Japan & South Africa To Contest for Olympic Team Spot at Special Qualifying Event

Dong Seon Kim to ride Bukowski for Korea in the Olympic qualifying event at Perl, Germany. © SusanJStickle.com

Aug. 31, 2015

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

Japan and South Africa will battle for a team start at the 2016 Olympics Games in a special qualifying event at the Gestüt Peterhof Dressur Gala in Perl, Germany next week to join the nine nations that have so far earned a ticket for Rio de Janeiro.

South Africa will be seeking its first ever Olympic team spot while success in going into the lineup would be the third appearance at a Games for Japan in 104 years of dressage competition at the pinnacle of global sports.

Two individual slots–one group covering Africa and the Middle East and the other for Southeast Asia/Oceania as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekista–are also up for grabs.

The competition was set up specially to provide opportunities for countries that did not qualify at the World Equestrian Games, the Pan American Games or the European Championships.

Entries for the two teams vying to win an Olympic start at Perl are:

Japan
Shingo Hayashi on Ramses der II, 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding competed in Tokyo and Germany this year
Akane Kuroki on Don Luka, 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding competed by the rider in Spain and France since March this year.
Kazuki Sado on Ziroco, 11-year-old KWPN gelding that the rider began competing this year with shows in Europe over the past three months
Masanao Takahashi on Fabriano, 16-year-old Westfalen stallion that Austria’s Renate Voglsang rode for Austria at the 2012 Olympics, 2014 World Games and and 2011 and 2013 European Championships. The Japanese partnership competed in three shows in Germany this summer.

South Africa
Katherine Berning on Brisbane, 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding, originally competed at Grand Prix by Great Britain’s Emma Hindle in 2011 then Sweden’s Mattias Jansson for the next two years before Katherine began competing at CDI this year with a victory in the consolation Grand Prix at Darmstadt, Germany in August
Denise Hallion on Wervelwind, 12-year-old Belgian-bred gelding by Painted Black was competed internationally at small tour in 2012 then began Grand Prix in 2013, including the World Games in 2014.
Tanya Seymour on Ramoneur 6, 13-year-old Oldenburg stallion. Tanya began competing Ramoneur at Grand Prix in March, 2013 and was on the South African team at the 2014 World Games
Nicole Smith on Victoria, 17-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare that Nicole began Grand Prix in 2011 and was the highest placed combination on the South African team at 2014 World Games.

Germany, Netherlands, Great Britain, Sweden, Spain, France, Australia, the United States as well as host nation Brazil already have slots to start at Rio, as do individuals from Canada and Mexico.

The format for Rio provides for a total of 60 dressage combinations, made up of at least 10 teams each with up to four horses and riders and the rest individuals. If a nation qualifies three individuals they can form a so-called “composite” team.

This qualifying event provides a second team from a region that had already been guaranteed an Olympic Nations Cup start through an allocation at the World Games last year that was won by Australia that placed 10th, behind Canada in ninth. The qualifying format providing for only a single Olympic team slot for the Americas in addition to the standard host nation was sharply denounced by Canada.

Individual qualifying combinations include:

Indonesia-Larasati I R Gading on Diamand Boy 8, 14-year-old Rhinelander gelding competed at 2014 Asian Games at small tour

India-Jitendarjit Singh Ahluwalia on Denightron, nine-year-old Danish Warmblood
India-Shruti Vora on Akira, 13-year-old Danish Warmblood mare competed at 2014 Asian Games at small tour

Iran-Litta Soheila Sohi on Bayford Hall Dallaglio, 15-year-old Westfalen stallion competed for five years by Great Britain’s Daniel Sherriff. Litta competed the horse at Hickstead this year

Kazakhstan-Janette Bouman on V.Power, 13-year-old KWPN gelding that first competed at Grand Prix in 2012, was ridden at the 2014 World Games then dropped back to small tour to compete at the Asian Games a month later

Korea-Dongseon Kim on Bukowski, 16-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding. Denmark’s Anders Dahl competed the horse at Grand Prix 2008-2012 with half dozen victories at CDIs in Europe. Sold to the Korean based in the United States in 2012 and since then has competed on both sides of the Atlantic including as an individual at the 2014 World Games.

