I know I am not alone in my unending desire to learn more, see more and experience more with my horses. It’s a common theme that seems to speak to us all, proven to me in the hours we work to facilitate our relationships with our horses and friends in the equine world.

Most of us have the disease, if you will, and as life goes on, we constantly evolve in both our understanding of horses as well as our approach to them and the life around us, but we never seem to change the core force of what drives us.

We watch as the sport changes, even though our love for horses always stays the same, but I wonder if we truly realize how much we change in that same process, and if we are even aware of the sport’s evolution. Most of us in the industry start talking in terms of decades instead of years or seasons at a certain point, and it is without a doubt that over decades, things change. Within a season or a year or two, some of the changes don’t seem to be that noticeable, especially the small ones; they’re adapted to quickly, often passing by unnoticed, but sometimes insidiously becoming a new trend that everyone takes up, sometimes purposefully and sometimes completely unaware of that new adaptation.

A few weeks ago, I saw an advertisement with a rider in a top hat, and I was thinking how much uproar there was when the “look” was going to change as helmets became requirements. Fast-forward 10 years, and now a photo with a top hat-clad rider seems ancient, grainy and very outdated.

That was one of the noticeable changes, but there have been many small, seemingly insignificant ones that have also occurred. I wonder if we ever stop to think about how these changes have affected our sport and art, or are we just rolling with the punches, adapting and absorbing, dodging and swinging as needed, but nonetheless accepting them in the end for good or for bad?

A friend recently sent me an ad her trainer published of a young horse that she is selling, and I was taken aback at the photos used for the ad itself. The horse was clearly behind the vertical, low in the poll and high in the croup in all the photos, with a very poorly adjusted, low-fitting drop noseband. But at the same time, the horse looked gorgeous: muscled and shiny, with a nicely dressed rider who was decked out in sparkles and matching-colored show clothes.

It has become so incredibly commonplace to see horses in this condition, and the younger trainer, I am assuming, thinks the photos are great.

When did that evolution happen—the one where we look at a bad photo and think it’s great because it’s pretty? I know the age-old argument of, “One photo is just a moment in time,” but in this case it was multiple photos. It always seems to be the same group of people who hide behind that statement, and they’re the same people that always want to say that our new technology is so much better than the old: The breeding is better; the saddles are better, and the clothing is better. But I would be remiss if I didn’t point out: The cameras and the photographers are also better.

I have book after book in my library with extensive photos, some newer, some older, some dating back to the 1920s, all with absolutely stunning images of correct work and movement. We could still use them today as how-to images of what is correct. Back in those days, shutter speed and film development were very limiting factors in the amount of pictures a photographer could take at home or at a show. Why is it so easy to go back to the days of old and find such beautiful photos and classic examples of what is correct, and today they are few and far between?

How can we say it is a bad moment when that is the best moment the photographer can get with a rapid-fire shutter?

Or is it that the rider just keeps producing those bad moments—telling themselves it was just a moment in time and trying to get us to believe that as well? I don’t think any photographer is out to snap a bad photo of a horse. Those don’t sell, and no one wants them, so it is never in a photographer’s interest to keep catching the bad moment. Those bad moments are just extremely commonplace, so they are very easy to catch.

These days there is a lot of outcry on photos like that, with people saying the rider is abusive based on a photo, which is a fallacy but can be a truth at the same time. If we look at it as a way of life and a style of riding and see photo after photo, show after show, of similar images of a particular rider reproducing the same image on horseback, that argument can in fact stand. Not to mention, if that is the best they can produce in public, what are they producing and how are they riding at home?

Horse welfare is on everyone’s mind these days; it is unavoidable and everywhere. Using photos like the ones in this sale ad do not do our sport any justice or give us a leg to stand on in defense of our practices. Our sport is in turmoil right now, and there is a shift taking place, whether welcomed or objected to from those in the sport. The problem is the evolution has shifted, skewed and adjusted our ways of thinking and viewing the sport and the horses to such an extent we don’t always see, or want to see, the endemic problems that are here at our doorstep.

One recent example is that a very well-known bridle company from Germany started making a crank version of a drop noseband. Much like the old, studded cavesson nosebands that one can still purchase, they really have no place in our industry. If the bridle maker had horse welfare in mind, they wouldn’t make a crank drop noseband, since they would understand the purpose of that kind of noseband, and the pain that a tight drop noseband can produce, and they’d understand the damage that can be done when misused. This company is adding to the welfare issues seen by the public in production of a noseband like this. Shame on them for making one, and shame on us for buying them, and in turn letting them become part of this insidious evolutionary change.

Welfare And Art

These changes are again going on right under our noses, no pun intended, while we just keep talking about how great the sport is, how much we love our horses, and all the while, trying to silence the critics. We keep getting told by the royalty of the sport that they know better than the novice riders, and they love their horses. The public keeps hearing from the stars of the horse sports that these things are being blown out of proportion, and the public just isn’t educated. I very much beg to differ.

It has become so commonplace to have extremely tight nosebands as a way of life and training that these star riders, who are supposed to be the best and biggest advocates in our sport for equine welfare, are up in arms over having a device that can measure the tightness with a standardized gauge to tell us what common sense should really be telling us. I don’t understand the objection to the idea of a measuring device, and why people can’t get behind standardization, especially when they love the horses so much.

But just to be clear, tight nosebands are not actually the enemy here; not understanding that the tight noseband, blue tongue or strong contact isn’t fair to the horse is. This is a rider accountability issue. If welfare was a foremost concern to these riders, why aren’t they coming up with ways to better work with the higher-ups to be compliant and transparent with their practices? Why don’t they desire to better the sport with kindness toward their steeds and common sense to their approach? Where has the empathy gone, if it ever did exist, and how can some of these riders look at their own horses, or the horses of some of the other riders, and think, as the Fédération Equestre Internationale so daftly puts it, that those are “happy athletes”? 

I am reminded of the fable, “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” with the basic moral being it’s important to speak the truth and not be afraid to challenge authority, even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular. The story shows how people are often afraid to speak the truth, even when they see something is clearly wrong, because they fear being judged or ostracized. It demonstrates how vanity and a desire to maintain appearances can lead to deception and blind people to the truth. The little boy’s honest declaration that the emperor is wearing no clothes exposes the charade and reveals the emperor’s true state, demonstrating the power of truth. In the end, it is a cautionary tale about blindly following the authority or group thinking, and the importance of independent thinking and critical evaluation. The story sums up the way gaslighting works, which is a modern-day word used to basically describe the entire fable.

When lines of welfare start becoming blurred, the art gets lost, and in that loss, the correctness of form goes with it. Welfare and art go hand in hand, so if we lose the welfare, we lose the art, and we seem to be losing the welfare to the evolution that is taking place right in front of us. 

Somewhere in the performance and in the work, there has to be a willingness on a horse’s part to be our partner. The art of the sport is both in bettering the horse’s natural way of going and preserving and showcasing their character. Dressage that doesn’t do this simply isn’t dressage on a level that we should be striving for, agreeing with or believing in.

Every few years someone seems to have a new revolutionary idea on how to blend art and sport together, but unfortunately those ideas always seem to lean heavily on gaslighting, crowd approval, TV ratings, excitement or dilution to make the sport more appealing to a larger audience. This also ends up feeding the bad and incorrect evolutionary change.

As one simple example: The Grand Prix test lengths have been shortened over the years, so the audience doesn’t get bored, and we can fit more riders into a day. We make the tests easier and lean more heavily on the excitement and drama far more than the harmony and training, which can now be added to the list of welfare issues for the horse.

It isn’t a new argument or a new problem. But there does seem to be a battle that is creating polarization all the way down to the grassroot levels. This battle is raging, and each team and side keeps pushing their beliefs and defending their own way of life. Some are more science-based and fact-driven, others speak purely from the heart, and then there are some from the side of human stubbornness—just not wanting change. The judges believe they are right in what they are scoring; the riders believe they are right in how they are training, and the people at home have yet another core value of beliefs that they hold strongly. No one wants to give in, since that either means a change in your sport, or a change in your art, and either way in the end, a change in our way of life with horses.

We often point a finger at the people at home or on the internet and say they don’t know since they are not out there doing, but they are not always wrong, and their opinion cannot always be invalidated because they haven’t cantered into a stadium at an Olympic Games. It is extremely naïve of us riders, trainers and judges to think we are the only ones with eyes, and sadly for that argument, we as a group often wear rose-colored glasses talking of the queens and kings of the sport, unwilling to see the big picture and go against the popular crowd.

We’ve all seen an uptick in the amount of comments and posts online, on both social media accounts and various websites, speaking out about welfare-related issues.

Everyone is fast to condemn someone speaking up or speaking out as crazy or vindictive, uneducated or stupid, often saying, “We haven’t seen you ride or compete at that level,” and in turn trying to invalidate what the commenters are saying. If the argument of, “You must have competed at a level to judge,” holds value, why do we have some upper-level judges that have not competed at the Olympics or World Equestrian Games? I don’t understand the hypocrisy there.

I am in the minority in the belief that you do not have to have ridden to that level to see what is correct and what isn’t—or at least I can respect someone’s educated opinion on why they think something is right or wrong.

To me, the only caveat to having an opinion on a subject is having an education on that subject, and I have to say, I am hearing a lot of educated opinions on the internet these days that we just can’t keep ignoring or blowing off because we haven’t seen these people ride horses. Not all these people are wrong.

Being in the sport for a long time, you see these changes taking place, and they will continue to do so. Much like the tide at the beach, it ebbs and flows, and with each wave, you see the landscape changing before your eyes. Slowly, steadily, it changes. We can get on board with these changes, or we can leave it up to the current and the weather to make these changes for us, later trying in vain to redirect the erosion.

It will be interesting to see where the future of our sport heads with welfare on the forefront. There’s a vocal majority acting like the changes are egregiously pushed upon them, and then what seems like a minority feeling they’re a welcomed relief, since we all want to see horse sports stay relevant and included in a world where we can all continue to ride, love and hedonistically enjoy our equine partners.

