Karen Pavicic Presented with the Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award at the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival

Karen Pavicic (left) accepts the Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award from April Leonard at the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival

Wellington, FL - “I am on a quest toward the top of the world,” smiles 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival’s Canadian competitor Karen Pavicic. With her sights set high, Pavicic glided across the show ring on her mount Don Daiquiri in the FEI Grand Prix and the Freestyle Grand Prix during the first week of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. Pavicic’s positive attitude could be seen throughout her performances, and earned her the first Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award of the season. Pavicic was proud to accept the tri-colored Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award ribbon, an embroidered polo shirt, and a copy of The Horse Angels— a novel by Premier Equestrian’s CEO, Mark Neihart—in recognition for having a winning attitude to match her riding talents. Pavicic highly praises her athletic mental coach, Dirk Stroda, whom she claims has played a huge part in her dressage success.

Stroda assists Pavicic in learning to stay positive and focused both in and out of the show ring. Her Oldenburg mount, 13-year-old Don Daiquiri (sired by Don Cardinale), is also a source of Pavicic’s happiness as the pair competes at national and international levels. Pavicic declares that she has “an unwavering desire to continue to represent Canada at prestigious and international levels.” Completing her Grand Prix class and Grand Prix Freestyle with high scores during the first week of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival looks to be a promising sign for Pavicic and Don Daiquiri’s 2015 show season. Pavicic’s next goals include the 2015 Pan American Games and the World Cup in Las Vegas. “I am so excited!” she says. “I’m very thankful to Premier Equestrian for this award; it means a lot to me.”

Premier Equestrian, the leading provider of high quality dressage arenas and revolutionary horse jumps, presents the Sportsmanship Award to competitors like Pavicic who exhibit exemplary sportsmanship towards every horse and human they contact at the international level of competition. Winning competitors portray positive attitudes, which aid in creating ideal environments at the show grounds and encourage fellow competitors to also be great sports.

Pavicic, the season’s first Sportsmanship Award recipient, is a successful Level III dressage coach through the NCCP in addition to competing successfully and training multiple FEI level dressage horses. One of her many previous achievements includes helping the Canadian Dressage Team earn a Silver Medal at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Premier Equestrian offers high-quality and affordable products to dressage riders— including premier dressage arenas, arena footing, revolutionized horse jumps, and accessories. For more information about the presenter of the Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award and the products it offers, visit www.PremierEquestrian.com or call 1-800-611-6109.