Wellington, FL (December 30, 2009) – International dressage rider Marco Bernal is the new Café de Colombia image for the dressage world. Bernal, a Colombian rider who says he can’t function until he’s had a cup of coffee every morning, is being sponsored by the National Colombian Coffee Federation, a federation well known for supplying coffee beans to many prominent coffee brands around the world.

“It’s a wonderful feeling being part of something that has such a great product,” Bernal said. “I start every day with a cup of Colombian coffee, and have for my whole life. I can’t function without my coffee in the morning.”

Bernal, who owns and operates Marco Bernal International Dressage in Wellington, grew up in Colombia where he learned to ride on his father’s farm. He was the first Latin American to graduate from the prestigious German riding school Warendorf, and has since gone on to make a name for himself as a top dressage rider, including winning a silver medal at the 1999 Pan Am Games and competing in the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup in Las Vegas.

Bernal will compete three of his horse’s under the National Colombian Coffee Federation sponsorship: Halbgott, a Trakehner stallion who qualified for the 2007 Pan Am Games; Farewell IV, a Westphalian stallion who earned the world record at WEF in 2005 with a score of 85.385%; and Maybach, a Westphalian stallion who earned the highest score at the National Horse Show in 2004.

“It is very exciting to have a national and well known brand as a sponsor,” Bernal said. “Since I am a life-long lover of coffee, it is a perfect fit.”  Bernal also added, “The National Colombian Coffee Federation is dedicated to making a superior cup of 100% Colombian Coffee.  The Federation guarantees to contain only the ‘richest coffee in the world’®.”

For more information on Bernal or his Marco Bernal International Dressage farm in Wellington, visit his website at www.marcobernaldressage.com. For more information on the National Federation of Colombian Coffee, visit their website at www.cafedecolumbia.com.