Storms threatened but the sun hung on Sunday June 17 at the final day of the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions and so did Christopher Hickey and Regent making them the final champion of the Festival and putting them at the top of the list of four named for Pan American Games Selection.
The top three combinations from today’s competition are named to the team pending the USEF High Performance Working Group, the Executive Committee and USOC approval and the fourth place finisher is picked as the alternate and travels all the way to Brazil with the squad.
Hickey and Regent were second to last in the ring and waltzed through their Freestyle with lots of elegant lateral work and four pirouettes. The 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding tried very hard throughout the entire test and was rewarded with very high marks for his degree of difficulty and interpretation. Beautiful, easy paces made the Freestyle look easy. They were rewarded with a score of 74.5% and a three day total of 72.063%
“I’m a little emotional,” said Hickey. “I’ve had a lot of things happen at the last minute before something big so this means a lot. There are a lot of people behind me and that’s the most emotional part for me – to give them what they’ve been pushing for.”
About his Freestyle which included techno music, Hickey recognized some risk in the performance.
“I’m totally aware that the trot music is dangerous because it has such a strong beat.” he said. “Seventy percent of the time I can pull it off. My freestyle is very, very difficult.”
Runner-up was yesterday’s winner Lauren Sammis and the adorable Sagacious HF on a score of 73.45%. To the music of Billy Joel, the 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding exhibited polished pirouettes and good changes to reaffirm their ability in the judges’ eyes. Trying as hard as he did yesterday Sagacious HF and Sammis pair picked up high marks for their degree of difficulty. They remained in second overall and secured their ticket to Brazil
“I do need to change a couple of things,” said Sammis. “My freestyle is not hard enough for the horse I have now. It was hard enough for the horse I had two months ago.”
Sammis spoke of her first team opportunity.
“Teammanship is so important,” she said. “They push me and I can push them. We can work together to improve.
Third today and overall was the littlest horse in the competition Brilliant Too with Katherine Poulin-Nesff aboard. The 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood Thoroughbred Cross displayed very good lateral work and a unique half-pass – pirouette – half-pass combination. They received lots of 7s and 8s on their changes and used very appropriate music to suit the little horse.
“I’m very excited to be here,” said Poulin-Neff. “I don’t really know what to say. I have a tendency to be a little boring. I tried to be brave and I made a couple of mistakes but if I hadn’t taken the risk I wouldn’t have known. I know I need to work on my Freestyle and improve.”
Susan Dutta and Pik L jumped up into the alternate spot of the Pan Am process on the strength of their freestyle score of 71.1%. Overall they finished just below the 70% mark with 69.443%. The 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion was dynamic in the trot work to the music of Flashdance. Really good flow highlighted her test.
“I’ve been in this position before,” said Dutta. “I was the reserve for the last Pan Ams. Three months ago I didn’t have a horse and Horses Unlimited offered me this opportunity. I started riding him at the end of March. I’m really grateful to this horse, he’s a prince.”
The US coach Klaus Balkenhol had praise for the all the riders vying for a spot on the team.
“I want to thank the riders for really coming out and fighting for the top spots. There is no need for any of these riders to stand back and hide from the world,” he said.
The four horses stay at Gladstone to be evaluated by the veterinarians and then ship to Wellington, FL for quarantine.
Steffen Peters and Lombardi Win Grand Prix Championship
(by Lynndee Kemmet for Dressagedaily.com)
In a cutting edge three-day duel between Courtney King and Steffen Peters, it was the Californian based Peters who emerged as overall winner of the Grand Prix championships. Aboard Lombardo, Peters won the Grand Prix and Special, while King and the 17-year old Dutch stallion Idocus won the Grand Prix Kur to Music.
