2004 Young Horse Dressage Championships with pictures

I took the press release from USEF and added a few pictures my wife took. Sorry about the picture of Royal Prince and Susanne but the fuzziness is because it was raining. It is a amazing feat that they scored so well while riding in the rain!

 
6 Year Old Reserve Champion Rykaard ridden by Ashley Fornell

ROYAL PRINCE AND REVOLUTION WIN TOP HONORS AT 2004 USEF/MARKEL YOUNG HORSE DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 13, 2004
Lexington, KY—An outstanding field of five and six-year-old horses held audiences captive at the Kentucky Horse Park over the weekend. September 10th through 12th, horses and riders from across the nation gathered for the 2004 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage National Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park. Nineteen five-year-olds and 15 six-year-olds, including a record 12 United States-bred horses, vied for the prize the Dr. Edgar Hotz Memorial Trophy, which commemorates the top young horses in the country.

Lars Baekgaard rode Revolution (Royal Diamond — Fuela by Furioso II) to the six-year-old division title, with a winning score of 7.48. The German-bred black Oldenburg gelding is owned by Dr. Mary Hughes of Moorestown, New Jersey. A mere two-hundredths of a point behind, Rykaard (Kimberley—Milonia by Caruso), a bay Dutch Warmblood gelding bred in the Netherlands, claimed reserve champion with a score of 7.46. Owner and rider Ashley Fornell of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, received the award for highest-placed amateur rider in the division.

Winning the silver cup for highest-placed United States-bred horse in the six-year-old division was Raison d’Etre (Regulus—Little Doozie by Uzi), bred in Kentucky by Dreamtime Farm, Inc. Ridden by owner Elly Schobel of Williston, South Carolina, the chestnut American Warmblood gelding earned a score of 7.22 for a top five placing in the overall division Championship.

5 Year Old Champion Royal Prince ridden by Susanne Owen Hassler

In the five-year-old division, an awe-inspiring and dominating performance from Royal Prince (Rohdiamant—Piri Piri by Prince Thatch) captured not only the Championship honors, but also the highest score of the day an impressive 9.14. Ridden to victory by Susanne Owen Hassler, the German-bred dark bay Hanoverian stallion is owned by Hilltop Farm, Inc. of Colora, Maryland. In July, Royal Prince represented the United States in the FEI World Breeding Championships in Verden, Germany, capturing fourth place and the highest finish ever by an American-owned horse.

5 Year Old Reserve Champion Sir Sinclair ridden by Dorrie Addy-Crow

Winning the five-year-old reserve championship with a score of 8.26 was Sir Sinclair (Lord Sinclair I—Krishna by Flemmingh). The bay Dutch Warmblood stallion, bred in the Netherlands, was ridden by Dorie Addy-Crow and is owned by Iron Spring Farm, Inc. of Coatesville, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Katie Stanton of Carmel, Indiana, earned the award for highest-placed amateur rider in the five-year-old division, on her own bay Dutch Warmblood mare Savanna (Jazz—Wanna by Doruto, bred in the Netherlands) with a score of 7.44 and an overall fifth-place finish. With a score of 7.46, the award for highest-placed U.S.-bred horse and fourth-place overall went to Saint Simmon (Rafurstinels- Katouchels by Goodtimes), ridden by Emilee Reed. The bay Dutch Warmblood gelding was bred by Kim Jackson & Hunters Run Stables, and is owned by Lisa Blackmon of Valley View, Texas.
Horses were judged by international officials Axel Steiner (O-USA), Jayne Ayers (I-USA), and Gary Rockwell (C-USA).

The 2004 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage National Championships were hosted by MSEDA Dressage at the Park and were sponsored by Markel Insurance.

Complete results from the Championships will be posted on the Federation website: http://www.usef.org/content/equestrianSports/disciplines/international/2004-YH-Program.php

For more information, contact Sarah Lane, Public Relations Manager, at (859) 225-6974 or e-mail [email protected]

USEF press releases are available on our web site www.usef.org

6 Year Old Young Horse Championship Results

Horse Rider Score Place
Revolution Lars Baekgaard 7.48 1
Rykaard Ashley Fornell 7.46 2
Rhythm Reta Conner 7.28 3
Romantic Bill Warren 7.24 4
Raison D’ Etre Elly Schobel 7.22 5
Cordobino Kimberly Herslow 6.96 6
Rumor Jennifer Conour 6.90 7
Rachmaninoff Joe Sandven 6.88 8
Rakker Judy B. Kelly 6.88 8
Famos Bill Coester 6.84 9
Pam-a-Lam Chris Pritchard 6.80 10
Favory VI Bellanna Jochen Hippenstiel 6.74 11
Favory VII Andorella Sarah Hippenstiel 6.68 12
Cameron de Messille Sasna Newman 6.58 13
Caletino Deborah Hausman 5.80 14

