Lauren Chumley and Alice Tarjan Win Freestyle Highlights at 2022 Dressage at Devon

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2022 CDI-W Devon

Dressage at Devon came to a close Sunday, featuring the final freestyle performances of the Young Rider and Intermediate I division performances. Despite a rainy start to the day, which led to several pairs dropping out of the show, the die-hard competitors kept the energy alive at the historic venue to end the week on a high note with their musical routines.

Sunday Dancing in the Rain

Kicking off the morning’s rides in the rain, Alice Tarjan and Jane, her own 8-year-old Oldenburg mare, dominated the Intermediate B class with a new personal best of 71.459%. In the Young Riders Freestyle Olivia Turcott and Lalique, a 15-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Patricia Piccillo, earned the top spot with a score of 69.18% for their harmonious, choreographed routine. In the Intermediate I Freestyle for Amateurs that followed, Emily O’Neill and Funky-Boy, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Lynn Rzonca, took home the win with a score of 66.47%.

The final class of Dressage at Devon 2022, the 3* Intermediate I Freestyle, kicked off at 12:15 p.m. Lauren Chumley was the first to enter the ring with Santa Barbara Dash, her own 9-year-old American bred Oldenburg mare (by San City x Baroncelli), being awarded a score of 73.042%. Next in was Canada’s Christian Garweg with Excalibur RS, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (by Johnson x Lancer II) owned by Karen Meyer, earning a 69.792%. Erin Bonneville and Qennett HTF, her own Hanoverian 8-year-old gelding (by Qredit Hilltop x Negro), followed putting up an impressive Jurassic Park themed freestyle performance to overtake Garweg and secure second place with a score of 71.125%. Silva Martin and Esperanto, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding (by Jazz x Negro) owned by Christine Capano, were last in the ring, earning a 69.5% that would award them the fourth place ribbon for the day.

Chumley and Santa Barbara Dash were still unchallenged at the wrap of the class, taking home the blue ribbon. Bonneville and Qennett HTF finished in second place, while Garweg took the third place ribbon.

Camille Carier Bergeron Top Under 25 Division

Camille Carier Bergeron on Sound of Silence

Saturday saw the continuation of dressage action in the Dixon Oval and Wheeler Ring with classes from pony to Grand Prix level.

The Under25 Grand Prix saw another Canadian rider go home with the top prize. Camille Carier Bergeron, also winner of Friday’s U25 Intermediate II test, rode into the winners circle with Sound of Silence 4, a 14-year-old gelding (by San Amour x Limes) owned by Gilles Bergeron, with a score of 68%. The only competitor in the class was Jamie Leuenberger of the United States and her own The Black Pearl, an 18-year-old Thoroughbred x Friesian crossbred gelding which she evented first before switching to dressage, finished in second place.

“It was really good, he felt a little more tired than yesterday, the piaffe was a little less energetic," said Camille. "But otherwise really good, he felt more relaxed than yesterday in the ring so I’m really happy how he’s settling in this atmosphere that’s very electric and fun. I’m happy that he’s enjoying it as much as I do. We had a little bump in the one’s with the thirteen instead of fifteen that was really expensive. Otherwise I’m thrilled with how he went and how he felt. It’s his first year in U25, so our goal is just to get a clean test, and we’re getting there. It makes me really excited that it’s my junior horse that I’m bringing up to U25, so I’m really excited and I couldn’t be happier with him.”

Saturday Night Under the Lights

On Saturday 1 October 2020 the two feature Grand Prix classes made up for the evening programme.

The Grand Prix Special was first of the two evening classes to begin. Argentina’s Micaela Mabragana and Diamond Rosso, a 12-year-old Hannoverian gelding (by Diamond Hit x Lauries Crusador xx) owned by Marjaleena Berger, were the only pair to ride in this test and won with a score of 66.766%. The pair was given several high marks of 7.5 for their passage, one and two tempis, and their transitions, even scoring some 8s for their halt and one tempis.

In the Grand Prix Freestyle that followed under the floodlights nine horse-and-rider combinations returned to perform their musical routine. Canada’s Vanessa Creech-Terauds was first in the ring with Fleur de Lis L, a 13-year-old Hanoverian mare (by First Dance x De Niro) owned by Louise Leatherdale. The pair was awarded a personal best score of 71.02% for their upbeat and fluid freestyle, setting the bar for the remainder of the class high.

Creech held the lead until Tarjan and Serenade MF, her own 9-year-old Oldenburg mare (by Sir Donnerhall x Don Principe), returned to the arena. The pair wowed both the judges and the crowd alike, earning a score of 76.515% for their harmonious routine and fitting instrumental music.

Michael Bragdell and Qredit Hilltop, a 14-year-old Oldenburg stallion (by Quaterback x Dream of Glory) owned by Hilltop Farm, entered the arena soon after to audible cheers as “Blurred Lines” echoed throughout the Dixon Oval. Bragdell’s freestyle selection combined an ensemble of music genres. As Bragdell and Hilltop galloped across the diagonal to Coldplay’s “Hymn for the Weekend,” the crowd roared, applauding the noteworthy performance. The judges awarded their boldness with a score of 73.13%, their new personal best, to push them into third place on the leaderboard.

Megan Lane and Zodiac MW, an 18-year-old KWPN gelding (by Rousseau x Amethist) owned by Deer Ridge Equestrian, were last in the ring, with their sights set on tackling their floor plan with a precise and consistent test. The pair finished with a score of 75.22% for their efforts, but were not quite able to overcome Tarjan and Serenade MF, and settled for second place. Bragdell and Qredit Hilltop went home with the yellow ribbon to complete the top three. The Jeanne Pake Memorial Trophy was given to Allison Nemeth as the groom of the CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle winner at the awards ceremony before Tarjan and her mare took their victory gallop around the Dixon Oval to celebrate.

A Little Lost

"I think the balance was a little more uphill. I got lost multiple times, poor horse, so I have to ride a little bit better I think," said Alice Tarjan. "She did her job as usual. I got a little lost but it’s a freestyle, so I guess it’s not so obvious. It’s a really difficult freestyle, Marcus made it for us. But on that horse, I think it’s possible to do it. She’s a really cool horse, she tries her heart out for you and she’s really on the aids so you can ride a freestyle that difficult.”

Tarjan will continue to train and work to improve for the future.

"I’m thrilled. It’s not something I ever expected. I’m still not able to get in the test what I am able to get in the warmup, and I think the idea is you want to be able to ride the test at just the same quality that you get in the warmup and can get at home," she said. "The horse is young, and so just to be able to hold the consistent balance throughout the entire test and get the same quality we do at home and in the warmup. I think you follow where the horses go and where they lead you, and all you can do is try to set the horses up as best you can and put them in the best situations. All I can do is try and train my horses as best I can and try to present them in the ring, and follow that.”

Runner-up Michael Bragdell was last year's winner in Devon and now had to settle for second place.

"I loved it, it was fun," he said about his Devon experience. "He (Qredit) was great. I just want to come in here and have fun, and just be thankful to have the chance to ride here and enjoy this awesome crowd. So I trimmed down my warmup quite a bit and thought, ‘I’m just going to do something nice and easy.’ I have to trust it, and it felt great, we finished so strong. And the crowd is just unbelievable, I mean it’s so much fun. It’s a wonderful thing. I got my personal best in the CDI score, so of course I want to win but it’s still fun to come here…when the horse is performing for you and the crowd is cheering you on the way you do, you can only smile.”