Wellington, FL(November 18, 2014)— “If I get to ride, I’m happy,” smiles Dr. Heather Houck. “If you get to ride you have to be very grateful, because the alternative— not getting to ride— would be terrible!” Like all true horsemen and horsewomen, Houck cannot imagine life without horses. Her obvious joy to be a part of the dressage discipline inspired the popular footing and arena company Premier Equestrian to award Houck with the Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award at the Gold Coast Fall Fling, presented by the Gold Coast Dressage Association, on November 8-9, 2014.

At the Gold Coast Fall Fling, Premier discovered that Dr. Houck shares its priority of treating horses and equestrians exceptionally well. “I think it is important to have a positive attitude in general with all riding,” Houck of Loxahatchee, Florida explains. “If you are grateful for being able to get on a horse every day, that comes through when you talk to the people who help you, and it shows in everything you do.” Premier awarded Houck for her exemplary attitude with a Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award ribbon and a copy of The Horse Angels, a novel by Premier Equestrian’s CEO Mark Neihart.

Houck was thrilled to win the award, which was not her only victory during the Fall Fling weekend. She and her five-year-old Dutch gelding Elite (Zapatero VDL x Laurentin) had a phenomenal ride in the USEF First Level Test 2 Open division. The pair scored 74.324 percent, winning the class by nearly ten points. Houck was proud of her young horse for how far he’s come since she imported him from England. “I got Elite when he was two. I saw him on a jumper video where they chased him in a field and he jumped right out of the field. I immediately said, ‘I want that horse!’ So I imported him— and he showed up here and was probably the ugliest horse I’ve ever seen in my life,” Houck laughs. “And now he’s beautiful! He’s such an interesting young horse— I love him. I think it’s important when developing a young horse to always be happy and calm. If you’re grateful to be riding, you feel happy and calm anyway.”

For Houck, a cheerful disposition is especially important because she must budget her time to as a professional competitor in the dressage ring and as a full-time dermatologist. “My career is fantastic!” Houck enthuses. She operates Palm Beach Skin Solutions (palmbeachskinsolutions.com) with her business partner Stacey Macleod, as well as seeing patients as a dermatologist. “I’m excited,” says Houck. “We just came out with a new line of products that include anti aging moisturizers, acne treatment products, and sunblocks— which are especially important because here in Florida we need them. The products are elegant and don’t block your pores, so you can really use them. They are all medical grade so they actually have very good active ingredients.”

In another display of sportsmanship, Houck was quick to thank everyone who helped make her success at the Gold Coast Fall Fling possible— including Premier Equestrian, the show staff, those who helped with the horses’ stalls, and her sponsor dac ® Direct Action Company.

Premier Equestrian is pleased to announce Dr. Houck as the newest winner of the Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award. To learn more about Premier and its affordable and high-quality products; including dressage arenas, horse arena footing, horse jumps, barn equipment, and accessories; visit www.PremierEquestrian.com or call 800-611-6109.

Photo: Dr. Heather Houck (right) and Elite are presented with the Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award by April Leonard.

Wellington, FL (November 18, 2014) — “Destiny has been getting better and better. He’s in better condition— his muscles feel really good, and he recovers quickly. I couldn’t be happier,” international dressage competitor and trainer Devon Kane said, explaining how her Danish Warmblood gelding Destiny (Diamond Hit x MIDT-West Regina) has benefitted from using Choice of Champions International products. Destiny has been nothing short of a superstar in competitions while using Choice of Champions International’s veterinarian-recommended supplements. Most recently, Kane and her self-trained Destiny won both the U.S. Dressage Finals Grand Prix Championship Open and the FEI Grand Prix Open at the 2014 United States Dressage Finals.

The 2014 U.S. Dressage Finals, presented by Adequan, took place at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. The prestigious national event was a Level Five Competition, which is the highest level of competition held in the United States under United States Equestrian Federation rules. “I think it’s really great to have people here from all the different states. It’s really fun!” Kane said as she and Destiny tested their skills against the best dressage talents in the country.

The Wellington, Florida based duo executed performances that appeared flawless throughout the competitive weekend. On Thursday November 6, Kane and Destiny won the FEI Grand Prix Open class with a score of 70.100 percent. The following day, they returned to the show ring to beat their own winning score. The pair’s beautiful ride in the U.S. Dressage Finals Grand Prix Championship Open earned the first-place score of 72.000 percent.

