Dr. Cesar Parra and Van the Man. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)
Wellington, FL (February 11, 2014) – Cesar Parra and Piaffe Performance horses were among the dozen selected for the inaugural USEF/USET Pipeline Clinic, January 28-29, during the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, FL.
The USEF and USET Foundation, through the generosity of USET Foundation Trustee Betsy Juliano and Havensafe Farm, presented a two day clinic showcasing a “dressage pipeline” of American athletes and horses who worked with USEF Dressage Coaches Robert Dover, USEF Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor; Debbie McDonald, USEF Developing Coach; Scott Hassler, USEF Young Horse Coach; and Jeremy Steinberg, USEF Youth Coach.
“The Performance Farm team was honored to have three horses invited to this historic clinic,” said Parra. Invited were: Van the Man, in the Grand Prix; Rotano, ridden by Bebe Davis in the Junior Division; and Fashion Designer OLD, ridden by Katie Riley and owned by Martin Sosnoff and Parra, in the Six-Year-Old Division.
“We were grateful to have our young horse, Fashion Designer, and our Junior rider, Bebe, there. I rode Van the Man with Robert Dover and Scott Hassler. It was excellent for us to be in the stadium and focus on total relaxation and confidence. I could not have been more proud as we walked on the buckle with Van happy in an environment that has overwhelmed him in the past.
“Robert and Scott did a great job knowing what was important for Van, so we did not school Grand Prix but rather, did exactly what the horse needed to become confident and listening,” Parra said.
Piaffe Performance’s Katie Riley rode Fashion Designer OLD under the guidance of clinicians Scott Hassler and Debbie McDonald: “We worked on making Fashion’s huge gaits adjustable while keeping him attentive and relaxed.
“This was too good an experience to pass up and we are so grateful to everyone who made this happen. We really believe that Fashion has a tremendous future and keeping USEF coaching involved in his development keeps everyone on the same page and makes every training session more productive. I loved the well-rounded approach that the clinic took. It wasn’t just riding; it was sports psychology and fitness training as well as talks on media and sponsor relations and score analysis. The topics were all very pertinent for a rider that wants to be successful at the top so I enjoyed it all – even my sore legs from the workouts.”
Parra also saw the benefits: “We saw this clinic as a great opportunity and believe, through the continuity of training the coaches are putting together, we will see improvement in ourselves and in our sport. To have riders and trainers on the same page, from Pony level to Grand Prix, is exciting. We wanted to be a part of it. Thank you to Betsy Juliano for making this possible and hope it is the first of many clinics.”
Bebe Davis and Rotano taking direction from Jeremy Steinberg. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)
Bebe Davis, who had a brilliant start to her CDI season the week before with a 68.90% win in her FEI Test of Choice, called the clinic “excellent.”
“I worked with Jeremy and Robert on keeping Rotano in front of my leg and good self-carriage at all three gaits. We did a lot of going forward and collecting to get him listening to my aids. It was an opportunity not only to work with amazing coaches but amazing people on the ground. I loved every aspect, from the lessons to the seminars to the morning workouts.”
Davis said, “I think this event was important to our industry because it helped riders understand not only riding but our personal well-being. It taught how to handle relations between ourselves and potential sponsors or clients.
“It’s important for us to realize it is not only about how we handle ourselves while riding but how we are on the ground. We tend to take better care of horses than ourselves and this helped us realize how important that is too. I took so many important things away from this event.”
USEF Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover praised the participants and clinic for demonstrating — through the use of “world-class Young Riders, Young Horses, Developing and Elite International combinations” — the federation’s commitment to excellence in training from the bottom to the top of the sport. “I am certain every trainer, amateur and child who attended went home having had no less than one ‘Aha’ moment.”
Coaches worked in pairs with riders from their respective programs. Each day started with rider fitness sessions, followed by individual mounted sessions, and afternoon sessions on Sports Psychology. Riders, owners and trainers participated in the evening discussion on media, owner, and sponsor relations.
The clinic underscored an already great start for Performance Farm this season. At AGDF, Parra and Michael and Sarah Davis’ Van the Man were top US horse and rider in the Grand Prix Freestyle. Bebe Davis and Rotano, also owned by the Davis family, earned reserve and third in her CDI Junior division, and Katie Riley and Leo continue to show “real promise,” Parra reported, for their Grand Prix tests.
Cesar Parra, DDS, MScD, operates Piaffe Performance in Jupiter, FL and Whitehouse Station, NJ. He was born in Colombia, where he began riding cattle horses in the Andes Mountains of his grandparents’ farm. He has studied dressage with Herbert Rehbein, Siegfried “Bimbo” Peilicke, Hans Rueben, Herbert Kuckluck and Hubertus Schmidt. Learn more about training and sales prospects at www.piaffe-performance.com.
THERMAL, CA (February 10, 2014) – With three mounts to jump around, not a single onlooker would know that John Pearce of Bermuda Dunes, California was battling the flu during the $50,000 Go Rentals Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, at HITS Thermal on Sunday. He and Son of a Gun, owned by Forest View Farm, were one of only four pairs to jump clear against a very tight first round time allowed of 81 seconds.
Pearce first appeared on trusted partner Chianto, owned by Forest View Farm and Allison Moore, and was clear, but crossed the timers four tenths of a second slow to pick up one time fault. He did not, however, let the clock be a problem for Son of a Gun. “Son of a Gun and I went around seven seconds under the time because I was not going to get another time fault,” said Pearce. “I may have been a little over ambitious, but that’s the competitor in me.”
Pearce was not the only rider to find trouble with the clock – 13 pairs picked up time faults out of a starting field of 33. Five of which, including Pearce, were sitting on clear rounds when they landed off the last jump, but the clock would eventually keep them from the jump-off.
Florencio Hernandez of Mexico City, Mexico set the course on Sunday and tested both horse and rider with 13 obstacles, including three double combinations.
Ashlee Bond Clarke of Hidden Hills, California was the first to jump clear and bested the clock aboard Little Valley Farms’ Chella LS. She was later joined by Jenni McAllister of Sun Valley, California in the irons of Here I Come for LEGISequine.com; Michelle Parker of San Marcos, California with Cross Creek Farms’ Socrates De Midos and Pearce on Son of a Gun.
Bond Clarke and Chela LS have had a successful three weeks at HITS Thermal with two grand prix wins already in their pocket. She and the 10-year-old mare jumped clean in the jump-off to post a Great American Time to Beat at 44.04 seconds. McAllister and Parker both picked up faults to set the stage for a battle of the sexes between Bond Clarke and Pearce on his 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.
