Ten More Champions Crowned on Final Day of US Dressage Finals Presented by Adequan

By Yellow Horse Marketing for the US Dressage Finals

Intense head-to-head dressage competition across 30 championship divisions concluded on Sunday at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington for the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan.  Surrounded by friends and family, emotions ran high for competitors as they rode their way into history and celebrated their success with joyous victory laps before packing for their long journeys back to homes across the country.

The appropriately-named Dutch Warmblood Eye Candy (Weltmeyer x UB40) was one of the day's big winners. In the largest class of the Finals, the lovely five-year-old mare owned by Heather Mason (NJ) was the final ride of the class but made the biggest impression with the judges, carrying Region 8's Amy Gimbel, Lebanon, NJ, to victory in the hotly-contested Training Level Adult Amateur Championship with a score of 75.800 percent.  

"I started riding Eye Candy about nine months ago," said Gimbel. "The horse I had been riding before her was sold, so I was looking for something to catch-ride, and Heather offered her to me. She's been a super horse to show; even though this was only her fifth competition and it has a huge atmosphere, she handled it all so well. I feel so lucky to ride her, and I have a lot to be thankful for."  

Amy Gimbel of New Jersey rode Eye Candy to championship and reserve-championship titles on the final day
of the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan. Photo by SusanJStickle.com.

First to go down center line at 8:00 a.m. was Carolyn Desnoyer, Mosinee, Wis. (qualified in Region 4), aboard her warmblood mare Fresca (Festrausch -- Rising Star, GP Raymeister). They posted a score of 73.533 percent that stood atop the leader board for the duration of the class until Gimbel's final ride, but ultimately was still good enough to clinch the reserve title 

"She came out of her stall ready to work, and two minutes after we got to the warm-up I thought, 'Hey, they could ring that bell any time, we're ready to go,'" said Desnoyer of her mount. "She went in and did her job and gave me everything she had. I was so proud of her. I feel like Cinderella; it's been an amazing experience here at the Finals."

A particularly heartwarming moment came during the presentation by the USDF of the Janine Westmoreland Malone Perpetual Trophy to the Adult Amateur Prix St. Georges champion. Region 7's Adrienne Bessey and her Danish Warmblood mare, Dido, ran away with the title on an impressive score of 71.491 percent, more than six points over the next-placed competitor. With this score, Dido (by Royal Hit) also earned the Lloyd Landkamer Perpetual Trophy, presented by Janet Foy, as the FEI highest-scoring mare.  

It was an emotional win for Bessey, a family-practice physician in Thousand Oaks, Cal. "My test felt great; she was perfect for me and did everything I asked," Bessey said. "I hadn't ever thought of traveling this far for a show, but some of my friends in California were coming and asked if I wanted to go, so I said, 'Sure, why not.' I can't believe how well organized and fun this show is. The atmosphere is almost indescribable; it feels very big, but at the same time everyone is so supportive of each other. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to come here."  

The reserve champion was Jennifer Van de Loo (Holly Springs, Miss., qualified in Region 2), who rode her Oldenburg gelding, Lanzelot 99 (by Lord Sinclair I), to 65.000 percent.  

"He is my schoolmaster, and this is just my second year at the FEI level," said Van de Loo. "He's the best horse ever, and I'm so thankful for him.  It's an honor to be here, and I've enjoyed it so much."

 

Adrienne Bessey (left, with trainer Mette Rosencrantz) received the 2014 Janine Westmoreland Malone Perpetual Trophy, presented by the USDF to the US Dressage Finals adult-amateur Prix St. Georges champion (trophy at left). Bessey also received the Lloyd Landkamer Perpetual Trophy for the FEI highest-scoring mare (trophy at right). USDF photo.

The morning's Prix St. Georges Open Championship became a clash of the titans as incredibly talented horses and riders battled for the win. Saturday night's Intermediate I Open Freestyle champions, Angela Jackson and Kerrin Dunn's Dutch Warmblood mare Allure S, led another victory lap after posting the top score of 71.491 percent. 

"She was still asleep this morning when I had to get her ready, but she got up and felt great! It felt like the best Prix St. Georges test I've done with her all year," said an elated Jackson of her partner.  "Now we're going to go home, take a little time off, and then start preparing for a move up to the Developing Horse Grand Prix."  

Reserve champion Mette Rosencrantz (Topanga, Cal., Region 7) also has big plans for Anne Solbraekke's Hanoverian gelding, De Noir 3 (De Niro -- Maharani, Matcho): Rosencrantz is considering the pursuit of a US team berth for next year's Pan American Games in Toronto. The elegant pair followed up their Intermediate I Open Championship on Friday by finishing a close second on Sunday with a score of 71.009 percent.  

