17 december 2008
Driver Chester Weber Named 2008 Equestrian Of Honor
Ocala, FL – Combined Driver Chester Weber has joined an elite group of equestrians who have been named the best of the best by the United States Equestrian Federation. Weber has been named a 2008 Equestrian of Honor by the USEF. Weber isn’t the only one on Team Weber to earn such a prestigious recognition, as his Combined Driving horse Jamaica has been named a 2008 Horse of Honor. Weber, Jamaica and the rest of his team dominated the field of Combined Driving during 2008 and a nomination in each USEF category is a fitting end to a stellar year.
While Weber’s horse Jamaica has made headlines with his rags-to-riches story of being rescued from a slaughterhouse and sold to a tourist carriage business, it is easy to see that Weber is the man behind the horse. Weber trained Jamaica to his current position as a world-class horse on his four-in-hand team, a team that has won the U. S. National Four-in-Hand Championship title six years in a row.
Chester Weber, a 2008 USEF Equestrian of Honor, spends a fun moment with his famous combined driving horse Jamaica, who was named a 2008 Horse of Honor by the USEF. (Photo courtesy of Warmbloods Today magazine.)
As a 2008 Equestrian of Honor, Weber was awarded the Becky Grand Hart Trophy from the USEF. Weber not only competes at the top of the driving world, but he is an avid promoter of the sport, an educator, a selfless volunteer and a valued colleague. In addition to his outstanding competition accomplishments, Weber is active on several USEF committees and is a prime mover in the organization of three combined driving events, including the top rated CAI-A Live Oak International.
The true test of Weber’s character came in 2008 when his friend, eventer Darren Chiacchia, was injured in a disastrous fall which left him incapacitated and in the hospital in critical condition. In the midst of preparing for the National Championships, Chester acted as CEO of Darren’s business, managing Darren’s farm and overseeing the staff, horse sales and lessons. This selfless act proved that Chester is not only a true champion, but also a man to be counted on.
Weber experienced a banner year in 2008, becoming the first American to win an individual medal at the Four-In-Hand World Championships in The Netherlands. His list of accomplishments throughout the years is long, including competing in the World Equestrian Games and the World Championships.
To vote for Weber, an exemplary equestrian, visit the USEF website and cast your vote for Weber for Equestrian of the Year. You can also vote for his remarkable horse Jamaica and help Team Weber drive into 2009 with a few more prestigious, and well-earned, titles to their names. Vote at www.usef.org.
Weber is one of only seven honorees selected as a 2008 Equestrian of Honor. All of the honorees will be recognized at the Annual Pegasus Awards Dinner at the USEF Annual Meeting in Cincinnati in January, and one of the seven will walk away with the USEF’s most prestigious title, the 2008 USEF Equestrian of the Year. Jamaica is one of five horses named as this year’s Horse of Honor, and is in the running for Horse of the Year title.
