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Lauren Fisher for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

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Photo Credit: Four-in-hand champion Chester Weber will drive a surprise celebrity Santa into the arena as the grand finale of the USET Foundation Holiday Gala Fundraiser.  Photo © 2009 Kenneth Braddick. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.

USET Foundation Holiday Gala Names Special Events and Guests

Featured Auction Items Are Announced!

Wellington, FL – November 9, 2009 – As the USET Foundation Holiday Fundraiser draws closer, many exciting performances have been announced for the feature event. SUCCEED® and Wellington Classic Dressage will be hosting the Holiday Gala Fundraiser on December 11 & 12, 2009, to benefit the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation. The venue for the fundraiser will be the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL.

The two nights of exciting performances will include Pony Club Mounted Games featuring Gina Miles, Cathy Wieschhoff, Hawley Bennett, Jeanne Lambrecht, Samantha St. Jacques, Kate Levy and members of the Laurel Oaks Pony Club (Jupiter, Florida), Alligator Creek Pony Club (North Central Florida) and Ocala Pony Club (Central Florida).  All three clubs are members of the Sunshine Region of the United States Pony Club. The United States Pony Club is one of the leading junior equestrian organizations
 in the world, represented throughout 30 countries.

Spectators will have the opportunity to watch the celebrity riders team up with the pony club members to participate in egg & spoon, bending, and sack races to see which team will win the special USET Foundation Fundraiser Pony Club Mounted Games prize.

"I am super excited to be going to Palm Beach and participating in the SUCCEED® USET Foundation Fundraiser!" said Canadian Eventer Hawley Bennett. "Getting to meet Monty Roberts, riding in the mounted games, which I have never done, and raising money for a great cause sounds like a fun weekend. Hope to see you there!"

Cathy Wieschhoff added, "I am very much looking forward to being a part of the USET Foundation Fundraiser in Florida. It is great that SUCCEED® is sponsoring this awesome event and raising money for the USET Foundation. This will be one event you do not want to miss. Be there or be square!" 

Another exciting performance will be a special Pas de Deux featuring Monty Roberts (The Man Who Listens to Horses) and Courtney King-Dye (2008 Dressage Olympian). Roberts performed this Pas de Deux with George Williams at this year's Equine Affair and promises that his December performance will be bigger and better!

A special grand finale will feature seven-time United States National Four-In-Hand Combined Driving Champion Chester Weber driving a surprise celebrity Santa into the arena accompanied by his celebrity elves.

"I am always eager to take part in fundraisers that support the USET Foundation," Weber said. "The USET Foundation is the backbone of our equestrian industry, and I am looking forward to a fun evening that supports such a worthy cause."

Along with the exciting performances, the Holiday Gala will feature a catered VIP dinner and bar along with a fundraising auction featuring many one-of-a-kind high dollar items. Monty Roberts will be the guest auctioneer. 

Some very special donations have been made to the auction so far and many more exciting items are soon to come.  The auction will feature a week of dressage training in Germany with Stephan Kiesewetter; a day of training with Chester Weber; a custom-made saddle by Richard Castelow (former Master Saddler to Queen Elizabeth); three Weymouth Bridles and three dressage girths by Schleese Saddlery; a Nantucket dressage bridle by Smartpak, and a leather halter by Dover Saddlery.

Other events on the fundraiser program include: a freestyle dressage to music presentation by Pierre St. Jacques riding Lucky Tiger; a showcase of reining and Join-up from the saddle featuring Monty Roberts; dressage commentary by Rolex World Cup Dressage winner and 2008 Olympian Steffen Peters, featuring demonstration riders Kim Gentry and Stephan Kiesewetter; a show jumping pas de deux featuring Kate Levy and 2008 Olympian Samantha St. Jacques; a book signing by renowned bestselling suspense author Tami Hoag; a Small World Showcase featuring miniature horses and Shetland ponies; "Finding the Courage Within" presented by sports psychologist Jeanne Lambrecht; a demonstration by German vaulting champion Kai Vorberg; and a performance by Templeton Thompson, one of Nashville's most sought-after session vocalists.

Tickets for the USET Foundation Holiday Gala Fundraiser are on sale now. Ticket pricing will be $30 for preferred seating (per night) and $175 for VIP seating per night (if VIP seating is purchased for both nights the price will be $275 for the ticket). There will be no discount for purchasing preferred seating for two nights.  VIP Tickets must be purchased in advance of the event in order to accommodate catering and seating requirements.

For further information on the fundraiser or if you are interested in being a vendor at this event, please visit the fundraiser website, www.succeedevent.com, for details. To purchase tickets, please contact 561-227-1525 or email [email protected]. Inquiries to this email address should include "USET Fundraiser" in the subject line. Tickets are also now available to be purchased at the event website via PayPal.  Please note that participants and events are subject to change.

SUCCEED®, is a daily nutrient program that supports total equine digestive health for optimal appearance, temperament and performance. Thousands of horse owners and trainers feed their horses SUCCEED®, every day, including top equestrians in nearly every breed and every performance discipline. SUCCEED®, is the official digestive conditioning product of USEF, USEA and USDF. For more information, call 330-562-0888 or visit www.succeed-equine.com. Freedom Health, the manufacturers of SUCCEED®, are dedicated to finding, perfecting and delivering superior, innovative products that address real and significant health-related issues for animals and the people who care for them.

The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (www.uset.org) is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America's elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.

For more information on Wellington Classic Dressage, please visit www.wellingtonclassicdressage.com.

Founded in 1973, the United States Dressage Federation is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of dressage. For more information about USDF membership or programs, visit www.usdf.org, email [email protected], or call (859) 971-2277.