"I had a good ride, he's a great show horse, and I enjoy riding him," Rosencrantz said. "There were so many talented riders and horses in this class, it was amazing." 

Amy Stuhr Paterson (Lee's Summit, Mo., Region 4) thought she might be in trouble as she prepared for her Intermediate B Adult Amateur Championship test with Greenwood Sporthorses' Dutch Warmblood mare, Wies V/D Klumpert (Future -- Sarina V/D Klumpert, Havidoff). "My horse was incredibly wild in that ring yesterday when we were just hand-walking around the perimeter," she explained. "She was literally passaging in hand, so I was a little bit worried about what today might bring." But the mare rewarded Paterson's trust by earning a score of 68.690 percent, good enough for a narrow victory.  

"She ended up using all that energy for good and not evil, so I was thrilled with our ride," said Paterson, who missed last year's inaugural Finals due to battling breast cancer. "It's a tricky test, but she was honest and with me the entire time. It meant a lot to me to be here, and I definitely want to show at Grand Prix next year and come back."  

Friday's Grand Prix Adult Amateur champions, Alice Tarjan (Frenchtown, N.J. Region 8) and her young Oldenburg mare, Elfenfeuer, returned to claim reserve-championship honors Sunday with 68.333 percent. "She handled being outside really well today. We had some mistakes, but we're green at this level, and we have plenty of work to do and room for improvement," said Tarjan.

Region 8's Heather Mason, of Lebanon, N.J., found great success at last year's inaugural Finals, and she returned to Kentucky to claim yet another title with her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Zar, by topping the Intermediate B Open Championship on a score of 69.286 percent.  

"This is a great show and so well-run. I love it, and my clients all love it. I think it’s just a fun show to go to, and it's a lot bigger this year," said Mason. "As for Zar, I think he’s actually going to be a better Grand Prix horse than a small-tour horse, just because his piaffe/passage work is pretty special.  He's kind of a hot horse who is very honest but incredibly scared of everything, so I had a lot of horse under me today! But he was really good and he held it together."  

Also returning to the Finals was Eva Oldenbroek Tabor of Medina, TX (Region 9), who earned the reserve title with her flashy Dutch Warmblood gelding, Uberlinus (by Metall), with 66.865 percent.  "I've have him since he was three years old and he’s 13 now, so I know him inside and out," said Tabor. "I’ve been through some ups and downs with him because he’s sensitive and he's not easy. But we’ve worked our way up from the Young Horse classes, and here we are! Today was a wonderful day; he was flawless. I was here at the Finals last year, and it made me want to come back. The arena is amazing, and the footing is amazing. It’s probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever competed in."

Morgan Barrows, Monroe, Wash. (Region 6), and Janice Davis' six-year-old Oldenburg gelding, San Corazon, proved unbeatable at Second Level Open at these Finals. The duo followed their freestyle win Saturday by claiming Sunday's Second Level Open title with a score of 72.063 percent. 

"He's been such a steady Eddie at every horse show from the minute you take him off the trailer," said Barrows. "He's already showing talent for the Prix St. Georges, so if he's ready we'll think about Developing Horse next year. We'll see how it goes. Maybe we'll even be able to come back here; we certainly had a great time this year."  

Also enjoying the Finals experience was reserve champion Tena Frieling, Holland, Mich. (qualified in Region 2), who earned a score of 70.159 percent with her Oldenburg gelding, Royal Heir, whom she has developed since he was a three-year-old. "I can't believe that we've done this," said Frieling, blinking back tears. "It's completely unexpected. Today my ride was as good as it could have been. It's been a long road for us, but I'm just so happy to be here. It's been a fantastic experience."

Music once again rang out across the Kentucky Horse Park as a second full day of freestyles got under way with 24 entries in the First Level Open Freestyle in the electric atmosphere of the Alltech Arena.  Emerging victorious was Megan McIsaac, Oregon, Wis. (Region 2), who rode the Trakehner gelding Kingsley, owned by Wisconsin Kid LLC, to a top score of 73.722 percent. McIsaac won the title over Stacey Hastings (Mooresville, N.C., Region 1) on Karen Guerra's Friesian mare, Trijntje v.d. Bokkefarm (by Beart 411) (73.167 percent). 

"It was so awesome to be here and be a part of this event," said McIsaac, a Finals first-timer.  "Kingsley is so talented, and he always brings that to the table. He's a really special horse, and I have some exciting goals for him for the future."

Lexington local and Region 2 competitor Cariann Wlosinski and her Oldenburg mare, Rhiannon (by Rousseau), had already added Saturday's Second Level Adult Amateur Freestyle title to their resume. The pair returned on Sunday to claim one more victory in the First Level Adult Amateur Freestyle on a score of 73.700 percent.  

