2011 Festival ProgramBW by United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.

COLLECTING GAITS FARM / USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

2011

NATIONAL PONY RIDER DRESSAGE JUNIOR DRESSAGE YOUNG RIDER DRESSAGE YOUNG ADULT ‘BRENTINA CUP’ DRESSAGE INTERMEDIAIRE I DRESSAGE GRAND PRIX DRESSAGE

CHAMPIONSHIP USEF SELECTION TRIAL FOR THE 2011 PAN AMERICAN GAMES TEAM GLADSTONE, NEW JERSEY SEPTEMBER 8-11, 2011

The USET Foundation

would like to welcome all of the riders and owners to Gladstone for the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/ USEF Festival of Champions and Pan American Games Selection Trials.

The United States Equestrian Team Foundation Gl adstone • New Jerse y • United States 908-234-1251 • www.uset.org

Help support our United States Equestrian Teams and their quest to Achieve Competitive Excellence

Contango Preferent

KWPN

Contender x Kronprinz Contango was a legendary athlete and sire that is producing champions through high quality frozen semen. He is the sire of dozens of international Grand Prix horses in both dressage and jumping. One of his most famous offspring is Ravel, who won the 2009 Rolex FEI World Cup Dressage Finals and two bronze medals at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

UB40KWPN Olivi x Michelangelo

UB40â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exceptional dressage record through Prix St. Georges is being matched by his success as a sire. In 2010, he won the Get of Sire class at Dressage at Devon, and his dozens of Premium offspring are now winning numerous championships at prestigious shows. Among them are Apache, a KWPN-Approved stallion, and El Paso ISF, the Young Horse Champion at Dressage at Devon in 2010. His oldest offspring are under saddle and winning in Europe.

Also Available Whether you are an amateur, professional or young rider, let the Iron Spring Farm team help you select or breed that special horse. Call or visit our website to order free stallion and sales DVDs.

IRON SPRING FARM

Photos by Terri Miller

75 Old Stottsville Road, Coatesville, PA 19320 610.383.4717 (8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;5 EST) fax 610.857.2164 email: info@ironspringfarm.com

www.ironspringfarm.com Fees range from $1,200-2,500, booking fee included. Early booking, breeder, Pony Club and young rider discounts. Fresh and frozen semen.

MEINSE 439 Heinse 354 Sport x Dirk 298

Dear Dressage Fans, Welcome to the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions. We are proud to offer the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions, which encompasses the National Grand Prix Dressage Championship, the National Intermediaire I Dressage Championship, the National Young Adult “Brentina Cup” Dressage Championship, the National Young Rider Dressage Championship, the National Junior Dressage Championship, and new in 2011, the National Pony Rider Dressage Championship. This year’s competition is extra special in that the National Intermediaire I Dressage Championship will serve as the USEF Selection Trial for the 2011 Pan American Games Team in dressage. I want to extend accolades to all the riders and owners whose horses make this event possible. The road to the Festival involves a competitive qualification process, and the horses you will see this weekend are some of the best at their respective levels in the nation. The United States Equestrian Team Foundation has once again graciously opened its doors to the championships, affording the rising stars of the dressage world the opportunity to showcase their talents on some of the most hallowed ground in U.S. equestrian sport, hosting teams and national championships for over 45 years. We thank the USET Foundation for everything they do to keep our teams and athletes winning medals around the world.

Letter from the CEO

“Welcome to a wonderful weekend of dressage!”

I would also like to extend my gratitude to our title sponsor, Collecting Gaits Farm, who continues to support these championships. It is with the valuable contributions of our sponsor that we are able to host these championships and prepare our horses and riders for greater things in the future. Some of these horse and rider combinations will go on to represent the country, others to continued success on the national level, but without the support of our sponsors and volunteers adequate preparation for either endeavor would not be possible. On behalf of the United States Equestrian Federation, welcome to a wonderful weekend of dressage and enjoy your time in Gladstone.

Best regards,

John Long Chief Executive Officer United States Equestrian Federation Cover: Susan Stickle

Collecting Gaits Farm

USEF Dressage Festival of Champions Featuring:

USEF Selection Trial for the 2011 Pan American Games Team in Dressage USEF National Grand Prix Dressage Championship USEF National Intermediaire I Dressage Championship USEF National Young Adult “Brentina Cup” Dressage Championship USEF National Young Rider Dressage Championship

Ground Jury:

2011

Hilda Gurney, USA, 4* Lois Yukins, USA, 4* Axel Steiner, USA, 5* Linda Zang, USA, 5* Jayne Ayers, USA, 4* Gustaf Svalling, SWE, 4*

USEF National Junior Dressage Championship USEF National Pony Rider Dressage Championship

Technical Delegate: Jean Kraus (R), MO Chief Steward: Lisa Goretta, OH Jog Panel: Dr. Richard Markell D.V.M., Dr. Steve Soule D.V.M.,

Dr. Kirste Timm D.V.M.

Treating Veterinarian: Dr. Greg Staller D.V.M, (908) 832-5484 Farrier: Bob Pethick (908) 510-2462 Show Manager: Janine Malone Show Secretary: Patsy Albers Assistant Secretary: Angela Goodwin-Volpert Chief Scorers: Bettina Longaker & Sandy Rokosz Scoreboard: Sports Tech Productions Announcer: Brian O’Connor Stable Managers: Audrey Baris & Denise Fant Volunteer Managers: Marsha Montgomery & June Brody Media: Joanie Morris

USEF Competition Number: 322256, Level 5 Competition

VIP Chairman: Maureen Pethick EMT: Eagle Transport Award Coordinators: Hallye Griffin & Jenny Van Wieren-Page Security: Terry Masters Photographer: Susan J. Stickle USEF Managing Director of Dressage & Chef d’Equipe: Eva Salomon USEF High Performance Director of Dressage: Jenny Van Wieren-Page USEF National Director of Dressage: Hallye Griffin

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Photos: Phelps Photos, Opposite: Susan Stickle

USET Headquarters, 1040 Pottersville Rd, Gladstone, NJ 07934

Aphhonso’s Family Trattoria

Horseman’s Outlet

Applewood Farm/Marilyn Payne

Hunterdon Pilates

Blue Bridle Equine Insurance

Lauren Chumley

Bucks County Horse Park

Marsha Montgomery

Dr. Carol Edwards

Mike McGuiness/Equine Massage

Coach Stop Saddlery/Tierney Sullivan

Mountain Pointe Equine Veterinary Service

Devoncroft Dressage/Pamela Wooding

Peapack-Gladstone Bank

Dover Saddlery

The Olde Mill Inn and Grain House Restaurant

Ellerslie Custom Blankets

Rock Land Farm/Lisa Schmidt

Equine Sports Massage / Carol Mandeville

Rolling Stone Farm/Mo Swanson

ESDCTA

Sara Schmitt

Flying Change Farm/Heather Mason

Skylands Saddlery

Horse Duds and Suds

Sol Mexican Cantina

Horse News

SusanJStickle.com, Photography & Design

Horse Quencher

Tony Brouillard

Thanks

Donors

Amy Gimbel

Claudia Mott

Jane Cory

Mimi Garner

Ann Barber-Smith

Constance Carroll

Jean Goeltz

Mo Swanson

Ann Schneider

Danielle Cimon

Jen Morris

Molly Moon

Audrey Baris

Denise Argast

June Brody

Pam Wooding

Barbara Carhart

Denise Fant

Karen Hollopeter

Paola de Almeida

Barbara Satkowski

Diana Cammack

Kathy Hechler

Pat Stave

Barbara Wolfe

DJ Cassone

Kelly Ranero

Patti Thompson

Beth Collier

Donna Carides

Laura Ernst

Peggy Hipple

Betty Thorpe

Dorothy Maxfield

Leslie London

Petrina Calantoni

Bill Joos

Elaine Landy

Lisa Schmidt

Robin Davis

Brenda Curnin

Elaine Taub

Lori Maas

Ruth DiDonato

Bruce Winstral

Ellen Brindle-Clark

Lyn Ferrie

Susan Herster

Bud DiDonato

Ellie Joos

Lynette McMoran

Suzana Oei

Burt Collier

Gael Gardner

Mallory Chambers

Terry Kennedy

Cathy Brogan

Gaelle Spence

Marsha Montgomery

Toni Brouillard

Cheryl Ash

Ginny Hartman

Melinda Pesci

Wendy Wisz

Chris Dickenson

Heidi Berry

Melissa Pribic

Christy Baxter

Irene Gimbel

Meredith Whaley

Cindy Anderson

Jan Kalafat

MerriLynn Griffin

Volunteers USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

Schedule Events of

(tentative)

Wednesday, September 7:

3:00 p.m. Veterinary Inspections

Division Order: Intermediaire I

Grand Prix

Bretina Cup

Young Rider

Junior Rider

Pony Rider

Thursday, September 8: 8:00 a.m. –

First Class Begins

USEF Brentina Cup Test FEI Grand Prix Test FEI Prix St. Georges Test

Friday, September 9:

8:00 a.m. –

First Class Begins

FEI Pony Team Test FEI Young Rider Team Test FEI Grand Prix Special FEI Intermediaire I Test

Saturday, September 10: 8:30 a.m. – First Class Begins FEI Junior Team Test Brentina Cup “FEI Young Rider Grand Prix Test” FEI Pony Individual Test FEI Young Rider Individual Test

Sunday, September 11th:

8:00 a.m. – First Class Begins

FEI Intermediaire I Freestyle

FEI Grand Prix Freestyle Test

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Photo: Shannon Brinkman

FEI Junior Individual Test

Guide to

Dressage

What is dressage?

The word “dressage” comes from the French word dresser, to train.

the transitions (changes of gait), obedience, suppleness of the horse,

To the untrained eye it looks easy, but like many equestrian sports, it

quality of the gaits, and the rider’s use of aids.

serves the needs of a diverse range of horse lovers. It’s an Olympic equestrian sport; yet a basic training discipline for the backyard horse.

All movements and certain transitions from one gait to another are numbered on the judge’s sheet. They are marked from 0 to 10, 0 being

Dressage teaches a horse to be obedient, willing, supple, and respon-

the lowest mark (virtually nothing of the movement performed) and

sive. The horse freely submits to the rider’s lightest “aids” or body

10 (excellent) the highest. A flawless performance of each movement

signals, while remaining balanced and energetic. The object of dres-

is seldom achieved. Judges are always excited as they (rarely) give

sage is the harmonious development of the horse in both mind and

a 10!

body, and every horse, regardless of its type or use, can benefit from this training.

Following the test, the rider’s individual movement scores are added up and a final score is calculated as a percentage of the possible

Dressage principles are a logical, step-by-step progression from

score that the rider could achieve for that particular test. The highest

simple to increasingly complex movements. More and more is asked

percentage wins the class.

of the horse as it becomes mentally and physically ready to respond to these demands.

Musical Rides

The graceful movements performed in competition may look effort-

The Musical Kür or Freestyle is a ride that is choreographed for the

less, but are the result of years of training. The aids should be

horse and contains required movements while being artistically

virtually imperceptible. A squeeze of the calf, a closing of the fin-

pleasing and technically correct.

gers, a shifting of the rider’s weight in the saddle should be all that

Pas de Deux is an artistic program created by two riders to present

is necessary to tell the horse what is required.

their horses to their best advantage in an artistic, musical context.

Dressage requires the horse and rider to combine the strength and

Mirror image, point-counter-point, and in-line movements can be used.

agility of gymnastics with the elegance and beauty of ballet. The result is truly the best blend of sport and art. The highlight of a dressage competition is the Musical Freestyle in which the rider creates and choreographs to music an original ride of compulsory figures and movements.

