Category Archives: Dressage

The Discipline of Riding Dressage

Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, USEF, USEF

Endreson Sweeps National Junior Dressage Championship at 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm USEF Dressage Festival of Champions

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Kya Endreson and Pik L. Photo: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – The results of the 2011 National Junior Dressage Championship remained unchanged as Kya Endreson and Pik L swept both the Team and Individual Tests to win Endreson’s very first National Championship title.

Pik L is a very experienced 18-year-old Hanoverian stallion, who has been an incredible small-tour horse for nearly a decade. Endreson rode him to Team Gold at the 2011 Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North this summer, but took her first national title at Gladstone today.

“It was awesome,” said the 16-year-old from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. “I feel so lucky to be able to ride such a great horse… he’s just so awesome and he’s helped me so much.”

Pik L’s son Pikko del Cerro HU contested the Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship this weekend, finishing eighth. Pik L’s career includes two Pan American Games and scores of wins at the Intermediaire level. He is now happily showing Endreson the ropes and their two-day score of 70.612% rewarded the only combination to go over 70% in either test.

“I feel like it went pretty well,” said Endreson. “He was a little strong at some points and he was a little tired from yesterday but he stayed with me.”

Endreson is a full-time working student at Hassler Dressage.

Continue reading Endreson Sweeps National Junior Dressage Championship at 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm USEF Dressage Festival of Champions →

Competitions, Dressage, Events, Pan American Games, USEF

USEF Names Dressage Team for the 2011 Pan American Games

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Gladstone, NJ – The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has recommended the following athlete/horse combinations to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to represent the United States on the U.S. Dressage Team at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The USOC will make the following entry of athlete/horse combinations on Monday (they are named in ranked order):

1. Steffen Peters will ride Jen and Bruce Hlavacek’s Weltino’s Magic

2. Heather Blitz will ride her own Paragon

3. Dr. Cesar Parra will ride Michael and Sarah Davis’ Grandioso

4. Marissa Festerling will ride her own Big Tyme

The following four athlete/horse combinations have been named as ranked substitutes and will be submitted as part of the Nominated Entry:

5. Endel Ots will ride Kristin Cooper’s Toscano

6. Shawna Harding will ride her own Rigo

7. Heather Mason will ride her own Warsteiner

8. Lisa Wilcox will ride Horses Unlimited’s Pikko del Cerro HU

The 2011 Pan American Games will run October 14-30, 2011 in Guadalajara; more information about the Games is available here: http://www.guadalajara2011.org.mx/ENG/01_inicio/.

Follow the USEF Riders on the USEF Network: http://www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2011PanAmGames/.

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, USEF, USEF

Weltino’s Magic Sweeps USEF National Intermediaire I Dressage Championships

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Steffen Peters and Weltino's Magic. Photo: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – The top three placings in the Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship never changed throughout the week at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm Dressage Festival of Championship and Steffen Peters dominated with Weltino’s Magic finishing on a three day average of 78.661%.

Riding for Jen Hlavacek, Peters owned the Dick and Jane Brown Arena this morning, and to music by Seven and Five, he showed off the 9-year-old Westphalian gelding’s strengths and was rewarded with a freestyle score of 81.250%. This was the only score over 80 in this division all weekend.

“It is fairly new,” said Peters about his Freestyle. “I’ve only done three freestyles with Magic. The music is by a group called Seven and Five, it’s not too dramatic but it’s not too much like elevator music. It was fun, there are some days where it is a little more work with Magic, but today it was fun.”

Weltino’s Magic was started by Peters’ wife Shannon, who rode him to reserve championship honors in the 2008 Markel/USEF National Young Horse Championships as a 6-year-old. He is a strong horse and Peters knows that managing that strength is a major part of his job.

“He’s a powerful horse and he can be once and a while a little strong,” said Peters. “I have to be careful that I break things up a little bit (in the freestyle)… The changes have become straighter that is why I did them down the center line and the trot work is stronger than the canter work which is why I put it at the end.”

Continue reading Weltino’s Magic Sweeps USEF National Intermediaire I Dressage Championships →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, USEF, USEF

Peters Maintains His Lead in the Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship

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Steffen Peters and Weltino's Magic. Photo: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – The third day of the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions meant the second day of the USEF Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship. The results remained unchanged as Steffen Peters won his third class in a row taking the top spot in the Intermediaire I test on Weltino’s Magic with a score of 76.421%.

He fought back from a couple of mistakes early on and overcame a couple of misunderstandings to duplicate his win in yesterday’s Prix St. Georges.

“It wasn’t quite as easy,” said Peters. “There were a couple of misunderstandings. When I asked for the left half-pass he thought extended trot. In the two-tempis one of the changes felt short behind. Where I think we won it was with really good pirouettes and the walk.”

