Horse of Course Proudly Sponsors Olympian Lars Petersen as He Collects The Blues in the FEI 5* Grand Prix

FEI 5* Grand Prix champions Lars Petersen and Mariett ride to victory in a Sommer saddle from The Horse of Course (Photo: SusanJStickle.com)

Wellington, FL (February 19, 2015)— Danish Grand Prix rider Lars Petersen seems to be repeating his successful 2014 winter season at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival aboard Mariett, a seventeen-year-old Danish Warmblood mare (Comeback II - Zendi, Sidney) owned by Petersen and Marcia Pepper. The horse and rider notch win after win in the 2015 series, including excelling against a star-studded line-up of formidable competitors at the festival’s CDI 5* during Week Five in Wellington, Florida. As Petersen and Mariett execute the flawless dressage maneuvers that they are known for in the CDI ring, the duo is never without a Sommer saddle from The Horse of Course - a full-service tack and riding apparel shop. Petersen rides Mariett in a custom-made model called the “Sommer Lars”, an exclusive evolution of the Sommer FlextraEQ saddle. Designed by and named for Petersen, the saddle features a mono-flap design for closer contact with the horse, no thigh block, and special flaps that mold to the rider's legs. Mariett’s Sommer saddle was fit for ideal comfort and performance by The Horse of Course’s master saddlefitter, Marty Haist. The Horse of Course carries an extensive selection of Sommer saddles, including the FlextraEQ Savoy, Lars Flextra, and Spezial dressage.

Joined by their Sommer saddle, Petersen and Mariett nailed the top prize in the FEI 5* Grand Prix with a 74.160 percent on Thursday during Week Five, and came back on Friday night under the lights to rock the FEI 5* Grand Prix Freestyle with an outstanding win of 79.175 percent. As Petersen made his victory gallops, Beth and Marty Haist of the Horse of Course, his long-time sponsor, were there to cheer him on.

The Haists have been cheering a lot this season. Petersen and Mariett also claimed victories in the Adequan Global Dressage Festival CDI-W on January 22-25. They led the pack in the FEI Grand Prix on January 22, and danced their way to another win in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle the following night. On January 9, they again claimed top honors in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle with a 78.325 percent. In 2014, the pair earned numerous wins throughout the season at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, making it their best year ever at the series. The pair is currently ranked in the Top 30 in the FEI.

The Horse of Course, a full-service tack shop based out of Claremore, Oklahoma, is proud to sponsor top Grand Prix riders like Petersen and USA’s Shelly Francis. The company is an official partner and sponsor of the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival. The Horse of Course mobile tack shop is one of the busiest places on the show grounds, featuring an extensive array of clothing, saddle pads, bridles, and saddles. The Horse of Course’s famous Sommer dressage saddle is Petersen’s first choice as he goes down centerline.

“Watching our sport and its talent blossom each season and recognizing and encouraging such talent is our privilege,” Beth Haist said. “We are always working to give back and support our dressage community. Dressage riders from around the world have come to rely on finding our products, clothing, and saddles at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival, and we really have begun to feel like partners in many of their show careers.”
 
The Adequan Global Dressage Festival is one of the largest international and national dressage circuits. This year's series hosts three national and seven international weeks of competition, running from January 8 through March 29. It features seven FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations' Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The total prize money of more than $650,000 makes it the richest dressage circuit in the world.

The Horse of Course is on-scene throughout the ten-week series, supporting the dressage community through sponsorship, rewarding spectacular performances, and providing all the equipment and apparel competitors and spectators could need. The Horse of Course is a one-stop shop for leading equestrians like Grand Prix champion Lars Petersen. The store offers top-quality brands, including Konig, Pikeur, Kentucky, Eskadron, Grand Prix, Vespucci, Cavallo, Passler, Redbarn, Schockemohle, Romfh, USG, Neue Schule, and Sommer. The company’s complete selection of sought-after items include full seat and knee patch breeches, bridles, horse care supplies, belts, and boots. Expert saddle-fitting services are also available.

To learn more about The Horse of Course, visit www.thehorseofcourse.com or call 888-494-6773.