The Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y is pleased to announce the winners of the 2009 Challenge Series Awards. Jennifer Huber, riding her own Al Pacino, claimed the Adult Amateur Grand Prix High Score Award with a 67.872%, as well as the overall Grand Prix/Grand Prix Special Award. These special prizes are awarded at each level to the horse/amateur rider combinations with the highest average score at both the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y and Dressage at Equestrian Estates horse shows. Riders receive cash and other great awards.

"We were really excited to offer the Challenge Series Awards this year, especially the Adult Amateur Grand Prix High Score Award," said Show Manager Evelyn O'Sullivan. "We always have great riders that support our show series, and this was our way to thank them for their loyalty. It's very exciting to see the amateur riders competing with such proficiency."

For Huber, going for the Adult Amateur Grand Prix High Score award and its perpetual trophy was part of her Florida strategy, where she typically competes in seven to eight shows. "When I saw that the Derby was having this grand prix award, I said to myself, 'I hope I can win that,'" she said. "Al's scores were good enough to come out on top, so I was thrilled with him." In addition to her high score award, Huber also received the Grand Prix/Grand Prix Special Award.

Huber and Al Pacino have been paired together for seven years. She bought the German gelding when he was at third level and has brought him up the levels to grand prix, which they have been doing for three or four years. "Al is a trooper; he's not an easy horse, but will do it all. Each year he gets better and I love the training process. That is the fun of it for me."

She has also been enjoying the training process on her seven-year-old Dutch gelding Vito, by Jazz, with whom she claimed the High Score Fourth Level Award with a 69.130%. "Vito has been a challenge for me, but working through this and coming out on top makes me happy," Huber said. With Chris Hickey's assistance, the pair moved from second to fourth level. "At the Derby, one day he was perfect and the second day he wasn't. He likes to test his boundaries," she said. "At [Dressage at Equestrian Estates] we had three really good rides. How could I not be happy with that?"

Although the Derby has long been recognized as one of the most prestigious CDI competitions in North America and spectators flock to the event to see Olympic riders compete, it is the amateur rider that is the backbone of the sport. "It is nice that the show is recognizing the amateur and giving special attention to our achievements," Huber added. "Sometimes as an amateur you can get lost in the crowd, so it's nice to be recognized."

2009 Derby Challenge Series Awards

Jennifer Huber-Adult Amateur Grand Prix High Score
Jennifer Huber--Grand Prix/Grand Prix Special
Anna Tillman-Prix St. Georges/Intermediaire I
Jennifer Huber-Fourth Level
Eduardo Munoz-Third Level
No qualifying scores at First or Second Level. (The Derby looks forward to awarding these prizes in 2010.)
Monica Tarr-Training Level

About the Palm Beach Derby
The Palm Beach Dressage Derby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The show attracts the best riders from around the globe, including Betsy Steiner, Leslie Morse, Robert Dover, Cesar Parra, Lars Peterson, Arlene Page, Ashley Holzer and many more luminaries of the dressage world. The Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y is the main event in a two-show series that includes Dressage at Equestrian Estates in March as well as educational programs.