Extra news from the FEI World Cup™ Finals Las Vegas and more April 12 2009

Dear Monique, Dressage finalists take up the gauntlet for FEI Rolex WC™ Final Dressage in Las Vegas By Claartje van Andel dressagedirect The highest level ever can be expected at the 24th FEI WC™ Final Dressage in Las Vegas, starting next week Overlooking the present World Cup™ season, in Europe, the three victories of Adelinde Cornelissen, the four victories of Isabell Werth and the strong rides of Anky van Grunsven aboard IPS Painted Black immediately come to mind. However, there are more serious contenders to keep an eye on. In the USA, Steffen Peters and his Ravel have simply improved since their Olympic debut. In great form, they reached a record score in the Grand Prix in Wellington in February. A growing state also can be recognized in Olympic contenders Dutch Hans Peter Minderhoud with his mare Exquis Nadine and Canadian Ashley Holzer showing Pop Art. The last pair have impressed merely with wins in Florida this spring. Olympic reserve Monica Theodorescu, one of the first enthusiastic contenders in the FEI World™ Cup, having won the Final twice, in 1993 and 1994, showing her impressive black Ganimedes, is now back in full strength with her talented Whisper. She will take up all challenges and perform as best as possible. Isabell Werth likes the challenge Best final ever Considering all finalists, this FEI WC™ Dressage Final might not be a Final with the two dressage queens Werth and Van Grunsven fighting each other only. More participants may actually be able to take up the gauntlet. Isabell Werth has won the Final twice, in 1992 with her great mare Fabienne and in 2007 riding her big chestnut Warum Nicht FRH. For the 2009 WC™ Final she will saddle her individual Olympic silver medallist Satchmo. She agrees with the openness of competition: “And I like it! Anyone who really knows me, will have witnessed that I never walk away from challenges in competition. Satchmo and I have built on our mutual trust and form and we’ll see what that will bring now.”

Title defender Anky van Grunsven has not been allowed to bring Olympic gold medallist IPS Salinero to Las Vegas, due to regulations. However, although a stallion and probably not as imperturbable as most geldings, IPS Painted Black can in fact set top performances, not to be ignored either. “Due to a serious pause for IPS Salinero after the Olympic Games and due to suddenly occurring back problems of myself, I have not been able to start IPS Salinero twice in this WC™ series. Although I was disappointed in the beginning, I don’t believe it’s worth arguing about. But you can count on me giving the best I can! I love going back to Vegas!”, Anky explains, who also has special memories of the place, as she got married to Sjef Janssen in Las Vegas two years ago. Las Vegas means special memories to Anky van Grunsven Youngest finalist Adelinde Cornelissen still hasn’t left the feeling of new surprises in her life behind her. “I left for my first WC™ Qualifier this season in Stockholm without any special expectations. But Parzival and I immediately took the win, which included a car! It was far more then I had ever dreamt of, absolutely superb!”, Adelinde expresses. She has no special expectations from competing in the final, all but to do her very best and try and do what she can. “I live one day at a time and try and do as good as possible”, she summarizes. German judge Katrina Wüst expects the 24th FEI Rolex WC™ Final Dressage in Las Vegas to become the strongest Final ever. “Look at the field of all competitors!”, the German judge says who is a member of the FEI dressage Task Force as well. “I am looking forward to the Final very much. Beautiful dressage is also about sharing emotions. And dressage loves celebrating its heroes. The official Farewell ceremony for American heroine Brentina and the last show appearance of European hero Briar in the arena, that’s also what for me makes this 24th World Cup™ Final into a complete and emotional dressage party, celebrating top sport and its heroes!” Katrina Wüst: heroes and emotions belong to dressage… Best of Three Worlds Breeders Meeting April 17 at the World Cup Finals The Swedish Studbook (ASVH) welcomes guests to a unique breeders’meeting at the Thomas & Mack Arena on Friday April 17. The event kicks off at 8:00 a.m. sharp during the Rolex FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas. The Swedish Studbook, in cooperation with Karin Reid Offield, owner of the breeding stallion Lingh, invites everyone interested in learning about breeding to attend this great event. Join us 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. at arena section 227, balcony level. Edward Gal showed Lingh to the Grand Prix win in Las Vegas. Lingh belongs to Offield now and Gal now will ride the talented Wynton in a special show in Las