Pearce returned last and laid down a trip like no one before him. “I did the leave-outs to the triple bar and the double combination,” he said. “But it was in the turns that I got her – her horse is a little bit greener and couldn’t pull off some of those turns, but mine knows his job and got it done.”
Pearce stopped the clock at 41.15 seconds for the win. Bond Clarke finished in second, Parker in third and McAllister in fourth. Elizabeth Gingras of Edmonton, Alberta capped the top five in the irons of B Gingras Equestrian, Ltd.’s Floreen SFN, while Pearce and Chianto landed sixth.
After a week off from show jumping, HITS Thermal will host the second of its two FEI World Cup qualifying classes. The $50,000 Purina Animal Nutrition Grand Prix CSI-W2* will highlight grand prix competition during Week IV as riders continue to jump toward qualifying for both the FEI World Cup, as well as the HITS Triple Crown of Show jumping.
About Go Rentals Go Rentals is a family-owned business founded by two brothers two decades ago. What started as a small company with a niche in passenger vans quickly grew into the only rental car company catering to the private jet industry and fine hotels. Now with locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and service to over 40 airports and various fine hotels, Go Rentals is there when it’s convenient. For more information about Go Rentals, visit gorentals.com.
About Zoetis Building on 60 years of experience as Pfizer Animal Health, Zoetis delivers quality medicines and vaccines, complemented by diagnostics products and genetics tests and supported by a range of services. They work every day to better understand and address the real-world challenges faced by those who raise and care for animals in ways they find truly relevant. Zoetis produces a comprehensive range of safe and effective products, including equine vaccines, dewormers and sedative analgesics, to help professionals and individual horse owners keep their animals healthy. Both veterinarians and horse owners know and trust the Zoetis will help their horses live longer, healthier lives.
$10,000 HITS Junior/Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classic, presented by Bayer’s Legend Karl Cook topped a competitive field of 27 to win the $10,000 HITS Junior/Amateur-Owner High Jumper Classic, presented by Bayer’s Legend, on the road to qualifying for the Bayer’s Legend (hyaluronate sodium) Injectable Solution $250,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix. Cook, who hails from Woodside, California, is no stranger to success in the junior/amateur-owner jumper ring and earned the win aboard Farrari for Signe Ostby.
Lily Berlin of St. Helena, California was the first to jump Hernandez’s course and eventually posted a double-clear effort for second aboard her won Quasiboy. Jenny Calandra of Perris, California was third on her won Caruso.
Hannah Von Heidegger of Chatsworth, California rode to fourth on Monarch International’s E-Unanime De La Haie, while Molly Talla of San Juan Capistrano, California capped the top five with her own Java Keltic Courage.
All high junior/amateur-owner jumper classics at HITS Desert Horse Park are qualifiers for the Bayer’s Legend (hyaluronate sodium) Injectable Solution $250,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix, enticing West Coast riders to head east this fall for the HITS Championship at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York. For more information on the Bayer’s Legend $250,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix, visit HitsShows.com.
About Bayer Animal Health Bayer Animal Health is amongst worldwide leaders in animal health. Bayer has attained this leadership position by continuously researching and developing products for animal health since 1919. A responsible relationship between humans, companion animals and livestock requires ensuring the health of animals. For more information on Bayer Animal Health, visit bayer.com.
OCALA, FL (February 10, 2014) – Thirty contenders showed up to challenge the difficult track set by course designer David Ballard of Tottenham, Ontario, Canada in the $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, presented by Zoetis, on Sunday at HITS Ocala. It was, however, Aaron Vale of Williston, Florida and Spirit of Alena that took the victory. The time allowed was set at 77 seconds, and the course included a triple combination at fence six, a double at fence eleven and several oxers for a total of thirteen obstacles.
The course proved to be formidable with consistent knock-downs and time faults as Ballard tested the competitors. Lisa Goldman was first to post a clear round and later have four join her for the jump-off.
Goldman rode 12-year-old Belgium Warmblood Centurion B to a double-clear performance for owner Mary Goldman, both of Hawthorn Woods, Illinois, establishing the Great American Time To Beat at 35.75 seconds. They would ultimately finish third.
Next to jump off was Tracy Fenney and her 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding, MTM Centano. They completed the track in 35.52 seconds for second place. Grant Wilson of Palm Beach, Florida in the irons of Watch Me for owner Emmanuelle Mille posted a time of 43.30 seconds to take fourth place. Fenney piloted MTM Timon to fifth with a time of 34.74 seconds and four faults.
It was, in the end, impossible to catch the ‘Spirit’. Last to jump was professional rider Vale and Spirit of Alena, owned by Campos & Miranda Investments. They wowed the crowd and put the hammer down in an all-out effort with a time of 34.82 seconds for the win. It was grand prix jumping as it was meant to be.
When asked about the eye-catching big, red, sport horse stallion, Aaron commented, “He is one of those horses with a good mind, combined with an amazing stride. He has a great feel to him. For a big horse, he is very quick and has plenty of jump.”
Vale began riding the horse in 2013 and has been bringing him along slowly. “I am very happy with his performance today. Hopefully we will get to the Great American $1 Million Grand Prix on March 24.”
There will be more grand prix action next Sunday as HITS V – the Ocala Winter Festival – kicks off with the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix and $50,000 HITS Grand Prix, both presented by Zoetis. The excitement is starting to build for the first-ever Great American $1 Million Grand Prix. The Great American Million will debut as the second jewel in the HITS Triple Crown of Show Jumping Monday, March 24 in the new Ocala Horse Properties Stadium.
About Zoetis Building on 60 years of experience as Pfizer Animal Health, Zoetis delivers quality medicines and vaccines, complemented by diagnostics products and genetics tests and supported by a range of services. They work every day to better understand and address the real-world challenges faced by those who raise and care for animals in ways they find truly relevant. Zoetis produces a comprehensive range of safe and effective products, including equine vaccines, dewormers and sedative analgesics, to help professionals and individual horse owners keep their animals healthy. Both veterinarians and horse owners know and trust the Zoetis will help their horses live longer, healthier lives.
Anna Cavallaro (ITA) convinced the judges yet again of her star quality with Harley, lunged by her coach Nelson Vidoni, and retained the coveted FEI World Cup Vaulting title at the Final in Bordeaux (FRA). Photo: Daniel Kaiser/FEI.