Choice of Champions International is excited to congratulate its sponsored rider Devon Kane for her impressive wins at the 2014 U.S. Dressage Finals. Kane loves the Choice of Champions products that she uses, and is grateful for the company’s assistance in keeping Destiny healthy, happy, and ready for competition. “Destiny can be kind of picky, but he’s eating Choice of Champions supplements great— he likes it,” Kane smiled. “Right now I’m using Ulser Shield. It worked really well; I’ve been really happy with the results. Destiny’s coat is healthy looking, and his muscles feel really good. He’s also on the Super Joint Solution, and I couldn’t be happier with that, either,” Kane explained.

Choice of Champions International supplements include Ulser Shield, Super Joint Solution, Lung Aid, Easy Does It, True Sweat, and Super Skin Solution. Super Skin Solution is a brand new product that the company offers to correct all types of skin problems that horses can experience. Choice of Champions supplement users like Kane are excited for the new product to be introduced to the market to further improve the health of their horses. The Wellington, Florida based company is devoted to helping riders like Kane bring out the best in their horses during every circumstance. For more information about Choice of Champions International and the supplements that the company offers, please visit here or call1-800-868-1077.

Photo: Devon Kane and Destiny (Photo courtesy of Susan Stickle)

FEI

The shortlist for the FEI Awards 2014, the Oscars of the equestrian world, will be revealed on Facebook and Twitter by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), the world governing body of equestrian sport, starting today.

The annual awards, launched in 2009, put the spotlight on the men, women, young people and organisations that make outstanding contributions to the growth of equestrian sport, rewarding excellence, commitment, dedication and courage.

Candidates for the Reem Acra Best Athlete category, for athletes who have demonstrated exceptional equestrian skills, and over the last 12 months have taken the sport to a new level, will be unveiled today.

Charlotte Dujardin (GBR), the double Olympic gold medallist and current world Dressage number one, collected this award last year dressed in a stunning creation by fashion designer Reem Acra, title sponsor of the Western European League and Final of the prestigious FEI World Cup™ Dressage series. She sent a special message to this year’s hopefuls:
“Winning the Reem Acra Best Athlete award was an absolute privilege, and the ceremony inspired all of us to celebrate equestrian sports with a global audience. I wish everyone nominated this year the very best of luck for these awards, which will continue to inspire young people for generations to come to take up equestrian sport.”
The shortlisted candidates for the remaining four FEI Awards 2014 categories will be revealed daily this week as follows:

Tuesday, 18 November: Against All Odds Award
Rewards people who have pursued their equestrian ambitions despite physical handicap or extremely difficult personal circumstances.

Wednesday, 19 November: FEI Solidarity Award
Presented to an FEI Solidarity or equestrian development project, or an individual or organisation that has demonstrated skill, dedication and energy in expanding equestrian sport.

Thursday, 20 November: Best Groom Award
Reserved for those all-important, behind-the-scenes team members who work around the clock to ensure that their horses get the best possible care and attention.

Friday, 21 November: Longines Rising Star Award
The category is dedicated to equestrians aged 14 to 21 who demonstrate outstanding sporting talent. This award counts past winners Reed Kessler (USA), the youngest equestrian athlete to compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and Alex Hua Tian, who was celebrated in Chinese media as the “one in 1.3 billion” in the lead-up the 2008 Olympic Games where he became China’s first Eventing athlete.
Full information on the equestrian heroes of 2014, which include athletes and key personalities, will also be available on www.feiawards.org.
The winners of the FEI Awards 2014 will be flown to a red-carpet gala evening in Baku, Azerbaijan in December, where over 350 guests representing National Federations, equestrian sport fans and the FEI’s partners around the world will celebrate their achievements.

Lexington,
KY (November 17, 2014) – The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is
pleased to announce that Christiana Log …

Loxahatchee, FL (November 14, 2014) — Custom Saddlery recently added another European to their line-up of sponsored dressage riders by teaming up with Loxahatchee, Florida based Kerensa Muller. Originally from Holland, Muller operates a boarding and training facility in the gated community of Deer Run, close to the prestigious show grounds at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and White Fences. With all of her own horses and most of her clients in Custom saddles, Muller was a natural choice to be endorsed by Custom.

