Franziska Seidl becomes the newest Custom Saddlery Most Valuable Rider (MVR) at the May Day Qualifier One dressage show in Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville, FL – During the weekend of the May Day Qualifier One dressage show in Jacksonville, Florida, Franziska Seidl never paused to rest. Seidl, of Morriston, Florida, competed five horses at the Qualifier. She won six classes and earned second place three times. To wrap up her success, Seidl was awarded with the Custom Saddlery Most Valuable Rider (MVR) Award. Seidl won a ribbon and embroidered saddle pad from Custom Saddlery to go along with her Most Valuable Rider title. Each of her horses performed beautifully in the ring. “I’m very happy with all of them,” exclaimed Seidl. A stand-out performance among Seidl’s horses occurred during the USEF Fourth Level Test 1, in which Con Brio earned a 71.216 percent. “Con Brio just started his career half a year ago. He hadn’t done a lot before,” said Seidl. “He’s progressed very well.”Also among Seidl’s many wins was a first place finish in the FEI Grand Prix with her horse Sigalia. Unlike Con Brio, Sigalia is a veteran in the ring, having spent many years with Seidl. “I’ve had him since he was five. He’s sixteen now, so we’ve had eleven years together, so we know each other very well,” Seidl explained. “He was very, very spooky when he was a five year old and he held on to that until he was ten. I started him in the Grand Prix when he was ten. Now he’s relaxed and he’s a pro.”  When selecting a winner for the Most Valuable Rider award, Custom Saddlery representatives look for a rider who achieves great scores, has a smooth ride, demonstrates exemplary sportsmanship, and makes contributions to the sport themselves or through coaching others to success. Seidl, being both a successful rider and trainer, almost over-qualifies for this honor. Even with the high standards she and her horses have already set, Seidl is still looking ahead for improvements. “Everybody is now qualified, so I just have fun in a show and try to do better!”Custom Saddlery is happy to recognize riders like Seidl who are so involved in the sport of dressage. Like Seidl, Custom Saddlery is all about riding. The company provides saddle options that are comfortable for both horse and rider. “People just have to sit in a Custom saddle one time,” explained Sarah Boothe, a saddlefitter for Custom Saddlery. “Once they sit in the saddle, it changes their position and the way the horse goes. When you fit horses with the right saddle, it opens their shoulders and they have the correct freedom. I have watched horses evolve by just changing the saddle.” To learn more about Custom Saddlery, visit www.mysaddle.com or call 1-800-235-3865.