USEF Para-Dressage National Championship & WEG Qualifier 2014 - Freestyles for all Grades

New Jersey had several days of lovely weather for the opening of the US Para-Dressage Championships, but of course, my work and my own equine obligations interfered earlier in the week, so I was stuck coming for the rainy day. All the morning horses sloshed their way through their tests, and there was mud splattered over every horse's belly, even after the sun peeked out.

Rebecca Hart preparing to enter for her freestyle

Rebecca Hart was again the  undisputed overall champion. Her mare Schroeter's Romani was beautifully over the back in all her work and supple in the bridle. She is also a lovely moving mare. What separates Hart's good riding from the top riders internationally is a more energetic picture. Similar remarks—both strengths and weaknesses—apply to Margaret McIntosh, who was the overall reserve champion.

Rebecca Hart & Schroeter's Romani (Grade II)

Rebecca Hart & Schroeter's Romani (Grade II)

Rebecca Hart and Margaret McIntosh with their awards coolers

President of the Ground Jury Kristi Wysoki at the prize-giving

Hart finished on a final score from the three days of 74.642% with 76.917% in the kur. McIntosh scored a 73.500% for her Grade Ia freestyle, finishing behind Roxanne Trunnell's 74.00% in that class, but it was enough to give her an overall score of 71.582%. Trunnell was ranked third overall with Nice Touch also on a final score of 71.582%.

Margaret McIntosh & Rio Rio (Grade Ia)

Roxanne Trunnel & Nice Touch (Grade Ia)

Derrick Perkins & NTEC Hans (Grade Ia freestyle, 60.435%)

Roxanne Trunnell & NTEC Royal Dancer (Grade Ia freestyle, 70.652%)

Judge at M, Adrienne Pot, dressed very stylishly.

Kim Decker & Dasher's Destiny (Grade Ia freestyle, 64.130%)

Heather Blitz, coach of Angela Peavy, chatting with Derrick Perkins

Sydney Collier & NTEC Cuplee (Grade Ib freestyle, 71.389%)

Sydney Collier was the only rider in the Grade Ib division, though she showed two different horses. Her 71.389% overall score on NTEC Cuplee put her in fourth across the grades, leaving her in a good place for WEG team contention.

Sydney Collier & Willi Wesley (Grade Ib freestyle, 66.667%)

Mary Jordan & Sebastian warming up

The winner in the Grade IV division was Susan Treabess with the stallion Kamiakin. They showed by far the most powerful test of the class and Treabess maintained the best connection through the bridle. Unfortunately her test was interrupted by a major resistance in a simple change of lead on the short diagonal. Still, the rest of the work was enough to give them the winning score of 73.00% for the test and the Grade IV championship.

Susan Treabess & Kamiakin (Grade IV freestyle, 73.500%)

One of the more disappointing aspects of the grade IV class was the required simple changes. I don't remember even one that dropped cleanly into five(ish) steps of walk before immediately stepping back into canter.

Holly Bergay & NTEC Royal Dancer (Grade IV freestyle, 68.250%)

Mary Jordan and Sebastian (Grade IV freestyle, 71.083%)

Susan Treabess & Kamiakin (Grade IV)

Elizabeth Traband & Ucari (Grade IV freestyle, 70.500%)

Elizabeth Traband & Ucari (Grade IV freestyle, 70.500%)

In the Grade III division, Angela Peavy dominated, though she won the freestyle and the overall championship on different horses. To music, Ozzy Cooper reigned supreme with 74.333%. Peavy rode a test that hit her music beautifully. Her overall score with Lancelot Warrior was 70.442. Her two bright bays could almost be twins, with their similar colouring and way of going; Peavy rides both horses nicely up in the frame, though both could use to reach more through their topline into the bridle.

Angela Peavy & Lancelot Warrior (Grade III)

Angela Peavy & Ozzy Cooper (Grade III)

Angela Peavy & Lancelot Warrior (Grade III)

Kate Shoemaker & Pacifec M (Grade III freestyle, 73.500)

Kate Shoemaker & Arpeggio (Grade III freestyle 69.333)

Eleanor Brimmer's London Swing is an eye-catching uphill mover, but did not score higher as the horse was often braced above the bit (the bracing is not so evident in the picture below), even when the exercises were otherwise of good quality.

Eleanor Brimmer & London Swing (Grade III freestyle, 66.833)

Pamela Hardin & Freemont (Grade III freestyle, 64.167%)

Pamela Hardin & GM Major Soho (Grade III freestyle, 66.333%)

Ashleigh Flores-Simmons & Verite SF (Grade II freestyle, 70.333%)

Ashleigh Flores-Simmons rode one of my favourite freestyles of the day. Her ride Verite is the typical high-stepping Dutch type, and Flores-Simmons chose music with a nice strong beat that matched well her horse's way of going. She also had her transitions perfectly timed to the music.

Elle Wooley & Noble Baron (Grade II freestyle, 68.000%)

Elle Wooley preparing to go in the ring for her ride.

Marsha Cullen & Latte (Grade II freestyle, 64.000%)

Deborah Stanitski & Tiramisu (Grade II freestyle, 65.250%)

Pamela Hardin supports Kim Decker (literally!) during the awards ceremony.

The stables at Hamilton Farm

all photos by halt, salute. please ask before using

FEI World Cup Final 2014 Lyon - Grand Prix Freestyle

Charlotte Dujardin & Valegro: 92.179%

• Though the sound is very different, more cinematic, Dujardin's new choreography is like her Olympic program in two ways: it contains lots of transitions between quiet and dramatic and is highly difficult and technical. Their first extended trot was not only enormous but very settled and the following half-pass reached strongly forward and sideways. The passage is ridden to quite a quiet Irish-sounding tune that adds percussion for the transition to piaffe. The piaffe work was superb, with Valegro dropping his croup, closing well at the base, and staying up in the bridle. Valegro was a hair less underneath himself at times in the passage than the day before and there were a few times when Valegro got a little deep in the bridle in the trot work, but these were incredibly minor deviations for his overall correctness. The extended walk should still push forward a little more from behind. The canter pirouettes were impeccably balanced as they turned, though the one to the left was a hair big. At the end of the test Dujardin rode a marvelous piaffe pirouette with the horse turning without the slightest loss of rhythm or step off the line behind.

