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Horse Radio Network Features Dressage/ Para-Dressage Trainers Heather Blitz and Jim Koford
 Wellington, FL-March 29, 2014- Horse Radio Network’s once-a-month Para-Equestrian Show featured dressage and para-dressage trainer Heather Blitz and Jim Koford. Each trainer talked about their experience working with an international high-performance para-dressage athlete. They spoke of the parallel comparison between able-bodied dressage and para-dressage. Both had their athletes on the show including Angela Peavy (USA), a grade III, rider who trains with Blitz and 2010 World Equestrian Games athlete Mary Jordan (USA), Grade IV, who trains with Jim Koford. Episode #252 was hosted by Paralympian Hope Hand and dressage rider Regina Cristo.
To view and listen to episode #252 please visit:
About Heather Blitz:
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Heather Blitz. Photo courtesy of HeatherBlitz.info
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Heather Blitz of Wellington, FL is the 2012 U.S. Olympic Dressage Team reserve rider, and 2011 Pan American Games Team Gold Medalist and Individual Silver Medalist. Blitz’s love for horses started in Kansas where she grew up on her parents farm. Blitz began competing in dressage competitions in 1994 and has won numerous regional and national titles on an array of horses. Her career-changing horse came in the form of Danish Warmblood stallion Rambo DVE 373, whom she began training as a 12-year-old. The pair showed at the CDI Grand Prix level throughout Florida and at the prestigious Dressage at Devon where they placed third. Blitz is currently working with Paragon, an 18-hand Danish Warmblood bred by Oak Hill Ranch.
Top Accolades:
-Blitz and Paragon claimed the Reserve Championship in the USEF National Intermediaire I Dressage Championships at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions.
-Represented the U.S. at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico winning Team Gold and Individual Silver medals.
-Blitz and Paragon finished second in both the Grand Prix CDI3* and the Grand Prix Special at the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI4* presented by International Polo Club Palm Beach.
-WEF Dressage Classic, Blitz and Paragon won the Grand Prix Freestyle and finished third in the Grand Prix Test.
-The 2012 year also saw Blitz and Paragon in Gladstone, New Jersey for the 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions and Selection Trials for the U.S. Dressage Team in June. After four rounds of competition over two weekends, Blitz finished sixth overall with a combined total of 70.384%.
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| Angela Peavy and Lancelot Warrior Photo by Lindsay McCall. |
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| James Koford. Photo courtesy of Jim Koford of koforddressage.com. Photo taken by Shelley Paulson Photography. |
About Jim Koford: (excerpt from KofordDressage.com)
James has been immersed in the dressage community for the last 35 years. He was catapulted into the FEI dressage ring aboard the Pinto Dutch Warmblood stallion, Art Deco. James started showing Art Deco as a 4- year- old and advanced him to Grand Prix. This popular duo became one of the most recognizable FEI combinations on the East Coast.
As a competitor, James enjoys tremendous success on a wide variety of horses. He has competed in the Grand Prix on six different mounts and has guided over twenty horses to the FEI levels. James’s horses have won numerous regional and national awards from Training Level to Grand Prix. Some of his most successful horses include the stallions Donatelli II winning at Grand Prix with scores to 72% (2007) and Don Principe winning thirteen straight PSG and I1 classes in 2008.
James distinguishes himself as one of the very few riders in the world to compete at both Four Star eventing and Grand Prix dressage. James trained and competed the horses Bank On It and Max Motoring at Essex**, Bromont**, Fair Hill*** and Rolex****. James continues his commitment to the eventing community as a highly sought after dressage coach, for eventing riders at the national and international levels.
In 2009, Koford had success with a number of horses. Aboard Don Principe, Koford took home top honors in the Grand Prix Freestyle at the WEF Dressage Classic, the Grand Prix Test at the KDA Spring Warm-Up Show, and the Grand Prix Test and Freestyle at the KDA 23rd Annual Dressage Show. Koford, aboard Rhett, was awarded the Anne Barlow Ramsay grant from The Dressage Foundation to travel to Germany to train and compete. Koford and Rhett trained with Michael Klimke in Germany and competed in the small tour at national shows in Germany.