5 Year Old Young Horse Championship Results

Horse Rider Score Place
Royal Prince Susanne Owen Hassler 9.14 1
Sir Sinclair Dorie Addy-Crow 8.26 2
Donnervogel Deborah Dean-Smith 7.90 3
Saint Simmon Emilee Reed 7.46 4
Savanna Kate Stanton 7.44 5
Silverado Jamie J. Shmitt 6.90 6
Leiden Bill McMullin 6.86 7
Remy Martin Sabine Kallas 6.78 8
Rossini M Diana Mukpo 6.78 9
Wylie Q. Dawn Weniger 6.70 10
Rubens De Mesille Kathryn Theallet 6.58 11
Superstar Jamie Fell 6.54 12
C Ventura Missy Ellison 6.46 13
Heroico Pequeno Sara Kominsky 6.44 14
Ferragama WF Verena Stock 6.42 15
Commonwealth Chris Pritchard 6.40 16
Finnegan Ruth Hogan-Poulsen 6.22 17
Cacique Elizabeth Poulin 5.94 18
Cordelia Cindy Zeller   19
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First Pictures from the Stallion Test training

My wife and I went over to Paxton Farm last Friday to watch the stallions being worked. Here is a selection of the photos I took. You can check out the rest of them in the Photo Albums.
 

Devon Hier ridden by Arno Klees

Devon Hier ridden by Arno Klees

Palladio being ridden by Marlene Strothmeyer

Palladio being ridden by Marlene Strothmeyer

Donner Konig and Land-Champion

Donner Konig and Land-Champion

Weltanzer ridden by Arnos

Weltanzer ridden by Arnos

Iconnicus ridden by Dirk Reichel

Iconnicus ridden by Dirk Reichel

Land-Champion

Land-Champion

Devon Hier

Devon Hier

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2004 100-Day Stallion Test, List of Stallions

# Born Horse Name Breed Sire Dam’s Sire Owner
562 2000 Donnersohn Hanoverian Donerhall   Lislie Perk
563 1999 Sea Account XX TB Sea Hero Private Account Cynthia De Bracy
564 2001 Where’s Waldo Hanoverian Waterford Workout Bonnie Watrons
565 1999 Isaiah Oldenburg, N.A. Ideal Fatalist Tom & Laura Patterson
566 1998 Caleb Oldenburg, N.A. Florian Columbus Ellen White
567 2000 Conrad Oldenburg, N.A. Contucci Renaldo Judi Gerherdt
568 1997 Addison Belgium, W.B. Branco Dewdlesd XX Jennifer Hallman
569 2000 Waterford Oldenburg, N.A. Werigo Manhattan Kathy St. Martin
570 1999 Drachen Herz Hanoverian Donvan First Albert XX Margert Goddell
571 2000 Warcloud Hanoverian Workentauz Bolero Marsha Auduson
572 2001 Devon Hier Hanoverian De Niro Rubinstein Terry Mason Esteban
573 2000 Donner Konig Hanoverian Donnerhall Contender Maryanna Haymon
574 1999 Galeno Tyme Oldenburg Gvanulit Barsoi XX Jennifer Moiser
575 2000 Donnerstein Hanoverian Donnerhall Waltbuerger Deborah Stone
576 2000 Iconnicus Oldenburg, N.A. Idocus Rambo Caroline Redmond
577 1997 Palladio Dutch Calettol Samber Andrea & David Cliborn
578 1999 Weltanzer Hanovarian Weltmeyer Bolero Jane Epperson
579 2001 Skyview’s Triton Connemara Custusha’s Cashez Rock   Patty Nelson
580 1999 Land-Champion Oldenburg (D) Land Capitol Furioso 11 Lisa De Vito
581 2000 Art Aero Oldenburg, N.A. Art Deco Darling April Wayenberg
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2000 100-Day Stallion Test at Rancho Murieta

