Darren Chiacchia, a 2004 Olympic eventing bronze medalist, 2003 Pan American Games individual gold medalist and a winner of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, is continuing his steady recovery from the near-fatal fungal meningitis he contracted last October. Darren won three blue ribbons at the White Fences Dressage Show in Wellington, Florida in February aboard his own black stallion, Ballzauber. Now head trainer for The YARD Sport Horse Center, also in Wellington, he is training a solid group of both young and advanced eventing, dressage and show jumping horses. For more information on Darren, visit www.teamchiacchia.co. Photo by Bob Carey
Chuck and Anne Koch’s Mr. Bockman has been sold to London Paralympian Dale Dedrick as a World Equestrian Games U.S. team prospect. The 13-year-old Westphalian gelding (Arpeggio – Hauptstutbuch Amore) was imported from Europe and has been in training with Grand Prix dressage rider Chrissa Hoffman in Ocala, Florida. Dale, who is from Ann Arbor, Michigan, competed in the 2012 London Paralympics Grade II events riding Bonifatus and was the 2011 Para-dressage National Champion. She is campaigning for a place on the U.S. team for the 2014 Alltech World Equestrian Games. Good luck Dale and Mr. Bockman!
Music to sooth the savage beasts? The Yale Spizzwinks(?) sang acapella and entertained at the March Global Dressage Festival CDI before Friday night’s Freestyles. They were really, really good but still no match for dancing horses!
Debbie McDonald has been spending a lot of time in Florida. She was the guest speaker at the Show Chic Shop Talk and rode a pretty in pink Pas de Deux with Mason Phelps at the Challenge of the America’s and taught a Ride and Learn Clinic at the Winter Equestrian Festival…between working with countless riders with team aspirations. One thing is for sure wherever Debbie goes she has no trouble getting RESPECT! Meanwhile, Dressage author and journalist Betsy LaBelle was all smiles and thumbs up after winning the raffle at Show Chic’s Shop Talk.
Nice to see Susie Dutta on top of the grand prix board. It just goes to show that nice girls do finish first! Suzie and her husband Tim Dutta along with friends Alyn Mann and Emma and Michael Phillips (co-owners of Ben Maher’s gold medal mount) were spotted enjoying dressage in Wellington during the winter circuit.
World Equestrian Brand’s, Robin Moore of Virginia and her friend, horse guru Tim McGaffic from Arizona, made it to Florida to check out the dressage Freestyle Friday at the Global Dressage Festival CDI. It is fun to see eventers, jumper and western enthusiasts like Ride TV Unbridled Craig Morris all taking in dressage!
Masters of the dressage universe? Noreen O’Sullivan and Karen Offield were seen sporting their World Masters Dressage wear at the Palm Beach Derby.
Phillip Dutton has “owned” the CIC3* division of the Red Hills International Horse Trials the last two years. After winning and taking third in 2012 with Mystery Whisper and Ben respectively, he did it again in 2013 taking the blue with Bruce Duchossois’ Mighty Nice and sixth place with Tom Tierny’s Atlas. After 15 years at the Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park, this was the final year that the Red Hills cross-country course was staged there. Next year the cross-country course will be run over Northwest Water Management District land near the Phipps Park. The new cross-country course, designed by Hugh Lochore and Roger Haller, has already been started. Another change to the face of international eventing is the FEI rule change that dictates all CIC divisions will do their dressage and show jumping before going cross-country. Look for this to change the schedules of a number of events across North America as it did at Red Hills in March.
Does your barn or organization have news, tidbits or announcements you would like to share in the Off Centerline column, dedicated to dressage and eventing news. It can be something as fun as a wedding announcement, new horse purchased, upcoming clinics or exciting wins. Send to editor@sidelinesnews.com.
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