Grand Prix trainer and competitor Jeremy Steinberg was the U.S. Equestrian Federation national dressage youth coach from 2010 to 2014. A 1996 FEI North American Young Rider Championships individual dressage medalist, he is a former U.S. Dressage Federation Junior/Young Rider Clinic Series clinician. He credits much of his dressage education to the late Dietrich von Hopffgarten, his longtime friend and mentor. Today Steinberg runs a boutique-style training business in Aiken, South Carolina, and travels the country giving clinics. Learn more at steinbergdressage.com.

The post The Emperor Has No Clothes appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

It’s not unusual for amateur dressage rider Erin Liedle to show up at The Pointe at Lifespring, an assisted living facility in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she works as a physical therapist, with one of her pets in tow. Her dogs are always welcome visitors, but it’s her Shetland pony Stewie who draws the biggest crowd.  

Her service work with her pets and her career as a physical therapist for geriatric patients are only some of the many ways that Liedle gives back. Outside her job and her passion for riding, she also helps run the East Tennessee nonprofit Down and Dirty Dogs, which provides training to shelter dogs, improving their well-being while sheltered and making them more adoptable pets. 

Bridging The Gap With Service Animals

Almost 15 years ago Liedle’s main riding horse was struggling with complex health issues and couldn’t be turned out with other horses. The mare grew depressed. When a vet suggested that a smaller, gentler companion might improve her mental health and physical recovery, Liedle jumped on the idea; she was open to anything that might help her horse.  

And as one does when they need a small pasture puff, Liedle immediately went to Craigslist.

“I found Stewie’s ad and asked to meet him,” she said. “When we got there, he was covered in mud. But he was the happiest little dude, and he had so much personality. He’s the best $300 I’ve ever spent!”

In the short-term, miniature horse Stewie was a definite boost to her mare’s quality of life, Liedle said. But when the mare eventually was diagnosed with a severe neurologic condition and had to be put down, there was no question that Stewie was staying put at Liedle’s farm in Knoxville, where he lives now with her retired eventer and her current dressage mount. 

While Liedle had purchased the mini as a cute companion, she thought Stewie had more to offer. 

Liedle had been a physical therapist at The Pointe at Lifespring for only a few years when she asked executive director Rebecca Mills if she could bring Stewie in to visit the residents. 

Bringing her animals to work was nothing new for Liedle: Her agility dogs, Border Collie Graham and Border Terriers Miley and Griffin, often accompany her, encouraging and motivating the residents during physical therapy sessions and visiting patients in their rooms.

Trips to The Pointe became another way for the dogs, who Liedle says “are fantastic but need direction,” beyond their regular agility training, to feel like they have a job. And the positive impact they have on Liedle’s patients was nothing short of extraordinary. 

“One of my patients was put into hospice care,” Liedle said, “and she specifically asked for Miley. So the next day I brought her in. The patient, bed-bound at that point, asked if I could put Miley on her bed. And I did, and Miley just gently crawled up and laid down on the patient’s chest and just sort of spread herself out and lay there for a long time. She just knew. I’ll never forget it.”

Knowing how much joy the dogs brought The Pointe’s seniors, when Liedle asked Mills about Stewie, the answer was a resounding yes. 

The Elevator Pony

“I was a little worried that he might, you know, do his business,” Mills said, laughing. “But then he showed up, and he was so beautifully groomed, and he smelled so good, and he had a better haircut than most of the men who work here…

“He’s so good that we can bring him inside,” she continued. “The fact that he’s so calm and accessible and approachable just allows him to reach everyone. He just brings so much joy. How can you be stressed or worried when you’re petting a miniature horse? Or is he a pony? I’m not a horse expert—I just know he’s cute!

“He’s become a celebrity here,” she added. “We have some residents who don’t attend a lot of activities and aren’t super social. They can be hard to reach, especially some of the residents in memory care. But then one of the dogs or Stewie comes for a visit, and it’s that animal who is able to bring that resident out of his or her shell. It’s just priceless.”

Liedle remembers a particular visit when a resident on the second floor wanted to meet Stewie but couldn’t come downstairs. 

“He grew up on a farm and really, really wanted to see the pony,” she recalled. “So my colleague asked if Stewie would ride on an elevator. I said, ‘We’re going to find out!’ and that little champion, he walked right on and went up to visit that patient. It was amazing.”

Liedle said that bringing her pets to work—especially Stewie—enables her to do her physical therapy work even better. 

“For so many of my harder-to-reach patients, he bridges the gap,” she said. “He has changed my relationship with so many patients because he opens something up in them that allows them to let us in. It’s just so special. I never could have imagined that my career would have turned out like this, that I could, in this incredible way, couple my love of animals with my love for the geriatric population and get to share one with the other.”

“Erin wears so many hats here,” Mills said. “She’s an incredible physical therapist, but she goes above and beyond that role daily in everything she does. What she does for everyone here goes so far beyond a job—it’s a passion and a calling.”

Equestrian Steward

While Stewie may be the biggest celebrity living in Liedle’s backyard, the company he keeps is rather impressive. Liedle’s mostly retired eventer, Fernhill Boodle, won the amateur training level championship at the 2019 USEA American Eventing Championships (Kentucky). When “Boodle” had some off-and-on lameness issues, Liedle decided to retire him to hacks around the farm while she shifted her focus solely to dressage. 

“Eventing is a really high-risk sport, she said. “And I’d found an incredible trainer and a great group of friends in Knoxville who were dressage riders. Making the switch from eventing, which I’d done since childhood, just made sense.

“I’d always loved dressage,” she continued. “But I didn’t understand the sport in its entirety because I’d never had a purpose-bred horse to do that specific job.”

She has been riding with dressage trainer Emily Brollier Curtis for almost a decade and said that Curtis’ guidance in the sport—and as a person—has been life-changing. Liedle also credits Curtis for finding her current dressage mount, a 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding named No Limit (Just For You—Heriti, Vitalis). 

“Emily saw his ad and said, ‘You need to go sit on this horse,’ ” Liedle recalled. “I’m pretty calculated in my decision making, but I really trust Emily, and so I bought a ticket to Texas. I told my mom when I was at the airport, ‘I’m not going to buy this horse.’ Then I walked into the barn and realized that I was in trouble.

“Three years later, it’s the best decision I ever made,” she continued.  

And while “Rocky” has taken her to the U.S. Dressage Finals for the past three years and is beginning Prix St. Georges work, Liedle isn’t talking about their successes in the show ring. She’s more interested in what she’s learned from Rocky and the relationship that they’ve formed since their partnership began. 

“He was not the easiest young horse,” she said. “He was cut late, and he has very, very high opinions of himself. He refused to give to pressure; he couldn’t handle it. So we started off doing a lot of groundwork, and I taught him that he could trust that there would always be a release if he just kept looking for it. When he came to realize that I was never going to trap him, and that he just needed to work to figure out what I was asking for, we really started to become a team. And he has really improved my horsemanship and my riding; I have so many more tools in my toolbox now because of him.”

Once the pair sorted out those early kinks, they took to the show ring, which Rocky really enjoys. 

“His extra bravado is really working for us now,” she said. “It’s an unknown variable when you buy a young horse; you don’t know if they’ll even enjoy showing. But Rocky loves the show ring, especially the big shows. Like, he goes to finals, and he steps up.”

But she tries hard to keep her showing goals in perspective.

“I try to look at horse shows as litmus tests,” she said. “I love competing, but at the end of the day, if my horse is happy and content at the show, we’ve won already. The mental and physical health of the horse is always most important, and feedback from a show just lets me know what we need to keep working on.”

“It’s about the personal journey for her,” Curtis said. “I cannot tell you how many times she checks in with me on an ethical standard, asking if something is fair to the horse. She’s constantly coming back to that, being a steward for her horse. Her horsemanship is outstanding. She’s always questioning: Is this right? Is this fair? Am I asking the right questions? Is this too much or not enough? She’s always circling back to what is right. And because of that, her horse is so generous with her. Erin is as good as they come. The real deal.”

Liedle says that having her horses at home fosters the special relationship she has with each one of them. 

“It helps to remind me of what’s really important,” Liedle said. “I’m the person who asks Rocky to work, but I’m also the food lady and the stall cleaner, and we’re always just hanging out. It’s the absolute best when I walk out of the garage, not even going to the barn, and the horses start talking to me.

“What gets me up in the morning is knowing that these animals, whether the dogs or the horses, put their trust in me even though they don’t have to. That’s most important,” she added. “Rocky is by far the nicest horse I’ve ever had, and probably ever will have, and I just feel so blessed to be his person. God entrusts us with these animals to be stewards to them, to do right by them and take care of them the best that we can.”

But while Liedle is grateful for the animals and people in her own life, so many in Knoxville would say that they feel blessed, too, by her presence in their lives, whether it’s her colleagues and residents at The Pointe, or her friends at the barn, or the horses and dogs she loves. 

“She’s an amazing physical therapist,” Miller said. “But more than that, she’s a phenomenal human. She’s so humble. She cares so much about the people here. Really, she cares about all living things. She’s just a phenomenal person.”

The post Amateur Dressage Rider Erin Liedle Has A Mini And A Mission appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

Parra, 62, was suspended for 15 years, fined approximately $18,600 and ordered to pay $12,400 in legal costs by the FEI, in a decision announced Aug. 6, after a lengthy investigation into claims he abused multiple horses in his care.

A prominent figure in international equestrian sport, Parra has competed at the top level since 1998. He represented his native Colombia at the 1999 Pan American Games, the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2002 and 2006, and the 2005 FEI World Cup Dressage Final. After switching nationalities in 2008, Parra competed for the United States at the 2011 Pan American Games and the 2014 FEI World Cup Final.

He was first provisionally suspended on Feb. 2, 2024, after a video was posted to Parra’s social media showing the trainer engaging in abusive behavior and training methods involving multiple horses. 

“This case is deeply unsettling, not only because of the recurring nature of the abuse, but also because of the number of horses affected,” FEI Legal Director Mikael Rentsch said in the FEI statement announcing Parra’s 15-year suspension. “That such behavior came from a top-level athlete makes it all the more troubling. Our athletes are expected to represent and uphold the highest standards of horsemanship. Horse welfare is the foundation, not an add-on, of equestrian sport.

