3678 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, CA 93021 T: (805) 217‐8367 Hello! My name is Marisa Festerling, and I am an international level dressage rider. I have competed in equestrian sports for nearly twenty years, and have always ridden with one main goal in mind – to make the U.S. Equestrian Team. This year, the U.S. will take part in the Pan American Games, to be held in October in Guadalajara, Mexico. My horse, Big Tyme, and I are serious contenders, and in order to make this team, we must travel to the final selection trials in Gladstone, New Jersey. To qualify for this event, we have already competed against seasoned Olympic level riders, and have either won or finished in the top four places. Amongst all of the American horse and rider combinations that have completed the qualifying criteria, we are currently ranked fifth in the nation. Making the Pan American Games Team would be an enormous accomplishment for me: it would be a culmination of so many efforts, not only on my part, but on the part of my coach, Marie Meyers, and my family. It would also be a great honor to represent my country in international competition. The final selection trials will be held in New Jersey, September 8‐11. Throughout these trials, all expenses are the responsibility of the rider and owner. I would truly appreciate if your organization would consider supporting part of this trip. I am looking for sponsors or donations to help me reach my goal, as the trip will cost approximately $25,000 including all expenses such as horse transport, lodging, airfare, etc. Sponsors will be promoted and showcased at this exciting event: members of my team will proudly display sponsor logos and Web sites, and will be featured in the event program. Certain sponsorship levels will also receive VIP access at the competition, and enjoy participating in the sport at the elite level. An outline of several opportunities has been enclosed for your consideration along with some background l information about me. If you would like more information, please contact Marie Meyers at [email protected], or call Marie at (805)279‐0731. Your support would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely Yours, Marisa Festerling Marisa Festerling Enclosures: 3678 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, CA 93021 T: (805) 217‐8367 Support Marisa Festerling and Big Tyme in their Quest to Represent the U.S. at the 2011 Pan American Games Marisa (www.mariemeyersdressage.net/Pages/blog.htm) is a serious contender to make the team for the Pan American Games (www.guadalajara2011.org.mx) which will be held October 14‐30, in Guadalajara, Mexico. To have a chance at making this team, Marisa and Big Tyme must travel to Gladstone (www.gladstone.com) , New Jersey for the final selection trial which will be held September 8‐11. Marisa will need to obtain funding for the 6,000 mile trip, as the U.S. Equestrian Federation provides little financial help to riders trying to make an international team. Because of this, talented riders like Marisa are left to raise funds for themselves, relying on potential supporters, to help reach their goal of competing for their country. Be a Part of our Team! We would like to extend this opportunity for you or your company to be a part of this exciting journey. Please find below several great opportunities for you to consider. Any contribution you make will help Marisa and Big Tyme achieve their goals. Thank you for your consideration. Two Ways to Support Option A: Platinum Level Sponsorship ‐ $5000 and up • 2 VIP Access tickets at Gladstone ‐ includes premier seating and food throughout the show • Corporate logo on competition attire • Plus all benefits of Gold, Silver, and Bronze Levels Gold Level Sponsorship ‐ $2000 and up • 2 General Admission tickets at Gladstone • Corporate logo on horse's training wear, including coolers and sheets • Plus all benefits of Silver, and Bronze Levels Silver Level Sponsorship ‐ $1000 and up • Corporate logo displayed on jackets, hats, and polo shirts worn by team • Banner and Promotional items displayed at competitions • Plus all benefits of Bronze Level Bronze Level Sponsorship ‐ $100 and up • Logo positioned on Web site with a link to your organization's Web site • Personal thank‐you acknowledgement in the Gladstone event program All logos and Web site promotion of our sponsors will be for the entire competition year and to the extent permitted by the FEI and USEF. Option B:
Marisa is honored to be an eligible rider through the American Horse Trials Foundation. Tax‐deductible donations in any amount can be made to the Foundation conveniently via the internet or by check. For more info on donating by check please contact Marie Meyers at [email protected]. If you would like to become a sponsor, or have any questions about donating or the opportunities offered, please email Meyers at [email protected], or call Marie at (805)279‐0731. Please check Marisa's blog for daily updates, and visit us at www.mariemeyersdressage.net for more information. Thank you for your consideration, and we hope you would like to become part of Marisa's team! 3678 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, CA 93021 T: (805) 217‐8367 For the past eighteen years, I have been dedicated to my profession as a dressage rider and trainer. Many things in my life have come and gone since I started out, but one thing that has remained unchanged is my love for the horses and the sport of dressage. It has required endless hours of practice, and infinite amounts of patience with my wonderful equine partners, but I have enjoyed every moment of it. I have been very fortunate to ride and compete my current horse, Big