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PhelpsSports.com Awards Lifetime Memberships to Champions and One-Year Memberships to All Competitors at Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival

Written by: Mary Hilton
Client: PhelpsSports.com
Release Date: 2007-08-25

SAUGERTIES, NEW YORK - August 24, 2007 - At the ninth annual Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival presented by Dressage4Kids, Inc., held August 20-22 at HITS on the Hudson in Saugerties, New York, more than 200 riders aged 21 and under competed in a three-phase format, vying for hundreds of ribbons, prizes, and trophies supported by numerous sponsors at this all-volunteer show. PhelpsSports.com was a Patron Sponsor and contributed a One-Year Membership to every rider competing in the event. Additionally, as part of the sponsorship, PhelpsSports.com awarded Lifetime Memberships to three division champions.

The winners of the Lifetime Memberships to PhelpsSports.com are Rachel Chowanec, Second Level Division Champion; Kathryn Mathieu, Third Level Division Champion; and Micaela Mabraganda, Fourth Level Division Champion.

Mason Phelps, founder and president of PhelpsSports.com commented, "I applaud all the riders that competed at Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival and hope that they enjoy and benefit from logging on to PhelpsSports.com. I offer my congratulations to all the champions and am absolutely thrilled to provide the PhelpsSports.com Lifetime Memberships to Rachel, Kathryn and Micaela. They are truly outstanding competitors!"

To win the champion titles, competitors participated in three tests - a Written Test based on assigned reading of horse care and riding books plus the prize list; and two mounted tests - a Dressage Test and an Equitation Test. The tests were segmented into divisions by riding levels ranging from Introductory through Fourth Level, plus FEI divisions for Ponies, Juniors, and Young Riders, and by age groups, ranging from nine years and under to 21 years of age.

Rachel Chowanec Claims Second Level Division and Overall High Score Championships
Rachel Chowanec, 13, of Columbia, Connecticut, riding Hakunamatata, a pony bred and owned by her mother, Chandra Chowanec, won the Second Level Division with a combined overall triple score of 89.658%. Chowanec's impressive score also earned her the top title of "2007 Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival Overall High Score Champion."

Chowanec placed first in all three phases of the Second Level Division. She scored 99.00% on her Written Test; 72.973% in her Dressage Test; and 97.00% in her Equitation Test. Hakunamatata, known as "Sunny," is a seven-year-old, 13.3-hand bay Welsh/Thoroughbred gelding that Chowanec trained herself since he was foaled.

Chowanec is a student of Lendon Gray's and also trains with her mother. She noted that she earned her near-perfect written score by studying the material and quizzing with friends since March when she received the books for her birthday. Chowanec was especially excited to have received a perfect 10 for her final halt in her dressage test - a first time feat for her.

A seven-time veteran of Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival, with two previous Overall Championships under her belt, Chowanec described the feeling of this year's victory as, "Amazing."

Kathryn Mathieu Earns Third Level Division Championship
Kathryn Mathieu, 21, of Bedford, New York, aboard Simpatico, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding recently donated to Dressage4Kids, Inc., won the Third Level Division Championship with an overall triple combined score of 87.333%.

Mathieu won all three phases of her division. She scored 94% on the Written Test, 70% in the Dressage Test, and 98% in the Equitation Test.

Mathieu is a working student with Lendon Gray. She plans to become a professional trainer and hopes to represent the U.S. internationally on a team.

She is a three-year-veteran of Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival and summed up the benefits of the format saying, "I love the idea that Lendon has set this up the way she has because it gives every person an opportunity to shine in every department - education, position, and dressage."

Micaela Mabragana Victorious in PhelpsSports.com Fourth Level Division
Micaela Mabragana, 21, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, who currently resides in Bedford, New York, rode Ballywhim Ardan Mor to the championship victory in the PhelpsSports.com Fourth Level Division. Mabragana claimed the championship with a combined overall triple score of 88.485%.

Her mount, known as "Danny," is a 15-year-old, 14.3-hand bay Connemara stallion owned by Lendon Gray. Mabragana is a working student with Gray.

To win the championship, Mabragana scored 95% on the Written Test for second place; took first place in her Dressage Test with 70.455%; and topped the Equitation Test with a perfect 100%.

Commenting on her outstanding Equitation score, Mabragana said, "I knew he was good but I never would have expected 100%! I tried to think of all the things that Lendon and Courtney [King] told me when I ride - keep your chin up, don't rock your body, hands down. I tried to get that in mind." She added with a laugh, "And look pretty!"

Mabragana and "Danny" also competed in the Young Rider Division and captured that championship for the second consecutive year.

Mabragana related that her goal is to become a professional trainer and that her dream is to compete in the Olympics.

Judges for the mounted championship classes at Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival were: Robert Dover, Scott Hassler, Courtney King, Dolly Hannon, Margaret Freeman, Pam Goodrich, and Susanne Hassler.

Coverage and photos of the ninth annual Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival is available on www.phelpssports.com. For more information about the event and programs, visit www.dressage4kids.com