While Endel Ots and Lucky Strike maintained their lead in the U.S. Intermediaire I National Championship, six new leaders made themselves known across six divisions: Lauren Asher and West Side, Lucienne Bacon and Bonnaroo, Michele Bondy and Sonnenberg's Kain, Emily Miles and Sole Mio, Kathy Priest and Damon's Fantasy, and Nick Wagman and Don John. Four more divisions will begin on Friday.
Bacon Has Pony Power
Lucienne Bacon (Atherton, Calif.) and Bonnaroo lead the U.S. Pony Championship following the Pony Team Test. She and her 10-year-old Weser-Ems Pony Mare earned a score of 68.810 percent.
“This year, we have been focusing on being a team in the arena and taking what we have in the warm-up into the competition arena, so to go in and feel her with me and to know that she’s trusting what I’m saying is incredible,” said Bacon. She’s a lot like me. We both have strong opinions about everything. She can be a mare, but I think she tries to hide her affection sometimes … she loves donuts, so she gets a lot of those.”
Hannah Devine (Bedford Hills, N.Y.) and Masterpiece, Christina Devine’s 15-year-old Swedish Sport Pony gelding, placed second with a score of 67.476 percent. The 2018 USEF Children Dressage National Champions Miki Yang (Los Altos Hills, Calif.) and Garden’s Sam, Four Winds Farms 12-year-old Welsh Pony gelding, complete the top three with a score of 67.190 percent.
“I thought the canter portion was really good. He’s usually better in the canter. Some things in the trot were not as good. … He started trotting in the walk before I was supposed to. [I would like to get the] half-passes a little better and getting him a little more round [for the next test]," said Devine.
“I’m really happy how my test went considering how hot my pony got in the arena. He felt absolutely amazing in the warm-up, but in the arena he got a little tense. … I was really focusing on staying quiet and subtle with him to not overwhelm him," Yang explained.
The Pony Team Test counts 50 percent toward their overall score. The U.S Pony Champion will be named on Friday following the Pony Individual Test, making up the remaining 50 percent.
Ots Keeps Lead in Small Tour Championship
“I was very happy with this test. It was clean, and he was very with me today. I was really happy with his effort. After [everything] that happened [before the Pan American Games], I have been doing [light work] to make sure he feels the best he can. That is a goal all three days, just to have clean, nice rides. He did that yesterday and did that today, so I was very happy with him.”
Rebecca Rigdon (Cardiff By The Sea, Calif.) and La Fariah, her and David Blake’s 10-year-old Rhinelander mare, placed second in the test with a score of 72.941 percent, and Anna Marek (Williston, Fla.) and Einstein JP, her 10-year-old KWPN gelding, followed with a score of 71.008 percent. The championship will be declared on Saturday following the FEI Intermediate I Freestyle Test.
Asher Takes Over Lead from Manhard in U25 Division
“The test went so much better today. I was super happy with the piaffe work. Yesterday, he was looking a bit and spooky, so I had some very expensive mistakes, but to come back from that and have the ride that I had today, I’m thrilled,” said Asher. “He’s a bit of a look-y horse in general, and he just flew from Holland where I’m based, so it was a long trip, and to come into a new arena not having done too many shows over the summer, I think he was a bit impressed by the atmosphere. Today, I was like,‘C’mon we have to do it,’ and he was there for me, so that was wonderful.”
Claire Manhard (Cardiff, Calif.) and Wilfonia, her 16-year-old KWPN mare, placed second with a score of 67.564 percent, and Hope Cooper (Concord, Mass.) and Hot Chocolate W, Mary Mansfield’s 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding, placed third with a score of 67.103 percent.
“I thought today was very good as far as mistakes. She’s a little bit more tired today," said Manhard. "We didn’t have as much oomph in the trot lengthening and cantor pirouettes, but I think we did them well. We had one little bobble; she decided to trot at ‘A,’ but we fixed it. Her piaffe-passage was good. She got a little tired at the end, but she tried really hard.”
Following the Intermediate II Test and the Grand Prix 16-25 Test, Lauren Asher and West Side have the overall lead for the Under 25Championship. The national champion will be determined on Saturday following the Grand Prix 16-25 Freestyle.
Wagman Leads in the U.S. Grand Prix Championship
“It took us a few movements to get into the swing of things. Once we locked and took a deep breath, the piaffe-passage and transitions were some of our best to date. The pirouettes felt really nice. I think the canter work was the strongest part of the test. I think the piaffe-passage is what ended up helping us recover from the shaky start.”
“We went to Europe and competed in two nation cups, which was an honor to be a part of the team," Wagman added. "We did well and learned a tremendous amount being in new territory, so that was a really good confidence builder for us. Then we came back and got named the alternates to the Pan American Games, which was another big compliment … the team did great and it was exciting to watch everyone there. Now we’re [at Festival], and we’re trying to stay in the ring and improve. This is one of the shows that is [similar] to a European show in terms of the set up and the environment and quality, so I wanted to be here to keep improving.”
