Welsh Cob stallion North Forks Cardi recently piaffed and passaged his way to four impressive wins in Intermediaire II classes at the Festival of the Horse and the Golden State Dressage Show. Competing against all breeds in a field traditionally dominated by warmblood horses, this eleven year old Welsh Cob stallion, standing 14.3 1/2 hands high, produced his best ever score of 67% and also qualified for the Grand Prix Freestyle, earning a 62% for their Grand Prix ride.

Cardi is co-owned by Team Cardi LLC, consisting of Cynthia Miller of Winterlake Welsh Cob Farm, and Jessica Wisdom of Equilibrium Equestrian. Jessica also trains and competes Cardi.

Cardi is not new to notable accomplishments in the dressage world. In 2011, he was named "Ambassador of the Year" by the Oregon Dressage Society, making him part of the Oregon Dressage Hall of Fame. This award is given to the horse that has best represented dressage in Oregon and beyond, through competition or demonstration. Cardi's award was presented by Olympic and Pan American gold medalist Steffen Peters.
Cardi has also made an impression on the East Coast. In 2009, he and Team Cardi made the trip over 3,000 miles east to attend Dressage at Devon where Cardi had impressive victories, winning the "Born in the USA" high-point award for domestic bred stallions and being named East Coast Series Final Grand Champion Stallion in the Great American/USDF Breeder's Championship Series.

Cynthia Miller's decision to promote a Welsh Cob stallion in the dressage arena originated with another Cob stallion - Kentchurch Chime. Chime, owned by Mary Alice Williams of Madoc Welsh Ponies and Cobs, and ridden by Nancy Hinz, blazed a trail of victories from Florida to Texas where he won Grand Prix classes and ended up with a Region 9 Grand Prix championship. Cynthia is delighted that Cardi has followed in Chime's footsteps, stating "I had always admired Kentchurch Chime, not just for his success in the dressage ring at the highest level, but for his versatility, his prepotence and the fact that he was just such a gentleman. I'm pleased that Cardi is known for these same attributes as well."

Dr. Ruth Wilburn, President of the Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America, agrees, noting that both of these Welsh cob stallions display many of the characteristics that make Welsh ponies and cobs so desirable for both performance and pleasure. She says, "Although they may be smaller in size than some other mounts, pound for pound, Welsh cobs and ponies have the biggest hearts out there. As we say, 'you never outgrow a Welsh' and North Forks Cardi is a wonderful ambassador for our breed."

For information about the Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America, visit www.welshpony.org and for more information about North Forks Cardi, please contact Cynthia Miller at www.winterlakewelsh.com.