A year ago, Ali Roesener didn’t expect to be competing in the dressage ring, not to mention winning at the California Dressage Society Southern Junior/Young Rider Championships. The 19-year-old show jumping veteran’s total score of 66.77 percent with Gathan Alfarvad Z placed her at the top of her third level class in Burbank, Calif., Aug. 22-24.

After showing in the jumpers for nearly 12 years, Roesener, Las Vegas, Nev., decided to try her hand at dressage when her jumper sustained an injury last summer. Roesener’s mother, Elaine Wenger-Roesener, rode dressage for 16 years and provided her with the ride on her own Gathan Alfarvad Z.

“Ali made the West Coast riders team in the adult amateur jumpers and was about to leave to compete in Canada last summer when her horse came up lame. She had worked so hard for that—she was devastated,” said Wenger-Roesener.

Around the same time, Wenger-Roesener realized that she needed hip replacement surgery. Pairing her horse and daughter together seemed like the perfect solution while both she and Roesener’s jumper recovered.

“My mom’s so supportive. She was always there for me in the jumpers and spent hours watching everything. She’s very excited that I’m doing dressage,” said Roesener.

Roesener’s winning mount is known by the name of “Peter” at Cooper Ranch, where she trains with Charlotte Nord. The gelding is an 11-year-old Zieglander originally intended to be sold as a hunter.

Instead, he was purchased sight unseen by Roesener’s mother from California trainer Nick Wagman in 2006.

“Peter likes to be with you and always wants you to pet him, but he’s a very nervous horse,” said Roesener. “The first year we had him, he never left the barn, so it was a big wake-up call going to our first show. He was shaking at the mounting block when I went to get on!”

The rookie dressage rider and her anxious horse made great improvements over the past year to make it to the championships.

“I honestly didn’t expect to do the championships. I didn’t even think I’d keep doing dressage this long, and I originally had no idea what the championships were,” she said.

While Peter was only intended for Roesener to ride while her 12-year-old Westphalian jumper, Flash 86, recovered from injury, the two immediately clicked. They made such a pretty couple that Wenger-Roesener decided to buy a second horse for herself so that her daughter could keep riding Peter.

“At first, Ali was very loose in the saddle, but after three lessons a week over the summer, they were absolutely beautiful together,” said Wenger-Roesener. “Even though Peter can be really nervous, Ali doesn’t get rattled—she just supports him.”

One thing led to another, and Roesener found herself at her first rated dressage show last November. She stepped right into the ring at third level, because U.S. Equestrian Federation rules prohibited her from competing any lower with the double bridle worn by Peter.

“I started with third level, test 1, and got a 66 score the first time,” said Roesener. “I didn’t totally understand what a 66 was, but we ended up scoring in the 60s at a lot of the shows. Charlotte then told me I was qualified [for the championships]. It’s been quite a learning experience, but I’ve known Charlotte
since I was little, and she’s been very understanding.”

Qualifying for the championships was so unexpected that Roesener cut a family vacation short to be able to compete. She qualified by receiving at least three scores of 57 percent or higher at third level at a recognized show.

Once she made it to the championships, Roesener’s biggest challenge was keeping her tense and often unpredictable horse relaxed. At their last show at Burbank, Peter reared and spun on the centerline at the flap of a tablecloth outside the ring.

“Peter doesn’t have much show experience,” said Roesener. “It was difficult to take him to California because he didn’t want to go in the arenas or get in the trailer. He’s kind of inconsistent right now.”

To help build Peter’s confidence, Roesener spent extra time with him at the shows. She became responsible for feeding, grooming and braiding him so that she could work on developing a more trusting relationship.

“At first I had a hard time with Peter’s nervousness in the ring because my jumper is very on point at shows. I’m usually not as observant of what’s going on outside the arena but focused more on myself,” said Roesener. “Charlotte told me to look for what he’ll look at and bend him or do a shoulder-in. I might get a few points off for not being straight, but it’s better than the alternative.”

The CDS championships became Peter’s fourth trip to Burbank, and he demonstrated great improvement over his first time jitters. He and Roesener earned scores of 67.82 and 64.88 percent to secure the overall win just a few tenths of a point over reserve champions Anna Buffini and Eros Ramazotti.

With her jumper healthy and back in full training, Roesener made the decision to continue competing in both disciplines.

“Sometimes it’s hard to fit them both in,” she said. “I’m still learning a lot about dressage, and if I don’t ride for a week, I feel like I’m flopping around. I’m still trying to train my body.”

Although a full-time student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Roesener schedules her classes for only two days a week so that she can concentrate on her riding. Fortunately, the two barns where she rides, training dressage with Nord and jumpers with Amy Self, are close enough to make the commute back and forth.

“After all my years of jumping, it’s fun to be introduced to something totally different. The only thing the same about jumpers and dressage is that you’re sitting on top of a horse,” Roesener joked. “I try to keep the two separate in my mind and my muscle memory. When I leave one barn I leave everything with it there.”

Alexandra Beckstett