Wayne, Ill.—Aug. 27
On the third day of the combined Markel/USEF Young and Developing Horse Championships and the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions, five champions earned their ribbons.
Markel/USEF Developing Prix St. Georges Championship
Adrienne Lyle and Horizon came out on top with a total score of 74.27 percent percent after winning both tests, including today’s USEF Developing Horse Prix St. Georges test (74.02%), on Betsy Juliano’s Horizon. The win was especially meaningful for Lyle as her longtime sponsor Parry Thomas, who also owned Olympic mare Brentina for Lyle’s trainer Debbie McDonald, passed away yesterday at 95.
“Betsy organized a great dinner for us last night, and we sat by the river and laughed and cried,” said Lyle. “He’s been so incredibly influential for me and for the sport. Just on Friday, they had the live stream of us up for him, and he was still excited about the competition, still loving the dressage right up until the day he went. I said, ‘He’s watching over us today, and we’re going to ride for him.’ ”
Adrienne Lyle and Horizon. Photo by Lisa Slade.
Cesar Parra and Fashion Designer OLD were the reserve champions in division with a score of 70.44 percent. It rained significantly last night and this morning, and Parra was struggling in warm-up until he got some help from Lisa Wilcox, who was competing on her own mount.
“She gave me the best tip ever, which helped me through the warm-up,” he said. “I think it’s amazing. We should be colleagues more instead of trying to tear each other apart, because in the end we do it because we love the horses, and that’s the end of it. It’s not about who’s better or worse.”
Cesar Parra and Fashion Designer OLD. Photo by Lisa Slade.
AGCO/USEF Young Rider Dressage National Championship
Bebe Davis rode Feivel Mousekewitz to the championship title with a score of 70.04 percent, winning the FEI Young Rider Individual test (71.44%) after placing fourth in the FEI Young Rider Team test yesterday.
“I haven’t show in a little while since I got back from Europe,” said Davis, who competed at a few European CDIs this summer. “Yesterday was about getting in the mental mindset about showing again, and I was happy with a clean test. Today he showed a bit more extravagance and brilliance. I’m over the moon happy. The European tour was such a great experience, and I learned so much from that I was able to bring here.”
Bebe Davis and Feivel Mousekewitz. Photo by Lisa Slade.
Rachel Robinson and Indira earned the reserve title (69.51%).
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“Today we put in a much cleaner test,” said Robinson. “She was so tired yesterday, so today I was only out there in the warm-up for about 20 minutes. She had a lot more energy, which carried through, especially in the canter work. We’re going to head home and have a break now. I’ve probably done 15 shows since December, and it’s been crazy!”
Rachel Robinson and Indira. Photo by Lisa Slade.
Markel/USEF 5-Year-Old National Championship
Christian Hartung, who holds a full-time job in addition to his riding, topped the FEI 5-Year-Old Final test (8.92) and then the overall championship as well with an 8.82 on Desario. The gelding earned three scores of 9, for walk, canter and overall impression, as well as an 8.7 for his trot and an 8.9 for submission.
“I was surprised to win,” said Hartung. “It was a surprise I even got invited. He qualified 17th, so we were the reserve to even come, and he hasn’t received scores above 8 before, so that was also a surprise. He’s developed nicely over the last couple of months.”
Christian Hartung and Desario. Photo by Lisa Slade.
Karin Persson rode Giuliano B into the reserve championship with an overall score of 8.48.
“My horse is super tired today, so I thought I would have no horse, but now I know he has a super brain,” she said. “He likes it, and if I ask him he does it. I didn’t feel a lack of power in the ring, but when I got out, he was completely done.”
Karin Persson and Giuliano B. Photo by Lisa Slade.
AGCO/USEF Junior Rider Dressage National Championship
In the FEI Junior Individual test, Jenna Upchurch and Greystoke came out on top again with a 69.12 percent, earning them the overall championship too. This comes on the heels of Upchurch’s gold medal-winning Adequan FEI North American Junior And Young Rider Championships (Colo.) trip just about a month ago.
“In my test, we improved a lot on the basic flow of the test [since Friday’s test], and the one bobble we did have, we recovered really quickly, which was great,” she said. “It feels amazing.”
Jenna Upchurch and Greystoke. Photo by Lisa Slade.
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Marline Syribeys and Hollywood took the reserve championship.
“I was really happy to have a clean ride, and it seemed to be more energetic today,” she said. “It’s really nice to have the hard work pay off and have good rides.”
Marline Syribeys and Hollywood. Photo by Lisa Slade.
Markel/USEF 4-Year-Old National Championship
Craig Stanley and his homebred Habanero CWS topped the division after placing second in the FEI 4-Year-Old Final test with an 8.2 on trot, 8.3 on walk, canter, submission and general impression. His final overall score was an 8.25.
“I thought for me his canter felt really nice, there was a lot of jump in it,” he said. “The trot was probably better than Thursday—a little more energetic and up in the frame. His walk was a little less rushed than Thursday, even though the judges didn’t necessarily agree with that.
“It’s a surreal thing for me.” he added. “I never thought I could be sitting somewhere like this.”
Craig Stanley and Habanero CWS. Photo by Lisa Slade.
Hero BHS, ridden by Justine Wilson, had one big spook and buck in his test, but he recovered to still earn second place overall (8.08). He earned an 8.5 for his trot, canter and general impression today.
“I had a much more explosive ride than yesterday,” said Wilson. “Unfortunately there was more energy in the warm-up than we’re used to because he hasn’t been in the ring a whole lot. It kind of unsettled him, and he was not quite the horse I’m used to, which threw me a little bit. He had a little more tension in the ride than I’m used to. But he came back around for me, and he did enough. I’m proud of him.”
Justine Wilson and Hero BHS. Photo by Lisa Slade.
Tomorrow the 6-year-olds and Developing Grand Prix horses wrap up the Markel/USEF Young And Developing Dressage Championships, while the Pony riders and Young Adult “Brentina Cup” Grand Prix competitors have their final day of competition for the U.S. Dressage Festival Of Champions. There will also be two divisions of the USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals (13 and under, and 14-18) crowning their own champions.
