Ashlyn DeGroot and Dalina DG (McCool Photography)
Lexington, KY – The future of dressage was on full display over the holiday weekend in La Canada-Flintridge, California as talented combinations lined up in the 2013 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Western Selection Trials. The rising stars of the sport were vying to earn both a qualifying score to represent the U.S. at the FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses in Verden, Germany in August and a spot on the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Short List. Both the winners of the five-year-old division, Dalina DG, and the six-year-old section, Vitalis, impressed over the two day competition to exceed the necessary qualifying score of 8.2 as they took steps toward competing in Verden and vaulted themselves onto the Markel/USEF Short List.
Combinations needed to score 8.2 or higher to be eligible to represent the U.S. in Verden, while a score of 7.8 or higher would earn a place on the Markel/USEF Short List. Selection Trial competition had both five- and six-year-olds perform their respective FEI Preliminary Tests which accounted for 40% of the overall score. The remaining 60% of scores was earned in their respective FEI Final Tests.
Nineteen-year-old Ashlyn DeGroot (Hanford, CA) gave Dalina DG (Vader x Moeder/Contago) a stellar ride in the five-year-old division to take home the win. DG Bar Ranch’s Dutch Warmblood mare scored an 80.200% in the FEI Preliminary Test and an 87.200% in the FEI Final Test to earn a total score of 84.400%, making her eligible to represent the U.S. in Verden.
“Dalina DG was a dream to ride in the FEI 5 year old tests at Flintridge. She is so willing and she gave me all I asked. It is an honor to earn a qualifying score for Verden on a DG Bar home bred horse.”
DeGroot also piloted DG Dancing Queen (Jazz x Princes Lincom/Junior) to a second place finish in the division. After earning an 81.200% and an 81.600%, DG Bar Ranch’s Dutch Warmblood mare received a total score of 81.400% to add her name to the Short List.
In the six-year-old division, Charlotte Jorst (Reno, NV) rode Vitalis (Vivaldi x Tolivia/ Donnerschwee) to the win. With a 91.800% in the FEI Preliminary Test and a 92.000% in the FEI Final Test, Skagen Holding’s Dutch Warmblood stallion earned an impressive total score of 91.920%, easily making him eligible to compete in Verden for the U.S. DeGroot made a strong showing by finishing second with Calvin Klein (Dolany x Ramona/Unknown). DG Bar Ranch’s Dutch Warmblood gelding scored a 77.400% and a 79.00% to receive a total score of 78.360% to qualify for the Markel/ Short List.
The Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Eastern Selection Trials will take place June 6-9 in Leesburg, Virginia during the VADA/NOVA Summer June Dressage.
To learn more about the Dressage at Flintridge CDI1*Y/J, visit: http://www.cornerstonedressage.com/.
To learn more about the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program, visit: http://usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alldressage/NatlYHProgram.aspx.