The Quadrille tests are designed for teams of four horses and riders with or without music, depending on the test.

The Movements Horses and riders are judged on how well they perform certain move-

The Arena

ments in tests that match each horse’s level of training.

A standard arena measures 20 meters by 60 meters (about 65.8

These are:

feet x 197.5 feet). Some of the lower level tests may use a small 20 meters by 40 meters arena as does the musical Quadrille (4 riders in a choreographed ride).

Judging the Tests

Extensions: The horse will lengthen his stride for the rider on demand. This movement is most exciting at the trot. When done correctly, the horse seems to float across the arena Lateral movements: The horse will show its suppleness by going for-

The tests for each level are written so that there is a way to consis-

ward first and either moving sideways or moving parts of its body

tently measure performance. The judges are looking for accuracy of

sideways for its rider. USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

Guide to

Dressage

Pirouettes: In this dramatic upper level movement, the horse will turn

Piaffe: This is a highly cadenced trot-in-place. The horse will spring

in place at a canter.

lightly from one diagonal pair of legs to the other with an even rhythm

Flying Changes: The most highly trained horses will appear to “skip” across the arena at a canter switching the leading front and hind hooves.

and a definable moment of suspension. It is the highest degree of competitive collection demanded of the horse. Passage: The horse appears to float, springing from one diagonal to the other while maintaining its body in a perfectly straight line. In effect this movement is a collected trot in slow motion.

Watching Dressage The key to enjoying dressage is to watch the rides and try to see how they differ and why one person’s score is better than another’s. It takes many years of training and great concentration of both the horse and rider to perform well in a test. You should expect to see calm, obedient, smooth rides where the horse’s ears are forward or turned towards the rider, and clearly “listening” to the rider’s instructions, although no actual words will be spoken during a test. The horse should look happy.

Spectator Pointers Riding a dressage test requires a great deal of concentration on the part of the horse and rider. The following guidelines will help to ensure that all riders have the opportunity to achieve their very best performance. Avoid running, shouting, or sudden movements while a horse is in the ring. Applaud only after the rider has completed the final salute. You may speak in a normal tone, but do not shout or wave.

Photos: Susasn Stickle, Opposite: Leslie Mangan

Spectators must stay back from the white fence surrounding the

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

competition arena. Before visiting the stabling area, check with the show office. It is our wish that you enjoy the competition and our hope that this information gives you some understanding of the dedication needed and the intensive work of horse and rider in providing these performances.

HamiltonFarm

Hamilton Farm

The story of Hamilton Farm is a tale of great wealth and grand design. At its zenith, Hamilton Farm sprawled across 5,000 acres in the counties of Somerset, Morris, and Hunterdon. Here, in the first decades of the 20th Century, James Cox Brady created a resplendent country estate and one of the largest working farms in New Jersey. Hamilton Farm mirrored the expansive nature of its owner. Brady, a New York financier, was the grandson of an Irish immigrant and son of Anthony Nicholas Brady, who had made a fortune in utilities. Brady was known for his competitive spirit and keen desire to excel. His enterprises were on a sweeping scale and of great expense.

After the turn of the century when other wealthy New Yorkers were building palatial homes in the hills of Morris and Bernards, Brady looked West to the green fields and woodlands of Bedminster in the vicinity of what are now the tiny villages of Peapack and Gladstone. He was attracted to the area through his friendship with Charles Pfizer, the pharmaceutical magnate, and his affiliations with the Essex Hunt. Brady made his first purchase in 1911, a 180-acre farm adjoining the Pfizer estate, acquired for $100 per acre, which he named for his first wife, Elizabeth Jane Hamilton Brady. Construction on the farm began in 1911; the first building completed was the lodge, located along the main drive just off of Route 206 in Gladstone. The Brady family used it for brief visits to the farm during the hunting season. The main house and the farm buildings were built on a grand scale. The 2-1/2-story clapboard house was on a knoll overlooking formal gardens and a greenhouse. It was spacious and handsome, though not so elegant as other residences on Bernardsville Mountain, as the Brady house was designed to be a home and not a castle. Brady also built a separate athletic building nearby with a squash court, a 50-foot tiled pool and indoor and outdoor tennis courts. The first farm buildings, the horse barn, bull barn and blacksmith shop, were completed in 1913. Three years later the cow barn and stable, both huge structures, were finished. The farm became a vast operation with more than 4,000 acres of corn, wheat, rye, oats, barley, and hay under cultivation. Dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks, and geese were raised at Hamilton Farm, making it almost entirely self-sufficient. The Hamilton Farm stable was built in 1916 to house Brady’s collection of prize horses. At the time of construction it was described as the largest and most lavish stable in the United States. The stable is stucco over brick, reinforced with steel. The ornate interior included carriage rooms, corridors, and harness rooms with self-supporting tile ceiling vaults, glazed tile walls, terrazzo floors, and brass fittings. The 54 varnished hard-wood box stalls, each 12 feet square, had cork brick floors. The arched center entrance led to an octagonal rotunda with a glass ceiling. The second-story trophy room featured a spectacular stained-glass ceiling, hand-carved walnut trophy

cases and oak flooring. In 1921, the main house burned. On its foundation Brady built a larger residence, a Georgian brick mansion with 64 rooms, 11 fireplaces, two elevators and a chapel with stained glass windows and a pipe organ. It was furnished with the finest antiques, carpeting, and works of art. Hamilton Farm flourished during the 1920s; the stable was filled with Clydesdale and Percheron draft horses, Hackney ponies and Thoroughbred hunters. In the vast greenhouses grew nectarines, pineapples, melons, and every sort of vegetable and flower. Homebred livestock was slaughtered and aged in the farm’s butcher shop and milk, cream, and butter were produced at the creamery. In addition to filling the needs of the farm residents, the Bradys’ New York City household and yacht were also stocked with provisions from the farm. Then, suddenly, it was over. Brady died of pneumonia in 1927, and his heirs chose to close down the entire farm operation. The animals were sold, though the farm acreage was retained and remained in the hands of the Brady family for many years. In the 1940s, the stable was put to a new use when it became an emergency hospital for merchant marine seamen who had endured shipwrecks and torpedoes during World War II. Hamilton Farm Base Hospital No. 1, complete with operating room and facilities for 200 patients, was in service from 1942 to 1947, serving some 5,000 seamen during that period. The farm, itself, also contributed to the war effort by sending canned vegetables and fruit grown on the estate to the beleaguered England. In 1961, the stable and considerable acreage were leased to the United States Equestrian Team for a headquarters and training center. The USET was founded in 1950 to fill the void created by the dissolution of the U.S. Cavalry, which had been responsible for fielding international teams. The non-military riders and horses lived and trained at the Gladstone facility. In 1978, some 500 acres, including the Hamilton Farm main house, stable complex and out-buildings, were sold to Beneficial Management Corp. Ten years later, Beneficial generously donated the stable complex and buffering acreage to the USET. Today, the stable complex is home of the United States Equestrian Team Foundation and the adjoining 500 acres have been developed into Hamilton Farms Golf Club, a privately owned entity. The Foundation retains about 200 acres along Fowler Road, known as Pine Meadow, the North Field and the main arena behind the historic stables for competition and training purposes. The facility continues to be used for national championships, U.S. Team selection trials, Pony Club events, handicapped rider events and other community activities. USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

National Pony Rider Dressage Championship The National Championship for FEI Pony Riders is open to riders between the ages of 12 and 16. Horses and riders will compete in two tests: the FEI Pony Team Test and the FEI Pony Individual Test with each counting towards 50% of the overall results.

Allison Cyprus

Maple Lane Kero

Magnolia, TX

Barbara (Bebe) Davis

Bohdjan

Cohasset, MA

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Allison Cyprus

Bebe Davis

Allison Cyprus is an outgoing, active, fun loving, tenacious, 13-year-old. Allie, as she likes to be called, enjoys playing volleyball and basketball for her school team, singing in choir, and competing in dressage. She is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and often volunteers at local dressage shows. Allie has been riding dressage since she was eight. She trains and competes under the instruction of Nancy Hinz of Yellow Rose Dressage in Montgomery, TX. Her riding began with jumping. However, she quickly decided that dressage was the more challenging discipline. It’s incredible to watch the smile light up Allie’s face when she really feels what her instructor has been explaining. Allie acquired her current mount, Maple Lane Kero (The Peach) about three years ago. She was 10, he just six (and recently gelded). They were perfectly suited for each other. Having set and achieved many goals including successfully competing in their first CDI-P, performing their first musical freestyle at that same CDI, and qualifying to compete here at Gladstone this young lady is a serious competitor. Allie aspires to be a dressage trainer and judge. But, for now she is enjoying learning the art of dressage on her personable and willing pony.

Bebe Davis is 13 years old, and is from Cohasset, MA. She has been riding her pony, Bohdjan, for three years. She and Bohdjan have been showing at the FEI Children’s Level and are now moving on to the Pony Division. Last October, Bebe competed in the Children of the Americas Dressage Invitational in Concord, MA, with Bohdjan where she was reserve champion. Bohdjan is a 14.1hand Dutch Sport Pony, and is owned by Bebe and her parents. Bebe and Bohdjan train with Dr. Cesar Parra and his team in Whitehouse Station, NJ. Bebe has been riding since the age of four, and she hopes to do so for the rest of her life.

Changing the way you look at equestrian sport.

USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

National Junior Dressage Championship This National Championship for FEI Juniors is open to riders between the ages of 14 and 18. Horses and riders will compete in two tests: the FEI Junior Team Test and the FEI Junior Individual Test, with each counting towards 50% of the overall results.

Courtney Bauer

Novarredo

Midlothian, TX

Julia Burtt

Aaron VI

Bedminster, NJ

Anna Campbell

Mai

Wylie, TX

Rachel Chowanec

Embrujado XI

Columbia, CT

Kya Endreson

Pik L

Southern Shores, NC

Cassandra Hummert-Johnson

Tizayo

Cleveland, OH

Sean Sierra Keasler

Fabulous LHF

Murfeesboro, TN

Taylor Lindsten

Raoul

Cave Creek, AZ

Matthew Manibusan

Hojvangs Moonlight

Maineville, OH

Nathalie Martin

Royal

Dallas, TX

Ayden Uhirl

Sjapoer

Arlington, TX

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Rachel Chowanec

Courtney is 17 years old and a senior at Midlothian High School in Midlothian, TX. She is also a member of the National Honor Society, historian for Student Council, and historian for her school’s anti-bullying club. Bauer’s course load includes four AP classes, and her favorite subject is Calculus. She plans to major in petroleum or mechanical engineering while attending college. In her free time, she rides her horse, Novarredo. His favorite treat is bananas which he prefers very ripe and frozen. Bauer also enjoys reading, recreational soccer, and tennis. She played on the JV Tennis team her freshman and sophomore years in high school before dedicating more time to riding. She is currently riding Third Level dressage and working on Fourth Level and Prix St. Georges.

Rachel has been riding since she was about nine months old and could wear a helmet and sit upright. Her first word was “up” as she pointed at the horses. Rachel has shown hunters, jumpers, evented, and done Western games, but she has loved dressage since she first began schooling her pony independently. Rachel trained her homebred pony, Hakunamatata, through Fourth Level and has placed at the Regional Championships with him through Third Level. Currently, she rides, trains, and shows the PRE gelding Embrujado XI (a.k.a. Mouse) on loan from Lendon Gray and Hampton Green Farm.

