L.J. Banks takes advantage of his horse’s blossoming talent to win at Grand Prix.

The California Dressage Society Annual Championship show and Great American/USDF Region 7 Championships, Oct. 11-14, could have been named the “Mud Bowl.” Rain on Tuesday night and all day
Friday kept the grounds at the Woodside Horse Park in Woodside, Calif., wet and muddy.

“I was in the downpour on Friday,” said L.J. Banks, winner of the USDF Region 7 Grand Prix championship on Amadeus (64.06%). “When I was coming down the centerline for my last piaffe-passage tour, I could barely see the judge’s stand, it was coming down so hard.”

Banks felt confident with Amadeus after placing second in their warm-up ride in Thursday’s Intermediaire II class. So, in the Grand Prix on Friday, he pushed Amadeus a bit more and it paid off.

“Then I got a little greedy I guess, and went for it a little bit more on Saturday in the Intermediaire II, and he said ‘what are you doing?’ ” said Banks with a laugh. “So I ended up being fourth in that. He was really behind my leg at one point in the passage. It’s just a matter of me learning how to not get in his way. Now he’s competent in doing the movements, so if there are any problems now it’s rider error. I have to find a way to go into the show ring and give him confidence because the warm-ups are beautiful.”

The DG Bar Dressage (Calif.) show in May was a turning point for the pair. They had a Grand Prix test there where everything just clicked. Amadeus had just come back from four months of training with Steffen Peters. Banks had started out trailering to Peters’ barn for lessons, and last December he put Amadeus in full training. He drove down for lessons three or four times a week from his training barn at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank.

“All of a sudden, he just bloomed in his training,” said Banks. “When we came back from working with Steffen there was a huge, huge change. Every time we go in the ring since then it’s been like DG Bar. So with the conditions here at Woodside and then with me asking him for more, I think that was what set him back again.”

Banks lived in Hawaii when he imported the Dutch Warmblood gelding from Holland 11 years ago as a 3-year-old. Amadeus (Amulef—Biojanda) had only 90 days under saddle at the time.

In March of 2001, Banks decided to move to California to further his dressage education. He trained with Hilda Gurney at Keenridge in Moorpark, Calif., before moving to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center 11⁄2 years ago.

“I give Hilda so much credit for helping me to his point,” said Banks. “I’m very, very grateful for everything I learned at Hilda’s.

“Moving to California has been the best thing for me,” said Banks. “I think the best dressage in the country is here in southern California. It’s not only incredible from a learning aspect, but it’s incredible from a motivational aspect too. You have Olympians in your classes. I used to plan a vacation a year in advance to come from Hawaii and watch the shows that I actually ride in now.”

A Winning Scenario
Kelly Casey of Livermore, Calif., got a winning streak going at the show. Casey, 23, rode Scenario, an 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Taxateur—Galilee) to win the USDF open Intermediaire I (65.50%) and the CDS Intermediaire freestyle (72.00%).

With Luzifer, a 13-year-old Austrian Warmblood gelding, she won the CDS Intermediaire II (64.87%). Carla Hayes of Pleasanton, Calif., owns both horses.

“Scenario was really on the whole show,” said Casey. “He was really listening. I think this was the first show where he’s really brought it all together in one test and really shined. He’s a very elegant horse. He’s got really nice lateral work and powerful extensions.”

Casey has been riding him for two years and brought him along from third level. She also showed him at Prix St. Georges at the beginning of the year, but he did better in the Intermediaire I test, so she decided to concentrate on the Intermediaire I and put together a freestyle.

Luzifer is a new mount for Casey. He was imported from Europe only three months ago, and this was only their second show together.

“He’s a big, powerful, strong horse,” said Casey. “He’s not as easy to ride as Scenario. It’s taking some time to get him a little lighter on the aids. His piaffe and passage are really great. He really shines there. And he got 9s on a couple of his halts. But he didn’t get his one-tempis the whole entire show. He just did not want to do one-tempis in the puddles.”

Casey works with David Blake of Westlake Village, Calif. She makes the trip to southern California three or four times a year and then meets up with him at shows. She’s hoping to qualify Luzifer for the Brentina Cup next year and compete with him at Grand Prix.

Wilco Will Do
Christian Hartung of Vacaville, Calif., was also a double threat, winning the CDS open Prix St. Georges on Pizarro (70.75%) and the Intermediaire I on Wilco (72.12%). As a German citizen, Hartung is not eligible
for the USDF Region 7 Championship classes.

“Wilco had two mistakes in the Prix St. Georges—one wrong lead and a count mistake in the changes,” explained Hartung. “That’s what happens in the mud.”

Wilco, (Wonderbursh—Birke), a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding, belongs to trainer Christiane Noelting of Vacaville, Calif. Noelting wanted to complete the requirements for her R judges card this year and turned over most of the showing to Hartung, her assistant trainer.

“I just had goose bumps watching Wilco’s Intermediaire I,” said Noelting. “It was absolutely flawless and so harmonious. He was nice and relaxed but still expressive. It was just a really, really nice ride.”

Kim Shrum of Gardnerville, Nev., owns Pizarro, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Hartung was pleased that he put in a mistake-free test in Friday’s rain.

“He is a really, really steady horse,” said Hartung. “You can ride him very accurately. With that steadiness you can sometimes make more points.”

Pizarro (Prestige Pilot—Donnerhall mare) also had a clean test in the CDS open Intermediaire I class, but Hartung thought that Pizarro was a little tired and the test wasn’t quite as powerful as usual. They placed third.

Hartung received his Bereiters license in Germany before coming to California in April 2006. He saw an ad that Noelting had placed in Germany and thought he would stay for six months and improve his English. After a few months he decided to stay and ride another year. Now he’s extended his stay to attend college in Sacramento.

Wong Switches And Wins
Paula Wong, of Menlo Park, Calif., won both the CDS and USDF open third level championships on Cindy Watkins’s Swedish Warmblood gelding Carta di Oro, 10.

“It was very surprising,” said Wong. “I would have been happy with fourth or fifth. We weren’t expecting to do so well. He’s a real sweetheart. He’s the first real dressage horse I’ve ever ridden. It’s new for me because I have always evented and ridden Thoroughbreds. So it’s a real different ride to ride a big, springy warmblood.”

Wong attributed one of her advantages to the poor weather and sloppy footing. She has been an event rider for so many years that rain and mud doesn’t faze her.

“Our first test was alright, but I felt like he was behind my leg,” said Wong of their third level, test 2, ride in the CDS championships. “This horse is not as worldly as some horses, so I don’t know if he was put off because it was muddy. It was actually raining when we went so I rode conservatively. I didn’t actually get an extended canter or an extended trot, though he can do them.”

“My second test was the USDF [third level] test early Saturday morning, and he was just great. He just went in all business and was really good,” said Wong.

Carta di Oro (Chapman 757—Girl Friend) was a little tired for the second half of the CDS championships on Sunday. His test was better than Friday’s but not as brilliant as Saturday’s test.

“I may have had a faulty change in each test,” said Wong. “He’s sometimes late behind, and I’m working on my timing. Even with some small mistakes he’s a steady and attractive horse. He’s not a super brilliant mover, but he’s a nice, elastic mover. So if I can just be reasonably accurate he’s a pretty picture to look at.”

Sheri Scott