Marco Bernal's Maybach Wins Best Conditioned Horse In CDI Jog Sponsored by The Sanctuary at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby

Maybach, a Westphalian stallion owned by Colombian dressage rider Marco Bernal, won the Best Conditioned Horse at the 2010 Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI jog. The jog was sponsored by The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center, a world-class facility in Ocala dedicated to helping horses that compete in physically demanding sports. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

West Palm Beach, FL (March 12,2010) - Colombian dressage rider Marco Bernal is well known for the three gorgeous stallions he owns and competes Ð Halbgott, Maybach and Farewell IV. All three stallions competed at the 2010 Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI, and Maybach, Bernal's handsome Westphalian stallion, took home the Best Conditioned Horse award during the CDI jog, sponsored by The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center in Ocala.

"Maybach is an absolutely gorgeous horse and his shiny coat and excellent condition prove that he is not only in fantastic shape, but quite loved as well," said Brenda McDuffee, General Manager of The Sanctuary. "Everyone at the Sanctuary congratulates Marco on winning the jog and we look forward to working with Marco and his stallions. Marco's reputation as a top-notch horseman, as well as an accomplished rider, is very well-known."

Bernal, who owns and operates Marco Bernal International Dressage in Wellington, was thrilled that Maybach won the CDI jog. “He is a beautiful horse and his groom that takes care of him really cares about him and it shows,” Bernal said.

Success is not new to Bernal and Maybach, as the pair earned the highest score at the National Horse Show in 2005 with a score of 78.462%. Bernal said he didn't set out to own a barn full of stallions, but when a friend in Germany sent him a video of Maybach, he knew he wanted the black stallion with the exceptional disposition. "I didn't have the money to buy Maybach at the time, but I asked my friend to save him for me," Bernal said. "Eventually, someone else bought Maybach for me to show and later I was able to buy him from them. So at the end of the day it is a very happy ending."

Bernal thanked The Sanctuary for sponsoring the CDI jog and awarding him with a $250 gift certificate to the facility. "I am looking forward to meeting the staff at The Sanctuary and finding out how they can help me improve the conditioning of all of my horses," Bernal said.

The Sanctuary features some of the most advanced conditioning and rehab equipment in the world. "Our equipment at The Sanctuary 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," McDuffee said. "We have a variety of equipment dedicated to improving the conditioning of top performance horses.

To see a complete list of The Sanctuary's state-of-the-art equipment, visit their website at www.sanctuaryequinerehab.com.