King and Idocus won the final leg of the competition – the Grand Prix Freestyle – with a score of 78.00 percent. Peters and Lombardi finished in second with a score of 76.40 percent. The Freestyle counted for 20 percent of the final score. On Friday, King and Peters tied in the Grand Prix Special, which counted for 35 percent of the final score, with a 71.60 percent. Peters was ultimately given the win in that battle because FEI rules require that in the case of a tie, the Collective Marks determine the outcome. Peters had four 8s and one 9 to King’s five 8s. Thursday’s Grand Prix, which counted for 45 percent of the final score, is where King lost the most. Peters finished first with a 70.417 percent, but King was down in fifth place with a score of 64.458.
King and Idocus made it through their freestyle just moments before a thundering summer rain storm that actually stopped the competition, leaving the last three riders waiting out the rain. The large number of spectators were herded into the rotunda of the historical building which houses the USET offices and barns. And almost everyone remained, for the final three rides of the day. For third-place finisher Kristina Harrison-Nanes that meant warming up the 12-year-old PRE stallion Rociero XV (Rociero VIII out of Bombardina II) twice. It didn't affect them much. Their Freestyle score was 71.950 giving them an overall third-place score of 69.527.
Peters has won the Grand Prix championship twice at Gladstone before, but he said every win is special. “It’s always very, very special. This arena has so much history. It’s always a great accomplishment to win here and certainly the girls gave me a good run for my money, especially today.”
Considering that for some time he wasn’t sure if Lombardi II would make it as a Grand Prix horse, Peters couldn’t have been more pleased with the horse. Their Freestyle ride was to the music of River Dance and while Terri Gallo helped with music, Peters said the choreography is his.
Austin Repeats in Brentina Cup
(USEF press release)
Elisabeth Austin and Olivier left no question that they were dominant in the Brentina Cup division scoring straight 7s and 8s throughout the test barring the pirouettes where the marks dropped off slightly. The 11-year-old KWPN stallion followed in his father’s (Idocus – who won the Grand Prix Freestyle on Saturday) footsteps and put in another stellar performance. Overall their score of 69.3% was much the best of the division and they were the champions for the second year in a row.
“I really wanted to do the Grand Prix here,” said Austin. “But at the first qualifier he didn’t feel totally secure. He felt a little tentative. The thing about him is that if he’s confident I know he can answer any question.”
The decision paid off and Austin rode her mother’s horse confidently on Sunday.
“I wanted to ride well,” she said. “I didn’t ride well on Friday. I watched the video to see where I was giving away points. The piaffe and passage on him is the most fun thing I’ve ever ridden.”
Austin was fortunate to travel to Germany last year after her Brentina Cup win and train with the US Team Coach Klaus Balkenhol. She hopes to repeat the experience this year. She plans on returning to the Grand Prix with an eye on the World Cup qualifier at the Saugerties CDI.
“I know he’s special,” said Austin about Olivier. “He will be as good as I can make him.”
Nicholia Zamora and Nimbus put in another expressive performance going last in the Brentina Cup and maintained their overall second place standing despite a third place finish in the second round. The 12-year-old KWPN gelding picked up lots of 7s throughout his test, performed very solid pirouettes and a good piaffe early in the test. Nimbus made a mistake in the one tempi changes and in the final centerline to keep his marks down from the standard of day one. He and Zamora ended on 63.949% on Sunday for a two day score 64.9%.
“So many things had to go right in order to get here and so many generous people helped me to raise the money,” said Zamora. “It cost $4900 each way to fly him.”
Zamora, from Irvine, CA had a fundraiser sponsored by Ketel One Vodka and a silent auction to help fund the trip for her owner Diane Morey. They were both determined to make it happen and Zamora made the trip worthwhile.
“I’m so honored to be here,” said Zamora of her owner. “I‘m very grateful to have her generosity behind me.”
Jodie Kelly and Manhattan remained third overall despite splitting the top two on the day. Mostly picking up 6s and 7s, they improved their score by more than a point from Friday. Overall their score of 63.6% was good enough to hold their spot.
