Palm Beach Dressage Derby Celebrates 30th Anniversary as Oldest Florida Event

12 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Palm Beach Dressage Derby Celebrates 30th Anniversary as Oldest Florida Event
Janne Rumbaugh with Howald Pferdekaemper who worked together to create the Palm Beach Dressage Derby 30 years ago. Photo: Courtesy Janne Rumbaugh Archives

The Palm Beach Dressage Derby celebrates its 30th anniversary as the oldest event in South Florida and it paved the way to a current calendar of the world’s most intensive calendar of dressage shows, 12 CDIs among a total of 30 horse shows at four venues within 30 minutes of each other over five winter months.

This year’s World Cup event, one of five in Palm Beach, is scheduled for Feb. 28-Mar. 3 at Equestrian Estates owned by Walter and Maryanne McPhail. The McPhails  took over the Derby several years ago from the nearby White Fences Equestrian Center where it was created by German migrants Howald and Gisela Pferdekaemper and maintained it as a premier show on the Florida circuit.

“We are very happy that over the years the Palm Beach Dressage Derby has been able to be a part of and make a contribution to the growth of dressage in South Florida,” said Maryanne, who turned over management of the event three years ago. “We wish good luck to all for a successful 30th anniversary show.”

Janne Rumbough, the Danish-born rider who was active in founding and promoting the event and has remained prominent in competing and sponsoring dressage in Palm Beach, is likely to be an entrant in the 30th annual Derby. Coincidentally, Danish Olympian Lars Petersen whose training center is located a few hundred yards (meters) from Equestrian Estates, led the group that became the latest curator of the legacy.

Robert Dover before his six Olympic appearances with judges, the late Edgar Hotz of the United States, and Howald Pferdekaemper, Heinz Schuette of Germany and Axel Steiner of the United States. Photo: Courtesy Janne Rumbaugh Archives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anne Gribbons after competition. Photo Courtesy Janne Rumbaugh Archives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dressed in another era--maybe your grandmother's fashions. Photo Courtesy Janne Rumbaugh Archives