Wellington, FL – Two talented Lusitanos represented the breed and brought the flair of the Portuguese to the dressage arena during the 2013 Adequan Global Dressage Festival, where the top dressage horses in the nation compete during the winter season. Balder, ridden by owner Lesley Maxwell, and Versatil Imagem, ridden by Matt McLaughlin, were awarded the High Score Lusitano Award for performances at the GDF 5* CDI and WEF Dressage Classic CDI-3*. Patience and training paid off for dressage trainer Matt McLaughlin, who rode his 11-year-old Lusitano gelding, Versatil Imagem, to a score a 63% in USEF Fourth Level test during the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival 5* show.  Versatil’s score topped all other Lusitanos at the show, and McLaughlin was very proud of his beautiful grey horse. He explained that Versatil was pushed very hard as a youngster, before McLaughlin owned him, so being recognized with this award was quite special.

Munich – Austrian Victoria Max-Theurer was a sovereign winner in today's Horsebox Austria Grand Prix Special presented by Fürst Fugger Privatbank. The 28 year old Olympian bought the 11 year old mare Blind Date this spring from the former coach of Isabell Werth, mister Wolfram Wittig. After the Grand Prix Vici decided to start in the special although she was qualified to go into the kur. The decision paid off big time.There was a 3% difference between her and runner up Concalo Carvalho riding for Portugal. He and his stallion Rubi did a good job and finished in 71.417%. The combination gave a much better impression than in yesterdays NÜRNBERGER Grand Prix. Weather conditions improved somewhat overnight. Mild rain didn't keep the people in Munich from watching the exciting battle between some of the world's best riders. It was a tight battle, Lisbeth Seierskilde and Dorothee Schneider were only 1/1000 % apart in this 25.000 EURO class.

Ted Dwyer, former coordinator of the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Pacific League and international course designer and judge, has died in Australia just days before his 90th birthday. Ted lived in Young, New South Wales together with his wife, Judy and their two sons on a farm that had been in his family since 1868. Ted was a livestock and crop farmer, and he and Judy, an accomplished four-in-hand driver, also produced English Hackney horses at their Ellmore Stud. Ted was an FEI international course designer and Jumping judge and was instrumental in developing FEI World Cup™ Jumping competitions in New Zealand and South-East Asia. He was the coordinator of the FEI World Cup™ Pacific League for 25 years, from its inception until his retirement at the 2003 Final in Las Vegas. He helped lobby the FEI World Cup committee members for the establishment of the South-East Asian League, the 13th league in the world.

The Emerging Dressage Athlete Clinic (EDAP) will be June 21-22 and the Dressage4Kids Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest (LYDFM) June 23, 2013 at Hampton Green Farm, Fruitport, Michigan. The Emerging Dressage Athlete Clinic (EDAP) is a two-day intensive training clinic with Lendon Gray for riders who are selected via application. The program is for Dressage competitors under the age of 21. Riders are selected based on a riding video, copies of tests, an application letter and recommendations. For an application [CLICK HERE] The Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest (LYDFM) will take place Sunday, June 23, 2013, a one-day version of the Lendon Gray Youth Festival: a highly successful multi-phase dressage show for riders under 21 at all levels, to be held at Hampton Green Farm in Fruitport, Michigan. The format includes 3 Divisions - a Written Test, a Dressage Test, and an Equitation Test. All ages and levels welcome. Teams may also compete. With top international riders as judges, lecturers and commentators the event is full of fun learning.