Wellington, FL (April 9, 2015)— Top ranked Canadian dressage rider Karen Pavicic demonstrated her dressage artistry in both the Grand Prix and the training level classes during the last week of the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival. Pavicic took five-year-old Oldenburg mare Beaujolais (Bordeaux/Lalina/Londonderry) into the ring to dominate the competition in Training Level Test 3, finishing the ride with a 77.727 percent. The score was the highest score of the entire week at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in all classes, and earned Pavicic the season’s final Horse of Course High Score Award.

This being her first show, Beaujolais— owned by Lynda Hol— took the test in stride and proved to be a horse with magnificent potential.  Pavicic, based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, began Beaujolais’ training as a three year old. Pavicic is currently best known for her success with her Grand Prix horse, Don Daiquiri (Don Cardinale/Nedstatte III).

“I was really happy with our stretch circle,” Pavicic explained after achieving the week’s highest score on Beaujolais. “Each day we did a harder test and each day she got better. I couldn’t be happier with her.” Even through unpleasant weather and distractions, Beaujolais kept her head in the ring, and won all three of her classes.

As for future goals, Pavicic explains “It would be really nice to aim for the FEI 6-Year-Old class next year. That’s my goal; but it all depends on what happens for the remainder of this year for me and my Grand Prix horse.”

When not working with Beaujolais, Pavicic has been riding Don Daiquiri, owned by Jayne Essig. “His season has been fantastic. He’s a little bit tired at this horse show— it hasn’t been our best competition, but we just performed our Grand Prix Special and got a 68.5% with a few mistakes. In general, I was happy with him today,” Pavicic said. “But it’s been a long season and I think it’s time for a break for everyone.”

Now that the Adequan Global Dressage Festival is over for another year, Pavicic’s sights are set on the Pan American Games in Toronto.

The Horse of Course, whose popular mobile tack shop was on-site at the Festival, awarded Pavicic with a Horse of Course High Score cooler and ribbon to congratulate her and Beaujolais for their impressive score.

The Horse of Course has the reputation of being one of the country’s most loved tack shops; specializing in dressage tack, clothing, and supplies. The company is proud to provide riders with the quality tack that they need to stay on top.  Based out of Oklahoma, The Horse of Course also offers riders and competitors access to their quality tack online, and in their mobile store that travels the country to stop at the most prestigious show grounds. The Horse of Course supplies riders with popular brands such as König, Pikeur, Vespucci, Cavallo, Passler, and Sommer to equip both horse and human. “I bought a pair of the König boots here last year, and they are fantastic. The Horse of Course does a great job of having a lot of available sizes in stock,” Pavicic recalled. “It’s great to have them support this award, and sponsor this show.”

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

Photo: Karen Pavicic (left) is presented with The Horse of Course High Score Award by Beth Haist, CEO of The Horse of Course Inc. at the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

Malvern, PA – April 9, 2015 - The Para-Equestrian sport works closely with many therapeutic riding programs. This partnership helps foster developing athletes and provide disabled riders a high performance sport opportunity in addition to the therapy program. A few of those therapy and education programs include Carlisle Academy in Lyman, Maine, and Thorncroft Equestrian Center in Malvern, Penn.. Therapeutic Riding Programs use horses and equine-assisted activities in order to achieve goals that enhance physical, emotional, social, cognitive, behavioral and educational skills for people who have disabilities. It not only focuses on the therapeutic riding skills but also the development of a relationship between horse and rider. The Thorncroft Equestrian Center is a mainstreaming facility where handicapped and non-handicapped people come together to ride together, learn together and relate to one another; and within an accepting environment, foster growth in each other.

