Tag Archives: Allison Nemeth

Hickok and Nemeth Win to Close Out U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions

Chase Hickok and Sagacious HF (SusanJStickle.com)

Wayne Ill. – On what started out as a gloomy day, Chase Hickok and Allison Nemeth shined, winning the USEF Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ Dressage National Championship presented by Dressage Today and USEF Pony Rider National Championship respectively on the final day of the 2015 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions presented by The Dutta Corp. Today, a field of 10 combinations performed the FEI Intermediaire II Test and eight combinations competed in the FEI Pony Individual Test where 50% of today’s score was added to the 50% earned in the first test to determine the overall national champion.

USEF Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ Dressage National Championship

All eyes were on Hickok (Wellington, Fla.) and Hyperion Farm, Inc.’s KWPN Sagacious HF coming into today’s FEI Intermediaire II Test as they were the pair to beat. However, the other combinations were no match for them and they were named National Champions of the USEF Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ Dressage National Championship presented by Dressage Today. Hickok and Sagacious HF ran away with the title due to a clean and consistent test. Their piaffe-passage and pirouettes improved from the first test and they exhibited nice changes.

“I’m just so pleased to be sitting here, especially with Sagacious HF. He’s such a wonderful, perfect horse. We had a rocky beginning, so to look back now, a year and a half later, and be standing here in the company of such amazing pairs, it’s really humbling and exciting,” said Hickok.

After finishing second on day one, Sierra Keasler (Wellington, Fla.) and Caroline Roffman’s Danish Warmblood gelding, Lux Stensvang, were hoping to achieve a come from behind victory. Unfortunately, the pair got a little out of their rhythm early in the test contributing to a lower score. However, it was not enough to affect their overall ranking as they earned a 64.605% in the final test for an overall score of 65.535% to take Reserve Champion honors.

“Today wasn’t quite my day, but I did what I could with my horse. He was a little tense. I was a little tense. There were some good parts to it. He was very forward thinking, but we had a couple bobbles. However, I’m still here, and that’s good enough for me,” said Keasler.

After finishing in the bottom four of the first test, Melanie Montagano (Doswell, Va.) and her own KWPN mare, Ga Deva, knew they would have to have a quality test to compete with Hickok and Keasler. They followed through with a nice performance for an overall score of 64.132%, good enough for third place. Even though the pair was off in their one tempi-changes, they were consistent in the piaffe-passage. Montagano also took the judges advice from the first test and paid attention to the coefficients, which came through for them today.

USEF Pony Rider National Championship

There was not a surprise in the FEI Pony Individual Test. As on day one, Nemeth (Flemington, N.J) and her own Weser Ems German Riding Pony Pablo S dominated. They earned a high score in today’s test with a 69.39%, for a 70.165% overall to win the USEF Pony Rider National Championship. Pablo S looked focused and tackled every aspect of the test gracefully, especially in the trot and simple changes.

Allison Nemeth and Pablo S (SusanJStickle.com)
Allison Nemeth and Pablo S (SusanJStickle.com)

“I’m super happy and thankful to be here. This whole experience has been amazing, and I just feel so lucky that I got to be a part of it,” said Nemeth.

Mckenzie Milburn (Bothell, Wash.) and her own Westphalian Pony gelding, Darius, struggled in the final test. Darius acted hot and too energetic, which caused the pair to break rhythm a couple times. However, he displayed better trot work than the team test. The judges awarded them a score of 67.330% for an overall score of 67.628% giving them Reserve Champion.

Coming in third place were Brynne Varvel (Bloomington, Ind.) and her own Morgan Pony gelding V Back in Black with an overall score of 64.665%. The combination was more collected, which improved the canter from the team test.

From the USEF Communications Department

Chamberlain, Frederick Claim 1st Nat’l Championship Titles of US Dressage Festival of Champions

Catherine Chamberlain (SusanJStickle.com)

Nemeth Leads Pony Rider Division

Wayne, Ill. – On a beautiful summer day, the nation’s top youth dressage athletes went to task in the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions presented by The Dutta Corp. Coming away with top honors in the AGCO/USEF Young Rider Dressage National Championship was Catherine Chamberlain and Avesto Van Weltevreden. In the AGCO/USEF Junior Dressage National Championship Mickayla Frederick maintained her lead to be named National Champion. After day one of the USEF Pony Rider National Championship, Allison Nemeth and Pablo S lead the division.

