Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the My Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with The Right Horse. Adam’s Apple is this week’s adoptable horse. Check back weekly for a new featured horse so you can find your #righthorse.
Adam is a big puppy-dog in a horse’s body! Located in Maryland, this handsome fellow is non-rideable due to an old injury, but is pasture sound and looking for a companion-only home. Adam gets along well with other horses and is currently living out 24/7. He would be the perfect addition to any herd! Adam is very personable and loving. He enjoys all the attention he can get! For inquiries and more information about Adam, visit www.defhr.org/horse/adams-apple.
My Right Horse is the online adoption platform of The Right Horse Initiative, a collection of equine industry and welfare professionals and advocates working together to improve the lives of horses in transition. A program of the ASPCA, their goal is to massively increase horse adoption in the United States. To find more adoptable horses and foster horses, visit www.myrighthorse.org. To learn more about The Right Horse, a program of the ASPCA, visit www.therighthorse.org.
In this third podcast episode of The Horse Illustrated Episode of Horses in the Morning, sponsored by Title Sponsor Straight Arrow Products, hosts Glenn the Geek and Sarah Evers Conrad talk to Mary Phelps, an international combined driver, who won a Gold medal in Cones at the 2019 FEI World Driving Championships for Ponies. We also learn summer horse health care tips from international veterinarian, Dr. Mike Tomlinson. And Carrie Mortensen, executive director of the American Morgan Horse Association, shares the magic of the Morgan breed with podcast listeners.
Hosts: Sarah Conrad, Digital Content Editor of Horse Illustrated & Young Rider and Glenn the Geek, host of Horses in the Morning
Mary Phelps is an equine insurance agent, photographer, and journalist. Mary created HorsesDaily.com in 1997, and it’s the oldest and longest-running website in equestrian sport. A lifelong equestrian, she is an FEI 3* athlete in combined driving. Together with her husband, Wayne Humphreys, Mary manages and trains her world-class driving ponies, competing at the highest level of the sport of combined driving. In 2019, Mary and her now world-famous driving ponies “The Gangsters” Al Capony, Bugsy Malony, Tony Da Pony, and Kimba competed for the U.S. in the FEI World Driving Championships for Ponies in Hungary, where they won an individual Gold medal in the cones phase and finished 12th overall. Bugsy Maloney and Tony Da Pony became part of the 2020 releases of Breyer model horses.
Dr. C. Mike Tomlinson, DVM, MBA, offers summer horse health care tips. He has been a veterinarian, judge, course designer, steward, or technical delegate at around 30 FEI events each year, on nearly every continent around the globe since 1984. In 2018, he was the president of the Veterinary Commission 1 for the World Equestrian Games (WEG), Dr. Mike has represented the USA as Team Veterinarian at several Games and World Championships. In addition to FEI events and veterinary practice, Dr. Mike has been a ‘C’ level executive in many startups, both in and out of the horse world, including companies such as SmartPak, Game Ready, and Snap Seals. His technical time is spent working in chemical engineering, software coding, and medical device innovation. Dr. Mike is known for his constant energy, immunity to jet lag, and penchant for cartoon ties.
Carrie Mortensen is the executive director of the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA), which was founded in 1909 as the Morgan Horse Club and reorganized in 1971 to AMHA. She graduated with an Equestrian Science degree at William Woods University before obtaining her MBA at Xavier University. A longtime resident of Lexington, Mortensen feels fortunate to have gained a plethora of equestrian business skills from her past employment with organizations such the United States Equestrian Federation, The Jockey Club, and other breed associations. As a representative of AMHA, she now helps the organization in its mission to preserve, promote, and perpetuate the Morgan Horse breed.
We want to thank our Title Sponsor, the Straight Arrow Family of Brands, makers of Mane ‘n Tail, Cowboy Magic & Exhibitor’s, with over 100 years of grooming excellence. For more information about your favorite products, please visit www.straightarrowinc.com and www.cowboymagic.com and find Straight Arrow Products at a tack shop near you!
