Carly Weilminster for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Wellington, FL – March 5, 2015 – Lars Petersen (DEN) and the always-incredible Mariett topped another FEI Grand Prix in 2015, winning the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival Week 9 Palm Beach Dressage Derby FEI CDI-W Grand Prix presented by Everglades Dressage. The humid weather played a major role in the outcome of performances, as the temperature was well into the 80′s by early morning. Petersen and Mariett topped the class with a 72.960%, followed by Laura Graves (USA) and Verdades in second with a 72.200%, and Shelly Francis (USA) and Doktor rounding out the top three receiving a 72.120%. The competitive class saw the top four riders all within one percentage point of each other. Tomorrow’s highlight class, the “Friday Night Stars” FEI Grand Prix Musical Freestyle, presented by Everglades Dressage, will begin at 7 pm.

Petersen and Mariett have had a stellar season so far as they aim toward the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas this April. They continue to show their consistency as each competition week passes, clearly in their best form to date. “She did everything I asked, which was good. She was definitely more tired today than in the past which made this test different from our previous rides,” Petersen noted.

Watch the winning grand prix ride for Lars and Mariett. Click here!
Video courtesy of Campfield Videos.

The hot weather did impact the duo, as they were in the last five rides in the class, right in the heat of the afternoon, as was Laura Graves and Verdades. “Today it was very hot. I was happy with her because I warmed up for a little bit too long considering the heat, and I had to work for it a little bit today,” said Petersen.

Graves agreed with Petersen and commented that the humid afternoon impacted Verdades test as well. “We definitely felt very similar to what Lars was saying. We felt super tired, and it was not ideal conditions. We’re very used to going early in the morning when it’s a bit cooler,” she said.

Lars Petersen and Mariett

Graves and Verdades are testing the competition waters for the first time this 2015 season after their impressive performance at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Caen, France, this past August with Team USA. The duo, who placed fifth individually in the Grand Prix Freestyle at WEG, are looking forward to another successful year of competition, as they too aim for World Cup Finals in Las Vegas.

“He tried really hard for me today and we had a few rider errors, which is on me getting back into the swing of competing again, riding the whole test and finding the rhythm,” she remarked. “We’re going to do the World Cup qualifier next week and then we will see. There’s been some discussion about maybe coming out for Nation’s Cup, but that’s yet to be determined. Making it to World Cup Finals is a priority. We would love to go to Vegas and hopefully we’ll get there with scores tomorrow night in the Freestyle and next week.”

Laura Graves and Verdades

Both pairs will contest the “Friday Night Stars” FEI Grand Prix Freestyle tomorrow night, which will make for an extremely exciting class with a great atmosphere. Petersen continues to dominate the series with several wins, but Graves and Verdades have the scores to make for a very interesting night of competition under the lights.

AGDF competition will continue tomorrow with the completion of the large FEI Prix St. Georges class presented by Peacock Ridge and the highlight “Friday Night Stars” FEI Grand Prix Freestyle class presented by Everglades Dressage. For more information on the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Lars Petersen and Mariett in their winning presentation.

Final Results FEI CDI-W Grand Prix presented by Everglades Dressage
Place, Rider, Nationality, Horse, Horse Owner, Horse Information: Judge E, Judge H, Judge C, Judge M, Judge B, Total

1. Lars Petersen (DEN), Mariett, 1998 Danish Warmblood mare owned by Marcia Pepper, Come Back II x Zendi x Sidney: 74.400%, 70.700%, 74.300% 71.500%, 73.900%, 72.960%

2. Laura Graves (USA), Verdades 2002 Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by rider, Florett As x Liwilarda x Goya: 67.500%, 73.400%, 72.800%, 72.000%, 75.300%, 72.200%

3. Shelly Francis (USA), Doktor, 2003 Oldenburg gelding owned by Patricia Stempel, Diamond Hit x Gurena x Renoir I: 71.000%, 71.100%, 75.500%, 70.000%, 73.000%, 72.120%

4. Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE), Divertimento, 2002 Westphalian gelding owned by Lövsta Stuteri, Di Versace x Fatima x Farragamo: 71.300%, 72.300%, 72.500%, 71.100%, 73.300%, 72.100%