Helen Langehanenberg & Damon Hill: 87.339%

• Langehanenberg's music fits Damon Hill so perfectly, with the notes to carry power, but still some softness and beauty. Their entrance had a halt that was out behind and the first piaffe was quite irregular. The combination settled into their ride well, though. Damon Hill really compressed in his body a lot in the piaffe, holding himself up and together better than ever. The lovely flowing half-passes in trot could have pushed a little more sideways today. The passage work was remarkably uphill and engaged, almost as though Damon Hill's front legs needn't touch the ground at all. The two tempis were beautiful and ground-covering, though Damon Hill has the potential to be a little freer in front. The canter zig-zag was perfectly balanced in its changes of direction. Damon Hill lost energy in the transition to passage at the end and looked just a touch laboured in his extravagant final extended trot.

Edward Gal & Glock's Undercover: 83.696%

• Gal's entrance looked quite settled in its characteristic high-stepping piaffe and passage, though the frame could still have been more open. The rhythm was a little slower in a nice way, showing more relaxation. The early extended trot was not quite as tense in the body as it can be, but still lacked over-track. The trot half-passes had lovely reach forward and sideways both in  front and behind. The extended walk was relaxed, but actually a bit too open in the frame. The canter half-passes were superbly balanced, but very short in the stride. Undercover came up in the shoulder nicely in the tiny canter pirouettes. The extended canters were huge, but rather croup-high. The one tempis were incredibly tight in the body and Gal had trouble making his transition after them down into passage. Gal had a solid and precise ride as always, but he couldn't quite prevent Undercover from getting a bit overcooked towards the end of the test.

 Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén & Don Auriello: 80.911%

• Don Auriello is a beautiful horse in the body, but he is still painfully slow behind in the passage. The piaffe with its super sit is a surprising contrast to the passage every time I see this horse go. The trot half-passes were beautifully open in the shoulder. Don Auriallo steps way under himself in the tempi changes, again a total contrast to the passage where he drag his toes. A couple of the canter pirouettes lost some of their uphill balance and their energy. The horse just seemed a little flat in these finals. At the end of the test, Vilhelmson-Silfvén really drove Don Auriello forward for two huge ground-covering extended trots—divided by a short line of slightly more energetic piaffe and passage—showing him push more from behind than he usually does.

Isabell Werth & El Santo: 79.071%

• The major strength of El Santo is how much he engages behind, particularly in passage. He still cannot quite carry his super engagement into an in-place piaffe, however. As sick as I am of Queen in freestyles, I love the cheerful energy of Werth's music for this horse. The extended trots have enormous over-track. In the extended walk, Werth rode El Santo correctly into the bridle. The incredibly sitting canter pirouettes looked a little tenuous in their balance, but held together. The extended canters were absolutely enormous without getting the least bit hurried. There was an error behind in one line of two tempis. El Santo stepped under nicely in the canter half-passes, whereas many horses tend to get quite short behind. Werth rode at full power and El Santo was definitely with her today. 

Danielle Heijkoop & Kingsley Siro: 77.946%

• After an unsteady halt, Heijkoop sprang off into her energetic freestyle.  Heijkoop was the first in the class to really hit clear musical transitions and precise lines. Her trot half-passes drove beautifully up and sideways. The trot work looked controlled, but also effortless. The transitions in and out of the canter pirouettes were very fluid, though in the pirouettes, the horse could carry a little more behind rather than pushing up and back off his front legs. Siro got a touch braced upward in the canter half-passes. In extended trot, the horse should reach more out into the bridle and step under more behind, but the last one created quite the power for the last steps of piaffe and passage. The beat of the footfalls in piaffe and passage hit the music exactly as Siro took his very deliberate and regular steps. 

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl & Unee BB: 77.768%

• Von Bredow-Werndl had a rather rough start with no real halt and a stride of cross-canter in before her first canter pirouette. Unee settled well into the work, and the tempis that polished off the first centerline were big and flowing. The canter pirouettes are nicely measured and sitting. Von Bredow-Werndl rides a lovely series from extended canter to piaffe pirouette to extended walk that came off cleanly in a way that showed off the horse's attentiveness. The transition from piaffe to passage is a little difficult for Unee and he often pulled out on the bit as he steps forward. The originality of von Bredow-Werndl's pattern is unfortunately offset by very unoriginal use of "Pirates of the Carribean" and "Painted Black". Still, the music choices do work decently for the dramatic horse. 

Hans Peter Minderhoud & Glock's Johnson TN: 77.625%

• Minderhoud created a very polished and soft picture with this horse right from the outset. The piaffe and passage were rhythmical with plenty of lift, though Johnson could come a touch more under behind. The extended trot is really loose in the body in a nice way and Johnson steps way underneath himself. The extended walk got too deep in the bridle and the collected walk was very short behind in anticipation of the canter. The extended canter beginning through the short side stepped under beautifully. The tempis were ground-covering and the canter rhythm clear. The canter pirouettes could have been more uphill with a bit more jump. After the canter work, the passage took a little while to develop, but looked strong and relaxed for the finish. 

Marc Boblet & Noble Dream Concept Sol: 74.875%

• This mare really steps off the ground in her passage, but the piaffe by contrast is quite a struggle, and Noble Dream showed her tendency to lurch out of piaffe back into the huge passage. The early line of two tempis were dropped in the back and the mare jumped together behind a couple of times. The subsequent line of ones was much stronger, with Noble Dream stepping way under herself and pushing upward from behind. In the canter half-passes, however, she got rather restricted behind again. The extended trot was high-powered with the mare traveling with huge suspension across the arena. The music had a bit of techno flair, but seemed maybe a bit too jazzed up for the mare, adding to the sense of her tension. Boblet cleverly ended on Noble Dream's super passage. 

Inessa Merkulova & Mister X: 73.786%

• In the initial trot work, Mister X traveled with lots of engagement from behind, but Merkulova could have done more to get him to open up his frame. The passage and piaffe was regular in it's rhythm and had lots of suspension, but didn't quite step up consistently behind. The collected walk was quite tight in the back while the extended walk was clean but a little laxidasical. The canter pirouettes were impressive. Mister X carried his weight completely behind. In the one tempis, the horse's haunches were swinging way too much, causing him to lose his forward momentum. With the horse's impressive gaits, and clean riding, the test definitely earned its good score.

