Video Added! Dressage at the Live Oak International CAI to Feature Freestyle Exhibition to Raise Awareness and Funds for Pancreatic Cancer

Sybil Humphreys and Cefnoakpark Bouncer (Photo: Mary Phelps - phelpsphotos.com)

The Live Oak International Combined Driving Event CAI-B, Ocala is set to begin with the first phase of competition,the Driven Dressage beginning on Thursday, March 22, 2012 with the FEI Advanced Level Dressage Test a selection trial for the Single Horse World Championships being held in Lezirias, Portugal this September. During the lunch break at noon, the first Team Bouncer exhibition, a driven Dressage Freestyle to music will launch a fundraising effort to help research in the fight against pancreatic cancer being conducted in honor of Sybil R. Humphreys. Sybil passed away on October 22nd, 2011 due to Pancreatic Cancer. Tragically, as with many people who pass from pancreatic cancer, she only survived 57 days between her diagnosis and her death. Team Bouncer is lead by Sybil’s World Champion Pony, Cefnoakpark Bouncer, and driven by Suzie Stafford who with Bouncer was a US Team Bronze medalist at the the World Pony Driving Championships in England in 2005. Sybil and Bouncer had planned to retire at this year’s Live Oak International CDE, but unfortunately her career was cut short before she could complete her last season.

Sybil Humphreys and Cefnoakpark Bouncer Bouncer bounced to high score the driven dressage on numerous occasions. (Photo: Mary Phelps - phelpsphotos.com)

In honor of Sybil, Bouncer and the other members of Team Bouncer, her surviving family, friends and numerous volunteers have embarked on a series of exhibitions to both raise awareness so that more lives can be saved and raise funds to help research in the fight against pancreatic cancer. The team’s main objective is to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer so that fewer families and friends have to see loved ones perish from this disease.

Sybil always dreamed of finding and training the perfect driving pony. This dream started to come to fruition on one foggy morning in England in 1999, when she found a young pony named Bouncer. We all thought she was crazy for going all the way to the UK to buy a pony, but after years of training with Larry Poulin she proved us wrong and their journey culminated in the dream of a lifetime – with the help of Suzy Stafford who drove Bouncer and many others, they won the Gold medal at the World Pony Driving Championships in England in 2005. This was her ultimate adventure. Suzy and Bouncer competed again at the World Pony Driving Championships in Denmark in 2007, helping to earn a Team Bronze Medal for the USA.

Sybil Humphreys and Cefnoakpark Bouncer Bouncer on the marathon with longtime friend and navigator Betsy Cowperthwaite. (Photo: Mary Phelps - phelpsphotos.com)

With Sybil and Bouncer reunited between and after the World Championships, the success story continued and resulted in multiple ribbons and awards, one of which was the 2008 “Hanzi Award” presented each year at Live Oak International CDE for the best horse or pony at the competition. The winter of 2011 was her best season ever with her welsh cob pony, Cefnoakpark Bouncer, winning three out of the four events they entered at the Intermediate level, including the Live Oak International CDE Event in Ocala, Florida for the third time. Anyone who watched Sybil compete came away with the knowledge that it was more about doing her best and having fun, not necessarily just the wins.

Sybil and Bouncer had planned to retire at this year’s Live Oak International CDE, but unfortunately her career was cut short before she could complete her last season. In honor of her, Bouncer and the other members of Team Bouncer have embarked on a series of exhibitions to both raise awareness so that more lives can be saved and raise funds to help research in the fight against pancreatic cancer. So look for the Purple Tent, the color for the Pancreatic Cancer Cause at the Live Oak International CAI and come meet team Bouncer and learn more about all the great work being done for a great lady who we all miss so much.

Other events for Team Bouncer
Stoneybrook Steeplechase at the NC Horse Park on Sat 7 Apr
Upperville Horse Show,  Upperville, VA on Sun 10 Jun
Montpelier Steeplechase,  Montpelier Station, VA on Sat 3 Nov

To Make Future Donations Please Visit: https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/sybilhumphreys

Driving Radio Show
Episode 37 – The Purple & Gold Pony, Sybil Humphreys daughter Wendy joins us to speak about her mother, Cefnoakpark Bouncer and efforts to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer. Plus, Dr. Wendy Ying helps us with harness fit. Listen in…

Video by picsofyou.com