USA & Canadian World Cup Riders Get Financial Help
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Mar. 14. 2014
By KENNETH J. BRADDIK
Riders from Canada and the United States will receive financial help to compete at the World Cup Final, from international shipper Tim Dutta for an American and the Canadian federation for their rider to supplement money paid by the organizer of the event in Lyon, France April 17-21.
Places are reserved at the Final for two horse and rider combinations from North America.
Canada announced Friday it was contributing $22,500 (US$20,275) to support any Canadian athlete “in recognition of the financial difficulty athletes face as they strive to become top international competitors. The purpose of this funding is to provide monetary support to assist our athletes with travel, training and competition expenses…”
Tim Dutta, who includes round trip transportation from the U.S. to Europe for two American dressage horses as part of a major sponsorship package, agreed to roll over round trip shipping that was not used in 2013 to be used by an American horse qualifying for the World Cup Final.
The air shipping is from either Miami or New York to Amsterdam. On arrival in Europe, the horses then need to be transported by ground to Lyon–about 600 miles (965km).
The U.S. Equestrian Federation’s High Performance Committe may also add some some money to insure all costs are covered.
Total prize money for the dressage World Cup is €250,000 (US$348,000), €25,000 for the Grand Prix on Saturday, April 19 and €225,000 for the Freestyle on Sunday, Aril 20.
The Lyon organizing committee provides €9,000 (US$12,500) per horse and €1,200 (US$1,670) per rider for air fares for North American entries as well as covering hotel and some meal expenses for the rider and groom, plus stabling for the horse at Lyon.
Financial aid is vital to combinations outside Europe that are reimbursed by the organizer only partially for expenses to attend the annual global championship. When the event is staged in the United States the organizers covers virtually all expenses of combinations outside of North America.
The second last of the series in the North American League made up of Canada, Mexico and the United States–Mexico did not have a declared combination in the league–is scheduled for the Adequan Global Dressage Festival at Wellington, Florida Friday night. The last qualifier for 2013/2014 in California next week but a single declared rider and horse there is considered unlikely to surpass scores recorded in Florida.
The combinations with the best chances of receiving an invitation are Cesar Parra of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey and Van the Man and Catherine Haddad-Staller of Califon, New Jersey and Mane Stream Hotmail for the United States and either Diane Creech and Devon L or Jacqueline Brooks and D Niro for Canada.