Mikala Münter-Gunderson & My Lady: 72.250%

• Münter-Gunderson really rode for her first extended trot, and boy can My Lady show over-track. The music was Broadway style, with the catchy "All That Jazz" for the piaffe and passage. The piaffe and passage are quite energetic, though it often looks like quite a struggle for Münter-Gunderson to keep her mare together. My Lady changed behind in the first canter pirouette. The forward tempis looked great. My Lady's collected walk got quite artificial in front, though the extended walk was quite nice. The second canter pirouette also didn't quite show clear steps behind and was a bit big. The final piaffe left a good last impression, with My Lady stepping strongly up and under behind.

Tina Konyot & Calecto V: 71.893%

• Konyot has a great freestyle, but I have to say, it's getting a bit old. Calecto definitely got quite croup-high, high in the neck, and low in the shoulder in the piaffe and passage today. He really pushes up with his big neck, making it hard for Konyot to get his hind legs under him. The extended trot to half-pass was a super effective move to get a really dynamic half-pass, though when she rode the other order in the other direction, the extended trot was a bit flat. The extended walk had a very good rhythm. The first canter pirouette was rather tense and the horse jumped together behind. The rhythm and jump of Konyot's tempis always give the impression of lots of power and energy, but there was an error in two of the four lines of one tempis. Calecto didn't quite seem with Konyot today, getting quite croup high again in the final tour of passage and piaffe and completely quitting into the halt several seconds ahead of the musical end. 

Elena Sidneva & Romeo Star: 71.018%

• Sidneva began on a quite stunning extended trot, a little reminiscent of Damon Hill's open strides and even, supple engagement in front and behind. The first piaffe could have been more in place and active. The classical music for the trot work was a little flat, but for the piaffe and passage music had a good rhythm and the right weight for this horse's gaits: not to sparkling, not too heavy. The collected canter after extended canter and in the first canter half-pass needed a bit more jump and got rather slow behind. The two tempis were ridden very nicely forward, covering the whole diagonal, but to score up more, the horse needed to jump up a little more into them. In both canter pirouettes, the stallion seemed to want to fall out of them. Sidneva ended with another of Romeo Star's very nice extended trots. 

Marcela Krinke Susmelj & Smeyers Lazander: 69.857%

• The early trot work in this freestyle seemed rather hurried and short behind. The piaffe and passage transitioned to much much better engagement, though Lazander sometimes hasd a tendency to pull down in the bridle. The half-pass after the passage was much more powerful from behind, though Krinke-Susmelj had to give some pretty strong half-halts to get him up in the bridle. Krinke-Susmelj rather unsuccessfully rode two tempis on the circle, with the haunches swinging and a mistake at the end. The canter half-passes jumped sideways quite well, and Lazander got much lighter in the bridle in them. There was another error in a later series of one-tempis. The piaffe and passage at the end of the test were at full power, but it might have been nice to have a few more seconds of this highlight to really solidify a good final impression.

Mary Hanna & Sancette: 69.821%

• Hanna rides a really lovely collected trot with fluid uphill strides. The piaffe and passage are very solid, with Sancette getting just a bit wide in front in piaffe and having a minor loss of power in the transitions. Hanna rode right out of walk into a canter pirouette, which was not quite optimal today, since the horse got a bit flat from the tension of the transition, and it took Hanna the first rotation to get Sancette together. The one tempis were very uphill and nicely forward, but unfortunately Sancette bobs his head quite a bit in them. The final lines of passage were very nicely engaged behind, with Sancette reaching softly up into the bridle.

Cesar Parra & Van the Man: 68.429%

• Parra had some Latin pop, including the recognizable Shakira. The piaffe, where the horse can really spring off his haunches, did not always look very secure in it's rhythm. The passage is big and elevated in the shoulder, but Van the Man sometimes gets a bit out behind. The first canter pirouette was very poorly placed. The second was more deliberate and the pirouette overall was in better collection, though the horse lost the canter rhythm for a stride at the end. Another canter pirouette followed by one tempis was ridden in quick succession: a difficult move that got Van the Man nicely springing up  off his haunches in the ground-covering one-tempis. The lines in this particular freestyle should have could have been more precisely ridden.

Dong-Seon Kim & Bukowski: 68.089%

• Delightfully, the young Korean rider entered with a dose of Gagnam Style and stuck with pop hits.The passage and piaffe that began the test was the definite highlight, springy and rhythmical, though it ought to have been a touch more uphill and up in the bridle. The extended trot looked really nicely energetic with nice reach forward across the diagonal. The canter work looked more dynamic today, though there is at least one stride where the horse changes behind into cross-canter. The two tempis and very nice with the horse moving up through his body, but the ones got rather short and downhill. Even with its imperfections, the test gives the viewer a nice feeling: Bukowski looks very comfortable in the big arena under Kim's steady riding. 

FEI World Cup Final 2014 Lyon - Grand Prix

This was a really nice World Cup to watch with a really top group of riders and very good judging. It's a bit odd for the winner to come in on a wild card, but the win was certainly well-deserved!

Charlotte Dujardin & Valegro: 87.129%

• The first extended trot was not quite as jaw-dropping as usual, but still had amazing reach and over-track. The half-passes had lovely crossing and power. The piaffe showed amazing sit and spring from behind, really closing at the base to a degree that Valegro hasn't shown in a test before, but in the second piaffe, it became just a bit much and Valegro lost the rhythm for a second. There was also a tiny rhythm error into the transition into the second passage out of walk. The extended canter was huge and the transitions in and out had impeccable uphill balance. The one tempis were unquestionably the most ground-covering, engaged and straight. The tiny balanced canter pirouettes could have had a hair more jump. The passage and piaffe on the final centerline looked more powerful than ever. This pair has no real weakness and they slowly turn up the dial, today earning another world record score.

Helen Langehanenberg & Damon Hill: 83.343%

• Damon Hill was really reaching and pushing forward in his long and light-footed strides for the first extended trot. The trot half-passes were totally fluid, though they could have had a little more sideways power. The passage had super engagement as always. The two tempis were absolutely fluid. The transitions from collected to extended canter and back were smooth and relaxed, with none of the tension in the back that other horses often show. The ones were just a hair shorter in the stride than one might want. Both pirouettes turned in excellent lateral balance with nice sit. Damon Hill was really on his haunches on the final centerline, but just before the halt it became just a bit more than he could hold and gave a little lurch into the halt. What I never get tired of in Langehanenberg's riding is the appearance of harmony and lightness.

