Wayne, Ill.—Aug. 25

Adrienne Lyle had only five days back in Florida following the Paris Olympic Games before she packed up horses and headed to Illinois for the U.S. Dressage Festival Of Champions. During her brief stint at home, she found that Zaunkonig (Zack—Deessé, De Niro), a Westphalian stallion owned by Heidi Humphries, was as willing and ready a partner as when she left three months ago.

Newly reunited, Lyle and “Zeke” impressed judges in the finale of the two-part Markel/USEF Young Horse 6-Year-Old Championship on Sunday, winning the championship with an overall score of 84.24%. Charell Garcia won reserve champion on MW Mercury (83.68%) and Chris Hickey and Saskatoon OMF placed third (83.56%).

The ground jury started their commentary, “You both make a nice picture. There’s a lot of presence. It’s always fun to sit here when all the adjectives are positive.”

Lyle kept the young stallion competition-ready by working virtually with her team at home. She gave video lessons from Paris and coached her riders, including Christian Simonson, to keep the horses in her program in top form.

“I just think it’s really special to have that kind of teamwork in your barn, that they can step in and I can help them virtually, and then I’m able to get back and get on him,” Lyle said. “It speaks to what a good job they’ve done this summer.”

And as for preparing the young horse for the atmosphere of the biggest competition of his young life, Lyle said he’s a natural.

“Every day I just kept texting Debbie [McDonald] and Heidi [the horse’s owner] saying, ‘He’s being so good. He’s not looking at anything. He’s handling all the traffic so well,’ ” Lyle said. “He’s staying in the tent stalls and touching noses with other horses, and he’s just been a good boy about it all. Very easy that way.”

Garcia has only known MW Mercury a matter of months, but she was immediately enamored with the Oldenburg stallion owned by Jennifer Vanover.

“I’ve only been working with him for six months now, but actually, from day one I sat on that horse’s back, it’s just been the biggest click between the two of us,” Garcia said. “I absolutely adore him. I think he loves me, too!”

Batchelder Takes Developing Grand Prix

In the Markel/USEF Developing Grand Prix National Championship, Nora Batchelder led the victory lap on 9-year-old Oldenburg mare Nova (Grand Galaxy Win T—Romanova, Romanov Blue Hors), owned by Carol Glover, after scoring 69.22% overall. Hannah Bressler Jaques won reserve champion on Jim (67.76%) and Kathleen Raine and Figaro finished third (67.32%).

Following their Intermediaire II test on Thursday, Batchelder went into the final leg of the championship trying for more confidence. Nova rose to the challenge of the increased difficulty in the Grand Prix test.

“She was right with me, and she tried super hard,” Batchelder said of the mare. “The piaffe-passage felt really confident. I could ask for even more, but I was so happy with what we got and took it.”

Jaques’ reserve championship ribbon marked the trainer’s progress with Jim, who hadn’t competed in the young horse developing classes because he was “a bit of a cowboy starting out.” But the 10-year-old under her this weekend felt much more mature than the horse she took in five years ago.

“He always has a ton of power, but he doesn’t always have a lot of engagement, so I’m really happy to feel him with me and trying,” Jaques said, reflecting on their success this weekend. “He feels so happy and is starting to learn his job.”

Bacon Turns Down The Heat To Win Children’s Championship

Miriam Bacon won the Aspen Leaf/USEF Children’s National Championship with a 79.05% on Hanoverian gelding Drambuie (Damsey—Laura, Lauries Crusador xx), owned by Natalie Bacon. Miriam piloted her excited gelding through the victory lap with reserve champions Grace Christianson on FHF Roulee (77.63%) and third place winner Adalynn Nelson and Custom Made (75.62%).

“He’s always been really hot to show.” Miriam said of her journey with the 12-year-old gelding she calls “Buie.” “At first, I’ve had some trouble showing him, just because he’ll spook it everything if I let him. But he’s gotten so much better. I’ve had a lot more confidence with him recently in these past few shows.”

In the Horseware Ireland/USEF Young Rider National Championship, Alicia Berger won the title on her Oldenburg gelding Aqua Marin (Ampere—Stedinger Heide, Stedinger), owned by the rider and Marianne Berger, with a 69.73%. Sophia Forsyth and Dimagico earned reserve champion (67.69%) and Josephine Hinnemann and Copa Cabana MRF placed third (66.83%).

See complete results here.