Category Archives: Dressage

The Discipline of Riding Dressage

Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, JRPR

Gold Medalist Lauren Sammis Judges at Lendon Gray’s Youth Dressage Festival

Leave a comment

Grand Prix dressage rider Lauren Sammis judged young riders recently at Lendon Gray’s Youth Dressage Festival in Saugerties, New York. (Photo by SusanJStickle.com)

Saugerties, NY (July 13, 2010) – Pan Am Gold Medalist Lauren Sammis, who is back in the Grand Prix show ring with Al Guden’s Sagacious HF, spent time with young dressage riders recently when she served as a judge at Lendon Gray’s Youth Dressage Festival at Hits-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York. Sammis, who worked for Gray as a working student starting in her early years, was thrilled to take part in Gray’s annual Youth Dressage Festival, an event that attracts young riders from around the world.

“I judged the 7-9 year olds and the 16-17 year olds and they were unbelievably cute and adorable,” Sammis said. “This is exactly what you want your children to be involved with because they were braiding their own horses and ponies, taking written exams and taking part in an equitation class series.”

Continue reading Gold Medalist Lauren Sammis Judges at Lendon Gray’s Youth Dressage Festival →

Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, JRPR

The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center Sponsors International Dressage Rider Marco Bernal

1 Comment

The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center in Ocala is sponsoring international dressage rider Marco Bernal. (Photo courtesy of Sharon Packer/Horse Sport Photography)

Ocala, FL (July 12, 2010) – The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center in Ocala, a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the healing, conditioning and well being of all equine athletes, is now sponsoring international dressage rider Marco Bernal. A Colombian dressage rider and owner of Marco Bernal International Dressage in Wellington, Bernal has a long and accomplished dressage career which includes representing his country in the prestigious 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup in Las Vegas.

“I became acquainted with The Sanctuary during the Palm Beach Dressage Derby when I won a jog they were sponsoring. My farriers from Rood & Riddle also recommended them,” Bernal said. “I believe The Sanctuary has the experience and the equipment that I need for my horses.”

Continue reading The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center Sponsors International Dressage Rider Marco Bernal →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events

Anky & Painted Black Win Falsterbo World Dressage Masters Freestyle for 5th WDM Title

Leave a comment

Anky van Grunsven receiving the Exquis World Dressage Masters trophy from WDM CEO Anthony Kies and daughter, Renee. © 2010 Ken Braddick

FALSTERBO, Sweden, July 10 — Anky van Grunsven gave a display of her trademark Queen of the Freestyle when she rode IPS Painted Black to victory in the Exquis World Dressage Masters Grand Prix Kür presented by Axel Johnson Group for her fifth WDM CDI5* title in two years of the richest lineup of competitions on the globe.

Competing in the inaugural €100,000 (US$126,400) WDM at the Falsterbo Horse Show and her first time at this summer beach resort, Anky and the 13-year-old stallion posted a score of 82.40 per cent. The freestyle that was presented by Axel Johnson Group had total prize money of €60,000 (US$75,800) with first place earning €16,000 (US$20,200).

Germany’s Ulla Salzgeber and the 10-year-old mare Wakana showed none of the spookiness from shows earlier this year and placed second on 75.90 per cent with Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven and Favourit awarded 75.40 per cent. They were the hometown favorites of the enthusiastic Swedish crowd that numbered 3,000 paid spectators and many hundreds more who crowded every available place around the arena in sunny weather with temperatures above 80 degrees (27C).

Continue reading Anky & Painted Black Win Falsterbo World Dressage Masters Freestyle for 5th WDM Title →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events

Jonny Hilberath & Amüsant Win Moorland Grand Prix Special Dressage Derby

Leave a comment

Jonny Hilberath and Amüsant in victory gallop after winning Exquis World Dressage Masters Grand Prix Special. © 2010 Ken Braddick

FALSTERBO, Sweden, July 9 — Germany’s Jonny Hilberath who has been competing Amüsant internationally for just four months notched their first victory Saturday by winning the inaugural €30,000 (US$37,860) Moorland Grand Prix Special Dressage Derby presented by Agria as part of the Exquis World Dressage Masters.