Edward Gal & Glock's Undercover: 79.957%

• Gal has such precise and subtle riding, but I still wish I could see Undercover if Gal could let go just a little, making the test more fluent and natural. The extended trot was very short behind lacking the desired over-track. The piaffe and passage was as regular as metronome, as always. The two-tempis jumped a bit from side to side, though the canter rhythm was clean. The canter zig-zag had lovely sideways movement and effortless changes of bend. The ones were not ground-covering and incredibly short in the neck. Gal added good sit to the tiny canter pirouette left, though the one to the right was a little flatter. The last extended trot showed a little overstep, better power from behind, and more open expression. 

 Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén & Don Auriello: 75.086%

• Though Don Auriello is quite flat behind, he really steps under behind in the extended trot and his shoulder-freedom is amazing. Vilhelmson-Silfvén kept him uphill well in the trot half-passes, allowing him to really reach up and sideways. The passage is still a little weak behind, and the piaffe a little less springy than ideal, but with very good rhythm and sit. The one-tempis were regular, but unfortunately Don Auriello missed one, inexplicably. The last piaffe had a little more spring, but more from tension than engagement. Vilhelmson-Silfvén does a beautiful job maintaining her horse in a consistent uphill, round frame like few other riders can.

Isabell Werth & El Santo: 74.186%

• El Santo always looks like a tough one to keep together, but Werth did a super job keeping him together today. El Santo dragged his feet a bit in the reinback. The piaffe continued to be either springy and traveling forward or a bit lacking in energy. The extended walk was lovely, as El Santo just dropped softly into relaxation. The two tempis had super uphill spring, but the ones were laboured. One stride in the canter zig-zag jumped together behind. The canter pirouette left was uphill but not quite balanced as it turned; the one to the right could have been more uphill. The last extended trot was super powerful with lots of over-track. A great test for this pair. 

Hans Peter Minderhoud & Glock's Johnson TN: 73.771%

• Minderhoud has done a lovely job maintaining the fluidity of this horse's movement even as he has advanced to Grand Prix level. The trot work was lovely and energetic. The passage sometimes got a bit irregular and wiggly, but I expect that will go away as Johnson develops. The collected walk was a little tight behind. The piaffe had a good active rhythm. In the two-tempis, Minderhoud had to work a little to get the changes moving forward as opposed to jumping merely up. In general, Johnson still seems to rely on Minderhoud for his balance in the canter, though the work was still very good. The final passage had lots of engagement and knee-action. This test showed the pair's developing partnership at this level very well. 

Danielle Heijkoop & Kingsley Siro: 72.857%

• Siro looked good today, with Heijkoop keeping Siro nicely in front of the vertical overall, though he got a hair tight in the trot half-passes. Siro pushes sideways nicely. The two tempis flowed across the arena with expression and relaxation; the ones were also good, though they could have been a bit more uphill and open in front. The flying change after the extended canter was late behind. Unfortunately, Heijkoop lost the passage on the final centerline, reflective of her not quite having her characteristic control. 

Jessica von Bredow-Werndl & Unee BB: 72.686%

• There was sometimes some minor inconsistency in Unee's contact to the bridle. The passage and piaffe were nicely elevated, though the horse could have come a little more under himself behind. The extended canter was powerful, but the transitions in an out could have been more steady and balanced. Unee gave a big kick out to the leg at the beginning of the one tempis. Von Bredow-Werndl could have kept the canter pirouettes a hair more balanced and active. 

Marc Boblet & Noble Dream Concept Sol: 71.814%

• This slender mare is such a ballerina in the arena with her huge and light movement. The half-passes moved sideways well and stayed open in front, though the mare tilted a bit in the contact. The piaffe is quite small and Noble Dream lurches up into passage. The passage has lots of suspension. Boblet didn't quite show enough steps in the second piaffe. The tempis were not quite straight because the horse got just a bit too tense to be supple. The pirouettes maintained the jump of the canter well and the final centerline was pretty cleanly ridden. 

Inessa Merkulova & Mister X: 71.057%

• Mister X is a very leggy fellow with huge knee-action. In the trot half-passes, Merkulova got the horse quite behind the bit and rather restricted in his strides. The rein-back was a little downhill but had very clean diagonal steps. The piaffe was incredible, with huge spring off the ground. The passage also had lots of suspension, though again, Mister X got bit deep and could travel a hair more forward. The horse jumped together behind in the transition up into canter. The flying changes were a bit odd mechanically, with the horse getting high in the shoulder but also deep in the bridle, almost like crow-hopping. Overall, the test had some super highlights, though one would probably want a softer contact with the bit.

Tina Konyot & Calecto V: 70.443%

• This pair's entrance was super balanced, but Calecto did not quite settle into the halt. The first extended trot could have used a little more forward power, though I think to keep the hind end down today, Konyot toned her stallion's power down. The first passage was enormous and stayed regular, with the croup not getting too high. In the piaffe, the stallion crept forward a bit much and came out into a slightly less controlled passage. The second piaffe-passage tour had cleaner transitions. The tempi changes jumped nicely off the ground, but could have pushed a little more forward from behind. The pirouettes are top class, turning slowly in beautiful, controlled, uphill balance. Calecto got a bit unbalanced before the last centerline, which was rather untidy. The passage got irregular, the piaffe might have needed a couple more steps, and the halt was a bit abrupt. Still, Konyot presented a nice balance of expression and control in this test.

Mikala Münter-Gunderson & My Lady: 69.429%

• My Lady showed a lot of power, though sometimes looked a touch tense when she moved really big. The second extended trot never quite got going. The transitions between piaffe and passage were very clean, though in piaffe the mare could engage more in the right hind. The two tempis has a rather unbalanced start, and though they were big, they jumped a bit from side to side. Münter-Gunderson lost some of the collection of her horse's canter in the zig-zag. The last extended trot was more powerful and open in the stride and the final passage had lots of elevation.

Mary Hanna & Sancette: 68.471%

• Hanna had Sancette moving in a nice forward way, but there were a number of small irregularities in the trot work, especially where the horse pulled down a little in the bridle. The piaffe was nicely active, though it came a bit above the bit. The canter zig-zag was slightly laboured. Sancette swings a little in his haunches in the tempis, though he takes nice big strides. The pirouettes were small, but the canter lost some jump in them. 