Morocco-JILAOUI, Ismail Jilaoui on What A Feeling, 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding competed at small tour throughout 2014 and moved to Big Tour this year
Morocco-Fouad Zafat on Nintendo, 18-year-old German-bred gelding competed once at Grand Prix at Verden, Germany this year

Philippines-Anne Rita Bertschy on Ventoux, 13-year-old KWPN gelding, competed through Medium Tour by Spain’s Jordi Domingo Coll. Rider competed on Tension in 2010 European Young Rider Championships for Switzerland
Philippines-Ellesse Tzinberg Pavarotti 85, 16-year-old KWPN gelding competed in Under-25 Grand Prix in August after Germany’s Victoria Michalke competed horse at Grand Prix from 2011 through 2013.

Palestine-Christian Zimmerman on Cinco de Mayo, 16-year-old American-bred Holsteiner gelding competed at Grand Prix for past 4 1/2 years including at 2014 World Games; and Roble, 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding competed at small tour in 2012-2013 then brought out at Medium Tour at Barcelona in March for only CDI of year. German rider switched to Palestine in 2013

Singapore-Caroline Chew on Dr Doolittle 45, 16-year-old Hanoverian stallion, sole CDI competition for pair was Nations Cup at Hickstead, England in July

Chinese Taipei-Vivian Chang on Topolino, 15-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding competed at Grand Prix in 2013 and 2014 by Great Britain’s Emile Faurie; Vivian began competing horse at Grand Prix this summer
Chinese Taipei-Louisa Yeh on Pari Lani, 15-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding that Belgium’s Wim Verwimp competed Grand Prix for three years. Jorinde Verwimp competed the horse in the Under-25 division earlier this year

Correction: An earlier version incorrectly stated that Japan and South Korea would battle for Olympic team slots. The two nations are are Japan and South Africa (not South Korea).

Lyndal Oatley to Battle the Odds Campaigning for World Cup Start

Lyndal Oatley on Sandro Boy competing in Europe this summer. © 2015 Kim C. Lundin

Aug. 29, 2015

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

With Sandro Boy back near top form, Australia’s Lyndal Oatley plans to campaign for a start in the World Cup Final despite the rules and format of the only annual global individual championship stacking the odds against the Olympic and World Games pair.

The Germany-based Lyndal and the 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Sandro Hit x Argentinus) have competed only lightly since the World Games a year ago where she was on the team that qualified Australia for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

The 35-year-old Lyndal, married to Swedish Olympian Patrik Kittel, is also working with Kyra Kyrklund, one of the world’s leading trainers and coach of the Swedish team, as she starts the buildup to the World Cup season followed by the Rio Games next summer.

The duo capped the three competitions so far this year with a Grand Prix Freestyle result of 75.450 per cent at Falsterbo, Sweden in July, the highest score for an Australian combination outside their homeland and exceeded only by 75.950 per cent that team mate Mary Hanna on Umbro posted at a CDI Down Under. And it was 0.750 per cent off the personal best of 76.525 per cent for Lyndal and Sandro Boy in 2012 that, a review of available records shows, was the second highest ever for an Australian combination to 77.650 per cent logged by Kristy Oatley, her cousin and also based in Germany, on the Olympic team stallion Quando-Quando in 2008.

Lyndal, who rode Potifar on the Australian team at the World Games in 2010 then on Sandro Boy at the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 world championships, has not competed at a World Cup Final that in 2016 will be staged in Gothenberg, Sweden.

Lyndal is also developing the seven-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare, Diva, that she brought out at international small tour this year.

In shows at Hagen, Germany and Compiègne, France in the summer, the pair scored a high of 70.342 per cent for fourth place in a starting lineup of 33 combinations from 12 countries.

Like Sandro Boy, Diva that Lyndal began riding two years ago is owned by her parents.

Diva being competed by Lyndal Oatley. © 2015 Kim C. Lundin

She’s not put off by the odds against earning a World Cup Final start.

“We’ll give it our best shot and see what happens,” she told dressage-news.com.

Under current World Cup rules, initially written with the creation of the European indoor winter circuit, the odds are stacked most against Australians based outside their homeland, especially in the intensely competitive Western European League (WEL). The rules specify that riders not representing WEL countries can participate as “extra invited athletes but cannot take starting places from WEL athletes…”

Australians based outside their homeland face an extra hurdle.