“The investigation demanded significant time and resources due to the volume and complexity of the evidence, which had to be meticulously verified,” Rentsch continued. “The 15-year suspension sends a clear message that regardless of profile or position, those who violate the principles of horse welfare will face serious consequences.”

Parra was given 21 days to appeal the decision to the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, an independent organization that resolves legal disputes in all sporting disciplines, including equestrian. 

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Cook is vice president of the Utah Dressage Society and a member of the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society. She completed the USDF Young Rider Graduate Program and is a USDF Certified Instructor/Trainer in training and first level. Cook and Rosa Red, a 13-year-old Rhinelander mare (Riberty Gold—Resanchantee) owned by Leslie Edison, will train with Anne Gribbons during the Florida winter season and plan to make their debut in the CDI arena while in Florida.

“I am truly honored to be the recipient of The Dressage Foundation’s $25,000 Debbie McDonald Fund for FEI Riders grant,” said Cook. “Debbie has always been an inspiration to me, and receiving a grant in her name is incredibly meaningful. This support will allow me to continue my education with Anne Gribbons in Florida this winter, helping me grow as both a rider and a horsewoman. None of this would be possible without the incredible support of Leslie Edison and Winter Farms, who have supported me in developing Rosa Red from training level to FEI. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and for the belief in me and my journey with Rosa. I’m excited to carry these lessons forward in pursuit of my goals, and I’m committed to making the most of this opportunity.”

The Debbie McDonald Fund previously provided $10,000 grants to Pacific Northwest FEI riders. Thanks to the generosity of Pamela S. Jones and the Jones Family Foundation—Malama Honua, the Fund expanded and increased in 2023. This is the third $25,000 grant awarded from the Fund.

TDF welcomes additional donations to the Debbie McDonald Fund for FEI Riders. Gifts can be made at www.dressagefoundation.org or by calling Jenny Johnson, TDF’s executive director, at (402) 434-8585. Donations by check can be mailed to TDF’s office at 1314 ‘O’ Street, Suite 305, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68508.

The grant guidelines and application for the Debbie McDonald Fund for FEI Riders can be found on The Dressage Foundation’s website at www.dressagefoundation.org. The application deadline is June 15 of each year.

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Friday, Aug. 15

It’s 3 a.m., and I’m up and at ’em. We’re on night turnout most of the year, so I fetch Cadeau from his field. A notoriously slow and finicky eater, I give him an hour to finish his breakfast. But he’s already suspicious—being able to read a clock and all—and then I commit my first crime (of, I’m sure, many) of the week: I give him a dose of a gastric support paste. After spending half an hour acting like I’ve tried to poison him, he barely nibbles at his breakfast and then gives up to stare out the window at the trailer. 

This will be a long day. 

Cadeau went through a period of not getting on the trailer, and I spent a lot of time working on it with him, so I’m delighted when he waltzes right on. But that’s the last easy piece of the day. The trip from our base in Virginia to Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois, should take 12.5 hours. Instead, it takes almost 14 because of traffic in Indiana and around Chicago. 

While Cadeau does graciously drink about half a bucket of water, he doesn’t touch a bite of hay the entire way. Big lesson of the weekend: I’ll need to experiment with different types of forage when he travels a long way. And I also wonder if maybe he is upset because he’s traveling alone. Further study is needed. 

I unload, settle him in (he dives right for the hay in his stall, thank goodness), then go to unhook the trailer and drop my stuff at the hotel before coming back to do night check. He hasn’t touched his water. The next morning, only about half a bucket is gone. His gums and skin are good, and he does settle in and eat some grass when taken out for a graze, but I don’t like it. 

By the way, it is now…

Saturday 

My plan was to just hack today, so I pop on him before it gets too hot, and he’s perfectly polite but pretty crunchy from the trip. I don’t want to burn any more calories or hydration than necessary, but I do break protocol a bit and do a few minutes of glacial, boring, head-on-the-floor trot. After a few minutes of this, his back lets go, and he takes a big deep breath. This was the right call. 

I spend the rest of the day tidying the tack stall I’ll be sharing with the daughter of one of my syndicate members, who will be arriving later to do the Dressage Seat Medal and the Children’s division, getting a workout in, and taking a nap—a luxury I rarely get. 

Cadeau is eating normally, phew, but still not really drinking. I try electrolytes in the water, no dice. I throw an apple into his bucket, and he slurps down about half trying to get the snack, but when he can’t get his teeth into it, he gets mad and gives up. All his hydration indicators are still OK, though, so I head to bed with my fingers crossed. 

Sunday 

Same story: He’s had a little water but not enough. Now this is serious. Someone gives me a handful of chopped alfalfa, and that he likes, so I find a local supplier, and give him a bucket of that in water. He just about knocks me down to get to it. Another big lesson of the weekend: Be prepared for Cadeau to not drink when we travel somewhere new. 

My plan for the day had been to just fluff around, do some transitions, get Cadeau loose, make sure my half-halt works, and be done. It’s a long week, and while Cadeau is plenty hot, he is not limitless in his muscular capacity. 

I also had planned on doing this without a coach. But last night, I started getting the yips, mostly because I’d seen so many riders really schooling the day before, and not just doing what I did, toodling about. I am an experienced competitor and not a nervous one, but I feel myself getting into my head. 

I do most of my riding with Ali Brock, but Olivia LaGoy-Weltz (who is both a deeply trusted friend and my neighbor of sorts, only 45 minutes from me in Virginia and around the corner in Florida) has just been named to the USEF coaching staff, which means she’s at the show in person. I’d taken a few lessons with her over the last few weeks at home in Virginia, so we’d have some mileage together and some common language before the show.

So, Olivia to the rescue. She just sits with me and chats, occasionally chiming in about what I’m doing, but mostly just keeps me company, and keeps me confident in my plan. She texts me an hour later: “I’ve been sitting at the ring watching a whole lot of people who seem to have forgotten the show starts tomorrow. Your ride was so soft and nice to watch.” Sometimes your coach is your coach; sometimes your coach is your emotional support animal. 

Speaking of animals, my staff at home text me a picture of one of my dogs, face swollen and covered in blood. (Fact: one of my animals gets hurt every time I am gone for more than a handful of days. This one sees the vet, gets a diagnosis of an infected tooth, and goes home with meds. She’ll be fine.)

Bath, braid and put on my jog outfit: a super cute, thrifted button-down shirt, jeans, brand new sneakers that immediately rub a hole in my foot. Cadeau is perfectly polite to jog, with the caveat of stopping mid-trot to do a full body shake like the Thellwell Pony/Serious International Horse he is. Passed. 

There’s a rider briefing with the stewards—don’t ride like a jerk, don’t be a twit on the internet, don’t blast on your noseband, the usual—followed by a wine and snack party. I love the big championship shows for so many reasons, but one of them is that I get to see my old friends from all over the country and make some new ones. I’ve had a girl crush on Sarah Mason-Beaty and Laura DeCesari—both badass trainers making their own Grand Prix horses—for a while, so it’s cool to put faces to names. I’d love to sit around and drink and socialize but one of age 40’s gifts to me is a complete inability to sleep through the night if I have a glass of wine, so it’s night check (Cadeau, mercifully, HAS been drinking, whew), and then off to bed, until it’s…

Monday

I’ve been so fortunate as to draw a time towards the end of the class; we can talk about it all day long, but statistics are in favor of those towards the end. But it also means that I get to sweat for a while, because this class is big, and this class is GOOD—like, really good. I came in ranked No. 10 in the country on a 69% average. And this show, for me, is not about the ribbons; it’s about learning how to show Cadeau well under conditions I can’t replicate any other way, ones where he’s gone for a week, to somewhere totally new, having to be in top shape for three days of showing. This is a fact-finding mission.

But who am I kidding? I also like ribbons a lot. Especially primary-colored ones. So I’ve done my homework, and my horse feels amazing. Let’s go.

I warm up, and I’m sticking to the plan: Give him time to get loose, transitions, long arms, forward-thinking contact. A few walk breaks; he likes them, rather than just building and building. Touch a pirouette each way, touch a zig zag, touch some changes. Walk pirouettes. And finish with a calibration of the trot, because Cadeau has amazing adjustability in the trot, but I’m not yet in charge of it, so I need to pick the one that feels the most consistent, and stay there. In my head, the “good” one is always so much slower than I think it should be, so I need a grown up to tell me to stick to it.

And then it’s go-time. I know I shouldn’t get ahead of myself, and I know it’s a long six minutes, but I can’t wipe the smile off my face as I go around the ring, because Cadeau is ON. He feels like a soda bottle I’ve shaken, and I can just sit back and slowly release the bubbles. 

There are the little things, of course. One walk pirouette gets weird. The right canter half-pirouette, my pride and joy, is so nice that we have a miscommunication getting out of it, because he wants to keep turning. My fours are a wee bit of a slalom. But it’s good. And as I’m walking out, the scores go up: 70%. Third place, by just 0.4%. We are in it!

I am beside myself. Cadeau doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about—of COURSE he was brilliant, why are we all treating this like a big deal—but he cheerfully gets lots of smooches from everyone, especially three of his amazing syndicate members, who’ve made the trip to watch him dance.

Man, oh man, do I want to celebrate, but I have to show again tomorrow, so instead I get a workout in, take Cadeau out for a graze (the bugs at Lamplight are legendary, so he’s head-to-toe dressed in his Bow Horse fly gear), and help my friend Lauren Chumley move some of her horses in. I take my book manuscript to dinner because I’m so behind on it.

While trying not to spill salsa on the notes my brilliant friend and syndicate member Stacy Curwood has written for me, I watch the storm clouds roll in. And I’m glad we’re all under cover when they let loose, because they let LOOSE. Cadeau is stabled in Tent 1, as are a huge number of other very, very famous horses, and as I watch their team of grooms scramble to keep the inches of rain out of their horses stalls, I’m comforted to know that there is no amount of money, staff or time that can prevent horses from being horses, and nature from being nature.

