Dressage News Notes Brought to You By Back On Track

 

The Wellington Dressage Classic CDI *** at the Global Dressage Festival is over and the competition was outstanding as the build up continues to the London Olympic Games. The U.S. has chosen the participants in the World Cup Dressage Final in the Netherlands - see who they chose! Shannon Dueck had quite a scare with her top Grand Prix horse only a day after an outstanding ride at the Wellington Classic Dressage CDI3*. The Equestrian Aid Foundation awarded its inaugural "Luminary Award" for service to the foundation and if our equipment is not expensive enough - check out a British Farrier's "designer" creations for his wife's dressage horses!March madness is starting as more shows are springing up (no pun intended!)! The south has two shows in Florida this weekend with the Welcome Back To White Fences II and III in Loxahatchee and the International Horse Sport Champions Cup in West Palm Beach, while North Carolina will host the March Magic Dressage I and II in Williamston, Louisiana will have the Dressage Across The Lake in Folsom and Texas will have the Texas Dressage Classic I and II in Tyler. Rounding out the rest of the weekend the Fields & Fences March Dressage Fest in Gurnee, IL and on the left coast - the Dressage At Spirit Equestrian in Somis, CA.

The Wellington Dressage Classic CDI *** at the Global Dressage Festival (presented by the Chesapeake Dressage Institute) was a huge success and there were many shining stars. Some highlights of the winners were Ashley Holzer and Pop Art winning the Grand Prix, Tina and Calecto V in the Grand Prix Special, Heather Blitz and Paragon in the Grand Prix Freestyle and Caroline Roffman and Pie in the I-I! Heather Blitz started out having a rough day when she had the wrong freestyle music turned in. Management allowed her to return last to ride but when trying to find the correct music it was no where to be found! Needless to say, she found it in time and the duo reigned supreme! Check out more coverage of the show at DressageDaily.com!

Well there has been quite a build up of excitement as we have both the World Cup Dressage Final in the Netherlands and the 2012 London Olympic Games rapidly approaching and the qualifiers are fast and furious. We now know who will be representing the U.S. in World Cup action in April and the representatives are Jan Ebeling of Moorpark, CA and the 15 year-old Oldenburg mare Rafalca and James Koford of Raleigh, NC and the 13-year-old Belgian Warmlood gelding Pharaoh. Check out more info here with related stories!

It seems that Shannon Dueck had a recent scare when her top Grand Prix horse, 11-year-old Oldenburg mare Ayscha spiked an acute fever only a day after earning a 66.702% at the 2012 CDI Wellington Grand Prix. The cause of the fever was unknown and she was being carefully monitored by her vet Dr Tim Ober and Farrier James Gilchrist for any possible repercussions from the illness. We wish them both the best and hope she continues to do well! Read the full story at Eurodressage.com.

Jane Forbes-Clark recently became the inaugural receipient of the Luminary Award from the Equestrian Aid Foundation (EAF) which was awarded at the EAF's Sidelines Equestrian Tetrathlon in February. Jane was honored for her work with the organization. SHe had this to say at the ceremony - "My horses, my friends, my life and our equestrian world has really given me so very much," Clark said at the event. "No organization takes better care of our equestrian world, or loves it more, than the Equestrian Aid Foundation." Read more of the story at the Palm Beach Post...

Ok we all know I try to find something a little light hearted if not silly to end the News Notes with and this is just that! Gloucestershire farrier Nathan Appleton just wants to have a little fun so he now makes his wife's horses their own set of "designer" shoes. The shoes are quite a hit and give the girls in their stable yard quite a laugh. Check this out and see what I mean by designer"....