Internationally educated with some of the top names in dressage, Muller spent 4 years with Sjef Janssen, the Dutch National Olympic Team coach, before moving to the United States to work with Olympian Carole Grant. She has also attended clinics with Debbie McDonald, Hank van Bergen, and trained with George Williams, Oded Shimoni, Ashley Holzer, and Arlene “Tuny” Page, resulting in a very well rounded dressage background. Her strength in dressage has also made her a favorite choice of jumpers and eventers to strengthen their flatwork. From this strong foundation, Kerensa has trained and shown many horses with great success, including riding for the Dutch team during the 2014 Nations Cup CDI*** at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. In addition to such a diverse background in dressage, Muller also holds a masters is psychology, which makes her an exceptional trainer and coach of riders in addition to her ability to develop horses. She also has been working with a number of professionals on ‘horse mirroring,’ which combines psychology and horses.

“I have been riding in the Custom saddles for the past few years, and couldn’t be happier with how they fit my horses,” said Muller. “We have a wide range of sizes and backs here in the barn, and need to be sure they have saddles that fit and allow them to perform at their peak. The same goes for the riders, and we have found all that we are looking for in Custom’s saddles.”

While Custom’s saddles are already known for their fit and performance, they are gaining notoriety for their custom colors, styles, and details. From navy snakeskin leather and Swaroski crystals, to supple white and mocha buffalo hide and matching stitching, Custom’s options are effectively limitless to create a saddle that fits your personality as well as your body and your horse.

Custom Saddlery, based in Aiken, South Carolina, offers beautiful saddles for both dressage and jumping. The company provides countless ways to customize a saddle specifically for an individual horse and rider’s needs and preferences. Saddle fitting services and accessories are also available. For more information about Custom Saddlery, visit www.mysaddle.com or call 1-800-235-3865.

Photo: Kerensa Muller and Cary Wallace of Custom Saddlery.

Riverhead, NY (November 14, 2014)— “Neue Schule ambassador Nicholas Fyffe has been named to the COPA USPRE Team!” Mette Larsen, founder and president of Neue Schule’s North American distributer Metlar Premium Performance Saddlery, announces proudly. A year’s worth of achievements in the dressage saddle and using Neue Schule bits has led Nicholas Fyffe to the honor of becoming a member of the inaugural USPRE Dressage Team for the upcoming year.

From October 2013 through October 2014, The United States P.R.E. Association invited its members who ride at the FEI levels to take part in its first-ever COPA USPRE. The COPA USPRE is an initiative in which riders’ scores from USDF-sanctioned shows and United States CDIs throughout the year are tabulated to determine which rider has the highest average score in the following levels: Big Tour (Grand Prix), Small Tour (Prix St. Georges/Intermediare 1), FEI 6 Year Old Test, FEI 5 Year Old Test, and Para-Equestrian. The highest-scoring riders of each level earned the title of COPA USPRE Champions, and their runner-ups were named COPA USPRE Reserve Champions.

The Champions and Reserve Champions make up the inaugural USPRE Dressage Team. Team members are invited to compete in the COPA ANCCE Finals which will be held at SICAB— an Equestrian Trade Show dedicated to the PRE breed— on December 2-7, 2014, in Seville, Spain.

Nicholas Fyffe and his PRE stallion Fiero HGF attained the title of COPA USPRE Champion in the FEI Six Year Old division with a mean score of 70.700 percent for the year. “I am excited to announce that Fiero HGF and I have topped the leaderboard for the FEI 6 year old class!” Fyffe said excitedly. “With just a minimum of 4 scores attained, Fiero HGF was the highest-scoring 6 year old PRE in North America and has now been named to the USPRE Dressage Team for 2015. We will be issued a certificate from ANCCE and are now officially qualified to compete at SICAB in December in the city of Sevilla, Spain. This is the first year that horses can qualify from North America thanks to the COPA USPRE initiative.”

Neue Schule is proud to congratulate Nicholas on this achievement with his talented PRE. As a specialized top-quality bit manufacturer, Neue Schule crafts bits that are specifically made to comfortably fit horses of each individual breed. The company’s attention to detail and multitude of selections allow riders to find the specific bit for each of their equine’s mouth and contact needs. Neue Schule’s patented metal alloy called Salox Gold® quickly matches the temperature of the horse’s mouth and is tasteless, promoting relaxation and softness. The advanced materials and ergonomic fit of Neue Schule bits makes them the number one choice for accomplished riders like Nicholas Fyffe.

For more information about Neue Schule, the talented Neue Schule ambassadors, and Neue Schule bits, visit or call 631-252-5574.