Hope Hand, Paralympian and former student at Thorncroft Equestrian Center graduated

Hope Hand (right ) with U.S. Para-Dressage Chef D’Equipe Kai Handt. Photo by Lindsay Y. McCall

from Thorncroft Equestrian Center  and moved onto competing in able-boided Dressage competitions. Her education and ability propelled Hand into high performance competition leading her to the Paralympics. Hand has since given back to the equestrian program that helped develop her as a rider by mentoring those interested in the Para-Equestrian discipline. Fourteen year-old Riley Garret is one of those athletes.

Garrett began riding horses when she was three years old. She started riding at Thorncroft Equestrian Center in 2012. She then became a working student and trained under Carole

Riley Garrett with Hobbs

Laulis. Garrett explained, “I am part of the big happy Thorncroft family. Carole Laulis was my trainer and built me into everything I am today. My goal is to compete as a member of the U.S. Paralympic Dressage Team in the future. Another goal of mine is to compete in Kentucky with the Junior Young Riders Team.”

Garret is working hard at accomplishing those goals currently riding with Missy Ransehousen at Blue Hill Farm.

Garret added, “This is a once-in-a-life-time experience, and I would never be in this position if it wasn’t for the support, guidance and love given to me at Thorncroft.”

Thorncroft Equestrian Center  is continuing to be a mainstreaming facility where handicapped and non-handicapped riders work together. It is also providing an exciting avenue to those interested in competitive riding with their Para-Equestrian program.

Through therapeutic riding facilities like Thorncroft Equestrian Center, the high performance Para-Equestrian discipline can create a pipeline for future Paralympic athletes.

30th Annual Victory Gallop In Benefit of the Therapeutic Riding Programs atThorncroft

The 30th Annual Victory Gallop is scheduled for Saturday April 18, 2015, in support of the Therapeutic Riding Programs at Thorncroft. The Victory Gallop occurs from 6 PM-12 AM at the Hyatt at the Bellevue in Philadelphia, PA. The evening includes a black-tie dinner, dance and auction. To learn more about Thorncroft or to attend the 30th Annual Victory Gallop please visit www.thorncroft.org.

About Thorncroft:

Mission Statement

Our mission is to develop the physical and emotional well-being of all people including those with special needs. We are committed to personal growth and education in an equestrian environment of respect and love.

Vision Statement

Thorncroft Equestrian Center will continue to be a premier leader in the field of therapeutic horseback riding and related mental health programs. Our Education Center will provide continuing education and assist in the development of future programs for instructors, students and families. As a non-profit 501(c)(3), Thorncroft will continue to operate on a sound financial basis, with particular emphasis on the long-term strength of the Center. Under the guidance of a dedicated Board and Staff, we will continue to be devoted to enhancing the mind, body and spirit of all individuals touched by the Thorncroft experience.

Wellington, Florida (April 9, 2015)— Harmony between horse and rider is crucial no matter what level you’re competing at, and riders Laura Graves and Rikke Poulsen are fantastic reminders of that. Both Graves, a talented Grand Prix rider who most recently represented the U.S. in the Nation’s Cup, and Poulsen, a dressage rider and jumper dedicated to bringing along young horses, were recently rewarded for their dedication to having a great partnership with their horses through the GumBits Happy Horse Harmony Award.

The award was presented to riders at the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival who demonstrated true partnership with their horses. Winning pairs had first-place rides with characteristics such as a soft expression and suppleness in the horses. As a sponsor of the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival, GumBits (made by Gambit Atlanta, Inc.) presents the award to deserving riders at each CDI of the twelve-week international series. The award includes a lovely cooler and a package of GumBits— which are small, round chewable treats that horses love.

For Graves, that harmony and partnership valued by GumBits is the foundation of her training. “I honestly don’t know how you could have it any other way,” she said, commenting on the importance of having a good relationship with your horse. “If your horse isn’t happy then it’s a real struggle to get through a test.”

Graves commented that having worked with her horse, Verdades, since he was six months old has really enabled her to connect well with him and overcome any challenges – including the dressage Freestyle, which has quickly become one of their greatest strengths.