Jonny and the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Elisabeth Max-Theurer and competed once internationally by her daughter, Victoria, almost two years ago scored 69.292 per cent despite mistakes in both the one- and two-tempi changes. The Netherlands’ Christa Laarakkers and Divoza Horseworld Ovation finished second with 67.250 per cent and hometown favorite Charlotte Haid Bondergaard on Lydianus was third on 66.292 per cent.

For Jonny and Amüsant’s first WDM, and the first time the Falsterbo Horse Show has included the prestigious CDI5* in its competition schedule the win earned them €9,500 (US$12,000) while Christa, who competed at WDM in Palm Beach earlier this year, earned €7,000 (US$8,830) and Charlotte €5,500 (US$6,940).

Continue reading Jonny Hilberath & Amüsant Win Moorland Grand Prix Special Dressage Derby →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events

Anky & Painted Black Win First Falsterbo World Dressage Masters Grand Prix

Leave a comment

Anky van Grunsven on IPS Painted Black in the Exquis World Dressage Masters Grand Prix Thursday. © 2010 Ken Braddick

FALSTERBO, Sweden, July 8 — Anky van Grunsven, the most successful rider in the Exquis World Dressage Masters, on Thursday rode a newly recovered IPS Painted Black to victory in the Grand Prix of the first €100,000 CDI5* competitions staged by the Falsterbo Horse Show.

Tinne Vilhelmson Silfven, one of Sweden’s most popular dressage stars, gave the big crowd that turned out to support the event good cause to applaud even more enthusiastically than they did for all the riders when she and the 11-year-old Favourit turned in a performance that placed them second.

Anky and the 13-year-old stallion Painted Black was the unanimous choice by the judges for first place in the Nurnberger Versicherungsgruppe Grand Prix presented by Agria with a score of 75.234 per cent with Tinne and Favourit posting marks of 71.957 per cent. Germany’s Anja Plönzke and Le Mont d’Or, competing in their fourth WDM CDI5* event so far this year–Palm Beach in the USA, Munich, Germany and Cannes, France in addition to Falsterbo–was third on 68.723 per cent.

Continue reading Anky & Painted Black Win First Falsterbo World Dressage Masters Grand Prix →

Competitions, Disciplines, Dressage, Events

First Exquis World Dressage Masters in Falsterbo Starts Thursday

1 Comment

Several hundred dressage fans turned out on a warm summer evening to watch Exquis World Dressage Masters riders practice a day before the first event in the series to be held at the Falsterbo Horse Show. © 2010 Ken Braddick

FALSTERBO, Sweden, July 7 — The Exquis World Dressage Masters, established on both sides of the Atlantic in its second year as the world’s richest lineup of dressage shows, starts its first €100,000 (US$126,000) CDI5* at the famous Falsterbo Horse Show Thursday with riders from six nations scheduled to perform in the Grand Prix.

Anky van Grunsven, the winningest competitor in the World Dressage Masters since the inaugural test event at Cannes two years ago, on IPS Painted Black will lead a squad of three combinations from The Netherlands in seeking to add a fifth title to the two she won at Palm Beach and two at Cannes.

A strong Swedish squad of the four most likely combinations to represent the nation at this year’s World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, German Olympian Ulla Salzgeber on Wakana and Anja Plönzke on Le Mont d’Or as well as the USA’s Catherine Haddad on her increasingly successful Winyamaro, Evi Strasser of Canada on Quantum Tyme and the top two riders from Poland are scheduled to start in the €10,000 Nürnberger Versicherungdgrupper Grand Prix presented by Agria.

Continue reading First Exquis World Dressage Masters in Falsterbo Starts Thursday →

Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, JRPR, Training/Clinics

Tami Hoag Donates Westfalian Gelding Fhilosopher to Become a Professor at University of Findlay’s Equestrian Studies Program

Leave a comment

Tami Hoag aboard Fhilosopher who will soon be at the head of the class at the University of Findlay Equestrian Studies Program in Ohio. (Photo courtesy of Tami Hoag)

Wellington, FL (July 6, 2010) – Fifteen-time New York Times bestselling mystery writer and professional Grand Prix dressage rider Tami Hoag has donated Fhilosopher, her 11-year-old Westfalian gelding by Fidermark, to take midterm tests instead of dressage tests at the University of Findlay in Ohio. Hoag describes him as a “wonderful horse with an incredible character and a lot of quality.”