Marcela Krinke Susmelj & Smeyers Lazander: 67.743%

• Lazander is a very light-footed horse and had a open springy extended trot. The trot half-passes were a little tight in the back. The piaffe and passage are absolutely regular with impeccable transitions, though the horse could sit a little more in piaffe. The canter work got excessively rocking and lost a bit of its proper three-beat rhythm, and unfortunately she lost a lot of points here. The frame was nicely open and and up, though Lazander did tend to get rather tense, especially through his back.

Elena Sidneva & Romeo Star: 67.629%

• Romeo Star had a nice open first extended trot, but lost some of his engagement in the half-passes. In the first piaffe, the stallion wanted to rush forward out of it, and while trying to hold him back, Sidneva caused him to lose some of his energy. There were a number of mistakes in the two-tempi changes, but the ones were quite nice. The canter pirouettes had nice bend, but lost a good deal of the energy of the canter. 

Cesar Parra & Van the Man: 65.543%

• Van the Man is a nicely leggy horse with a very difficult neck that often gets too short and tight. The horse broke into canter in the first extended trot. Van the Man sits very well in piaffe and really springs up from behind. Unfortunately, the horse, who isn't used to such an impressive indoor, gave a pretty big spook and resistance into the second passage tour. About halfway through the canter zig-zag, the horse came above the bit for a couple of strides, though Parra finessed it very well. The one tempis were rather hurried and not quite straight. The final centerline was quite nice.

Dong-Seon Kim & Bukowski: 64.471%

• Like Parra, Kim had a break in his first extended trot and also a little trip in the first trot half-pass, though they were otherwise energetic. Bukowski threw his head straight up after the rein back. The piaffe was nicely rhythmical and active, though it crept forward slightly. The walk work was rather tense. The tempis—both the twos and the ones—were steady but quite small. The extended canter got quick rather than lengthening in the strides. The last line of piaffe and passage was regular but rather tense in the topline.

LA Mid-Winter Dressage CDI 2014 - Intermediare I

Steffen Peters & Aristo: 69.298%

• Well, if you are looking for a really nice small tour horse, this one is for sale. Peters had the horse nicely moving forward, but there were a few moments where he seemed a bit weak behind. In fact, when Peters went to urge Aristo forward and sideways in for the trot half-pass right, the horse found it easier to canter than to push into a more elevated trot. The voltes were very nicely uphill and balanced. The medium trot covered the ground well. The extended walk had a nice relaxed rhythm but not a ton of over track. The canter half passes really pushed sideways. There were a few mistakes in the three tempis. Peters's canter pirouettes were not very small, but the horse showed it could sit and turned in a clear canter. There was a mistake again in the last of the two tempis. The extended trot at the end really covered the diagonal but could have shown more reach in front.

Elizabeth Ball & Avanti: 68.991%

• Ball rode in a way that definitely attacked the test. The trot had a clear driving rhythm, though there were a few moments of tension. The canter half-passes were nicely uphill with big flying changes between them. Avanti lost his balance at the beginning of the canter pirouettes but Ball did a good job rebalancing him uphill. Unfortunately he swapped leads behind at the end of the pirouette right. Both lines of tempi changes jumped up nicely. 

Nick Wagman & Zenith: 68.904%

• Zenith is a very impressive powerful horse with fluid gaits. Wagman had some inconsistency in the angle of his  first shoulder-in. The half-passes had nice crossing but the one to the right got a little bit passage-like and tense. The balance in the voltes was very good, with Zenith maintaining a strong trot. The medium trot was a little flat and tight in the neck, and the horse collapsed into the bit in the walk transition. In the canter work, Zenith again showed some tendency to occasionally get a bit deep and tight, with Wagman having to bump the horse's head up. Both pirouettes were quite small with the horse really trying to sit, but Zenith got a little hurried to keep his balance. 

Mette Rosencrantz & Mosegaards Rico: 68.509%

• Mosegaards Rico is a compact and lightfooted type. The trot work in this test was nice but in the shoulder in and voltes it lacked some engagement. The horse stepped under better behind in the trot half passes. The canter half passes were nicely uphill and active. The threes were also plenty uphill with good jump. Rico became a bit unbalanced and above the bit in the second pirouette, but the first was quite small. The final halt was dead square and the transition in was very balanced.

Leslie Reid & Fine and Smart: 67.281%

• Reid's trot work had a very consistent rhythm and contact. To score higher it could have had a little more energy and been a bit more closed in the frame, though Fine and Smart's basic gaits had that floating pleasant appearance. The collected walk was very short and tense. The three tempis were clean and expressive but slightly croup-high. The canter pirouettes were controlled and well-balanced. There was a little hesitancy in the transition down from canter to trot. 

Mette Rosencrantz & De Noir 3: 66.447%

• De Noir is a more powerful horse then Rico, but a bit unsteady in his gaits. In the first medium trot he became quite wide behind, though the horse pushed forward better than many in the class. In the half-passes, the canter should have shown a little more jump, and the horse became a bit low in front in the changes. The three tempis were nicely balanced but could have pushed more from behind. In the canter pirouettes, De Noir got a bit stuck and over-collected and started leading with his haunches. The final extended trot could have had more suspension, but was evenly reaching with bigger strides both in front and behind. 

Steffen Peters & Appassionata: 65.965%

• Peters was showing Brandi Roenick's new post-young-riders acquisition. Appassionata is a very long legged mare with lots of action in the front leg and elastic gaits, and probably the most interesting horse of the class. The hot mare spooked at the end of the first medium trot. The lateral work in trot flowed in a good rhythm with good angles in the shoulder-in and half-pass. The mare lost her balance and had a few moments of big anxious resistance in the canter half-pass left. The threes were very nice especially the change to the right where the horse really stepped under. Peters's canter pirouettes were small, but turned hurriedly when the mare felt unbalanced. The transition down from canter to trot was a bit of a mess. Overall the test was extremely tactfully ridden, as one would expect. 