Tuesday

Between the weather and the newfound pressure of expectation—boy, oh boy, is it easier to do this when you’re a scrappy insurgent rather than sitting on top—I did not sleep well. And I drew the last slot in the class, which is amazing, but adds a whole ‘nother level of anxiety. But as always, once I’m on the horse, all that stress slips away. It’s me and my best boy, and I’ve done my best forelock braid ever, AND I Wordled in two. This is going to be a good day.

I get on wondering if Cadeau will be tired at all, whether he slept well, whether I should have changed the plan in any way. When I put my leg on to begin his warm-up trot, and he holds his breath and scoots with a sassy little tail toss, I get my answer: Oh no, we’re on fire today. But we have been pals a long time, he and I, and he cheerfully lets me channel that heat. 

He holds his breath again as we’re going around the ring, but I’m ready for it. In the warm-up we pushed the envelope with the trot just a wee smidge, just asking for a little more expression and power but without going over the line. It’s a balancing act, but he lets me do it. Arms long, contact thinking forward. I have a right leg, not just a left. The extended trot still isn’t where I want it, and he thinks a brief impure thought at the beginning of the zig zag, but he lets me call him back to order with ease. I have time. I have time. I have time.

And I have a sore face by the end, because he just feels so damn good I can’t stop smiling. The score goes up—another 70%, and this time I take second. Holy expletives!

More hugs, more carrots for the best horse ever. And then out to dinner with my amazing owners, where I indulge in some lovely sparkling wine because HECK YES. Cheers!

Wednesday

It’s a day off from competition, so I hop on Cadeau first thing and go about the Very Serious Business of walking on the buckle and trotting a handful of 20-meter circles with his head on the floor. His chores are done, he’s walked in the arena, he’s hacked around the arenas, and he’s been put away and sufficiently snuggled, all by 9 a.m. I watch the entirety of the Grand Prix class with Sabine Schut-Kery, who I adore and never get to see, and I forgive her for beating me in the Intermediaire classes because she lets me sit at her cool kids’ table so I feel very important and fancy.

And then… it’s only 10:45 a.m. So I visit with more friends, and then it’s only 11. So I feed Cadeau lunch and pick out his stall once more, and then it’s only 11:30 a.m. So I go back to the hotel, and I work out, and I get a pedicure, and then it’s only 2 p.m. So I take a nap. (Who am I?!) Then it is finally time to head back to the show to take Cadeau out for his afternoon graze and feed him dinner, but it is only 4:30 p.m., so I nip back to the hotel and shower and put on a cute dress (another thrift shop find, $11, slay) and it is FINALLY 5:30 and time for action: another competitor’s party. I meet even more amazing people, and see even more amazing friends, because Festival has so many classes that the divisions are quite staggered; I’ll be done competing before some divisions even begin, and most folks didn’t even show up until Tuesday.

Night check and bedtime come and go. I’m waiting to get nervous, and I’m bizarrely not. Because really, I do feel like I’ve already won. Mission already way, way accomplished. For all of my joking-not-joking about liking big hairy ribbons, I’m really, really proud of this horse, and the show we’ve had up until this point, and I’m really, really zen about whatever happens next. Apparently another of 40’s gifts to me is finding some perspective. That’s a nicer gift than not being able to sleep after a glass of wine. Thank you, 40.

Thursday

No questions about it today: We stick to the plan. No, I do not need to ride Cadeau this morning in any capacity, even though we don’t compete until this evening, and while I’m not BAD nervous, I am certainly eager, and I need to find ways to keep myself from chewing off my own arm. I give him a bath and a graze, I work out, and I watch a bit. I pack as much as I can, because I ride at 4:55 p.m., with the awards ceremony scheduled for 6:30-ish, and then I need to pack everything into the trailer such that I can bolt out the door pre-dawn the next morning. But because I still need to show, there is basically nothing to pack. I listen to my freestyle music ten thousand times. Olivia’s had to fly home, but she’s going to warm me up via FaceTime (because my dumb self forgot the stupid Pivo, but fortunately one of my amazing owners and a professional groom friend offer their services as human tripods, so I test my technology once, and I’m set.

And then it’s go time. Cadeau is mentally one hundred percent but a little physically tired, which can sometimes be a scary combination. But good grief, is he ever a little warrior when the chips are down. I remember to hit an extended trot in my warm-up, so I maybe won’t get run away with quite so much in the ring. I practice my first few movements of trot in, halt, trot out, and immediately half-pass left; it’s not such an easy sequence, and I don’t know why I made my freestyle this way, but it’s too late for that regret now. And then we’re in.

I do, in fact, blow my entrance. For a girl who’s spent years trying to apply more right leg, I do so with gusto, and poor Cadeau thinks I’m calling up the canter. But we fix it, and we move on, and everything else is spot on. I finish on a 72%, and with two more riders to go, I’m briefly in the lead. (I have someone take a picture of the Jumbotron while I am. Yes, I am that guy.)

And then, Tom Petty, the waiting is the hardest part. Class leader Sabine goes right after me, and it’s a shutout. But it was a neck-and-neck race for reserve champion, and all the riders are gathering for the award ceremony, and I’m catching up and chatting and putting Cadeau’s polo wraps on trying not to freak out, waiting for someone to walk up to me holding one of two colors of ribbon. And even though my face is so, so sore from almost a straight week of grinning that I think I can’t grin anymore, when my squad walks up holding the red one, I can’t stop beaming. We did it!

The rest is a blur. Cadeau is remarkably civilized in the awards ceremony until we have to canter around, and then he briefly demonstrates how much power and elasticity he has in his back. My team of owners takes him from me so I can sprint over to the media tent for an interview, and then I bolt back down to the barn to load up the truck full of everything to take back to the trailer.

Syndicate members Sloane Rosenthal and Leslie Harrelson have put Cadeau away and smothered him in love, and it’s 7 p.m. before we finally crack open the champagne and then to a quick dinner. I want to be able to really celebrate, but my alarm is set for 3 a.m., because I am going to drive home all day, losing an hour in transit, and then naturally I have a student at a Virginia show at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning. So we toast, and we hug, and I try and get to bed, but the adrenaline is still pumping, and my phone is blowing up and finally, finally, sleep takes me.

All too quickly it’s…

Friday, Aug. 22

It’s 3 a.m., and I’m up and at ‘em again. When I get to the barn, Cadeau is out—I mean OUT, flat out, carcass time OUT—and I have to poke him a few times to get him up. I’ve learned one of this week’s lessons, and I feed him his breakfast grain before I try to poison him with tummy paste, so he does actually eat.

But then he’s really quite mad when I go to load him, and says NOPE for a few minutes before finally resigning himself to his fate. I am so, so sorry, I keep telling him. This day is going to suck for you, and you were just so amazing, and this is just how it’s going to be. I can hear him rolling his eyes all the whole way home.

The traffic and weather gods are both with us, and we cruise home in a blistering 12.5 hours. I’d left my car at the dealership to address a minor recall issue, with their promise that they’d have it delivered to my farm before today… and at 6:30 p.m. I’m frantically calling their answering service, desperately hoping someone can come and retrieve me, because of course, they have not delivered the car. Eventually I’m rescued, and I finally come through my front door at 7:30 p.m. to a pile of mail dwarfed only by my pile of laundry. The top envelope? A questionnaire for jury duty. 

Well, being a rockstar was fun while it lasted. I set my alarm so I can get to Morven Park’s dressage show bright and early the next day. Back to reality!

Lauren Sprieser is a USDF gold, silver and bronze medalist with distinction making horses and riders to FEI from her farm in Marshall, Virginia. She’s currently developing The Elvis Syndicate’s C. Cadeau, Clearwater Farm Partners’ Tjornelys Solution, as well as her own string of young horses, with hopes of one day representing the United States in team competition. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram, and read her book on horse syndication, “Strength In Numbers.”

The post A Week In The Life: The US Dressage Festival Of Champions appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

Markel/USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix National Championship

Gremlin 41 (Grey Flanell—Daytona), a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Bille Davidson and ridden by Quinn Iverson (Wellington, Florida), topped a field of 10 in the USEF Developing Grand Prix Test for the developing grand prix, adding a second win to his earlier victory in the FEI Intermediaire II test. 

“I have to give most of the credit to my sponsor, Bille Davidson, who’s brought us along,” Iverson said. “I’ve known her since I was 4 years old, and ‘Gryffin’ has been in my life for the past five years. I did the developing Prix St. Georges with him here two years ago, and it’s incredibly cool to see the progress that we’ve made.” 

The pair earned good scores for most movements across the test, showing good consistency for a developing horse. 

“I’m quite speechless about this one. This is probably one of the best tests we’ve had to date,” Iverson said. “I’m so happy with him, because this is the end of a long week, and he went in there and still tried his heart out. I’m so, so proud of him.” 

The reserve champion title went to Living Diamond, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Livaldon—Feine Deern) owned and ridden by Kelly Layne (Wellington, Florida), after third-place finishes in the two tests for the championship. 

“Training in Florida the last four weeks was really hard with the weather,” Layne said. “And then you come here and the horses feel totally different. They feel amazing, and so you have a lot more horse than you were training at home. I had to tweak some things over the last few days, but I’m so happy to be here and to get him out of the heat. The facility is so beautiful, the footing is incredible, and the opportunities to train in the ring you’re going to compete in—I think all of that helps.  

“My horse was consistent both days. I had little bobbles here and there, which is normal,” she continued. “For a developing Grand Prix horse, he clearly has the quality to do everything really well, and he has the will and the want, but he doesn’t always have the strength to match that yet.” 

As the owner, rider, and trainer for “Louie,” Layne has the luxury of choosing the horse’s path. He was the right horse at the right time for her. 

“With this horse, I can take my time and do it how I want to do it,” she said. “He has a very special character, and he is just a love. There’s nothing about him that’s difficult. He’s so straightforward, and it’s just lovely to have a horse like that. He’s not complicated, and I think the sky is the limit when you have a horse like that. I think with some time, that could turn into something really special.” 