5. Mikala Gundersen (DEN), My Lady, 2000 Danish Warmblood mare owned by Janne Rumbough, Michellino x Marion x Ritterstern: 72.800%, 70.800%, 71.600%, 70.800%, 71.900%, 71.580%

6. Lisa Wilcox (USA), Pikko del Cerro HU, 2003 Hanoverian stallion owned by Horses Unlimited, Pik L x Rohweena x Rohdiamont: 70.600%, 68.700%, 70.400%, 70.200%, 73.800%, 70.740%

7. Christoph Koschel (GER), Tiesto, 2000 Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Hof Beckerode GMBH, Gribaldi x Nadie x Ferro: 70.500%, 70.200%, 70.000%, 70.000%, 72.000%, 70.540%

8. Catherine Haddad-Staller (USA), Mane Stream Hotmail, 2002 Oldenburg gelding owned by Rowan O’Riley, Michellino x Rederna x Havel: 68.600%, 69.100%, 71.400%, 69.600%, 69.800%, 69.700%

Wellington, FL – March 5, 2015 – The Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is pleased to announce that they will host a unique derby competition on Sunday, March 8, at 11 am. The class is a special part of this week’s AGDF 9 Palm Beach Dressage Derby competition, which has a long and important history of dressage in Wellington.

“We are happy to host this class and believe in the tradition of the Palm Beach Derby,” said AGDF Sport Director Thomas Baur. “This will be a fun, new class for dressage fans and fans of equestrian sport to experience.”

The Palm Beach Dressage Derby as a competition started in 1984 at White Fences and was the only dressage event in Wellington at the time. It grew and became a CDI competition and moved to new show grounds in Equestrian Estates in 1999. “Every year we added and added, and it grew,” said Maryann McPhail of the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, who ran the competition with Evelyn O’Sullivan. The Palm Beach Dressage Derby was incorporated into AGDF in 2013.

The derby class will feature four top grand prix riders in a “North America vs. Europe” format. The riders include Lars Petersen (DEN) and Christoph Koschel (GER), and Karen Pavicic (CAN) and Adrienne Lyle (USA).

Held in a bracket format, the first two riders will perform the same Prix St. Georges test on one horse, while the second two riders will ride a second horse. The winners from those tests will go head to head in the final competition on a third horse.

Each rider will receive a five-minute familiarization period with the horses, as it will be the first time they have ridden these horses.

McPhail and O’Sullivan hosted a similar-style bracket derby class once before at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, but in different format. “It is an improved format for here!” McPhail remarked.

AGDF welcomes everyone out to The Stadium at PBIEC on Sunday morning to watch this fun and engaging event. General admission and parking are free.

About the Adequan Global Dressage Festival:

The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits featuring 7 FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations’ Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The AGDF offers more than $650,000 in prize money for the seven international competitions, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center facility includes the Van Kampen covered arena (made possible by Kimberly and Frederic Boyer and family) and four outdoor arenas with world-class footing, 200 permanent stalls, and a VIP seating area.

Please visit
www.globaldressagefestival.com
www.PBIEC.com
or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Adequan Global Dressage Festival is located at
The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center
13500 South Shore Blvd, Wellington, Florida 33414

The 2015 Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show will again be the venue for the EQUUS Foundation’s annual benefit luncheon on Saturday, June 20, 2015. Open to the public free of charge, the show will be held Tuesday-Saturday, June 16-20, 2015, on the grounds of the Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport, Connecticut. The show will culminate with the EQUUS Foundation benefit held in association with Family Fun Day and the $25,000 Grand Prix presented by Wells Fargo Advisors LLC & George N. Venizelos.

“We are deeply grateful to the Fairfield County Hunt Club for their continued support,” said Lynn Coakley, EQUUS Foundation President. “We look forward to working with the Horse Show Co-Chairs Benedicte Berg and Sean Hogan to make the 2015 show the best one yet!”

The June Show was voted the Member’s Choice Horse Show for Zone 1 by the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) for the third year in a row. The June Show is also one of a select group of horse shows of the more than 2,600 horse shows in the United States that is recognized as a Heritage Competition by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). This is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a horse show – a distinction reserved for horse shows not only dedicated to technical excellence but also philanthropy and community involvement.

