Offield Farms - America’s Next Equestrian Star is Acquired by the Fox Reality Channel

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Equestrian Sports Promotions
Christine DeHerrera
303-263-7531
equestriansports@earthlink.net

Karin Reid Offield’s Busy Season Includes Fox Reality TV Show

Wellington, FL—Karin Reid Offield and her Offield Farms have had a busy season with stallion inspections, horse shows and a variety of activities aimed at promoting the sport of dressage. Among the highlights is the Fox Reality Channel’s acquisition and airing of The Search for America’s Next Equestrian Star: Dressage, a five-episode show that Offield executive produced and appears in.

“We are thrilled that Fox Reality Channel is airing the show,” said Offield. “We’ve had a very enthusiastic response from both horse lovers and non-horse people alike.” The show has been described as The Apprentice meets American Idol as six contestants vie for the chance to train for the Olympics and an assistant trainer position with six-time Olympian Robert Dover. The show debuted last week and continues each Friday on the Fox Reality Channel at 9:00 a.m. EST, 8:00 a.m. CST, 7:00 a.m. MST and 6:00 a.m. PST. Offield appears in the show and helped select the contestants. “I learned so much about reality television during the making of this show. It was also amazing watching this talented group of young riders become more proficient under Robert Dover’s tutelage. It’s a really good show for the whole family and you don’t have to know about horses to enjoy it.”

In addition to her work on the television show, Offield has continued to dedicate herself to her own competitive goals. She was recently invited to train and compete with two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Anky van Grunsven. Offield and her horse Lingh arrived in The Netherlands on Monday and will begin to compete on the competitive winter circuit in Europe. “It is such an honor to be invited to compete in these European shows,” Offield said. Unlike in the U.S., riders must receive commendation from their national governing body, as well as invitations from the shows in order to compete. The agenda includes the World Cup Qualifier in Odense, Denmark and the CDI3* in Oldenburg, Germany.

This exciting fall tour is the result of a busy show season. Offield and Lingh competed in the prestigious Dressage at Devon Presented by WTDirect CDI in September. The duo finished in fifth place in the Grand Prix and seventh place in the Grand Prix Freestyle against a competitive group of Olympic riders. Offield was awarded The Valerie Kahan Memorial Trophy for the second year in a row for receiving the highest score for amateur rider at the Grand Prix level.

Offield’s famous partner Lingh is a former Reserve Champion at the World Cup Finals as well as a medalist at the European Championships. “We are developing a good partnership,” she said. “He’s a great showman and I’m learning what a huge heart he has.” In addition to their impressive placings at Dressage at Devon, they also scored well at the NEDA Fall Festival CDI in Saugerties, New York. At the Centerline HITS show in August, the pair won the East Coast Riders Cup with their rides in two Grand Prix B tests. A victory in one class with a 68.750% as well as their placing in a second Grand Prix test gave them the Cup. In addition to her success on Lingh, Offield has earned blue ribbons throughout the summer on her 11 year old Dutch gelding, Oz, a horse she purchased as a three year old and has brought along from training level to the international FEI division. “The pride and understanding you have of the horse when you have a partnership that spans so many years is enormous. Oz is a wonderful horse and has taught me many lessons,” she explained.

Over the years Offield has ridden many stallions. Her beautiful stallion Hexagon’s Louisville, by Burggraaf out of an Architect mare, has also been strutting his stuff, this time at the RPSI inspection. Louisville showed abounding presence and mindfulness even among the calls of mares and foals awaiting their own presentations. After walking and trotting the triangle, Louisville was granted immediate approval with the registry, scoring 8 on Trot, Breed and Sex-Type, Quality of Conformation, and Overall Impression and Development. Given Louisville's international Grand Prix sport record, he was exempt from the free jumping portion of the inspection. Comments from the judges included: good bone, uphill build, nice large shoulder, and good elasticity and swing in the movement. German judge Otto Schalter also noted that Hexagon's Louisville bears many of the fine qualities of his immortal grandsire, Landgraf I. Offield commented, “Louisville is a true athlete. His bloodlines are for both jumping and dressage. He’s easy to ride and passes these characteristics on to his offspring. What more could you want in a stallion?”

Offield’s former Grand Prix mount, Tiamo Trocadero, is now retired at Hilltop Farm in Maryland. The handsome chestnut, by Trapper out of a Darling mare, already approved by the German Hanoverian Verband, the American Hanoverian Society and ISR/Oldenburg, was presented to and approved by the Oldenburg Breeders’ Society (GOV) this summer. The inspectors explained that Tiamo’s sire line is highly respected by breeders and is a refreshing outcross for the W, D, R and S bloodlines that are so prevalent in warmblood breeding today. The GOV inspectors commented, “He’s a lovely type, strong and uphill, very pretty and good character. He’s a very interesting stallion.”

When not competing this summer, Offield dedicated herself to two causes close to her heart: education and the equestrian community. At Lendon Gray’s Dressage for Kids Youth Festival, Offield was selected as a judge. “I was really impressed with the dedication these kids demonstrated,” she said. “Lendon’s program is wonderful for promoting education and good values in the dressage community. Encouraging this kind of growth in our industry is critical and I was very happy to be involved in this great event.”

Offield is also involved with augmenting the numbers in another pillar of the equine industry, the Equestrian AID Foundation (EAF.) “Our goal is to increase membership and awareness of this important organization,” stated Offield, the Chairman of the Board of Governors. Equestrian Aid Foundation's Mission is to build a membership based organization to assist anyone in the equestrian world suffering from life threatening illness, catastrophic accidents or injuries by providing direct financial support for their medical or other basic needs. To learn more visit the website at HYPERLINK "http://www.equestrianaidfoundation.org" www.equestrianaidfoundation.org.

Offield and Lingh return to the U.S. in December to prepare for the Winter Equestrian Festival and Palm Beach Dressage Derby, which are qualifiers for the Olympic Selection Trials to be held in California next spring. Watch her progress at HYPERLINK "http://www.offieldfarms.com" www.offieldfarms.com.

About Offield Farms
Offield Farms’ mission is to serve as a significant catalyst for the advancement and promotion of the sport of dressage through special events, educational programs, corporate entertainment, media projects and through personal interaction between horse lovers and horses. Visit HYPERLINK "http://www.offieldfarms.com" www.offieldfarms.com for more information.