"It's been a fun weekend!" Wlosinski said. "We rode this freestyle last year and finished third, so it meant a lot to come back and win with it this year. I thought she'd be tired today, but she actually was even better. I also would like to thank those who made the decision to separate the open and adult-amateur freestyle championship classes. Everyone loves freestyles, but they are a lot of work, and it means a lot to have our own division."  

Amy Gimbel and Eye Candy added a second championship honor to their roster by earning the First Level Adult Amateur Freestyle reserve title. Said Gimbel: "She was a little distracted in this test, but she's still such a good girl, and I couldn't be happier with our experience."

Nancy Szakacs' smile was infectious as she rode a Ricky Martin-themed freestyle aboard her Westfalen gelding, Rudi Regali, to top the Third Level Adult Amateur Freestyle Championship with 69.056 percent. "This music suits his movement and personality, and today we were so 'on' with the music, it really was like we were dancing," said Szakacs, who works in clinical research for a biopharmaceutical company back home in Hollister, Cal. (Region 7). "It felt like so much fun, just being in the Alltech Arena and having that electric experience. I remember at one moment I looked up to see my name on the huge scoreboard at the end of arena and just thought, 'Wow!' It's been wonderful."  

Reserve Champion Taryn Hochstatter (St. Charles, Ill. qualified in Region 4) was equally thrilled after scoring 67.500 percent aboard Ginna Frantz's Oldenburg mare, Bella Luna GP. "She's a sassy chestnut mare, so we love to show off that attitude in her freestyle," said Hochstatter, who came to the Finals for the first time with her mother, who she called her "number-one fan." "Of course there's pressure to do well, but when we halted at the end of the test I almost cried because my horse did so well today. It was unreal."

Stacey Hastings returned home a national champion after claiming the Fourth Level Open Freestyle title with 72.278 percent aboard Coves Darden Farm's striking black PRE stallion, Police.  

"This is a brand-new freestyle with music by Peter Gabriel, which suits him well," Hastings explained. "The down side is that it's so new, I just learned the music last week and didn't have time to actually practice it more than about three times. But I had it on video, so I just watched it over and over and over and hoped for the best. We lucked out! I'm so glad I came this year. The show ran well, and everyone's been so friendly."  

Fellow Region 1 competitor Dawn Weniger, Apex, N.C., and her Dutch gelding Don Derrick (by Don Ruto) didn't let a few bobbles keep them from claiming reserve honors with 69.333 percent for their medieval-themed performance. "He was afraid of some patches of light shining on the floor of the arena, so he jumped over them a few times, but he was lovely and forward and light, and I'm pretty darn happy," Weniger said. "I've never done a national championship before, and I was having so much fun with my horse. He makes me smile every day. He's so kind and fun and talented, but still a regular guy."

Final results, photo galleries, and news archives from the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan are available on the official event website. Video on demand from select championship performances is available on the USEF Network. For a complete archive of each competition day's results, click here. 

The Graduates Have Graduated

YR Graduate Program participants with their certificates of completion. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

None of us started riding because we love paperwork. Or difficult clients (the two-legged kind, at least).

The fact is, however, operating a business -- any business -- requires a skill set that we didn't acquire in our riding lessons.

As the second and final day of the USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program got under way, it became apparent that the young people in attendance are in need of some "real world" business and interpersonal skills. And that's exactly what this program was created to help provide.

Equine lawyer Yvonne Ocrant returned to continue her overview of equine law and the particular pitfalls that await the ignorant equine professional. Today's topic: contracts.

"A lot of deals are still done on a handshake, but people will sue. You need contracts," Ocrant said.

Ocrant revealed that many equine-related contracts, including a lot of bills of sale, are not legally enforceable. The reason: Many states' laws contain statutes pertaining to the sale of horses. An example Ocrant used is Florida, whose statute is explicit and therefore a recommended model. Florida's statute requires the inclusion of some specific language in equine bills of sale; without it, she said, the contract may not be enforceable.

Likewise, detailed liability releases -- ideally enriched with examples of potentially dangerous equine behaviors so as to help educate not only the signer but also any opposing counsel, judges, or juries that may someday scrutinize the document -- can be your best friend in the event of a lawsuit. 

"Not only will your liability release help protect you, but it could also be a deterrent against someone suing you," Ocrant said.

Roz Kinstler, a veteran FEI-level trainer and competitor and chair of the USDF Youth Programs Committee (and a driving force behind the YR Grad Program--she's a volunteer, folks!), spoke on the subject of customer service. She got lots of questions, many pertaining to client relations of the I-want-to-say-no-but-I-don't-know-how variety.

