Experience led the way in the 2012 U.S. Young Rider Dressage Championship as the top three following the FEI Young Rider Team Test are all making return trips to the USEF Dressage Festival of Champions on 9 - 10 June 2012.
Roenick (San Diego, CA) and her 14-year-old KWPN mare were the National Champions in the Junior division in 2008 and eye adding another Championship title to their extensive resume. They jumped out to an early lead in the Young Rider competition after earning a 71.737%. The pair displayed an accurate and forward test highlighted by a flowing trot-tour.
They were able to utilize their experience from previous competitions to produce one of their best performances when it really mattered today.
"I'm more confident, the past few years we've had a lot of ups-and-downs. 2011 we had a very good year, coming here last year and getting Reserve, it was a confidence gainer that she is capable of being successful in the Young Rider division. She's just a hard worker and really wants to please me."
Roenick has recently begun riding Peter's 2011 National Intermediaire I Dressage Champion, Weltino's Magic. She hopes to gain valuable experience riding the Team and Individual Gold medalist from the 2011 Pan American Games. However, Pretty Lady will always hold a special place in Roenick's barn.
"She's always going to be my top horse, no matter what horse I get in the future. She put me on the map and she's put me where I am and she's my horse, so it's a different situation when you're riding your own horse."
Genay Vaughn rode Starr Vaughn Equestrian Inc.'s Donarweiss GGF into second position in the Team Test. The impressive 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion put forth an expressive performance to score 67.263%. Vaughn began riding the stallion last October, but they are quickly building a rapport and she was very pleased with their performance in the biggest test to date.
"I took him to his first CDI and this is the biggest venue he's been to, so he was just a little excited. But he's got a good temperament, the best stallion I've ever seen."
Vaughn (Elk Grove, CA) is making thestep-up to the Young Rider division in 2012 after placing third in the National Junior Dressage Championship in 2009 and 2010.
Mackinzie Pooley trotted into third-place as the final rider of the division. Pooley (Coto De Caza, CA) rode Deena Smith's 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Brigadier, to a score of 66.763%. Pooley has twice claimed Reserve Champion honors at the USEF Dressage Festival of Champions; in 2008 she was second in the National Junior Dressage Championship and in 2010 she duplicated the feat in the Young Rider division.
Uhlir Leads in 2012 U.S. Junior Dressage Championship
Ayden Uhlir stormed into the lead of the Junior Championship with Sjapoer, scoring 68.649 in the FEI Junior Rider Team Test. The 12-year-old KWPN gelding owned Uhlir oozed ring presence as he holds a 1.2 point leading heading into Sunday's final test.
"I was very happy with myride. You know you always have those rides, where you want to change something once it has happened but it is what it is. But I'm very happy with Sjapoer and the way he handled everything." The sense of occasion is not lost on the 17-year-old as she looks towards tomorrow's Individual Test. "I'm hoping for the best, I feel like I'm living this dream and I don't want to wake-up. But I was really happy and honored to ride with all these riders."
Uhlir (Arlington, TX) competed in the National Junior Dressage Championship last year placing seventh. She credits her improvement this year with knowing her horse better.
"Last year I had only had Sjapoer for four to five months and we didn't get to know each other really well. Now that we've gotten to know each better, we have become friends and kind of gotten to understand each other."
Standing second-place in the division is Rebecca Cohen and Downtown. Cohen (Wellington, FL) utilized the 16-year-old Westphalian gelding's impressive gaits to score 67.263%.
"It was a very solid test, I know that there is a bit more trot he can do but the canter work was really, really good. I had zero mistakes, I felt like my walk-pirouettes were the best I've ever ridden. He stuck with me the whole ride."
Cohen is very pleased to even be able to compete at the 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of Champions after the gelding, which she owns, sustained an infection in a hind leg a month ago then battled colic upon arriving in New Jersey.
"It's really incredible that we did this here today. I couldn't be happier."
Stephanie Early rode Panash into thirdplace. Early (Watsonville, CA) and the 11-year-old Hanoverian overcame a less-than-ideal warm-up to produce a solid effort scoring 67.297%.
Davis Beats Herself at 2012 U.S. Pony Rider Dressage Championship
Davis (Whitehouse Station, NJ) dominated the Pony Rider division collecting first andsecond place ribbons in the FEI Pony Team Test. The 14-year-old was the first horse of the division with Bohdjan, last year's National Pony Rider Dressage Reserve Champion. She demonstrated an accurate, energetic test with the 13-year-old Dutch Pony gelding to score 63.615%.
She would return to the ring six rides later with Poldy 10 and jump-out to the first day lead. The flashy 16-year-old German Riding Pony gelding was all class as he scored 66.974% to hold more than a three-point lead over his stablemate.
Davis was very pleased with Poldy who she has been riding less than a year. She also was grateful to be able toreturn and work out any mistakes from her first test.
"It was really good for me to mentallyshift gears and it's really helpful to learn how to do that. And it was helpful to have another ride so I could fix any mistakes from my riding; that I could go in the ring and address them."
She was equally happy with her first ride of the afternoon, Bohdjan andhis demeanor in the arena.
"He was very relaxed today; he was just a really good boy.Today, I was really relaxed and really confident and I think that made him really
confident and relaxed as well."
Both Bohdjan and Poldy 10 are owned by Michael Davis, Barbara's father, who also owns Cesar Parra's Grand Prix ride, Van the Man.
CarolineFernalld (Greenwood Village, CO) made the two-and-a-half day trip to Gladstone worthwhile as she slotted into third-place with Orrwood Madison Bay. The 15-year-old Morgan mare, owned by Fernalld, scored 62.103%.
The Young Rider, Junior, and Pony Rider divisions all perform their respective FEI Individual Tests tomorrow. Those scores will count for the remaining 50% of their overall totals when average with today's Team tests, to determine National Champion honors.
Photos © Sue Stickle
Related Links
Scores 2012 U.S. Dressage Championships
Peters and Legolas Lead the Way in the 2012 U.S. Grand Prix Dressage Championship