Julia Burtt

Kya Enderson

Julia Burtt started riding when she was just five years old. When she was 12, she got her first pony, Van Gogh. She started competing with him at local shows and eventually at Dressage at Devon before retiring him permanently. Her current horse, Aaron, came to her from France and in him she has found a true competitive partner. They took first place in the Junior division at Dressage at Devon two years in a row, and recently took home Team Gold and Freestyle Bronze at the 2011 NAJYRC in Kentucky. Burtt is currently a senior in high school, and expects to go to college after that to pursue a career in equine management. She currently trains with Chris Von Martels.

Kya Enderson is a 16-year-old Junior Rider from Southern Shores, NC. She is currently homeschooled online and living in Chesapeake City, MD, as a working student for Hassler Dressage. This year, Enderson had the amazing opportunity to lease Pik L, owned by Horses Unlimited, as her junior mount and has been riding him since March of this year. Pik L has taught her so much, and she feels so grateful to learn from him. Enderson would like to thank the Hassler family, Anne Sparks, and her parents for their wonderful support!

Photo: Susan Stickle

Courtney Bauer

Cassandra Hummert-Johnson

Anna Campbell

Photo: Bob Tarr

Cassandra Hummert-Johnson is an 18-year-old USDF Bronze and Silver medalist from Hudson, OH, and a current student of the University of Kentucky. She has been riding for as long as she can remember, and for the past six years has been studying dressage. She has ridden through the Intermediaire I on Rampal, a 25-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding, and has since switched gears upon purchasing Tizayo, an 11-year-old KWPN gelding, to the FEI Juniors. Her quest for success in dressage has taken her to clinics and horse shows alike, and she is always striving for more education. With sights set on the 2012 FEI Young Riders, Cassandra is excited for what her equine future will bring.

USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

Sean Sierra Keasler

Nathalie Martin

Sierra Keasler is 18 years old and a recent graduate of The Farm School in Summertown, TN. She has owned and ridden Fabulous LHF since November 2007. In 2008, they were The Junior/Young Rider First Level Regional Champions and Junior/Young Rider Second Level Reserve Champions at the Region 4 Championships. In 2009, they were the alternates for the Region 3 NAJC Team. This year, they hope to have the opportunity to be a member of the Region 3 Team. Keasler lives in Murfreesboro, TN, and trains with Jessica Roberson Wright at Roberson Equestrian Facility, also in Murfreesboro.

Nathalie Martin, 16 years old, is from Dallas, TX. Currently a junior at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, she has been riding for nearly 10 years. At the age of nine, her interest in the discipline of dressage grew, and that is what she decided to pursue. She and her current horse, Royal, have been a pair for two years. Royal, a 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding, was imported from Germany in September of 2009. Nathalie and Royal began competing at the FEI Junior level the following April, and have achieved much together since then. In 2010, they won many titles in Region 9, such as GAIG/USDF FEI Junior Reserve Champion and Southwest Dressage Society Third Level Junior Champion. In the past two show seasons that they have competed together, the pair have qualified for the NAJYRC and have been invited the National Junior Dressage Championships each year. Martin trains with Kai Handt at North Texas Equestrian Center in Wylie, TX.

Taylor Lindsten, an 18-year-old from Cave Creek, AZ, began riding when she was four-years-old. She has been competing in eventing for six years. Taylor began showing her current partner, Raoul, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, in the dressage arena in 2010. Taylor and Raoul represented Region 5 at the 2011 NAJYRC where they helped secure the Team Silver medal.Taylor trains with Paula Paglia and had the opportunity to ride and train with Lendon Gray this summer in Bedford, NY. Taylor hopes to make a career in the dressage and eventing world. She hopes to one day represent the United States and compete in the Olympics Games.

Matthew Manibusan Matt Manibusan is currently enrolled in the Summit Country Day School where he is a senior and has been an honors student each year. He is a USDF Bronze medalist and has successfully competed at the Junior level at NAJYRC in both 2010 and 2011. In 2010, he placed sixth in the Team test, fourth in the Individual test and seventh in the freestyle. Manibusan also competed in the Wellington Equestrian Festival in 2011, collecting many ribbons. He will be riding his own Hojvangs Moonlight, a 15-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding. Manibusan and Moonlight are also looking forward to the USDF Region 2 Championships.

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Ayden Uhirl Ayden Uhirl is 16-years-old and rode her first horse when she was six. In the last decade, she has won 12 HAA Regional Championships, 10 HAA Regional Reserve Championships, and five HAAH Sport Horse National Top Fives. Ayden was the USEF Junior/Young Rider All Breed Award third place for HAA and is a USEF high school equestrian athlete. She recently earned her USDF Bronze medal and intends to work on her Silver medal next. Ayden has been a straight A student her whole life and plans to attend veterinary school (major in genetics) and use her education to increase her riding and training abilities. She is currently the working student of Bre Dorsett at Normandy Farms; her earlier trainers were Mary Mahler and Mary Claeys. Ayden went to riding camp in Germany, and won a dressage award which surprised the Germans. She also rode last fall in Spain with Raphael Soto. Outside of riding, she does a lot of charity work. Ayden helped organize a fundraiser for Operation Care to help refugees in Afghanistan. They collected 52,000 pounds of supplies; which was enough to fill a C-17! Photo: Terrie Hatcher

Taylor Lindsten

National Young Rider Dressage Championship This National Championship for FEI Young Riders is open to riders between the ages of 16 and 21. Horses and riders will compete in two tests: the FEI Young Rider Team (Prix St. Georges) and the FEI Young Rider Individual Test, with each counting towards 50% of the overall results.

Nicole Del Giorno

Lamborghini Dane

Medford, NJ

Katie Foster

Sacramento

Hazlehurst, WI

Grace Goodby

Montfleury

Oakland, CA

Julia Handt

Nteck Don Peppino

Wylie, TX

Chase Hickok

Palermo

Durham, NC

Jillian Kemenosh

Nelzon

Haddonfield, NJ

Alexandra Kitchen

Guardian Angel

Atlanta, GA

Isabelle Leibler

Watson 108

Greenwich, CT

Ari Lopez

Corlander II

Pleasant Hill, CA

Riana Porter

Romax Foldager

Santa Rosa, CA

Brandi Roenick

Pretty Lady

Scottsdale, AZ

Hannah Holland Shook

Cape Town

Charlotte, NC

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Grace Goodby

Nicole DelGiorno, age 19, is a USDF Silver medalist from Medford Lakes, NJ. Her mount, Lamborghini Dane, is a 12-year-old chestnut Danish gelding owned by Kathleen Faltz. The pair placed seventh overall in the USEF 2010 National Young Rider Championships and took home two Gold medals from the 2009 NAJYRC in the Junior Individual and Freestyle competitions along with a Team Bronze. DelGiorno received the 2009 USDF Region 1 “Outstanding Achievement at the National Levels” Award and won the GAIG/USDF Region 1 FEI Junior Championship title in both 2007, with her KWPN gelding, Lascar, and in 2008 with Eagle Crest Farm’s Trakehner gelding, Tokaimo. She was also a member of the 2007 NAJYRC Bronze medal-winning Region 1 junior team. As the Chair of the USDF Youth Advisory Sub-Committee, DelGiorno is very dedicated to promoting the interests of youth in dressage. She is an active B-dressage rated member of the Shore Riders Pony Club and served on the USPC National Youth Board for two years. A freshman at the University of Richmond, DelGiorno is pursuing majors in leadership studies and business and is a member of the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society. She continues to train two horses while at college and is an avid reader, writer, and photographer.

Two years ago, Grace Goodby never would have imagined that she would be flying across the country to compete as a Young Rider in the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions, because two years ago, she was showing her German riding pony, Falko, at Second Level and patiently teaching him his flying changes. Goodby began riding 11 years ago on a jumper named Tex whom she shared with her mother and older brother. He taught her the basics of horsemanship and sparked her interest in riding. Six years ago, Goodby started training with Julie Thomas at Thomas Ranch in Briones, CA. She purchased Falko and her interest in dressage grew. Falko was a great schoolmaster in teaching her the fundamentals of dressage and the more she rode, the more enthusiastic she became about the sport. Then, in May 2010, she was given the opportunity to ride Montfleury, Monty, an 18-year-old Westfalen gelding who had been trained by the son of Julie’s colleague, Guenter Zach, in Austria. The pair flourished, and Goodby has since been successfully riding Monty as both an FEI Junior and Young Rider. Goodby, who turned 18 earlier this year, comes to Gladstone from Oakland, CA, and recently graduated from the Bentley School. She is taking a gap year this coming year to train with Guenter Zach in Austria and to compete as a Young Rider throughout Europe, and will start at Harvard University next fall. Photo: McCool

Nicole Del Giorno

Julia Handt

Katie Foster

Photo: Susan Stickle

Katie Foster of Hazelhurst, WI, is 19 years old and has been an active competitor in the North American Junior and Young Rider program for the past several years. In 2007, she was on the Region 2 Junior Team helping to earn a Team Silver medal, and she placed fifth at the Festival of Champions at Gladstone, NJ. In 2008, she again made the Region 2 Junior Team placing fifth individually. Foster’s first year at Young Riders was in 2010, and she not only made the Region 2 Team, but also attended the Festival of Champions at Gladstone. Katie is riding a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding named Sacramento whom she has owned for five years. She trains with Jessica Jo Tate of Maryland and is a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Julia Handt, 17, is a 2011 graduate from Wylie High School. A USDF Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalist, she has been riding for 14 years. She was on the Region 9 Junior team in 2009 and the 2010 and 2011 Young Rider Team. In 2009, she competed in the National Junior Dressage Championships with Vindaris 2. Now she is riding NTEC Don Peppino, which her father and trainer, Kai Handt, bought in January. This new pair won the Tyler Dressage Classic $2,750 FEI Freestyle and placed fourth at their first CDI*. Handt plans on going to the University of Texas at Dallas in the fall, double majoring in psychology and biology with a full academic scholarship.

Chase Hickok Chase Hickok was born and raised in Durham, NC. She is currently enrolled at Stanford University, where she is studying public policy. She is a member of the Stanford University Hunter/ Jumper Equestrian Team, where she was the Reserve National Champion in 2009. She and Palermo have been partnered for a year-and-a-half. He is a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood, owned by Kyle and Pamela Hickok. Last year, Hickok and Palermo competed at the NAJYRC, as well as at the Collection Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions in the Young Rider division, where they finished fourth overall. This year, they competed again at the NAJYRC, winning the Individual Bronze and Freestyle Silver medals. USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

Isabelle Leibler

Jillian Kemenosh is a 21-year-old from the small town of Haddonfield, NJ. She is a USDF Bronze and Silver medalist who has been involved with horses since she was about five-years-old, and has competed in dressage since the age of nine. Kemenosh, besides having much success in the show ring, has also won many equestrian scholarships, including the USDF Convention Scholarship and the Willy Arts Grant. She is a junior at the University of Delaware, majoring in mass communication and minoring in political communication. She is also a member of the Alpha Phi Sorority. Kemenosh and Nelzon, a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Wolfgang, have been partners since 2007. They were members of the Region 1 Junior Team at the FEI North American Junior Championships in 2007, where they aided in capturing the Team Bronze medal. In 2010, the pair placed fifth individually at the FEI NAYRC Championships, and fourth in the freestyle. At last years USEF Festival of Champions, the pair won the Young Rider Individual Test with a score slightly over 69%, allowing them to finish third overall in the Young Rider Division. Kemenosh and Nelzon are in full training with Scott Hassler, of Hassler Dressage at Riveredge, located in Chesapeake City, MD.