Virtually any breed of horse or pony can be used for driving. Shown: a senior Arabian mare, Sonny’s Negma, owned by Sue Connors. They won second place in the Pleasure Driving class at the Octoberfest Show at the Hoosier Horse Park in Indiana. Photo by Allen MacMillan
The sport of driving is a beautiful thing to watch, but it’s even more fun to participate. Two top professionals in the sport—Leslie Cashion of Louisville, Ky., and Jacob Arnold of Goshen, Ky.—offer some key points to consider on how to choose a driving horse.
Both strongly advise anyone new to driving to learn the sport from experienced drivers using schoolmaster horses before looking for their own driving horse. They suggest joining a local driving club to meet others already involved in the sport and to take advantage of the resources available through the American Driving Society (ADS), the Carriage Association of America (CAA) and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF).
When you’re ready to begin your search for a horse with the mind and body for driving, it’s important to define the type of driving you’d like to do and your budget (with pre-purchase exam and equipment costs factored in).
Cashion, an active clinician who has taught and competed in driving for 22 years through the international levels and holds CAA Level 1 Instructor and Level 2 Driver proficiencies, cautions newbies not to fall in love with the first gorgeous creature they see, but to carefully think through your ability level and personal goals when selecting a horse.
“The animal that catches your eye may be stunning, but if he drives or rides like a fire-breathing dragon while you’re a green driver who needs a reliable Steady Eddie, this won’t be a good fit for you,” she warns.
Arnold has represented the U.S. at four FEI World Driving Championships in the last six years. He trains horses, teaches students and manages the driving program at Hermitage Farm in Kentucky. Also a busy USEF Developing Athlete Program clinician, he thinks most horses can adapt to driving. “Almost any horse can be trained to be correct,” he says. “You just have to find the right way to motivate them. If the horse is forward and likes to work and likes the game, he can overcome some conformational flaws.”
A Mind for the Job
Both experts topped their requirement list for a driving horse by talking about desirable mental traits.
Parades are another way to enjoy driving with your horse, but the activity requires the horse to be well trained and desensitized. Shown: An Arabian-Clydesdale cross pulling a Meadowbrook cart driven by owner Tracy Raikes of Lebanon, Ohio, in the town’s annual Christmas Carriage Pride. Photo by MacMillan Photography
A good mind: This was first on Cashion’s list for choosing a driving horse. She says a good mind for partnership and driving is of utmost importance.
“You want a horse that is not overly spooky, is trusting, and is able to learn new skills,” she says. “Even the most solid horse can spook, but a good brain is based on how they handle their fear. Will they listen to you and respond? Then you can work through scary moments. Do they want to react strongly without any known trigger or lack the ability to work through the scary moment? Then driving may not be for that horse.”
Forward-thinking: At the top of Arnold’s list was a horse that goes toward something he doesn’t know rather than backing away.
“I think all horses can be broken down into backward-thinking or forward-thinking horses,” he says. “Consider the horse that spooks and jumps back versus a horse that either doesn’t spook, or if he does spook, he goes forward. Those are the two basic mentalities of horses.”
Trainable: This trait ranked very high with both Cashion and Arnold. Cashion explains how she evaluates trainability.
“I like to try to teach the horse something new when I try him out,” she says. “I will choose something small, based on what I see in the moment, and tune in to how he responds. Does he want to figure out what I am asking of him, approaching with curiosity? Does he resist and become worried, shutting down or reacting strongly?”
Calm-minded: Arnold explains this as “a quiet, relaxed horse that doesn’t get fussed easily.”
Driving horses need to accept flapping tack, a vehicle following them, and wearing a bridle with blinders that only allows them to see what is directly in front of them, among other things.
He says that just how calm they need to be depends on the task. For combined driving, they may need to be more keen, whereas for pleasure driving and parades, they should probably be “about a 5 on a scale where 10 is super forward and 1 is not.”
