World elite at the World Festival: After the top 40 show-jumpers and best 10 four-in-hand drivers in the world have already confirmed their participation at the World Equestrian Festival Aachen 2015 (May 29^th-31^st), a first-class line-up of competitors is now evolving in the dressage discipline too.

The German national coach, Monica Theodorescu, has announced a team that includes, among others, Isabell Werth, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Fabienne Lütkemeier. The local matador, Nadine Capellmann, will also be riding into the most famous dressage arena in the world. From the Netherlands, Adelinde Cornelissen has confirmed her participation and so has the US American rider, Steffen Peters. Among others, Tinne Vilhelmson, who has been extremely successful recently, will be competing from Sweden. However, the actual starting list won’t be finalised until shortly before the show after the ultimate entry deadline. The highlight of the dressage competitions is the Deutsche Bank Prize, the Dressage Grand Prix of Aachen, on Sunday, May 31^st. On Saturday, the Philips-Prize, a Grand Prix competition, as well as the Prize of the Handwerk, the Aachen Quadrille Championships, are on the agenda. The overall prize-money for the dressage competitions totals 183.000 Euros.

The best show-jumpers, dressage riders and four-in-hand drivers are awaited in Aachen from May 29^th-31^st, at the “World Equestrian Festival Aachen 2015”, before one of the largest sporting events in the world this year, namely the FEI European Championships Aachen 2015 (August 11^th-23^rd), is organised there. The two events have an overall budget of 24 million Euros, the overall prize-money totals 3.16 million Euros.

Tickets and further information is available at:www.chioaachen.com or from the hotline: +49(0)-241-917-1111.

By British Dressage

Carl Hester joined an elite band of equestrian names when he was presented with the prestigious British Horse Society Queen’s Award for Equestrianism from Her Majesty The Queen at Royal Windsor Horse Show on Saturday (16 May).

The Award, which is made on the recommendation of the Trustees of The British Horse Society, is ‘For Outstanding Services to Equestrianism’.

As the most successful British dressage rider in history, Carl’s achievements speak for themselves. However, his contribution to the sport, and to equestrianism as a whole, goes far deeper than his many titles and medals.

Carl is a wonderful ambassador for horse sport, bringing an enthusiasm and accessibility to dressage that has undoubtedly helped to widen its appeal. He continues to promote the very best standards of welfare, horse care and training and, above all else, helps an ever-increasing audience to appreciate the joy that horses bring.

Quite simply, British dressage would not have enjoyed the same level of success on the international stage without Carl’s expertise, knowledge and guidance. But most of all, it is his generous nature that the panel felt marked him out as an exceptional sportsman and a most deserving recipient of the Queen’s Award.

On receiving his award, Carl said: “Working with horses is my life. It is an amazing privilege to receive this recognition for doing something I love… and to receive this award from The Queen is incredibly special.”

The Chairman of The British Horse Society, Claire Aldridge, accompanied Carl to the presentation. Commenting on the award she said: “We are delighted to be able to bestow this honour to Carl on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen. There could be no greater recipient for this award than Carl, who has dedicated so much of his life to his sport. Not only has he made his country so proud with his own achievements, but he has so generously put such passion into developing the success of others – all the time keeping the welfare of the horse at heart.”

Carl was nominated for the award by The British Horse Society and British Dressage and was unanimously voted by the selection panel and BHS Trustees as the worthy winner.  Other dressage recipents include Jane Goldsmith, Stephen Clarke and Jennie Loriston Clarke.

Jason Brautigam, Chief Executive of British Dressage, said that Carl was one of those individuals who transcended the sport. “Carl’s role within the sport goes far beyond being an ambassador and mentor. He has fostered a team spirit within the dressage community that hasn’t previously existed. Carl’s contribution has been immense – his commitment is selfless, as is his generosity of spirit. He is not just concerned with his personal results but about the long term development of the sport.”

May 19, 2015

USEF Communications Department

Lexington, Ky. – The U.S. Dressage Pan American Games European Squad produced dominant results over the weekend in their first Observation Event at CDI München-Riem, in Munich, Germany. With eight Squad combinations competing at each level of the competition, the U.S. secured wins and top ten placings against strong competition.

USA sweeps the top three in the Intermediaire I: Kim Herslow & Rosmarin first, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz & Lonoir second, and Sabine Schut-Kery & Sanceo third (USEF Archives)

Leading off for the U.S. in CDI1* competition was Kim Herslow and her own Rosmarin. Competing for the first time outside the U.S., the pair secured wins in both the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I. Winning the Prix St. Georges on a 71.158%, Herslow was followed by Sabine Schut-Kery and Alice Womble’s Sanceo in second on 68.921%, Olivia LaGoy-Weltz and her own Lonoir in fourth on 68.684%, and Kasey Perry and Diane Perry’s Goerklintgaard’s Dublet in fifth on 68.289%. In the Intermediaire I on Friday, the U.S. swept the top three with Herslow and Rosmarin winning on a score of 72.579%, LaGoy-Weltz and Lonoir placing second with 72.368%, and Schut-Kery and Sanceo in third on 70.316%. Perry and Goerklintgaard’s Dublet placed eighth on a score of 66.053%.

