Canadian Olympian David Marcus to Compete at Central Park Horse Show


David Marcus and Don Kontes will be stepping into the limelight at the 2014 Central Park Horse Show Presented by Rolex. Photo by Sue Stickle

August 22, 2014 – New York, NY – Canadian Olympian David Marcus of Campbellville, ON, will be among the world's best riding at the 2014 Central Park Horse Show, presented by Rolex, to be held in the heart of New York City from September 18 to 21.

As part of the Central Park Horse Show, presented by Rolex, the Central Park Dressage Challenge, presented by The Axel Johnson Group, will see 13 Olympic-caliber dressage athletes facing off on the transformed Trump Rink in Central Park on Saturday night, September 20. Among those scheduled to compete are five-time Olympic gold medalist Isabell Werth of Germany and reigning World Equestrian Games team gold medalist Hans Peter Minderhoud of The Netherlands.

David Marcus, a 2012 Olympic Games veteran and a member of the Canadian Dressage Team for next week's Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, has also received an invitation to compete.

"I am extremely honoured to have been asked to participate in the Central Park Horse Show in New York City," says Marcus, 33. "I believe events such as this one are integral to the future of our sport, and it's not often that we get to showcase dressage to a new and different audience."

In the enviable position of having two top grand prix mounts, Marcus has elected to ride Don Kontes, a 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Deborah Kinzinger, in the inaugural event. His other mount, Chrevi's Capital, also owned by Kinzinger, will be enjoying a rest following the World Equestrian Games.

"I am looking forward to bringing Don Kontes out for this show," said Marcus. "He deserves a bit of the limelight now!"

Marcus made his grand prix debut at the beginning of 2012 and, six short months later, was competing at the 2012 London Olympic Games. In 2013, he topped the North American World Cup League to qualify for the annual World Cup Final. In June, Marcus won the Grand Prix at CDI-W CornerStone Spring Into Dressage, the official test event for the 2015 Pan American Games, before being named to the Canadian Dressage Team for the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Marcus operates David Marcus Dressage, a full-service dressage training facility located one hour west of Toronto. For more information on David Marcus, please visit www.davidmarcusdressage.com.