Leslie Cashion driving a Haflinger gelding, Winterson’s Gold, in the marathon phase at a combined driving event in Ohio. Photo by Pics of You/John Robinson, www.picsofyou.com
Smart: Arnold prefers his driving horses to be clever. “They can pick up on the game quickly,” he says. “For example, some horses I have driven really love the cones phase of combined driving—they love the game of going in between the cones; they know when we cross the start and when we get to cone 20 and look for the finish.”
Willing to stand: Driving horses need to stand longer than riding horses in order to be hitched or if something needs to be repaired while away from the barn.
“Trying to convince your horse to stand still while adjusting a piece of equipment, if it isn’t already in his toolkit, is a recipe for trouble,” says Cashion.
Good steering: When choosing a driving horse, Arnold emphasizes that it is important that a driving horse steers well and understands steering on two direct reins.
A Body Up to the Task
The other half of the list provided by Cashion and Arnold involved physical attributes: conformation and movement. Here is a quick summary of what they recommend.
A wide chest for more effective positioning of the breastplate to pull the carriage and to allow for easy breathing.
A neck that comes high out of the shoulder and is not too short; this also helps with room for breathing and effective pulling.
A solid, short-coupled build allows for a good back-to-front connection for pulling power.
Strong, ample hindquarters are the engine for pushing.
Good feet and legs for longevity of soundness. Quality of movement is important for competition, but also affects soundness; a naturally good walk and a solid working trot are very important.
Pleasure driving can be “just for fun,” for exhibition, or for competition, with many open and breed-specific shows offering pleasure driving classes. Shown: a Welsh Cob in the Welsh pleasure driving class during the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Canada. Photo by Sarah Miller/MacMillan Photography
The Wrong Stuff
Cashion says horses that would not be good driving candidates include those that often bolt out of control, are prone to bucking or kicking, or are not willing to work. She also cautions against horses that cannot overcome being very noise-sensitive and those that are not serviceably sound.
“If you don’t feel confident riding or handling your horse, you won’t feel safe sitting behind him in a carriage,” she warns.
Parting Advice
Both professionals encourage others to try driving. “Driving is the most fun you can have while partnering with your horse,” says Cashion. “Buy or train the horse that best fits you. Make sure the people you trust to give advice are acting in your best interest, not their own pocketbooks. The sport of driving has some of the best people and equines in the world, if you know where to look!”
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper during their Grand Prix test at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Photo by MacMillan Photography and Media Services
After this evening’s action-packed FEI Grand Prix dressage at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the stage is now set for the upcoming dressage team final, which will be the FEI Grand Prix Special on Tuesday, July 27. Or at least we hope the competition happens, since Japan and Tokyo are now under a typhoon warning for that day!
The top eight teams after the FEI Grand Prix have qualified to move on and their scores thus far will be wiped, and they begin again with a clean slate in the Special. Those top teams are: Denmark; Germany; Great Britain; Netherlands; Portugal; Spain; Sweden, and the United States.
A similar plan follows for the individual dressage medals. The last two days of Grand Prix competition at the 2020 Olympics served as a qualifier for the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle, after which the individual medals will be presented. The top 18 riders from the FEI Grand Prix will advance to the freestyle on Wednesday, July 28, if weather permits.
The individual medal battle may well be a showdown between three women: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB from Germany, who had the top score of either day with an 84.369 percent; Isabell Werth on Bella Rose from Germany, the reigning world champions who topped the 30-ride session with a score of 82.500 percent; and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin from Great Britain riding Gio, who came in second in the final group today with a score of 80.963 percent.
