PrintWhen Katherine Bateson-Chandler heard the results of the Grand Prix on Feb. 17, she thought she'd finished second (69.51%) behind George Williams and Marnix (70.06%) at the Zada Enterprises, LLC Florida Dressage Classic in Wellington, Fla., Feb. 16-19. It wasn't until she was driving out of the show on Saturday that she realized there'd been a mistake.
"I'd had such a busy day on Friday that I didn't have time to pick up the test until Saturday," said Bateson-Chandler, who rides FBW Kennedy for owner Jane Forbes Clark. "I was driving and looking at the test and adding it up in my head. It seemed like all the scores were above 70 percent, so I went back to the barn, got a calculator and added the scores up myself."
As it turned out, the scores were averaged wrong. When the average was tallied correctly, Bateson-Chandler (70.20%) narrowly edged out Williams and Marnix for the win.
"I was so excited and happy when I realized the mistake. I feel like we come in second quite a lot, so it was great to be able to tell Jane that we had won," said an exuberant Bateson-Chandler.
In May of 2005, Bateson-Chandler took over the ride on FBW Kennedy, or "Turbo," after six-time Olympian Robert Dover retired. When Dover and Clark were looking for a replacement rider, Bateson-Chandler, who's been working for Dover for 14 years, jumped at the opportunity to show the 16-year-old Baden-Wurttemberger.
"I've had the advantage of taking care of Turbo since he came to the States a few years ago, so I know him really well," said Bateson-Chandler, who's spent quite a bit of time on the chestnut gelding's back. "I've paid my dues over time, and I've been hoping to be the next in line to show Turbo."
Fine Tuning
Despite riding Turbo in the past, Bateson-Chandler insisted that in the show ring, it "takes awhile for a partnership to click." But it seemed that all the right buttons were pushed after she finished her test on Friday.
"I was quite happy with the test because I've struggled with the changes over the past few months, and this time I made no mistake. I had one slip-up in the zigzag when my body got ahead of my brain," she admitted.
"I'm not as experienced as Turbo is, so it's been a balancing act between him trying to teach me how to ride him and me controlling my ride," she explained. "I haven't had the opportunity to show a lot in the past; I've just been waiting in the wings for Robert to retire.
"I just want to continue to be consistent and get as much experience as I can and make Robert and Jane as proud as I can," insisted Bateson-Chandler.
Charlotte Bredahl Baker also focused on the consistency of her performance on Eskada. As a result, the pair went home with top honors in the Intermediaire I.
"I was hoping to do well but wasn't expecting it," said Baker, who rode the gelding to three second-placed finishes--in two open Prix St. Georges tests (68.00%, 68.00%) and Sunday's Intermediaire freestyle (71.58%) after winning Friday's Intermediaire I (71.62%).
For many competitors, the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club is a difficult place to compete because of the commotion, but Baker prepared for the show in advance. She brought Eskada to the Wellington Dressage show, held Feb. 2-5, but did not compete him. She just wanted him to see the grounds and spend time up at the rings.
"I'd had such a busy day on Friday that I didn't have time to pick up the test until Saturday," said Bateson-Chandler, who rides FBW Kennedy for owner Jane Forbes Clark. "I was driving and looking at the test and adding it up in my head. It seemed like all the scores were above 70 percent, so I went back to the barn, got a calculator and added the scores up myself."
As it turned out, the scores were averaged wrong. When the average was tallied correctly, Bateson-Chandler (70.20%) narrowly edged out Williams and Marnix for the win.
"I was so excited and happy when I realized the mistake. I feel like we come in second quite a lot, so it was great to be able to tell Jane that we had won," said an exuberant Bateson-Chandler.
In May of 2005, Bateson-Chandler took over the ride on FBW Kennedy, or "Turbo," after six-time Olympian Robert Dover retired. When Dover and Clark were looking for a replacement rider, Bateson-Chandler, who's been working for Dover for 14 years, jumped at the opportunity to show the 16-year-old Baden-Wurttemberger.
"I've had the advantage of taking care of Turbo since he came to the States a few years ago, so I know him really well," said Bateson-Chandler, who's spent quite a bit of time on the chestnut gelding's back. "I've paid my dues over time, and I've been hoping to be the next in line to show Turbo."
Fine Tuning
Despite riding Turbo in the past, Bateson-Chandler insisted that in the show ring, it "takes awhile for a partnership to click." But it seemed that all the right buttons were pushed after she finished her test on Friday.
"I was quite happy with the test because I've struggled with the changes over the past few months, and this time I made no mistake. I had one slip-up in the zigzag when my body got ahead of my brain," she admitted.
"I'm not as experienced as Turbo is, so it's been a balancing act between him trying to teach me how to ride him and me controlling my ride," she explained. "I haven't had the opportunity to show a lot in the past; I've just been waiting in the wings for Robert to retire.
"I just want to continue to be consistent and get as much experience as I can and make Robert and Jane as proud as I can," insisted Bateson-Chandler.
Charlotte Bredahl Baker also focused on the consistency of her performance on Eskada. As a result, the pair went home with top honors in the Intermediaire I.
"I was hoping to do well but wasn't expecting it," said Baker, who rode the gelding to three second-placed finishes--in two open Prix St. Georges tests (68.00%, 68.00%) and Sunday's Intermediaire freestyle (71.58%) after winning Friday's Intermediaire I (71.62%).
For many competitors, the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club is a difficult place to compete because of the commotion, but Baker prepared for the show in advance. She brought Eskada to the Wellington Dressage show, held Feb. 2-5, but did not compete him. She just wanted him to see the grounds and spend time up at the rings.