USEF Dressage Seat Medal Final 14–18 

Claire Tucker, of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Finnur claimed the gold medal with a standout performance that earned an impressive 85.00%. 

Tucker, who earned bronze in 2023, stepped up to the top of the standings this year with a poised and polished test. The victory was even more meaningful after she faced an unexpected challenge the night before the competition. 

“Most of my plans worked out, but ‘Finn’ accidentally stepped on my foot last night,” Tucker said. “My foot may or may not be OK, but luckily it didn’t really set me back today. We pushed through!” 

Despite the setback, Tucker and Finn, her own 9-year-old Hanoverian gelding (For Romance I—Wapi Yo), delivered a beautiful test that impressed the judges and secured the gold. 

“I didn’t even qualify for the Medal Final last year,” Tucker added. “I was third at regionals, so I wasn’t expecting to come in and win today. I just really hoped I could do my best, and that’s what I did. At the end of the day, you just have to give it your all and it’s up to the judges.” 

Tayla Damyanovich, of Hibbing, Minnesota, captured the silver medal with True Colors, a 20-year-old draft cross gelding owned by Deanna Hertrich, on a score of 82.00%. Damyanovich was only on her fourth ride with the gelding. 

“He’s just a really solid, sturdy guy,” Damyanovich said. “He took care of me, and he’s a lot of fun. This is my third year in the medal finals, and it’s always so much fun competing with such great riders. I feel really proud of everyone and myself, too.” 

The bronze medal went to MK Connatser, of Dallas, and Schnell’s Highlight, her own 16-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Blue Hors Hotline—Real Dark Lady), who earned 80.00% after a strong, composed ride. 

“[Schnell’s Highlight] was kind of running out of gas, but I’m so proud of him, it was great,” Connatser said. “He felt very focused on me. Looking in the warmup, I thought, ‘Oh no, there are so many great riders here.’ To be competing with them and to make it here and medal with these wonderful girls is such a great accomplishment.” 

The Dressage Seat Medal Final emphasizes the fundamentals of correct seat, position, and use of aids, skills that form the foundation for success at every level of the sport. 

Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage National Championship For 6-Year-Olds

The national championship for 6-year-olds saw a familiar face in the champion’s blue cooler at the end of Sunday’s FEI 6-Year-Old Final Test. Deambulo PWD, a Hanoverian gelding (Don Martillo—Franka) owned and ridden by Petra Warlimont, of Evergreen, Colorado, was the 5-year-old champion last year, and the pair repeated their victory in the 6-year-old class. 

“We’ve been working on progressing towards the 6-year-olds and trained with Christine Traurig and Hannes Baumgart in Germany with online lessons,” Warlimont said. “I try to keep him up to where he needs to be since I don’t have help in Colorado, but thanks to modern technology, it’s good, and he’s been doing really well. He’s doing all the right things. He’s so big, and it’s impressive that this horse can just go into this little rectangle and do so well, so I’m super excited.” 

Although there were some bobbles in the final test, which Warlimont attributed to his being a bit tired at the end of a long week at the show, “Dewey” still earned high marks for his gaits to add to his impressive total score of 88.20% in the FEI 6-Year-Old Preliminary Test. 

“In his brain and in his balance, he’s so mature,” Warlimont said. “When I tried him as a 3-year-old, he had that balance already, which is why I scrambled all my money together to try and purchase the horse, because I’d never felt that before. In the canter, he was so balanced in both directions even as a 3-year-old, and it’s just continuing to get better as we go. His body is still growing, he’s not finished, but he’s a massive horse and when you ride a 10-meter circle, he balances himself. That’s how he is naturally.” 

This year’s 6-year-old reserve national champion is Oliver R Tambo SV, a Dutch Warmblood gelding (Just Wimphof—Enjoy SV) owned by Deborah Alfond and ridden by Mary Lauritsen of North Salem, New York. “Ollie” earned composite scores above 82.00% for both of his tests and was the winner of the FEI 6-Year-Old Final Test. Lauritsen was able to fix some gaps after the first test to come back stronger in the second. 

“We felt really prepared coming into the competition,” she said. “The first day, I admittedly didn’t feel our normal connection in the ring, and that was really disheartening to me. The horse was there, and I felt that I needed to rise up to him. Today, after two days to decompress and train with Christine [Traurig], I came in with so much more confidence.” 

Some positive coaching helped Lauritsen and Ollie get back the spark that has made their relatively new partnership a successful one. 

“I was hard on myself after the first day, and Christine told me, ‘Don’t think about yesterday; think about tomorrow,’ ” she said. “That was some of the best advice I’ve ever gotten from a coach—let go of past results and really focus on riding the horse that I have here and now. She’s so supportive and she believes in my horse so much. We had a great training session yesterday where she helped me find the freedom again and find the connection that I lacked the first day. I’m so grateful to her, and grateful to the [USEF Dressage] emerging program, which we’re involved in, to receive that training. So yesterday felt like just another day in the office, which gave me the cool, calm collected feeling that I could do this and really show up for him.” 

USEF Young Rider Dressage National Championship

It was a joyful day in the Young Rider division as Lexie Kment, of Palmyra, Nebraska, and Gatino Van Hof Olympia, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Apache—P Siltana VH Olympia) owned by Jami Kment, clinched the Young Rider National Championship on an overall score of 70.04%. Fresh off a strong summer season, Lexie was beaming as she reflected on the journey with her partner. 

“My test today was so special,” she said. “One of my favorite moments was walking into the arena. My mom looked at me and said, ‘Lexie, be joyful, praising God as you go around, and when you enter that ring, you’re the eye of the tiger.’ And I said, ‘Yep, you got it!’ ” 

Kment shared that her highlight in the test came when she and Gatino finally put together a series of movements that had challenged them in past competitions. “The last two competitions I had gotten the first three tempis beautifully, and then I just stopped riding them,” she said with a laugh. “Today I got all five, and they felt so good. And that last medium canter felt like we were flying.” 

Earning the reserve championship with an overall score of 68.40% was Virginia Woodcock, of Atlanta, aboard Møllegårdens Sans-Souci, her own 11-year-old Danish Warmblood mare (Sir Donnerhall—Sascha) marking an impressive debut year at the Young Rider level. 

“My test was great. I couldn’t ask anything more of my mare and truly of myself,” Woodcock said. “It’s been a journey to get to this level for both of us, but very valuable to come up the levels together. I’m really proud of how I rode and how well she stuck with me.” 

Woodcock, who leaves the festival as reserve champion in her first year at the level, was still soaking it all in. 

“I truly did not expect this in my first year as a Young Rider,” she said. “My horse is just fantastic, and this place, this competition—I always just love it here at festival. I’ve enjoyed this week so much, and I’m so thankful.” 

Taking third place was Sophia Forsyth, of Walpole, Massachusetts, and Dimagico, her own 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Dimaggio—Femme Jazz), earning a final score of 67.74% to secure third place. 

USEF Dressage Youth Trainer Perpetual Trophy

In addition to earning top finishes throughout the week, Karen Lipp, of Ball Ground, Georgia, was awarded the USEF Dressage Youth Trainer Perpetual Trophy. The USEF Dressage Youth Trainer Perpetual Trophy recognizes dressage professionals who have devoted their time to teaching and mentoring athletes in the FEI Pony Rider, Children, Junior or Young Rider divisions. Lipp’s influence extends beyond her own competitive success, as she is deeply involved in mentoring youth athletes and fostering a strong foundation for the future of the sport. Her students have earned numerous national and international championship titles, including USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold medals with Distinction, the Brentina Cup Championship and the FEI North American Youth Championships. 

Aspen Leaf Farm/USEF Children Dressage National Championship

Grace Christianson, of Noblesville, Indiana, and FHF Roulee, her own 11-year-old American Warmblood mare (Routinier—Marelee du Bois) captured the Aspen Leaf Farm/USEF Children National Championship with an overall average score of 78.37%. 

“I didn’t really feel very confident going into the arena, and the pressure was a little bit hard,” Christianson said. “But you just kind of have to work through it and really pull it together, and so did I. It ended in a good ride and a good score.” 

Christianson, who has enjoyed a successful summer with “Roulee,” reflected on the significance of closing out her career in the Children division with a win. 

“It felt really good because we worked really hard to get to this point,” she said. “I spent a lot of time at the barn and a lot of hard work. It was a lot of fun, despite it being my last ever Children’s test.” 

With juniors on the horizon, Christianson is both eager and optimistic. 

“I’m a little nervous, but Roulee was already doing changes left and right in the warm-up, so I think she’ll be just fine,” she said. “We’re heading to Region 4 Regionals and hopefully to the U.S. Dressage Finals in Ohio this year.” 

Finishing as reserve champion was Gwyneth Miller, of Carlsbad, California, with Rubinette N, her own 14-year-old Oldenburg mare (Rubino Belissimo—Piccolena), affectionately known as “Ruby,” earning a cumulative score of 76.68%. 

“It was the best ride we’ve had in that test,” Miller said. “I’m really proud of how she did and how she tried her hardest and gave it her all. It feels really great to walk away from my first championship with the reserve ribbon.” 

Miller will also move up to the junior level next season, carrying forward her enthusiasm for the partnership. 

In third place, Madelynn Williams, of West Lafayette, Indiana, and FHF Cahlua, a 20-year-old American Warmblood mare (Cody—Cariarctic) owned by Jennifer Kaiser, produced a steady and polished test to earn a score of 74.40% overall. 

“I just wanted to put out a clean test since we had some troubles last year,” Williams said. “I wanted this last year in Children to be a good year before we go on to juniors. She might not be the fanciest horse, but she felt good in all my aids, and I thought, ‘This is going to be a good test, so let’s just put it out there and do our best.’ We did that, and I’m so proud.” 

See complete results here.

The post Gremlin 41 Earns Markel/USEF Developing Grand Prix Championship On Final Day Of Festival appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

For Simonson, the moment was nothing short of surreal. “It’s been amazing, and like a true childhood dream come true,” he shared. “I think I’ve watched this show for I don’t even know how many years now and being able to compete here, with him of all horses, at a senior championship, I just have to pinch myself. To be given this opportunity from Zen Elite Equestrian Center is just unbelievable. I’m so grateful to them.” 

