Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Set to Host 2015 Robert Dover HorseMastership Week

Robert Dover. Photo copyright Elena Lusenti

Wellington, FL - Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP), management company of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), is pleased to announce that the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, will once again be home to clinics with two of the most renowned equestrians in the world. The 2015 Robert Dover HorseMastership Week, sponsored in part by Dressage4Kids (D4K), as well as the 2015 George H. Morris Horsemastership Training Session, presented by the USHJA, will both be held at PBIEC at the start of the winter season. Junior and Young Riders from across the country are gearing up to attend the 4th annual Robert Dover HorseMastership Week to be held January 3-7, 2015, at the VanKampen arena at The Stadium at PBIEC.

The clinic will feature instruction in both riding and other comprehensive elements required to be a top dressage professional in the industry. Participants have been carefully selected and will include 16 junior/young riders who will participate as riders, as well as eight junior/young riders who attend as participating auditors. This year, the program will also be open to additional adult and junior auditors, making this amazing educational opportunity available to everyone.
 

Robert Dover Dressage Horsemastership Week (RDHW) Participants Perspective Photo: DressageDaily

The participants will ride either their own horses, or borrowed horses generously donated by individuals who help support this clinic. Each rider will have the opportunity to have one lesson with each of the featured instructors for this year: U.S. High Performance coach Robert Dover, U.S. Developing Rider Coach Debbie McDonald, U.S. WEG Team riders Adrienne Lyle and Laura Graves, and International Competitor George Williams. The lessons comprise the morning activities for the riders, and each afternoon, there will be at least one speaker addressing the group.

The speakers lined up for this year's event already include: Charlie Tota of the Dressage Connenction (saddle fitting explanation and demonstration), International judges Janet Foy and Charlotte Bredhal ("From the Judge's Perspective,") farrier Don Later (how shoeing can enhance performance,) Lisa Slade of the Chronicle of the Horse magazine (how to handle media at competitions and interviews) and Dr. Shana Chase, DVM (veterinary concerns for top competitive horses.) Additionally, we will have some top fitness trainers explaining through workout samples for the participants how important physical training is for a top athlete.

2014 Emerging Dressage Athlete participants

This clinic is unique in that it is comprised completely of volunteer donations to run. The trainers are donating their time to teach. The presenters are donating their time for their presentations. There are multiple local tack retailers who are donating gift bags for the participants. Several local professionals are donating their horses, local residents are donating housing for some of the participants and local dressage enthusiasts are donating their time to volunteer for different positions to help this clinic run smoothly. They are still in need of lunch sponsors, horses for the participants and donations for the gift bags for both the participants and for the trainers and presenters. If you or your farm or your business would like to help them to promote this fabulous learning experience for the future dressage professionals, please contact Dressage4Kids. All donations are tax deductible contributions to D4K (Dressage for Kids.)

"I just want to add, " said Robert Dover, "that it could not be done without the generosity of Kim Boyer, who donates the use of her arena and puts on a fabulous dinner/ event each year for all involved, Mark Bellissimo and the staff of the Global Dressage Festival venue, Annie Cizlado , who runs most of the show for me, and of course, Lendon Gray, who annually does more for kids in Dressage than just about anyone I know! "
 
For more detailed information about the clinic schedule, watch Robert Dover's Facebook page or email Annie Cizadlo, organizer directly at kodester1@yahoo.com. Auditors will be asked to give a daily donation of $25 to the Dressage 4 Kids foundation.
 
Thank you to the current sponsors for this year's clinic: Charlie Tota and The Dressage Connection, Wellington, FL (saddle pads, coolers, afternoon presentation), Beth Heist and The Horse of Course (jackets, vests), Adam Pollack, White Fences Equestrian Center (shirts), Devon Kane (participant horse) and Ayden Uhlir (lunch sponsor.)