The following riders and horses earned the top 18 scores in the FEI Grand Prix and will face off for the individual medals in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle on July 28 with a clean slate from the below scores:
1. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB of Germany (84.379%)
2. Isabell Werth and Bella Rose of Germany (82.500%)
3. Cathrine Dufour and Bohemian of Denmark (81.056%)
4. Charlotte Dujardin and Gio of Great Britain (80.963%)
5. Dorothee Schneider and Showtime FRH of Germany (78.820%)
6. Edward Gal and Total US of The Netherlands (78.649%)
7. Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo of the United States (78.416%)
8. Charlotte Fry and Everdale of Great Britain (77.096%)
9. Hans Peter Minderhoud and Dream Boy of The Netherlands (76.817%)
10. Carina Cassoe Kruth and Heiline’s Danciera of Denmark (76.677%)
11. Steffen Peter and Suppenkasper of the United States (76.196%)
12. Therese Nilshagen and Dante Weltino OLD of Sweden (75.140%)
13. Carl Hester and En Vogue of Great Britain (75.124%)
14. Adrienne Lyle and Salvino of the United States (74.875%)
15. Juliette Ramel and Buriel K.H. of Sweden (73.369%)
16. Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zak of Denmark (73.168%)
17. Rodrigo Torres and Fogoso Horsecampline of Portugal (72.624%)
18. Beatriz Ferrer-Salat and Elegance of Spain (72.096%)
There was one elimination from today’s competition when Caroline Chew from Singapore riding the chestnut gelding Tribiani was stopped a short way into their test by the judges because of visible blood on the mouth. Chew and Tribiani were the first-ever equestrian competitors from Singapore. Despite the disappointment, Chew graciously stood for interviews by television and print media. Tribiani appeared unphased by the incident and should fully recover from the cut in his mouth.
The eventers begin their dressage arena familiarization tomorrow evening. The U.S. eventing team was in evidence in the stands over the last two days supporting their dressage teammates in the grand prix at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper at the Tokyo Olympics in the dressage Grand Prix qualifier. Photo Courtesy U.S. Equestrian
On the second day of FEI Grand Prix competition at Equestrian Park in Tokyo, the U.S. Dressage Team saw its final two pairs help to secure a team start in the FEI Grand Prix Special for team medals set to take place on Tuesday, July 27. Adrienne Lyle, of Wellington, Fla., and Salvino were the first team combination to contest the second day of grand prix competition in Group D at the Tokyo Olympics, with the duo earning a 74.876 percent and qualifying for the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle for individual medals. Steffen Peters, of San Diego, Calif., and Suppenkasper rounded out the evening, going second-to-last in Group F in the Grand Prix qualifier at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and earning a score of 76.196 percent. The team qualified in fourth place overall with 7389.5 total points.
Lyle has had the ride on the impressive 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Betsy Juliano LLC for nearly six years and the strength of their partnership was on display during their test. With experience as an individual from the London 2012 Olympic Games, Lyle was reflective on her experience in Toyko and the importance of the team environment.
“He has some great talent in the piaffe and passage, and unfortunately we had some tension and balance issues that got in the way of showing off what he’s really capable of today,” commented Lyle about Vinny. “I know there’s so much more in there. This is my second Olympics, but everything is a little bit different with COVID, and the format is completely different, so in a lot of ways it’s all very new. We have a wonderful team and everyone is so supportive. We train so hard for this, and to get to be here and to think about everyone who starts on this journey and being one of three selected to represent this country is awesome. This whole experience has been wonderful.”
As the team’s Olympic veteran, Peters brought his experience and composure forward to his FEI Grand Prix test with Suppenkasper, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Four Winds Farm and Akiko Yamazaki. Starting in his fifth Olympic Games, Peters understood the need to give the team a strong performance to secure their team start on Tuesday in a competitive field and delivered with a clean and conservative test.
“It was a good test,” said Peters. “It was a bit conservative because we had some trouble spots with the flying changes in the warm-up, so I rode those really carefully, but the rest I rode very forward. We had a super relaxed walk tour, which for Mopsie in an arena like this, to be that relaxed is a wonderful feeling. I think today I really wanted to go for a clean test and get a decent score, which we did. With a 76 percent, I think that puts us in a really good place going into the Special.”
Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald was pleased with the team’s qualification for the FEI Grand Prix Special, as well as all three combinations qualifying for the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle for individual medals.
