Everglades Dressage Rider Achievement Award Winner Lauren Barwick: Off to Paris and Beyond
Wellington, FL (March 21, 2014) – In dressage, it’s all about consistency. Just ask three-time (2004, 2008, 2012) Canadian Para-Olympic Equestrian veteran Lauren Barwick, whose consistently winning ways continued through week 10 of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival and CPEDI3* with accepting the Everglades Dressage Rider Achievement Award from sponsor, fellow dressage champion, and owner of Everglades Dressage, Bethany Peslar.
The 2008 Para-Olympic Individual Gold medalist from Beijing came to Wellington and the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center with two solid Oldenburg partners at her reins: Equine Canada’s 16.1 hand chestnut (Welthit 01 x Ellie) mare, Off To Paris and, returning to FEI Para competition for the first time in two years, her own 16.3 bay (Don Gregory x Felonie) mare, Ferdonia 2.
“It’s been a thrill to have two horses for the CPEDI team. With Paris, I can relax a little, but this is Ferdonia’s debut back in the ring, so we just want to take things slowly. The goal is to build her confidence and work with her great mind.”
However slowly Barwick describes taking Ferdonia’s progress, the results are speaking for themselves, including brilliant (70.0%, 71.143%) winning scores in the FEI Para Team Grade II and FEI Para Individual Grade II tests from FEI Para-Equestrian Dressage Ground Jury Kjell Myhre (NOR), Marc Urban (BEL), and Kristi Wysocki (USA). Riding Off To Paris, Barwick was reserve (69.755%) in the FEI Para Team Grade II (against herself) and third (66.762%) to her own winning score in the FEI Para Individual.
The AGDF CPEDI3* and National Show, sponsored by Today’s Equestrian Magazine, GF Enterprise LLC, and Mike and Roz Collins, was the last of two international qualifiers for the USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage Selection Trials, as well as hosting top para-dressage riders like Barwick, from Canada and Mexico, to vie for slots representing their nation at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy.
“Few riders, of any discipline or ability, can say they have ridden for their country in Olympic competition, and Laura has achieved that honor three times riding for Canadian Para-Dressage Teams. That’s a superb accomplishment and we are so proud to present her with the Everglades Dressage Rider Achievement Award, in recognition of the world class horses and talent she has brought with her to Wellington,” said Peslar, a 2006 Brentina Cup Reserve National Champion and USEF High Performance Grand Prix rider who has devoted her efforts to supporting and encouraging dressage riders and their horses at signature events like AGDF, and at her model facility in the Grand Prix Village of Wellington.
Everglades Dressage has training for levels Training to Grand Prix, boarding and trailer-in convenience for clients. See www.evergladesdressage.com
Photo: Lauren Barwick (center) is presented with the Everglades Adult Amateur Achievement Award. (Photo courtesy of JRPR )
Bethany Peslar Everglades Dressage (561) 784-4075 EverGlaDressage@aol.com www.evergladesdressage.com
