Sonnenberg's Jersey and Sole Mio Win Developing Horse Titles at 2023 U.S. Dressage Championships

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2023 U.S. Dressage Championships

The rising small tour horse Jersey and the rising Grand Prix horse Sole Mio became the winners of the Developing Prix St. Georges and Grand Prix Horse division at the 2023 U.S. Dressage Championships at Lamplight equestrian centre in Wayne, ILL, on 22 - 27 August 2023.

Developing PSG: Sonnenberg's Jersey

The national championship for developing Prix St. Georges horses on Saturday with the USEF Developing Horse Prix St. Georges Test. For the overall ranking both round counts although the coefficient on the second round is higher.

Sabine Schut-Kery (San Diego, CA) and the KWPN bred stallion Sonneberg's Jersey, a 2014 born Vivaldi x Ferro offspring owned by Sonnenberg Farm, won the first round with 71.666% and placed third in the second round with 72.222% but maintained their lead overall to win the championship.

Jersey was recently acquired in The Netherlands by Gina and Dan Ruediger of Sonnenberg Farm. The stallion was originally named Jersey, then competed in Europe under the name Turfhorst Jersey to refer to his then owner, Eric Koele, and now goes by the name Sonnenberg's Jersey.

"It’s a really young, new partnership," Sabine Schut-Kery said about her ride on Jersey. "I’ve only had him for three months. Just doing this, coming here, speaks volumes. I would rate him a 15 for his character, and rideability too. He obviously had good training before, and he’s super talented. I’m just thrilled with my two stallions, having them come here and do so well. I don’t know what more I could ask. He’s super fun to ride. I love his gaites, and I look forward to the future."

When asked what is next for Jersey, Sabine replied, "when you’re here, you’re just focusing on this, so he’ll be taking a breather. A big break for this horse. What they do is just amazing, and we forget that sometimes. I wouldn’t say take it for granted but I want to give him a good break on our beautiful grass pastures, and then see and go to the next step."

David Blake (Cardiff by the Sea, CA.) earned the top score in Saturday's class, a 73.240%, aboard Delilah, Leslie Allbright’s 2015 Hanoverian mare by Dr. Watson x Wolkenstein I. That score brought them to the reserve champion position overall.

"She ran out of gas [in the first test] but she was really with me today," said Blaken about Delilah. "I got to show off a little bit in the end. It was fun." Owner Allbright found the mare in Germany as a 3-year-old.

Quinn Iverson (Wellington, FL) and Gremlin, a 2015 Oldenburg gelding (by Grey Flanell x Donnerschwee) owned by Bille Davidson, were second in the first round with 71.421% and scored a 70.231% to finish fourth in the second round, but overall they were third.

"I actually had a lot more gas than I was expecting," said Quinn after Saturday's test. "We had a few little bobbles, but overall we had some really brilliant moments and I’m very excited for the future with him."

Gremlin sold in the 2020 PSI Auction for 500,000 euro to Helgstrand Dressage and later ended up with Davidson in the U.S.A.

Developing GP: Sole Mio

Emily Miles (Paola, Kan.) and Sole Mio, Leslie Waterman’s 2014 Hanoverian stallion by Stanford x Donnerschwee, became the winner of the U.S. Developing Grand Prix Horse Championship, the American version of the Louisdor Cup. The pair won the first round, the Intermediaire II, with 68.970% and topped the board again in the second round with 70.092%.

"I was super happy with him. I was worried about his energy level through this week," said Miles. "It’s a long week, but I felt like his energy level was great today, so I was super happy with how much horse I still had. I was really happy with the uphill carriage that I had. I was able to be really light in there, but still go for it, and I hope the judges appreciated that. I liked the feel I had overall, the uphill self-carriage and the lightness I could get that translated throughout the movements."

Sole Mio was the 2018 and 2019 U.S. Young Horse champion as a 4 and 5-year old and was third in the 2021 U.S. Developing Prix St Georges horse championship. It was the horse's second time around competing in the Developing Grand Prix Horse championship as he was fourth in 2022.

When asked about her future plans with 'Mio', Emily replied, "I think we all know, with these horses nothing is given. So we might have hopes and dreams for them, and I would love “Mio” to do big, amazing, wonderful things. But I think it’s more important to stay in the moment and really appreciate the journey we’ve had."

Ali Potasky (Versailles, Ky.) and INXS, the 2013 Dutch Warmblood gelding (by Everdale x Rousseau) which she co-owns with Kathy Priest, became the reserve champion. They were third in the Intermediaire II with 68.039% and second in the second round on Sunday with 69.398%

"I found him in Europe as a younger horse and bought him with my boss, Kathy [Priest]," said Potasky. "He’s the only horse I own part of. We say I own the cheap half as a joke about how when we got him he was a little difficult in the beginning. So it’s been a long journey of getting to really know him and get rapport with him. And once we got him confident, he’s a little bit easy with everything. It’s just the mental part that can be really challenging.

Karen Lipp (Ball Ground, Ga.) and her own 2013 KWPN gelding, Infinity (by Dream Boy x Freestyle), rounded out the top three for the overall national championship. They were fifth in the Intermediaire II (67.107%) and fourth on Sunday (68.009%) but their overall score put them on the bronze medal step of the podium.

"I definitely feel like today I rode way better. I didn’t get a huge score, but I’ve never been so happy to be third place. I thought I worked really hard for it," Lipp stated. "I imported him as a 4-year-old, and this is our fifth time here. He did the 6-year-olds, developing Prix St. Georges, I-1 championships. We did the developing Grand Prix last year, which he wasn’t really ready for. So I was glad to be back this year."