Lausanne (SUI), 10 February 2014 – Anna Cavallaro (ITA) and world champion Nicolas Andreani (FRA) defended their FEI World Cup Vaulting titles in Bordeaux (FRA) last weekend with stirring performances, while double world and European pas-de-deux champions Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha (AUT) made history by winning the first pas-de-deux Final in this exciting series.
Match makes three-in-a-row
A total of 18 vaulters from eight nations travelled to the famous Jumping International of Bordeaux to perform their freestyle choreographies.
Austria’s pas-de-deux superstars Lindner and Wacha, favourites after winning the 2012 FEI World Vaulting Championship in Le Mans (FRA) and storming to victory at the FEI European Vaulting Championships 2013 in Ebreichsdorf (AUT), faced their hardest test yet in Bordeaux – their experienced 17-year-old gelding Elliot was having a well-deserved winter break. So the pair took up the offer from Dutch team coach Maurits de Vries (NED) of KCM Vaultinghorses Bram, and the match was a great success. Performing to “Heart’s a Mess” by Gotye with lunger Klaus Haidacher, they received the maximum 10 points from German judge Jochen Schilffarth in the first round, leading to a stunning final score of 8,783 points and huge applause.
“We enjoyed it so much, and it was one of our best-ever freestyles,” the 18-year-old student Lindner said proudly, who trains with Lukas Wacha seven times a week before big competitions. Wacha’s personal highlight was the audience, which started to clap during the crescendo of the choreography. “We were confused for a second, and waited for a reaction from Bram, but he was calm and we decided to end our freestyle clapping too,” he said.
The German duo Pia Engelberty and Torben Jacobs, bronze medalists at last year’s FEI European Vaulting Championships, finished second with 8,353 points on Danny Boy lunged by Alexandra Knauf. “They’ve improved a lot since the European Championships, and their fluid performance and focus this winter has set them in good stead for the World Equestrian Games in Normandy, where they’ll be strong challengers to Lukas and Jasmin,” said German chef d’equipe Ulla Ramge.
Stefanie Millinger and Evelyn Freund from Salzburg (AUT) completed the top three with a score of 7,837 on Robin, lunged by Nina Rossin.
Cavallaro the ambassador
FEI World Cup Vaulting champion Anna Cavallaro from Verona (ITA) yet again convinced the judges of her star quality with Harley, lunged by her coach Nelson Vidoni, retaining the title with 8,522 points. “This has not been easy – Simone Jäiser is a wonderful vaulter,” said Cavallaro of her closest rival, who finished second on Luk, lunged by her mother Rita Blieske (8,361 points).
Cavallaro was ecstatic to have a special guest in Bordeaux in Gianfranco Ravá, the President of the Italian Equestrian Federation. “I’m very proud of Anna,” he said. “She is the first vaulter in Italy to reach these heights. She is an ambassador for the sport, and many young girls emulate her. Vaulting is growing in Italy like never before, which is fantastic.”
Dutch vaulting first
The Netherlands’ Esther Sneekes, lunged by her sister Carola Sneekes on Nolan to a Knights Templar theme, finished third in the female individual Final with 7,421 points, claiming the country’s first-ever FEI World Cup Vaulting podium spot. “I was so nervous, because I knew what we could be achieving in Bordeaux. But as we stood in the middle of the arena in the second round I said to myself, ‘This is my Nolan; everything will work fine and we can reach our big dream,’” said the 27-year-old vaulter from Callantsoog.
Rock star Andreani
With two French contenders in the male individual Final – the world and defending FEI World Cup Vaulting champion Nicolas Andreani and European champion Jacques Ferrari – the crowds went wild in Bordeaux.
Andreani, performing for the first time in competition on 10-year-old gelding Quiece d’Aunis, and lunged for the first time by his coach Marina Dupon Joosten, scored a remarkable 8,826 points. “It’s a great feeling defending the title,” said Andreani. “I feel like I’m close to the end of my career and I’m being celebrated like a rock star.”
Ferrari, vaulting on Poivre Vert lunged by François Athimon, finished second on 8,563 points with his Swan Lake-inspired routine choreographed by Roman Bernard.
Lukas Heppler (SUI), fourth at last year’s Final, and fifth the year before, finally realised his dreams in Bordeaux claiming his first FEI World Cup Vaulting podium spot with 8,219 points on Luk, lunged by Rita Blieske. “I knew that third place was possible, and in the second round I was calm and collected. This is the best beginning I could ever have wished for for this year’s vaulting season!” said Heppler.
Bettina de Rham, FEI Director Vaulting, Driving and Reining concluded: “Pas-de-deux has boosted this demanding series, and it has been a huge success with the public at every leg. Well-choreographed routines have also been a trademark for this series. This has had a major impact on artistic scores, as well as showing the public just how amazing vaulting is as a spectator sport.”
FEI World Cup Vaulting 2013/2014 – Bordeaux results:
Blair Bynum and Talk About Candy compete at an SBA show at Bynum Farms. Photo by Toni Steed.
Indiantown, FL – February 10, 2014 – Show by Appointment is off to a good start in its second year, and founders Blair Bynum and Rick Steed are making plans for the season while also investigating the possibility of moving SBA’s base to Wellington, FL, for the 2015 competition year.
Bynum and Steed began the reined cow horse show series in 2013 to provide a new alternative for riders looking for a fun, fair and affordable competition. In its first year, SBA hosted shows in Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio and Florida, capping the season with the richest cow horse show in the East – the SBA Championship Finals, offering $100,000 in cash and prizes.
The Championship Finals were held at Triple J Ranch in Sarasota, FL, in 2013, and they will return to Sarasota for the 2014 season. Bynum Farms in Indiantown, FL, hosts SBA’s winter circuit. Bynum and Steed are considering a move to the winter equestrian hotspot of Wellington, which attracts the best show jumping and dressage competitors from around the world.
The Finals, which were a big hit in their first year, appeal to competitors and spectators alike. The generous prize money offered is a major draw, and the straightforward path to qualification ensures that all riders are on a level playing field and have a chance to test themselves against the best at the Finals.
Among the featured events at the Finals is Down the Hairy Fence. The fast-paced fence run only competition keeps spectators on the edge of their seats as they watch top riders go all out for the win.
Rick Steed and Miss Chic Dun It at the $100,000 SBA Championship Finals. Photo by Mary Adelaide Brakenridge.
Sponsorships are available for SBA’s 2014 season, and now is the perfect time to get on board to take full advantage of SBA’s events and associated promotional opportunities. Contact Mary Adelaide Brakenridge at mab@phelpsmediagroup.com for more information.