Peters explained that when things aren’t going to plan in the test, he tries not to let it distract him from the task at hand.

“He’s a pretty straightforward horse,” said Peters. “If I don’t screw up, he doesn’t screw up.”

The Intermediaire I Championship also serves as the USEF Selection Trials for the 2011 Pan American Games, and Peters, despite being an Olympic and World Championship veteran and medalist, has never ridden on a Pan American Team. He and Jen Hlavacek’s 9-year-old Westphalian gelding have been winning at a record pace not only on the West Coast but they also swept the small tour in Aachen this summer. Peters has been nearly invincible with this horse and with Ravel in the Grand Prix and lead a dressage resurrection in the United States.

Continue reading Peters Maintains His Lead in the Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, USEF, USEF

Caroline Roffman Named First USEF National Dressage Champion at 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions

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Caroline Roffman and Beemer. Photos: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – Just over 3/10ths of a point decided the Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ champion – the first Championship awarded at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions at the USET Foundation Headquarters.

Caroline Roffman and Beemer edged out Olivia LaGoy-Weltz for the top spot with a two-day combined score of  65.822% to LaGoy-Weltz’ 65.518%.

Roffman has had a very successful Young Rider career and has done very well training and producing young horses, but Beemer is showing her the Grand Prix ropes and has given her the first Brentina Cup win of her career.

“I’m honored to be here and feel lucky to have the opportunity to ride this horse,” said Roffman about Lars Petersen and Global Dressage Sales’ 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding.

Because Beemer has been for sale this year, Roffman didn’t know if she would still have him in the barn to be able to bring him to contest these championships. She capitalized on the opportunity of him not getting sold.

“It was cleaner,” she said about her performance in the Young Rider Grand Prix test. “I wanted to have a clean ride. It lacked a lot of the brilliance from Thursday, but I did a better job.”

Continue reading Caroline Roffman Named First USEF National Dressage Champion at 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions →

Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, USEF

Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Dressage Success Continues at Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials

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Lexington, KY – Good fortune in the dressage ring continued for the 2011 Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at the 2011 Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials. The final two U.S. riders drew Friday times and both of them produced very competitive efforts.

Clark Montgomery led the day for the USA with a score of 45.4. He rode Holly Becker, Kathleen Kraft and Carole Montgomery’s Loughan Glen to a score of 45.4. The CCI3* winners at the Bromont International Horse Trials in June, Loughan Glen and Montgomery received a Land Rover Competition and Training Grant to test their form in the U.K.

Montgomery and the 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse had two mistakes, keeping them from an even better score, and there was more than a 20-point differential in the judges’ marks. They sit in seventh place heading into the cross-country.

“I was very happy with Glen today,” said Montgomery. “Overall, I felt the quality of work has improved from Bromont. Unfortunately, I made a mistake in the extended trot and then forgot my halt so I am a couple of points higher than I should be. I am really looking forward to the cross-country tomorrow. The course is beautiful and the ground is perfect.”

They are less than a point and one place ahead of teammate Jules Stiller who rode a stellar test on Thursday on Headley Stud Eventing’s Enjoy Me. They head to the cross-country on a score of 46.2, just a few marks ahead of California Rider Tiana Coudray and Jaital, Inc.’s Ringwood Magister on a 49.4.

Continue reading Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Dressage Success Continues at Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, Pan American Games, USEF, USEF

Steffen Peters Sweeps the Prix St. Georges and the Grand Prix Special at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions

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Steffen Peters and Weltino's Magic. Photos: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – Steffen Peters (San Diego, CA) dominated the day at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions winning both the Prix St. Georges and the Grand Prix Special with Weltino’s Magic and Ravel respectively. A veteran superstar for the U.S. Dressage Team over the last 10 years, Peters proved that not only is Ravel on top form, but that Weltino’s Magic’s winning streak is still going strong.

“That’s a first,” said Peters of scoring an 80% and a 79% on his two horses.

With selection for the 2011 Pan American Games on the line, there was everything to play for in the Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship and Peters dominated the Prix St. Georges test which serves as the first leg of this three-part Championship.  He rode Jen Hlavacek’s Weltino’s Magic to a record score in this specific Championship scoring 79.789% for a huge win.

“I was happy in Aachen,” said Peters. “It was his first time in a really big stadium and in his earlier days he could be a bit spooky… I thought he would be able to handle this arena and he did. He was soft in the bridle, he’s not always the most supple, but today he was.”

Weltino’s Magic put in an excellent test and Peters was impressed with how much the horse, which his wife Shannon rode at the beginning of his career, has matured. He was the 2008 Reserve Champion in the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championship with Shannon and she believed in him from the beginning.