“So far, our Freestyles have been a really strong point, which is a nice change of pace,” she said. “It was such a weak spot for us last year. Obviously, we had the European Tour and we spent a lot of time working on that freestyle. So, it’s nice to come back here and have it be our strong point.”

Fellow GumBits Happy Horse Harmony Award winner Poulsen also emphasized the importance of keeping her horses happy.

“If you don’t teach the horses to relax in the ring, they will carry tension throughout the levels,” she said. “You might as well do it right from the beginning and give them good rides. It’s not always about winning. It’s about keeping them relaxed in the ring— and that will show in the long run.”

To help keep her horses relaxed, like her GumBits Happy Horse Harmony Award-winning Furstentanz, Poulsen utilizes GumBits. “I mostly use them on the dressage horses, because in the dressage world they have to be so quiet in the mouth. They all really like the taste of GumBits.”

GumBits promote salivation and reduce teeth grinding to help riders achieve the fantastic horse-and-rider partnerships that Laura Graves with Verdedes and Rikke Poulsen with Furstentanz have found. GumBits are sold through retailers in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and just recently Singapore. Learn more and locate a retailer near you at www.gumbits.com.

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Photo 1: Laura Graves (left) and Verdades win the GumBits Happy Horse Harmony Award at the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival. (Photo courtesy of JRPR— no photo credit necessary)

Photo 2: Rikke Poulsen (right) and Furstentanz win the GumBits Happy Horse Harmony Award at the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

Music & Dressage Merge-

Wellington, FL (April 9, 2015)— When internationally popular musician and classically trained contemporary violinist DSharp traveled to a dressage facility in Wellington, Florida, it was to film a music video with Grand Prix dressage rider Caroline Roffman. DSharp’s musical talents have made him a top Electronic Dance Music (EDM) performer, producer, and DJ in countries all over the world. The rising musician uses his classical violin instrument in an innovative way to create a choice act that has graced high-profile clubs across the globe, including in Sweden, Amsterdam, the Philippines, and Dubai.Roffman is known for her stellar performances in Grand Prix dressage. She creates musical freestyles that incorporate modern musical trends with elegant equestrian skills. As two classically trained professionals who push industry standards, DSharp and Roffman are a perfect match for this artistic collaboration.

When Caroline Roffman saw a music video posted by DSharp online, she was so impressed by his talent that she reached out to him about creating the music for her dressage freestyle test. DSharp, excited about the idea, wanted to push the collaboration one step further— and contacted Roffman about creating a music video. While scheduled to be in South Florida for performances in conjunction with Miami Music Week, DSharp and his team arranged to shoot the music video with Roffman at her Lionshare Dressage farm in Wellington, Florida.

Roffman, with assistance from her sponsors, was delighted to host DSharp and his team. Roffman was outfitted by Equiline, which ensured that she was dressed in the finest in equestrian fashion for the event. Vita Flex, a leading manufacturer of high quality veterinary-developed supplements for horses, provided support for the production. Australian Grand Prix show jumper Ben Meredith may be seen in the music video flying over a Vita Flex oxer at Lionshare Dressage. Charles Owen, a popular helmet choice among equestrians of all disciplines, known for its attractive design and high-level protection, also played an integral role in making the event possible. In addition, Interagro Lusitanos allowed Roffman to ride the stunning Grand Prix gelding Vade-Mecum Interagro for the video. Vade-Mecum was one of three horses Interagro Lusitanos brought to Wellington, Florida from their base in Brazil for the winter dressage season.

The project was filmed on March 30, with several members of the media on hand, in addition to a filming crew from Afflux Studios— a first-rate creative visual company based in Wellington, Florida. . Kenneth J. Braddick of Dressage-News.com and Ellen Rosenberg from The Town-Crier were amongst those present. Carol Cohen of Equine News Room interviewed DSharp and Roffman for a feature story. The music video will debut on DSharp’s YouTube channel and will likely air in the United Kingdom and other European outlets.