Vegas Picture Louise Davidson Breeding has become an essential part of the modern equestrian culture and the 2009 ASVH Breeders’ Meeting showcases the best of the three worlds and will hopefully create a new way of including breeders in international equestrian events in the future. The ASVH hopes to create an inspiring experience for breeders across borders. Best of Three Worlds has been chosen for the theme for this meeting as international guests arrive from Sweden, the Netherlands, and, of course, the U.S.A. The vice president of the studbook’s Stallion Committee, Jan-Ove Olsson, will represent the ASVH in Las Vegas. Attendees will enjoy the unique behind the scènes setting of the early morning warm-up of the World Cup Finals, which was arranged with the help of Las Vegas Events, producers of the show. Attendees must have a ticket to the dressage session on Friday to attend the breeders’meeting. The box office will open at 8:00 a.m.on Friday morning for last minute ticket sales. As special invited guest speakers, the Royal Dutch Warmblood Studbook (KWPN) and the Swedish Warmblood Association of North America (SWANA) will share information about their systems and organizations. Points of interest include the future development of the American sporthorse breeding market and how to encourage young equestrians to become breeders. Meeting attendees have a chance to win a County Saddle, the saddle recommended by the winner of the 2005 Las Vegas World Cup Grand Prix, the stallion Lingh himself. In addition, a breeding to Briar 899 has been donated by the stallion’s breeder and owner Hans-Yngve Göransson. Briar has competed in eight World Cups, three Olympic Games, four European Championships and two World Championships. Briar will officially say goodbye to the World at his last show appearance in Las Vegas.

A breeding to Briar 899 has been donated by the stallion’s breeder and owner HansYngve Göransson Picture Dressage Training Online Trilogy Dressage Saddles honors Brentina at retirement ceremony Trilogy Dressage Saddles, a longtime sponsor of World Cup Dressage Champion Debbie McDonald, will bid a proper farewell to McDonald’s World Cup partner Brentina during the world-champion horse’s official retirement ceremony at the FEI

World Cup in Las Vegas. Trilogy Saddles will honor Brentina, the only U.S. horse to ever win the Dressage World Cup Final, with a special cooler during the retirement ceremony. “We have supported Debbie and Brentina for many years and we are looking forward to being part of her retirement ceremony,” said Deborah Witty, President of Performance Saddlery, the makers of Trilogy Saddles. Part of Performance Saddlery’s ongoing relationship with McDonald includes a line of saddles called the Debbie McDonald Signature Series, which features The Debbie McDonald Dressage Saddle and The Debbie Special, designed for the petite rider. “The Debbie Special was developed so that the saddle would accommodate a rider that is physically unable to establish their position in a regular size saddle because there is just too much leather and saddle surrounding them. Instead everything is tailored to suit the smaller in stature so that they can effectively put their leg on the horse, shift their seat bones and communicate clearly to the horse without the bulk of the saddle getting in the way,” Witty said. For more information on Trilogy Saddles, visit their website at www.trilogysaddles.com.

Performance Saddlery, makers of Trilogy Dressage Saddles, will host autograph sessions with FEI World Cup Champion Debbie McDonald during the World Cup in Las Vegas and honor Brentina with a special cooler during Brentina’s retirement ceremony at the World Cup™ Final Las Vegas next week. (Photo courtesy Elma Garcia)