“It was a great experience being able to come and win both classes,” said Herslow. “Reno [Rosmarin] has been in a good mood since we arrived in Germany and our training sessions with Robert [Dover] have been really helpful. The team experience has been awesome; everyone is very supportive of each other. Reno is in a new form and we are working on refining that in the show arena now.”

Three Squad combinations and one individual combination contested the CDI3*. In the Grand Prix, Steffen Peters and Four Winds Farm Inc.’s Rosamunde were second on 72.240%, Allison Brock and Claudine and Fritz Kundrun’s Rosevelt were fifth on 70.560%, and Kathleen Raine and Breanna were 13th on a 66.480%. The U.S. moved all three into the top five in the Grand Prix Special with Peters and Rosamunde again in second on 70.608%, Raine and Breanna in fourth on 68.020%, and Brock and Rosevelt in fifth on 67.333%. A member of the Squad with Small Tour partner, Goerklintgaard’s Dublet, Perry also rode her Big Tour mount, Trostruplund’s Scarlet, to a 10th-place finish in the Grand Prix on a 67.760% and a seventh place finish in the Grand Prix Special with a score of 67.098%.

Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 following their third-place finish in the CDI5* Freestyle (USEF Archives)

Highlighting the weekend’s show was the CDI5*, Peters rode Four Winds Farm Inc.’s Legolas 92 to a third-place finish in the Grand Prix on score of 73.620% and to an impressive second place in the Grand Prix Freestyle with 80.350%.

“The CDI5* Freestyle on Sunday was the highlight of the weekend for us,” said Peters. “The test was Legolas’ best Freestyle yet, it was very clean and we were foot perfect with music. It was extremely exciting to finish second, especially against such strong competitors. Having the whole U.S. contingent there supporting us was special; it is always great to hear your teammates cheering you on. Overall it was a great start for our European Squad and a huge success for Team USA.”

The Squad will continue their Observation Events with a select member competing in CDI5* Aachen, May 28-31, and the complete Squad competing at CDI4* Achleiten, June 4-7, 2015. The Pan American Games Team will be named following the completion of the Observation Events.

Nampa, Idaho – May 18, 2015 Lara Oles, Utah’s first internationally

classified para equestrian, won two first places and two high point

championships at the Idaho Dressage Festival this past weekend. Oles

and her Canadian Warmblood mare, Bella, scored 73.2% and 76.3% in their

Para Dressage freestyle tests. They also placed second in the first ever Idaho

Freestyle Challenge and won $300, competing against all able bodied riders.

Oles was in a freak skiing accident in 2006 that damaged her spinal cord, leaving her

right arm permanently paralyzed and stroke-like symptoms in her right leg.  Her ultimate

goal is to represent the United States at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Next month, Oles and Bella head to their first International show in California for a chance to qualify for the Team Selection Trials,

which will be held in June 2016.

Photo Courtesy of Impulsion Images

More about Lara Oles

Lara currently lives in Heber City, Utah with her husband and a myriad of well-loved pets. In addition to her riding, Lara works full time for the U.S. Forest Service. For more information please check out her website, or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

www.lope.org

www.facebook.com/LopeLaraOlesParaEquestrian

www.twitter.com/LOPE_LaraOles

Lexington, KY (May 20, 2015) – The
United States Dressage Federation (USDF) announced today the new Dressage Seat
Equit …

Monday, May 18, 2015

Devon, PA – May 18, 2015 (Devon, PA) – Dressage at Devon (DAD), the premier Dressage show in the United States, will offer an FEI Amateur Division at the 2015 show taking place September 29 through October 4, 2015.

“The United States Dressage Federation has more that 14,000 recorded adult amateurs and this new competition has generated a great deal of interest throughout North America and Europe. We are very pleased to be able to offer this option at our 40th Anniversary show” said Lori Kaminski, President and CEO of Dressage at Devon.

DAD will offer FEI Prix St. Georges and FEI Intermediate I classes for the FEI Amateur Division. On Sunday afternoon, DAD will offer a National level FEI Test of Choice. This class is not part of the CDI.

To qualify:

-       Riders must be 26 years old;

- Riders must have no ranking with the FEI Dressage World Ranking List at the date of definite entry;

-       Athletes living abroad may compete in Events of their Host;

-       An FEI Passport is not required for horses competing in their home country, but must be registered with their national federation, be identifiable by diagram and have a valid vaccination certificate.

Horses entered in CDI-Am classes must follow the same procedures applied to open CDIs and are required to undergo a veterinary check and be stabled in restricted-access CDI stalls.

About Dressage at Devon

Dressage at Devon (www.dressageatdevon.org has been a premier North American Equestrian event since its founding in 1975.  It combines world-class dressage competition and the world’s largest open breed show with the international Fall Festival show and special activities for the entire family.  The six-day event attracts hundreds of riders from around the world and thousands of spectators.  Dressage at Devon is a 501(c) (3) PA non-profit organization, benefitting equine education.

Contact:

Ginny Simon

Project Marketing, Inc.

Phone: (610) 889-2036

E-Mail: gsimon@projectmarketinginc.com