Clean Sweep as Team Weber ‘Danzes’ to Victory at Kingdom of the Sun CDE
Ocala, FL (February 24, 2015)— Eleven-time U.S. National Four-in-Hand Team champion Chester “Mr. Dressage” Weber of Ocala, Florida, returned as reigning champion to the Florida Horse Park in Ocala for this year’s Kingdom of the Sun CDE on February 20-22. Weber, who scored an unprecedented 30.89 in last year’s Kingdom of the Sun CDE dressage phase for horse teams, this year made a clean sweep of all three phases of its CAI2* Horse Team division and introduced the public to a new rising star on the Team Weber roster: Danzer.
“I was pleased with our clean sweep at Kingdom of the Sun,” Weber said. He was happy with his choice in horses and roles leading up to the 135.92 overall score that clinched his win. “We used Ultra and Splash in the lead in dressage, and Danzer and Boris in the wheel. In marathon and cones, Danzer and Ultra went in the lead, and Senate and Boris were in the wheel.”
“Danzer is a newcomer to our program, and I was very pleased with him and the promise he shows,” said Weber after the Kingdom of the Sun CDE.
Boris, as Team Weber fans will recognize, was among the horses owned by Weber and Jane Clark who were a part of Weber’s Individual Silver medal-winning 2014 World Equestrian Games (WEG) team during the marathon and cones phases. Prior to the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France, Weber had earned two Individual Silver medals and a team Bronze driving for the United States in World Equestrian Games competition, and also became the first American driver to win the Aachen CAIO4*.
“We only had one horse — Boris — from our WEG marathon and cones team, and still had a great show demonstrating our depth,” Weber said. The team posted a 35.12 score in dressage, were penalty-free through marathon (96.10), and added just 4.70 to their overall score after cones to remain unchallenged by closest contender, Misdee Wrigley-Miller of Kentucky, who drove to reserve with a 197.04.
“Now we have to decide who we will take to Live Oak,” said Weber, looking ahead to the Live Oak International Combined Driving and Show Jumping event, March 19-22, hosted by the Weber family at its equestrian estate in Ocala. “They are all ready.”
As the 2015 Live Oak International approaches, the equestrian community waits to see if Weber and his team will continue to dominate the sport of driving. Don’t miss the opportunity to catch Chester Weber on NBC HorseTalk, the radio show presented By Tack Shack of Ocala and hosted by Louisa Barton, that will do a live remote broadcast in March from Live Oak International.
Find out more about Chester Weber and the equine athletes of Team Weber by visiting www.chesterweber.com and following him on Facebook.
Photo 1: Chester Weber is champion of the Kingdom of the Sun CDE with an overall score of 135.92 (Photo courtesy of www.picsofyou.com)
Photo 2: Team Weber claims victory at the Kingdom of the Sun CDE on February 20-22, 2015 (Photo courtesy of www.picsofyou.com)
