HorseWeb: Gateway to the Equine World on the Internet HorseWeb Horse Links Manage Links Classified Ads Manage Ads Calendar
In the Spotlight
Horse Gift Roundup
SaddleOnline Inc
Dover Saddlery Horse Appraisals
The Saddle With Adjustable Fit Casa de Tortuga
Search the links:
Search the classifieds:

Classifieds Advanced Search
 
Top Viewed Pages
Horse Ads: Horses For Sale
Horse Ads: Quarter Horses
Horse Ads: Tennessee Walkers
Top Viewed Classified Ads
Sweet and Gentle 2 year old Arabian
Appendix Quarter Horse For Sale
5 yr old foxhunting prospect
Breeding and importing European Sporthorses since 1980

Horse News

HorseWeb Horse News:  Fellers Ends 25 Year Drought and Wins the 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final for the U.S. Fellers Ends 25 Year Drought and Wins the 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final for the U.S.

Caroline Roffman Ties Up Season with a Gold Medal at the CDI Nations Cup and Looks Toward the Future

HorseWeb Horse News:  U.S. Riders Produce Up-Beat Freestyles at the
Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final U.S. Riders Produce Up-Beat Freestyles at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final

HorseWeb Horse News:  U.S. Qualifies Seven for Final Competition of
2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final; Fellers Lies Second Overall U.S. Qualifies Seven for Final Competition of 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final; Fellers Lies Second Overall

HorseWeb Horse News:  Fellers Sprints to the Lead of the 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final Following the Speed Leg Fellers Sprints to the Lead of the 2012 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final Following the Speed Leg

Barbury Castle Horse Trials to Serve as Final Mandatory Outing for the 2012 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team

"Pigeon Fever" in Horses Update

HorseWeb Horse News:  U.S. Completes First Leg of 2012 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final U.S. Completes First Leg of 2012 Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final

USEF Announces Roadster Pony and Hackney Roadster Pony Competitions Selected for Heel Measurements

HorseWeb Horse News:  Graburn Produces Wire-to-Wire Victory to Claim
Second USEF National Single Horse Championship Graburn Produces Wire-to-Wire Victory to Claim Second USEF National Single Horse Championship

HorseWeb Horse News:  U.S. Teams Win and Take Third at FEI Dressage
Nations Cup in Florida U.S. Teams Win and Take Third at FEI Dressage Nations Cup in Florida

Alejandro Gomez Wins Vita Flex Victory Pass Award at Global Dressage Festival National Horse Show II

HorseWeb Horse News:  Canadian Olympic Dressage Rider Belinda Trussell
Wins World Development Group Award At $15,000 Wellington Dressage Classic
CDI At Global Dressage Festival Canadian Olympic Dressage Rider Belinda Trussell Wins World Development Group Award At $15,000 Wellington Dressage Classic CDI At Global Dressage Festival

Danielle Dever Wins Everglades Dressage Young Rider Award At $15,000 Wellington Dressage Classic CDI At Global Dressage Festival

HorseWeb Horse News:  Chester Weber Drives Away With Victory At
Sunshine State CDE At Florida Horse Park Chester Weber Drives Away With Victory At Sunshine State CDE At Florida Horse Park

HorseWeb Horse News:  Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star Win $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Open Jumpers Charlie Jacobs and Flaming Star Win $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m Open Jumpers

Dr. Cesar Parra And Lindner Win The Horse of Course High Score Award At Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge

More Horse News
Horse News Archives


Browse Links
Last Update:
Mon May 21 08:04 2012 MST
Articles, Literature & Publications
Associations & Organizations
Breeds & Breeders
Chat Rooms
Events, Shows, Clinics, Etc
Facilities, Stables & Farms
Internet Horse Resource Pages
Livestock & Barnyard Pets
Mailing Lists/Listservs
Newsgroups, Forums & Message Boards
Personal Pages
Places of Interest
Products
Services
Sports/Disciplines/Trail Riding
Therapeutic Riding
Vacations, Travel


Browse All Ads
Last Update:
Mon May 21 07:39 2012 MST
Horses For Sale
Stallion Standing
Boarding
Real Estate
Livestock & Barnyard Pets
Trucks & Trailers
Tack & Equipment
Clothing/Apparel
Farriers
Training
Services
Art, Books, Gifts, Etc.