About Show by Appointment
Show by Appointment’s fresh approach to reined cow horse competition was an unprecedented success in its first season, and now SBA is back for a second year. SBA aims to make showing “Fun, Fair, and Affordable” for competitors. To accommodate those traveling long distances to show and help busy riders fit showing in at their convenience, SBA allows riders to reserve their own ride times in advance. This cuts down on usual travel expenses such as stall rentals and hotels and encourages competitors to make the trip and join in the fun.
Each SBA series includes four shows. Riders who compete at three out of the four shows earn a place in the annual Championship Finals, which offer over $100,000 in cash and prizes. Competitors may also qualify for the Finals in absentia by simply sending in entries and payment to each of the four shows.
Mary Adelaide Brakenridge for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
Wellington, FL – February 9, 2014 – The national anthem of Spain rang out for the third time in as many days for Juan Matute, Jr. and Don Diego Ymas on Sunday morning of the AGDF 5 CDI 3*/4*. Matute, Jr. picked up wins in the FEI Prix St. Georges on Friday, the Intermediaire-1 on Saturday, and capped off the weekend with a win in the Intermediaire-1 Freestyle, presented by Havensafe Farm, on Sunday morning.
Matute, Jr. topped the class with a score of 71.125%, followed by American Alix Szepesi (USA) and Majco Thunder’s Hattrick. The pair finished second with a score of 70.792%. Third place went to Canadian Tom Dvorak and Ribot, who finished on a 69.333%.
The FEI Intermediaire-1 Freestyle concluded competition for the fifth week of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF). Competition resumes February 15 for the AGDF 6 Dressage National, managed by Wellington Classic Dressage, which will run an abbreviated schedule to finish on February 16. The Stadium at PBIEC will play host to show jumping for the second weekend this circuit on Friday, February 14. The $84,000 Salamander Hotels & Resorts Valentine’s Grand Prix will enjoy the wonderful International Arena at The Stadium for “Friday Night Stars” before dressage competition returns for the weekend.
Matute, Jr. began by saying what was on everyone’s mind; the sudden drop in humidity was a welcome relief on Sunday morning and created picture perfect competition weather.
The more tolerable temperatures may have lit Don Diego Ymas up a bit, however. Matute, Jr. admitted he was quite hot at the canter, but was still thrilled with how his horse performed.
“Don Diego was good. He was a little bit nervous. He tried his best. The mistakes were a little bit my fault. The trot was really good. I think the highlight today was his trot. In the canter, he was just hot. I couldn’t really do anything; I just drove! It was good and I’m happy. It was a good weekend,” Matute, Jr. smiled.
After a banner weekend of competition, Matute, Jr. decided to go all out for the I-1 Freestyle, a decision that clearly paid off with a win, but he admitted there were a few mistakes in some of the more difficult movements.
“We were very happy yesterday with the scores and we decided, well it’s a freestyle, so let’s push it to the limit and see what we could get. There was a lot of difficulty in my freestyle, and with difficulty there’s risk,” he noted.
Of the one-handed canter pirouette, Matute, Jr. commented, “If I had been able to pull it off, it would have been a fantastic movement. It’s hard because [Don Diego Ymas] is such a big horse. To be able to collect him so much from the most extension in the extended canter to the most collection, so that’s a lot of difficulty. He didn’t interpret what I wanted to do; I’m not sure what happened, but we weren’t able to pull it off today. But we tried. It’s okay; it happens.”
Second place finisher Szepesi was also quite satisfied with her test with Hattrick. Third time was the charm for the pair, with Sunday’s test being their best of the season.
“The first one I did at the national show, artistically I hit all my markers and it was great, but technically we had some things we needed to work on. The next one I did at the CDI, technically it was really great, but then I missed a lot of my markers and music. This time, I really feel like technically it was all good and everything was right on as far as hitting the music and being on the beat,” Szepesi remarked.
She continued, “The test today was just plain fun. Especially after the Prix St. Georges and I-1, trying to be very technically correct. Today I just wanted to enjoy the music and enjoy the test. He was great. He was easy to ride and a lot of fun.”
Szepesi particularly enjoys her music, which has also been a crowd favorite. Put together by Karen Robinson, her routine includes Maroon 5’s hit “One More Night” as well as “Into the Wild” by L.P. and “It’s Time” by Imagine Dragons.
“My favorite part of the freestyle is in the trot work when we come around when the [music lyrics] go ‘1, 2, 3, 4, somebody left the gate open,’ and we do the extended trot. That’s a lot of fun and definitely just the canter music. When I’m listening to it off the horse, I just want to get up and dance. I get a lot of positive feedback from the audience. A lot of people watching, that I don’t even know, come up to me and tell me what a pleasure it was to watch the ride,” Szepesi smiled.
Hattrick has been a solid partner for Szepesi since he was imported as a five-year-old by part-owner Michelle Doucette. Now 13, Szepesi described the gelding as a solid and reliable partner.
“He’s just so consistent and reliable. If I stay focused, he’s just right there. There’s never anything. Even if he looks at something, he’s right there and he knows he’s got a job to do. I feel like he’s always right with me and always reliable. I’m never nervous, like ‘Oh this is coming up, I don’t think we’re going to pull it off,'” Szepesi detailed.
Their nearly ten year partnership has not been without bumps in the road. A week after he debuted at the Prix St. Georges and I-1 level, he foundered and was out of the ring for an entire year. It took Szepesi another two just to get him back to the level he was at previously. Now that they’re back in action and schooling grand prix, she hopes to show the gelding at I-1 or grand prix by the end of the season.
The FEI Intermediaire-1 Freestyle was followed by the FEI Young Rider Freestyle, which was topped by Canada’s Tanya Strasser-Shostak and Action Tyme. The pair earned a score of 69.958%.
The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits featuring 8 FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations’ Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The AGDF offers more than $400,000 in prize money for the six international competitions, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center facility includes the Van Kampen covered arena (made possible by Kimberly and Frederic Boyer and family) and four outdoor arenas with world-class footing, 200 permanent stalls, and a VIP seating area for the International Arena fully catered for relaxing and having an enjoyable experience.
Brooke Banks and Brodeur Triumph in Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunters 15-17
Wellington, FL – February 9, 2014 – Canada’s Tiffany Foster and Victor have been on quite a roll during this year’s FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) and secured another win on Sunday in the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic to conclude week five. The pair beat out world number one, Scott Brash (GBR), aboard his mount Hello Annie for the win.