The Pacific League is the only one of the four leagues–the others being WEL, Central Europe and North America–that decides the region’s sole World Cup representative by a league final held in Australia, irrespective of the results of Australian combinations elsewhere in the world even if markedly better.

Mary Hanna on Umbro and Heath Ryan on Regardez Moi placed first and second, respectively, in the 2015 league final but both opted not to go to Las Vegas for the Final. Australia has been represented in the World Cup Final only every other year in the past four years.

Florida-Based Aussie Dressage Rider Ilse Schwarz Gets Help from THE George Morris

Ilse Schwarz, an Australian dressage rider married to the editor of dressage-news.com and based in Wellington, Florida, was given some private lessons by George Morris–yes, George Morris THE legend. Ilse reported her experiences in three articles for The Horse Magazine, an Australian national publication. Dressage-news.com is posting the articles. Part 1.

By ILSE SCHWARZ

WELLINGTON, Florida, Aug. 27, 2015–It was just another afternoon of Grand Prix dressage competition toward the end of January at the Global Dressage Festival. Twelve weeks of equestrian insanity that encompasses seven CDIs and 12 national shows at the one facility in Wellington, Florida. It just so happens that George Morris was present and was watching the Grand Prix. He made the comment, “so many riders don’t know how to train changes,” followed by “it is the same in showjumping.” The person he was sitting with then asked why he doesn’t teach more dressage riders. His answer: “they never ask me.” My husband just happened to be walking past and overheard. He asked, “would you like to teach my wife?” Hence, I found myself scheduled for a lesson with THE George Morris.

Yes, I am an FEI dressage trainer/competitor. Yes, my mare Sauvignon (Savi) is a highly temperamental and extraordinarily special mare (Sandro hit x De Niro x Landadel…the bloodlines say it all) very successful at small tour and now schooling the Grand Prix.

What did we work on? Tempi changes of course, mostly twos and ones…Savi finds them challenging.

There is a reason this man is a legend.

It was wonderful. As Savi worked on throwing her legs everywhere (one of her special skills) and threatened to do her usual “total-lose-it, bound around like a kangaroo on drugs” routine, George kept calmly instructing through his megaphone. Since she couldn’t sway him, I guess she decided she may as well capitulate and just do the bloody changes….into a contact… straight.

The obvious question is, “What did George say that was different from all the other trainers I have worked with?” Essentially he simplified everything and we literally ONLY worked on changes for the whole lesson.

There were no gimmicks or complicated exercises. There were some very useful gymnastics and, to quote George, it was simply “old fashioned” riding.

The lesson started with inclement weather. I was wondering if he would cancel, there was a little thunder and steady but light rain. I had Savi plaited and shining. My tack had received an extra clean, I had removed my politely “blingy” browband and my boots received an extra coat of polish. I had changed into George-worthy clothes, collared shirt and color-coordinated plain colored britches. I believe everyone who rides has at least read some of George’s scathing comments when people arrive at lessons tardy and scruffy. That was not going to be me. He showed up early, as I was redoing one of the braids that Savi had somehow managed to rub out.

Ilse Schwarz on Sauvignon being coached by George Morris. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

There was no comment on the weather so I jumped on and started riding. “Do exactly what you would normally do” were my instructions through his megaphone. Anyone who knows my mare would fall over laughing at these instructions. What he should have asked was, “lets see what Savi wants to do today”. George Morris had never met my mare, so I was determined to not let him know that in the first 10 minutes of work she totally controls me. I also should mention that she is extraordinarily girthy, so my saddle stays on purely through balance for that first 10 minutes. I walked, did some leg yields, took a deep breath and put her into canter, always my desired warm up. With the thunder and stormy weather, Savi thought I may be asking a little too much too quickly and threatened to bronc several times before I decided to put her into a trot. More leg yields and then she finally felt I could halt and tighten my girth about six holes or so.

I trotted a little more, a bit of passage and piaffe (wish I could say I asked for that piaffe, but I think Savi was trying to show off). George then asked me to walk. OK, the lesson was starting. “On the diagonal and a volte.” This I could do. “Counter flex her and ride haunches out.” “Stay on the volte, now change rein and repeat, make a volte to the right with the hauches out and flexion to the left.” Then we repeat to the left. “Position her to the right–shoulder to the right and haunch to the left.” We do this back and forth a few times with George insisting that I almost fix my inside leg to the girth through the volte and into the change of direction, that is, the left leg in the counter bent volte to the right. Savi goes against my hand a little as I persistently press the issue of acceptance of the inside leg. As she tries to go above the bit George instructs, “take your hands higher, take the contact. When she goes against the contact raise your hands a little bit and close your fingers so that she really accepts the contact.”