USDF youth programs coordinator Roz Kinstler, the driving force behind the YR Graduate Program. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Kinstler's advice to most: Be politely assertive. Establish boundaries (work hours, barn rules, and the like) and stick to them. If someone gets angry, wait until tempers have cooled and speak to the person in private. Realize that you can't please all the people all of the time. Don't engage in "triangling" -- talking about a third person behind her back, or allowing someone to talk to you about someone else. It takes courage, but if you have a beef with someone, speak to him directly.

Train, Train, Train

Lendon Gray discussed the embarrassment of riches that is dressage training opportunities in the US. For starters, thanks to the Internet, there's no such thing as geographic limitations any more. As Gray pointed out, there are online training videos and websites galore. 

Here's a great idea from Gray: Videotape yourself riding a movement; then find video of someone you admire performing that same movement. Compare and contrast.

"Do you look like that rider you admire? If not, why not?" Gray said.

Attend as many educational programs as you can. The USDF "L" and Instructor/Trainer Programs, the Young Horse Trainers Symposium at Hassler Dressage, the Succeed/USDF FEI-Level Trainers' Conference (which starts tomorrow), even content-rich equine expos such as Equine Affaire -- all have much to offer. 

Don't overlook the value of watching and learning. Watch good trainers and riders. Sit with judges. It can be especially helpful to watch an experienced instructor teaching riders and horses of the type that are likely to make up your own clientele, Gray said.

A working-student position is a time-honored way of gaining experience. "It’s slightly slave labor, but you have to be getting something in exchange," said Gray, who advised contacting pros you want to work for -- and also contacting current or former working students, getting a work agreement in writing, and perhaps arranging a week-long trial run to make sure you're cut out for the work and that you and the trainer are a good fit.

Of course, there's always Mecca...that is to say, Europe, which is where American dressage students have been making training pilgrimages for decades. US high-performance rider Catherine Haddad Staller, who spent 20 years in Germany before moving back to the States a couple of years ago, divulged some contacts and offered some advice to consider before you call up the likes of Isabell Werth and offer your services.

Before she said a word about dressage training, however, Staller ordered the YR Grad participants to straighten their tables and chairs, clear the tables of electronic devices, and sit up straight. As the startled audience scurried to comply, she explained her motive: to show that, in Europe, you'll be told (not asked) to do things, and you won't be given a reason, nor should you ask for one. Order and obedience are expected, and praise is rarely given.

Similarly, don't expect hand-holding during riding lessons in Europe, Staller said. "Learning is your responsibility. The trainers will show you things or let you feel things. It’s your job to figure it out." Watch, watch, watch -- what Staller called "stealing with your eyes" -- and then try to apply what you've seen.

Staller is a fan of certification for riding instructors, although she says the German Bereiter system may well be too demanding and lengthy (3 years) for an American. Far more accessible in terms of both time and language is British Horse Society certification, said Staller, who herself is a BHSI (instructor), the British Bereiter equivalent.

Giving and Getting

Judges and instructors Janet Foy, Lilo Fore, and Annie Morris spoke on different topics, but their talks shared a common theme.

Foy explained the USDF "L" Program and why it's a must-do, even if you aren't planning to earn your USEF judge's license. 

"The A, B, and C sessions [which are open to auditors] are 100 percent necessary for anybody who wants to train a horse," said Foy, who is an FEI 4* judge and a member of the "L" program faculty.

Likewise, FEI 5* judge and USDF certification examiner Lilo Fore stressed the importance of earning instructor certification -- truly learning to teach dressage -- as a means of continuing professional development. 

"If you want to fulfill your dream of becoming the best rider you can be, it won’t happen by the seat of your pants. It happens through education," said Fore.

Fore's colleague Annie Morris, a member of the certification faculty, said that "the most important thing about doing this program was that it was so intellectually challenging. It really deepens your understanding of why you do what you do."

Another benefit, Morris said, is that by advancing in the program and becoming a faculty member, "Now I get to teach workshops. It helps my ability to give back to the sport."

Giving back -- by serving on committees, getting involved with USDF educational programs at a higher level, and otherwise donating one's time and expertise to advance the sport -- has many rewards, the experts said. Among them: a rich network of colleagues and friends who can be called on for help and advice. 

"We gain from our education, and at some point we have to give back. But then you receive 100 percent," Fore said.

Over the past two days, sixteen of the best and brightest in American dressage gave back to the sport by talking to the 2014 USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program participants. We thank them for their generous contributions, and we hope the young adults in the program gained valuable insights that they in turn will give back to the sport someday.