Sunday’s competition concluded FTI WEF week five, sponsored by Rolex. FTI WEF will continue with its sixth week of competition, sponsored by Salamander Hotels & Resorts, on February 12-16, 2014. The FTI WEF, held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 30, awarding $8 million in prize money.
Great Britain’s Robert Ellis set the tracks in the International Arena at PBIEC for week five competition and challenged the horses and riders right to the end with his course for Sunday’s 1.50m. The class saw 91 entries in total with only ten clear rounds to advance to the jump-off. Twelve others cleared the course but finished with a single time fault to keep them out of the second round with a tight time allowed. The short course only saw three clear rounds.
Scott Brash and Hello Annie, owned by Lord and Lady Harris and Lord and Lady Kirkham, were first to go in the jump-off and set the pace in 46.75 seconds to eventually finish second. Markus Beerbaum (GER) and Copernicus Stables LLC’s Don VHP Z were also clear and finished in a slower time of 52.37 seconds to place third. Second to last, Tiffany Foster and Victor stopped the clock in 44.25 seconds to earn their victory.
Foster and Victor, a 12-year-old KPWN gelding (Elmshorn x Grandeur) owned by Artisan Farms LLC and Torrey Pines, kicked off their FTI WEF circuit with a win in Section B of the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup during week three, sharing top honors in the split class with Todd Minikus (USA) and Quality Girl. The pair then earned another big prize on Thursday afternoon with a shared victory with Ben Maher (GBR) and Urico in the $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 5. Both classes were held in a “California Split” due to the large number of entries, with two sets of placings distributed, so Foster and Victor technically had the second fastest time in each class to top both B Sections. This time, they did not have to share their victory.
“He was awesome,” Foster stated after the class. “It feels really good (to win). I am so happy with my horses. All of them jumped unbelievably this week and Victor won both classes, so you can’t really ask for better than that.”
Foster has had top finishes in the presence of many show jumping greats, sharing the winner’s circle with Todd Minikus and Ben Maher, and now beating world number one, Scott Brash. Not to mention, she rides with Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Lamaze. The 29-year-old rider has gotten a feel for what it’s like to win big.
“Beating Scott is the coolest part of the whole thing,” Foster beamed. “I made him stand there and take a picture with me just to have proof that this actually happened!”
“It looked to me like Scott was actually pretty conservative,” she said of the jump-off. “I think that is a horse that is pretty new to him, because we all know he can go super fast. He looked like he wanted to just give the horse a really nice round. I kind of did the same track as him, just a little faster I think, just a little more ground speed everywhere because my horse has a little bit more experience, and that seemed to work out in the end.”
Foster explained that Victor has stepped down a little bit to jumping in the 1.45m and 1.50m classes this year and has excelled at that level.
“This is a horse that has jumped some big tracks and has a lot of experience,” she noted. “I got Verdi, and he has been able to do the really big classes, so I have been able to use Victor in a few of these classes now and he is extremely comfortable and extremely confident. It is actually pretty easy on him.”
The horse is actually quite versatile, as Foster explained that he started his career as a four-in-hand driving horse before learning to jump. “Until he was five years old he pulled a cart!” she emphasized. “He is very multi-talented!”
“Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Markus Beerbaum found him and they tipped Eric off about him when he was a seven-year-old,” the rider detailed. “It’s always fun when they are here. They always pay a little extra attention to him because they loved him from the beginning also.”
“He is maybe the cutest horse ever,” Foster gushed. “He is so sweet. He has a ton of character and a ton of personality. I know him really well now, so we have a really good relationship I think. Eric helps me a lot. He rides him at home. He does all of the jumping work at home and I just flat him, and it is working out really well.”
In addition to her wins for the week, Foster was acknowledged on Saturday night as the Leading Lady Grand Prix Rider for week five. The award is sponsored by Martha Jolicoeur of Illustrated Properties in memory of Dale Lawler. Foster was happy to get the special award and thanked her owners, Andy and Carlene Ziegler of Artisan Farms, as well as her groom, Caroline Holmberg, for their help and support.
“I was so happy,” Foster stated. “I have never gotten that award. Last year I didn’t go clear any time, except for Nations Cup, so it was absolutely great to get special recognition for that. It is a great idea and it is always fun. A lot of the European shows do that and it is always an honor, so it is really cool to have the recognition here as well.”
Brooke Banks and Brodeur Triumph in Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunters 15-17
Seventeen-year-old Brooke Banks of Southampton, NY and her new mount Brodeur topped the Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunter 15-17 division on Sunday morning. The pair were crowned division champion in their first competition together after winning the under saddle and winning two over fences rounds.
The reserve champion for the division was Bella Luna, ridden by Jennifer Wright and owned by Christie Turano. The pair also won two over fences classes before being awarded reserve honors.
Brodeur, a seven-year-old Warmblood gelding, was campaigned briefly last fall by junior superstar Lillie Keenan for the horse’s previous owner before coming to Banks earlier this year. Banks and Brodeur have only been partners for a few weeks, but the two have already began to work well together.
“He’s similar to my other horse that I show in the hunters [Theory], so he was pretty easy to adjust to. He is pretty simple and straight-forward,” Banks explained.
Banks liked the gelding from the first time she sat on him, particularly because Brodeur is her ideal ride. “He was very happy to do his job. He was well prepared and liked to go to the jump and work. He jumps really nicely, and I could tell even from being on top of him that his knees were up. I thought that was perfect for a hunter,” Banks described.
She continued, “I think we’re a good match because we’re both laid-back. I don’t get very nervous when I go in to show, and he doesn’t care about much when he’s in the ring. We have similar personalities and I’ve always been taught to do a lot flatwork in the corners and that’s exactly the kind of ride that he needs.”
Brodeur’s laid-back personality is especially evident in his easy adjustment to the bustling showgrounds of the FTI WEF, which Banks, who trains with Ron Esposito, said hasn’t fazed the gelding at all. She did admit to getting a few butterflies, however, going into the second day of competition for the division when she took a look at the course.
“Today was my first time jumping a two-stride on him ever, so that made me a little bit nervous, but he was perfectly fine over it,” she commented.
Of the rest of the course, Banks added, “The turns that were close to the in-gate were more difficult to keep him going and focused, because there was a lot going on over there. Other than that, the courses were pretty straight-forward.”
Banks will continue to compete with Brodeur in the Coldwell Banker Children’s Hunter 15-17 division but is aiming to move up to the Small Junior Hunters by the end of the FTI WEF. She hopes to qualify for USEF National Junior Hunter Championships during the Brandywine Summer Series (Pa.) in July.