Isabelle Leibler first discovered dressage when she was five years old. She began her career under the tutelage of Lendon Gray with her First Level pony, Get the Picture. After six years at Gleneden Dressage with Gray, Leibler decided to take on the challenge of the Florida winter circuit where she trained with Arlene “Tuny” Page for two years and with Lars Petersen for three years. Throughout these years, she competed in the FEI Pony division with her two ponies, Going West and Depardeu. After the 2010 winter circuit, Leibler and both her ponies qualified to compete at the International Youth Festival in Hagen, Germany, where she and Depardeu competed in the A finals. After the International Youth Festival, she remained in Germany to train with her ponies at Cornelia Endres’ Gestut Eulenhof. After two months, Leibler made the transition from FEI Ponies to the Young Rider division and found her current partner, Watson 108 (Watsy) at Hof Kasselmann. She and Watsy trained at Hof Kasselmann for three weeks with Miriam Henschke before returning the U.S. The pair has now been a team for seven months. Their most recent accomplishment was winning the Team Bronze, Individual Gold and Freestyle Gold medals at the 2011 NAJYRC. Although their main coach has been Marcel Van Der Burgh, Leibler and Watsy have had opportunities to work with clinicians Jessica Ransehousen, Robert Dover, and Wendy Murdoch. The future goal for the pair is to compete at the FEI Young Rider World Cup.

Alexandra Kitchen

Photo: wncphoto.com

Alex Kitchen is a high school senior from Atlanta, GA, who has been riding for 11 years and showing for the past five years. She was a member of the Young Rider team from Region 3 at the 2011 NAJYRC and was a member of the 2010 Bronze medal Junior Team from Region 3 at the 2010 NAJYRC. Kitchen’s partner, Guardian Angel, is a 13-year-old Trakehner/Wurttemberger-cross who was bred at the historic Marbach Stud in Germany. Kitchen and Alex began their partnership in February 2011. They work under the direction of well-known dressage trainer Karen Lipp. Kitchen is thrilled to be at the 2011Collecting Gaits Farm/ USEF Dressage Festival of Champions!

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Photo: Susan Stickle

Jillian Kemenosh

Ari Lopez Ari Lopez and Corlander II have been a team since 2004. She purchased him as a green three-year-old and has done all of his training. Together they have won every level from Training through Prix St. Georges. In 2008, they were members of the Region 7 NAJC dressage team. They helped the team to a Bronze medal and achieved the Individual Silver medal. In 2009, they captured the USDF Region 7 Junior/Young Rider Prix St. Georges title at the annual championships. Their hopes are to continue on to the Brentina Cup Championships next year and then open grand prix and hope to represent the U.S. one day in international competitions.

Hannah Holland Shook

Nineteen-year-old Riana Porter flew across the country with her 16-yearold Danish Warmblood, Romax Foldager, from Santa Rosa, CA. The two became a team in 2006 and have journeyed through the levels, learning and growing together under the guidance and expert training of Sue Curry Shaffer. Porter has been a part of the Fairwind Farm team since 2004, but has been on the back of a horse almost her entire life. When she was five, her parents enrolled her in lessons at the European Pony School located in Santa Rosa where she was trained in three-day eventing. At the age of seven, she received her first pony, and by the time she was 11, she developed a love for dressage. Porter is fortunate to be able to ride a number of horses each day, ranging from young and talented FEI prospects to grand prix school masters such as the Oldenburg stallion, Donnerschlag. Six to sometimes seven days a week, she continues to find herself captivated by life at Fairwind Farm. In 2009, Porter and Romax were the Collecting Gaits Farm/ USEF National Junior Dressage Champions. Having already earned her USDF Bronze and Silver medals, she is currently working toward her Gold medal. In the long run, she would like the honor of representing the U.S.

Hannah “Holly” Shook lives in Charlotte, NC, and trains with Diane Ritz Monroe at Hidden Spring Farm. Though young, her determination coupled with the athleticism of her mount, Cape Town, an ex-eventer, makes them a fiercely competitive team with a special connection. Recently, Shook has been training in Wellington, FL. She won her first CDI blue ribbon at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby (CDI-W/Y) for the Young Rider Freestyle in 2007. In 2006, she and Cape Town were the overall individual champions for the USEF National Junior Dressage Team Championship in Pebble Beach, CA. At the NAJC in Virginia, they were the Region 1 Junior Team Gold medalist, Junior Dressage Individual Gold medalist, and the Junior Freestyle Individual Silver medalist. Shook was the USDF’s nominee for the USEF Junior Equestrian of the Year Award for outstanding contributions to equestrian competition and appeared on the October 2006 cover of USDF Connection magazine. She has ridden in clinics with such notables as George Williams, Debbie McDonald, Steffen Peters, Bo Jena, and Anne Gribbons.

Photo: McCool

Riana Porter

Brandi Roenick Roenick and Pretty Lady have competed in the Junior/Young Rider Divisions since 2008. In 2008, she and Pretty Lady were the Collecting Gates National Champions. The pair won the Team and Individual Gold medals at the NAJYRC 2008, while Roenick was 13 years old. In 2010, she rode her Mom’s horse, Nobel, to a Team Gold medal at the NAJYRC, while Lady had a year to train and prepare to move up to the Young Rider level. Roenick is excited because this past July she and Pretty Lady won the Team Test at the NAJYRC to secure the Team Gold. The pair also won the Individual Silver medal and placed fourth in the freestyle at NAJYRC. Achieving back-to-back Team Gold medals at the NAJYRC has been such an amazing and exciting experience for Roenick. She has also been training with Steffen Peters since 2008, and is grateful to him, her parents, and her horses for all her accomplishments. She is a junior in high school and looking forward to college and continuing training and competition with hopes to one day represent the U.S. in an international competition. She said she is honored to be competing at Gladstone on this historic property for this event. “Most important, I love Pretty Lady. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

National Young Adult “Brentina Cup” Dressage Championship Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Parry Thomas for their generous and continuing support of this exciting program! The purpose of this program is to assist and encourage U.S. Young Riders in making the transition to Senior Grand Prix competitors. Riders between the ages of 20 and 28 are eligible to participate. Horses and riders will compete in two tests: the USEF Young Adult “Brentina Cup” Test and the FEI Young Rider Grand Prix Test, with each counting towards 50% of the overall results.

Heather Beachem

Windsong

Johns Creek, GA

Kristen Becker

Ramses

Lemont, IL

Alison Bush

Tannehauser

Elmhurst, IL

Olivia Lagoy-Weltz

Pikardi/Rifallino

Versailles, KY

Hillary Martin

Farwick’s Fallaby

Santa Rosa, CA

Laura Noyes

Syncro

Falmouth, ME

Caroline Roffman

Beemer

Wellington, FL

Erin Shea

Marshal

Ashby, MA

Maya Dalla Valle

Tiolivi

Oakville, CA

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Kristen Becker

Heather Beachem, 22, is from Alpharetta, GA, where she has trained with Karen Lipp since January 2009. Her mount, Windsong, is a 15-yearold Hanoverian gelding by Weltmeyer. Aboard Windsong, Beachem has earned her USDF Silver and Gold medals and represented Region 3 at the 2010 NAJYRC. This is Beachem’s second invitation to the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions; last year, she and Windsong competed in the Young Rider division. This is the pairs first year at the Grand Prix level. Beachem would like to thank Karen Lipp for always pushing her to do her best and believing in her ability.

Kristen Becker and Ramses has been a pair for the past seven years. They have had a successful show career together thus far from First Level to Grand Prix. In 2007, they won three Silver medals at the NAJYRC in the Junior division. Becker and Ramses returned to the NAJYRC in 2008, and in 2009, they won two Young Rider Silver medals and a Bronze medal. This is their first year competing in the Brentina Cup. Becker is a working student for Roel Theunissen at After the Fox Farm. Becker is looking forward to competing successfully at Grand Prix in Wellington this coming year.

Alison Bush

Olivia Lagoy-Weltz

Alison Bush began her dressage career when she was seven years old in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. She has trained with Kathy Klammer of Summerfield Farm since she was 13, and has also been fortunate to attend clinics with Tom Poulin, Conrad Schumacher, and Kim and Yvonne Barteau. In 2001, she was awarded the Colonel Donald Thackery Award for her support as a groom after being unable to ride on the Region 2 North American Young Rider Championship (NAYRC) team herself. In 2004, she was a member of the Region 2 NAYRC team with the Swedish stallion Entheos where they placed ninth individually overall and helped secure the Team Bronze medal. Her Brentina Cup partner, Tannehauser, Timmy, is a 16-year-old Trakehner gelding. The pair has been a team for almost two years. She has earned her USDF Bronze and Silver medals, and is working towards her Gold medal with Timmy. She received her B.A. in child development from Vanderbilt University in 2006 and a M.A. in speech-language pathology from Northwestern University in 2008. Bush works full-time as a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist; however, her passion is dressage and she feels lucky to have the opportunity to have horses in her life. Bush is recently engaged and is planning a wedding with her fiancé in the spring of 2012.

Olivia LaGoy-Weltz is a California native who grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. She moved to Holland at the age of 18 to work and ride for Egbert Kraak and his barn Stal De Creacken. After three years with Egbert, she moved to Germany where she spent the next two years riding and working for Christilot Hanson Boylen and Reimaster Udo Lange, Ula Salzgaber, and Ernst Hoyos. LaGoy-Weltz returned to Northern California in 2007 where she ran a successful teaching and training business until 2009. In 2009, Egbert Kraak recruited her to ride and train for he and his U.S. business partner, Kathy Priest. She is now based with Kathy at Woodspring farm in Versailles, KY, and Wellington, FL. LaGoy-Weltz and Rifallino have been working as a pair since 2007. Thanks to Egbert and the trust of Rifallino’s owner Nelly van Cuelebreok, Rifallino went home with LaGoy-Weltz at the end of her stint in Europe as a project horse. After a year-and-a-half of spooking and taking off, things started to settle. The pair placed third in the USDF Region 7 PSG Championships in 2009 and then went on to compete at the Festival of Champions in 2010 in the Intermediaire division. The pair comes into this competition ranked second in the nation and honored to be here. LaGoy-Weltz gives special thanks to: Nelly van Ceulebroke who is here from Belgium, for her trust, big heart, and unwavering belief and encouragement of her horse and me. Kathy Priest and Egbert Kraak for their continued training, encouragement, and the opportunities they have afforded me. Heidi Riddle for giving me my foundation in riding and 11 years of training. Tina Steward and Sandy Howard for their training and mentorship. And to Robert Dover and Juan Matute for their expertise and help in getting me started at this level.

Photo: Susan Stickle

Heather Beachem

Hillary Martin Hillary Martin rides and trains out of Redwood Empire Sport Horses located in Santa Rosa, CA. Hillary competed on the Region III Team at the 2007 NAJYRC and has earned her USDF Bronze and Silver medals. Partners since summer of 2007, Hillary and Farwick’s Fallaby have worked their way from Second Level to Grand Prix. In 2009, the pair traveled to Germany for two-and-a-half years of training at the Wintermühle Sales and Training Facility near Frankfurt. Hillary and Fallaby returned to the United States in 2011, ready to return to the show ring.

USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

Laura Noyes

Caroline Roffman

Laura Noyes has been riding and competing in dressage since she was five years old. From Falmouth, ME, she recently finished her B.A. in zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University. She has trained with Tina Brooks, Sue Jaccoma, Kathy Connelly, Klaus Balkenhol, and for the past five years has been working with George Williams. Her Brentina Cup partner is Syncro, who she started with at First Level. She had a very successful Young Rider career with Syncro, having won Team Silver and Individual Freestyle Gold at the North American Young Riders Championships in 2008, as well as two invitations to represent the U.S. at the Young Rider World Cup in Frankfurt, Germany, 2006 and 2008. In 2009, she was awarded the prestigious Lionel GuerrandHermes Trophy, presented by the United States Equestrian Team Federation to a Young Rider in any of the Olympic disciplines that represents the teams ideals of horsemanship and sportsmanship. After graduating from the Young Rider ranks, she declared herself as a professional and started her own training business, Laura Noyes Dressage, LLC. Noyes is currently traveling throughout the New England area to teach and is accepting horses in training. Her professional goal is to train and compete dressage horses at the international level, while keeping the health and fairness to the horse as the number one priority.

Caroline Roffman is a successful, competitive dressage rider based in Wellington, FL. She trains with Danish Olympian Lars Petersen and had a very successful tour on the 2010/2011 Florida dressage circuit. Following a summer marked by wins at the Raleigh CDI, Roffman will take three horses to the National Young Horse and Developing Horse Championships in Lamplight, IL, followed by a trip to Gladstone. She will be competing Beemer, a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding, in the USEF National Brentina Cup Championships at the 2011 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions.Roffman’s success as a young professional in 2010 has earned her praise and garnered her attention from riders and trainers around the world. She was named the 2010 Rising Star by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), and flew to Taipei to accept her award from HRH Princess Haya, president of the FEI. She and Bon Chance, a 16.1 hand, five-year-old chestnut Hanoverian gelding by Belissimo M X Weltmeyer, not only won the Five-Year-Old Championship at the 2010 USEF National Dressage Championships, but Roffman was also one of the youngest competitors ever to compete in Gladstone in the Intermediaire I division. While she has already proven herself as a professional, she had an equally impressive Young Rider career. She exploded onto the scene her first year as a Young Rider and qualified and competed at NAJYRC, winning three Bronze medals and the Fiona Baan Memorial Trophy for the highest-placed rider throughout the competition. Over the next few years, Roffman continued to shine, winning more medals and awards and cementing her spot as a dressage rider of the future. Caroline’s impressive career continued to add titles and awards to her resume, and during her Young Rider career she competed at Gladstone on Rigaudon and Accent Agiu FRH, placing third nationally in 2009 and fourth nationally in 2008.

Erin Shea Erin Shea, 27, is a USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold medalist, and the 2010 Brentina Cup Reserve Champion. Since 2009, Shea has been riding Sue McKeown’s 22-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding, Marshal, with whom she earned her Silver and Gold medals, as well as the 2010 and 2011 trips to the Festival of Champions. Shea and Marty have qualified for the Region 8 championships at the Intermediaire II level, as well as Shea qualifying her home-bred, four-year-old gelding, Dionysus, for the same championship at the Open Training level. Shea currently operates a dressage training and sales business out of Oak Hill Farm in Pepperell, MA, and trains with Cindi Rose Wylie of Rosebrook Farm in Georgetown, MA.

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Maya Dalla Valle Maya Dalla Valle has been riding since age six, first as a vaulter, then moving to dressage. She has owned Tio since 2007, and competed at the 2007 and 2008 NAYRC for the Region 6 team. The pair was the Region 6 Champion in 2007 at Prix St. Georges Level. Dalla Valle accomplished all this while attending college at the University of Washington in Seattle. She currently trains with Tracey Hill at Toyon Farms in Napa Valley, CA. When not riding, Dalla Valle is studying to become a winemaker and viticulturist.

Join Us this Fall for Exciting Championship Competition! Sept 18 Sept 24-25 Oct 14-16

Oct 29-30 Dec 3-4

ESDCTA Dressage Championships USDF Region 1 Adult Team Competition ESDCTA Garden State Classic/Col Bengt Ljungquist Memorial Championships presented by Trilogy Saddlery New Jersey Horse Trials and ESDCTA Eventing Championships USDF/ESDCTA Continuing Education Seminar and “L” Brush-up Weekend with Linda Zang ESDCTA.... Your USDF GMO

for prize lists or to volunteer - www.esdcta.org A portion of ESDCTA year-end profits will be donated to The Kessler Foundation Discoveries that Change Lives for People with Disabilities

National Intermediaire I Dressage Championship Horses and riders will compete in three tests in the USEF Selection Trial for the 2011 Pan American Games Team in Dressage: the FEI Prix St. Georges Test (counts towards 45% of the overall score), the FEI Intermediaire I Test (40%), and the FEI Intermediaire I Freestyle Test (15%). Placing including National Champion and Reserve Champion will be determined based upon overall average: Prix St. Georges – 45%, Intermediaire I – 40%, Intermediaire Freestyle – 15%.

Carolyn Adams

Winterprinz

Pleasonton, CA

Tami Batts

Ranko

Greensboro, NC

David Blake

Lord Albert

Encintas, CA

Heather Blitz

Paragon

Wellington, FL

Claire Darnell

Calimar

Georgetown, TX

Jan Ebeling

Rosenzauber8/Sandrina

Moorpark, CA

Marisa Festerling

Big Tyme

Moorpark, CA

Shawna Harding

Rigo

Aiken, SC

Chris Hickey

Witness Hilltop

Colora, MD

Heather Mason

Warsteiner

Lebanon, NJ

Tom Noone

Delphino/Fred Astair

Abington, MA

Endel Ots

Toscano

Wellington, FL

Cesar Parra

Grandioso

Whitehouse Station, NJ

Steffen Peters

Weltino’s Magic

San Diego, CA

Lisa Wilcox

Pikko Del Cerro HU

Highland Beach, FL

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

David Blake

Carolyn Adams has been riding all of her life. She has competed in hunter divisions, cross-country events, Western competitions and even for the Grand National Rodeo Queen. For the past 24 years, she has enjoyed the discipline of dressage. Adams first learned dressage while training a young off-the-track Thoroughbred. She eventually trained this horse into the FEI levels. Adams competed successfully with her first stallion, Andric (Absatz - STP Feodora), training him to the Grand Prix level and together they were invited to compete as a national entrant at the first World Cup competition held in the United States in 1995. Along with her other horses, Winterprinz is definitely Adams’ favorite partner in dressage. Winterprinz is a 17-year-old Hanoverian stallion that, in addition to having a successful competition record, also maintains a full breeding schedule. Winterprinz, the foal champion of Germany and reserve foal champion of Europe, was imported by Adams and her husband as a three-year-old in Germany. After his purchase, he completed his 100-day testing for a breeding license in Medigan, Germany, where he was ranked as the champion of the dressage. After bringing Winterprinz to the U.S., Adams has personally trained him successfully up through the levels. Together they were the Futurity and CDS First Level Champion in 1999, the USDF Second Level Champion in 2001, the USDF Third Level Champion in 2002, the USDF and CDS Fourth Level Champion in 2003 and the Prix St. Georges USDF Horse of the Year for 2004. In 2005, he was the USDF Intermediaire I Reserve Champion. Adams has competed Winterprinz successfully this past year in CDIs only, just recently sweeping the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I classes, Estes Park CDI3* in Colorado hosted by Janet Foy and Paragon Dressage. Together with Winterprinz, Adams has earned her USDF Gold medal. Adams and her husband, Patrick, own the Yarra Yarra Ranch in Pleasanton, CA, where they additionally manage and host eight three-star dressage competitions annually. Adams has worked consistently with Dirk Glitz for the past five years. Glitz and his wife, Katrin, also train at Yarra Yarra Ranch.

David Blake began his riding career as a jumper when he was four years old. He switched to dressage around the age of 14 and received his Bronze medal at age 16. By the age of 23, Blake had his Gold medal and started David Blake Dressage Training, Inc., where he successfully trains horses and riders through grand prix. Blake has trained over the years with Jan Ebleing, Janet Brown, Michael Poulin, Axel Steiner, Harry Bolt, and Christine Traurig. He now works and trains at Arroyo Del Mar in San Diego, CA, with Shannon and Steffen Peters. Blake owns two horses; Catapult, a Holstiener gelding he purchased as a three-year-old who is now showing grand prix. In 2006, Catapult and Blake won the USEF/Markel National Championships in Lexington, KY, in the Six-Year-Old division. He purchased his other horse in 2007, Lord Albert a five-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Shortly after Blake purchased Lord Albert, the pair won the Five-Year-Old West Coast Regional Championships which lead them to represent the United States at the World Breeding Championships in Verden, Germany. Blake and Lord Albert won the 2010 West Coast Regional PSG Championships and are now competing at the CDI level hoping to qualify ultimately for the Pan American Games in 2011. In September of 2010, Sharon Garner of Garner Creek Farms in Ranger, TX, sponsored Blake with Falsterbo, a 13-year-old stallion by Fidermark. Blake first met Falsterbo while clinicing at Garner Creek Farms where they had an instant connection. He and Falsterbo are also competing at the small tour CDI level.

Tami Batts Tami Batts and Ranko are thrilled to be part of the Festival of Champions this year. This will be the pair’s second appearance at the Festival of Champions having qualified for the USEF National Intermediaire I Championship in 2010. The pair also competed at the 2009 USEF National Developing Horse Championship. Ranko is co-owned by Victoria Neave, a longtime friend and customer of Batts’ whose childhood dream was to have a black stallion. He was imported in the fall of 2006 as a green Second/ Third Level breeding stallion, and he has been a wonderful part of their lives ever since. Batts is a USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold medalist, a USEF “S” dressage judge, owns and operates Fellowship Farm in Greensboro, NC, but most importantly, is a wife to Steve and mother of her 10-year-old son, Zack.

Photo: Sheryl Ross

Carolyn Adams

Heather Blitz Heather Blitz is a professional rider/ trainer/clinician. She has competed in dressage since 1994 on many different horses, winning many Regional and National titles at all levels. Her career-changing horse was the Danish Warmblood stallion Rambo DVE 373 owned by Richard Freeman of Oak Hill Ranch. She began training him when he was 12-years-old, and the pair showed at the CDI Grand Prix level in south Florida and at the prestigious Dressage at Devon where they placed as high as third. Rambo was retired at age 18. Oak Hill Ranch in Louisiana employed Blitz as head trainer for seven years. More recently, Blitz lived for a number of years in Denmark and competed with the Danish gelding, Otto, at grand prix throughout Europe. Her current partner is Paragon, an 18-hand Danish Warmblood gelding she owns that bred at Oak Hill Ranch. Blitz was there the day he was born and has owned him ever since. She has done all of Paragon’s training, and he made his competition debut last year in January winning the Prix St. Georges in Wellington, FL. He has won in nine of his 11 starts in the small tour so far. Blitz hopes to be a contender for the London Olympics with Paragon next year. Blitz is based in Wellington, FL, and has a full-time business training and teaching throughout the U.S.

USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

Claire Darnell

Marisa Festerling

Claire Darnell, age 24, of Georgetown, TX, is a USDF Bronze and Silver medalist and has been riding since the age of two, training primarily with her mother, USEF ‘S’ dressage judge, Joan Darnell. She has competed at the North American Young Rider Championships, the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Championships, and the National Developing Horse Dressage Championship, in addition to winning numerous regional championship titles and USDF year-end awards. Darnell has owned Calimar since he was 18 months old. The pair has competed at the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Championships in the four-, five-, and six-year-old divisions, where Calimar saw his best finish of fifth overall as a six-year-old. The pair also competed at the 2010 National Developing Horse Dressage Championship, where Calimar was the highest placing U.S.-bred horse. The pair has been named Region 9 Champions at Training, First, Second, and Third Levels, as well as at Prix St. Georges and Intermediare-I. Darnell completed both her undergraduate and graduate studies at Baylor University, receiving her Bachelor of business administration, marketing, in 2009, and her Master’s of Science in education, sport management, in May. Since graduation, she has been riding and training full-time at Royal Equus Farm near Austin, TX.