We established that she had to step into the new outside rein, then he asked me for a diagonal of four tempis. Nothing like stepping right into trouble I guess.

I canter and start a line of changes. “When you ask for the change, sit deep in the saddle, inside leg and outside rein, if she puts her head up, lift your hands higher.” Now I thought I stayed fairly well in my seat and was pretty certain that there was no chance I used the new inside rein at all in my changes. I also know that I could be tempted to twist my upper body in the right to left change, George saw that immediately. It also became clear that my idea of staying in the saddle wasn’t nearly deep enough to keep George happy. At the very hint of a croup high change the megaphone was insisting: “When she wants to go croup high in the canter, sit deep in the seat and lean back, when she wants to lift her head high, lift your hands higher.”

We completed several lines of competent four tempis, then three’s and finally we moved to the two’s. Ordinarily, I do minimal lines of changes on this mare. Enough to establish the count and then we finish. Multiple lines have a history of leading to chaos. My warm-ups have always been a fine line between schooling one line, or going into the test without having practiced more than a single change.

After several lines of chaotic two tempis I thought everything was rapidly “going south.” Savi lost the ability to count to two and here and there stuck her nose skywards with the intention of leaving the county. From the megaphone the calm but clearly audible instructions continued. “Lift your hands higher, her head will go down.” So, at what felt like warp speed, I did just that. Simultaneously turning her on a rather large circle whilst “keeping my seat in the saddle and leaning back.” Savi returned to earth and we continued as if our brief attempt to enter orbit hadn’t happened. “Shorten your reins, keep your hands in front of you, not that short, she must be able to use her neck.” Two tempis again. No left or right rein aids just leg, leg, leg… after the second attempt to leave earth, Savi gave in, took the most genuine contact and we had nine perfect two tempi’s.  Straight, into the contact, uphill. “Walk, give the horse a break.”

Having already shown successfully though Intermediare 1, a good line of two tempis was clearly in Savi’s skill set. However, I usually have to do way too much organizing and compromising to ensure a clean line. George had managed to talk Savi down from getting over- the-top “hot” and we actually avoided the wildly flailing legs that often accompany that tension.

Ilse Scwarz and Sauvignon. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

We then chat for a moment about what we just did.

“At the moment you have to lean very far back, I don’t like that but I have to do it until the horse accepts my seat and is not light in the croup because when the horse is light in the croup he is going backwards. Then for the change it is legs, exclusively legs. Don’t get to a place of pulling on the front.”

“That’s the show jumpers big mistake, they pull on one rein, they throw them sideways, they get light in the croup, they get late behind. The rider is too tempted to bend the neck, Ohhh that is the Kiss Of Death.”

“Inside leg on, that’s very important, outside leg behind but almost passive. Once the horse is well schooled in the use of the legs, the outside leg comes secondary.”  George continues, “I am very pleased with that feeling in the twos, now lets look at the one tempis”

At this stage it becomes apparent that Ken (my husband) may have exaggerated Sav’is skills in the one tempi’s. In fact, this is the movement that is preventing us from a start at Grand Prix. We can get four or five on some days but not even that number with any repeatability. It has me tremendously frustrated. Part of the problem is that she gets so excited that her legs get tangled. She leaps when things get complicated and I lose both the harmony and her brain. Having seen how George was totally non-reactive to her antics to this point, I start this part of the lesson with quiet optimism.

I explain this to George and I think he is almost more excited at helping a green problem horse than simply improving one that already has confirmed changes.