Roffman is accustomed to being in the spotlight, especially throughout the great success she has enjoyed with her partner Her Highness O. The pair was short listed for the U.S. dressage team for the 2014 World Equestrian Games. In 2013, Roffman and Sagacious HF were the Reserve Champions at Aachen CDI-O5* Under 25 Grand Prix.  She earned the title of USEF National Intermediare 1 Champion in 2012. It is clear that Roffman has been fulfilling her designation of a ‘Rising Star’, as she was dubbed by the FEI in 2010. The musical freestyle that Roffman and Her Highness O performed to Katy Perry’s “Roar” at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival last year became so popular between both equestrians and non-equestrians alike that its video went viral online.

DSharp has a unique gift in his ability to fuse hip-hop, classical, and EDM music so fluidly that crowds everywhere enjoy his music. DSharp’s goal is to create masterful music that brings joy to his fans in innovative and exciting ways. His music is sure to bring dressage audiences to their feet when Roffman performs her freestyle to music created especially for her by DSharp.

After watching Roffman perform beautiful technical dressage movements and Ben Meredith soar over the Vita Flex jump, DSharp was inspired to try horseback riding himself.  At the end of the video, DSharp was able to ride a dressage horse – a fitting ending to an entertaining day of filming.

This joint venture between DSharp and Roffman is an opportunity for dressage to be enjoyed in mainstream culture. Lionshare Dressage, Roffman’s top-quality dressage training, lessons, and sales business, was proud to host this unique event. For more information about Roffman and Lionshare Dressage, visit www.lionsharedressage.com, email lionsharedressage@gmail.com, or call 617-633-1003.

Photo 1: Grand Prix dressage rider Caroline Roffman dances with her horse as DSharp plays the violin.

Photo 2: DSharp serenades a horse at Caroline Roffman’s Lionshare Dressage.

Lausanne (SUI), 8 April 2015

Photo Caption: The Lord of the Dance, the amazing Valegro, has top billing as he battles to claim the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage title for his rider, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, for the second year in a row when the 2014/2015 Final gets underway at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday 16 April. (FEI/Arnd Bronkhorst)

Viva Las Vegas – Valegro is coming to town!

By Louise Parkes

Las Vegas, USA knows all about welcoming stars, and this weekend another big name can expect the red-carpet treatment when he arrives in the entertainment capital of the world ahead of the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final.

Cameras flashing, TV crews following his every move and the frenzy and razzmatazz that goes with super-stardom are all in a day’s work for this handsome, talented and sophisticated athlete whose fancy footwork has broken every record in the book in recent years.

Super-hero Valegro, the Dressage horse with the Midas touch, is coming to town. And the Lord of the Dance has top billing as he battles to claim the supreme title of indoor Dressage for his rider, Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin, for the second year in a row when the action gets underway at the Thomas & Mack Arena on Thursday 16 April.

He comes with a full supporting cast and crew that includes the man who created one of the most exciting Dressage partnerships of all time, Dujardin’s friend, mentor and trainer Carl Hester. However, reclaiming the Reem Acra title will be no walk-in-the-park for the daring British duo, their back-up team or their army of fans. Because there are plenty of pretenders to the Reem Acra throne.

Former winners

Major contenders include three former winners: Germany’s Isabell Werth, The Netherlands’ Edward Gal and the USA’s Steffen Peters. Werth’s stellar career has seen many meteoric moments, including victory with Fabienne at the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in Gothenburg back in 1992. She was only 22 years of age at the time, and she’s never disappeared off the radar since. One of the most medalled athletes in the sport, she went on to take the title a second time 15 years later with Warum Nicht. And that was 2007 in Las Vegas where she was also runner-up in 2009, suggesting a strong degree of comfort and familiarity when she returns to the scene of her former glory next week, this time partnering El Santo NRW.