Marco Bernal Wins Fourth Halter In Style Columbian dressage rider Marco Bernal will be debuting in next week’s FEI World Cup™ Final in Las Vegas, just as Australian Heath Ryan, Dutch Adelinde Cornelissen and American Jan Ebeling. The well dressed Columbian rider Marco Bernal and his handsome Trakehner stallion Halbgott have become an almost unbeatable combination when it comes to the CDI jogs throughout West Palm Beach’s winter dressage circuit. Bernal and Halbgott trotted away with another win at the recent WEF Dressage Classic CDI-W, winning already their fourth beautiful leather Vespucci halter in the jog sponsored by The Paddock Saddlery and World Equestrian Brands. “It’s a fun competition before the serious riding begins,” Bernal said about the jog. “It really gets the handlers looking professional and since these CDI’s are international events, it is important to present a professional image.” Bernal’s professional appearance on the international circuit may serve him well again next week in Las Vegas as he has been selected to compete at the 2009 FEI World Cup Finals. In the end, Bernal said he couldn’t take all of the credit for his “dress to success” look and the fact that he has now won four Vespucci halters. “My wife and children give input and usually have the final say,” he said. Bernal and Halbgott have become the team to beat as they have won four halters this season with their jog. Here they show off one of their won Vespucci halters which was sponsored by The Paddock Saddlery and World Equestrian Brands Photo courtesy of JRPR Grand Prix-mare Rocher retired from international competition Gypsy Woods Farm owners Charles (Chuck) and Joann Smith have announced that their beloved, crowd-pleasing Westfalen mare, Rocher (Rolls Royce), showed by George Williams, has been retired from International competition. The pair competed in the WC Final in 2003. Her career was highlighted with a 5th place finish in the 2003 World Cup™ Final Goteborg, Sweden. In the same year she was named U.S. Dressage Federation Grand Prix Horse and Grand Prix Freestyle Horse of the Year as well as Chronicle of the Horse Dressage Horse of the Year. “Rocher took a dream and made it a reality,” states Chuck. “She took us all over the world and filled us with pride. She has incredible character and inspired her fans wherever she showed.” Rocher came to the United States in 2000 to be ridden by George Williams for the Smith family and Gypsy Woods Farm. Perhaps Rocher will best be known for her hairraising extended trot and flopping ears that entertained spectators worldwide. Crowds at Dressage at Devon will never forget her performances there. She won the prestigious show three times with record breaking scores in an atmosphere fit for a rock star. Gypsy Woods Farm also announces that with the retirement of Rocher the farm will no longer be engaging in international dressage pursuits. With this change, the farm has

also released George Williams to continue his successful career elsewhere. Joann emotionally stated “When George came to Gypsy Woods Farm we hung a banner in the arena of one of his favorite quotes ‘Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor’ George and Rocher have been beautiful dance partners.” Chuck Smith says the decision was difficult to make, “George has dedicated his life to dressage, he has an amazing work ethic I’m sure he will continue his success in the next phase of his journey.”

George Williams and Rocher Picture Terri Miller© Fruitful French dinner-debate on Freestyle to music The association Top Dressage Team and its partner the French Saddler Luc Childéric were delighted with the outcome of their dinner-debate held in the medieval village of Pérouges last Monday. Organizing a gathering of over 60 dressage personnalities was quite a challenge! In the end the combination of guests were as diverse as Nadine Cochenet, Bernard Maurel and Alain Francqueville for the French Federation, Catherine Haddad as the International Dressage rider, French Grand Prix riders, International and French National judges, the concert pianist Mikhail

Yurkov and French figure skating champion Christine Sesboué. The informal evening was most constructive through various presentations and a lively debate which reinforced the artistic strengths present today in both the German and Dutch musical freestyles. This will no doubt be an inspiration in the future for the French riders. Following the success of this event, a new meeting on a national scale will soon take place which we will keep you updated on. International Judge Bernard Maurel adressing to the the guests of the dinner debate on the Freestyle to music in Perouge near Lyon, France NEDA Sponsored Event - Frenk Jespers Returns! Dutch Frenk Jespers is coming again to the USA for another 3 day riding and conformation clinic on April 24, 25 and 26 in Peppertell. The audience and auditors always enjoy a highly interactive session when Jespers evaluates the conformation and movement of each horse using the KWPN linear scoring. Last year the crowd touted Jespers as a “wealth of knowledge”, well respected by riders and auditors alike. Frenk Jespers was a judge member of the KWPN Stallion Committee until last year when he resigned to focus more on training. Frenk Jespers is a KWPN judge, rider, trainer and coach to Grand Prix rider Kirsten Beckers who ridess and shows the famous approved KWPN stallion Jazz. Frenk is now coach of the Turkish Olympic team. Frenk teaches classical dressage and stresses to take time and prepare the horses so they can be their best. Plan to attend this fabulous clinic! Phil and Orintha rintha Silva of Ten Broeck Farm in Peppertell, Ma, are top notch hosts and are happy to welcome you. Find more info at www.tenbroeckfarm.net or send a mail to [email protected] Frenk Jespers last year in Peppertell, USA.

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