Ellie Brimmer is the 2024 U.S. Para Dressage Champion

2024 U.S. Dressage Championships

-- USEF press release, edited by Eurodressage

With the U.S Paralympic team riders in full preparation of the Games in Paris in two weeks, the 2024 U.S. Para Dressage Championships in Wayne, ILL, on 18 - 21 August 2024 saw a slim field of just three starters compete for the three podium places.

Three Rounds

The three competitors in the U.S. Para Dressage National Championship completed their 2024 outing on Wednesday with their musical freestyle tests.

The three riders competed in their respective Grades and performed the Grand Prix A test in round 1, the Grand Prix B test in round 2, and finally the Kur to Music as third round counting for the overall result

Ellie Brimmer is Champion

Ellie Brimmer (Wellington, Fla.) and My Moment (by Furst Romancier x Hotline), a 2010 Hanoverian mare owned by Annette Grant and leased by Brimmer, secured their wire-to-wire win with the top score in the freestyle—a 73.133%—and the overall for the division after posting 69.425% and 69.888% in the first two rounds.

“My freestyle was designed by Marlene Whitaker, and this was a freestyle that she had partially made for another para rider who didn’t end up using it,” said Brimmer. “The music suited her really well, and we modified the choreography a little bit, and it worked out really well.”

Brimmer’s freestyle with “Minnie” is set to music by Enya and has a laid-back vibe that Brimmer says suits her mare.

“She can get a little tense, so we kind of wanted the spa vibes,” she said. “The music can show the lovely forward tempo she has while still maintaining this lovely light background.”

For Brimmer, competing at HITS Chicago Lamplight Equestrian Center is something of a homecoming, which made her victory that much more special.

“I grew up in the Midwest. I’m from Minnesota originally,” she said. “The last time I showed here, I was doing hunter/jumpers, and it was like, 20 years ago, when I was in high school. To come back here and kind of be back home is really exciting, and to do so well, I just never expected this. My trainer isn’t here—she is coaching another rider at the Paris Paralympics, so Devon Kane was so nice to step in and really help me this weekend. I’ve had my longtime freelance groom, Angel Howell, here helping me. We’ve been together for 10 years of horse shows, so it’s really special that she was able to share this with me too.”

Silver for Collier

Sydney Collier (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Bell Bottoms (by Benetton Dream x Fidertanz), a 2014 Oldenburg mare owned by Going for Gold LLC, Devon Kane, and Diamante Farms, performed their freestyle to a lively pop soundtrack. The pair earned a 69.555% and the reserve champion title.

“My freestyle was designed by Karen Robinson of Applause Dressage, and this freestyle is super fun because it’s my first-ever freestyle that has lyrics,” said Collier. “It was a super unique experience because I loved all of the options that Karen would send, so it was hard for me to choose. And then we played every single choice for ‘Beebs,’ and she honestly selected her own music. The choices that we’re showing here are the ones that she would really swagger and dance to. Her ears would start bopping to the beat, and Devon and I were like, ‘Yep, that’s the one!’”

Collier has ridden this freestyle several times but said that this performance was the first where she came out feeling like everything was clean and correct.

“Today, everything was so spot-on with my music cues and my geometry,” she said. “I was so pleased with that, and I couldn’t stop smiling the entire freestyle. That says a lot, because normally I have this focused face, but today it was really just like riding a smile with Beebs. And she knew what day it was—I could feel it in the warmup. She was just so spot on and so ready to go.”

Bronze for Schmidt

Paige Schmidt (Lake Geneva, Wisc.) earned the third-place title in her first national championship riding Kimique, a 1998 American Warmblood mare she leases from owner Stefanie Lenz. Their freestyle was an upbeat routine to a classic march.

“My trainer and I designed the freestyle to Stars and Stripes forever, keeping the tempo of Kimique and the tempo of the music in mind,” said Schmidt. “This is my first freestyle ever, so for me to get the tempo right, I needed a sharp beat, and my music has that.”

Schmidt and “Mickey” earned some of their best marks for the free walk, which Schmidt said is one of her horse’s favorite gaits.

“The walk has always suited her well, and she loves to free walk,” she said. “When her neck stretches down, she loves to stretch and be able to move her body.”

This year is the third time the Adequan®/Para Dressage National Championship has been held as part of the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions, and all three riders were thrilled to be part of the event and expressed gratitude for those who made it possible.

“It really requires a village to get to a championship like this and to compete successfully,” said Brimmer. “We want to thank every person that had a hand in that, from owners, trainers, sponsors, grooms, and the show management and USEF for working with us and really spotlighting para, even though we’re a small discipline. It’s been really exciting.”