Friskey Business RH, Tuscany, Ein Traum, Felicitous Win 2026 U.S. Young Horse Championships

Shows

2025 U.S. Dressage Championships

The 4-year old Friskey Business RH, the 5-year old Tuscany, the 6-year old Ein Traum, and the 7-year old Felicitous were the winners of the Young Horse classes held at the 2026 U.S. Dressage Championships, aka Festival of Champions, on 24 - 30 August 2026.

The U.S. Dressage Championships take place annually at Lamplight equestrian centre in Wayne, ILL.

The young horse championships consist of two rounds and the scores are tallied to determine an overall ranking and the top thre medallists.

4-year olds: Friskey Business RH

Seventeen horse-and-rider combinations took to the field in the Four-Year Old Championship with Nora Batchelder (Williston, Fla.) claiming the championship title aboard her own Frisky Business RH, a 2022 U.S.-bred Hanoverian mare (by Five Star x Londontime).

The home-bred mare made a lasting impression on the panel through her ground-covering walk and rhythmic canter work. “She's a real character, very friendly in the barn, and super eager under saddle,” Batchelder said. “She has a ton of energy, but is really safe, which is why I have her here.”

What makes this win even more special is how new the mare is to the competition ring. Started under saddle a little over a year ago, this mare is one to watch out for in the future. “She's really cool, and what's interesting about her is that she hasn't even been under saddle for a year, because I started her after the season here at HITS Lamplight Equestrian Center last year,” Batchelder explained.

Of her four mounts, this is her second national champion title win of the day and with that, Batchelder is feeling nothing but grateful. “It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I feel very lucky. I have amazing horses to ride and they’re all so fun,” she said

Reserve champion went to Blair Niemcziek (Chino Hills, Calif.) and Special Design, a 2022 Dutch Warmblood gelding (by Blue Hors Santiano x Franklin), owned by Rock Solid Sport Horses and Raquel Floyd, after the pair produced an impressive test and scored an 82.200%. Close behind was Laura Abner (Windsor, S.C.) and Saroy, a 2022 Hanoverian gelding (Secret x Fürsten-Look) owned by Gina Fisk rounding out the podium with a score of 82.200%.

Seeing Double

Although not in contest for the medals two interesting horses competed in the 4-year old division: Charlotte Jorst's two clones out of her Grand Prix horse Zhaplin Langholt. Mackenzie Wood finished 12th overall on clone Stairway To Heaven with an average of 75.520% while Faith Green rode clone Led Zhaplin to an average score of 71.200% for a 15th place overall.

5-year olds: Tuscany

Jessica Kozel (Wellington, Fla.) and Tuscany, a 2021 Hanoverian gelding (by Taurus x Cavalieri xx x De Niro), owned by Cynthia Perretti, captured the title in the 5-year old division. With top remarks regarding their rhythmic trot and walk the previous day, the pair held their position coming in and received a 88.600% on the Final test, and a 88.360% overall. With three collective marks above nine from the panel of judges, the potential from this pair is undeniable. The gelding’s walk and trot stood out, praised for their suppleness and impulsion across the ring. The judges also made note of the gelding’s breeding.

“His breeding is incredibly interesting because he has a lot of Thoroughbred on the maternal line, which is not common in the dressage horses that you usually have,” she explained. “Then he's got Taurus on the paternal line, which has given him such an incredible head and bit of blood and dazzle that the Thoroughbred brings into the equation. I think he has such a nice mix.”

Jessica Kozel on Tuscany
(Photo © Petra Kerschbaum)

His ability to relax and enjoy his surroundings and then turn it around to work can be attributed to Tuscany’s training regime and breeding. Kozel had a smile on her face throughout the entirety of her test, with the love for both her horse and sport shining through.

“We knew he was special from the minute we saw him, but it's been a bit of a journey introducing him to the show arena because tension has played a part,” she said. “With any young horse, it’s always an experience showing them a new atmosphere, but he’s really grown.”

Tuscany is bred by Austrian Petra Kerschbaum and was originally named Tim Tebow. He sold as a foal to Kerstin Klieber, who resold him as a 2-year old to German based Spaniard Santiago Damil, who renamed the horse Toledo. He sold him in 2025 as a 4-year old to the U.S.A, where he got renamed Tuscany. Breeder Kerschbaum bred two further full siblings to Tuscany in 2022 and 2023.

After his significant win, Tuscany will now get a well-deserved period of relaxation in the paddock to rest and recover.

“To come out here and be able to put together relatively clean tests, with just minor mistakes, meant a lot because he really went out there today and was all business, and so it came together at the right time,” she said.

Lindsey Holleger (Aiken, S.C.) and WSI Royalty, a 2021 KWPN mare (by Zackerey x Sir Sinclair) co-owned by Holleger and David Wilson, claimed the reserve champion title with a score of 83.600% in the FEI 5-Year-Old Final Test.

Rounding out the national championship podium and earning bronze was Allison Nemeth (Flemington, N.J.) and Royal Indy VD, a 2021 Dutch Warmblood mare (by All at Once x Ampére) owned by Alice Tarjan.