Anna Marek (Williston, Fla.) and Dee Clair, Diane Morrison’s 11-year-old KWPN mare, placed second with a score of 68.630 percent.
“I was really excited to have a clean ride. [Dee] Clair and I always work on piaffe and passage, trying to get it a little bit more in place and get though with a clean ride. I was just really happy with how everything went. She did everything I told her to," said Marek.
Jennifer Schrader-Williams (Yelma, Wash.) and Millione, Millione Partners LLC’s 16-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, earned a score of 68.543 percent, placing third.
"“He came out a little more tired today. He’s not quite used to the heat being from Seattle, but I thought he put in a pretty solid test. He may have lacked a little more energy than I would have liked, and I had an unfortunate mistake in the one-tempis … but, overall, I was happy with the rideability; he was quiet and listened well, so I’m happy with him," said Williams.
The Grand Prix Test counts 45 percent of their overall score. They will compete in the Grand Prix Special on Friday, which counts 40 percent towards their overall score. The division concludes on Sunday with the Grand Prix Freestyle, making up the remaining 15 percent.
Sonnenberg's Kain Takes the Lead in the 4-yo Championship
“We had a super nice, supple, soft ride,” said Bondy. “He was just great. Really there was nothing I could complain about. He just went in there and did his job, which is the most I can ask for him. He was super.”
“Going around [the ring] with people clapping he got a little excited, but then he went in right to work and had no problem," she continued. "He was like a champion. You just never know how the four year olds are going to be – if they are the going to be wild, if they are going to be tired. He just was perfect. I can’t wait until Saturday to see what we will get.”
Alice Tarjan (Oldwick, N.J.) and Summersby II, her four-year-old Oldenburg mare, were second with a score of 8.18, while Jackie Ahl-Eckhaus (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) and Kitalis MVS, her four-year-old KWPN gelding, were third with a score of 7.92.
“I got her as a foal. She did the material last year and I brought her to Devon to qualify for this championship this year, so I got her out for a little exposure," said Tarjan.
"He has changed a lot from three to four," Ahl-Eckhaus explained. "Now he has a body. He was not a very pretty yearling but he is really blossoming this year. He is getting stronger; there is a lot of power in there, and now and then you can really feel it. I am really excited for him. He has a great temperament, three good gaits, good balance, supple, elastic, so I think he is the whole deal.”
Thursday’s USEF Four-Year-Old Test counts for 40 percent of the overall score. The championship concludes on Saturday with the FEI Four-Year-Old Final Test, which counts for the remaining 60 percent of the overall score.
Miles and Sole Mio In Charge of 5-year old Division
“I felt like there was a little pressure; there’s high expectations. It’s a lot easier to be like, ‘Nobody knows me and go and ride my test.’ I felt like people were going to watch him,” said Miles. “I didn’t put the pedal to the metal like crazy, but I was super happy with how fluid he was and how light he was and that he stayed with me, just super solid. I think the judges did an awesome job of seeing his potential. … I was a little bit nervous for this test, but I was super proud of him, and I should have known he would be there for me because he’s that kind of guy.”
Nadine Schwartsman (Eagle, Idaho) and Jhocolate R, her five-year-old KWPN stallion, placed second with a socre of 8.26, while Rebecca Rigdon and Jagger, Ad Astra Collective, five-year-old KWPN gelding, placed third with a score of 8.02.
"I think he did the best test he ever has in his career so far, so that was excellent timing on his part because he can actually be quite opinionated so getting a big submission score of him is a really big deal and I am so grateful to him," said Schwartsman.
Rigdon explained: "“He is much, much, much stronger. He has grown three inches. He has put on a lot of weight, a lot of muscle. I am super, super happy with him. He is the most honest, sweet, whatever you want. He is as good as you ride him; there is no in between. He is a really neat horse.”
Thursday’s Five-Year-Old Preliminary Test counts for 40 percent of the overall score. The championship concludes Saturday with the Five-Year-Old Final Test, counting for the remaining 60 percent of the overall score.
Priest and Damon's Fantasy in the Lead in Developing PSG Horse Division
“I was really happy with her. She is getting really solid, really nicely forward-thinking on her own now, so it was fun,” said Priest. “It was steady and I wanted to have a good, clean test and she tries real hard so that makes her really special for me."
Emily Miles (Paola, Kan.) and Java Dulce, Leslie Waterman’s eight-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, finished in second place with a score of 72.549%, while Mike Suchanek (Blaine, Minn.) and Duchess L, Louise and Doug Leatherdale’s eight-year-old Hanoverian mare, came in third place with a score of 70.980%.
“This was an awesome test. He stayed really with me, really quiet. He can get a little hot and tense and he really stayed with me. It was kind of a challenge because I only had 10 days to ride him before coming here after I had been gone for six weeks, so this is really a tribute to my mother who kept him going for those six weeks. … We are beyond thrilled to be back and beyond thrilled with how he did," said Miles.
The Prix St. Georges Test counts for 40 percent of the overall score. The championship concludes on Saturday with the USEF Developing Prix St. Georges Test counting for 60 percent of the overall score.
Photos © Sue Stickle
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