Tyme, at the national and international levels the past several years. We are planning to travel to the US National Championships and Selection Trials for the Pan American Games this September in Gladstone, New Jersey. The word “dressage,” when translated from French simply means, “training.” It is a path to competitive horse training, with events held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. At the peak of a dressage horse's athletic development, the horse will smoothly respond to the rider's invisible aids. The horse and rider will appear relaxed and effort‐free while performing the required movements. This ideal is what we are always working towards, both in competition and schooling. I started riding and training Big Tyme when he was a four year old. He was “green” and gangly, didn’t steer very well, and was incredibly talented. After six years of daily training he has become a beautiful specimen of what a top dressage horse should look like. Needless to say, I am proud of him! This process of training is one of the most satisfying aspects of my work. Big Tyme and I have completed the qualifiers necessary to attend the Selection Trials in September. We are looking forward to them, and our goal is to finish in the top four to make the Pan American Team. We know that there will be tough competition, but we are seasoned competitors, as well. Big Tyme and I represented the United States at the 2006 World Championships for Young Horses in Verden, Germany and won first prize in the Young Horse Exhibition at the 2009 FEI World Cup in Las Vegas, Nevada. In our first trip to the US National Championships in 2010, we finished in fifth place. We have multiple state and regional championships to our credit, and making a US Team would be a dream come true. I am currently the assistant trainer at Marie Meyers Dressage in Moorpark, California. We run a full‐service training, sales, and competition barn, and have a fantastic group of amateurs and professionals that we work with. Marie Meyers has been my coach and mentor for the past eighteen years, and will be accompanying me to the Trials, and hopefully, the Games as well. I enjoy teaching, preparing the horses for sale, and of course, riding. I am also very fortunate to have a wonderful family at home that supports me in this quest ‐ my husband, Brian, and young daughter, Ella. Making this Team will require me to travel away from home, and to finance the trip to New Jersey. I know this goal would not be reachable without the support of so many people, and extend my thanks and appreciation to all who have helped make this dream attainable for Big Tyme and me. 3678 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, CA 93021 T: (805) 217‐8367 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2011 2010 2009 2008 2006 2004 2003 1998 1996 Currently ranked 4th in the nation at Intermediaire I USEF Intermediaire I National Championships, 5th place ‐ Big Tyme CDS Intermediaire I Champion USDF Intermediaire I Region 7 Champion Young Horse Challenge Winner, FEI World Cup ‐ Big Tyme CDS Horse of the Year 4th Level ‐ Big Tyme World Championships for Young Horses in Verden, Germany ‐ Big Tyme USDF Horse of the Year, 1st Level USDF Region 7 Champion, 1st Level CDS Horse of the Year 1st Level USDF Region 7 Champion, Training Level ‐ Top Secret USEF Young Horse National Res. Champion FEI 5‐Year‐Old ‐ Remy Martin Qualified to represent U.S. at FEI World Breeding Champs ‐ Remy Martin Graduated Magna Cum Laude from California Lutheran University Southern California Junior Champion, Training Level – Jetsetter 3678 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, CA 93021 T: (805) 217‐8367 PRESS COVERAGE Marisa Festerling and Big Tyme look to the Pan American Games Source, DressageDaily Written by Kelly Sanchez May 5, 2011 In 1993 Marisa Festerling attended her first Del Mar National Dressage Show with trainer Marie Meyers, and she’s never forgotten it. “I sat beside the warm‐up ring all day long and got the biggest sunburn.” A lot can happen in 18 years. This year, there were others watching her as she tuned up her 10‐year‐old Belgian Warmblood gelding Big Tyme, who’s a serious contender for this fall’s Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. They’re currently ranked fourth in the nation at Intermediaire I. Festerling and “Frankie” are no strangers to big‐time competition. They competed at the 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions in Gladstone, NJ, finishing fifth in the USEF National Intermediaire I Championship. Visitors to the Young Horse Exhibition at the 2009 World Cup in Las Vegas will remember the pair’s gorgeous extended trot across the Thomas & Mack Arena. Their first exposure on the world dressage stage was in 2006 at the World Championships for Young Horses in Verden, Germany. In the $1,500 FEI Intermediaire I class at the Del Mar National, the pair finished third with a 68.114 percent, behind Steffen Peters and Weltino’s Magic and Guenter Seidel and Sundayboy. “We were thrilled to be behind Steffen and Guenter,” said Meyers. Big Tyme, by Saros van’t Gestelhof out of Elvira by Wendekreis, is co‐owned by Anne‐Marie Walter. Meyers, an alternate for the U.S. dressage team at the Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, imported the 17.1‐hand horse from Europe for herself in 2005, but Festerling “clicked” with the horse. Festerling praises his refinement. “He’s a big horse, but he’s good for a woman,” she says. “He’s light in the mouth.” He’s also the perfect gentleman with Festerling’s three‐and‐a‐half‐year‐old daughter, Ella Grace. “She has a little ladder outside his stall and puts carrots and sugar in his bucket,” Festerling says.