Gal brings the horse with which he won the last qualifying leg on home ground last month in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the venue at which he was crowned FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion with the great Totilas in 2010. The result promoted him to the top of the highly-competitive Western European League, edging out longtime leader Jessica von Bredow-Werndl from Germany by a single point. Gal’s fabulous stallion, Glock’s Undercover, who helped claimed team bronze for The Netherlands at both the London 2012 Olympic Games and at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy, gave a glimpse of the further potential that lies beneath his sometimes nervous disposition that day. And Gal is hoping his horse will grow into the atmosphere at the Thomas & Mack Arena and produce his very best, which would certainly put the rest under pressure.

American winners

There have only been two American winners of the FEI World Cup™ Dressage title during its 30-year history, so when Steffen Peters and Ravel followed in the hallowed hoof-prints of Debbie McDonald and the great mare Brentina, and did so under the Las Vegas lights in 2009, the celebrations could be heard a very long way off. Peters comes to the 2015 Final on the crest of a wave after a double of convincing FEI World Cup™ Dressage victories with Legolas in recent months, but the three-time Olympian will be hoping to stay out of the shadow of fellow-American Laura Graves, whose star has been rising at a rapid rate ever since she came under the spotlight in Normandy last summer with Verdades.

Graves is one of the burgeoning generation of young talent benefitting from the legacy of nine-time FEI World Cup™ Dressage title-holder, The Netherlands’ Anky van Grunsven, who remains the undisputed Freestyle queen. When first introduced 25 years ago, Freestyle Dressage to music was considered almost outrageous by the more conservative element in the sport. However it has brought about an explosion of interest in the discipline, with a whole new public enthralled by the sight of horse and rider working in harmony and, seemingly, dancing to their musical score.

So much promise

Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Fabienne Lutkemeier are two more of that up-and-coming generation with so much promise, and with many more show-stealers including Finland’s Terhi Stegars and her much-loved little stallion Axis TSF and Spain’s Morgan Barbancon Mestre partnering van Grunsven’s former ride Painted Black all in the mix, the scene is set for a cracking contest.

But if Valegro were to design his own stage, then the Thomas & Mack Arena would probably be it. But for a blip in Aachen, Germany last summer, his career has been a series of sensational results since he stole the show in Greenwich Park, London just three short years ago when claiming double Olympic gold. The 167cms gelding and his rider went on to add the European, World and Reem Acra titles and, along the way, have reset all three world record scores for Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Freestyle.

Their spell-binding performances have won the hearts of spectators all across the globe, and American fans will relish the chance to see them live. Of course in sport, nothing is ever certain, and anyone involved with horses knows that better than most. But one thing is for sure, the FEI World Cup™ Dressage 2014/2015 Final in Las Vegas promises spine-tingling entertainment, supreme horsemanship and a worthy winner of the Reem Acra crown.

Facts and Figures:

New York fashion designer, Reem Acra, presents the 30th FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April.

18 athletes from 9 nations will compete.

The countries that will be represented are: Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Russia and USA.

Defending champions are Great Britain’s Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro, winners at the 2014 Final in Lyon (FRA) and Olympic, world and European gold medallists.

Also on the start-list are former FEI World Cup™ Dressage series winners Isabell Werth from Germany (1992 in Gothenburg and 2007 in Las Vegas), America’s Steffen Peters (2009 in Las Vegas) and Edward Gal (2010 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch).

The Netherlands holds the record for most wins in the FEI World Cup™ Dressage series with 12 in total, and nine of those recorded by Dutch Freestyle queen, Anky van Grunsven.

The next most prolific winners are Germany, with eight to date.

The Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final 2015 will begin on Thursday 16 April with the Grand Prix which is open to all 18 horse-and-rider combinations.

All participants who finish the Grand Prix with a score of at least 60% will continue to the Grand Prix Freestyle which will decide the destination of the 2015 title on Saturday 18 April.

By British Dressage