Marisa Festerling and Big Tyme, a.k.a. Frankie, first became a team when Marie Meyers, Festerling’s long-time trainer, imported him from Europe as a four-year-old. After finding the impressive bay gelding, she took a video of him home with her and showed it to her husband, who immediately said, “This is a big time horse!” After that, the name stuck. In the six years since then, Festerling and Big Tyme have had many successes. In 2006, the pair represented the U.S. at the FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Verden, Germany. They were named the USDF Horse of the Year at First Level, the CDS Horse of the Year at First Level, and the USDF Region 7 Champions at First Level. In the 2009 FEI World Cup in Las Vegas, NV, they were the winners of the Young Horse Challenge. In 2010, Frankie was the USDF Region 7 and CDS Horse of the Year at the Intermediaire I level, and took fifth place at the 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Intermediaire I Championship in Gladstone. Festerling has worked for Meyers for the past 18 years, first as a working student and then assistant. She has enjoyed success in the Young Horse Program with other mounts including Remy Martin, and with Jetsetter in the Junior Program. Festerling and Meyers run a full service dressage sales and training barn in Moorpark, CA, geared to the amateur or professional rider, and high-quality sale horses.

Jan Ebeling

Photo: Terri Miller

Jan Ebeling is well-known for his partnership with grand prix mare Rafalca. Since 2006, the pair has racked up many national titles and represented the U.S. in international competition. In the fall of 2007, Ebeling was awarded a USEF training grant and made the decision to return to his homeland of Germany, taking three horses including mares Rafalca and Sandrina. Ebeling’s string was successful in Germany, proving that European experience is invaluable to U.S. dressage competitors. In 2010, Ebeling took two horses to the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions, Rafalca and Sandrina. On the second weekend, Ebeling and Rafalca were sixth in the grand prix test and third in the freestyle. Sandrina finished in the Top 10 overall, also in the grand prix. Sandrina, a 13-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Ann Romney, had a very solid 2011 season including a win in the Prix St. Georges at the Dressage Affair CDI in March. Ebeling began competing his up-and-coming star mare, Rosenzauber 8, a 10-year-old Hanoverian owned by Deborah Harlan, in 2008. Since then the mare has consistently shown great potential. The Dressage Affaire CDI marked Rosenzauber’s first CDI competition, and she rose to the occasion placing forth in the Prix St. Georges and winning the Intermediaire I. At the Dressage at Flintridge CDI, the pair put in impressive efforts to sweep all three Prix St. Georges tests with scores in the 70s.Ebeling and his wife, Amy, own and operate their own training and sales facility, The Acres, in Moorpark, CA. In the spare time that Ebeling can find away from the horses, he enjoys playing soccer, biking, and snorkeling with their son, Ben. Ebeling and Rafalca also enjoy relaxing on the trails by their farm with Ben.

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Shawna Harding Shawna Harding has ridden all her life and spent a total of eight years working, riding, and competing in Europe. Harding’s small tour partner is Rigo, a 2001 Hanoverian Gelding by Rotspon out of a Wolkenstein II and owned by her client Tonya Rowe. Imported in 2006, Rigo has excelled in Harding’s program. Just under 16 hands, this little powerhouse has already garnered several awards in his young career. Rigo was the USDF Dressage Horse of the Year (Reserve Champion) at Second Level and the American Hanoverian Society Horse of the Year at Second Level in 2008. In 2009, he was the USDF Dressage Horse of the Year at Fourth Level. Harding and Rigo were 2010 USEF National Developing Horse Champions and have multiple USDF Regional Championship titles at First, Second, Fourth Level, and Prix St. Georges. Currently the pair is ranked in the Top Four in the small tour nationally and placed third at the CDI in Fritzen, Austria.Harding will also be competing in the USEF National Grand Prix Championship with longtime partner Come On III. Harding would like to thank Carol Lavell and the Dressage Foundation for the Advanced Dressage Prize. Come On and Harding qualified for the 2011 FEI World Cup Finals in Leipzig, Germany, and took the opportunity with this grant and that from the USEF to train and compete in Europe for three months this summer. Harding has worked with many of the world’s top dressage trainers throughout her career, including Dr. Reiner Klimke. She spent two years working as groom for Klimke and was afforded many great opportunities. Including learning all the upper level movements on Klimke’s former World Championship partner, Pascal. Harding now calls Aiken, SC, home whre she runs a thriving training business for talented horses and competitively-minded riders.

Tom Noone

Chris Hickey joined Team Hilltop as the Director of Training in 2007. A native of Westhampton, MA, Hickey rode in the 1988 and 1989 North American Young Rider Championships, as well as qualifying for the 1994 Olympic Festival and 1995 Pam Am Selection Trials. Hickey has shown several horses successfully at FEI levels, as well as coaching students to many Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals. He has studied with some of the best in the field including American Olympians Lendon Gray, Robert Dover, Sue Blinks, and Lilo Fore. He has also ridden in Germany with Conrad Schumacher and Ulla Salzgeber and currently trains with Morten Thomsen of Denmark. Since joining Hilltop, he has continued his successful career. In 2007, he captured the Intermediaire I Championship and the Pam Am Games Dressage Team and Individual Gold medals with Brenna Kucinski’s Regent. With Hilltop Farm’s Cabana Boy, Hickey earned a trip to the World Breeders’ Championship for Young Horses in Verden, Germany, that same summer. The pair went on to win three consecutive National Championships and place third overall in the 2010 Intermediaire Championships. Hickey’s partner for this year’s I1 Championship is Witness Hilltop, an eight-year-old KWPN gelding by Hamlet and bred by Rene Franssen who also bred Leslie Morse’s Kingston. Witness had competed through Fourth Level in Holland prior to his purchase by Hilltop Farm in February. Less than a month after his importation, Witness made his Prix St. Georges debut at White Fences in Florida, winning the class with a 72.63%.

Tom Noone has a long history of competition highlights. He holds a National and Regional title at every level of dressage on horses he has trained himself. A USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze medalist, he has represented the United States twice, once on the grand prix team for the North American Dressage Championships, and again for the World Cup Denmark in 2001. Noone will be competing two horses in the Pan American Games Selection Trials/USEF National Intermediaire I Dressage Championship, Delphino and Fred Astair. A 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Evelyn Murphy, Delphino has excelled under Noone’s guidance. The pair was the 2011 Palm Beach Derby Reserve Champions at the Prix St. Georges level. Owned by Noone, Fred Astair is a 13-year-old German approved elite Hanoverian stallion.

Heather Mason

Photo: Susan Stickle

Heather Mason is based at her own Flying Change Farm in nearby Tewksbury, NJ. Mason is a USEF ‘S’ Judge and a USDF Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalist and has her USDF Gold, Silver, and Bronze Freestyle bars. Her riding career began in England at the young age of six, when she began eventing, hunter ponies, and dressage. Mason achieved her “H-A” Pony Club rating at the age of 16 and has competed successfully in prestigious competitions including the NAYRC, USEF National Intermediaire I Championships, U.S. Olympic Festival, North American Freestyle Challenge, North American Dressage Championships, U.S. National Dressage Championships, and the Can-Am Challenge. She has won multiple USDF Horse of the Year awards, as well as countless USDF All Breed Awards and Regional Championships. Warsteiner (Riverman x Roemer), was imported as a three-year-old by Mason and started under saddle in 2006. He is now an eight-year-old, 16.1-hand, chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding. Warsteiner has won three USDF Horse of the Year titles, including the 2010 Fourth Level honor and has won numerous Regional titles. His standout moment in 2010 was becoming the Dressage at Devon Fourth Level Champion, beating his competition by over 10%. As a six-year-old Warsteiner won the East Coast Regional Championships for the FEI Six-Year-Olds. In 2011, Warsteiner was ranked second in the country, qualifying him for the USEF National Developing Horse Championships.

Endel Ots

Photo: Susan Stickle

Endel Ots is a Bronze, Silver, and Gold medalist, as well as a Bronze, Silver, and Gold Freestyle bar medalist. He has numerous national awards. A few include USDF Prix St. Georges Horse of the Year 2007 and USDF Intermediaire Challenge Award. He has numerous CDI wins among them CDI Dressage at Devon Intermediaire 1 and Intermediaire 1 Freestyle. He coached his sister to a medal at the North American Junior & Young Rider Championships, and to other top-place finishes. In 2010, he traveled to Germany to train with Olympic medalist Hubertus Schmdit, and currently resides in Florida and works with his childhood idol, Lars Petersen, on a daily basis. Ots currently is proud to show and train horses for Kristin and Steve Cooper of Lamplight Equestrian Center. Ots and Caroline Roffman have started a business together in 2011, and are opening a new state-of-the-art training facility in Wellington, FL.

Cesar Parra Dr. Cesar Parra has competed at world-class competitions all over the globe, including the Olympics, World Championships, and the World Cup Final, as well as at prestigious international shows such as CHIO Aachen. Throughout his career, Dr. Parra has studied with some of the world’s most successful and renown trainers, including Dr. Volker Mortiz, Hubertus Schmidt, Herbert Rehbein, Sigfried Peilicke, and Herbert Kuckluck. In 2009, Dr. Parra fulfilled his dream and began competing for the U.S. He was thrilled to be the winner of the 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/ USEF Dressage Festival of Champions, and is excited to be back this year to defend his national title. Riding for his native Colombia, Dr. Parra achieved top acclaim for his country in both national and international competition. In 1999, Dr. Parra led Colombia to a historic Team Silver medal in the Pan American Games. In 2000, Dr. Parra moved with his family to the United States, where he immediately continued his success. Dr. Parra has qualified and competed in two World Equestrian Games and was invited and competed in the noteworthy CHIO Aachen two times. Dr. Parra finished fourth individually in the Pan American Games held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 2003, then went on to the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2005 World Cup Finals held in Las Vegas. In 2006, he was the winner of the United States USEF/ Markel Young horse Dressage Eastern Selection Trial six-year-old division and has won countless national titles. A New Jersey local, Dr. Parra owns and operates Piaffe Performance Farm in Whitehouse Station, NJ, and travels in the winter months to Performance Farm South in Jupiter, FL. Photo: Susan Stickle

Photo: Susan Stickle

Chris Hickey

USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

Born in Germany, Steffen Peters has been in the U.S. since 1985 and became a U.S. citizen in 1992. Peters and Weltino’s Magic, a.k.a. Magic, have been a team since 2009. Magic was previously ridden by Peters’ wife, Shannon, in the USEF National Young Horse Championships where they were Reserve Champion in the Six-Year-Old division. 2011 has been a very successful year for Peters and Magic, taking top honors in multiple classes including big wins at the Festival of the Horse CDI, and the Del Mar National CDI. Just recently Peters and Magic traveled to Germany to compete in the CHIO Aachen where they won the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I. Peters has represented the U.S. on the world stage many times and has experienced overwhelming successes. He won his first Olympic medal, a Team Bronze, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games aboard Udon. In 2006, aboard Floriano he landed the anchor spot on the Bronze medal-winning team at the FEI World Equestrian Games. Peters’ current partner, Ravel, has amassed a remarkable record. The pair has been named the USEF National Grand Prix Champions three consecutive times; won the grand prix at the Exquis Dressage World Masters in Wellington, FL, for three consecutive years; re-wrote history in 2009 winning the Rolex FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas and all three grand prix classes at the CDIO Aachen. Last fall, Peters and Ravel were the anchors for the U.S. Team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Peters won his first Individual Championship medal when he rode Ravel to the Bronze medal in the grand prix special. Two nights later, Peters and Ravel put in another heroic effort to capture the Bronze again in the freestyle. Peters and his wife, Shannon, operate a busy training facility in the San Diego area.

