Donna Ponessa to Compete Next Week at Para-Dressage Trials

The following is user-generated content about , a para-dressage competitor who rides Otto, a horse belonging to West Nyack mother and daughter Sue and Kristi Niblo.

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The time has come for Donna Ponessa, a leading Para-Dressage competitor in the FEI Grade 1a class, living with MS since 1982, paralyzed from the chest down and breathing with a ventilator, to leave her final mark on judges.  Donna is looking for top scores next week in order to make the US Para-Equestrian Dressage Team and compete at the Paralympics in London this summer.
 
Since Donna committed to a diligent training regime last summer under Wes Dunham, a competitive Fédération Èquestre Internationale (FEI) rider and operator of Woodstock Stables, in Millbrook, NY, she began competing on the national and international Para-Equestrian circuit, scoring very high marks – in many cases bringing home gold individually and for the US Team.  Wes donates his time honing Donna’s skills in Dressage, and was instrumental in getting her posture correct, a challenge with serious consequences for Donna who had to find a way to breath off the ventilator, while on the horse.

Donna will ride Western Rose “Rosie”, Wes’s 9-year old Oldenburg Mare and PG Ganda, a 19-year old Belgian Warmblood, on loan from Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Loxahatchee, FL.   The competition will be fierce, with the most Para-Equestrian riders set to attend Selection Trials ever and demonstrate their Team, Individual, and Freestyle Tests over the three days.  
 
“Rosie has been with me from the start, and the two of us have cultivated a very distinct and solid connection.  Ganda is a sensitive and responsive horse with a lot of self-carriage – he’s totally uncomplicated. I feel very lucky to have a committed trainer and two of the very best horses to compete on at Selection Trials next week”, said Donna.

The 2012 USEF Paralympic Selection Trials and Para-Equestrian Dressage National Championships

WHAT:          Para-Equestrian Dressage Selection Trials for London Paralympics

WHEN:         June 11-13, 2012

WHERE:       USET Foundation Headquarters, Gladstone, NJ

SCHEDULE (Tentative):
                    3:00 p.m.—Sunday, June 10th – Veterinary Inspections/Jog/Reception for all competitors
                    9:00AM--Monday, June 11th – Team Tests (FEI Grade 1a, 1b, II, III, IV)
                    8:00AM--Tuesday, June 12th – Individual Tests (FEI Grade 1a, 1b, II, III, IV)
                    8:00AM --Wednesday, June 13th – Freestyle Tests (FEI Grade 1a, 1b, II, III, IV)
                    1:00PM --Wednesday, June 13th – Award Ceremonies directly following last class

QUALIFICATION FOR PARALYMPIC SELECTION TRIALS:
The athlete/horse combinations will be ranked based on their overall performance at the Selection Trial, by weighting the FEI Para- Equestrian Dressage test scores from the Selection Trial as follows (Final Rankings):

- Individual Championship Test = 40%
- Team Test = 40%
- Musical Freestyle Test = 20%

Courtesy from the USPEA – for more information, visit www.uspea.org

In order for Donna to travel to Selection Trials, and in the likely event on to London, she needs financial sponsorship. 

Marshall & Sterling Insurance of Poughkeepsie, NY is a lead sponsor, as are many area businesses and friends and family, but Donna still needs both company and individual donations to fulfill her dream.    

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For more information, or to make a donation, visit http://www.donnasdestiny.com/ or make check payable to Westchester Independent Living Center, Inc.  “WILC", and mail to PO Box 4715, New Windsor, NY 12553. All donations are tax-deductible.  You can also visit Donna on Facebook.