Banks’ victory wrapped up hunter competition for the fifth week of the FTI WEF. Competition for WCHR Hunter Week kicks off on Wednesday, February 12. For full results, please visit www.showgroundslive.com.
About FTI Consulting, Inc.
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value in an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and economic environment. With more than 4,000 employees located in 24 countries, FTI Consulting professionals work closely with clients to anticipate, illuminate and overcome complex business challenges in areas such as investigations, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory issues, reputation management, strategic communications and restructuring. The company generated $1.58 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2012. For more information, visit www.fticonsulting.com.
About the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival
The 2014 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival has 12 weeks of top competition running from January 8 through March 30. The FTI WEF is run by Equestrian Sport Productions, LLC, and Wellington Equestrian Partners and held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. All 12 shows are “AA” rated and Jumper Rated 6, and more than $7 million in prize money will be awarded.
Tiffany Foster and Artisan Farms’ Victor won the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Classic. Photo by Sportfot.
Wellington, Florida – Canadian Olympian Tiffany Foster of Vancouver, BC, rode a hot streak to the top of the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Classic on Sunday, February 9, at the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL.
On Thursday, Foster guided Victor to the win in the $125,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round V – Section B while on Saturday night, it was Verdi III that Foster piloted to a double clear round and a sixth place finish in the $370,000 World Cup Grand Prix, presented by Rolex.
On Sunday, Foster was back in the spotlight, topping a 95-horse starting field to win the $84,000 Suncast 1.50m Classic. A total of 10 horse-rider combinations advanced to the jump-off over the track set by 2012 London Olympic course designer Bob Ellis of Great Britain, and it was Foster and her 2012 London Olympic mount, Victor, who held the key to victory. The pair sliced more than two full seconds off the leading time posted by world number one and reigning Olympic team gold medalist, Scott Brash of Great Britain. Foster’s time was 44.25 compared to Brash’s 46.75 seconds with Hello Annie.
“He was awesome!” said Foster in appreciation of Victor, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Elmshorn x Grandeur) owned by Artisan Farms. “It feels really good to have a week like this. I am so happy with my horses. All of them jumped unbelievably this week. You really can’t ask for better than that.”
Of Victor, her partner of four seasons, Foster noted, “This is a horse that has jumped some big tracks and has a lot of experience. I got Verdi III last spring and he has been able to do the really big classes, so I have been able to use Victor in a few of these classes now and he is extremely comfortable and extremely confident. It is actually pretty easy on him.”
Foster made it look easy as well. Of her jump-off strategy, she explained, “It looked to me like Scott was actually pretty conservative. I think that is a horse that is pretty new to him, because we all know he can go super-fast. He looked like he wanted to just give the horse a really nice round. I kind of did the same track as him, just a little faster, just a little more ground speed everywhere, because my horse has a little bit more experience. It seemed to work out in the end!”
How does it feel to beat the number one ranked rider in the world?
“That is the coolest part of the whole thing; I made him stand there and take a picture with me just to have proof that this actually happened!” laughed Foster, referring to the awards presentation.
As a result of her success, Foster, 29, was also presented as the Martha W. Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider for week five of the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival.
“Carlene and Andy Ziegler have been incredibly generous in supporting my career, and I can’t thank them enough for all they have done,” said Foster, who rides for the Ziegler family’s Artisan Farms, based in Wellington, Florida, and Vrasene, Belgium.
Foster will continue to compete throughout the 12-week FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival before returning to Belgium in the spring.
Contact: Jennifer Ward
Starting Gate Communications
Cell: (613) 292-5439 www.startinggate.ca
Boyd Exell (AUS) won the FEI World Cup Driving Final 2014 held at Bordeaux (FRA) for the fifth time in his career. Photo Rinaldo de Craen/FEI.
Bordeaux (FRA), 9 February 2014 – Boyd Exell (AUS) has claimed the FEI World Cup Driving champion title for the fifth time in his career in a thrilling finale held in the sold-out Expo centre in Bordeaux (FRA). It was not an easy victory for the Australian who won the neck-to-neck race only 0.69 seconds ahead of rookie Daniel Schneiders (GER). Title defender Koos de Ronde (NED) finished third.
The Final in Bordeaux was very exciting but also saw some unexpected developments today. Just two hours before the start of the second competition on Sunday afternoon, overnight leader IJsbrand Chardon (NED) took the difficult decision to withdraw on the advice of his vet.
“It was a tough decision,” Chardon explained. “This afternoon we received a letter in the stables informing us that several jumping horses had developed fever and we were advised to regularly take the temperature of our horses. Two of my Lipizzaners had temperature and the veterinarian advised me not to start in today’s competition. I am of course following his advice for the welfare of my horses.”
After European and Dutch national champion Theo Timmerman made a mistake in the first obstacle and had several knockdowns and Tomas Eriksson (SWE) was eliminated for driving the course in the wrong direction, Koos de Ronde, Boyd Exell and Daniel Schneiders battled it out on the fast course created by world championship course designer Gábor Fintha (HUN).
Exell had to make up 4.17 seconds and was steadily on his way to success driving his mixed team of bay horses. In the last phase of the competition he had a hairy moment when his leaders turned in front of obstacle 11. The double world champion pulled so hard to get them in the right direction that he lost balance. Luckily the Australian managed to stay in the carriage and moved on without losing any speed. Daniel Schneiders drove a very fast yet safe first round after which the difference between him and Exell had decreased to 1.46 seconds in Schneiders’ favour going into the winning round.
Boyd Exell was the first to go and set the fastest time of the evening without taking any unnecessary risks. This increased the pressure on Schneiders whose dream to finish in the top three had already come true. The 32-year-old farrier knew that he could not afford any mistakes and made a last-minute decision to cut a corner on the course after he realised he was three seconds behind Exell. Heading to the finishing line, it looked as if the newcomer was going to make it, but he missed the title by just 0.69 seconds.
Koos de Ronde had already had a knockdown in the first round and when he had a ball down in the winning round, he knew the third place in this year’s Final was the best he could hope for with his team in which three horses were different compared to last year when he had won the FEI World Cup Driving Final.
Wildcard driver Thibault Coudry (FRA) was eliminated during the first competition on Saturday evening and competed as a guinea pig in today’s Final.
Quotes
Boyd Exell (AUS): “I have just returned from a six-week holiday with good friends in Australia and I knew it was a disadvantage for me to come back at this level. Last year I paid the price; this year my horses saved me. I am really delighted for my sister and my mother, who follow me from Australia. This win is really for them. I must say that it would have been nice to win with a fair fight; it is a shame IJsbrand could not compete.”
