% top score ahead of closest contender, Leslie Berndl’s (USA) 71.9%.  Stafford trained for a career as a dressage and combined training instructor before a leg injury ended her riding career but became a boon to American combined driving.  In 2001, she began working with seven-time US National Pair Driving champion Lisa Singer and has since become one of the most respected lady whips in the world, as well as a top contender for Live Oak’s Single Horse driving crown.

During the lunch break, the Budweiser Clydesdales put on an impressive display with their six-in-hand, a remarkable spectacle that will be repeated on Saturday before the $50,000 Live Oak International CSI**-W Grand Prix.  Ten-time National Four-in-Hand champion, Chester Weber, who is hosting the equestrian extravaganza at his family’s Live Oak Plantation, was first introduced to driving taking the reins of Clydesdale horses.

USA drivers currently seeded first include Tracey Morgan, who leads (70.5%) the FEI Single Pony sponsored by Hillcroft Farm; Boots Wright leads in Intermediate Pair Pony (74.3%). Wiebe Dragstra is at the top in the Intermediate Pair Horse (73.3%), as is Steve Wilson and his Lipizzaners in the FEI Pair Horse (67.6%).

Germany’s Carola Slater-Diener closes the first day of competition as its highest-placed international entry, leading (64.7%) the FEI Pair Pony, sponsored by Hillcroft Farm, ahead of US driver Jennifer Matheson (64%).

As glorious as any competing team was the special lunchtime appearance of the stars of the Super Bowl TV commercials:  the Budweiser Clydesdales.  More than 16 tons of groomed horses and gleaming tack, hitched to a vintage Studebaker beer wagon, drew waves of fans of all ages as they effortlessly figure-eighted their way around the arena.

Thursday will open with the FEI Horse Inspection for show jumping horses and the Driving Marathon Course Inspection, followed by the Competitor’s Welcome event at 6pm.

Friday promises to be a day of exciting competition, offering the Intermediate Driven Dressage, the $5,000 1.30m Joan Pletcher Realty Power and Speed class, and $10,000 Waldron Wealth Welcome Stake.

Admission is $10 at the gate for adults and $5 for seniors and children under 12. It is strongly recommended that spectators bring lawn chairs. Concessions and a Vendor Village will be open during the entire competition. Tailgating is available for the Driving Marathon Saturday. To reserve a tailgating space contact 352-207-3615.

For more information on Live Oak International, including a full schedule of events, visit their website at www.liveoakinternational.com. Listen to live radio broadcasts on Friday morning, 9:30-11 a.m. on WOCA 96.3FM/1370AM and Saturday morning, 8-9 a.m. on NBC Sports Radio 100.1FM/900AM.

For more information contact:
Damian Guthrie
561 290 9668
Live Oak International
www.liveoakinternational.com
info@liveoakinternational.com

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, Driving

Weber Leads USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship Set at Live Oak International Following Dressage Phase

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Chester Weber (Picsofyou.com)

Ocala, Fla. – A foggy morning gave way to a sunny afternoon at Live Oak International as the three competitors in the USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship sponsored by Ariat entered the John Deere Arena to perform their dressage test. The championship also serves as the USEF Selection Trial for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Held in conjunction with the FEI Four-in-Hand division sponsored by Seminole Wellness, Chester Weber currently sits atop the leaderboard following the dressage phase with a score of 35.02.

Weber (Ocala, Fla.) performed his signature lovely dressage test with his and Jane Clark’s team of Royal Dutch Warmblood geldings to earn the winning score. He guided his team expertly throughout the test, highlighted by great trot work and circles. After winning at the Kingdom of the Sun CDE last month, Weber aims to maintain his winning streak and claim his eleventh USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship title.

“I drove a really experienced team here and I couldn’t be more pleased with the horses,” stated Weber. “They are in really good form showing they are headed in the right direction towards Normandy, our goal for this summer. It’s always a bit of a challenge to be involved with the organization of an event and to compete here, but I was really pleased with the horses and how they showed up today.”

Misdee Wrigley-Miller (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) lies in second place after scoring 51.97 with her team of Dutch Warmblood geldings. She performed a smooth, fluid test to sit in the Reserve Champion position. With a win at Sunshine State CDE and a third-place finish at the Kingdom of the Sun CDE earlier this year, Wrigley-Miller seems to be on track for another top performance.

Casey Zubek (Manhattan, Ill.) holds the third-place position after earning a score of 58.57. He and his team of Dutch Warmblood geldings executed a nice test highlighted by a solid reinback. Zubek hopes to improve after earning a second-place finish at the Kingdom of the Sun CDE.

Championship competition resumes Saturday with the marathon phase beginning at 9:00am ET. The championship title will be decided Sunday following the cones phase beginning at 9:00am ET.

Anyone interested can watch the marathon and cones phases live on the USEF Network presented by SmartPak. USEFNetwork.com will be live streaming the driving marathon and cones phases on Saturday and Sunday beginning at 9:00am ET and 8:00am ET respectively. Live Oak International also hosts a CSI 2* jumping competition and USEF Network coverage will include jumper classes on Saturday at 2:00pm ET and Sunday at 2:30pm ET.

In addition to the USEF National Four-in-Hand Championship, the FEI Single Horse division serves as the Selection Trial for the 2014 FEI World Driving Championships for Singles in Izsak, Hungary being held September 25-28. Suzy Stafford (Wilmington, Del.) sits a atop the FEI Single Horse division leaderboard after scoring 41.09.

By Kathleen Landwehr

For more information about Live Oak International, visit http://liveoakinternational.com/.

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