The instructions from George are to show him some one tempis. “Just three or five on the quarter line and then forwards.” George had again made the assumption that I actually had control over the start and finish of the ones on this mare. No worries, I soon set him straight on that one! George refused to engage with Savi’s antics and twisted legs and over-enthusiasm in counting. “Ride her forwards after she does three” (I wish!). George changes instructions slightly. “Release her, don’t push much, just let her go after the third or fifth.” This, surprisingly, works beautifully. Together, the three of us work on this theme. “We have to teach her right, left, right, left, right.” George remains patient as Savi starts to take over. “First you have to be confident and confirmed in right, left, right”

I have to halt as Savi’s brain explodes and she changes her legs in a manner that makes no sense to anyone, not even to her. George remains CALM. So do I. George re-iterates the plan. “Lean back, keep a very straight neck and just think of your legs. Very straight in front, no neck bending. When she is straight, just change your legs but DON’T think.”

HELP and UH OH

NOT thinking is historically a problem for me. Just ask Steffen Peters who also requested the same from me during several of our lessons. I blame my stupid PhD.

“You can’t think during one tempis.”

At this stage two things come to mind. The first being, when and where has George Morris been training horses to do one tempis? He is clearly confident that we are going to make this happen. The second is that I have never had a successful lesson with this mare where we only focused on changes. Most dressage trainers, myself included, tend to address other problems when the changes go haywire. The lessons which have continued with changes have ended with chaos followed by us going back to just single changes.

George has us go back to two’s. They are wonderful. Straight, on the aids and with a good contact. We do another line of one’s on the quarter line with the word leg, leg, leg coming through the megaphone with increasing excitement as Savi keeps changing in rhythm. We manage eight lovely one tempis and it is the end of today’s lesson.

George and I finish with an agreement to schedule another lesson. We both enjoyed ourselves tremendously and it was clearly successful.

Two weeks after this lesson, Sauvignon and I are almost considering a line of nine to twelve one tempis routine. We still have to do them on the long side or quarter line but I can actually start to think about dong the Grand Prix.

The next lesson is scheduled and I can’t wait.

Canadian Olympian David Marcus & Aussie Nicholas Fyffe Merge Businesses & Relocate to Wellington, Florida

David Marcus on Chrevi’s Capital in World Equestrian Games in Normandy. © 2014 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

WELLINGTON, Florida, Aug. 26, 2015–The American-born Canadian Olympian David Marcus and Australian dressage rider Nicholas Fyffe are merging their training businesses and relocating to Wellington, Florida full-time.

David, who rode on Canada’s team at the 2012 Olympics and 2014 World Games, is selling the 15-acre farm in Campbellville, Ontario that he bought seven years ago. The pair will be based at Arlene “Tuny” Page’s Stillpoint Farm where they have been based during winters.

“To be successful in our sport,” David said, “it is imperative to compete in Wellington during the winter months. For the past five years, we have spent time in Florida over the winter. This past winter, we were there for six months while our barn in Canada sat vacant. It has become obvious to us that this isn’t financially sustainable in the long-term.  For this reason, we have decided to base ourselves in Florida year round.”

Several Canadians and Australians are already part of a large community of American and international dressage riders based in Wellington year round, attracted by the three-month long Adequan Global Dressage Festival with its lineup of seven CDIs, an infrastructure supporting high performance equestrian sports and no state income tax for residents of Florida.

The pair will make the move at the end of September.

Dutch Photographer Leanjo de Koster’s “Wall of Shadows” Wins Aachen’s Silver Camera

Dinja van Liere – Duval’s Capri Sonne Jr Jumping Amsterdam 2015 © DigiShots

AACHEN, Germany, Aug. 24, 2015–Dutch photographer Leanjo de Koster’s photo “Wall of Shadpows” has won the Aachen Silver Camera for best international equestrian sport photo of 2014/15.

The award of €2,500 (US$2,900) for the photo of Dinja van Liere and Capri Sonne Jr. was made during the European Championships.

Second place and $1,000 went to the French photographer Christophe Bricot and the British photographer Peter Nixon was awarded €500 for third place.

The prizes were awarded by Hans Buschmann, Deputy Executive Director of the Rheinische Sparkassen & Giroverband Düsseldorf, and Hans Kauhsen, member of the Advisory Board of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein e. V.

A jury comprised Michael Strauch, photographer; Ludo Philippaerts multi-Olympic jumper rider for Belgium; Andreas Müller, Executive Director, Zeitungsverlag Aachen); Erich Timmermanns, director of Advertising & PR, Sparkasse Aachen and Frank Kemperman, chairman of the ALRV. Photographers from all over the world entered 114 photos for consideration.

