The rising small tour horse Wakeup and the rising Grand Prix horse Zandor are in the lead in the 2013 U.S. Developing Dressage Horse Championships held at the Lamplight Equestrian Centre in Wayne, IL, on 23 - 25 August 2013.
Thursday’s Championship competition came to a close under clear skies with a field of six performing the FEI Intermediaire II Test for the first 40% of the overall score.
Heading the field following the first of two days of competition is Laura Wharton-Mero (Woodstock, GA) and her own Zandor (Florencio x Nancy BS/Amulet). The nine-year-old KWPN gelding demonstrated a great amount of presence throughout the test to cruise to a score of 66.974%.
The talented gelding’s test was highlighted by an impressive canter tour including accurate pirouettes and clean changes. A break to the canter at the first trot extension held Zandor from achieving an even higher score.
Second-place went to Kathy Priest (Versailles, KY) and her own gelding Wild Dancer (Florett AS x Reality B). The 10-year-old KWPN demonstrated a solid foundation in the Grand Prix movements and a particular aptitude for the one-and-two-time changes to score 65.570%.
Zanzibar (Consul x Juventafee/Farmer) was ridden to third-place by Katie Riley (White House Station, NJ) as the final horse down centerline. Michael Davis’ nine-year-old KWPN stallion earned a score of 65.351% on Thursday.
The 2013 Champion will be crowned Saturday as the final 60% of the overall score will be earned in the USEF Developing Horse
Grand Prix Test.
Developing Prix St. Georges
The Developing Prix St. Georges Championship kicked-off Friday afternoon with 14 entries completing the FEI Prix St. Georges Test for the first 40% of their championship score.
Wakeup was the Reserve Champion in the Developing Prix St. Georges Championship last year and has positioned himself to go one better in 2013. Ridden by his owner Emily Wagner (LaCygne, KS), the eight-year-old American Warmblood gelding presented a confident and polished effort to score 73.465%. Throughout the test, the talented gelding looked thoroughly confirmed in the Prix St. Georges movements.
“I really loved the flow of the movements,” said Wagner. “There were no hiccups; it felt super solid.”
Wakeup is a graduate of the U.S. Young Horse Dressage Program and earned top honors in the Six-year-Old Championship in 2011. Wagner always enjoys coming back to these Championships as it proves to be a measuring stick of progress throughout the year as well as an opportunity to compete against the top horses in the country.
“It’s a good check-point, to come here and test yourself against the best in the country. I feel very at home here, the people know him and it’s always great to compete against the best-of-the-best.”
Jorst continued her successful day on Friday, after winning the 6-year old division on Vitalis, by collecting second place in the Developing Prix St. Georges Championship with Skagen Holdings’ Adventure (Special D x Sunette S/Mandrain). The eight-year-old KWPN gelding earned a score of 69.868% for the FEI Prix St. Georges Test. The talented gelding showed great potential for the future and earned high marks for his lateral work and pirouettes.
On Friday, third place went to Silva Martin (Unionville, PA) and the Rosa Cha W Syndicate’s nine-year-old Warmblood mare Rosa Cha W with a score of 69.605%.
The Developing Prix St. Georges Championships comes to a close Sunday afternoon. Entries will earn the final 60% of their score by performing the USEF Developing Horse Prix St. Georges Test.
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Link
Rebellienne, Dancing Queen, Vitalis Jump Out to Early Lead in 2013 U.S. Young Horse Championships