6-year olds: Ein Traum

The 6-year old division featured 15 pairs and neither the winner of the preliminary test nor the finals test ended up with gold. Hannah Irons (Queenstown, Md.) and Ein Traum, a 2020 Westphalian gelding (by Escamillo x Sandro hit), proved consistency and got the national title and gold medal after placing second and third. She scored 85.200% and 82.600% for the win.

Ein Traum is bred by Katharina Große Hülsewiesche and was offered for sale initially in the 2020 Westfalian September online foal auction, selling for 13,000 euro. He remained in Germany. Irons purchased the gelding, whose name means "a dream" in German, as a 3-year-old, and the pair have grown up together in the sport ever since.

"I'm really proud of ET and super thankful to everyone who helped us get here," Irons said. "I bought him as a young 3-year-old. He's taught me so much. We’ve both learned together."

Irons credits much of their success to his temperament. "He just has such an amazing personality," she said. "He's basically like my dog. I can do anything with him. Sharing this together is really special."

Away from the show ring, Irons describes “ET” as anything but shy. "Very cuddly and curious," she said. "I can take him swimming bareback and pack him out everywhere. He likes chasing sheep. He's just a very playful, fun horse to have around."

Reflecting on a week of consistent scores, Irons said ET's willingness carried them through, even on a day when he wasn't at his freshest. "I think he was a little bit tired today, but where he's consistent is he always tries his best for me," she said. "He's always super rideable and goes out there and gives it his all."

Ein Traum in the 2020 Westfalian Foal Auction

Looking ahead, Irons said fitness will be the next area of focus as the pair progress toward more demanding work. "Improving his fitness will be important as we move toward the pre-St. Georges-type work," she said. "A full test really consists of him being super relaxed and harmonious, and that's usually my goal for my tests anyway."

In reserve champion position were Mackenzie Peer (Wellington, Fla.) and U.S.-bred Sonnenberg’s Primrosa, a 2020 KWPN mare (Secret x Ampére), owned by Sonnenberg Farm, LLC. They concluded their week with a score of 81.200% in the final test (5th) after winning the preliminary test with 85,400%

Rounding out the podium were Nora Batchelder (Williston, Fla.) and Ilona-D, a 2020 Danish Warmblood mare (Janerio Platinum x Bogegardens Laurino), she co-owns with Katharine Feehery, who finished their day with a score of 82.200% in the final test for fourth place. In the preliminary they were also fourth with 82,000% and ende up third overall.

The winner of the Finals test on Sunday, Christina Morin-Graham on the DSP bred mare E'Panthera (by Escamillo x Furst Nymphenburg) got 84.000% but their 77.600%% in the preliminary round (7th) could only pull them up to fifth place overall. The fourth overall spot went to Kathryn Fleming-Kuhn on Debra Klamen's U.S-bred Oldenburg mare Fiorenza HSR (by Franklin x Sandro Hit).

7-year olds: Felicitous

The 2026 U.S. Dressage Championships came to a close with the FEI 7-Year-Old Final Test. Adrienne Pagalilauan (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Felicitous, a 2019 Hanoverian gelding (by Fürst Belissaro x Dancier), owned by Fritz and Claudine Kundrun, topped the podium after scoring 77,561% in the preliminary test (2nd) and winning the finals test with 78.900%.

Reflecting on the week, Pagalilauan said the pressure shifted between the two tests. "The first test I thought went pretty well; there were a couple of little glitches, and I've never done that before," she said. "I had to think, whatever he does, it is going to be great."

The second test brought a different mindset once the stakes became clear. "Today's test I came in a little bit more apprehensive, because I was like, oh, we're kind of up there, and we could win this," she said. "I found it a little hard not to get in my head, but I think I managed. There's always some stuff to clean up, but the horse is absolutely wonderful."

This marked Pagalilauan's first time competing at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions, an event she said carries real weight in the sport of dressage. A native from Ohio, the 49-year old Adrienne is not a familiar face in the international. She first trained with Sue Black and Linda Smith, before becoming an assistant rider and groom for Allison Brock at Kundrun's DeerMeadow Farm as of 2007. She has competed quite extensively at national level in Wellington, putting miles on horses such as Viva Westfalia (by Vitalis x Furst Heinrich), Amfino (by Ampere), and Deeclair (by Sir Sinclair), while gaining experience on schoolmasters such as Peajay and OS Nervi (by Tino)

Reserve champions are Petra Warliamont (Evergreen, Colo.) and Deambulo PWD, her own 2019 Hanoverian (by Don Martillo x Fahrenheit). They won the preliminary test with 78,279% pair and wrapped up their week in the final test with a score of 77.129%.

In third place were Cyndi Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Online H, a 2019 Dutch Warmblood gelding (by Taminiau x Gribaldi), owned by Rebecca Bruening, who scored 73.554% in the first round (4th) and 77.700% on Sunday’s test to secure their spot on the podium.