Diamond Creek's Rigoletto Wins Training Jumper Championship Sponsored By The Sanctuary at Winter Equestrian Festival Spring 4 Show

Diamond Creek's Rigoletto, owned by Diamond Creek Stables and ridden by Nicolas Belanger, won the Training Jumper Division sponsored by The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center at WEF's Spring 4 Show. The Sanctuary is a world-class facility in Ocala dedicated to helping horses that compete in physically demanding sports. (Photo courtesy of Mancini Photos)

Wellington, FL (April 13, 2010) - Diamond Creek's Rigoletto, ridden by Nicolas Belanger and owned by Diamond Creek Stables, won the championship in the Training Jumper division at the Winter Equestrian Festival's Spring 4 Show. The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center in Ocala sponsors the division, and Rigoletto and Belanger rode away a $100 gift certificate to the world-class therapy and rehabilitation center.

Trainer Josee Stedding, of Driftwood Stables, was pleased with Rigoletto's performance in the Training Jumpers. "It was only his second week of showing and his first speed class," Stedding said, who operates Driftwood Stables with her husband Jack. "Rigoletto was great. He won the first two classes and was only 4/10 of a second behind the winner in the third class."

Stedding said that in the future the six-year-old Warmblood gelding will move up through the jumper ranks. "Rigoletto is a sale horse but we are really pleased with him," she said, adding that they will remain at WEF for two more weeks before heading back to Pennsylvania for the summer.

Stedding praised The Sanctuary for sponsoring the division and said she is a big believer in sponsorship. "I think it is really wonderful when a division is sponsored and I want to thank The Sanctuary," she said.

Brenda McDuffee, General Manager of The Sanctuary congratulated Stedding on Rigoletto's win in the Sanctuary sponsored division. "We are always excited to hear about a horse that is new to the show world, especially when they start winning right away," McDuffee said.

The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center is a multi-million dollar facility dedicated to the healing, conditioning and well being of all equine athletes. "The Sanctuary features some of the most advanced conditioning and rehab equipment in the world," McDuffee said. "Jumpers such as Rigoletto compete in a very physically demanding sport which means they often need extra attention to keep them competing at their peak."

The Sanctuary's advanced conditioning and rehab equipment helps equine athletes in all disciplines stay fit, avoid injury, and recover faster and more completely from injuries they might experience when competing in intense and physically demanding sports. The Sanctuary is home to an Equine Hyperbaric Chamber with box stall type freedom of movement, as well as an Aqua Pacer Water Treadmill, the safest, most effective water treadmill available.

The Sanctuary also features: a Cold Saltwater Leg Spa featuring 34 degree, highly salinated water for all types of leg therapy; an Equine Swimming Pool - a 110 foot long, 14 foot deep inline pool with therapeutic water; a 5/8 mile race track; two Eurocisers with therapeutic tracking surface - one under cover and one outdoors; Solariums; Temperature-controlled veterinary inspection area with semi-surgical lighting, and rubberized surfaces in most areas.

For more information on The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center, visit their website at www.sanctuaryequinerehab.com.