Simonson also credited the people behind the scenes who helped make the win possible. “It feels amazing. I think it’s a real reflection of my team, especially Adrienne Lyle, my trainer. Not only her, but also Marina, Hugo, and all the grooms we have back home that make this happen. I just get to sit on the horse and do the riding part, but they’re really the reason why.”

The partnership between Simonson and “Rocky,” a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion (Apache—Crisjena) is still relatively new, which makes this victory even more meaningful. “To come here with him, and to already feel this kind of connection in the ring, it’s something really special,” Simonson said. 

Watch their winning freestyle (note: music is muted due to licensing regulations), courtesy of USEF Network:

Meagan Davis of Loxahatchee, Florida, and Toronto Lightfoot, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Totilas—Okima Lightfoot) owned by Scott Durkin, captured the reserve champion title with a score of 68.71%, marking a major milestone in their partnership. “It was a huge goal of mine. Last year at this time we did our fifth Grand Prix ever,” Davis said. “It was just a huge accomplishment to get here at this point a year later, and then to win reserve champion was icing on the cake.” Davis shared that the highlight of their freestyle came during the one-tempis: “The second line of one-tempis, I got all 15 in, and I was like, ‘OK, now we’re ready to roll.’” 

At home, Toronto Lightfoot, fondly called “TT,” has just as much charm as he does talent. “Toronto is a sweetheart. He loves bananas, so I actually have banana keychains on things, it’s a running theme,” she said with a smile. “He tries super hard, and we got him three years ago when he was in Prix St. Georges. We moved him up to I-2 and then bumped him up to Grand Prix. I just think that shows his talent and willingness to be a partner.”  

Karen Lipp of Ball Ground, Georgia, guided Infinity, her own 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Dream Boy—Ultraster) to round out the top three with a score of 68.06%. In addition to her top three finish, Lipp was honored with the Soft Hands Award, presented by Neue Schule, which recognizes exceptional harmony and lightness in the rider’s contact.

Markel/USEF Developing Horse Dressage National Championship – Prix St. Georges

The Developing Prix St. Georges division showcased the rising generation of elite equine athletes, and 13 entries returned for their second test, the USEF Developing Prix St. Georges, on Saturday morning. With two winning tests, the champion title went to Hussmanns Topgun (Totilas—Atterupgaards Demi), a 9-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Heidi Humphries and ridden by Adrienne Lyle (Wellington, Florida.) Though he’s a relatively new face at the FEI level, his development has been a steady and deliberate progress over the past several years. 

“He is a horse with tremendous power and scope who needs all the time he needs to develop the strength to carry that, and to feel confident in his ability to do that,” said Lyle. “He’s been a really fun project, because every day, he just makes me a better rider. I have to be super conscious of my body position and how I ask things. I have to have everything stacked and lined up perfectly for him, and then he does it. Those kind of horses, I think, really elevate your riding.” 

The judges recognized the pair’s work, awarding consistently good marks across both tests.  

“I was really happy with today’s ride,” said Lyle. “I thought it was one of the best feelings he’s given me in the ring of really being able to have him relaxed with me enough that I could put my leg on and ride back to front into a really honest, solid connection, and feel like he was using his whole body through the test.” 

Lyle recognized owner Humphries for her ongoing support of the young horses and the sport at large. 

“She’s having a pretty incredible week here as an owner, and she’s such a wonderful supporter of us and of dressage in general in this country,” she said. “It’s just really exciting to be around that energy and have such a fabulous team. I feel very lucky.” 

Winning second in both tests and reserve champion overall was MSJ For VIPs (Foundation—VIP), an 8-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Lauren Fisher and shown by Rebecca Rigdon (Cardiff By The Sea, California).  

“I was really happy with our first test. That was the best Prix St. Georges he’s done to date,” said Rigdon. “Today we had some expensive mistakes in the canter tour, but the trot tour was really, really good, and the walk is always good. I could tell the minute I picked up the canter, I thought, ‘Oh, he’s getting a little tired.’ It’s a hard test with the pirouettes and immediate fours and the half-pass zigzag. That’s tough for a horse with a canter so big.” 

Although still a fairly young horse, MSJ For VIPs and Rigdon have built an impressive resume together, including two outings to the World Breeding Championships.  

“We got him as a 4- coming 5-year-old. He was quite green for his age,” said Rigdon. “Ulf Möller was the one who recommended him, and my coaches, Christine Traurig and Guenter Seidel, we all said, yes, this is definitely the horse. It’s been a long journey, but he’s incredibly  smart. He has more power than he always knows what to do with, so that’s been, I wouldn’t even say a challenge, but just trying to educate him as to how to manage that. Mentally, he’s just cool, relaxed—he’s just a wonderful animal. I cannot say a bad thing about him. He’s just such a good boy, and he’s just as easy in the barn as he is under saddle. I’m really, really lucky.”

Adequan®/USEF Brentina Cup Dressage National Championship

Simonson added a second national title to his record by winning the Adequan ®/USEF Brentina Cup Dressage National Championship aboard Fleau De Baian, finishing on a cumulative score of 69.52%. The pair delivered a strong performance highlighted by expressive canter work and powerful piaffe-passage transitions to secure the championship. 

Fleau De Baian, a 15-yearold Dutch Warmblood stallion (Jazz—Fidora), owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center, is a full brother to the legendary Parzival. Simonson affectionately calls him “Felix,” and describes him as the perfect partner. “He’s just like his brother Rocky. He would go through fire for you,” Simonson shared. “It’s the most amazing feeling. I remember when I first sat on him, I thought, wow, this horse would just give you everything. And he really proved that this weekend.” 

Their freestyle sealed the win with a final centerline that Simonson called one of his best moments of the competition. “That last centerline with the double fan each way—I’ve been really trying all week with both my boys to mentally click into that spot in the piaffe-passage. Today it just clicked. It felt like I had already won, no matter the score.” 

Caroline Garren and Quantaris, a 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Quarterline—Super Susi), owned by Oded Shimoni, claimed the reserve championship following a polished performance that left them just behind Simonson’s winning score, finishing with a score of 68.10%. “He felt great today,” said Garren. “We had a clean test that I was proud of. A couple of moments could have been a little more collected, but I really enjoyed our music and I’m happy with the choreography we chose for the freestyle.” 

Garren, who is preparing to step into the senior Grand Prix ranks, praised both her mount and her support system. “I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to ride Quantaris. He’s such a joy in the barn, he’s super snuggly, and I love that about him. I’m grateful to Oded for believing in me, developing me as a rider, and giving me these opportunities. Doing the Brentina Cup this season has been wonderful preparation for the senior level, and I feel so lucky to have people investing their time and energy in my growth as a rider.”

Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage National Championship For 5-Year-Olds

Earning high marks across the board, including a 9.0 for the trot, MW Virtuous (Valverda—MW El. Sp. Pr. Rheporter), a U.S.-bred Oldenburg stallion owned by Jennifer Vanover and ridden by Charell Garcia (Middletown, New York) won Saturday’s FEI 5-Year-Old Final test and secured the overall national championship.  

“He was bred by Jennifer Vanover and Maplewood Warmbloods, and he grew up on the farm. She’s done everything with him,” said Garcia. “I started working with him last year, and he was here [at Festival of Champions] last year as a 4-year-old, and I had a really fun time with him. He grew up a lot over the last year with strength and everything. He really showed up this week.” 

Fall-like temperatures and breezes picking up at Lamplight on Saturday afternoon may have affected some of the young horses, but MW Virtuous showed his maturity. 

“I thought that would be a little challenging at the beginning,” said Garcia. “But he was like, ‘You know what? If you help me, then I’ll help you.’ And we just went through the test together and he stayed with me. I was really proud of him.” 

Garcia said her ride in the 5-year-old preliminary test was good but knew there was more to give. 

“Today he did it. It was really fun to see him stepping it up and giving it that other little bit that I know he has,” she said. “I really love this horse. He’s playful. I call him my little clown because he just has fun. He makes a joke out of everything. When you walk him around, he is curious about things and always wants to explore what’s around him. That’s also what you feel under saddle in training him. He’s really curious when we try something new. He’s like, ‘I’m game; let’s do this.’ And then once he gets it, he’s like, ‘Gotcha. Just sit there and I’ll take care of you.’ So, it’s really fun working with him.” 

After earning second place in both tests, Templeton’s Milano (Morricone I—Florenciana), a U.S.-bred  Westphalian gelding owned and ridden by Justin Giles (Heber City, Utah) was named reserve national champion for the 5-year-olds. This year was the pair’s first trip to Festival of Champions, and “Cookie” handled the travel from Utah and the atmosphere at Lamplight with ease.  

“I bought him as a 3-year-old and started him myself,” said Giles. “From the first day I got on his back to today, he’s been the same horse day in and day out. He gives me the best feeling in the ring, and I couldn’t ask for a better horse to partnership within this journey. He handles my nerves like a champ. It’s a true pleasure to perform with him and to be on a stage like this with a horse that I started.” 

The judges awarded Cookie scores of 8.0 or higher for all collective marks in the preliminary test and high scores in the final test, including a 9.0 for the walk.  

“I feel like we are headed in the right direction,” said Giles. “I think an increase in balance and constantly building up our partnership and harmony is first and foremost in my mind in our training.” 

Aspen Leaf Farm/USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship

The Aspen Leaf Farm/USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship ended with Samantha MacDonald (Phoenix, Arizona) and Candy Crush, a 16-year-old Welsh Pony cross gelding, capturing the national title. The pair impressed with their poise in the big atmosphere, earning MacDonald her first national championship. Ava Hobbs (Lake City, Michigan) and Der Kleine Prinz G, an 8-year-old German Riding Pony gelding (Dating At—Maeggy Ut Deuten), owned by David Hobbs and known as “Prince” in the barn, claimed the reserve championship after showing improvement and resilience throughout the weekend. 

