Ocala, Fla. – National championship titles are on the line this week as the Spring Fling CDE kicks off at the Florida Horse Park. This year, the event is hosting USEF Combined Driving National Championships for all intermediate divisions, advanced pair horses, and the inaugural USEF Para Driving National Championship.
After the horse inspection on the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 21, competitors will complete their dressage tests on Thursday and Friday. Saturday brings the exciting marathon phase, and the competition will wrap up on Sunday with the cones phase and award presentations.
Ones to Watch
The Intermediate Single Horse division is the largest of the national championships, with eight athlete-and-horse combinations set to compete. Among that list are three members of the USEF Combined Driving Developing Athlete list: Martha Merry and Lancer, Virginia Miner and Tuscaloosa, and Bettina Scherer and SF Arendell. Developing athlete Jennifer Coyle Johnson will be competing in the Intermediate Pair Horse division with JC Plumona, JC Espirital, and Altivo, defending her national champion title in the division from 2023.
After competing at last summer’s 2023 FEI Para Driving World Championship for Singles as part of the silver medal-winning U.S. team, Bob Giles will drive Drake in the first-ever USEF Para Driving National Championship. He’ll be joined in the division by developing athlete Cindy Cullinane with Terob Dakota Don.
Competition Information
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