Click here to Save the Date!

The deadline to be recognized in the horse show program is May 15, 2015.

For more information, contact Shannon Coakley by email at fairfield@equusfoundation.org or by phone at 203-259-1550.

About EQUUS Foundation: The EQUUS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 2002, also known as Horse Charities of America, is dedicated to improving the quality of life of horses, enabling the therapeutic use of horses for those in need, fostering the horse-human bond, and educating the public about the horse’s unique ability to empower, teach and heal. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Contact the EQUUS Foundation, Inc., at 168 Long Lots Road, Westport, CT 06880, Tele: (203) 259-1550, E-Mail: mail@equusfoundation.org, Website:

About Ariat International: Ariat International, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of innovative performance equestrian footwear, apparel and belts. Featuring a patented technology designed to deliver stability, durability and comfort, Ariat pioneered the application of advanced athletic shoe technology into English riding boots and authentic Western boots. Ariat products are sold in a network of retail outlets throughout the world. For more information about Ariat products or for the Ariat retailer nearest you, contact Ariat at 800.899.8141 or visit www.ariat.com.

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Phelps Media Group, Inc. (PMG), based in Wellington, Florida, is a public relations firm primarily focused on promoting events and people in the equestrian world.

An informational session about the upcoming Spring/Summer/Fall seasons at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) will be held on Thursday March 5, 2015, at 3 pm in The Wellington Club at PBIEC. Equestrian Sport Productions CEO, Mark Bellissimo, will be available to take questions about the new equestrian center located in the rolling hills of Tryon, NC, and provide information about the amenities TIEC has to offer riders, trainers, and spectators. Bellissimo will discuss lodging availability, local activities, and specific competition dates as well as the full-season calendar.

2015 Spring Show Dates:

Tryon Spring 1: April 2-4
Tryon Spring 2: April 8- 2
Tryon Spring 3: April 29-May3
Tryon Spring 4: May 6-10
Tryon Spring 5: May 13-17
Tryon Spring 6: May 20-24
Tryon Spring 7: May 27-31 (CSI 3*)
Tryon Spring 8/TR&HC Charity Show: June 3-7 (CSI 4*)

There will be ample information provided on the beautiful lodging options for competitors planning on visiting TIEC for the Spring/Summer seasons. Both RV spaces and several log cabin selections will be available for rent throughout the circuit. For more information on lodging opportunities please contact lodging@tryon.com.

The Tryon International Equestrian Center looks forward to welcoming new competitors in the 2015 season. North Carolina is the perfect stop on the way north after the winter and provides world-class competition in a spectacular venue. For more information, please visit www.tryon.com.

Please visit www.tryon.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Jennifer Baumert and Ramiro (Photo Credit: Joanna Jodko)

By Sharon Packer

Jennifer Baumert aboard Ramiro scored an impressive 73.421% winning the Intermediare I on Sunday, March 1, 2015 at the very popular Welcome Back to White Fences I.

Baumert stated:

“I could not be more pleased with Ramiro this weekend. He really put in his best effort and made my job easy. He is still so young (8 this year) so I am happy that these tests do not seem hard for him and excited for the future. The show management did a super job on the rings. The weather was always working against us!”

Photograph taken by Fran Dearing Kehr of ring 3, clearly showing the effects of hard rains. Photo taken from the judges booth.

On my new facility, Baumert stated:

“I am loving living in Charlotte. Robindale Farm, owned by Carolyn Rechkemmer, is a top class facility. I think the possibilities are endless there. I am really excited to help it grow!”
To read more about Jennifer Baumert and Robindale Farm, click HERE!

For photo coverage of the White Fences Equestrian Center Shows, click HERE.

For all scores from Welcome Back to White Fences I, please click HERE.