For MacDonald, the moment was one of disbelief and joy. “This experience has been really good. I felt like he was really with me. And it’s a big environment, so I was proud of him,” MacDonald said of Candy Crush’s test. “It feels amazing… it hasn’t really set in yet. I feel so incredibly lucky and grateful.” 

While the win marked the end of her pony rider chapter, MacDonald is already thinking ahead. 

“Next year, I’m going to do juniors. Ponies can’t do juniors, so ‘Crushy’ will be able to help a new pony rider achieve their dreams someday.” 

Hobbs and Prince had their strongest performance of the weekend to take the reserve title, though Hobbs admitted there were still challenges. 

“It was much better than yesterday—yesterday was a bit spooky. Today he cooperated as well as he could,” Hobbs explained. “I feel like our test was the best we could do this weekend and where we’re at with our training.” Even so, Hobbs highlighted her pony’s character as the real prize. “Prince has a really sweet personality. He’s timid, but if you take your time and be patient with him, he’s really willing.” 

Looking ahead, Hobbs is eager to continue her partnership with Prince as they move toward the next level. “Next year I am moving up to CDIs, so I’m very excited!” she said.

Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage National Championship For 4-Year-Olds

Garcia earned another tricolor ribbon to take back to Maplewood Warmbloods thanks to a victory in the 4-year-old class with MW Verrazzano (Viva Gold—Weiss Schwarz), a U.S.-bred Oldenburg stallion owned by Jennifer Vanover. Garcia said that “Vinny” showed his good character early in his show career, handling windy, challenging weather at qualifying competitions with no trouble. 

“He just kept four feet on the ground and was just focused on his job,” said Garcia. “That’s how he is, both at the show and at home. He’s really trainable and really rideable. He gives you a secure feeling. And especially for a stallion, he’s kind of a puppy dog. He’s a really fun stallion to work with—he has that expression to him, but he has a mellow side to him as well.” 

Vinny has two half-siblings competing in other young horse championships at this year’s Festival, all homebreds out of Weiss Schwarz (better known as “Weezer”).  

“The mom breeds really well-minded and willing horses,” said Garcia. “You can tell that they’re all from her, and they have the same expression. They all really have her brain and rideability.” 

The reserve champion, VP Ice Man (Blue Hors Monte Carlo TC—Fine Amber), a Dutch Warmblood stallion owned by Valiente Partners LLC and ridden by Laura DeCesari (Tuscon, Arizona) impressed the judges with his second go at the USEF 4-Year-Old test, earning impressive marks across the board including a 9.0 for the canter.  

“I was first to go in the preliminary test, and I thought he felt amazing,” said DeCesari. “I kind of just let him go and went with him, and I think I let him get a little flat. My coach, David Wightman, told me, ‘Hey, be careful not to just throw him away during the whole test. You’ve got to keep a little contact.’ And that seemed to help with the second test. He kept a little bit more balance and engagement. But in his mindset, he was just so relaxed the whole ride and totally with me.” 

DeCesari started working with Ice Man about a year and half ago. 

“I found him in Holland as a 3-year-old and I started him myself,” she said. “I co-own him with Susan Arbuckle, and without her support, I wouldn’t have been able to get him. She’s an incredible person—she just cares about the horse and me. It’s an incredible feeling to have that on your side.” 

One thing that has changed in Ice Man’s life since joining DeCesari’s stable is his name.  

“My husband, Tyson Clark, who’s been his groom for the whole horse show and is my biggest supporter, is the one who named him,” she said. “He came with the name Rembrandt, and there are plenty of Rembrandt’s out there. We named him Ice Man because we love ‘Top Gun,’ and because he’s so focused. My husband would always say that he has ice in his veins.”

View full results here.

The US Dressage Festival of Champions continues through Sunday at HITS Chicago Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois. Action from the rings is being livestreamed on USEF Network.

The post Simonson And Indian Rock Crowned Grand Prix National Champions appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

“Usually his canter is the higher scoring gait,” said Duerrhammer. “We’ve been tweaking some things over the summer with his trot, and I feel like he’s gotten a lot stronger. What I think really sells him in all of his gaits is his overwhelming harmony. Hearing a 10 and hearing that he’s improved that much and that everybody is seeing him for the potential I know he has, is really exciting.”

Duerrhammer has worked with “Ross” since Lourie purchased him during the summer of his 5-year-old year, and it’s been a rewarding partnership.

“He is just the most incredible character you could possibly want. He just tries his heart out all day long,” she said. “I haven’t ridden the preliminary test very much, and so I was a little nervous going into it because he’s a younger horse, and usually they like to really know where they’re going. But he stuck with me the whole time and tried really hard and had no mistakes. What I’ve been learning about him is he really wants to do the right thing. He’s shown me, especially this year, that if I do my job right and ride him like our plan and don’t override and get in his way, he’ll do the rest. That was exactly what my coach Adrienne Lyle and I planned going in today, was to keep it the same and turn up the heat on the trot a little bit, and then just let him do his job at the canter. He took me the whole way through, and it’s one of those rides I’ll remember for a long time.”

Second place in the final test went to Saskatoon OMF and Christopher Hickey of Wellington, Florida. Their final test score of 78.20% moved the Hanoverian gelding (San Amour I—Dolce Nera) into the reserve champion position. This year marked the third consecutive Festival of Champions outing for Saskatoon and Hickey, and the talented young gelding has made notable progress in that time.

“He’s always a very good, well-behaved horse at home, but we have a very quiet, private place,” Hickey explained. “In the beginning, he’d get to horse shows and he’d become undone and was very overstimulated, which took me by surprise because he was such a good boy at home. Each year that he’s been here, he’s been more and more calm and relaxed. He is quite a sensitive horse, and sometimes that hurt us in the early years, but now we can appreciate that sensitivity—he can be sensible and trained and still sensitive. It’s special for me and [Cecelia Stewart], his owner. We bought him when he was a foal, so we’re very excited and proud to have him from foal though FEI levels.”

Hickey and Saskatoon are part of the USEF Dressage Emerging Young Horse Program, which he says has been an asset to his development.

“Through that I get help from Christine Traurig, and it’s really great to have her in my corner as well,” he said. “I’ve had wonderful lessons with her this week, and I get virtual lessons with her at home as well. I’m also very thankful to Markel who have sponsored [the young and developing horse national championships] for so many years.”

With two third place finishes in the 7-year-old tests, Velantis N, a 2018 U.S.-bred Hanoverian stallion owned by Christiane Noelting and ridden by Christian Hartung (Vacaville, California) secured the third spot overall. This year was the first time the stars aligned for Velantis and Hartung to make the trip to Festival of Champions.

“This was his first trip away from the West Coast,” said Hartung. “I was a little bit worried about the humidity and how he’d cope with that, but he was perfectly fine.”

The judges awarded high marks to Velantis for all three gaits in both tests, including a 9.0 for his walk in the preliminary.

“I really appreciated that [the judges] enjoyed his canter,” said Hartung. “The walk was a lot better than I’ve had in the past. He really started loosening up here on the second one.”

“I was there when he was born; we’ve had him since he was a baby and I have been riding him since he was three, so it’s just amazing to see the journey that he has taken,” he added. “He’s really relaxed—that’s just his character. He’s not fazed by this environment. It’s just amazing to see.” 

Adequan ®/USEF Junior Dressage National Championship

Claire Tucker of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Finnur were the only pair in the Adequan/USEF Junior Dressage National Championship to break the 70% mark on their way to winning the title Friday at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions in Wayne, Illinois.

“Finn,” Tucker’s own 9-year-old Hanoverian gelding (For Romance I—Wapi Yo), had an average score of 70.395%.

“Finn felt amazing out there. He was super soft, with great energy but also incredible relaxation,” Tucker said. “We’ve been working so hard on that at home, and it really paid off. His walk is usually our weakest point, but this week—in both of our tests—it became a highlight. From the moment I got on in the warm-up, I knew he was going to be good. He just felt soft, supple, and swinging so well, and it carried right into the arena.”

Tucker added that the connection she felt in the warm-up set the tone for the entire test: “He felt electric, but also incredibly relaxed, and that confidence carried through every movement. It’s an amazing feeling to have that kind of partnership with your horse—when everything clicks, it feels effortless.”

Eila Fisk of Aiken, South Carolina, and Quaresma finished as reserve champions with an average score of 67.98%. “Today [Quaresma] was really with me. When I first went in the ring yesterday, he was a little tense because the Grand Prix ring is elevated. Today, I was able to manage it really well, and that connection was the most rewarding feeling from day one to day two,” Fisk said.

Fisk emphasized her appreciation for the horse’s temperament and learning ability: “He’s the most wonderful horse — so trusting, willing to work, and forgiving. He’s the best horse to learn on because he keeps improving every year. Next year, we’re hoping to move up to Young Riders, and I really think he has the talent for collection and the upper levels. Today was just a confirmation of everything we’ve been working toward and the amazing partnership we have.” 

USEF Dressage Seat Medal Final – 13 & Under

The 2025 Dressage Seat Medal Finals highlighted some of the nation’s top young talent, with Grace Christianson taking home gold with an impressive 90.00% aboard her own FHF Roulee, an 11-year-old American Warmblood (Routinier—Marelee du Bois). Earlier this summer, the pair earned gold at the 2025 FEI North American Youth Championships in both the Children’s Team and Individual tests, scoring a 9.5 for her position in each, an achievement that underscores the importance of strong Dressage Seat Equitation foundations.

“Honestly, I kind of thought of it as just getting in the ring with Roulee and having fun with her,” Christianson said, “It’s so fun being here, especially in the seat finals because you’re riding with so many incredible riders and you get such good feedback on your position and everything from the judges. Honestly, it feels really good because all of our hard work is finally starting to pay off—it just feels surreal.”

Katherine Bright (Auburn, Alabama) took silver on Lakota, a Mustang mare owned by Deborah Bright, finishing with a score of 88.00%. Bright emphasized her mare’s versatile temperament and how her experience in eventing helped her performance: “She’s very sassy, but she loves to do dressage, but we also do eventing. Knowing that we have competed at horse trials together—doing dressage, cross country, and show jumping—helps me calm down and focus in the ring, and today I was so proud of Lakota for helping me achieve my goal.”

