West Palm Beach, FL – Dressage riders Chris Hickey and Jessica Jo Tate rode out of the winner’s circle at the recent Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge II show with beautiful embroidered coolers, thanks to a sponsorship by The Oaks of Lake City Equestrian Center. Hickey won the FEI Test for 5 year olds while Tate captured the blue in the Fourth Level Test 3 class.

Hickey rode five-year-old Zonnerhall, owned by Ce Ce Sutton of South Carolina, to rave reviews from the judges. “The horse is incredibly impressive gave him a 7.5 on walk, 7.4 on trot and 7.0 on canter,” a judge commented.

Hickey was pleased with Zonnerhall’s ride, which was the Dutch Warmblood’s first show in Florida. “He has a nice gas pedal and he goes forward on his own,” Hickey said.

Hickey, who is an accomplished rider and coach, is the Director of Training at Hilltop Farm in Maryland. In addition to showing, training and guiding his students, he has developed a DVD series with Betsy Berrey called “The Winning Edge.”

Tate, who is from Wisconsin but spends her winters in Florida, was also pleased with her win. She rode Sacramento, a 10-year-old Dutch gelding owned by Katie Foster. “He’s such a wonderful horse. We won at the Derby too, I am so pleased with him,” Tate said, adding that Foster was one of the top junior riders in the United States last year and is getting ready to move up to the Young Riders. A talented Grand Prix rider, Tate is also a sought-after clinician and teacher.

“I want to thank the Oaks of Lake City for the beautiful coolers and for sponsoring the classes at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge II show,” Tate said.

The Oaks of Lake City, a residential community in Northern Florida designed to enhance the equestrian lifestyle of riders of all disciplines, was pleased to honor Hickey and Tate for their wins. The community, home to The Oaks Equestrian Center and the inaugural O’Connor Signature equestrian facility, is committed to supporting the equestrian community through sponsorships and clinics.

Olympians Karen and David O’Connor, in conjunction with Equestrian Services, LLC, have designed and put their stamp on the community, whose standards reflect their commitment to an equestrian facility designed to offer residents the finest in equestrian lifestyles. For more information visit their website at www.theoakslakecity.com