Articles: Press Release


$50,000 Cunningham Dressage Challenge at Winter Equestrian Festival Ends Without a Winner - Prize Money Will Increase for 2008





PHOTO CAPTION: Ashley Holzer and Pop Art had the lead in the inaugural $50,000 Cunningham Insurance Dressage Challenge presented by GAIG after the first event. PHOTO CREDIT: SusanJStickle.com.


Contact:
Mary Hilton Phelps Media Group, Inc.
at (561) 753-3389 or at info@phelpsmediagroup.com

WELLINGTON, FL - February 28, 2006 - The inaugural Cunningham Insurance Dressage Challenge presented by Great American Insurance Group (GAIG) guaranteed $50,000 to the winner of all three Grand Prixs at the 2007 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida, but the challenge went unmet this year after the first two dressage shows.

Canada's Ashley Holzer of New York, New York, riding her own Pop Art earned the highest score (72.813%) at the first qualifying Grand Prix on February 9 at Cosequin Wellington Dressage and was the sole contender to move on to the next event. The challenge would award 50% of the purse to the rider and 50% to the owner of the horse, so Holzer was in line to receive the entire $50,000 if she could win the next two Grand Prixs in the Cunningham Challenge.

On Friday, February 23, at the Zada Enterprises, LLC Florida Dressage Classic, Holzer was entered in the Grand Prix but had to withdraw because Pop Art was not feeling well.

Only the horse/rider combination with two qualifying wins would be qualified to continue in the challenge at the third and final show, so because Holzer did not compete, the challenge ended before the final qualifying Grand Prix scheduled for Thursday, March 22, at the Zada Enterprises, LLC WEF Dressage Classic CDI-W.

"First of all, I feel very, very sorry for Ashley because her horse became ill," said Tom Cunningham of Cunningham & Cunningham Livestock Insurance, Inc., the developer of the $50,000 Cunningham Challenge. "In racehorse terms that we use on the racetrack, I felt her horse was 1 to 9 to win the Challenge. We probably would have had a winner in our first go-around at doing it. Notwithstanding that, we would have looked forward to coming back and doing it again - even with a winner. Consequently without a winner this year, I certainly want to come back and do it next year."

Cunningham is reviewing the 2007 Challenge with top riders and owners and plans to make adjustments to the Challenge for next year. "If everything goes correctly for us, I'll probably do it for more money next year. For sure, it would be at least $100,000," Cunningham said. He noted that he would begin promoting the Challenge earlier and in a more widespread context for 2008.

Cunningham, who has a long history in Thoroughbred racing and Standardbred trotter racing, explained that he patterned the $50,000 Cunningham Challenge after the Visa Triple Crown for Thoroughbreds. To claim the Visa Triple Crown, the horse must win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. Based on that, Cunningham said he would definitely keep the same format for the 2008 Challenge that he established this year. "It's all or nothing - they have to win all three Grand Prixs," he said.

Cunningham is exploring marketing, sponsorship, and underwriting opportunities to increase the prize money for 2008. He is also looking at different avenues of advertising and promotion to attract horses to Florida to participate in the Challenge. "We may want to attract horses that come from California. In trotting in Italy for example, to entice top horses to participate, different tracks will pay for all or part of transporting those horses to certain venues," Cunningham explained. "Let's say Guenter Seidel or Steffen Peters has a horse on the west coast and if they're on the fence about participating in the Challenge, perhaps we would consider defraying some of the expenses they might incur to send a horse to a particular event. I'm trying to visualize certain ways of promoting this event - and I'm not opposed to entertaining any ideas about it."

Born in the racetrack town of Saratoga, New York, Cunningham has been in the horse business for 45 years, first as a trainer of Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds, and then for the past 30 years, as an insurance agent. His first clients were racehorses, but now he and his daughter, Sara Cunningham, have shifted their focus to show horses and are focused primarily on dressage horses. "On a personal level, I like the sport. My idea of doing this Challenge was certainly to give back to the sport that's been good for me," Cunningham explained. "I like the sport at the top level. It's very, very difficult for a horse and rider to attain the level that they need to be at to participate at the level they all want to participate at, which is, hopefully, World Cup and Olympic aspirations for everyone."

Even though this year's Challenge ended after two shows, Cunningham was pleased with the launch and the learning experience of this first-time effort. "I thought it was great. I think once people recognized what was going on, they were excited about it," Cunningham shared. He noted that one participant this year commented to him that normally if he won three Grand Prixs, he might receive a total of $1,500 in prize money, so the opportunity to win $50,000 for the same effort was exciting. "People liked it," Cunningham concluded, "So I'm willing to move forward."






Dover Saddlery