Daniel Schneiders (GER): “It has really been a dream come true to be able to make it to the Final after my first FEI World Cup Driving season. My goal was to finish in the top three and to be so close to Boyd in second place is just amazing. I really enjoyed Bordeaux with its great atmosphere for the horses and the drivers. I owe many thanks to my team, including my brother Dennis who is a competition driver himself. They are behind me and I appreciate that they take holidays to help me all the time. My goal for the outdoor season is to qualify again for the FEI World Cup Driving. I hope my new team will be ready in time to achieve this goal.”
Koos de Ronde (NED): “It is of course a pity to lose the title, but my performance today was the best I could achieve. I have had some problems with my horses this season and I used a new horse in the wheel in Bordeaux, who got a bit excited. Today we were just not good enough and didn’t manage to put on a better performance. But next season will be a new season with new chances which I am already looking forward to.”
Michael Barisone and Ellegria Top FEI Grand Prix Special 3*; Matute, Jr. Continues Small Tour Hot Streak with Don Diego Ymas
Wellington, FL – February 8, 2014 – The 2014 Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) continued with its fifth week of competition on Saturday at The Stadium at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) featuring CDI 4* and 3* competition presented by The Dutta Corp. and Havensafe Farm.
Saturday’s FEI Grand Prix Special 4*, presented by The Dutta Corp., saw a top finish for Adrienne Lyle (USA) aboard Wizard, a 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Weltmeyer, owned by Peggy Thomas. The pair scored a 70.353% for the win with Megan Lane (CAN) and Caravella in second with a 69.922%. Eliane Cordia-van Reesema (USA) and Jewel’s Adelante finished third with a 66.569%.
“I was incredibly happy with him today,” Lyle said of Wizard. “It was the end of a long, hot weekend and he tried so hard. I thought his piaffe/passage was much stronger than it has been. I was super happy with that because that is what we have been focusing on, really trying to solidify that and getting active, relaxed, and confident in that. The rider totally blew the changes today, but I would much rather have me making an error than having some issue with him. The canter work normally we are very solid in, so that is something I just need to fix, but he was wonderful.”
Lyle thought that Saturday’s test was one of her best, noting that although there were small errors, he felt confident.
“I thought the piaffe/passage was the best,” she stated. “I thought the trot work was very solid. As far as the feeling I got from it, I thought that was one of the best. He just felt solid. He felt there for me. He felt relaxed; he wasn’t stressed about stuff. I think it definitely helps that we have been able to come back to this venue and I think it helps that I have been able to get here enough. It’s not like I show and then go home for six months and wonder if what stuff I was working on six months ago is still relevant.”
In addition to working on Wizard’s piaffe and passage work, Lyle has been trying to improve his fitness level with different exercise.
“I take him out twice a week and we go hacking for like an hour,” she explained. “I take him on the trails through the housing developments and things like that so he gets a little more physical fitness as well as working on the moves. I have added a little more cardio. There is a big, nice field across from us where we can take them out and trot and canter.”
Lyle has hopes of qualifying for the U.S. team for this year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and also plans to compete in the World Cup qualifiers coming up in the AGDF season. She explained that she has rearranged her freestyle music a little bit and is trying to keep Wizard fit and healthy.
“I think I am on a good path with him,” she said. “I want to just keep it going, keeping him happy, trying to improve the little parts that we need, but not overdoing it. Today I was on 18 minutes before my ride. I did a very short warm-up because I did too much on Thursday. Hopefully I am getting to a place where I can trust him, just get on and do a little loosening and that is going to keep him physically and mentally much happier than having to be out there drilling.”
“I was really happy with today’s win and being in a 4*, that was huge,” Lyle acknowledged. “It was great competition. I am happy not just that he won, but that he was honest in the places that I needed him to be honest. That for me was the most important thing.”
Megan Lane had a great test with Caravella in Saturday’s class as well and praised her mare, a 13-year-old KWPN by Contango. “I think it went fantastic,” Lane smiled. “She is all the time better. We have not been doing the Grand Prix for very long, so every single ride I am happier than I was before and that is all that I can ask for.”
Lane has owned Caravella since the mare was eight years old and explained that she is very willing. “She is multi-talented,” Lane described. “(Her sire) Contango was a jumper. She is versatile in that sense. I bought her from a hunter/jumper barn and she did perfectly late hunter changes, but I was able to fix the changes within a week. She is super trainable.”
“She is so much fun,” she added. “She is everything you could ask for in a small package, which I think makes a rider’s life easy. The highlight of her I would say is her trainability. She loves learning new things and she loves being great.”
Michael Barisone and Ellegria
Veteran dressage competitor Michael Barisone topped the FEI Grand Prix Special 3*, sponsored by The Dutta Corp., earlier on Saturday evening. The American rider took Lauren Sprieser’s 13-year-old Westphalian mare Ellegria to the blue ribbon finish with a score of 68.873%.
The United States took the top three placings of the class, with second place going to Katherine Bateson Chandler and Wellnetta, who finished on a score of 67.588%. Shawna Harding and Come On III were third with a score of 66.000%.
Ellegria is a relatively new ride for Barisone, who has helped owner Sprieser with the mare for a while. Barisone only took over the reins recently, once Sprieser decided she wanted to sell her.
“I claim no credit for this horse. She belongs to Lauren Sprieser. Lauren has been a student of mine for five years and I helped her with this mare for a long time, but Lauren has done all the training. That mare is 100% trained by Lauren,” Barisone expressed.
Ellegria doesn’t have much in the way of experience in a competition setting, with Saturday’s win only being her fifth time out at the grand prix level, but Barisone sees something special in the chestnut mare.
“[Her] tests are really solid. One of the judges came to me and said, ‘I just love her; she’s so solid.’ There’s never going to be drama. There’s never going to be any kind of misbehavior. She’s a wonderful horse,” Barisone commented.
Ellegria remains for sale, but Barisone and United States Dressage Chef D’Equipe Robert Dover would both like to see her remain in the country, particularly with the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games looming.
“She is for sale, because that’s the way life is. If I’m lucky, maybe one of my [clients] will get together. Robert Dover keeps saying, ‘You have to try to get her for yourself.’ We’ll ride it out and see where it goes. You never know, we could get a call tonight or maybe not for six months,” Barisone acknowledged.
Ellegria is the ninth different horse Barisone has won a CDI grand prix on, and he admitted she is completely different than his mounts before her.
