Frederik The Great, a purebred Friesian stallion from Siloam Springs, will be a featured performer at the 2016 Rolex Central Park Horse Show in New York, N.Y., on Friday and Saturday night, alongside Rio Olympic medalists.
Frederik, owned by Stacy Nazario, became an internet sensation after the British newspaper Daily Mail proclaimed him "the world's most handsome horse," in a May 23 article. The story went viral and was picked up by thousands of media outlets, from Chili to China, according to Nazario.
Over the summer, Frederik appeared on CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, The New York Times, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the Late, Late Show with James Corden, The Weather Channel and People Magazine, to name a few. Frederik's Youtube channel has also garnered more than 14 million views thanks to the international attention.
"Frederik has taken the world by storm and helped to shine an international spotlight on the equestrian world, allowing an unprecedented audience to appreciate these Friesian horses," says Mark Bellissimo, CEO of International Equestrian Group, and Founder of Rolex Central Park Horse Show. "The Rolex Central Park Horse Show will bring Frederik to New York City to provide a special opportunity to showcase his majesty and beauty, giving New Yorkers and visitors from all over the globe a first-hand experience of this special horse."
Rolex Central Park Horse Show, launched in September 2014, is the first-ever outdoor, multi-day equestrian sporting event in New York City, according to a press release. This year's event, which will be held at Wollman Rink from Sept. 21 through 25, will showcase some of the best show jumpers and dressage riders in the world, the release states. The five day show will include multiple disciplines of equestrian sport competition and performances, ranging from Arabians and Dressage to Hunters and Show Jumping.
"Frederik not only captivates his audience with his breathtaking beauty, but also loves to light up a crowd with his outgoing and charismatic personality," said Nazario. "We're thrilled to be a part of Rolex Central Park Horse Show in New York City's iconic Wollman Rink."
Other featured performers at the event include the 2016 Olympic Bronze Medal U.S. Dressage Team and the 2016 Olympic Dressage Gold Medalist Charlotte Dujardin, of Britain, and her horse Valegro, according to the event website, cphs.coth.com. Show Jumping 2016 Silver Medalists McClain Ward and Kent Farrington will also be competing in the show along with a long list of Olympians, FEI World Cup and World Equestrian Games competitors.
Frederik was born in the Netherlands, where the Friesian breed originated. Nazario imported the 15-year-old stallion to the United States nearly a decade ago, after an 18-month search. Frederick is a fourth-level dressage horse and has won many blue ribbons over the years. He was also named the official Black Stallion of both the International Horse Tales Literacy Project and the Arkansas Horse Tales Literacy Project, for his resemblance to the Black Stallion character in Walter Farley's famous series of books.
Frederik has become a great ambassador for his breed, which has almost gone extinct several times throughout history, Nazario said during an interview in June. The breed originated in Friesland, a province in the Netherlands, and the horses are known for their noble carriage, black coat and long thick manes and tails. They were highly prized as war horses during the Middle Ages, but nearly went extinct in the 1900's. Interest in the breed has been rekindled and currently there are about 25,000 Friesians worldwide, according to the Livestock Conservancy website, livestockconservancy.org.
Frederik has been approached to star in major feature films and will also appear in a ten part mini-series titled, "Frederick The Great Behind the Beauty," which will be released in spring 2017, as well as a documentary titled, "They have no voices," to be released in fall 2017, according to Nazario.
For more information about Frederik The Great, visit www.pinnaclefriesians.com. More information about the 2016 Rolex Central Park Horse Show is available at www.centralparkhorseshow.com.
General News on 09/21/2016