David Blake & Lord Chalk Hill: 65.789%

• Lord Chalk Hill started by offering a very abrupt halt. In the trot work, the horse moved very nicely and swung through the body, but one wanted to see him more uphill in the frame. The stallion dragged his feet in the reinback. The left flying changes in the canter half-passes were both late behind. The three tempis, by contrast, were lovely and uphill. Blake's first pirouette was quite big and off the bit; the second was a little smaller but rotated on rather fixed hindlegs. The twos showed lovely shoulder freedom. 

Christine Traurig & Louisdor: 65.789%

• Louisdor is a quite heavy-boned horse but still quite hot. Traurig began on a very precise square halt. The trot work was very precise and well-ridden, especially the flowing half passes and excellently balanced voltes. The shoulder-ins could have used a little more power and been a little more open in the neck, but were still very good. The rein back was clear. The walk was quite lateral, despite not seeming excessively tense. The canter half-passes were tidy but could have had a bit more energy. The three tempis were a bit short in the strides and Louisdor missed the third one. The twos were clean. The canter rhythm in both pirouettes was very good, though the first one was a tiny bit big. The final extended trot had very nice power from behind. 

Amelia Child & Veto: 65.439%

• Child's ride was committed and energetic. The horse had gais that were pushing well from behind, though in the trot work his loose movement sometimes became irregular for a stride. The shoulder in left was very energetic and well-balanced. The collected walk was marching though a bit tense and short behind. The canter half-passes really sprang sideways though the changes were touch flat. Veto's tempis were quite ground covering with the good spring of his natural canter. The canter pirouettes were a bit hurried but relatively small and active. 

Susan Martin & Natasha: 65.132%

• Natasha is a mare with quite short forelegs and not much shoulder freedom but a nice compact body. The first shoulder in had a couple strong half halts which didn't quite make sense. The half-pass right could have been a little more uphill. The first two canter half-passes were a little restricted, but the third to the right strode more powerfully uphill. Martin really rode to get ground covering tempi changes. The two tempis were quite crooked, though. 

Lehua Custer & Winona: 64.737%

• Winona was a little unsteady in the bridle in the lateral work in trot, though the half-passes, voltes, and shoulder-in were relatively fluid. The mare's extended trots had nice power from behind, though they could have been a little more uphill. At the turn down the centerline to begin the canter half-passes, the horse became quite short and wide behind. The canter pirouettes jumped a bit together behind and should have been more elevated in front. Both lines of tempos had nice activity. 

Rebecca Rigdon & Versace: 64.737%

• The rhythm of Versace's trot was quite tight and hurried and the horse frequently came a bit behind the vertical. The second shoulder and was not quite straight. The second medium trot showed nice opening of the strides. The walk was slightly tense and irregular. Rigdon rode a lovely pirouette right, but unfortunately, it was off course. The tempi changes jumped forward well. The pirouette left became a bit hurried and turned more around the middle than the haunches, but the one to the right was (again) quite measured and uphill. That transition down from canter to trot was quite late. The final extended trot was daring and well executed. 

Wendy Christoff & Di Scansano: 63.596%

• Di Scansano had nice even movement in front and behind but seemed to lean a bit on the bridle. The half passes could have used more power sideways. The medium trot really pushed forward from behind, though to score higher it would be good to see more lift in front. The transition to canter from walk was executed in haunches-in. The canter half passes were in nice bend but seemed a bit behind the leg. The horse died out the first canter pirouette, and almost lost the canter in the second. The tempi changes were nice. The final extended trot showed the horse's potential for power from behind. 

Verena Martin & Ulliman: 63.421%

• After the first halt Ulliman got a bit dead to the leg and then became the deep and short in his high set neck. After the nice reinback the horse became a little lighter in the bridle. The canter half-passes were well balanced and strong, though the horse was still coming deep in the contact. The three tempis were successful, though executed with slightly exaggerated changes of bend. In the left pirouette, Ulliman started in good collection but lost energy at the end. The one to the right was quite good as it maintained the collection throughout. 

Lehua Custer & Dance With Me: 62.544%

• This mare has a very short quick-strided canter but a nice flowing trot. In the half-passes the mare was nicely open and up in the frame and step sideways energetically. The halt and reinback was anxious. Dance With Me bobbed her head in the collected walk which was otherwise nicely active. The canter depart looked like a surprise for the horse. The extended canter was a little frantic. The tempi changes were obedient but very small. The first pirouette was very unbalanced—it seemed too small for the horse at this stage. The final extended trot showed the horse with more push from behind and opening up very well in front. 

Erika Reinig & Fraktura: 61.491%

• This mare has a quite nice active hind leg that was not always matched in the front. The trot half-passes were a little tight in the body. The medium and extended trots needed more power from behind and more elevation. The horse became resistant to the bit in the first change of direction in the canter half passes.  There were a couple of errors in the three tempis, though the horse has a nice uphill tendency in her flying changes. The first canter pirouette was big and poorly placed; the second small and almost too collected for the horse at this point. The two tempis were clean and springy. 

Sherry Van't Riet & Sir Deauville: 59.386%

• Sir Deauville is a big, nicely built horse, but seemed quite behind the leg in this test leading to unsteadiness in contact. Van't Riet mostly kept her horse regular and balanced in the trot tour. The canter half-passes were quite above the bit resulting in one unbalanced and crooked change of direction. The three tempi changes were successful but a bit laboured. Both pirouettes were quite off the contact and against the inside leg. 

Georgiana Herrera & Rumiranova D: 57.675%

• Not the best start as Herrara had to give a big kick to get this horse going out of the halt. The trot work was a little inconsistent in the level of energy and rhythm shown. The mare also stopped and peed in the middle of the collected walk—poor Herrera was visibly embarrassed, but it explained the horse's hesitance at the beginning of the test. The canter tended to be a little croup high. There were a few mistakes early in the three tempis and the later ones were quite restricted in the strides. The two tempis were straight and had decent jump. The horse seemed to have nice basic gaits, but they were lost today behind tightness in the body. 

LA Mid-Winter Dressage CDI 2014 - Grand Prix Special

It's a shame that Kathleen Raine and Breanna did not make this show, though I am sure they will be out to a California CDI again soon to make it to the WEG qualifier at Gladstone. Wylea looks improved since last summer, but Legolas—even with Steffen Peters's very sympathetic and precise riding—seems to have reached his limits. For those early in the class, the new piaffe coefficient must have been trouble, since that was a significant weakness in a number of rides.