The pair will take off a month from competition at Marie Meyers Stables in Moorpark, California, and then they’ll get back in the show arena. “Frankie gets bored at home,” says Festerling. “He loves to show!” But she’s looking ahead to the Pan American Games selection trials in September in Gladstone, New Jersey. “It’s a big trip. We’re trying to think ahead, but you don’t want to jinx it,” she said. “We’d like to plan all kinds of fund‐raisers, but we’ll just have to see how everything pans out.” 3678 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, CA 93021 T: (805) 217‐8367 PRESS COVERAGE Pan Am Dreams Begin at Mid‐Winter Dressage Fair CDI* in Burbank, CA Written by Yellow Horse Marketing for Cornerstone Event Management Februay 11, 2011 BURBANK, CA ‐ Riders who dream of competing at the Pan American Games will begin their quest at the Mid‐Winter Dressage Fair CDI 1*/Y/J in Burbank, CA, February 24 ‐ 27, 2011. As the first official qualifying competition on the West Coast, horses and riders will compete in front of FEI judges Jayne Ayers ("I" USA), Natalie Lamping ("I" USA), and Lorraine MacDonald ("I" CAN). In addition, this competition will serve as an early‐season qualifier for the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions (Pony Rider, Junior, Young Rider, and Brentina Cup divisions); NAJYRC; Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program; and the USEF Developing Horse division (sponsored by Dutta & PSI). Excitement is building among West Coast Pan Am hopefuls such as Marisa Festerling, David Blake, Rebecca Rigdon and Cyndi Jackson, as well as riders Amanda Harlan and Brandi Roenick who are moving up from junior/young rider ranks to vie for an invitation to the Pan Am Selection Trials. In addition, a contingent of Canadian competitors will contribute to the international flavor of the competition. All riders, including Festerling from Moorpark, CA, are ready to get started on the road to the Games. "I feel like my horse 'Big Tyme' and I and are seasoned at this level and ready to go," says Festerling. "It's a nice feeling to have the option to get scores early in the year, because you never know what can happen as the season goes on and time can get away from you." Festerling and "Big Tyme" represented the United States at the 2006 FEI/WBFSH World Breeding Championships in Germany, and Festerling is hopeful that they will qualify for their first FEI‐level U.S. team. "To make it to the Pan Ams would mean the world to me and be such an honor and achievement. It makes the everyday sacrifices worth it." Another highlight of the competition will be the participation of Steffen Peters and "Ravel" in the national grand prix classes. In their first outing since winning two individual bronze medals at the Alltech/FEI World Equestrian Games last fall, this pair will be utilizing this opportunity as a final preparation for the World Dressage Masters in Florida next month. Peters will also compete with two horses in the small tour Pan Am qualifying classes. A new feature at the Mid‐Winter Dressage Fair will be the "Rider Retreat", a special hospitality area for exhibitors sponsored by Markel Insurance. L A Saddlery will continue their show support by providing prizes to the top three places in adult amateur classes. In addition, SmartPak will award four $100 gift certificates to division winners. Spectator admission to the Mid‐Winter Dressage Fair is free. For a complete time schedule for each day of competition, visit www.cornerstonedressage.com. Cornerstone Event Management is the leading resource for premier dressage events in California. For more information, including news, show calendars, prize lists, entry forms, schedules, and results, visit Cornerstone Event Management on Facebook or www.cornerstonedressage.com. 3678 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, CA 93021 T: (805) 217‐8367
PRESS COVERAGE Marie Meyers Dressage – A Top Quality Dressage Training and Sales Barn California Riding Magazine Written by Kathleen Burke Jensen April 2009 Marie Meyers and longtime assistant Marisa Festerling specialize in bringing out the best in their dressage students at their beautiful facility in Moorpark. In addition to training, they have an active sales barn of their own prospects and consignment horses. Accomplished equestrians, Marie and Marisa have enjoyed significant success with their own horses. Marie and her horse Fandango, a 13‐year‐old Oldenburg gelding, earned the 2008 USDF and CDS Horse of the Year at Intermediaire II. Marisa and her horse, Big Tyme, an 8‐year‐old Belgian Warmblood gelding, were the 2008 CDS Horse of the Year winners at Fourth Level. World Cup Exhibition There will be two special demonstrations during this month’s World Cup Dressage Finals in Las Vegas and both will involve Marie Meyers Dressage.The World Championship Young Horse Exhibition will include commentary by Linda Zang and Vincenzo Truppa. This class will showcase the importance of the Young Horse Program in Europe and the role it plays in the United States. Four top quality young horses will be featured, including Big Tyme with Marisa riding. The FEI Six Year Old Test will be used.The Olympic/Grand Prix Pas De Deux Challenge will feature Olympic riders putting together an entertaining and creative pas de deux exhibition. Each team has complete creative freedom and audience appreciation will choose the winners. Guenter Seidel will ride Fandango and team up with Elizabeth Ball. Facility Marie Meyers Dressage offers a full service barn with access to the best veterinarians, farriers and equine specialists. The stalls are large and airy 12’x12’s with automatic waterers, full rubber mats, overhead fly spray system and covered cross ties. There are large turnouts, miles of trails and an indoor arena. The facility includes a competition size dressage arena with excellent footing. Marie and Marisa credit Footings Unlimited for helping them build a dressage court with the best footing around. It is a combination of Airfoot™ and Lightfoot™ materials. Airfoot is a mixture of nylon, rubber, foam and fiber designed to reduce compaction, promote water retention, and help bind sand together. Lightfoot is a fabric mixture with some nylon, rubber and foam. 3678 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, CA 93021 T: (805) 217‐8367