American-born Lisa Wilcox spent 12 years in Europe riding and competing on some of the sports finest horses. Originally based in Germany at Gestut Vorwerk, an Oldenburg stud farm where she rode and competed Gudula Vorwerk stallions. Later she rode and showed sale horses at Dr. Samuel Schatzmann’s facility is Switzerland. Along the way, she trained with Ernst Hoyos, a rider for the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria, and also with four-time Olympic Gold medalist Nicol Uphoff and former U.S team coach Klaus Balkenhol. In 2006, Wilcox returned home to the U.S. and settled in West Palm Beach, FL. During the 2009 season, Wilcox competed with Ingred Lin’s Lusitanos, Queba HI and Quemacho HM, in the grand prix with scores in the 70s and numerous wins in Wellington. Wilcox and Pikko Del Cerro HU have been successfully competing in the 2011 season with scores in the 70s and a win at the KDA Spring Warm-Up CDI in Kentucky in May. Wilcox has represented the U.S. in team competition multiple times including at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 with Relevant. A spectacular performance from the pair helped the U.S. capture the Bronze medal. In 2002, Wilcox and Relevant were part of the U.S. team at the World Equestrian Games in Spain that took the Silver medal, marking the best finish ever for a United States dressage team in any World Championship or Olympic Games.

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Photo: Susan Stickle

Lisa Wilcox

Photo: Sheryl Ross

Steffen Peters

National Grand Prix Dressage Championship Horses and riders will compete in three tests: the FEI Grand Prix Test (counts towards 45% of the overall score), the FEI Grand Prix Special Test (30%), and the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle Test (25%). Placing including National Champion and Reserve Champion will be determined based upon overall average: Grand Prix–45%, Grand Prix Special–30%, and Grand Prix Freestyle–25%.

Elisabeth Austin

Olivier

Williston, VT

Suzanne Dansby Bollman

Cooper

Atlanta, GA

Susan Dutta

Currency DC/Manette DC

Wellington, FL

Shawna Harding

Come On III

Aiken, SC

James Koford

Rhett/Pharoah

Raleigh, NC

Tina Konyot

Calecto V

Wellington, FL

Catherine Morelli

Be Se

Wellington, FL

Arlene Page

Alina/Wild One

Wellington, FL

Shannon Peters

Odyssey

San Diego, CA

Steffen Peters

Ravel

San Diego, CA

Kathleen Raine

Breanna

Murrieta, CA

Lauren Sammis

Sagacious HF

South Orange, NJ

Joe Sandven

Rachmaninoff

Fletcher, NC

Melissa Taylor

Schumacker Solyst

Wellington, FL

David Wightman

Partous

Murrieta, CA

USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

Elisabeth Austin has been a dressage competitor since the age of six. She began riding sales horses for her mother, Madeleine, when she was 12, the same year she started her first horse under saddle. At 16, she competed in her first Prix St. Georges on a horse she trained herself. By age 22, she made her grand prix debut in Europe riding Olivier, her mother’s homebred stallion. Austin, who has been coached by Madeleine throughout her career, competed very successfully at the FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships in 2002-2004 when she was the Individual Silver medalist. Austin first traveled to Florida in 2004 to be a working student for Jennifer Baumert, and spent six months in 2005 as an assistant trainer for Lendon Gray. These experiences fueled Austin’s desire to make a career in dressage. Olivier was born on Madeleine’s farm in 1996, even as a young horse, Olivier hinted at what a superstar he would later become. In 1997, as a yearling, he was given the distinction of being the highest-rated Dutch Warmblood in North America for his age group. In November 2003, Austin took over the ride on Olivier from her mother, and they have been together ever since. The pair debuted at Prix St. Georges in 2005, sweeping the Young Rider classes at the Youth Dressage Festival. Olivier went on to become the 2006 and 2007 National Champion in the Brentina Cup division, as well as earning the title of USDF Intermediaire II Horse of the Year. In 2008, Austin earned her USDF Gold medal with Olivier. The pair had an incredibly successful 2009 season including wins in nearly every national grand prix they entered and a CDI win at the August Saugerties CDI. They also finished first in the nation for the Performance Horse Registry Silver Stirrup Awards at Grand Prix, and earned the New England Dressage Association’s Year End Grand Prix Award with a 72% average. Olivier and Austin had a strong start to the 2011 season. In March, they were second in the grand prix freestyle in the CDI-W at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby. The previous month, the pair collected second- and third-place finishes, respectively, in the grand prix for freestyle and the freestyle at The Wellington Classic Spring Challenge CDI-W. At the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach CDI5*, the pair collected a fourth-place Grand Prix Special finish. In addition to Austin’s busy schedule she has also attended the University of Vermont and graduated with a small business degree (agricultural focus). Austin is also a very talented writer and has been published in several books and magazines.

Shawna Harding has ridden all her life and spent a total of eight years working, riding, and competing in Europe. Harding began training Come On III as a five-year-old sale horse while she was working in Denmark. She purchased him as a six-year-old after qualifying for the Danish Six-Year-Old Championships and returned to the states in the fall of 2006. In 2007, the pair collected a series of smalltour CDI victories at Intermediaire I in Wellington, FL, and Prix St. Georges in Raleigh, NC. They were Reserve Champions at the USEF Developing Horse Championships for seven- to nine-year-olds and won the Region Three Championships at Intermediaire I. Harding and Come On III established themselves as promising prospects for international success in 2008. Come On finished the year first in the USDF Horse of the Year standings at the Intermediaire I, Intermediaire I Musical Freestyle and Intermediaire I Musical Freestyle Challenge levels and ranked second in the Prix St. Georges. The same year, they were third at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Intermediaire I Championships. Come On got his first introduction to grand prix competition in 2009 and has continued to gain momentum. The pair spent the 2010 winter season competing in Florida and took a fourth-place finish in both the grand prix and grand prix freestyle at the CDI3* Kentucky Cup which served as a test event for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Come On and Harding had a strong start to the 2011 season. In March, they were third in the grand prix freestyle in the CDIW at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby. The previous month, the pair collected third- and secondplace finishes, respectively, in the grand prix for freestyle and the freestyle at The Wellington Classic Spring Challenge CDI-W. Harding has worked with many of the world’s top dressage trainers throughout her career, including Dr. Reiner Klimke. She spent two years working as a groom for Klimke and was afforded many great opportunities. Including learning all the upper level movements on Klimke’s former World Championship partner, Pascal. Harding now calls Aiken, SC, home where she runs a thriving training business for talented horses and competitively-minded riders.

Susan Dutta

James Koford

Susan Dutta’s competitive highlights include numerous top placing’s at some of the nation’s most prestigious events in the grand prix and small tour levels. She represented the U.S. at the 2002 Coupe Des Ameriques, winning the Team and Individual Gold medals, at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, and at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro were the U.S. took the Team Gold medal. Dutta splits her time between Wellington, FL, and Germany where she competes her string of three grand prix horses. Late in 2009, she began making a name for herself in Europe with Currency DC, Manette DC, and Golden Choice DC. All three horses racked up solid placings competing on the Sunshine Tour in Vejer, Spain, and took top placings at competitions in Hagen and Hamburg, Germany, and in Wroclaw, Poland. Dutta and her three horses are long term partners all starting as young horses. With Currency DC she was USEF/Markel Young Horse Champion in the Five- and Six-Year-Old division, and represented the U.S. at the World Championships in Verden, Germany, where they placed 10th in the final. With Golden Choice DC, she was Reserve Champion at the USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship. She is married to Tim Dutta who is Chairman of the Dutta Corporation, a worldwide horse transportation and logistics company. Their son, Timmy, is a budding show jumper.

Jim Koford currently resides in Middleburg, VA. Koford will be riding Rhett, an American-bred Dutch Warmblood gelding, bred and owned by Shirley McQuillan of Versailles, KY. In 2008, Rhett finished seventh in the USEF National Developing Horse Championship and was the highest-placed U.S.-bred horse. In 2009, Rhett and Kofford were awarded the Anne Barlow Ramsay grant from The Dressage Foundation to train and compete in Germany. They trained with Michael Klimke and competed in the small tour at national shows in Germany. In 2010, Rhett and Koford again shipped to Germany to train and show. Rhett successfully competed in the Medien Cup classes for young grand prix horses and in open grand prix classes at national shows. In 2011, they were introduced to the CDI competitions at the grand prix level. They enjoyed a successful season in Wellington, capped off with a win at the Champions Cup Grand Prix. Rhett has a huge personality and is the resident escape artist. He can find a way out from virtually any stall. Koford is hoping that he will demonstrate his considerable skill in the ring at Gladstone and leave his talent for escape in check.

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Photo: Susan Stickle

Shawna Harding

Photo: Phelps Photos

Elisabeth Austin

For Tina Konyot, horses are truly second nature. Her family spans five generations of horsemanship and circus ring performance. Konyot’s grandfather, Arthur, occupied center ring in the acclaimed Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus and then trained horses owned by celebrities. He was inducted into the Circus Hall of Fame (1974). Konyot’s father, Alex, also a member of the Circus Hall of Fame, started an equine training facility in Florida. In the course of his more than 80-year career, he helped guide many riders including six-time U.S. Olympian Robert Dover. Tina Konyot began riding at a young age. In the 1990s, she spent five years training and showing in Europe: two years as a student of Herbert Rehbein, then Rudolf Zeilinger, and then Klaus Balkenhol. She returned to the U.S. in 1999 with the young stallion, Justice, to compete in the final Olympic Selection Trials (finishing seventh). Early in 2000, Konyot won the grand prix at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W. In 2004, Konyot partnered with Sally Miller’s mare, Anna Karenina, winning the grand prix at the Florida Dressage Classic in Wellington in their third outing. The pair was short listed for the 2004 Sydney Games (finishing seventh in Selection Trials). Konyot began competing Calecto V in early 2007. In his first grand prix freestyle, the pair won the 2009 World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle at Dressage at Devon, scoring an impressive 72.60%. In 2010, the pair won eight grand prix, seven consecutively. In February, they won the grand prix and the grand prix freestyle at the 2010 Wellington Classic, plus wins in the grand prix and the grand prix special at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby. In April at the Kentucky Cup CDI3* Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games test event, the pair captured the grand prix and were then awarded their highest ever score in the grand prix freestyle, a 76.25%, taking the win. In July, Konyot and Calecto V traveled to Germany to compete in the prestigious CDIO Aachen, where they placed 10th in the grand prix special and eighth in the freestyle. The pair then returned state-side to contest the 2010 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions. Konyot and Calecto V dominated the grand prix division winning all four tests on their way to being crowned the National Grand Prix Champion. That fall they represented the U.S. at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY. Where they helped the U.S. to a fourth-place finish and qualified for the grand prix special. In March 2011, the pair was second in the grand prix test, behind WEG teammate Steffen Peters, at the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by Polo Club International. The following night they finished third in the freestyle. Konyot teaches and trains at her farm in North Stonington, CT, and at her parents’ farm in Stuart, FL.