While Fhilosopher will be an asset to the college, Hoag explained he has limitations that will not allow him to be a top FEI horse. Therefore, her loss will be the gain of Findlay students. In fact, instead of the judge’s bell Fhil will start his day to the school bell. Hoag said, “with Fhilosopher the students will learn what it feels like to ride a truly world class mover, and how to maintain a soft consistent contact with the bridle with a horse that sometimes like to play hide-and-seek with the bit! He will make any student who mounts him a better rider with a greater awareness for quality of gaits.”

Continue reading Tami Hoag Donates Westfalian Gelding Fhilosopher to Become a Professor at University of Findlay’s Equestrian Studies Program →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, FEI

FEI Balkan Dressage Championships, Katerini, Greece

Leave a comment

Pictured after winning team gold at the 2010 FEI Balkan Dressage Championships in Katerini, Greece are the Greek team of (left to right) Kelly Sklavounos, Katerina Los, Eleni Myrat and Hara Pouli. Photo: Alexis Vassilopoulos.

Greek Riders Dominate, but Romania’s Alexandrescou Takes Senior Individual Gold

5 July 2010 – Greek riders claimed a colossal medal-haul at the 2010 FEI Balkan Dressage Championships in Katerini, Greece over the weekend including three sets of team gold and two individual titles. However yesterday (Sunday) it was Romania’s Sorin Alexandrescou who was crowned Senior Individual champion with a great performance from Mercur Casino as his Greek opponents had to settle for silver and bronze.

The Balkan Championships, which first took place in Istanbul, Turkey in 1968, have embraced a varying number of disciplines down the years and Dressage first featured in 1992.  The region covers Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Moldovia, and, from the outset, the Championships have succeeded in promoting and improving the standard of equestrian sport in south-east Europe.  This year the Jumping and Dressage disciplines have been scheduled for separate locations and from 2 to 4 July, the Pieria Riding Club in Katerini, which hosted the Balkan Jumping Championships in September 2009, opened its gates once again for the 2010 Dressage equivalent.

Continue reading FEI Balkan Dressage Championships, Katerini, Greece →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, JRPR

Cesar Parra and Olympia Ranked Number One Heading to 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Championships

Leave a comment

International dressage rider Cesar Parra and Olympia. (Photo by Susan J. Stickle)

Whitehouse Station, NJ (July 5, 2010) – International dressage rider Dr. Cesar Parra and Olympia, the 13-year-old KWPN gelding owned Dr. Lori Washton, are currently ranked number one for the FEI small tour heading into the 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National I-1 Dressage Championships.

Parra has been riding Olympia for over a year and recently returned from a very successful winter season in Florida. Parra and Olympia returned to New Jersey and made their debut at the ESDCTA Memorial Day Show. The pair won the Prix St. Georges with a score of 71.789 and also the Intermediaire I with a score of 71.000 percent. In total, this pair has shown at this level just over a dozen times and has consistently scored over 70%. Parra started showing Olympia a year ago at the Centerline Events Westbrook Hunt Club show and won the Prix St George with 75%. Last year the pair won 8 out 9 CDI classes and Parra won the coveted High Score FEI Rider Award at Dressage at Devon aboard Olympia. This year, at the New Jersey Horse Park CDI on Memorial Day they continued their victory streak winning both classes. “Olympia has developed into such an ideal horse to show. He is always trying his best,” said Parra.

Continue reading Cesar Parra and Olympia Ranked Number One Heading to 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Championships →

Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Jane Savoie, Training/Clinics

Motivation from Moshi no. 25, by Jane Savoie

Leave a comment

A new horse came to the barn today. She is very young. I was in the arena with Jane when she arrived. She saw us practicing some upper level movements, and it embarrassed her. She told a friend of mine that she was ashamed that she didn’t know very much, and was afraid to talk to me since I obviously know a great deal.

That surprised me, and made me sad. She is young and hasn’t had much training. Why should she be shy about what she can or can’t do? I’ve been around awhile and have lots of experience. She’s just starting out. I don’t like it that she’s intimidated by me.

I heard Jane tell someone that you don’t have to be an advanced rider to be a really GOOD rider. Just be the best at what you’re doing now! My friends who are working at their training level foundations are just as hard working and dedicated as I am at Grand Prix. I’ve just been at it longer.

Continue reading Motivation from Moshi no. 25, by Jane Savoie →