Carl Hester, Ashley Holzer and P.J. Rizvi to Judge Tonight’s American Equestrians Got Talent Auditions
Wellington, FL – February 4, 2015 – The fifth round of auditions for American Equestrians Got Talent features a star-studded lineup of celebrity judges from the sport of dressage. Carl Hester, Ashley Holzer and P.J. Rizvi will be on hand at The Grille Fashion Cuisine from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. tonight to provide commentary as contestants give it their all.

Hester, team gold medalist for Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympic Games, was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his accomplishments representing his country on the world stage. He has earned numerous medals at the World Equestrian Games and European Championships and is the longtime coach and mentor of triple world record holder Charlotte Dujardin.
(Carl Hester on Nip Tuck at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Photos by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge.)
Holzer is a fixture of the Canadian dressage team and a four-time Olympian. She won team bronze at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea, as well as multiple Pan American Games medals. The highly regarded trainer and athlete is getting an inside view of Hollywood as her teenaged children, Emma and Harry, have embarked on successful acting careers. Holzer also publishes an equestrian news magazine, Today’s Equestrian.
Rizvi’s own Breaking Dawn was Holzer’s mount for the 2012 London Olympic Games. An avid dressage competitor who is easily spotted with her trademark big smile, Rizvi is now campaigning Breaking Dawn at Grand Prix and rode in the inaugural Central Park Dressage Challenge. Breaking Dawn is named after one of the Twilight movies in a nod to Rizvi’s husband Suhail’s investments in Summit Entertainment, the film studio that produced the Twilight Saga.
         
                                     (Ki-Juan Minors is among the contestants who have earned a place in the March 15 AEGT final)

The judges’ main role in AEGT auditions is to comment on each performance, leaving the audience to determine the evening’s winner through their applause. But the panel may have to step in to break a tie if it is too close to call.

Thus far, the March 15 AEGT final is dominated by singers, as Ayden Uhlir, Ki-Juan Minors, Teaghan James and Taylor Hughes have all earned their tickets to compete. That may change this week as dancers and even a fire baton twirler take the stage. Each of the competitors in tonight’s auditions will be vying for the $500 PSdressage.com-sponsored prize as well as a place in the final, where a $5,000 grand prize sponsored by Robert Ross, P.A., Luxury Equestrian Realtor for Keller Williams, is up for grabs.
(Ashley Holzer on Tiva Nana)
Auditions are held Wednesdays every week through March 4. Sign up to audition by contacting Robert Dover (Rdover2@aol.com).
Several sponsors, led by Robert Ross, Kim and Fred Boyer, Equestrian Sport Productions, Tuny and David Page, and PSdressage.com, are supporting this exciting event. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact Sara Ike (908-234-1251 or sara.ike@uset.org) or Robert Dover (Rdover2@aol.com).
American Equestrians Got Talent Fast Facts
Spearheaded by U.S. Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover, American Equestrians Got Talent is the third annual East Coast fundraiser to benefit USEF High Performance Dressage programs through the USET Foundation.
Contestants audition to earn their place in the season finale. Celebrity judges will be on hand at each audition to critique the performances, and the audience’s applause will determine who moves forward to the finale and who goes back to the barn.

Auditions

 

When: 7:30-10:00 p.m. every Wednesday evening from Jan. 7 through March 4, 2015

( P.J. Rizvi on Breaking Dawn)

 Where: The Grille Fashion Cuisine, 12300 South Shore Blvd., Wellington, Florida

Prize: PSdressage.com is sponsoring prizes of $500 to be awarded to the top performer at each audition.

 

Participants: Auditions are open to the entire equestrian community, including riders, grooms and others involved in any discipline from dressage and hunter/jumpers to polo and Western. Please sign up in advance by contacting Robert Dover (Rdover2@aol.com). Walk-ins accepted if space is available.

Season Finale

When: March 15, 2015

Where: The Stadium at PBIEC (Global Dressage Festival show grounds), 13500 South Shore Blvd., Wellington, Florida

Prize: The winner, who will be named America’s Most Talented Equestrian, will receive a grand prize of $5,000 sponsored by Robert Ross, P.A., Luxury Equestrian Realtor for Keller Williams.

 

Press Release Courtesy of Phelps Media Group