Olympic silver medalist Sabine Schut-Kery on Thursday won the USEF Intermediaire I National Championship at the US Dressage Festival of Champions with and Jojoba De Massa, an 11-year-old Portuguese Sport Horse stallion (Bravour B—Tulipe De Massa, Rieto MKL) owned by Four Winds Farm. The pair danced their way to the national title by winning the FEI Intermediaire I freestyle on a score of 74.15% to secure the championship, finishing with a 72.15% overall.
For Schut-Kery, of Thousand Oaks, California, the freestyle was more than just a victory, it was about building trust with her relatively new partner.
“I was really touched by how [‘Jojoba’] gained confidence with me and trusted me to be his pilot,” she said. “It’s important to me that he lets me ride him, that he waits, and is relaxed so I can guide him. Over these three days, he really showed me that rideability.”
Watch their winning freestyle, courtesy of USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorse.tv:
At home, Jojoba, who Schut-Kery calls a “gentle giant,” is as sweet as he is powerful.
“He’s a big boy, but he’s the sweetest. You’d never know he’s a stallion,” she said. “When you go to his stall, he’s the kind of horse that just makes you want to wrap your arms around him. He’s the kind that brings out the little girl in you, reminding you why you started with horses in the first place.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Schut-Kery was also quick to emphasize that this championship was a team effort. “When the hard work pays off like it did this week, it’s a fabulous moment to thank your whole team,” she said. “The biggest thank you goes to Akiko Yamazaki for giving me the ride on this special soul, and to my close team: [U.S. Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe and Technical Advisor] Christine Traurig, my assistant Sophia Chavonelle, Erica Furkis, our farriers, vets, Tom Meyers, my husband who’s always by my side, and Marie Medosi and Taylor Kincaid for the music.
“It’s not the Oscars, but this belongs to them just as much as it belongs to me and the horse,” she added. “Dressage may look like an individual sport, but there is a big team behind it, and I’m really, really grateful for that.”
Lauren Sprieser, of Marshall, Virginia, and C. Cadeau, a 9-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Blue Hors St. Schufro—C. Chanel, Richman) owned by the Elvis Syndicate LLC, earned the reserve championship after placing second in the freestyle with a 72.13% and finishing on a combined score of 70.57%.
The freestyle marked a breakthrough moment for Sprieser.
“I have been finding new and creative ways to do that freestyle wrong since it arrived in my inbox, and today, we did it almost perfectly right,” the longtime Chronicle blogger said with her trademark humor. “And that’s a first, which is very exciting.”
Sprieser reflected on her partnership with “Cadeau.”
ADVERTISEMENT
“He is everything I have ever wanted in a horse and more,” she said. “He has heart forever, and he came into my life when I was sad. He has been the best thing that has ever happened to me, and his team of owners are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
Cadeau’s larger-than-life personality also shines at home.
“There is no bigger fan on the planet of Cadeau than Cadeau,” she said with a laugh. “He is very social. He’s quite the prankster with his toys and he’s the most energetic but also sensible horse I’ve ever owned. When I sat on him for the first time, the sun shone, and the angels sang. I didn’t know dressage could feel the way it does when I am in the saddle with him.”
Elizabeth Bortuzzo, of Frenchtown, New Jersey, and Vincent, an 8-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Exquis Vivaldi—Poetin VI, Sandro Hit) she owns with Mark Paul, earned third place overall in the national championship standings with an average score of 70.06%.
See complete results here.
The US Dressage Festival of Champions continues through Sunday at HITS Chicago Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois. Friday’s schedule includes the finals for the USEF/Markel 7-Year-Old Young Horse Championships and the Dressage Seat Medals Final for riders 13 and under. Action from the rings is being livestreamed on USEF Network.
Today’s schedule also includes a USEF Town Hall on horse welfare and potential rule changes, taking place at 5:30 p.m. local time at the Grand Prix arena.
