Tag Archives: Isabelle Leibler

Leibler and Watson 108 Second in Freestyle at FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final

Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 National Young Rider Dressage Championships (SusanJStickle.com)

Lexington, KY – Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 came in second in Sunday’s B Final in the Freestyle, representing the U.S. at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final in Frankfurt, Germany.

Leibler (Greenwich, CT) scored 68.700 on the 14-year-old Westphalian gelding, just behind Simona Aeberhard, representing Switzerland.

Leibler and Watson 108 were invited to represent the U.S. at the 2011 Finals after posting the highest average in the FEI Young Rider Freestyle Test at CDI-Ys during the qualifying period. This pair landed in Germany after a strong 2011 campaign that included winning a team Bronze medal and two Gold medals, individual and freestyle, at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Riders Championships presented by Gotham North. Additionally, they were crowned National Young Rider Dressage Champions at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Championships.

Continue reading Leibler and Watson 108 Second in Freestyle at FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final

Leibler and Watson 108 Continue on to Freestyle at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final in Germany

Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 National Young Rider Dressage Championships (SusanJStickle.com)

Lexington, KY – Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 performed flawlessly Friday while representing the U.S. at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final Grand Prix, and are moving forward to the B Final on Sunday in the Freestyle.

“We were mistake free and I finished the first day very proud of myself and of Watson for staying focused throughout the exciting distractions,” Leibler said. “The competition has been absolutely amazing so far. It is like nothing I have ever seen before: big, bright, and electric.”

Leibler (Greenwich, CT) and the 14-year-old Westphalian gelding were invited to represent the U.S. at the 2011 Finals after posting the highest average in the FEI Young Rider Freestyle Test at CDI-Ys during the qualifying period. This pair landed in Germany after a strong 2011 campaign that included winning a team Bronze medal and two Gold medals, individual and freestyle, at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Riders Championships presented by Gotham North. Additionally, they were crowned National Young Rider Dressage Champions at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Championships.

Continue reading Leibler and Watson 108 Continue on to Freestyle at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final in Germany

Leibler and Watson 108 Prepare for the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final in Germany

Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 National Young Rider Dressage Championships (SusanJStickle.com)

Lexington, KY – Isabelle Leibler and her own Watson 108 have arrived safely in Germany and have begun diligently preparing to represent the US at the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final. Leibler (Greenwich, CT) and the 14-year-old Westphalian gelding arrived early this week in Kronberg im Taunus. They will be based at Schafhof, the renowned training and breeding center of Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff, Klaus Martin Rath, and Matthias Rath, prior to heading to Frankfurt for the competition.

Leibler and Watson 108 were invited to represent the US at the 2011 Finals after posting the highest average in the FEI Young Rider Freestyle Test at CDI-Ys during the qualifying period. This pair landed in Germany after a strong 2011 campaign that included winning a team Bronze medal and two Gold medals, individual and freestyle, at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Riders Championships presented by Gotham North. Additionally, they were crowned National Young Rider Dressage Champions at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Championships.

Continue reading Leibler and Watson 108 Prepare for the FEI Young Rider World Cup Dressage Final in Germany

Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108 Lead National Young Rider Championship

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

Isabelle Leibler and Watson 108. Photos: SusanJStickle.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leibler and Lahey Take the Gold in Individual Dressage at the 2011 NAJYRC

Young Rider Devon Brown leads after the dressage phase. Photo by Brant Gamma Photos.

Lexington, KY – The competitive action jumped into high gear on Day Two of the 2011 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North, which got underway at the Kentucky Horse Park yesterday and will continue through Sunday.

In the Rolex Stadium, it was a quest for Individual Gold for dressage competitors, then, later in the day the show jumpers took the course for phase one of the Individual qualifiers. Across the compound, three-day eventers took part in the dressage portion of their eventing championship, and in the Alltech Arena, the Team Reining finals wrapped up the day.

In all, 34 Young Riders vied in the USDF/Platinum Performance Dressage Championship Individual tests today, but it was Region 8 representative Isabelle Leibler aboard Watson 108 who earned the Gold. Team Gold medalist Brandi Roenick (Region 5) and Pretty Lady took Silver while Chase Hickok (Region 1) and Palermo captured the Bronze.

Kelli McLean Newton and Luciano (Region 7) sat at the top of the leader board for a good part of the day with a 64.526, but soon after the lunch break the scores just kept growing higher. But it was Leibler, a Team Bronze medalist, who turned in the winning performance that scored a 67.289.

In the end, less than half a point separated the top three riders.

Continue reading Leibler and Lahey Take the Gold in Individual Dressage at the 2011 NAJYRC