Friday December 13, 2002

Yvonne Losos de Muñiz Wins Gold at the Central American Games

Las Marismas Influence on Bronze Team Medal

For their efforts the Dominican Republic Dressage Team of Losos de Muñiz, Georgie Fernández riding Joris Las Marismas (11-year-old KWPN gelding by Uniform x Octrooi), Diana Ramos de Tejeda on Arabella (11-year-old KWPN mare by Blanc Rivage XX x Roemer), and Vanessa Doyle riding Hulster (13-year-old gelding by Ulster x Utrecht) Las Marismas, earned the bronze medal behind Mexico's gold and Colombia's silver.

"I'm thrilled with winning the individual gold and the Dominican Republic Team's performance. We accomplished what we came here for, and as a Dutch Warmblood breeder it also makes me extremely proud to have a team entirely composed of KWPN horses," said Losos de Muñiz, 35.

Setting their sights on building an all-encompassing equine business, Losos de Muñiz and her husband Eduardo Muñiz have created, in just seven short years, "Las Marismas". It includes the Dominican Republic's premier dressage and show jumping facility and one of Canada's brightest Dutch Warmblood and Andalusian breeding operations. With guidance and support from Holland's foremost equine experts, Paul and Emile Hendrix, Las Marismas has acquired exceptional show jumping mounts and Dutch broodmares. Through the Hendrix brothers they were put in contact with Diederik Wigmans and Marcel Timmermans, who operate Stal TW in Stramproy, Holland.

For his part, Wigmans' mastery of matching suitable dressage horses with riders and his official capacity as the Dominican Republic Dressage Team Coach, has had the greatest impact on Las Marismas' riders this year, all of whom competed for their country at the Central American Games.

In the last year, Las Marismas' riders have held their own with some of the world's most skilled competitors. Losos de Muñiz and Inatana Las Marismas finished a resounding 2nd place with 67% in the Intermediare I Freestyle at the WEF Dressage Classic CDI***/Y in Wellington, Florida, in March 2002. Later in the spring she and fellow teammates Fernández and Ramos de Tejeda led Dominican Republic to its first-ever win of the FEI World Dressage Challenge, an international event sponsored by Performance Sales International (PSI). Losos de Muñiz won the overall Prix St. George division and has been invited to compete at the Final at the stables of Germany's Paul Shockemohle in July 2003.

As a warm-up to the FEI Championship of the Americas, held last July in Blainville, Quebec, Canada, where she and Fernández took home the Advanced Division bronze medal behind the U.S. and Canada, Losos de Muñiz won the Intermediare 1 Freestyle with 69% in Palgrave, Ontario, Canada. She was Reserve Intermediare I Champion after placing in the top three on the previous days.