Arlene “Tuny” Page has had numerous wins in the FEI Grand Prix arena, which has earned her a ranking among the world’s best. In 2006 Page and Wild One were the highest ranked U.S. pair at the FEI World Cup in Amsterdam. In 2008 Page represented the U.S. at CHIO Aachen. In recent years Wild One has consistently earned top placings in Florida and on the East Coast. This will be Page and Wild One’s third time competing for the title of National Grand Prix Dressage Champion having competed in 2005 and 2006. Page imported Alina, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood mare, from Denmark in 2008. Since then the mare has graduated from the small tour and made a name for herself on the winter circuit this year. At the ISH Champions Cup CDI3* in March, Page and Alina took top honors in the Grand Prix and put in an impressive effort to take the win in their first outing in a CDI Grand Prix Freestyle. The pair also took wins in the Grand Prix at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge CDI3*, and in the Grand Prix Special at the Raleigh CDI3*. She serves the dressage community on the USET Foundation Board of Trustees and the USEF High Performance and Eligible Athlete Committee. Page is the owner of Stillpoint Farm in Wellington, FL. She is married to David Page and has a 11-year-old daughter, Charlotte.

Catherine Morelli Cathy Morelli has been training dressage horses, competing, and teaching since the 1970s. She and her husband, Frank, have just sold their Bedminster, NJ, farm where they have lived for 40 years and will now spend most of their time at their farm in Wellington, FL. In the summers, they will spend time with their daughter, Jennifer, her husband, Keith, and their two grandchildren, Colin (age nine) and Ella (age five). In 1990, Cathy represented the U.S. in the Volvo World Cup in s’Hertogenbosch, Holland, on her Swedish Warmblood gelding R.H. MacKinney. She has won grand prix classes at such prestigious shows as Devon, the Palm Beach Derby, Zada WEF Dressage and the Festival of Champions on various horses. She is currently competing Diane Rosenberg’s Dutch Warmblood gelding, BeSe. Morelli and BeSe have won numerous grand prix in Florida.

Photo: Susan Stickle

Arlene Page

Shannon Peters Shannon Peters has been to the National Championships in the Intermediaire I division on two different horses. Luxor, in 2005, was Reserve National Champion, finishing second behind Marlando, ridden by Peters’ husband, Steffen. In 2009, she brought her own Flor De Selva and they finished fourth in the Intermediaire I division. Peters’ also competed Weltino’s Magic in the Markel/USEF Young Horse Championships in 2008, taking home Reserve National Champion honors. In 2009, she turned the reins over to her husband, Steffen, who now has Magic here competing in the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF National Intermediaire I Championship, vying for a spot on the U.S. Pan American Dressage Team. This year, Peters is riding Odyssey, owned by Akiko Yamazaki. They have had a partnership for three years and are coming off of a successful CDI season in California, winning the CDI Grand Prix Special at both the Festival of the Horse, and the Dressage Affaire. The pair also placed in the Top Three in the grand prix at almost every competition this year. Photo: Sheryl Ross

Photo: Shannon Brinkman

Tina Konyot

USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

Born in Germany, Steffen Peters has been in the U.S. since 1985 and became a U.S. citizen in 1992. In 2006, Peters and Floriano swept all three phases of competition at the 2006 Collecting Gaits Farm/ USEF National Grand Prix Dressage Championship in Gladstone, NJ, landing them the anchor spot on the Bronze medal-winning team at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games. Floriano and Peters were the alternates on the 2004 Athens Olympic Team. He won his first Olympic medal, a Team Bronze, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games aboard Udon. They year 2007 was a break out for Peters and replacement horse, Lombardi 11. They traveled to New Jersey from California to win the USEF/Collecting Gaits Farm Festival of Champions at the grand prix level and traveled to Aachen, Germany, to represent the U.S. in the CDIO3*. Peters’ current partner, Ravel, has amassed a remarkable record. Under Peters’ expert guidance, the Dutch Warmblood gelding has gone from strength to strength over the last three years. Ravel won every single competition he entered leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, including the 2008 USEF Selection Trials for Dressage. At the Olympic Games, he ended up fourth by the slimmest of margins, behind horses far more experienced. It was Ravel’s first competition outside the United States. Additionally, Ravel’s 2008 victory at the Festival of Champions made Peters the National Grand Prix Champion for the third consecutive year – a feat he accomplished on a different a horse each of the three years. Ravel and Peters dove into 2009, winning the grand prix at the Exquis Dressage World Masters in Wellington, FL, with an impressive effort. At the Rolex FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, Ravel and Peters re-wrote history, beating out nine-time (and defending) World Cup champion Anky van Grunsven (on IPS Painted Black), and Isabell Werth (on Satchmo), to win both the grand prix and the freestyle. In July, Ravel and Peters travelled to Germany for the CDIO Aachen, where the pair won all three tests; the grand prix, the grand prix special and the grand prix freestyle. This impressive sweep marked the first time an American combination had ever achieved this feat. In 2010, Ravel and Peters travelled to Wellington, FL, to take part in Exquis World Dressage Masters competition. They beat some of the very best in world on their way to winning the grand prix test and placing second in the freestyle. That fall the pair was the anchor for the U.S. Team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY. Peters collected the first Individual Championship medal of his career when he rode Ravel to the Bronze medal in the grand prix special. Two nights later, Peters and Ravel put in another heroic effort to capture the Bronze again in the freestyle. Peters and Ravel started the 2011 season by doing something that had eluded them in the past two years at the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach presented by International Polo Club. They were victorious in the grand prix test, for a third consecutive year, and the following evening won the freestyle after having been second the past two years. Peters and his wife, Shannon, operate a busy training facility in the San Diego area.

Kathleen Raine has been a central figure in competitive dressage in the U.S. for nearly two decades. She has represented the U.S. in international competitions many times, competed in the sport’s most prestigious events, and won numerous championships at all levels. In 1994, Raine riding Avontuur was a member of the U.S. Bronze medal winning team at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Holland. Also in 1994, Raine and Avontuur were the U.S. League Final Champions and attended the FEI World Cup Finals in Gothenburg, Sweden, placing fifth. Raine also was an alternate for the U.S. Dressage Team at both the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games. In 2006, Raine with Breanna, her Hanoverian mare, owned by Raine, David Wightman and Dr. Jennifer Mason, won the Six-Year-Old division at the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Western Selection Trials for the FEI World Breeding Championship. In January 2011, Breanna made her first Grand Prix appearances at Dressage Getaway, competing over two days and winning both times. An accomplished trainer, Raine also is in demand for clinics all over the U.S. and has standing clinics where she has returned every six weeks for the past 14 years. Her students have won numerous championships at every level and some have gone on to start their own training businesses. Raine began her riding career as an eventer in her local Pony Club, earning the elite A level. She discovered dressage when, in an effort to improve her dressage scores in three-day eventing, she became a working student with dressage Olympian Hilda Gurney. She never looked back. Raine has been coached by Hilda Gurney, Johann Hinneman, Dennis Callin, and is currently working with Christine Traurig. Raine and her husband, David Wightman, own and operate Adventure Farms training facility in Murrieta, CA.

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

Photo: Sheryl Ross

Kathleen Raine

Lauren Sammis Lauren Sammis is no stranger to competition. A member of the 2007 U.S. Pan American Dressage Team, Sammis led the team to a Gold medal with the highest score in the Prix St. Georges class. Sammis also captured a Silver medal in the Individual competition for the Intermediaire I and freestyle classes. A USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze medalist, she began her competitive career in three-day eventing at the age of 13. At 17, Sammis chose to strictly focus on dressage and has actively participated in professional dressage since 1993. Sammis and Sagacious have been rising through the ranks together for several years. Beginning the competition season in January 2006, the pair initially swept both the Third and Fourth Levels in Wellington, FL. The 2006 year ended with a second-place finish at the Horse Show at Devon with a 72.000%. The KWPN of North America recognized this team as the number one Prix St. Georges pair in the country for 2006. In 2007, they followed up their impressive showing in the Pan American Games with a performance at the 2007 Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Intermediaire I Championship where they were Reserve Champions. During the 2009 winter season in Wellington, FL, this pair earned six first-place finishes in their debut grand prix season. In 2010, the pair competed in the at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions, National Grand Prix Championship where they placed fourth in the grand prix test. During the 2011 season, the pair finished second in the grand prix and grand prix freestyle and the Allentown CDI3* and won the grand prix special at the Saugerties CDI3*. Sammis is the founder of Sammis Sales, LLC, and has been one of the leading East Coast brokers of dressage horses for several years. She spends her winters in Wellington, FL, and her summers in New Jersey. Photo: Susan Stickle

Photo: Shannon Brinkman

Steffen Peters

Melissa Taylor began her competitive riding career as a child in hunt seat equitation and continued in that discipline as an adult. In the late 1990s, she trained briefly as a three-day eventer, and in 1999 began exclusively training in dressage. Competing as an adult amateur, Taylor rose rapidly up the ranks with her horses Ike and Cidor. In 2002, Taylor began training with Danish Olympian Lars Petersen and made her grand prix debut that same year with Cidor. By 2003, Taylor had acquired an international-caliber mount in the Danish gelding Schumacker Solyst, and went on to earn her USDF Silver and Gold medals and has won several Champion and Reserve Champion honors at the USDF Regional Championships. Schumacker Solyst and Taylor competed successfully on the East coast in 2010 and 2011, taking multiple Top 10 placings. This year will be Taylor’s sixth appearance at the Festival of Champions (competing in 2005-2008 and 2010), and will be Schmacker Solyst’s fourth appearance, having previously competed in the National Intermediaire I Championships in 2005-2007. A professional rider and trainer, Taylor operates Legacy Farms with Petersen and is based in Wellington, FL, and West Chester, PA.

David Wightman has many successes in competitive dressage both in his own right as a rider and through his students as an accomplished coach and trainer. In 2003 riding Garein, he was long listed for the Pan American Games. Also in 2003 riding Partous, he won the Six-Year-Old division at the Markel/ USEF Young Horse Dressage Western Selection Trials for the FEI World Breeding Championship and the pair represented the U.S. at those Championships in Verden, Germany, placing fifth in the small final. In 2005 aboard Brigadier, a five-year-old owned by Deena Smith, the horser earned the distinction as the highest-ranked American-bred horse of the year at the Young Horse National Championships in Lexington, KY. In 2006, the pair competed in Verden, Germany, where Brigadier finished ninth in the small final and in Lexington, KY. The same year, they won the Six-Year-Old divison at the USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships. In addition to his own accomplishments as a rider, Wightman has coached many young riders to medal winning performances at the NAJYRC. In 2009 and 2010, Wightman was chef d’equipe for Region 7 Young and Junior Riders. A native of Houston, TX, Wightman began riding at a young age and has trained with Hilda Gurney, Johann Hinnemann, and is currently working with Christine Traurig. Wightman and his wife, Kathleen Raine, own and operate Adventure Farms training facility in Murrieta , CA. Photo: Sheryl Ross

David Wightman

Photo: Susan Stickle

Melissa Taylor

Suzanne Bollman and Joe Sandven bio and photo not availbale prior to print of program

Good Luck to all the riders!

USEF DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

Notes

COLLECTING GAITS FARM

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;....the United States owe a lot of gratitude to

Jeff, Shereen and their Collecting Gaits Farmâ&#x20AC;? American Dressage owes its progress to generous and selfless supporters of our sport, and in fact we cannot function without donors like the Fuquas who never refuse to help us out, whether in good times or bad. Lots of people own and operate beautiful farms, but only the very few go beyond their own ambitions to be part of the big picture and risk their own investment of time, energy and financial input on a game that is ever changing. It takes a lot of faith in and love for the sport to give selflessly year after year, and the dressage community of the United States owe a lot of gratitude to Jeff, Shereen and their Collecting Gaits Farm. Anne Gribbons [ Dressage Technical Advisor, USEF ]

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