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Thursday, March 29, 2007

The Final US League Finals About to Begin in Burbank

For the third time, Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, California will host the US League Finals this weekend--and Glenda McElroy will organize the event, as well as the Festival of the Horse, the CDI-W that 'surrounds' the Finals.

This will be the last League Finals- - next year, the FEI has decreed that there will be one league for all North America (including Canada) and riders will qualify in the European system, by accumulating points throughout the year at designated shows.

Glenda says, "Yes, we will be holding more CDI-Ws in the future--that's how to create world cup riders." She considers the Freestyle Championship "always, important, always exciting", and points out that this year, the competition might be the best ever. WEG and Olympic team riders Leslie Morse, Steffen Peters and Guenter Seidel are joined by top East Coast riders: World Cup competitor Arlene 'Tuny' Page, as well as Michael Barisone, and new shooting star Courtney King. Much of the West Coast will see the East Coast horses, Wild One, Neruda and Idocus for the first time.

Talking about this show and CDI-Ws in general, Glenda feels that "sponsorship and sponsors for the sport are really just starting to get off the ground. It is all driven by how much money is available and what can be done for the riders."