Gallant Reflection Ridden by Lisa Wilcox to USA 6YO Championship, Chase Hickok & Sagacious Take Under-25, Emily Miles & Wakeup Developing GP

Lisa Wilcox on Gallant Reflection HU celebrating USA Six-Year-Old Championship. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

WAYNE, Illinois, Aug. 23, 2015–Olympian Lisa Wilcox rode Gallant Reflection HU to the United States Six Year Old Championship Sunday while Emily Miles who won the same division on Wakeup four years ago rode the American Warmblood stallion to victory in the Developing Grand Prix Championship .

Both horses were bred in America–Wakeup by Wagnis out of a Macho mare and Gallant Reflection, a Zweibrucker stallion by Galant du Serein out of a Rohdiamant mare.

Chase Hickok on Sagacious HF won the Under-25 championship.

The titles were the last awarded in the U.S. Young Horse Championship that was combined with Pony, Junior, Young Rider and Under-25 divisions of the Festival of Champions presented by the Dutta Corp., the American national championships. The Intermediate and Grand Prix divisions will be staged in Florida in December.

Lisa of Wellington, Florida and Gallant Reflection scored 82.000 in the final class Sunday and combined with the preliminary class gave the pair a championship total of 81.360.

Emily Miles of La Cygne, Kansas placed second on Floretienne on a championship score of 78.360 and Patricia Becker of Wadsworth, Illinois on Edward was third on 77.400.

Lisa Wilcox, who returned to the U.S. after a successful career in Europe that included riding on the U.S. silver medal team at the 2002 World Games and the bronze medal team in Athens in 2004, trained Gallant Reflection for the breeder, Horses Unlimited of Albequerque, New Mexico.

“He’s ahead of himself,” she said although this was the horse’s first trip out Wellington, “way ahead of himself. He’s already bored with this particular test and is more at home schooling the Prix St. Georges.”

Lisa Wilcox and Gallant Reflection HU. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Lisa said that she prepared the horse as if getting ready for the Bundeschampionate, the German young horse championships where a score of eight was required to qualify.

Because of the size of the United States and no availability of consistent high level training in many parts of the country, there were differing levels of quality in the United States that put the country still in a developmental stage.

“We’re still aspiring,: she said. “We’ve got some good trainers. But the country is too large to do one or two clinics a year and maintain the continuity that is required. Riders should not wait for the occasional free clinic provided by the USEF but bring in trainers who work with young horses.”

She cited her own example of bringing Ernst Hoyes from Europe throughout the year and more frequently during the intense winter circuit in Florida.

“There are some very good horses but some of the riders are starting with a little deficit. They just don’t have the skill set to present the horse at a higher level.”

Emily Miles and Floretienne reserve USA Six-Year_old Champion. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Chase Hickok also of Wellington added the U.S. Under-25 title to the list of titles awarded Sagacious HF, now 16 years old.

The first major award for the KWPN gelding was being ridden by Lauren Sammis on the American gold medal team and individual silver at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2007.

USA Under-25 Champion Chase Hickok on Sagacious HF. The championship rugs for the Under-25 division were not delivered in time for the event. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Six years after that, Caroline Roffman also of Wellington became the first American to compete in the Under-25 division at the world’s most prestigious horse show, the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany.

Chase began riding Sagacious in early 2014 and this summer competed the horse in Europe.

“Another chip in the long, long history of his success,” was the way Chase described winning the American Under-25 title, “another trophy in his cabinet.”

As am amateur, she plans to compete in the middle tour in Florida this coming winter with the goal of moving up to senior Grand Prix–“another test for Sagacious to teach me.”

The Developing Grand Prix championship won by Emily and Wakeup will be their last stage in the Young Horse division as she plans to go to Florida this coming winter to work with Debbie McDonald, the U.S. developing coach who has become the trainer of choice for what seems a majority of American riders at or nearing the top level of the sport.

Emily Miles on Wakeup, USA Developing Grand Prix Champion. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Emily and Wakeup posted a championship score of 69.934 with Marcus Orlob of Annandale, New Jersey second on Equestricons Et Voila with a score of 67.628 and Alice Tarjan of New Jersey on Elfenfeur third on 66.509.

Marcus, who competed regularly on the Florida winter circuit, loses the ride on the horse as the owner plans to sell it.

