Robert Dover and his newly acquired FBW Kennedy are making their show debut as a pair at the Zada LLC Dressage at The Nationals in Wellington, FL, November 28-30, 2003.
It only took Robert Dover and FBW Kennedy two months to become a combination, which relies on trust and confidence in each other. "Kennedy and I have become very happy as a team and I feel ready to go into the ring with him," Dover said.
The 2nd Annual Zada Enterprises, LLC Dressage at the National, held in conjunction with the 120th National Horse Show Outdoor Championships, will host riders from November 28-30, 2003, at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club show grounds in Wellington, FL.
Five-time Olympian Robert Dover has two mounts entered in the Grand Prix on Friday, November 28. Dover will ride Rainier (his mount at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games) and FBW Kennedy, the former mount of Olympian Lone Jorgenssen of Denmark, recently imported for Dover’s bid for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Jane Clark owns both horses.
The opening day Grand Prix will feature 15 rides, highlighted by Dover and a host of international stars and medallists including Dr. Cesar Parra of Colombia with two new mounts – Galant du Serein and Leonberg; Lars Petersen of Denmark aboard Dansko’s Success; Mirja Block of Germany with her flashy Asarhaddon; and Marco Bernal of Colombia with Koenraad. A stellar roster of U.S. riders rounds out the Grand Prix with Heather Bender riding her longtime partner Mikhail; Arlene Page on the spectacular mare Claire; Lynda Alicki introducing Kratu; and Janne Rumbough on her elegant Andalusian stallion Triunfador XVIII.
Prior to the afternoon Grand Prix competition, opening day kicks off with the Prix St. Georges starting at 8am. Competing in a class of 18 entries are professionals as well as top amateurs including the defending champion of the class Bethany Peslar aboard her Flinstone, and Melissa Taylor Yee with her award-winning mount Ike and her newest horse Schumacker.
On Saturday, November 29, Dressage at the National features three FEI classes – the Intermediaire I, Intermediaire II and the Grand Prix Special – for a total of 29 rides scheduled from 9am until 4:30pm. The most hotly contested class will be the I-I with 16 entries. Competing in the I-II will be Katherine Bateson aboard Ramazon, a horse owned and ridden by the show’s sponsor, Joe Zada. The main event, the Grand Prix Special will be highlighted by rides from top amateurs including Emmy Adwers with two mounts, PF Robinson 94 and Ali Baba 92, as well as professionals and USET members Heather Bender with two mounts, Bona Sera and Mikhail, and Lynda Alicki aboard Kratu.
With a total purse of $10,000 in prize money and awards at stake, as well as opportunities to qualify for the 2004 GAIG/USDF Regional Championships, top riders are also entered in the full range of dressage competitions from Training Level through Fourth Level; Team and Individual Tests for Young Riders and Junior Riders; and FEI Young Horse classes. Olympian Bent Jensen will introduce Rockefeller at First and Second Level. Tara Stegen will show the spectacular, recently imported Friesian stallion Ynze at Second Level. Kathryn Groves, a member of the U.S. team at the recent I.P.E.C. Dressage World Championships in Moorsele, Belgium, will compete two horses at Fourth Level – Freek and Fleetwood. Two of the most winning teens, Suzanne LaPorte and her brother Trae LaPorte, fresh off their victories at Devon, will be competing in their Young and Junior Rider divisions. Highlighting the FEI Young Horse classes for Five-Year-Olds will be Susanne Benne aboard Carousel and Lynda Alicki with Guardian Angel; and in the FEI class for Six-Year-Olds, Sasha Newman will showcase the talented Nagir De Taillevent.
The 2nd Annual Zada Enterprises, LLC Dressage at the National wraps up on Sunday, November 29, with the FEI Musical Freestyle classes. Top competitors in the finale of the show are Lynda Alicki aboard Aliandro in the I-I Freestyle; and Dr. Cesar Parra, Janne Rumbough, and Arlene Page in the Grand Prix Freestyle.
Related Link
FBW Kennedy Sold to the United States