Efird Stays on Top in Juniors
(USEF press release)
In the Junior Individual Test, serving as the second half of the Junior Championship, 17-year-old Bonnie Efird and Magie Noir and Taryn Briones with Ghita firmly held their top two positions from the first day ending on scores of 68.85% and 64.65% respectively.
Efird’s test featured good half-pass and flying changes representing the polish that garnered them good scores on Friday. Magie Noir, a 13-year-old KWPN mare, demonstrated good paces and good composure throughout the test. Overall her score of 67.125% was more than enough to win the entire division.
“I thought my ride was much better than Friday’s,” said Efird. “I fixed my mistakes – most of them. My mare was had more spunk today and I think that helped up my score. I’m really thankful this has been my goal for along time. There is so much positive energy here.”
17-year-old Briones solid performance held her ground with Magie Noir. Having traveled all the way from Snohomish, WA the pair made the trip worthwhile – capitalizing on very good work in all three paces. The 9-year-old Hanoverian mare kept her composure and put in good flying changes. They were third to Meagan Davis and Cachet in Sunday’s test, Davis picked up a score of 64.95%
“I was happy with my test,” said Briones. “I was a little shaky in the reinback on the centerline but overall I was happy with it.”
Both Briones and Efird hope to return to the North American Junior Young Rider Championships.
Davis and Cachet hung on for third place driven by their dynamic second place performance in the individual test. Cachet, another 9-year-old Hanoverian mare made it a clean sweep for the mares in the Junior Championships.
Kassie Barteau Best of the Young Riders
by Joanie Morris for USEF
The Young Riders completed their championship to lead off the third day of competition. Kasandra Barteau, of Gilberts, IL, the winner of the first test on Thursday stood out again and was much the best with Gabriella – finishing the second day of competition with a score of 68.55%.
Gabriella, a 15-year-old Hanoverian mare moved happily through the test, and although they lacked a little of the accuracy demonstrated on Thursday, both horse and rider seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. Gabriella was rewarded with a huge hug at the end of her test. Their two-day score of 69.3% left them the clear winners of the Young Riders Championships.
"I'm very, very happy and excited and pleased with my horse," said Barteau. "She worked really well. It's definitely exciting, I'm really excited, even more so now, for young rider's next month. My goal is to keep being here and hopefully do the Brentina Cup and then it would be amazing if I could eventually do the small tour. I really know my mare and I think that's a real benefit."
Overall, Ashley Schempp and the 13-year-old KWPN gelding Mowgli from Encinitas, CA were fifth in Saturday's competition but were able to hang on to their second place finish overall with their score of 65.6%.
"Today was not as up to par as it was on Thursday," said Schemmp. "He got a little long which makes it a little harder to get the changes. It's definitely a little hard for me. Overall I can't believe it was a possibility to rank that high. They really make you work for it. It's a great group of girls."
Schempp was impressed with the camaraderie and professionalism on the East Coast and with the Festival in general.
"It's top notch," she said. "I'm very gracious just to be here, coming from California, I've heard the names and it was great to get a chance to meet some of the riders,"
Third overall in the Young Riders Championship was Hannah Shook and Capetown, Like Schemmp, they didn't quite match their performance of the previous day but it was good enough for third.
Runner-up on the day with a score of 66.6% was Jocelyn Weise from Keene, NH. With her 11-year-old Danish Warmblood Lamborghini she executed very good trot work and lots of 7s for her flying changes. In third was Caroline Roffman and Rigaudon. They put in a very workmanlike performance and improved their score by three points from the first day. On a final mark of 66.35% they slipped into third.
Photos copyrighted: Mary Phelps / Phelpsphotos.com
Full coverage of the 2007 Festival of Champions at Horsesdaily.com
Related Links
Peters Hangs on in Grand Prix, Austin wins Brentina Cup and Efird Best of the Juniors
Peters Leads Grand Prix, Hickey Leads Pan Am Selection Trial at 2007 Festival of Champions