Lexington, Ky.—Nov. 8

A year ago, Madison Rezaei brought her brand-new partner, Maximus, to the U.S. Dressage Finals and had a respectable placing in the adult amateur Grand Prix. This year the pair returned with more experience under their belts to capture the win in the same division on a score of 66.92%.

“I’m over the moon. This is the sweetest horse with so much try. He was just so on today. I couldn’t be happier. I just wanted to come in and ride our best test and have a happy, relaxed horse. I think we did it!” she said of the 13-year-old Polish Warmblood gelding (Sword—Morgenrot, Kostolany). “He’s my first Grand Prix horse, and he’s gotten so much stronger and more reliable and more confident over that time, and I think we’ve built a nice partnership.”

“Max” had been competing in Tennessee with his previous owner at Grand Prix, and he’s taken Rezaei to places she never imagined. They competed in the CDIAm Grand Prix at Dressage at Devon (Pennsylvania) this fall and now have a dressage finals championship ribbon to add to their stash.

“I think we kind of chose each other,” she said. “He’s a little bit of a sensitive, nervous guy, and it seemed like when I sat on him it was like, ‘OK, I understand you, I can work with this.’ He has so much try.”

Rezaei, Jersey City, New Jersey, trains with Heather Mason, who is a dressage finals veteran herself.

“She’s magic. She is an incredible teacher for horses and people. The Heather Mason sort of orbit and community is really special. Everyone’s really supportive of each other,” she said.

Barteau And Fiorenzo MLW Top Third Level Freestyle

Professional rider Kassandra Barteau is enjoying a more leisurely schedule this week at U.S. Dressage Finals, with just one horse, Rebecca Mouras’ Fiorenzo MLW.

The pair finished second in yesterday’s open third level championship, and did one better today, winning the open third level freestyle on a score of 73.84%.

“It’s a bold freestyle,” said Barteau, Gainesville, Florida. “We have a lot of lead changes in it. We go for a high degree of difficulty, and it really just highlights his big, powerful gaits. He was really great today. We hit our music, and he was waiting for me. I’m very proud of him.

“He loves his job and loves attention.,” she added. “A show like this—we actually just brought him to the show—all the extra attention and care, he’s just always happy to show up.”

Mouras was on hand to watch her horse, who she’s planning to compete in the future.

“Kassie’s been helping bring him along, and we saw that he had so much talent that we really wanted to give him a confident time showing because he hadn’t done a lot of showing before we got him,” she said. “The pair matched so well, it was really easy for me to say, ‘Take over the reins for awhile and give him all the good confidence and show off how great he can be.’ ”

Barteau and Mouras’ goal is for “Enzo,” a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Fidertanz 2—EM Wolkenstanza MLW, Wolkenstanz I) bred by U.S. breeder Mary Winn to do CDIs, but they’re both enjoying the ride along the way.

“I went to try him [six months ago], and I loved him,” Mouras recalled. “His canter is crazy; it feels like you’re on a rocket ship, like you’re flying. I had never ridden anything so amazing. And his personality is so amazing. He has an amateur horse personality. He’s snuggly and wants the most attention, and he comes to a horse show and acts like he’s been here before. That’s a really fun thing for an amateur to come and watch him be so calm.”

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