Tag Archives: Betsy Steiner

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage

Betsy Steiner Claims Final Sash of AGDF Season on Mare Who Is ‘The Full Package’

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Betsy Steiner (USA) and Swiss W ©️Susan Stickle.

Wellington, FL – March 15, 2020 – The experienced Betsy Steiner (USA) rounded out the very final class of the 2020 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) season, held at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) on Sunday, March 15. She and Whitney Bailey’s Swiss W won the FEI Intermediate I Freestyle CDI3*, presented by The Dutta Corporation with a commanding 75.592%.

All but one of the 11 starters broke the 70% barrier and U.S. riders filled the top five slots in this class. Jami Kment and Gatino Van Hof Olympia claimed second with 73.558%, and Cesar Parra finished third with 73.175% on GK Don Cesar.

Steiner, who rode for the USA at the 1990 World Equestrian Games in Stockholm, has been coming to AGDF “since the beginning of time,” but this was her first CDI win of the 2020 season.

“I’m amazed, but not shocked because she’s truly a wonderful horse,” said Steiner, who is based in New Jersey and runs a training business with her daughter Jessie. “Swiss puts out so much and she loves showing. You can sit back and enjoy the ride and you see her legs coming out in front of you. She’s an amazing horse; she’s my soulmate, and dream horse.”

Steiner rode the 13-year-old by Sir Oldenburg to music by Terry Gallo. “She’s always done all my music and she’s a genius,” she said. “I told Terry that I loved the sky theme music from Outlander, so we incorporated that and added the Celtic music for the trot and a mash-up of ‘Amazing Grace’ for the pirouettes and ‘Fight Song’ for the canter. I come down the center line and start the changes as ‘Fight Song’ comes on and Swiss lights up; the music is fun for her.”

Steiner found the mare accidentally while horse shopping for a client in Munich, Germany in 2015, and told owner Whitney Bailey that she was too good to pass up.

“She’s been mine ever since,” enthused Steiner, who is 69. “She’s so intelligent and logical that she’s made me a better person and a better, more thoughtful trainer. She’s super close to grand prix now and she’s great for me at this point in my career. If I would have had her earlier on, she’s so talented I would probably have pushed and pushed her, but now I do it according to what she wants.

“I think she’s going to be my best grand prix horse. She has everything. She’s drop dead gorgeous, she has the power, she’s got beautiful rhythm, she’s got a great mind, and she wants to do the work. I’ve had some wonderful horses, but I think she might be my best so far: the full package.”

This concludes action in week 10 of the AGDF — the final week of the 2020 circuit, as weeks 11 and 12 have been cancelled due to the Coronavirus. The 12-week circuit returns in January 2021. For more information and results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Dressage

Betsy Steiner and Swiss W Win FEI Intermediaire-1 Freestyle CDI3* on Final Day of AGDF

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Betsy Steiner and Swiss W. ©SusanStickle.com.

Wellington, FL – March 31, 2019 – On the final day of the 2019 Adequan® Global Dressage Festival, freestyle music sounded throughout the venue as competitors rode their last tests of the season. Topping the FEI Intermediaire-1 Freestyle CDI3* presented by Vita Flex were Betsy Steiner and Swiss W.

There were 15 entries in the Intermediaire-1 Freestyle but with the high score of 76.200%, Steiner came away with the win on Swiss W, a 12-year-old Wurttemburg mare owned by H. Whitney Bailey.

This is the first year that Swiss W has done the CDI Small Tour and this was only their third freestyle.

“She likes that music and springs to it,” said Steiner. “The fun thing is, when she feels really on, the two [tempis] on the centerline you can look the judge right in the eye and think, ‘Watch this.’ When you’re riding, you can see her legs in the changes. You can see her knee and foot go out in front and think, ‘That’s gotta look pretty good!’”

Steiner said of her score, “I was surprised it was so high!”

Steiner found Swiss W in Germany in May of 2015 and it was love at first sight. “She has a wonderful owner,” said Steiner. “When I saw her, I basically said, ‘I don’t think I can live without her.’ And he said, ‘Well, let’s get her and see what she can do.’

“She knew single flying changes and half passes and had some beautiful training that the people from Germany gave her,” Steiner recalled. “I wasn’t so interested in a mare. She was just coming back from a show. She walked off the van and she stops and looks at me for way too long. That was the beginning, the look. Then I saw her and rode her and was in love.”

Steiner is considering moving up to grand prix next year but will let Swiss W tell her when she’s ready.

“She’s got almost everything for it. We have to get a few things more confirmed,” she said. “Before she shows, she really wants to feel like she knows it well. She’s like the girl in school who wants to get straight As.

“She’s very, very intelligent and wants to have confidence in what she’s doing. She would like me to explain things clearly to her,” she continued. “When she has confidence, she would give me her heart and soul and everything. I feel very responsible for being very careful in that training. She’s just been a complete and total joy; she’s a soulmate. She’s so unique and genuine in what she gives back. It’s an honor and privilege to ride her.”

