Past Champions Return to Volvo CCI3* Bromont Three Day Event

The Volvo CCI3* Bromont Three Day Event, The Todd Sandler Challenge, to be held June 6 to 9 in Bromont, Quebec, is once again attracting North America’s top equestrian athletes. Bromont is Canada’s only three day event sanctioned at the three-star level by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). The Bromont organizing committee, which will celebrate the event’s 27th anniversary in 2013, is preparing to welcome over 150 horses and riders to one of North America’s most prestigious equestrian competitions.

Among the confirmed entries for the 2013 Volvo CCI3* Bromont Three Day Event is Bruce (Buck) Davidson, Jr. of Unionville, PA, who has competed at Bromont for the past five consecutive years. The defending Champion of the 2012 Bromont CCI1* division riding Copper Beach, Davidson was a member of the gold medal-winning American team at the 2011 Pan American Games, where he also won the individual bronze medal.

Another past winner at Bromont who will be returning to this year’s competition is Phillip Dutton of West Grove, PA. A native of Australia, Dutton was a member of that country’s gold medal team at both the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games before becoming a U.S. citizen and representing his adopted country at the past two Olympics.
“I’m very much looking forward to this year’s Bromont Three Day Event,” said Dutton, who has been named the U.S. Eventing Association’s Leading Rider for 13 of the past 15 years. “It’s always a great competition with the best horses and riders from the U.S. and Canada competing. The cross-country, the atmosphere, and the overall friendliness of Bromont make for a great event.”

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Another American entry at the 2013 Bromont Three Day Event is Lauren Kieffer of Middleburg, VA. Kieffer will be riding Cosima, a horse owned by American breeder Jacqueline Mars, who has supported Bromont over many years by sending her horses to the event. The Bromont organizing committee is honoured to welcome Ms. Mars, who will be attending the 2013 Bromont Three Day Event in person. Among the other confirmed American entries for the 2013 Bromont Three Day Event are Will Coleman, a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team, Allison Springer, and Sally Cousins, all of whom are making a return visit to Bromont.

The Bromont Organizing committee is proud to welcome Volvo back for a second year as title sponsor of the 2013 event. SSG Gloves is also returning, for the third year, as a sponsor of the Bromont Three Day Event.

“We are so thankful for all of our sponsors, and I would especially like to recognize Ed James and SSG Gloves,” said Bromont Event Director Sue Ockendon. In addition to being a long-standing personal sponsor of Olympic medalists Pippa Funnell of Great Britain and Phillip Dutton, the Canadian-based riding gloves manufacturer SSG Gloves awarded $30,000 in bonus money to riders wearing SSG Gloves at the recent Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in April.

“SSG Gloves is one sponsor that really goes out of their way to make it happen for the riders, and we are really appreciative to be a part of their sponsorship program,” said Ockendon. “I think they did a fantastic job at Rolex Kentucky, and sponsorship programs like the one they ran there really show the way for the future of the sport. We need more people like Ed James. I hope that all the riders wear SSG Gloves at Bromont and show their support!”

Also returning for the third year to support the Volvo CCI3* Bromont Three Day Event is The Professional Riders Organization (PRO), a non-profit group of accomplished event riders dedicated to promoting the sport and advocating safety for horses and riders. Bromont will once again be included in their PRO Tour Series.

In addition to delivering top notch competition in the CCI3*, CIC3*, CCI2* and CCI1* divisions, the 2013 Volvo CCI3* Bromont Three Day Event will host an FEI Course for FEI level Eventing judges, course designers, technical delegates and stewards. One of the three FEI Course Directors is FEI Eventing Committee Chair Giuseppe Della Chiesa. FEI Olympic Games and Eventing Director, Catrin Norinder, will also be traveling to Bromont from Europe for the FEI Course. The course design section will be run by John Nicholson, an internationally renowned course designer who is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Park, home of the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event. The FEI Course at Bromont will be attended by individuals from six nations.

The Bromont Three Day Event takes place at the Bromont Olympic Horse Park, home to equestrian events at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. It is the only annual eventing competition in the world to take place at a former Olympic site. Derek Di Grazia of the United States has been the resident course designer at Bromont since 2009. Considered one of the world’s top FEI course designers as well as the current course designer at the CCI4* Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, Di Grazia will test horses and riders over his challenging Bromont course during the cross-country phase on Saturday, June 8. Course construction will again be provided by course builder Jay Hambly of Canada.

The Olympic equestrian discipline of Three Day Eventing is often referred to as the triathlon of equestrian sport, with the phases of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping taking place over three consecutive days.

While the annual Volvo CCI3* Bromont Three Day Event attracts North America’s most accomplished three day event riders and their horses, it has also become a destination event for spectators, who travel to Bromont to enjoy high calibre competition in a beautiful setting. The unique and charming village of Bromont is less than one kilometre from the Bromont Olympic Horse Park. Visitors to Bromont have an opportunity to enjoy the exceptional hospitality of the region, including gourmet dining and fine local wines.

The Volvo CCI3* Bromont Three Day Event, The Todd Sandler Challenge, is made possible in part through a contribution from the Government of Canada. The organizing committee also wishes to thank the Gouvernement du Québec, Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport, for their support of this year’s event.
For more information about the Bromont Three Day Event please visit the bilingual website, www.bromontcci.com. Live scoring will be available throughout the duration of the event.