“It was really important that we put in two solid tests today in order to qualify us for the Grand Prix Special on Tuesday, and after Sabine’s great ride yesterday, Adrienne and Steffen made sure we got the scores we needed to get there,” commented McDonald. “We’ll start with a clean slate in terms of scoring on Tuesday and will begin preparing for what is going to be a very intense competition for team.”
The U.S. Dressage Team of Adrienne Lyle, Steffen Peters, and Sabine Schut-Kery will return to competition on Tuesday, July 27, as they aim for the podium in the FEI Grand Prix Special for team medals at the Tokyo Olympics, which will begin at 5:00 p.m. JST/4:00 a.m. EDT. The draw order with ride times will be announced on Monday, July 26. The following countries will partake in the FEI Grand Prix Special for team medals: Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, United States, The Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, and Spain.
Tokyo Olympics Dressage Grand Prix with Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo. Photo by MacMillan Photography
We’re kicking off the Horse Illustrated coverage of the Tokyo Olympics with an account from writer Kim MacMillan about her arrival, the dressage first horse inspection, and Day 1 of the Dressage Grand Prix qualifier event.
We have boots on the ground for Horse Illustrated in Tokyo for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (aka, Tokyo Olympics). The weather in Tokyo is sultry, bordering on oppressive, during the day―temps in the 90s with humidity to match and occasional rain showers that pop up seemingly out of nowhere. Despite reports of pandemic spikes and a fourth declaration of a state of emergency in the city, the streets are actually pretty packed!
My husband Allen and I, and our two colleagues—Sarah Miller and Nancy Bryant—survived the 16-plus hour flight itinerary and then three hours of testing, validating and customs checks at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Then, we had to hit the ground running early the next morning to make the first horse inspection for dressage.
Mirroring the climate, Japan is full of intense sports competition and political “heat,” too. On the way to the stadium today, before the start of the Grand Prix dressage competition this afternoon, we passed hundreds of Japanese citizens marching in the streets to protest against having COVID-19 vaccinations. Although we’ve heard the general public did not want the Olympics to go on, we haven’t personally encountered any hostility.
The Games are officially under way today after last night’s Opening Ceremony, but the equestrian competition technically started with the first dressage horse inspection yesterday. Two horses were held for re-inspection during the jog, but both eventually passed inspection. The disappointing news was the U.S.A.’s traveling reserve rider Nick Wagman had to pull his horse Don John from the competition right before the inspection due to a slight tendon injury. Patrick Kittel of Sweden had already pulled his mare, Well Done de la Roche CMF, earlier in the week as well due to an injury.
One very cute moment happened in the arena during the horse inspection. As they waited for the British Team’s reserve horse and rider to finish jogging, Carl Hester’s gelding, En Vogue, and Charlotte Dujardin’s gelding, Gio, snuck just enough slack in reins from their grooms and started doing mutual grooming, with each scratching the other’s withers with his teeth. Obviously, the horses didn’t care they were in middle of the Olympic stadium! It brought smiles to everyone until the geldings were separated and walked back to their air-conditioned stalls.
Today, about half of the Grand Prix tests were completed with the other half scheduled for tomorrow evening. Twenty-nine horse-and-rider combos rode down centerline. The number was supposed to be 30, but Austria’s Victoria Max-Theurer had to pull her gelding, Abegglen NRW, at the last minute due to an injury leaving Austria. Without the third required team member their team is sadly now out of the Olympic competition.
For this Olympic Games, now that Austria is out, the now-remaining 14 teams will be vying for the top eight spots in the Grand Prix competition in order to move on to the Grand Prix Special where the team medals will be decided. Also, the top two riders from each of the five Grand Prix competition subgroups will automatically move on to the Grand Prix Freestyle, along with six next-best scores from the Grand Prix, regardless of which subgroup they competed in.