For more information and a full list of results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Dressage, JRPR, Products/Services

Betsy Steiner and Swiss W Win the Blue in Prix St Georges at AGDF Week 3

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Betsy Steiner and Swiss W. (Photo courtesy of Besty Steiner)

Wellington, Florida (February 4, 2019) – Week 3 of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) brought more spectacular performances, tough competition and some of the best dressage found anywhere in the world. Triple Crown Nutrition is excited to continue to recognize the top, high performance riders who have gathered in Wellington, FL for this world class international dressage show series. Coming in first in the CDI 1 Prix St Georges was Betsy Steiner, aboard her lovely mare, Swiss W, who is owned by Whitney Bailey. This outstanding blue-ribbon performance not only earned the pair a score of 71.681, they were also presented with the Triple Crown Excellence Award. This prestigious prize is given to a horse and rider team that demonstrates exemplary achievement within the equestrian community, as well as showing exceptionally good health and fitness.

“She is the most amazing horse,” said Steiner. “She’s all mare and all princess! She is very, very particular, but very correct. She makes me a better thoughtful, thinking rider because she wants me to really take good care of her, and when I do that, she delivers 200%. She is extraordinary!”

Steiner goes on to explain how she felt during their winning ride. “It was amazing because she was just so ‘on’ and so focused. It was sort of like time slowed down and I could really think about riding into absolutely every corner, setting her up. She waited for me, was beautiful in my hands, was forward on my leg – I couldn’t ask her for anything more.”  This was the first time Swiss rode the CDI in the Global Stadium. “She was so ready to work and so ready to listen,” Steiner describes. “She was just in a great place!”

Steiner is based at White Fences in Loxahatchee, Florida during the six-month winter show season, and spends the other six months at her farm in the middle of horse country in Pittstown, New Jersey.

Contact: Kelly Payne
kpayne@triplecrownfeed.com
800-451-9916
www.triplecrownfeed.com

Dressage, Training/Clinics

Kathy Connelly and Betsy Steiner Kick Off Clinic Series at USDF Convention

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Kathy Connelly (shown here long lining) and Betsy Steiner will kick off “How to Develop a Winning Program and Partnership with Your Horse” at the 2014 Adequan/USDF Convention. (Brigitte Voelk – photo credit)

Cambridge, MA (December 3, 2014) — Kathy Connelly and Betsy Steiner, two of the biggest names in U.S. dressage, will launch their Nutrena/USDF Adult Clinic Series, “How to Develop a Winning Program and Partnership with Your Horse,” at the 2014 Adequan/USDF Convention held Dec. 3-6 in historic Cambridge, Mass.

The dressage icons will co-instruct the series, which will be held in each of the nine USDF regions and will run from the spring of 2015 through 2016. They will conduct five clinics aimed at the adult amateur in 2015 and four the following year. Eight riders chosen from a pool of diverse equestrians of all levels will participate in each clinic. Riders and auditors will benefit from the attention of both of the instructors as they take turns helping the riders and interacting with the attendees during the two-day clinics.

The duo will present their kick-off to the series at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6 at the host hotel for the USDF convention, the Hyatt Regency Cambridge.

Connelly is a respected international trainer, coach, clinician and “S” judge and has excelled in the international show ring. She competed as a United States Equestrian Team Rider at the World Cup in Sweden and as the highest placed Grand Prix rider on the U.S. Bronze Medal Team at the North American Championships. She is the Vice Chairman of the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee, and was a U.S. Team selector for the 2012 London Olympics and 2014 World Equestrian Games. She is a popular commentator, having served at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, the 2013 USDF Dressage Finals and recently at the 2014 USDF Dressage Finals in Lexington, KY, providing expert analysis to the live-feed for the event.

Steiner is also an international dressage trainer, coach and clinician. She represented the U.S. at the World Equestrian Games in Sweden and is an accomplished commentator, having provided her expertise for the 1995 World Cup of Dressage, the 1996 Olympic Games and, most recently, the 2014 World Equestrian Games Trials in Gladstone, NJ.

“We are looking very forward to doing this,” Connelly said. “We are so enthusiastic and want it to be fun and joyful for the people. We have an amazing group of amateur riders in this country.”

She said that she and Steiner individualize their instruction for the clinics according to what the rider tells them about their present situation and they use that information to build upon. She added that their goal is produce a top educational experience with clearly presented material for both riders and auditors.

Both Connelly and Steiner share a belief in using a calm approach to teaching and they believe it’s important to help the horse and rider develop a partnership.

“It’s very important for a trainer, coach and instructor to leave the dignity of the horse and rider intact,” she continued. “We want for people to feel very comfortable to bring their treasure, which is their horse, to us.”