2010 led Rhett and Koford back to Germany where they successfully competed in Open Grand Prix classes at national shows. The pair also competed in the Medien Cup classes for young Grand Prix horses. The same year they secured two wins at the USDF Region 1 Dressage Championships.
Koford and Rhett made their debut at the CDI Grand Prix level in 2011. In Wellington, they capped off a great season with a win in the International Horse Sport Champions Cup Grand Prix. They had another win that year in the Grand Prix Test at Dressage at Devon. In addition, they finished out the year with two more Grand Prix wins at the USDF Region 1 Dressage Championships. Also in 2011, Koford also won two Grand Prix classes at Dressage at Lexington aboard Pharaoh.
2012 began with a win aboard Pharaoh in the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Wellington Dressage show. Koford finished second with Rhett in the Grand Prix Special at the Wellington Dressage show as well. Koford and Pharaoh finished second at the Florida Dressage Classic with a exceptional freestyle performance. In June of 2012, Koford and Rhett were selected to compete in the 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions and Selection Trials for the U.S. Dressage Team. They finished 12th with an overall score of 67.858%. Rhett and Koford continued their success in 2013 with a second place finish the Grand Prix Special at the World Dressage Masters.
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| Mary Jordan and Sebastian. Photo by Lindsay McCall |
List of Para-Equestrian Radio Shows:
Para-Equestrian Show #252
Para-Equestrian Show #248
Para-Equestrian Show #244
Para-Equestrian Show #235
http://dressageradio.horseradionetwork.com/2013/11/25/dressage-radio-episode-235-reining-into-para-dressage/
November 1, 2013- Para-Equestrian Show #231
http://dressageradio.horseradionetwork.com/2013/11/01/dressage-radio-episode-231-para-dressage-horse-ownership-and-training/
September 25, 2013- Para-Equestrian Show #226
http://dressageradio.horseradionetwork.com/2013/09/24/dressage-radio-episode-226-becca-hart-and-missy-ransehousen-on-the-future-of-para/
August 28, 2013- Para-Equestrian Show #222
http://dressageradio.horseradionetwork.com/2013/08/28/dressage-radio-episode-222-set-up-before-you-trot-up/
July 31, 2013- Para-Equestrian Show #218
http://dressageradio.horseradionetwork.com/2013/07/31/dressage-radio-episode-218-developing-para-dressage-young-riders/
June 27, 2013-Para-Equestrian Show #213
http://dressageradio.horseradionetwork.com/2013/06/27/dressage-radio-episode-213-para-week-goes-driving/
May 24, 2013-Para-Equestrian Show #208
http://dressageradio.horseradionetwork.com/2013/05/24/dressage-radio-episode-208-the-maine-event/
April 4, 2013-Para-Equestrian Show #204
http://dressageradio.horseradionetwork.com/2013/04/25/dressage-radio-episode-204-kristi-wysocki-and-gil-merrick-discuss-judging-the-team-approach/
March 27, 2013-To listen to the the first Para-Equestrian show #200:
Once a month the Dressage Radio Show becomes the Para-Equestrian Show Hosted by Lindsay McCall, of the United States Para-Equestrian Association, focusing on  international FEI discipline Para-Dressage. Although Para-Dressage is the main event, listeners have the opportunity to learn more about the skillful U.S. Para-Driving Team, the Para-Reining discipline, Para-Vaulting, and the future of Para-Jumping. The para-equestrian dressage show will feature a line-up of guests including olympians, paralympians, trainers, coaches, professionals, amateur riders, young riders, and equine enthusiasts. The intention of the radio show is to educate, inform, and entertain listeners on the para-equestrian Dressage discipline.
To learn more about the USPEA please visit www.USPEA.org or e-mail President Hope Hand at hope@uspea.org. You may also e-mail the host of the para-equestrian segment Lindsay McCall at Lindsay@uspea.org.
To learn more about the Horse Radio Network visit www.horseradionetwork.com or to contact Glenn the Geek go to http://www.horseradionetwork.com/contact/ or leave a voicemail at 270-803-0025.
About the Horse Radio Network:
The Horse Radio Network is the voice of the horse world with listeners in over 40 countries. Eight different entertaining shows cover all aspects of the horse world and you can listen any time on your computer, MP3 player or smart phone.
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