AGCO/USEF Young Rider Dressage National Championship

Following day one’s FEI Young Rider Team Test, Kerrigan Gluch (Wellington, Fla.) led by the slimmest of margins over Chamberlain (Murrieta, Calif.) after scoring just four-thousandth of a point higher. Both athletes entered the arena with determination this morning, but it was Chamberlain and Kimberly Pribble’s KWPN, Avesto Van Weltervreden, who took the ultimate win in the class and were named National Champions. The pair scored 69.605% in the FEI Young Rider Individual Test for a final overall score of 69.430%.

This marked the first National Championship title for Chamberlain, who is a four-time Gold medalist at the Adequan/FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships presented by Gotham North.

“I was very happy with my ride today; it was really smooth and I liked the power we had in the medium trot and overall self-carriage and impulsion in the trot. His tempi-changes were also a highlight. He is still a little green at this level as he just started it in February. It has been a project all season getting to the point where we can really nail everything, especially the changes, so I was really happy those were super in this test. It was my last-ever young rider test because I am aging out this year, so I am really thrilled with the result,” said Chamberlain.

This year’s youth dressage national championships are coinciding with the Markel/USEF Young and Developing Horse Dressage National Championships; Chamberlain expressed what this first-time pairing meant to her. “Having the other championships alongside has been really inspirational. To see all those top combinations and the quality we have in the United States is really fun.”

Gluch and Hampton Green Farm’s PRE, Vaquero HGF, put in a valiant performance today, though not as fluid as day one’s test, to take Reserve Champion honors with an overall score of 68.794%.

“My canter tour was really energetic, the tempi-changes were really good, and our pirouettes were the best they’ve ever felt in the ring, so I was really happy. Vaquero HGF really surprised me doing this level this year. I wasn’t expecting it; I can’t ask for anything more,” said Gluch.

After finishing seventh on day one, Hannah Bauer (Purcellville, Va.) and her own KWPN, Trustful, improved dramatically to finish second in today’s class and third overall in the championship on a final score of 66.272%.

“I am happy with the overall control I had in my test; it was 10 times better than what I had in my first test. This is my first year at the Festival of Champions and I couldn’t have had a better experience,” said Bauer.

AGCO/USEF Junior Dressage National Championship

Frederick (Johnston, Iowa) and Robert’s Susa’s Hanoverian, Wrainier Q, finished third in today’s FEI Junior Individual Test on a score of 68.026%, but were named overall champions on the strength of a brilliant day one performance for an overall score of 69.171%.

“I definitely felt today that I was really riding, and not just along for the ride. It felt like I was able to slow time down and make changes as I went,” said an ecstatic Frederick.

Winning today’s class and finishing as the Reserve Champion overall was Kristin Counterman (Ashburn, Va.) and Caroline Stephen’s KWPN, Three Times. The pair impressed with a fluid, powerful test to score a 69.474%, giving them an overall score of 68.408%.

“I was so pleased with my test today. I felt like I was able to ride every step and he was with me every step of the way. Our canter improved even more from our past test; he was expressive, and the trot was forward – everything just went great,” said Counterman.

Counterman was also awarded the Anita Owen Perpetual Silver Stirrup Trophy for her outstanding sportsmanship.

Moving up from fourth-place to finish in third overall was Anna Weniger (Apex, N.C.) and Dawn Weniger’s KWPN mare, Izeffia, on an overall score of 66.664%.

“Yesterday we had one of the best tests we’ve had in a long time. Today I thought I could add just a little bit more power and keep her uphill and it paid off and was one of the best tests we’ve had all year,” said Weniger.

FEI Pony Rider Team Test

Beginning the quest for a National Championship title, eight pony rider combinations entered the Grand Prix arena today to perform the FEI Pony Rider Team Test. Coming away with a commanding lead in the division was Nemeth (Flemington, N.J.) and her own German Riding Pony, Pablo S, scoring a 70.940%.

Allison Nemeth (SusanJStickle.com)
Allison Nemeth (SusanJStickle.com)

“Today my pony was a lot more energetic and collected than he usually is and really listened to me. I am just so glad and thankful to be here,” said Nemeth.

McKenzie Milburn (Bothell, Wash.) put in a solid test to score a 66.496%, good for second place, with her own Westphalian, Darius. “The best part of my test was my canter work and half-passes; he worked really well with me today,” said Milburn.

Sitting in third is Brynne Varvel (Bloomington, Ind.) and her own homebred and trained Morgan, V Back in Black, scoring a 65.427%.

The USEF Network will cover the final classes in the Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ and Pony Rider National Championships tomorrow beginning at 8:00 a.m. CT.

From the USEF Communications Department