When The Children of the Americas Dressage Invitational riders arrive at Bear Spot Farm on Wednesday morning September 30, the international children will have already drawn for their horses and all competitors will have been treated to a Horse Care Symposium by The University of New Hampshire's Sarah Hamilton and staff.They will have had a good night's sleep at the CADI Host Hotel, The Best Western in Concord, MA and received their training times, ride times, official CADI jackets and gifts from numerous sponsors. What they will not have done is met the trainers that will guide them through the next four days.
The Trainers
Nancy Later has competed with Alexis-D successfully in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediare I in both Europe and the United States. They placed in Hickstead and Luxembourg in the small tour representing the USA as well as winning may High Performance classes on the Florida circuit and in the Midwest. At the Intermediare II level, the team was undefeated in 2006 while competing in Florida.
Nancy trained with Elen Bontje in Germany to prepare for Grand Prix competition. While in Germany they placed a several National German shows including Indoor Nuremberg. At the Grand Prix level in the US they have numerous wins and placings including the CDI Raleigh, ZADA Enterprises and the National Horse Show.
Nancy prepared competition horses for Oded Shimoni, a top Grand Prix competitor, managing his business for 11 years and learning his training system; she prepared his horses for the World Games and traveled with them to Europe. She then trained in Germany with Ellen Bontje and Conrad Schumacher; she also participated in dressage competitions at world-class equestrian venues like Hickstead, Luxembourgh and Saumer.
At the 1976 Olympics Dottie Morkis was the anchor of the U.S. team and the very last rider to go in the team competition.
She was responsible for the placing of the American team's Bronze medal. Despite riding first, Dottie placed fifth in the Grand Prix Special. No other American Dressage rider had accomplished that placing in an Olympic Games.
Dottie's Accomplishments:
·Individual Bronze Medallist-Pan American Games, Mexico, (Grand Prix}
·Team Gold Medallist-Pan American Games, Mexico, (Grand Prix)
· Served 12 years on the Athlete Advisory Committee as the equestrian representative to The U.S. Olympic Committee 1978 to 1988
· Served eight years as the Chair of the U.S.O.C. Apparel Committee 1984 to 1992
· Served as the U.S.O.C. Athlete's representative to the 1984 Olympic Games
· Also athlete's representative at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul
· AHSA 1990 Intermediate Champion with Wandi
· 1990 Olympic Festival Team Gold
· 1991 Olympic Festival Team Gold
· Reserve rider for 1991 World Cup with Wandi
· Long listed for 1992 Olympics, Barcelona with Wandi
· Received a development grant from the U.S. Olympic Committee 1992
· 1996 Coach of the Gold Medal Paralympics Team in Atlanta
· 1997 Dressage at Saratoga won St George, I1, and the Freestyle
· 1997 Washington International CDI won Prix St. George, Intermediate 1
Intermediate Freestyle, and High Point Dutch horse
· 1998 Dressage at Devon won the Prix St. George and High score in Prix St. George
· 1998 Champion NEDA year end St George
· 1998 Region 8 Champion St George
· 1998 Region 8 Reserve Champion Intermediare 1
· 1998 USDF Horse of the year St George
· 1998- 1999 long listed Grand Prix with Elvira
· 1998 Can Am Challenge team Gold
· 1999 Pan American Trials top 12 in the country
· 2000 Sidney Australia CDI *** Invitational team Gold
· Brought two riders to the Young Rider Championships, receiving a Bronze Medal
· 2007 won Orlando Qualifier for the Pan American Trials
· 2008 CDIW Wellington showing Grand Prix
* 2009 Showing Grand Prix, training
· Dottie is currently training her International Grand Prix horse "Mr. Big"
Melanie Cerny was born in Vienna, Austria and competed up to M level show jumping and dressage before coming to the United States in 1989.
She owns and operates Around the Bend Farm on the North Shore of Massachusetts and Wellington, Florida. Melanie takes horses in training and imports Dressage horses from Germany for her clients. She is a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist and is currently training and showing Dante MC, whom she owns in partnership with Kathy Putman, at Prix St. George.
Gerrit-Claes Bierenbroodspot was an instructor at the Dutch Instructor School at Deurne for 16 years and the Head Instructor for the graduating classes during the last 7 years. Prior to this, he was the trainer and chef d'equip of the Dutch National Jr/YR 3-Day Event Team. He has over 35 years of experience in teaching, from training level through Grand Prix.
His experience in the saddle includes dressage, show jumping, and eventing in which he rode internationally. His dressage clinics in the United States and Europe are extremely popular and fill quickly without public announcement or promotion.
Gerrit Claes' unique dressage method is founded upon the use of the natural desire of the horse to move forward. His technique involves teaching the rider how to follow this desire to move without using aids that restrict the horse's momentum. In this way the rider helps to balance the horse through forward energy which in turn creates more impulsion. This increases balance and ultimately helps the horse to express their gaits; it allows them to easily obey the rider's aids thus creating a partnership based on mutual trust.
A clinic featuring Claes and Gary Smith will take place at Bear Spot Farm in Concord, MA immediately following the CADI and Freestyle 2009...Serious Fun. Entitled: Bringing Natural Horsemanship to Dressage: From Training Level to the Grand Prix, the clinic is designed to assist in the training of young or difficult horses. For more information or to reserve a spot contact Jane Karol at jane@watermill.com
The clinic will take place on Monday October 5 and Tuesday October 6.
