Diane Creech and Devon L to Compete at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto
/Wellington, FL - November 6, 2013 - Diane Creech from Caistor Centre, Ontario, will go head-to-head against fellow Canadians in search of the Royal Dressage Championship at the Royal Horse Show in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Creech and Devon L, a 13-year-old chestnut Hanoverian gelding owned by Louise and Doug Leatherdale of Leatherdale Farms, will compete in the Grand Prix Wednesday, Nov. 6, and the Grand Prix Freestyle Thursday, Nov. 7, in hopes of winning the $20,000 Royal Invitational.
"It's the biggest indoor show in North America," Creech said. "One of the highlights of the show is the Grand Prix class. The top Canadians in the World Rankings are invited. It's an important show forCanadian dressage."
Devon L (by De Niro x EM Wibranda by Wolkenstein II), placed second in both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special at the Saugerties CDI-W in August. He had equally impressive results during the 2013 winter season in Wellington, FL. The Leatherdales bred Devon L and have been there every step of the way.
"Doug and Louise have been such great supporters," Creech said. "They've been so wonderful while Devon matures. And I am so, so happy and pleased with how he's developing."
According to Creech, the Leatherdales really enjoy the whole process of developing a Grand Prix horse, rather than going out and purchasing one. They prefer the journey and love the challenge, and they are committed. Creech shared that when Devon L was born, Doug Leatherdale joked, "Both his sire and his dam were black and out came this redhead!"
"He's a very, very talented horse," Creech explained. "Nothing is very hard for him. With several seasons competing in Florida under his belt, he's coming into his own. He's one of those horses who is so close to being a genius and he's becoming more confident all the time."
Creech continued, "We were honored to be invited to the Royal Winter Show several years in a row. I think that he's prepared and ready to prove himself."
About The Royal Invitational Dressage Cup Grand Prix
The Royal Invitational Dressage Cup Grand Prix will be held at 3:50 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Wednesday, Nov. 6 and the Grand Prix Freestyle at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7. The awards ceremony will be at 9:35 p.m. on Thursday. You can watch it live on demand at http://www.todocast.tv/rmpictures/royalfair2013free/.
Results are available at http://royal.showmanagementsystem.com.
About The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is the world's largest combined indoor agricultural and equestrian show and runs Nov. 1-10 in the Direct Energy Centre and Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto. This year's Royal Horse Show will also feature performances by Sylvia Zerbini, formerly of Cavalia, and her nine Arabian horses at Liberty, performing Nov. 6-9. Visit royalfair.org for more information.