Wellington, FL(November 14, 2014)— Throughout the weekend of the Gold Coast Fall Fling presented on November 8-9, 2014 in Wellington, Florida, the weather worsened but the riding talent remained strong. Ann-Louise Cook, a successful Wellington-area realtor and dressage competitor, attended the show to support her fellow riders and congratulate Jan Brons, winner of Cook’s People’s Choice Award, and Marcel Van Der Burgh, winner of the Intermediaire 1 class that Cook sponsored.

Cook was eager to present her second People’s Choice Award during the award’s inaugural year. The award— which is given to riders that exhibit exemplary sportsmanship, horsemanship, and performance— is Cook’s way of applauding excellence in the Wellington dressage community. Spectators at the Gold Coast Fall Fling were invited to help Cook chose the show’s most worthy candidate. USDF Gold Medalist Jan Brons of Wellington, Florida was selected as the winner of the People’s Choice Award, and was presented with a ribbon sash (which looked beautiful on his mount Zonneglans) and an engraved silver bowl.

“I just want to thank Jan because he puts so much effort into training adult amateurs, and as an adult amateur I appreciate that very much. His riders are always so well prepared and really have a very strong foundation. I’ve also been very impressed with Jan’s professionalism at the shows,” Cook explained as she presented Brons with the People’s Choice Award. “I really appreciate it, and I’m thrilled to win this award,” Brons beamed. “I was totally surprised!”

Brons’s desire to always continue improving and to truly enjoy the sport, as well as his high-placing performances at the Fall Fling, made him an ideal recipient of Cook’s award. “At horse shows, I really try to see where we are in the training— what do I want to change, what do my riders need to work on, and where are kinks that we can work out.” Brons explained. “Also, enjoy it! Have fun,” he encouraged. “Yes, there has to be work involved, but you also have to be able to go out and just have a good time with your horses.”

Brons’s spirit served him well in the show ring at the Fall Fling. He and Bel Canto, an eight-year-old KWPN (Negro x Josien) mare owned by E.B. Schaffner, won the USEF Fourth Level Test 1 Open division. Brons also placed well on Zonneglans, a KWPN (Rubin Royal x Orchidee Kelly) gelding owned by Prentiss. The pair received second place in both the FEI Prix St. George (with an impressive 73.026 percent) and the FEI Intermediaire 1. “Zonneglans has been an interesting horse because he’s not so easy to deal with even though he’s really super sweet. I’ve struggled with him some in his training, but now we’re at the point where he’s becoming really fun to ride,” Brons smiled.

After congratulating Brons, Cook presented the show’s Intermediaire 1 winner Marcel Van Der Burgh with the class’s first place ribbon, a horse cookie, and a bag. Van Der Burgh, of Loxahatchee, Florida, won the class on Kempinski, a fifteen-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by young rider Chloe Hatch of Vero Beach, Florida. Van Der Burgh and Kempinski scored 69.474 percent.

“It was a really good ride compared to yesterday, when the horse was kind of nervous. I came back much stronger. Kempinski was great today, and had more confidence. This is his first time out in the I-1. This horse is really for the young rider program. We keep molding him along and building him up. I’m really proud of the horse for his first time out,” Van Der Burgh said. Cook expressed, “Congratulations, and thank you so much for coming out in the rain! It shows that you’re a true competitor that you came back in this weather and improved from yesterday and won your class!”

Van Der Burgh’s dedication to strengthening the young dressage generation is just as strong as his talent in the show ring. “I really like the young riders program,” he commented. “The owner of Kempinski is a new young rider. I really like to promote the younger generation to get that experience at the show, and we trainers have to keep that up for them.” Van Der Burgh added, “Thank you to all the sponsors and the show office, and the judges here. We have a little bit of rain, and still people are going— that’s good. I always like to support the sport for everybody, for amateurs and professionals and young riders.”

Cook was happy to have the chance to award Jan Brons and Marcel Van Der Burgh for their riding talents and their efforts to give back to the dressage community. For more information about Ann-Louise Cook and her business at Illustrated Properties Real Estate, Inc., please visit www.annlouisecook.com.

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Photo 1: Jan Brons receives the People’s Choice Award from Ann-Louise Cook. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Photo 2: Ann-Louise Cook (right) and Noreen O’Sullivan of the Gold Coast Dressage Association present Marcel van der Burgh with his prize as the winner of the Intermediare-1. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)