Steffen Peters & Legolas 92: 75.255%

• Peters started on a not quite square halt and unbalanced first corner, but the extended trot was decently energetic. The passage rhythm was superb, with few moments where the hind leg hitched up (which has been an issue in past tests). The horse broke into canter a for a strident the beginning of the third extended trot. The extended walk was relaxed but should have stepped more energetically into the bit. The transition from walk to piaffe was perfect and the piaffe was absolutely in place with even elevation in front and behind. The second piaffe got a bit flat in front and overactive behind in a few steps but was still very good. The rhythm of Legolas's canter is not the best, with the leading front leg coming down very quickly. Still, the canter half-passes jump sideways very nicely. There were no problems in the tempis but they should have shown more jump. The extended canter was quite good with Legolas finally showing a clear canter rhythm. The pirouette were tiny but bit heavy and flat-footed in front. The final centerline is really the highlight of any test for this combination and that showed today. 

Guenter Seidel & Coral Reef Wylea: 72.784%

• This mare had lots of shoulder freedom in the extended trot and opened her strides nicely but it would have been nice to see her come up a little more in front and show a bit more power from behind. Wylea is very active with her knees in the passage and has decent but not outstanding elevation. The extended walk showed big clear relaxed strides. The piaffe was plenty active but a touch too forward. The transitions between piaffe and passage were impeccable. The tempis were nicely ground-covering. The extended canter showed nice long strides but could have been more uphill. One of the one tempis down the centerline was close behind. Seidel rode pirouettes that were tiny and in an excellent canter rhythm, but a bit low in front. The fantastic final piaffe showed super elevation of the limbs and a very clear rhythm. 

Beatrice Marienau & Stefano 8: 67.275%

• The trot half passes were quite nice with good—almost too passage-like—suspension. The passage had very good spring and a lovely frame though there was the odd step where the horse couldn't quite maintain it. The extended trots were quite short behind. The extended walk got a bit deep in the neck. The transition from walk to piaffe was quite clean, though the piaffe drifted forward and sideways a bit. The second piaffe was better collected but also a little tense. Stefano jumped together behind in the transition from passage to canter. In the canter half-passes the horse slightly lost the clarity of his canter rhythm. The tempis were obedient. The canter pirouettes needed more sit. Marienau rode a very obedient and pleasant test.

Michelle Reilly & Umeeko: 64.373%

• This pair had very nice entrance with a square and prompt halt. Umeeko had good shoulder freedom and nice open strides in his extended trot. The passage was a little small but totally regular. The trot half passes needed a little more strength pushing sideways. The contact with the bit was lovely and soft. The transition to walk from massage got a touch stock but the extended walk showed lovely relaxation and a good open frame into the bit.  There were couple resistant canter strides in the first piaffe. The second piaffe was very small and crept forward bit but was rhythmical. The transition from passage to canter was late and unbalanced. The one tempis were dead straight and energetic. He first canter pirouette needed more energy while the second rotated a bit too quickly, but both were quite well-controlled by Reilly. The final centerline was not extraordinarily dynamic but was very correct, including the transitions. A nice combination.

Kimberly McGrath & Winslow: 64.333%

• Winslow had a quite dull collected trot but came nicely uphill in his extended trot. The horse showed significantly more engagement with the right hind than the left in his passage, but overall the movement had decent rhythm and suspension. The second trot half-pass got quite stuck and needed more energy forward and sideways. The transition to piaffe was excellent: clear and prompt. The piaffe was clearly regular and nicely lowered in the croup and the transitions in and out were balanced. There were quite a few mistakes in the two tempis, seemingly because the horse got a bit behind the leg. There was also a mistake in the ones. The first pirouette was small but a bit stuck and off the contact, the second nicely active and uphill. The final extended trot had lots of power from behind and the final centerline was very well ridden. 

Lientje Schuller & Mike Tyson: 63.824%

• Mike Tyson showed nice engagement behind in his extended trot. The first trot half-pass started at a wobbly angle but it ended with strong fluid strides. The passage needed a little more consistent collected suspension, at times becoming a bit too trot-like. The extended walk needed a little more stretch in the neck. Schuller's piaffe was quite nice out of the walk with very good activity even though it took a minute to develop. The transition up into passage was not quite clean but the piaffe itself was really earning points for that double coefficient. The canter half passes lost some of their forward energy. There was plenty of jump in the two tempis, but some of it was more behind than in front, so the horse became a little croup-high. The first canter pirouette lost some of the energy and rhythm of canter, the second was better in this respect, but needed to be a bit more on the hind legs. Mike Tyson almost got stuck (from too much sitting) in the final passage but Schuller rode through it well.

Coutenay Fraser & Birkegardens Lukas: 61.059%

• This pretty gelding got a little deep and tight in the first extended trot. The half-passes flowed over nicely. That passage seemed to be developing towards good elevation and was pretty consistently a bit irregular in its engagement. In the extended walk the horse was swinging through his back with his nose nicely in front of the vertical. The first piaffe out of the walk didn't really happen. The second was slightly better but there was little jump between diagonal pairs. The change after the second canter half-pass was late behind. There were a couple mistakes in the two tempis. The ones were clean and straight. The horse changed behind at the end of the extended canter. The first pirouette was small but lost balance and turned a little too quickly while the second was a little bigger but kept a better canter rhythm. Unfortunately the now double coefficient on the piaffe limited the score of this test a great deal. 

April Atwell & Pavarottie: 60.804%

• In the collected trot work, Pavarottie is a little flat and deed in the neck for a Grand Prix. The half passes were rather quiet but had nice supple bend and good crossing. In the turn through the corners, Pavarottie lost some engagement in his passage, which overall could use a bit more elevation. Neither piaffe crossing the centerline found a settled rhythm unfortunately. There was a mistake in each line of tempis. The pirouettes were small and decently uphill. The final piaffe was quite nice in the rhythm and well in place. A steady test but needs a little more fire. 

Lindsey Stroh & Lancelot: 55.902%

• This was a strong horse who seemed a bit dead today. Lancelot started a little sticky out of the halt. The trot work had nice energy but this sometimes came at the expense of some unsteadiness in the bridle and irregularity in the gaits. The collected walk was very tense. Out of the walk Lancelot dropped the bit and did not really offer a first piaffe. The second one was much much better with a decent rhythm and in place. The two tempis were relaxed and nicely uphill and the ones were clean. The horse trotted into the first pirouette, so the pair showed only a half-pirouette. There was a mistake in the the nine ones. The pirouette right stayed decently uphill but needed more jump behind. The final piaffe was quite good, but the passage was losing energy. 

