Bateson and Haute Couture Make It Two Out of Two, Marek Wins Inter I at 2023 CDI Ocala

Sun, 05/28/2023 - 13:18
2023 CDI Ocala
Katherine Bateson-Chandler and Haute Couture at the 2023 CDI Ocala :: Photo © Q2 Photography

Katherine Bateson Chandler (USA) and Haute Couture captured another victory during the WEC May Dressage CDI 3* in the Grand Prix Special  on Saturday 27 May 2023, at World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida. 

After their win on Friday in the Grand Prix for Special CDI3*, Bateson Chandler regrouped with Haute Couture and felt she was able to improve on mistakes from the first day. The judges – Kristi Wysocki (USA), Maria Colliander (FIN), Isobel Wessels (GBR), Cesar Torrente (COL) and Jane Weatherwax (USA) – agreed, awarding the pair with a score of 73.085% in their first-ever Grand Prix Special together.

“I’m super thrilled with my test,” said an elated Bateson Chandler. “I felt like she rose to the challenge. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a feeling like that in the arena before. Today she was completely on my side and fought for me every step of that test. I was honestly almost in tears at the end of it. No matter what my score was, that feeling is something else.

“She was so in front of the leg,” she continued. “All dressage riders are always looking for that really flowing, in-front-of-the-leg feeling. She was 100 percent there for me. Every correction I made she was right there for me. I felt like the weaknesses that I had yesterday, I didn’t have today, which was my main focus.”

Expanding on their partnership, Bateson Chandler noted that while she wants “Merrie” to be her friend, the mare also has to respect her rider. “She’s a bit of an alpha mare,” she explained. “She has to respect me but love me as well because they have to fight for you in the ring. In my experience, they won’t fight for you in the ring if they don’t really care about you and trust you. I feel like I found that mix of trust and respect. There’s nothing like it.”

Katie Duerrhammer (USA) and Paxton, a 12-year-old Westphalian stallion by Dante Weltino OLD x Don Marco 3 owned by Kylee Lourie, were second with 71.489%. Slotting into third place were Lehua Custer (USA) and F.J. Ramzes, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding by Juventus x Rampal owned by Wendy Sasser, with a score of 69.766%.

Marek and Duvel Top Intermediaire I 

Familiar faces in the winner’s circle in the small tour are Anna Marek (USA) and Duvel, a 15-year-old KWPN gelding by Florencio  x Metall, who topped a class of 24 entries in the Intermediaire I 1*. The pair once again led the lap of honour after they received a score of 72.500% from judges Agnieszka Majewska (POL), Debbie Rodriguez (USA) and Cesar Torrente (COL). 

Anna Marek and Duvel
Second place went to Nora Batchelder (USA) and Nova, an eight-year-old Oldenburg mare by Grand Galaxy Win x Romanov owned by Carol Glover, who scored 70.686%. With a personal best score of 69.804%, Kristin Stein (USA) and Elbrasco-L, a 14-year-old KWPN gelding by Ampère x Aktion owned by Sally Alksnis, finished third.

Duvel swept all three small tour classes in all three shows that he competed in at WEC in 2022, plus added two more wins in Wellington this past December. Showing in Wellington this winter, Duvel placed in the top five in every class. Marek and her trainer Anne Gibbons decided to give Duvel a break after he helped the U.S. win silver in the FEI Nations Cup.

“We skipped the last WEC show in April with him, and it was good idea that we did,” explained Marek, who rode Duvel to second place in Thursday’s Prix St. Georges class. “We gave him some down time and some training. He came out here, and he’s been great.”

Marek feels that Duvel is comfortable and happy at the WEC showgrounds, with spacious stalls and a horse-friendly facility. When Duvel is at home, he enjoys turnout every night, which helps him stay “fit and loose,” said Marek. Additional work walking on grass or doing light hill work keeps Duvel in shape and mentally ready for the pressure of competition days. With Duvel’s experience and training, Marek knows that he does not need a lot of preparation to compete.

“The biggest thing for me is to keep the harmony between us,” shared Marek. “He will sometimes get a little offended if I tell him what to do. A lot of it is just me trusting him that he knows his job. Today when he would start to get a little tense, I would just relax. I try not to micromanage too much. He’s so well-trained, and he knows the test so well. He is really willing to work for me. Yesterday and today, he’s been awesome.”

WEC press release - Photos © Q2 Photography

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