Debbie McDonald Offers Clinic Day to Raise Funds for Olympic Team Mate Courtney King Dye
15 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Debbie McDonald Offers Clinic Day to Raise Funds for Olympic Team Mate Courtney King Dye
HAILEY, Idaho, Apr. 7–Debbie McDonald, a 2008 Olympic team mate of Courtney King Dye, on Wednesday offered a day long clinic with all proceeds going to help in Corutney’s medical expenses as she recovers from a horse accident that fractured her skull.
Debbie, who was the first American to become World Cup champion in 2003 and team medalist in two World Equestrian Games, team silver and bronze medalist on the mare, Brentina, said she wants to help her Olympic team mate from the Beijing Olympics.
“I definitely want to be there for her,” she said.
Debbie formally retired Brentina at the 2009 World Cup in Las Vegas, a year after the Olympics at which she, Courtney and Steffen Peters represented the United States. A Steffen Peters fund raiser organized around his monthly clinic in Wellington is being held at Two Swans Farm this Saturday.
Debbie became America’s most beloved rider with Brentina and at a fund raising effort for the U.S. Equestrian Team in 2004 raised $240,000 (€180,000) when three women each bid $80,000 (€60,000) for a month of training with her.
Debbie said that she is open to ideas for a clinic of more than one day during which she would donate a day of teaching eight riders, or a day’s clinic in Hailey.
She is leaving next week to coach Adrienne Lyle at competitions in Hagen and Munich, Germany. On their return she will be in California but then go with Adrienne and Wizard to Gladstone, New Jersey the first half of August for the selection trials for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games beginning at the end of September. If Adrienne makes the short list, Debbie could be in New Jersey for a while. Other alternatives are in California during winter or in 2011.
Debbie said that she is very flexible about arrangements and timing but that organizers or riders interested could email her at dressagemc@gmail.com.
She also disclosed that Brentina, now aged 19, is being bred to Moorlands Totilas for a foal by embryo transfer.
Brentina, a Hanoverian was unbred until she retired last year at age 18, and is expecting a foal by Kingston, the stallion owned and competed by Leslie Morse of Beverly Hills, California.
