Catherine Haddad and Maximus JSS entered the Verden CDI (Germany) as a bit of an unknown for the U.S. dressage team for the World Equestrian Games. She’s been living in Germany for the past 10 years and training with Rudolf Zeilinger.
She and four other U.S. riders had the chance to impress the team selectors at Verden, Aug. 3-6, and Haddad proved that she shouldn’t be underestimated by scoring 68.66 percent in the Grand Prix, good enough to tie for fifth.
She went on to place second in the Grand Prix Special (69.96%) behind Isabell Werth and Satchmo.
Arlene Page put in a solid performance with Wild One in the Grand Prix, scoring 67.87 percent for 10th, ahead of Leslie Morse and Tip Top (66.16%) in 13th. They traded places in the Special, with Morse coming out ahead (66.80%) for fifth place over Page (64.68%), who placed ninth.
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The alternates for the U.S. team also made a good showing. Heather Blitz tied for 17th in the Grand Prix aboard Arabella (65.58%) and finished seventh (67.50%) in the freestyle. Suzanne Dansby-Phelps scored 60.25 percent with Cooper in the Grand Prix.
With Debbie McDonald on Brentina, Steffen Peters on Floriano and Guenter Seidel on Aragon all but guaranteed a spot on the WEG dressage team, the competition is really for the fourth and final spot.
The team won’t be selected until Aug. 14, just eight days before the WEG Grand Prix.