Rebecca Rigdon & Solei: 54.039%

• This mare is a dynamic mover but got a little tense in the back in the extended trots, making them a bit rushed. The passage had very good power and elevation. The passage before the walk lost some of its collection. In extended walk, Solei got a bit deep in the neck. The piaffe was going decently but then the mare showed a large resistance including rearing and going backwards. The second piaffe came off cleanly. The beautiful two tempis were almost immediately interrupted by another enormous resistance. There was a mistake in the one tempis and they seemed a bit tense in the strides. Rigdon was quite cautious in the pirouettes to avoid another resistance so the first was big and the second broke into a trot. There was a third resistance on the final centerline. This is quite a nice mare but clearly just very very sensitive. Rigdon handled it well. 

CDI Drachten 2014 - Grand Prix Special

The ICNN Drachten website now has scores posted for these rides, but they are several percentage points off from the preliminary scores and Ona Dewaegenaere has disappeared entirely from the list. I will update the percentages and rankings when I can.

Hans Peter Minderhoud & Romanov: 71.529%

• The first extended trot showed lots of reach in front, but not nearly enough engagement behind. The passage was a bit irregular, with Romanov not really stepping actively behind with any consistency. The trot half-passes were excellent. The extended walk had nice overtrick, but Minderhoud could not really let the horse out in the neck, as he was very much acting like a distracted stallion. The piaffes were absolutely rhythmical. Romanov got quite low in the neck and over bent in the canter half-pass right. There were a few steps of cross-canter at the end of the one-tempis. The stallion is very supple in the neck and body, and today he used this suppleness to create evasions. 

Anne van Olst & Zidhane: 68.902%

• Zidhane is quite a heavy horse, and though he seemed hot enough, there were moments where he gave the impression that there was just a lot of him to carry through a Gran Prix. The trot half-passes were quite restricted with little lateral power. The extended trots showed quite nice lengthening of the strides, with activity that was evenly matched in front and behind. The piaffe had excellent suspension, a little reminiscent of another chunky grey: Guenter Seidel's Aragon. The tempi changes lost some of their forward momentum towards the end, and Zidhane failed to change behind in one of the tempis down the centerline. The pirouettes had a poor canter rhythm, but were tiny. 

Diederik van Silfhout & Arlando: 68.372%

• The pair began on a quite unbalanced halt. In the first trot extension, van Silfhout had to give a major half-halt to rebalance the stallion. The trot half-passes had super shoulder-freedom and suspension, but limited crossing. In extended walk, the stallion was tense and distracted. The first piaffe crept forwards a fair amount, but Arlando was springing off the ground with his hind legs coming well underneath him. The other piaffe maintained this level of activity while also staying more in-place. The transition from passage to canter was effortless. The tempi  changes were a bit hectic and short in the stride. Overall, the horse still needed to shorten and come up more in the frame, but at a very young eight years old, the horse still has plenty of time to develop.

Juliette Ramel & Ten Points: 66.607%

• Ramel opened on an extension with nice supple lengthening of the strides, but with the horse a bit short in the neck, giving the impression that there was more in the tank. The half-pass right powered sideways nicely with lots of crossing. The horse tripped behind in the extended walk as Ramel asked for bigger strides. There were some miscommunications in the piaffe out of the walk, but the second was better. The transition out of piaffe, however, was quite weak. The canter half-passes showed lots of lateral strength. Ten Points had super two tempis that were energetic and uphill without getting hectic. There was a small bobble in the ones on the diagonal. The canter pirouettes were small, but lost some energy. The final centerline showed their most uphill and springy passage, a piaffe that was active, though perhaps a bit over-closed at the base, and improved transitions. 

Ona Dewaegenaere & Dabanos: ? %

• The rhythmical half-passes had excellent swing in their crossing. In passage, the horse steps way up and under behind, without any loss of freedom in front. The piaffe was regular and active, but the horse steps forward on the right front and back on the left front. The one tempi changes were straight  with decent jump, but Dewaegenaere asked for them with very big aids. The horse cantered nicely in the pirouettes, but could have taken more weight behind.

Claudia Fassaert & Donnerfee: 66.392%

• Donnerfee is a mare with excellent engagement behind and a lovely light-footedness. The trot lost some suspension in the half-passes, though the one to the right was better. Donnerfee was nicely relaxed in the back for the extended walk, though she became a bit low in her frame. The piaffes were rather lackluster, and while the passage was airy, it could have been a bit more controlled in its steps. The tempi changes showed good impulsion, though the mare became slightly restricted in her shoulder. The pirouettes were huge and a touch above the bit. Though Fassaert's riding was soft, she seemed to lose the connection with her mare (both literally in the bit, and figuratively) towards the end. 

Jana Kun & Watson: 65.725%

• The trot half-pass left showed nice energy and crossing, but the one to the left got a touch flat. The passage tended to get a bit laboured and the piaffe not quite diagonal in its steps. The two tempis had lots of jump, both upwards and forwards. The ones lost some energy as the horse swung his haunches from side to side. Overall, the horse was a bit heavy in front, causing him to trip a few times.

Ilka Boening & Sommerliebe: 65.176%

• Boening's trot tour was quite obedient and each movement nice, but Sommerliebe did not show the consistent rhythm across the movements that is ideal. Boening lost the canter before her two tempis, which needed a little more sparkle. The canter pirouettes lost energy and turned a bit around the middle of the horse. The final extended trot was more fluid and less mechanical than the earlier ones, with good long strides. The final halt appeared a bit like a horse slamming on the brakes before a cliff.

Wilma Wernsen & Oklarette: 64.941%

• Oklarette looked like she was still developing power behind, especially in the trot tour. The passage was active, but the mare could not quite use her hind end to spring really uphill in her strides. There appeared to be nice potential for a piaffe with super sit and activity, but it was a touch irregular in this test. Wernsen had a big miscommunication at the beginning of the diagonal of one-tempis. The first pirouette had decent sit, but the second got a bit hectic and unbalanced. The final line of piaffe and passage was their best.