Marcus Orlob and Equestricons Et Voila, USA Developing Grand Prix Champion. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Results:

6 Year Old Young Horse Final

C: McDonald, Koch – Ayers

		Rider	Nation	Horse														Total	Pl.
		Wilcox, Lisa	USA	Gallant Reflection HU														82.000	1
		Becker, Patricia	USA	Edward														78.200	2
		, Emily	USA	Floretienne														77.400	3
		Suchanek, Mike		Fighting Chance L														76.200	4
		Rich, Jordan	usa	Ellert HB														75.800	5
		Jackson, Angela	USA	Elzarma														75.200	6
		Koffler-Stanfield, Reese	USA	Town and Country Elancourt														75.200	6
		Suchanek, Mike		Fleur De Lis L														73.400	8
		Hay, Bridget	USA	Faolan														71.200	9
		Boldt, Kate	USA	Bel Vedere														71.000	10
		Wilson, Carrie	USA	Bella Notte														70.800	11
		Gomez, Pablo	esp	Truhana De Ymas														70.600	12
		Miles, Emily	USA	Quantum Jazz														69.800	13

Under-25 Intermediare II

E: Rockwell – USA

H: Koch – USA

C: McDonald – USA

M: Hotz – USA

B: Ayers – USA

		Rider	Nation	Horse				E	.	H	.	C	.	M	.	B	.	T	Pl.
		Hickok, Chase	USA	Sagacious HF				69.868		67.632		68.158		71.053		68.289		69.000	1
		Keasler, Sean Sierra	USA	Lux Stensvang				63.421		63.421		66.053		67.237		62.895		64.605	2
		Montagano, Melanie	USA	Ga Deva				65.789		62.895		62.895		66.184		62.895		64.132	3
		Chamberlain, Catherine	USA	Verdicci				62.237		63.947		62.368		65.921		64.342		63.763	4
		Thomas, Sarah	USA	Argo Conti Tyme				62.632		63.289		63.553		63.553		62.368		63.079	5
		Benson, Cassie	USA	Dominante XXIX				62.895		62.368		57.237		61.842		57.895		60.447	6
		Peper, Kate	USA	Akela				62.105		58.816		56.184		60.526		62.632		60.053	7
		Goodby, Grace	USA	Schabos Waitongo				60.132		58.684		58.684		61.842		60.000		59.868	8
		Blythe, Kaitlin	USA	Daverden				59.868		58.684		58.816		60.395		60.789		59.711	9
		Foster, Katie	USA	Sacramento				57.105		56.974		55.395		58.684		59.211		57.474	10

Developing Horse Grand Prix

E: McDonald – USA

C: Ayers – USA

M: Koch – USA

		Rider	Nation	Horse				E			.	C	.	M			.	Total	Pl.
		Miles, Emily	USA	Wakeup				70.375				69.875		65.125				68.458	1
		Orlob, Marcus	USA	Equestricons Et Voila				66.625				67.875		67.500				67.333	2
		Tarjan, Alice	USA	Elfenfeuer				67.375				65.625		66.125				66.375	3
		Pugh, Abraham	USA	Elfenperfekt				65.375				68.375		63.250				65.667	4
		Hickey, Christopher	USA	Ronaldo				63.250				66.000		66.875				65.375	5
		Koford, James	USA	Air Marshal				64.375				64.250		62.875				63.833	6
		Jackson, Angela	USA	Allure S				63.125				65.750		61.625				63.500	7
		Warlimont, Petra	USA	Highschool MCF				61.250				64.375		62.750				62.792	8
		Degele, Heidi	USA	Lakota HD				63.375				60.625		59.875				61.292	9

Catherine Chamberlain & Avesto Van Weltevreden Win USA Young Rider Championship in Last Chance

Catherine Chamberlain riding Avesto Van Weltevreden in the USA five-year-old championship honor round. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

WAYNE, Illinois, Aug. 22, 2015–Catherine Chamberlain rode Avesto Van Weltevreden to the United States Young Rider Championship Saturday in the 20-year-old rider’s last chance at the national title that became her first.

Catherine and the 10-year-old KWPN gelding (Gribaldi x Krack C) who was second in the preliminary test scored 69.605 per cent for the victory in the final that gave the pair the championship in part one of the Festival of Champions presented by the Dutta Corp.

