Dressage-News

LEXINGTON, Kentucky, Dec. 12–Voting opened Wednesday for the U.S. Equestrian Federation 2012 Equestrian of the Year and Horse of the Year. No standard dressage riders or horses were nominated.

Equestrian of the Year nominees:

-Rich Fellers of Sherwood, Oregon, Jumping, the first American in 25 years to win the World Cup Final and member of the U.S. Olympic team at the London Games;

-Jonathan Wentz of Richardson, Texas, Para-Equestrian who led the U.S. team in their most successful championship in recent years at the London Paralympics. Weeks after returning home, Jonathan passed away;

-Gilbert “Gib” Marcucci of Monmouth, Iowa, Hackney, winner of the Hackney Pony Stake and Hackney Pony World’s Grand Championship at the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show;

-Jennifer Alfano of Buffalo, New York, Hunter, two-time World Champion Hunter Rider;

-Matt Siemon of New Carlisle, Ohio, Arabian, won the Purebred Arabian Park Horse Championship at both the Canadian and, for second year in a row the U.S. National Championships;

-Joe Reser of Wakarusa, Indiana, Arabian, won the Canadian National Championship title and the 2012 U.S. Reserve National Championship title in open Western Pleasure division;.

-Bruce Griffin of Gretna, Virginia, Friesian, awarded five World Championships and two Reserve World Championships, three National Championships and two Reserve National Championships at the IFSHA National and World Championship Show, and

-Wendy Potts of Mansfield, Texas, Arabian/National Show Horse, 2012 Canadian National Champion Half-Arab Hunter Pleasure Champion and Champion at U.S. Nationals for the second year in a row.

To vote for Equestrian of the Year visit http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/eoty/ and type in USEF membership number to access the voting portal. Voting ends at Midnight U.S. Eastern Time  on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013.

Horse of the Year nominees — International:

-Flexible (Cruising x Flex x Safari) 1996 Irish Sport Horse Stallion; ridden by Rich Fellers to first World Cup Jumping victory in 25 years and for U.S. team at the London Olympics;

-Manoir de Carneville (Gaub x Carneville x Matador du Bois) 2000 Selle Francais Gelding, with rider Sinead Halpin member of U.S. Eventing Short List for Olympics, runnerup at Burghley Horse Trials in England, and

-NTEC Richter Scale (Unknown Breeding) 1994 Shire Cross Gelding, with rider Jonathan Wentz, the draft cross claimed the USEF National Para-Equestrian Reserve Championship and at 2012 Paralympic Games led the U.S. team to their most successful championship finish in recent years.

Horse of the Year nominees – National:

-CHCourageous Lord (Roseridge Heir x Lord Have Mercy) 2001 American Saddlebred Gelding, 2012 Amateur Five-Gaited World’s Champion of Champions;

-Germ (Ulbert X Tjalda Fan Lutke Peinjum) 2002 Friesian Gelding, a perfect performance record in 2012 with eight World titles at the IFSHA World and Grand Nationals bringing career total to 21 world and national titles, and

-Jersey Boy (White Star x Unknown Dam) 2002 Hanoverian Gelding, 2012 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals winner, leads the International Hunter Derby lifetime earnings list with $196,640.

To vote for international and national horses, visit http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/hoty/ and type in email address to access the voting portal. Voting will end at Midnight U.S. Eastern Time Monday, Jan. 7, 2013.