Ocala, FL (March 23, 2014) – From a record 11th national title for four-in-hand’s Chester Weber to two-time NFL Superbowl linebacker Max Montoya scoring a win in the Intermediate Pair Horse division, this year’s Live Oak International Combined Driving had it all.

Ocala, Florida, known as the ‘Horse Capital of the World’ saw hometown hero, Chester Weber drive Jane Clark’s KWPN geldings to an historic 11th FEI Four-in-Hand Horse USEF National Championship. “It was probably one of my best Cones ever,” said Weber, who was also presented with the Jean Keathley Memorial Award, sponsored by Michael Freund, for the FEI whip with the lowest (best) Dressage score. His final overall score after three days of combined driving competition was just 116.33 points.

Ocala, FL (March 22, 2014) – It only took 42.48 fault-free seconds for Ben Maher of Great Britain to prove why he is show jumping’s reigning Olympic Individual Gold medalist as he boldly negotiated Jane Clark’s Aristo Z over Leopoldo Palacio’s eight-fence jump-off and, in front of a full house of spectators at its John Deere stadium, clinched this year’s $50,000 CSI2*W at the 2014 Live Oak International in Ocala, FL.

“It was a fantastic ride,” said Maher, who no sooner completed his victory gallop than was boarding a plane for a second grand prix in south Florida that evening at FTI Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington.

Ocala, FL (March 22, 2014) – Ocala, Florida horseman Chester Weber makes it look so easy. The 10-time USEF Four-in-Hand National Champion and his KWPN team made one of the most challenging combined driving marathon courses in America look like a walk in the park, rounding the second of the championship’s three phases with an astonishing 81.31-point score overall and establishing a lead after Saturday morning’s competition that will be very tough to catch.

Weber’s command of his team was all the more appreciated after his closest challenger after dressage, Misdee Miller, of Sarasota, FL, struggled at the water hazard, costing she and her KWPN team both time and penalties. Miller’s 270.57-point score dropped her to third, making the likelihood of catching ‘Mr. Dressage’ in Sunday’s cones phase virtually impossible, while Canadian whip Darryl Billing brought his KWPN team up to second-place (153.23) and Casey Zubek, of Manhattan, IL and his Dutch Warmblood team dropped to the bottom of the Four-in-Hand standings after elimination at the second hazard.

Ocala, FL (March 21, 2014) It wasn’t just the Florida sunshine heating up the John Deere stadium at Live Oak International on Friday as the world’s best show jumping riders and horses faced off for the $5,000 Joan Pletcher Realty Speed Class and $10,000 Waldron Wealth Management Welcome Stake in Ocala.

Manuel Fernandez Hache of Miami, FL and riding for the Dominican Republic, rode his chestnut Hanoverian mare, Maribel H, to the first show jumping win of the week, dominating the jump-off round with a fault-free 35.31 seconds effort.

Ocala, FL (March 21, 2014) – Never has the drive to win been more evident than as the action continued on Friday at the Live Oak International, where equal parts elegance and power merged as some of the best whips in the world brought their A-game for the Yellowframe Farm Intermediate Driven Dressage.

Continuing to prove they are the drivers to beat in their Intermediate classes, Suzi Dixon of Vashon, WA and Ellen Epstein of Ocala, FL lead after Friday morning, creating Ocala’s own competitive heat wave.

Ocala, FL (March 20, 2014)- Live from the Live Oak International, tune your radio dial in to Friday and Saturday morning broadcasts bringing Ocala the most interesting characters and champions competing this weekend at Florida horse country’s most prestigious annual tradition.

Friday, March 21, WOCA Radio 96.3FM/1370AM will air “Horse Sense” presented by the Equine Alliance of Marion County live 9:30 a.m.to 11:00 a.m. with news talk show hosts Joe Martone and Crystal Fernung.

Ocala, FL (March 20, 2013)- The 2014 Live Oak International is underway, bringing the best competitors in show jumping and combined driving to Live Oak Plantation in Ocala, Florida. The prestigious competition, considered the premier combined driving event in North America, was favored with flawless weather and a strong showing of appreciative spectators as the equestrian extravaganza began.

Wednesday opened with FEI Horse Inspections for the Combined Driving Event (CDE) whose modern roots trace to 1968 when Britain’s Prince Philip, then-president of the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), initiated the formulation of international rules for a sport performed by countless generations around the world.

Ocala, FL (March 13, 2014) – The ‘biggest’ TV commercial celebrities horse lovers have ever known – the world famous Budweiser Clydesdales – will make public guest appearances during the Live Oak International CDE/CSI2*W, March 19-23, at Live Oak Plantation, the 5,000-acre Ocala, Florida equestrian estate of Charlotte Weber and home of 10-time National Four-in-Hand Driving Champion Chester Weber.

Tri-Eagle Sales, the local Anheuser-Busch distributor, has arranged for the mighty feathered team to visit Ocala in conjunction with their sponsorship of Live Oak International.

Ocala, FL (March 7, 2014) – Never has an international-level equestrian competition in the Sunshine State offered so much for so many. The Live Oak International CAI/CSI-W 2*, March 19-23, at Live Oak Plantation, will provide spectators the chance to watch some of the sport’s most celebrated equestrian athletes. Top athletes entered to compete include 2012 British Olympic Team Gold Medalist Ben Maher, 2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist Cian O’Connor, Olympian McLain Ward, and 10-time National Four-in-Hand Champion Chester Weber.