March 8, 2006

Riders Announced for the 2006 USEF National Grand Prix Freestyle Championship / U.S. League Final CDI-W, the Official Selection for the 2006 FEI World Cup Dressage Final

The USEF National Grand Prix Freestyle Championship / U.S. League Final CDI-W will be held at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, Florida, on March 17 and 18, 2006, in conjunction with the Zada Enterprises, LLC WEF Dressage Classic CDI3* CDIY, which runs from March 16-19 at the 34h annual Winter Equestrian Festival.

Mary Silcox, director of dressage at Stadium Jumping, Inc., announced today that nine riders qualified to compete in the 2006 USEF National Grand Prix Freestyle Championship / U.S. League Final CDI-W, the Official Selection for the 2006 FEI World Cup Dressage Final.

PhelpsPhoto: Arlene Page and Wild One

The riders and their mounts are:

• Michael Barisone - Neruda
• Karen Lipp - Caribi
• Leslie Morse - Tip Top 962
• Arlene Page - Wild One
• Karin Reid-Offield - Hexagon's Louisville
• Pierre St. Jacques - Lucky Tiger
• Jessica Jo Tate - Cambay
• George Williams - Marnix
• Melissa Taylor Yee – Succes

The USEF National Grand Prix Freestyle Championship / U.S. League Final consists of two competitions, which will be featured as evening classes held under the lights in the De Nemethy Arena. The Grand Prix will be contested on Friday night, March 17, and the Grand Prix Musical Freestyle will be featured on Saturday night, March 18.

From the top finishers in the USEF National Grand Prix Freestyle Championship / U.S. League Final, two riders who are qualified and eligible to compete will be selected to represent the United States in the FEI World Cup Dressage Final, scheduled to be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, April 20-23, 2006.

“This is one of the largest CDIs in the history of the Winter Equestrian Festival,” said Silcox about the upcoming Zada Enterprises, LLC WEF Dressage Classic CDI3* CDIY. Seventy-three riders are entered to compete in the CDI (Concours de Dressage International). The international roster includes competitors from 10 countries including Lithuania, Cayman Islands, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Colombia, Switzerland, Mexico, Argentina, and the United States.

The Zada Enterprises, LLC WEF Dressage Classic includes USEF High Performance qualifying competition for: the 2006 World Equestrian Games Selection Trials, and the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Grand Prix and Intermediaire I Championships, and a Region 3 non-designated qualifier for the North American Young Riders Championships (NAYRC).

The CDI 3* competition kicks off on Thursday, March 16, with the Grand Prix, which will showcase 30 topnotch riders, including four Olympians: Evi Strasser (Canada), Ashley Holzer (Canada), Dr. Cesar Parra (Colombia), and Charlotte Bredahl Baker (USA). Grand Prix action continues on Friday, March 17, with the Grand Prix Special in which 13 world-class riders will compete. On Sunday, March 19, the top 15 riders from the Grand Prix held Thurdsay will compete in the Grand Prix Freestyle. Musical freestyle competition is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

The ‘small tour’ (Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I) will also be showcased. The highlight class on Saturday, March 17, is the Intermediaire I. A huge field of 39 riders will compete including seven Olympians: Evi Strasser, Charlotte Bredahl Baker, Dr. Cesar Parra, Ashley Holzer, Bent Jensen, Michelle Gibson, and Lars Petersen.

Silcox noted that she is especially pleased with the growth of the Young Rider entries, which is one of the largest ever to compete in this Wellington CDI. The Young Rider Prix St. Georges CDIY on Saturday, March 18, will feature 16 top riders, aged 21 and under.

Officiating at the USEF National Grand Prix Freestyle Championship / U.S. League Final and the Zada Enterprises, LLC WEF Dressage Classic will be an international panel of top-level judges. The Ground Jury will be comprised of Alex Steiner ‘O’ USA, president; Stephen Clarke ‘O’ GB, foreign judge; Elizabeth McMullen ‘O’ CAN; Angelika Froemming ‘I’ GER; Gisela Holstein ‘I’ IRE; Hilda Gurney ‘I’ USA; Michael Poulin ‘I’ USA; and Lorraine MacDonald 'I' CAN. USEF judges will be Susanne Handler ‘R’ and William Woods ‘R’. The USEF Liaison will be Marilyn Adams, High Performance Director, Dressage. The USEF Representative in attendance will be Jennifer Keeler, National Director, Dressage. The FEI (International Federation) Representative will be Eva Salomon, the World Cup Dressage Technical Manager.

VIP Seating Available for the 2006 USEF National Grand Prix Freestyle Championship / U.S. League Final CDI-W, the Official Selection for the 2006 FEI World Cup Dressage Final

Stadium Jumping, Inc. has provided the following levels of Jockey Club Special Membership for the Zada Enterprises, LLC WEF Dressage Classic CDI 3* CDIY, which includes the 2006 USEF National Grand Prix Freestyle Championship/U.S. League Finals:

$3,500 Gold Member (Table for six)
Front row seating for all performances including “Dancing Under the Stars” Gala. Includes catered luncheon each competition day (March 16-19), dinner on Friday evening (March 17), and a reservation for Saturday evening’s “Dancing Under the Stars” and “Victory Celebration” (March 18).

$2,500 Silver Member (Table for six)
Second row seating for all performances including “Dancing Under the Stars” Gala. Includes catered luncheon each competition day (March 16-19), dinner on Friday evening (March 17), and a reservation for Saturday evening’s “Dancing Under the Stars” and “Victory Celebration” (March 18).

$500 Bronze Member
Individual seat for all performances including “Dancing Under the Stars” Gala. Includes catered luncheon each competition day (March 16-19), dinner on Friday evening (March 17), and a reservation for Saturday evening’s “Dancing Under the Stars” and “Victory Celebration” (March 18).

Patron – Individual seating will be sold upon availability as follows and includes catered luncheon, dinner on Friday evening (March 17), and a reservation for Saturday evening’s “Dancing Under the Stars” and “Victory Celebration” (March 18):

• $100 – Thursday, 3/16
• $100 – Friday, 3/17
• $150 – Friday evening, 3/17
• $100 Saturday, 3/18
• $150, Saturday evening, 3/18
• $100, Sunday 3/19

Table Reservations
For table reservations, call Kendra Cecieta of Phelps Media Group Inc. International at 561-753-3389.

General Admission Tickets
General Admission Tickets may be purchased at the gate. Adults–$10. Seniors–$5. Children over 12–$5.