Continue reading Steffen Peters Sweeps the Prix St. Georges and the Grand Prix Special at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, USEF, USEF

Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 Lead National Young Rider Championship

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Battle of the Pony Riders Begins at 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm Dressage Festival of Champions

Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108. Photos: SusanJStickle.com

Gladstone, NJ – The 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions kicked off day two with grey skies and ground that was doing its best to dry out after Thursday’s deluge.

With four championships on the line, Friday proved busy. Isabelle Leibler rode determinedly in the Young Rider Dressage National Championship on Watson 108 and set a mark that couldn’t be beat.

They were the only pair to score above 70% and their 70.263% meant they took a convincing lead over Brandi Roenick on Pretty Lady and Jillian Kemenosh on Nelzon. All three of these riders have been successful at the Junior and Young Rider level, and for them, coming to Gladstone is an annual pilgrimage not to be missed.

Leibler (Greenwich, CT), despite her considerable success over the last two years, thought Watson was at his best today.

“It’s my best score so far,” said Leibler, who is 16. “I had little mistakes in my fours, I wasn’t paying attention. I couldn’t ask for anything more from him. He doesn’t have a lot of confidence naturally.”

The Individual Gold medalist from the 2011 Adequan/FEI Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North (NAJYRC) continued her winning streak in Gladstone, and Leibler was incredibly pleased with how Watson went.

Continue reading Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 Lead National Young Rider Championship →

Competitions, Dressage, Driving, Events, FEI, USEF

James Fairclough, Josh Rector and Chester Weber Set to Drive at The Laurels at Landhope

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Chester Weber shows his winning form in the Four-In-Hand competition at the Riesenbeck CAI. Photo courtesy of My Elisabeth Weber.

Lexington, KY – Three Americans – James Fairclough, Josh Rector and Chester Weber – will be among the best drivers from the United States, Canada, and Mexico to gather in Kennett Square, PA, tomorrow through Sunday for the 25th Anniversary Laurels at Landhope International Combined Driving Event, one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the U.S.

At the FEI-recognized event in a beautiful country setting just 40 miles from Philadelphia, drivers will compete in a series of three events with combinations from single horses and ponies to four-in-hands. The “Laurels” features competition in Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced divisions, with the signature event the U.S. National Four-In-Hand Championship – a driving competition for teams of four horses.

James Fairclough first made history at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, as part of the group that won the Team Silver medal. Prior to this, the best finish the U.S. had ever garnered at a Four-In-Hand World Championship was fourth place in 1984 and 1986.

Fairclough (Newton, NJ) has represented the U.S. at the Four-In-Hand World Championship seven different times between 1980 and 2002. 2010 was a stellar year for Fairclough – he started with a second-place win at the Little Everglades CDE and ended with a Team Silver medal at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Continue reading James Fairclough, Josh Rector and Chester Weber Set to Drive at The Laurels at Landhope →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., Events, USEF

Jules Stiller Leads the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team after Day 1 at Fidelity Blenheim International Horse Trials

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Jules Stiller and Enjoy Me. Photo: www. stockimageservices. com

Lexington, KY – Competition at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials got underway with 49 of the 97 competitors in the CCI3* cantering down centerline in the dressage ring. The American contingent of Will Faudree (a Land Rover Training and Competition Grant Recipient), Jules Stiller, Tiana Coudray and Aimee Chambers had a strong showing on the first day, occupying four of the top 14 placings. Great Britain’s Piggy French, fresh off a Team Bronze medal at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships, heads the field with Lemington Lett Dance on a score of 42.7.

U.K.-based Vermonter Jules Stiller will be looking for an improved result at the CCI3* level after a fall on the cross-country at the 2011 Bramham CCI3* last spring with Enjoy Me. They had a stellar effort on the first day and lie third on a score of 46.2 halfway through the division.  This combination was most recently placing 11th at the CIC3* at Hartpury.

“He was fantastic,” said Stiller about the 10-year-old Westphalian gelding.  “He does a good test anyway but today he did the best test he’s ever done. When I came out of the ring, Mark Phillips told me he thought I did a 38 and I was really excited, so I was a little disappointed when I heard the score but he stayed right in there which is fantastic.”

Sarah Cohen lies second on Irish Jester on a 44.0. Stiller is looking forward to making amends for the mistake she and Enjoy Me made at the horse’s CCI3* debut.

“So far the course looks really good,” said Stiller. “We had a bad fall this spring so I will be looking for a clear round and then go as fast as I can. But my goal is to give him a good ride.”

Continue reading Jules Stiller Leads the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team after Day 1 at Fidelity Blenheim International Horse Trials →