“She’s nothing like any other horse I’ve ridden. All the rest have generally been really hot athletes, really high-strung, big. She’s really a German horse. She looks like a stallion. She’s stout; she’s got a big neck. Every day I say, she’s not what I would pick when I choose horses. She kind of fell in my lap, but I love her,” Barisone smiled.
Another desirable trait Ellegria possesses is her age; Barisone believes she is at exactly the right point in her life to enjoy a long and successful grand prix career.
“The average international horse gets about five seasons. That’s what you get. One of my life mistakes I always say is no more eight-year-old grand prix horses. I’m going to stay at home until they’re nine or ten now. I just think I maybe rushed it too much in the beginning. With [Ellegria], I’m counting 13, 14, 15, 16; that’s a real nice time in their career. It’s when they’re settled, but young enough to be good. It seems like the ones that are doing their best, in my experience, are the 13- (to) 16-year-olds. They seem to be the solid ones,” Barisone noted.
What makes Ellegria so wonderful also means she will be an easy sell to whatever buyers surely come calling. Simple to warm up and eager to please, Ellegria is any rider’s dream come true.
“She’s one of those nice horses that you come out of the barn and she’s on the bit. She’s not stupid; you don’t have to work her down. She’s not spooky; she’s round right off the bat. You do posting trot for a couple of minutes, you sit, do a couple of half passes. A little big trot, a little small trot, little bit of passage, little bit of canter, and go. Which is a joy. She actually could be ridden by an amateur rider,” Barisone detailed.
Barisone has shown at some of the world’s most prestigious venues, but in his opinion, there’s no better place than the AGDF.
“I absolutely think is the coolest place in the entire world to go to a dressage show. Period. Incredible stabling. It must have rained five inches on jog day and you could ride an hour after. Incredible footing, a great atmosphere, the vet clinic is 400 yards away,” Barisone listed.
He continued, “The best of everybody in the world here at one time, and I sleep in my own bed at night. You can’t say that at Aachen. I rode five horses at home and saw 20 horses in my ring this morning before I came over and rode my test. That’s cool. The reality is what they’ve created here is unique to the world.”
Juan Matute, Jr. and Don Diego Ymas
Juan Matute, Jr. (ESP) has taken the small tour by storm this season with Don Diego Ymas. The pair picked up their second win of the weekend in Saturday’s FEI Intermediaire-1, sponsored by Havensafe Farm. Matute, Jr. also won the FEI Junior Individual class later in the day with Dhannie Ymas and a score of 72.149%. The FEI Young Rider Individual class went to Tanya Strasser-Shostak (CAN) and Action Tyme.
Matute, Jr. topped the class with a 74.553% on Don Diego Ymas, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by the Matute Family. Second place went to Canadian Brittany Fraser and her own All In, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. The pair scored a 69.921%. Silva Martin (USA) rounded out the top three with a score of 68.974% aboard Rosa Cha W, an eight-year-old Warmblood mare owned by the Osa Cha W Syndicate.
Matute, Jr. jokingly declared to his mother that Saturday would be the day he would hit a score of 74, but the top score still came as a surprise to the 16-year-old phenom.
“It feels kind of weird. It’s such a hard mark. It’s like, ‘Wow I really did a 74?’ It’s shocking, but I’ll take it!” Matute, Jr. beamed.
Of his test, Matute, Jr. said, “It was phenomenal. One of the best feelings I’ve had in the ring for a long time. It was the test. I couldn’t ask for more.”
After their auspicious debut on the small tour, Matute, Jr. plans to move up to the Under-25 division and attempt grand prix later this year. Don Diego Ymas is already well-schooled at the grand prix level, and Matute, Jr. is more than up to the challenge.
“My dad likes to start teaching passage-piaffes when they are very young. Of course, not all out, but a little bit here and there so they start to get the feeling of collection and using their haunches. He does completely grand prix. We started doing the one tempis two months ago and I can already say we are solid in thirteen, so we’re almost all the way there!” Matute, Jr. smiled.
Don Diego Ymas has been a member of the family for the last seven years, with Matute, Jr. having the ride for the last three. The road to the small tour hasn’t always been easy, but Matute, Jr. couldn’t ask for a better partner.
“He’s a big horse. He used to be very spooky. He didn’t have self-confidence; he was a little bit insecure all the time, but overall he has a great mind. His personality is the best. He’s goofy. We call him ‘Goofy’ in the barn, like Goofy from Disney. He’s a lovely horse,” Matute, Jr., described.
Second place finisher Brittany Fraser returned to the AGDF this year with her gelding, All In. Fraser was pleased to see her horse beginning to grow up, a trend she noticed later last year at Dressage at Devon (Pa.) and the Saugerties Fall Festival of Dressage (N.Y.).
“[This year] he’s fit; he’s strong. Last year was his first year at St. Georges and he is huge, and it takes a long time to develop a horse like that. I showed at Saugerties and Devon last year and I really noticed a huge difference then in him, and it’s kind of just carrying on. I think he’s growing up. He’s nine now, so he’s not a baby anymore,” Fraser explained.
As for Saturday’s test, Fraser was happy to see All In consistently stay relaxed, which is one of her biggest challenges with her horse. Keeping his large frame in check is the predominate focus of all of Fraser’s rides.
“He’s such a huge horse that you have to keep him on his hips and you have to make sure he doesn’t get too long, because he has a humongous trot and a huge front leg, so he gets too long. I have to keep him very much in a package throughout the test,” Fraser explained.
Like Matute, Jr. Fraser is also looking forward to moving up to grand prix later this year. Following the AGDF 7 Stillpoint Farm CDIO and CDI 3* presented by Peacock Ridge, Fraser will contest a few Intermediaire-2 classes before making the final leap.
Competition for the ADGF 5 CDI 3*/4* concludes Sunday with the FEI Intermediaire-1 Freestyle, sponsored by Havensafe Farm, beginning at 10:40 a.m. at The Stadium at PBIEC. For full results, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.
About the Adequan Global Dressage Festival:
The Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) is one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits featuring 8 FEI Dressage events, including a 5* and the only FEI Nations’ Cup Series CDIO in the Western Hemisphere. The AGDF offers more than $400,000 in prize money for the six international competitions, making it one of the richest circuits in the world. The Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center facility includes the Van Kampen covered arena (made possible by Kimberly and Frederic Boyer and family) and four outdoor arenas with world-class footing, 200 permanent stalls, and a VIP seating area for the International Arena fully catered for relaxing and having an enjoyable experience.