Wellington, FL (March 4, 2015)— When describing the beautiful dark bay Danish Warmblood Don Romeo, the first words that come to mind are elegant, stunning, and handsome. This incredible turnout and shine is what recently won Don Romeo and his rider, Jennifer Marchand, the Omega Alpha Healthy Horse Award, which recognizes horses for their exceptional health and fitness throughout the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

Presented by Patti Hanco, the Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Director of Business Development for the Equine Division, the award includes a commemorative ribbon and prize basket filled to the brim with Omega Alpha equine supplements and health products.

Marchand and Don Romeo, owned by Betsy Tyler, were certainly a pair worthy of the award.

When asked what her secret is to having such a healthy-looking horse, Merchand’s answer was simple — a great groom and a healthy diet. While up until now Don Romeo’s routine hasn’t included a lot of supplements, Merchand looks forward to implementing Omega Alpha products going forward.

“It’s very exciting to receive these products,” she said. “It’s nice because he’s getting a little older and, although we traditionally haven’t had him on a lot of supplements, as they get older they need a little help. It will be nice to have the opportunity to try some of these supplements.”

Hanco and the Omega Alpha team are equally as excited to have another top-notch rider join their team of professionals who can’t get enough of Omega Alpha products.

For twenty-two years, Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals has been carefully developing natural equine products through research-based science. Today, Omega Alpha produces more than 300 effective supplements in five product divisions — Consumer Health Products, Pet Health Products, Equine Health Products, Professional Naturopathic Health Products, and Professional Veterinarian Products. All of the company’s products are designed to create and maintain happy, healthy, and fit horses from all different breeds and disciplines.

To learn more about Omega Alpha, visit www.OmegaAlpha.ca or call 1-800-651-3172.

Photo: Don Romeo and his rider Jennifer Marchand win the Omega Alpha Healthy Horse Award at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival

Wellington, FL (March 4, 2015)— “We were going for a clean and polished look,” Madelyn Guthrie of Chicago, Illinois, explained as she accepted the ShowChic Turnout Award, co-sponsored by Omega Alpha, from ShowChic dressage boutique’s Michele Hundt. Guthrie’s debut CDI jog with Alison Lee Bush’s 20-year-old black Trakehner gelding, Tannehouser, stood out at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival series in Wellington, Florida.

Guthrie and ‘Tanny’ (Enrico Caruso x Tansanita Vom Castell) were in Wellington with U.S. Olympic Dressage veteran Lendon Grey’s WIT (Winter Intensive Training Program). The January to April program includes daily lessons, clinics with Grey and guest instructors, lectures, and an educational overview to professional competition.

Already thinking like a pro, the Junior/Young Rider Gurthrie had a strategy going in to the Jog: “This was my first major jog. So we asked what everyone else was wearing. It was kind of treacherous with the white jeans, because of the weather, but it all worked out.”

As did Guthrie and Tanny’s efforts in The Stadium, earning scores at one of the largest and richest dressage shows in the world as high as 69.686 percent in their FEI Junior Individual test and 65.270 percent in the FEI Junior Team test.

And— in true ShowChic style— Guthrie kept those white jeans white.

Partnering with Omega Alpha, Kastel Denmark, Cavallo, and Equiline, Hundt says ShowChic Turnout Award winners are as in-command of their fashion sensibility, flair, color coordination, and stylish individualism as they are of the equine athletes they show to the top levels of international sport. Award recipients receive a ShowChic Turnout Award Winner ribbon and select prizes, plus a bag of equine health products courtesy of Omega Alpha.

ShowChic— sponsor of the 2015 ShowChic Turnout Awards for the Adequan Global Dressage Festival CDI Jogs— provides high fashion, popular brands to keep the modern dressage rider dressed to impress the judges inside the box as well as ringside fans. The ShowChic mobile unit, conveniently set up on the show grounds, offers the same brands as the ShowChic Wellington boutique and online store: Arista, Back On Track, Cavallo, Equiline, Eurostar, FITS, Kentucky, Pikeur, and Samshield. Learn more about ShowChic recognition programs and its complete catalog at www.showchicdressage.com or call 561-319-2121.

Photo: Madelyn Guthrie, with Tannehouser, receives the ShowChic Turnout Award at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. From left to right: Madelyn Guthrie, Krystalann Shingler of ShowChic, Kimberly Boyer, and Michele Hundt of ShowChic