Source: USEF

Lexington, KY- The U.S. will be represented by two horses this week at the FEI World Dressage Championships for Young Horses held August 1-5, 2012 in Verden, Germany. Sanceo, ridden by Sabine Schut-Kery, and Florentinus V, ridden by Jennifer Hoffman, will both compete in the six-year-old championship. Both horses were deemed sound and fit to compete at today's Horse Inspection and begin competition Friday in the Prize of Mrs. Madeleine Winter-Schulze. Friday's test will qualify pairs to either compete in Saturday's Small Field Final; the Prize of the company ZEDAN or Sunday's International Final; the Prize of Privatbrauerei Wittingen.
 
Sanceo (San Remo-St. Pr. Hauptstutbuch by Ramiro's Son II) qualified to compete in Verden after an impressive showing at the Western Markel/USEF Young Horse Selection Trial in May. Alice Womble's Hanoverian stallion scored an 8.652 at the Selection Trials held in conjunction with the Dressage at Flintridge CDI*Y/J. In 2011, Schut-Kery guided Sanceo to a fourth place finish in the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championship five-year-old division.
 
German-based Florentinus V and Hoffman have been turning heads in Europe throughout the year and the pair will be right at home going toe-to-toe with the best young dressage horses that Europe has to offer. The Westphalian stallion, who is also owned by Hoffman, gained his spot in the championships after earning a qualifying score of 8.500.
 
The FEI World Dressage Championships for Young Horses also hosts acompetition for five-year-olds but the Markel/USEF Young Horse Selection Trials did not produce any qualified five-year-olds to contest in this year's championship. However, USEF Young Horse Dressage Coach Scott Hassler is confident that the U.S. will produce a strong showing in the six-year-division.
 
"While it is unfortunate we won't be represented in the 5 year-old division this year, we have two very good combinations to represent the U.S. in the 6 year-old division. Sabine and Sanceo performed excellently at the Selection Trial and Jennifer and Florentinus have been doing quite well in Europe. I'm confident we will be represented well."
 
ENDS
 
Find more information about the FEI World Dressage Championships for Young Horses including schedules, orders of go and results here.

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