Kerrigan Gluch on Vaquero HGF who had won the preliminary test slipped to third in the final with a score of 68.289 but it was enough for the reserve championship. Hannah Baur on Trustful placed third overall.

Catherine got the ride on Avesto Van Weltevreden when she moved from Arizona to Murietta, California and stabled at the same facility..Since being paired up in February, they have worked with David Wightman to prepare for Young Rider competition.

“Earlier this winter we thought maybe he can do Young Riders,” she said. “We decided to go for it as we had nothing to lose.”

Catherine described him as a “kind of show man” who does better in the show ring than at home.

She almost didn’t make it to this championship as it came about a month after the North American Junior & Young Rider Championships in Lexington, Kentucky but the horse was handling the competition and travel schedule well.

“I’m thrilled with my first national title. What better way to go out. This whole Young Rider experience has been an amazing opportunity and journey. To finish out with a highlight like this is special.”

Her goal now is to move her own horse Verdicci up to the Under-25 division. She also gets to keep the ride on Avesto Van Weltevreden. And she has a six-year-old that she wants to develop in pursuit of a career in the horse business.

Catherine has taken some online college courses and would like to get a business degree as a tool for running her own business.

Kerrigan Gluch on Vaquero HGF, reserve USA Young Rider Champion. © 2015 Ken Braddick/dressage-news.com

Kerrigan Gluch who is in the fourth year of working at Hampton Green Farms in Fruitport, Michigan and Wellington Florida that owns Vaquero, an eight-year-old PRE stallion, said that some elements such as the tempi changes were the best ever in this championship.

“It surprised me to be doing this level this year,” said the 18-year-old rider.

The Festival of Champions is the annual American championships that this year the Pony, Junior, Young Rider, Developing Prix St. Georges and Under-25 were combined with the U.S. Young Horse Championships. The Grand Prix and Intermediate Championships will be staged in Wellington, Florida in December.

Many of the younger riders said they appreciated competing at the same time as the Young Horse event but most classes conflicted and there were separate VIP alongside the two different competition arenas for the two championships.

Results:

Young Rider Individual

E: Wysocki – USA

C: Yukins – USA

M: Rockwell – USA

		Rider	Nation	Horse				E	.		.	C	.	M			.	Total	Pl.
		Chamberlain, Catherine	USA	Avesto Van Weltevreden				70.395				67.632		70.789				69.605	1
		Bauer, Hannah	USA	Trustful				64.737				71.711		68.684				68.377	2
		Gluch, Kerrigan	USA	Vaquero Hgf				70.789				66.974		67.105				68.289	3
		Gallman, Cassidy	USA	Grand Makana				66.974				68.289		67.632				67.632	4
		Simons, Lillian	USA	Willoughby				66.053				64.868		65.395				65.439	5
		Singh, Alexandra	USA	Schaneur Solyst				63.947				60.395		63.026				62.456	6
		Hansen, Nicholas	USA	Ritter Benno				SCR.
		Pai, Natalie	USA	Fritz San Tino				ELIM.

FEI Junior Individual

E: Rockwell – USA

H: –

C: Wysocki – USA

M: Yukins – USA

B: –

		Rider	Ctzn	Horse				E	.		.	C	.	M			.	Total	Pl.
		Counterman, Kristin	USA	Three Times				69.474				68.553		70.395				69.474	1
		Ondaatje Rupert, Asia	usa	Twelfth Night				66.711				67.500		70.395				68.202	2
		Frederick, Mickayla	usa	Wrainier Q				68.026				67.237		68.816				68.026	3
		Weniger, Anna		Izeffia				68.289				67.632		64.737				66.886	4
		Syribeys, Marline	USA	Hollywood				66.316				65.789		66.184				66.096	5
		Hopkins, Allison	usa	Windsor				66.316				64.079		66.842				65.746	6
		Jones, Tillie	USA	Boegelys Mauricio				66.184				65.132		65.526				65.614	7
		Upchurch, Jenna		Paddington				63.289				63.684		64.211				63.728	8
		Guthrie, Madelyn	USA	Tannehauser				64.079				62.368		63.816				63.421	9
		Szegvari, Emma	usa	Ringmoylan				64.079				61.842		62.895				62.939	10
		Madsen, Elliana	USA	Robin Hood				62.105				60.395		61.316				61.272	11