With only one junior rider competing at the international dressage show in Burbank, California, on 20 - 22 February 2015, it was an easy win for newcomer Veronica West. However, the 15-year put in two very well scoring rounds on the black Hanoverian gelding Nobleman and has made herself a strong contender for the 2015 North American Junior Riders Championships.
Veronica West made her international debut a winning one in Burbank, impressing the judges for a score of 70.486% and first place honours in the Junior Riders Team Championship Test. She continued on strong form and scored a big 70.421% in the individual test.
West's Hanoverian gelding Nobleman (by Natiello xx x Wenzel II) is no stranger though. As a 2,5 year old the black became the 2001 Hanoverian Stallion Licensing champion, but after he sold to Denmark he kept a low profile as he was mainly competed at regional and national shows. Between 2004 and 2007 he was shown by Lene Jervelund, Pernille Lohmann, Linda Lykke Jensen, Martina Hannöver-Sternberg and Ditte Mikkelsen. He disappeared from the show scene for three years and reappeared when he was for sale at Andreas Helgstrand's yard and competed by Helgstrand's assistent trainer Thomas Sigtenbjerggaard at Grand Prix level in 2010. Sigtenbjerggaard and Bjarke Raghner rode him at Grand Prix level in Denmark until 2012. His last show was in March 2012.
Three years later Nobleman has returned back to the scene in America as a 16-year old gelded schoolmaster for West. Veronica, who is trained by Mette Rosencrantz, has been competing in dressage for less than two years and Burbank was her international debut, but she didn't let first-time jitters get in the way of an outstanding performance.
"I was so nervous for the Team Test - it's very intimidating going in there for the first time in front of five FEI judges and not knowing where you really stand," she said. "I knew it was a solid test, but I never dreamed we would score so well. (In the Individual) I did feel much more confident, and even though Nobleman was a little more tired we had another good test. He's such a wonderful horse."
Photo © Terri Miller
Related Links
Scores: 2015 CDI-W Burbank
Nobleman, Champion of the 2001 Hanoverian Stallion Licensing
Scores: 2015 CDN Thermal
Natiello xx and Compliment Passed Away
Scores: 2010 CDI Copenhagen
Scores: 2010 CDI-W Odense