The 2024 Challenge of the Americas presented by The Pink Hats was a rousing success, raising a record amount for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation through Play for P.I.N.K. Appreciative attendees clapped, sang along and cheered as top riders and their well-trained horses danced to choreographed music under the lights at the Global Dressage Festival stadium in Wellington, Florida, March 8, all to help find a cure for breast cancer.
COTA’s success and continued growth is due to its partnership in the fight against breast cancer, as well as its one-of-a-kind format featuring the musical Grand Prix Quadrille Team Challenge. The teams’ music, intricate choreography and interesting themes wowed the crowd along with top dressage judges Janet Foy, Cesar Torrente and Lee Tubman.
The Challenge of the Americas would not be possible without the help of our generous sponsors and tireless volunteers. Thanks to The Pink Hats Mark and Amy Bozzone, Margaret H. Duprey of Cherry Knoll Farm, A. Ronald Johnson and Elizabeth (aka Beth) Stauber-Johnson, Ph.D., Mr. and Mrs. Steffen (Barbara) Wolff, and Paul and Sharon Zaidins. We can’t forget the team sponsors and those who donated everything from saddle pads to costumes to bell boots to practice arenas.
A village of volunteers wove the intricate pieces of the Challenge into a night to remember. From the top riders, talented choreographers, eagle-eyed coaches, hard-working grooms, and the horses who thrive on the applause to the artistic florists, non-stop auction set-up crew, performance night snack providers, COTA Committee members, and a myriad of helpers the night of the event, COTA relies on an army of single-minded people intent on challenging breast cancer.
We are tickled pink to invite you to enjoy a recap of photos by Susan J. Stickle of the 2024 Challenge of the Americas.
Leeza Keegan, a fourth grader at Palm Beach Elementary, impressed us with her rendition of the National Anthem to kick off the 2024 Challenge. Leeza has been a proud member of Young Singers of the Palm Beaches for the past three years. She was thrilled to participate and not only does she love horses, she volunteers every Sunday at the New Spirit farm in Lake Worth, Florida.
Millar Brooke Farm South riders Alex Granato, Cayden Hill, Kelly Soleau Millar and Sarah Sturgis kicked off the 2024 Challenge of the Americas with some high-flying jumping and some low-rider minis. Two of the pint-sized horses, Thelma and Louise, were handled by Rachel Willes and Dakota Zehlker. The riders, handlers and horses were bedecked in shades of pink to set the stage for a night of horses and fun all to challenge breast cancer and Find A Cure!
Another pre-quadrille event, the Tina Turner Pas de Trois, presented by Gardy Bloemers/Merrill Lynch and ridden by Lauren Chumley, Allison Kavey and Tai Parrish, was simply the best and better than all the rest. Their choreography and music, created by Tigger Montague, featured interesting pirouette lines skillfully ridden to the music featuring the late Queen of Rock ‘n Roll, Tina Turner.
In 2024, we introduced a new competition: the Disco Dressage Derby. Three teams of two riders were given a minute of trot music, two minutes of canter music and then came a minute of secret, surprise music, all selected especially for them by disco DJ master, Tigger Montague. The duos, dressed in amazing costumes, rode in beautifully choreographed pas de deux freestyles to the delight of judges, Jeanne McDonald and Gary Rockwell.
The new Disco Dressage Derby format was a groovy addition to the 2024 Challenge of the Americas’ pre-quadrille challenge line-up. The winners, Adam and Sven Steffens-Smienk, boogied down wearing fabulously sequined shadbellies while rocking pink glittered beards. Their genius move of switching horses mid-ride caught the audience by surprise and brought a fitting ending to their derby finale.
Ben and Jan Ebeling wowed the crowd to the max with their tight choreography and shiny pink trousers while their final salute facing away from judges Jeanne McDonald and Gary Rockwell brought smiles and laughs to the applauding spectators. The funky musical selections for all three Disco Dressage Derby teams were chosen specifically for each pas de deux team by musical guru, Tigger Montague.
Heidi Degele and Jordan Lockwood, outfitted in their finest pink disco jumpsuits and helmets topped with huge, fluffy wigs, were the first of the Disco Dressage Derby pas de deux in the arena. After trotting and cantering to some far-out disco tunes, they boogied down to a surprise selection in the final minute of the inaugural Disco Dressage Derby.
Team BioStar ticked all the boxes to win the quadrille challenge with their time-themed freestyle. It was an evening for the history books as we watched them form the hands of a clock in synchronous precision and time-after-time they impressed us with their tight formations and difficult moves. The choreography, created by Tigger Montague, was executed like clockwork under Tigger’s watchful eye by team members Bianca Berktold, Lauren Chumley, Jim Kofford, Kymberly Pullen, Shannon Stevens and Betsy Van Dyke. We can’t wait to see what Team BioStar pulls out of their hats—er, riding helmets, in 2025.
Team Wright Dressage and Patti Thompson Dressage whisked us away to Olympic gold medal dreams with their rousing sporting-themed music created by Marlene Whitaker. The games began as team members Leif Aho, Allison Driver, Alexis Merguerian, Ashley Minea, Amy Swerdlin and Emily Wright-Ciceroni, under the direction of coaches Diane Creech, Vanessa Creech-Terauds and Patti Thompson, passed by Olympic flags as they entered the dressage arena. The creative choreography and heart-pumping music made us believe in fields of gold at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Team Winged Foot invited us to go for a ride and party with Barbie as we entered into their pink Barbie world. We danced the night away to the toe-tapping music arranged by Ruth Hogan-Poulsen, who also created the intricate choreography and coached the Barbie movie costumed team along with Emilie Goddard. Team Winged Foot included Todd Flettrich, Susanne Hamilton, Justin Hardin, Nicole Harrington, Yvonne Losos de Muñiz and Cyndi Wylie, and we liked their style. Go Barbie, go Barbie!
Team Dancing for Pink made us love them two times for their rockin’ music by The Doors compiled by Carlos Agüera as well as their applause-worthy choreography by Alex Rozboril. Team members Amy Bock, Micah Deligdish, Sharon McCusker, Jovanna Stepan, Ilanah Taves and Georgia Wren-Russ broke on through to the other side with the help of coaches Michelle Gibson and Alex Rozboril.
Team Purina’s Neil Diamond theme sparkled as we sang along to the multi-faceted music and choreography created by Terry Ciotti Gallo and, before we knew it, we got to feeling good – we simply had no choice. Along with Terry, Coaches Betsy Steiner and Bill Warren were Forever in Blue Jeans and Good Times Never Seemed So Good (so good, so good, so good) as glittering Team members Jaralyn Gibson, Pam Goodrich, Bent Jensen, Ben Winger, George Williams and Jennifer Williams rode their dancing horses to the “America” finale.
The 2024 Challenge of the Americas was a rousing success and we can’t wait to see what the coaches, riders, musical gurus and choreographers dream up for 2025. We thank them for the tireless support and dedication to COTA and our goal of helping eradicate breast cancer in conjunction with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and their partner Play for P.I.N.K. Think Pink in 2025!
Global Dressage Festival, 13500 Southshore Blvd,
Wellington, Florida 33414
Beneficiaries:
Play for PINK:
playforpink.org
facebook.com/playforpink
Breast Cancer Research Foundation:
bcrf.org
facebook.com/
thebreastcancerresearchfoundation
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