Russian dressage rider Diana Zakharova didn’t need eight tiny reindeer to rise to the Wellington Classic Dressage Global Holiday Challenge, held Dec. 8-9. All she needed was the radiant good health and rippling muscles of her 16.1-hand bay FEI dressage partner, Toress, to win the TheraPlate Peak Performance Award.
“He looks like a stallion now. He’s grown so much muscle,” Zakharova laughed, crediting the last six months of schooling and a dedicated gymnastics system that has helped develop the horse’s suppleness and strength going into the new Florida season.
“They really earned that award,” said trainer Nicholas Fyffe. “Diana is an experienced FEI competitor and really getting back into shape since having a baby. I’m really excited to see her, and her horse, improving so quickly.”
Zakharova and Toress finished fourth in their FEI Intermediate I test in the adult amateur division and are readying for the international dressage season about to start.
“It feels like I just arrived, but I came from Russia six months ago and time has flown since we started training and competing here,” she said. “Our focus now is to prepare for the CDIs, and I can’t wait to see Toress try the TheraPlate and continue to get stronger and more supple.”
As part of the TheraPlate Peak Performance Award, Zakharova and Toress won a three-week trial use of a TheraPlate Revolution Therapy Plate to experience firsthand the benefits of its low-intensity dynamic movement to increase circulation and muscle response. For more information, visit www.theraplate.com.