The Crowd Favorites

It didn’t take long for the crowd to pick its favorite. When that gray stallion, Contigo,quietly stood by Rudy Leone as he raised the jump to five feet, the crowd knew that Rudy had a lot of confidence in this stallion’s temperament and his free jumping ability. The combination of character and outstanding jumping ability led many in the crowd to believe they were looking at the horse to beat.
Contigo ridden by Todd Minikus
However, this group of stallions had a lot of jumping potential. The pedigrees contained some of the best jumping sires in the world, Cor de la Breyère, Nimmerdor,Jus de Pomme(1996 Olympic Gold medal winner), Silvio I, Romiro, and Almé Z. “Cor” could be found in six of the pedigrees. Making things more interesting for the spectators was the competition between two prominent breeding farms, Glenwood Farms and Hilltop Farm. Glenwood Farms entered two stallions, Dumont and Freestyle. Dumont is by their great stallion, Diamont. Freestyle was recently imported. Hilltop Farm entered two stallions, Reno and Royal Appearance, by their great jumping stallion, Riverman. Carrying the flag for dressage was left to the two stallions, Ragtime and Ransom PCH, by the Hanoverian stallion, Reggazoni. Reggazoni and his sire, Rubinstein I, won their performance tests in Germany and are being competed at dressage in Germany. They are from the same line that produced the dressage Olympic gold medal winners, Rembrandt with Nicole Uphoff and Ahlerich with Dr. Reiner Klimke.

How to watch a stallion test and have some fun!

Lamborghini Z ridden by John French
Rudy Leone, Training Director
To make watching the test more enjoyable and informative I watched the test as if I was one of the judges. It is important to remember that 50% of the score has already been determined by the training director, Rudy Leone, and his staff. This includes the important personality traits, character, temperament, willingness to work, and ability to work. During the final three days the final 50% is scored by a panel of judges and elite guest riders. The panel of judges evaluate the horse at freejumping, walk, trot, canter, and cross country. The dressage guest riders score the stallion on rideability and the jumping guest riders score the stallion on jumping under saddle. It is this final 50% that I focused on. I have looked at the scores from previous tests and found that the training director and the judges agree on the top horses. They differ in the order they place the top horses. So my objective was to try and pick the top five horses. Rideability is probably the most important characteristic of the test. So I looked at the horses from the perspective of which horse would I enjoy riding.  As the horses were presented in groups of two and three, I just picked the top one in the group and wrote it on a pad. By the time of the stallion owner’s party on Friday evening and with only the cross country to go, I had my top five.

The Results…please!

Royal Appearance ridden by Christine Traurig
After the cross country on Saturday the hard work of calculating the results began. The stallion tests in North America and Germany use a complicated scoring system approved by the University of Göttingen in Germany. The system has been used for decades in Germany. Without going into too much detail, each stallion starts out with 100 points and the stallion’s score goes up or down depending on how it did compared to the average. Finally the results were announced. The top horse at the 100-Day Test was seven year old stallion, Contigo. The top horse in the Short Test was the five year old stallion, Lamborghini Z. Both of these horses were at the top of my list for obvious reasons. They both were excellent jumpers, good riding horses, and scored well in all phases. On Friday the guest riders, John French and Todd Minikus, treated us to some showboating with these boys! The top seven horses were all on my list. The second place horse was Reno. I had Ragtime, 5th place, and Reno tied the best four year old. According to my calculations Reno was the number one horse coming out of training but he was not as consistent as Contigo over the final three days. Likewise I favored Scimitar, 6th place, as the best three year old over Ransom PCH, 3rd place finisher. Scimitar improved his position the most over the final three days. Ransom PCH (aka Applause Junkie) seemed a little nervous but settled down quickly when he heard the crowd cheer for him. Both are very fine stallions. Royal Appearance was the fourth place horse. The fourth place was Royal Appearance who bears a striking resemblance to his sire, Riverman, and shared many good qualities with his brother, Reno. However, Reno is the better jumper. A special congratulations to Opus who was second in the short test. He scored a very impressive 140.59 in the dressage index. In the three times the stallion test has conducted the short test, this group was the most impressive.

Return of the 2nd Chance Stallion and other things that make you hmm..

Reno in the cross countrySecond chance stallions are stallions who have been rejected by one society or do not score enough points at their inspection to be certified and then go on to do very well at the 100-day test. Both Amor Reto in 1996 and Contigo in 2000 did not score enough points at their inspection to be provisionally certified and yet both won their 100-day tests impressively. Ragtime was rejected at his first inspection and he went on to a very respectable 5th place. Hmmm….

When you look at the results the two previous tests had a lot more in common than 2000 test. The top horses, Amor Reto and “Blue”(aka Puerto d’ Azur) were the top dressage horse and second place jumping horse. Generally speaking the top dressage horses are the top overall horses. In the 2000 test the top jumpers dominated the overall index.

Time to start planning to attend the 2002 test at Paxton Farm

Congratulations to the management and staff of 2000 test. Once again they continue to improve test for the horses and the spectators. John and Janet Paxton were there taking notes so I am sure they are planning on having the best test ever at their farm. For more information contact the American Hanoverian Society, ISR, or Paxton Farm.

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