Caitlin Burgess and Chocotof Make it Work in a Snaffle at 2020 CDI Keysoe

Thu, 04/09/2020 - 12:19
2020 CDI Keysoe
Caitlin Burgess and Chocotof at the 2020 CDI Keysoe

For 18-year old Brit Caitlin Burgess her international young riders debut went better as planned at the 2020 CDI Keysoe on 13 - 15 March 2020, bagging a first, second and third place in her respective division on her first outing of the year. 

Keysoe Success

Aboard the 13-year old KWPN gelding Chocotof (by Lord Leatherdale x Negro x Joost) she placed second in a field of 17 with  68.529% in the Team Championship Test. On Saturday she slotted in third in the individual test with 68.97% and on Sunday she topped the board in the freestyle with 72.38%. 

"At Keysoe, I was lucky enough to have Henriette Andersen to help me warm up which really helped as usually I only have my parents to help me from the ground and neither of them are knowledgeable enough, although they try," Caitlin told Eurodressage. "Stan gave me everything he could for all three days, he was completely with me and tried his heart out. We did have some costly mistakes in the team and individual tests which were completely down to me but to still achieve the scores we did proves that there is more to come which is very exciting for the future."

Her winning freestyle includes music of ‘Tessa’ by Steve Jablonsky, ‘Darkside’ by Linsey Stirling and ‘These Days’ by Rudimental R3hab remix and Neiked remix. 

"The music was arranged by Tom Hunt whilst Henriette Andersen and I did the floorplan," said Caitling. "It was the first time we had ridden through the music in competition so I was super pleased that all of the risks paid off."

Stan the Man

Chocotof is bred by D. Faro and is a full brother to the NRPS licensed Don Jovi.  

Not always the easiest ride
The pair made its international show debut at junior level in 2019 and they tackled the CDI's in Keysoe, Saumur and Hickstead to gain mileage. With Caitlin turning 19 on 27 April she had to move up to Young Riders' level this year. 

Chocotof, also known as "Stan", has been her partner of almost five years, having found him at Alicia Laughton's yard in 2015.

the ride on him has proven to be a challenge. Caitlin attributes her improved results by her decision to ride him in a snaffle at Keysoe. 

"Chcocotof has always been a very difficult horse to ride and only recently have we been able to get the same feeling in the arena as we do in training. It’s taken a while to realize how to ground him, (quite literally), to produce a safe test but now I’m able to push for more marks knowing that I have less risk of mistakes," she explained. "Due to the recent change in rules and our selection policy which now allows us to use snaffle bridles at the European championships, I decided to compete at Keysoe without the double. We have always had an issue with the double bridle and it has had an effect on our marks due to lack of stillness in the mouth and problems in the contact which we do not have with the snaffle."

Burgess initially trained with Pammy Hutton and Richard Preston at the Talland School of Equitation, who took  them from their first medium to their first Intermediaire I. Since September 2019 she is working with Henriette Andersen and Ulrik Molgaard. 

From Juniors to Young Riders

The transition from junior level to small tour for young riders is not always an easy one. Caitlin, however, feels that Chocotof gets to shine more in the harder work. 

Chocotof at the 2019 CDI Saumur (Photo © Les Garennes)
"Although it is challenging moving up to the next level as there are some really established combinations, Stan definitely prefers the PSG work to the advanced medium," she said. "He gets to show off his expressive changes and his pirouettes which we have had to work very hard for as he was a lot weaker than some of the other competitors horses initially. I had only competed at Junior level for a year before moving up to Young Riders so by the time I felt confident and we had cracked the tests, it was time to move up and focus on the Young Rider tests. Fortunately, with having Henriette now training me going into my first year at Young Riders, I have been able to gain a lot more confidence at this new level at home which has definitely paid off in competition!"

Burgess admits that her biggest challenge has been peer pressure and riding against young athletes she has admired for years. 

"What I have struggled with, not just coming into young riders, but into Juniors as well was the feeling of not belonging there," she confessed. "The main reason behind this is the fact that I’m here competing against people that I have inspired to be like since doing dressage. My team mates are people that I have spent years watching and wishing that I was doing the same. I do find it overwhelming sometimes, especially as coming into the teams and going to my first international in juniors happened so quickly. It’s easy to think it is a fluke but I have to remember that I have worked incredibly hard to get where I am and that I deserve the results I have had and am good enough to compete against these incredible combinations."

Burgess credits chef d'equipe Nina Boex for the mental support. 

"Thankfully, everyone has been so helpful in introducing us into this level of competing , especially Nina Boex, which has definitely made it a lot easier in knowing how the system works both in selection and at international shows," she explained, adding, "but if I am honest I’m definitely still winging it and pretending I know what we are doing!"

Corona Times

Caitlin and Chocotof at the 2020 CDI Keysoe
The entire horse community is deeply affected by the corona pandemic with all horse activity arrested in the U.K. Caitlin is making the most out of the lockdown situation. 

"Even though our short-term goals for competing have changed due to the cancellations and lockdown, it doesn’t stop us pursuing our long-term goal of riding at a European Championship, whether that be this year or in the future. I am very fortunate to live on-site at Henriette and Ulrik's yard with amazing friends to work with so we are managing to keep each other sane but as far as day to day routine and training goes, not much has changed. We do now have more time in training, to work on getting Stan stronger and really make sure that when we next ride down the centre line we have developed and improved every movement to optimise the marks to make achieving our goals possible."

Photo © private - Les Garennes

Related Links
Scores: 2020 CDI Keysoe
British Team Long List for 2019 European Junior/Young Riders Championships
British Prime and Progress Youth Squads Announced for 2018-2019