March 26, 2005 – Wellington, Florida – Yvonne Losos de Muñiz of the Dominican Republic officially retired her 2003 Pan Am Bronze Medal partner, Inatana Las Marismas, in a special ceremony held during the CDI3* Zada Enterprises, LLC, Winter Equestrian Festival Dressage Classic, March 16-20, in Wellington, FL.

The pair ended their competitive career together on a high note, placing second in both the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire Freestyle. In the opening Prix St. Georges test, Losos de Muñiz and Inatana Las Marismas, a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Latano, earned a score of 70.25% to place second and returned to the ring on Saturday to finish fourth in the Intermediaire I with a score of 70.10%. In their final class together, the Intermediaire Freestyle where riders choreograph required movements to the music of their choice, the pair posted a score of 72.75% to end their competitive career at the top of their game. In a special retirement ceremony, Losos de Muñiz was presented with an original portrait by Terri Miller of herself and the mare.

Purchased in 2001 from Henk and Iris Poettgens of Hof Olympia who had owned Inatana Las Marismas since she was a young filly, the mare quickly formed a strong partnership with her new rider. In 2002, Losos de Muñiz and Inatana Las Marismas were members of the Bronze Medal Team at the inaugural 2002 FEI Championship of the Americas held in Blainville, QC, and also claimed Team Bronze and Individual Gold Medals at the 2002 Central American Games. The following year, they overcame adversity to claim the Individual Bronze Medal in Losos de Muñiz’s hometown of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, during the 2003 Pan American Games, also leading the Dominican Team to a credible fourth place finish. The 2004 season saw the pair contest several European competitions, including the Spanish Sunshine Tour where Losos de Muñiz was named the Leading Rider. In their time together, the pair scored more than 30 victories in FEI sanctioned competition.

Losos de Muñiz will now retire Inatana Las Marismas at the estate of Mr. Berend Minnen in the Netherlands where she will be bred. Previous offspring from Inatana Las Marismas, who herself was named European Champion as a foal, have distinguished themselves as Benelux and European Championship foals as well, and have also fetched top prices at auction.

“Inatana was the horse that led me onto the international scene,” recalled Losos de Muñiz, 36, who divides her time between training and competing in the Dominican Republic, North America and Europe. “She has continuously been a top contender, and has always been there for me with her steadiness and brilliance. Recently, however, I think she has been feeling her age and now deserves a definite break, which we will give her in the very best way we can - we at least owe her that much. Although it will be difficult, I hope I have the opportunity to find another horse like her some day. My dream is to enter the international ring with one of her descendants one day, making a lot of people who have been involved with the mare extremely happy and proud.”

Many people have been involved in supporting their pair’s outstanding career including her trainers, Jeff Ashton Moore, Diederik Wigmans, and Harry Boldt; veterinarians Dr. Jack Snyder and the late Dr. Chris Buckowieki; long-time farrier TJ Jones; groom Jose Morales; and sponsors Karl Niedersuss and Best Fit Saddle Service.

Following the retirement of Inatana Las Marismas, Losos de Muñiz will be concentrating on the development of the newly-acquired Bernstein DVH 696, a nine-year-old chestnut Hannoverian stallion by the Trakehner sire, Banditentraum, who won the Intermediaire I in his first outing with Losos de Muñiz. Ambassador, a chestnut Westphalian gelding by Abanos, and Dondolo, a chestnut Danish Warmblood gelding by Blue Hors Don Schufro, recently made successful debuts in the FEI Five-Year-Old Division. Losos de Muñiz also has two yearling foals from Inatana Las Marismas daughter and granddaughter that she hopes will, one day, continue the mare’s legacy in the international dressage arena.

A dual citizen of Canada and the Dominican Republic, Losos de Muñiz and her husband, Eduardo Muñiz, operate the equestrian facility, Las Marismas, which specializes in breeding Andalusians and Dutch horses with branches in Canada and the Dominican Republic. For more information, please visit www.lasmarismas.com.