Aboard Tibet, she quickly advances from first to fourth level.

Brianna Dutton celebrated her first year with her new mount Tibet by winning the  third level, 17-21 championship at the California Dressage Society Northern Junior/Young Rider  Championships on Aug. 9-12 at the Murieta Equine Complex in Rancho Murieta, Calif. 

“It’s been a really big year,” said Dutton with a laugh. “We’ve gone from first level to fourth. I never expected that. We’ve both grown a lot.”

Dutton also competed in the fourth level team division, winning the high-point award with an average score of 68.10 percent in two fourth-level tests. She tied for first in the equitation class for the team competition with a 74.16 percent, which brought her score in the fourth level team class to a 69.16
percent for the win.

Tibet was at second level when Dutton purchased him. Since she hadn’t competed above first level, her trainers at that time—Chelsey Sibley and Creeky Routson—had her drop him back to first level to get used to riding him. The pair rapidly moved up to third level. They have just recently started competing at fourth level, though their fourth level scores at the show would make you think otherwise.

“I absolutely love him,” said Dutton of her 7-year-old, 17.2-hand Dutch Warmblood gelding. “He’s a really hard worker.  He tries really hard to understand and do what you’re asking of him. He’s really sensitive. At first he’ll be upset if he doesn’t know what he’s doing, but once he figures things out he’s a blast. He really tries. He has the perfect temperament—energetic but not spooky.”

Tibet (Idocus—Muziek, Uniform) was bred by Natalie Bryant at Little Creek Farm in Montana.  

Dutton, 18, of Tracy, Calif., has recently started training with Nadine Pestana in Livermore, Calif.  She started riding at age 8 and then competed in eventing on her Quarter Horse gelding. She switched to dressage four years ago, and this was her fourth year of competing at the junior championships.

Dutton will be a freshman at the University of California in Santa Barbara in September and will be taking Tibet to school with her. She plans to try out for the Region 7 young rider team next year.

Over The Naughtiness
Ari Lopez of Pleasant Hill, Calif., earned the second level, 17 and under championship on her Rhinelander gelding Corlander II. They were also the high point winners at second level with their combined score of 70.35 percent in the two tests, and they took second in the 17 and under third level championship.  

“It was really cool,” said Lopez. “He hasn’t been doing third level that long—only enough to qualify to get here.”

Lopez imported Corlander II (Cordino—Riante), now 6, from Germany as a 3-year-old. Her trainer, Heidi Riddle, was there horse shopping and thought he would work out for Lopez.

“We imported him without even anyone actually trying him,” said Lopez. “He did walk, trot and canter and a little jumping when I bought him.”

Lopez also competes in eventing. Corlander II just moved up to the training level division in that sport and won his first time at training at an unrecognized event.

“He’s really fun to ride,” said Lopez. “He can be kind of stubborn. He went through a phase when if he didn’t want to do something he would just rear and be really naughty. But he’s over that baby phase.   He’s coming along really nicely now.”

Lopez had a full week, showing Corlander II in the warm-up classes, a third level freestyle, and in the second and third level championships, in which competitors rode the two highest tests of the level.

“Our first second level test was really steady, but it wasn’t his best,” said Lopez. “The footing was a little deep so it was kind of hard for him to be really up. He didn’t have as much suspension as he usually does, but the judges really liked him. They said he showed the correct foundation for a second level horse.”

Lopez will turn 17 in October and is a senior in high school. She has been riding since she was 9.

Bonavito Lives The Good Life
Natalia Bonavito, 13, rode Romano, a 5-year-old Hanoverian gelding, to the first level, 13-14, championship. This was the second trip to the junior championships for Bonavito, of Pleasanton, Calif., and her first time with Romano, who she purchased last October. 

Romano (Rotspon—Dolores) was imported from Germany by Christiane Noelting and placed second in the California Dressage Society Futurity last year.

Romano’s first test was a little uneven but still scored a 68.71 percent, tying for the lead in the division with Madeline Hays on Onyx.

“He felt pretty good,” said Bonavito. “He was pretty forward because he was a little bit scared. The tractor or something was going on in another ring, and right before the leg yield he cantered a few steps. I managed to get him back under control before we started the leg yield. On the change rein through the trot he cantered on the wrong lead, but I managed to get that back in one or two steps. We did have those two mistakes, but everything else was very good.

“Our second ride was an average test,” continued Bonavito. “He could have been a little bit more forward.”

Their first level, test 4, ride scored a 68.94 percent, giving them a 68.83 percent average for the championship.  “It was definitely a really good show,” said Bonavito.

Bonavito has been riding since she was 5, and started in dressage at age 8. She trains with Carolyn Adams in Pleasanton, Calif.

Ruby Tuesday Saves The Day
When Jamie Pestana’s horse, Elite, injured a suspensory ligament in April, it looked as if Pestana might have to sit out the show season.

But Lee Brown of Copperopolis, Calif., came to her rescue, lending her his homesbred Dutch Warmblood mare Ruby Tuesday (Rubinstein—Kiva) for the junior championships.

Pestana and Ruby Tuesday won the fourth level championship with scores of 67.72 percent and 68.29 percent for a 67.90 percent average.

Pestana only rode Ruby Tuesday for about a week before each of their four qualifying shows for the junior championships.  She rode her for a week and a half before the junior championships.

“She’s a lot of fun,” said Pestana. “She has a really good attitude.  She was really good in the indoor arena in our first test of the show. Going around the outside of the ring she was a little bit spooky. I was a little bit nervous going in. She’s partially blind in her left eye, so when she saw the judge’s booth she was scared. But as soon as she went into the dressage ring she didn’t even notice it.”

They also ended up as the reserve champions in the third level, 16 and under division. The championship went to Riana Porter on Romax Foldager with a 69.87 percent average for the two tests.

“There was some good competition in my third level class,” said Pestana. “I was really impressed with how strong third level was this year. There were lots of nice horses.”

Pestana, 14, has been riding all of her life. She got her first pony at age 2, and her first dressage pony, Darby, at age 5. She had been leading the standings for the junior championships when her Elite was injured. Pestana trains with her mother, Nadine Pestana in Livermore. She is starting her freshman year in high school and has just made the volleyball team.

Sheri Scott