The bronze medal went to Blakely Begonia (McDonald, Pennsylvania) aboard Lomansheide Brent, a 14-year-old New Forest Pony (Reekamp’s Eclips—Orchid’s Mysta), owned by Rebecca Dryer, scoring 87.00%. “It is truly an honor to compete in the medal finals at the age of 13,” Begonia said. “Even if you don’t get a medal, I recommend everyone do this—it’s such a great experience. My favorite thing about being here and competing with Brent is that he’s very sweet, but also has an edge to him. We had so much fun together today.”

View full results from all of the Friday classes here.

The US Dressage Festival of Champions continues through Sunday at HITS Chicago Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois. Action from the rings is being livestreamed on USEF Network.

The post Duerrhammer And Rosebank VH Take 7-Year-Old Championship At Festival Of Champions appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

For Schut-Kery, of Thousand Oaks, California, the freestyle was more than just a victory, it was about building trust with her relatively new partner. 

“I was really touched by how [‘Jojoba’] gained confidence with me and trusted me to be his pilot,” she said. “It’s important to me that he lets me ride him, that he waits, and is relaxed so I can guide him. Over these three days, he really showed me that rideability.”

Watch their winning freestyle, courtesy of USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorse.tv:

At home, Jojoba, who Schut-Kery calls a “gentle giant,” is as sweet as he is powerful. 

“He’s a big boy, but he’s the sweetest. You’d never know he’s a stallion,” she said. “When you go to his stall, he’s the kind of horse that just makes you want to wrap your arms around him. He’s the kind that brings out the little girl in you, reminding you why you started with horses in the first place.”

Schut-Kery was also quick to emphasize that this championship was a team effort. “When the hard work pays off like it did this week, it’s a fabulous moment to thank your whole team,” she said. “The biggest thank you goes to Akiko Yamazaki for giving me the ride on this special soul, and to my close team: [U.S. Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe and Technical Advisor] Christine Traurig, my assistant Sophia Chavonelle, Erica Furkis, our farriers, vets, Tom Meyers, my husband who’s always by my side, and Marie Medosi and Taylor Kincaid for the music. 

“It’s not the Oscars, but this belongs to them just as much as it belongs to me and the horse,” she added. “Dressage may look like an individual sport, but there is a big team behind it, and I’m really, really grateful for that.”

Lauren Sprieser, of Marshall, Virginia, and C. Cadeau, a 9-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Blue Hors St. Schufro—C. Chanel, Richman) owned by the Elvis Syndicate LLC, earned the reserve championship after placing second in the freestyle with a 72.13% and finishing on a combined score of 70.57%.

The freestyle marked a breakthrough moment for Sprieser. 

“I have been finding new and creative ways to do that freestyle wrong since it arrived in my inbox, and today, we did it almost perfectly right,” the longtime Chronicle blogger said with her trademark humor. “And that’s a first, which is very exciting.”

Sprieser reflected on her partnership with “Cadeau.”

“He is everything I have ever wanted in a horse and more,” she said. “He has heart forever, and he came into my life when I was sad. He has been the best thing that has ever happened to me, and his team of owners are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

Cadeau’s larger-than-life personality also shines at home. 

“There is no bigger fan on the planet of Cadeau than Cadeau,” she said with a laugh. “He is very social. He’s quite the prankster with his toys and he’s the most energetic but also sensible horse I’ve ever owned. When I sat on him for the first time, the sun shone, and the angels sang. I didn’t know dressage could feel the way it does when I am in the saddle with him.”

Elizabeth Bortuzzo, of Frenchtown, New Jersey, and Vincent, an 8-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Exquis Vivaldi—Poetin VI, Sandro Hit) she owns with Mark Paul, earned third place overall in the national championship standings with an average score of 70.06%.

See complete results here.

The US Dressage Festival of Champions continues through Sunday at HITS Chicago Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois. Friday’s schedule includes the finals for the USEF/Markel 7-Year-Old Young Horse Championships and the Dressage Seat Medals Final for riders 13 and under. Action from the rings is being livestreamed on USEF Network.

Today’s schedule also includes a USEF Town Hall on horse welfare and potential rule changes, taking place at 5:30 p.m. local time at the Grand Prix arena.

The post Schut-Kery And ‘Gentle Giant’ Jojoba De Massa Earn Intermediaire National Championship appeared first on The Chronicle of the Horse.

Professional dressage rider Pam Goodrich has long understood the necessity of patience in her chosen career path. Never was that more evident to her than last month, when she rode a test 24 years in the making. 

In 2001, Goodrich purchased Lamborghini, a smallish Danish Warmblood with a big engine, from his breeder to develop through the levels. Last month, on a drizzly Vermont morning at the Green Mountain Horse Association’s July Dressage Days, the 72-year-old professional rode down the centerline aboard that same grey gelding—now 29 and owned by Jocelyn Beiswenger of Keene, New Hampshire—with “100” affixed to his browband. The number signified their intention to join The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club, created for horses and riders whose combined age is 100 or greater.

Proving he hasn’t geared down with age, “Zoomie” completed third level, test 3, to seal the pair’s spot in the Century Club then decided to treat himself on a bit of a victory lap.

“He passaged out of the arena because that’s what he wanted to do. It was all about him. I was just along for the ride,” Goodrich said. “When I went in, everybody was clapping because everybody knows him. And we had a big party the night before, all the judges were there. Competitors, all the staff, everybody knows him. And for me, I’ve been going to GMHA for 60 years. It was all family there. So when they started clapping, Zoomie just said, ‘It’s show time,’ and did his thing. He was a rock star.”

The feeling was mutual for spectators, according to Zoomie’s owner. 

“It was amazing to watch,” Beiswenger said. “Everybody there was so happy, and it was amazing to see all of the lives he touched, and all of the joy that he continues to bring.” 

In the two and a half decades the Danish Warmblood (Michellino–Abbey Row, Cannon Row) has spent stateside, he has been a familiar face at competitions up and down the East Coast. Judges have come to recognize the gelding, and Goodrich’s Century Club ride was no different. 

“The judges made me turn around outside of the ring so they themselves could take pictures—the judges,” Goodrich recalled. “Trotting around the ring, one of them asked, ‘Are we finally going to be able to award a 100%, Pam?’ So I go down the center line, halt, salute, trot off. And out loud so I can hear the judge at C [Cindi Rose Wylie] say, ‘That’s a 10 in my book.’ Now, she didn’t give me a 10 because I’m in an actual class-class. They said those things because they’ve known Zoomie forever.” 

With 171 Grand Prix tests to his name, including performances under the lights in Wellington, Florida, and at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., Zoomie has taken four riders to Grand Prix and helped eight riders earn their USDF medals. Luckily, from the moment Goodrich met him in Europe, he’s always had plenty of gas in his tank. 

“He was already in a lather when we got to the barn,” she recalled of their first meeting. “The people selling him had obviously longed him. So I get on him, and he’s still hot as hell, spicy as hell, just flying around like a lunatic. And I’m having the time of my life. So I made an offer, and the rest is history. To this day, he’s 29, and you still don’t carry a whip on him. Anyone who rides Zoomie is always looking for the brakes.”

Though she hadn’t sat on the gelding in more than a decade, Goodrich knew that she’d feel right at home in the driver’s seat on Zoomie. After a half-hour warm-up mostly in walk, the Boscawen, New Hampshire-based rider piloted her longtime partner to a score of 69.62%, good enough to win the third level, test 3, class. 

“He always goes, and he’s strong, but he’s such a worker and such a showman,” Goodrich said. “And I’ve competed plenty enough. I love to perform.” 

Nicknamed after a Mazda commercial rather than his need for speed, the accomplished gray gelding is admittedly a little overindulged these days, Goodrich and Beiswenger admitted. 

“As he’s gotten older, he’s become spoiled rotten, as he should be,” Goodrich said. “In doing that, he’s gotten a little pushy. He wants his treats, and he gets what he wants. He’s very demanding. Who cares? He deserves it.”

Beiswenger, assistant general counsel for a medical technology company, declined to comment on whether she aids and abets Zoomie’s treat addiction. But she agreed with Goodrich’s assessment. 

“He thinks very highly of himself, which he should,” she said. 

Goodrich has known about Century Club rides since the program’s inception, and she thought Zoomie would be a perfect partner for her eventual initiation ride. 

“I am honored and blessed to be able to ride older horses with older people,” she said. “I think the Century Club is a great recognition of older horses still doing dressage, because it helps recognize that a good horse that’s trained well and goes well has longevity. After all, we’re the oldest athletes in the Olympics. Riding dressage is something that we can do old.” 

The Century Club should be embraced by professionals and adult amateurs alike, Goodrich noted. 

“There are some professionals out there that are not happy getting older. I am. The best thing that happened to me was to get old, because I couldn’t overwork. It’s amazing,” Goodrich said. “My horses go much better because I’m not doing the job for them. I get them to do the job.”

For his part, even approaching his third decade, Zoomie shows no signs of stalling out. The gelding has already been brought out of retirement once, after he proved too boisterous for the life of a pasture pet. 

“He’s the border collie of the horse world. He wants a job. He wants to do something, always,” said Goodrich, and as such, he is regularly worked and competed by his current leasee, Kristin Coty. 

While her day job currently precludes her from spending much time at the barn during the week, Beiswenger is hoping to get back in Zoomie’s saddle someday soon. The barn is rapidly turning into a family affair for the Beiswengers as her 5-year-old son, Bennett, has already caught the horse bug and has his own pony, Mac. 

“He’s so little still, but he loves the tractor and his pony,” she said. “I’m so happy that it’s part of his childhood experience, to be at the barn like I was, and to have the pony.” 

In the future, Zoomie may add “ponysitter” to his long resume of accolades.

“I would love to be able to ride Zoomie while Bennett rides Mac,” Beiswenger said. “We’re definitely not there yet, but that’s the goal. Bennett says he would love to ride Zoomie, but I don’t think that’s safe quite yet! Someday.” 

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