“I just finished doing the USEF/USDF live Internet commentary in Kentucky at the U.S. Dressage Finals and was very impressed with the presentation and riding of our United States Adult Amateurs,” she said. “Come one, come all to the clinics, riders and auditors. We welcome your participation!”

To learn more about the Nutrena/USDF Adult Clinic Series, click here: http://www.usdf.org/education/clinics/adult/index.asp. To get more information about the Adequan/USDF Convention, go to https://www.usdf.org/convention/. For more information about Kathy Connelly and her impressive dressage background, email kathyconnellyavf@aol.com or call 978-486-8674.

Contact: Kathy Connelly
kathyconnellyavf@aol.com
978-486-8674

Dressage, JRPR, Training/Clinics

Betsy Steiner’s Ladies’ Club Takes Serious Dressage Training to a New Fun Level

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Photo courtesy of Terri Miller

Loxahatchee, FL (January 28, 2013) – World class equestrian Betsy Steiner is excited to introduce an exciting new program designed to help women expand their dressage coaching and training and apply it in a very fun way.  The Ladies’ Club (TLC) is a weekly social gathering for women being held throughout the 2013 winter season in Florida.  Although this program is designed for women to get together and socialize, this Ladies’ Club doesn’t come anywhere near your average coffee-clutch or typical knitting circle. “It’s serious dressage, but not in such a serious, scheduled kind of way,” Steiner explains about the program. “Its purpose is to have ladies come over to enjoy their horses, enjoy the process, learn about dressage, and be together in the ring for a broader experience,” she continues, “but, most importantly, it’s about having fun with your horse!”  Steiner had the idea to start the club as a result of her own personal enjoyment of working together with other riders by performing in quadrilles, and she wants to offer this experience to others. “Sometimes, you can learn more thoroughly in a group situation, where you ride your horse while forgetting about other things.  When you work together with your horse and other people, it’s so much fun, and through this camaraderie, you find you actually get closer to your horse.”

Continue reading Betsy Steiner’s Ladies’ Club Takes Serious Dressage Training to a New Fun Level →

*Featured/Spotlights, Awards, Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Disciplines, Dressage, Events, JRPR, Products/Services

International Dressage Rider Betsy Steiner Wins Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award at Palm Beach Dressage Derby

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Betsy Steiner, who competed Joli Burrell’s Fino at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, rode away as the winner of the Premier Sportsmanship Award during the show. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Wellington, FL (March 9, 2011) – Dressage rider and trainer Betsy Steiner, who represented the United States at the World Equestrian Games in Sweden, competed Joli Burrell’s Fino at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby at White Fences in Wellington and said the secret to each and every ride she takes is the simple fact the she loves her horses and competing. In addition to enjoying her ride, Steiner was awarded the Premier Sportsmanship Award, sponsored by Premier Equestrian, a leading supplier of dressage arenas, horse jumps, arena footing and stable accessories.

The Premier Sportsmanship Award is awarded to a rider who displays a high level of sportsmanship during a show and Steiner thanked Premier for the award. “The award really encourages riders and it makes you feel good about coming to the show and doing well,” she said.

Steiner added that she was really pleased with Fino’s performance at the show. “He was a great boy and I was really happy with him. It was the first time I’ve had him in the ring since June and he really came through for me,” she said, adding that she competed Fino in the FEI Test of Choice Prix St. Georges class.

When asked how she maintains a great level of sportsmanship, Steiner said she loves competing. “I love all of the horses I compete and Fino just happens to be one of the best,” Steiner said.

Continue reading International Dressage Rider Betsy Steiner Wins Premier Equestrian Sportsmanship Award at Palm Beach Dressage Derby →

Community/Charity, Contributors/Press, Dressage, JRPR, Publications/Media

Dressage Rider & Bestseller Tami Hoag Unveils New Novel to Wellington Horse Community

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Tami Hoag is joined by her longtime friend and dressage trainer Betsy Steiner during Hoag’s book signing at the Wellington dressage boutique. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Wellington, FL (January 18, 2011) – Dressage rider and New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag knows how to write a spine-tingling murder mystery and she also knows how to bring in a standing-room only crowd when unveiling a new novel. Hoag did just that recently, when she unveiled her newest novel Secrets to the Grave to the Wellington horse community while on a book tour that had her stopping at the Wellington dressage boutique Sho Clothes and their monthly “Shop Talk” gathering.

Hoag, who has 15 New York Times bestsellers to her name, shared the secrets behind Secrets to the Grave and also signed her novels after her talk. While Hoag has fans all over the world, she makes her home in Wellington and is well known in the equestrian community as both a writer and a rider.

“It was an impressive crowd and a lot of fun,” Hoag said, about her evening at Sho Clothes. “My longtime trainer Betsy Steiner came to the book signing, as well as many old and new friends. It is always good to catch up with all my riding buddies.”

Continue reading Dressage Rider & Bestseller Tami Hoag Unveils New Novel to Wellington Horse Community →