Two horse-and-rider pairs scored over 80 percent this evening, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl riding the Trakehner mare TSF Dalera BB, who scored a personal-best with an 84.379%, and Denmark’s Catherine Dufour on Bohemian who posted an 81.056%. The third-best score of the evening was a 78.649% earned by the Netherland’s Edward Gal riding a Totilas son, Total US.
The U.S.A.’s Sabine Schut-Kery, of Napa, Calif., and Sanceo, a 15-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Alice Womble, brought their A-Game, too, and scored a personal best of 78.416%. This means that since she was second in Group C, she has qualified to move on in competition to the Grand Prix Freestyle.
Baji Koen Equestrian Park, which is the host of all but eventing cross-country, is a very nice facility. The grandstands and building surrounding the main arena seem very new, even though the park was also the site of the equestrian activities at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. We are told major renovations took place at Baji Koen before this Games. Riders are rating the footing very highly, and the volunteers and staff seem eager to help anyone who asks.
The main arena here has been beautifully decorated with a Japanese garden scene on one side, which features bonsai trees and stepping stones and Japanese cherry trees in full bloom, and the light pink blossoms really make the arena pop. On night one of competition, a stiff breeze blew the flags that top the long sides of the bleachers, and they stood straight out, creating a welcome respite from the heat. More from Tokyo tomorrow.
Check out the athletes who have already booked their ticket to the Dressage Freestyle competition next week!
Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo in the Grand Prix on Day 1 of Dressage competition. Photo Courtesy U.S. Equestrian
Sabine Schut-Kery, of Napa, Calif. and Sanceo, a 15-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Alice Womble, were the first U.S. combination to ride down the centerline at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 at Equestrian Park, completing their FEI Grand Prix Test as part of Group C on the first day of competition at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Schut-Kery and Sanceo received a 78.416 percent from the ground jury, a personal best in FEI competition, placing the U.S. in a strong position looking ahead to the second day of competition. Fourteen teams are vying to finish in the top eight at the conclusion of tomorrow’s competition in order to qualify for the FEI Grand Prix Special for Team Medals on Tuesday, July 27.
Schut-Kery has developed a strong partnership with Sanceo over the last 12 years, having acquired the stallion as a young three-year old from Europe and developing him herself up through the international levels. This is the pair’s first Olympic Games, though they have competed in a championship environment before as part of the gold-medal winning team at the Pan American Games Toronto 2015.
“He’s always just so with me,” smiled Schut-Kery as she talked about her incredible Olympic debut. “It really feels like a partnership, absolutely. You go in there and he gives you that feeling like ‘I’ve got it,’ and then he also likes going into that venue. He definitely puffed up a little bit. The highlights to me, and it always feels amazing, was the piaffe and passage.”
The pair received strong marks from the Ground Jury, as Sanceo excels in his piaffe and passage movements, which were rewarded by the juding panel.
Schut-Kery and Sanceo automatically qualified for the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle for Individual Medals on Wednesday, July 28, as they secured second place in Group C behind Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera, who led the day with an 84.379 percent.
“Coming here, I think, you know, when you come as a team, you don’t ride for yourself anymore, so for me it was really important that I ride for my teammates and ride for my country, and that means all of you, for Christine, for Debbie, and for friends and fans.”
Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald was pleased with the test, which provided the team with a positive start with the two remaining pairs to come tomorrow. This is McDonald’s first Olympic Games as chef d’equipe, though she is familiar with the intensity of the Olympic Games having competed as an athlete in 2004 and 2008 and serving as the personal coach for athletes in previous years.
“I could not be happier or prouder of Sabine and Sanceo,” said Chef d’Equipe Debbie McDonald. “It was certainly a great way for our team to start this competition, and it was truly just a beautiful test from both Sabine and Sanceo.”
The second day FEI Grand Prix competition continues tomorrow with the remaining two American combinations taking their turn in the arena at Equestrian Park, with Adrienne Lyle and Salvino competing as part of Group D and scheduled for 6:21 p.m. JST / 5:21 a.m. EDT, and Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper in Group F rounding out the competition with the second to last ride of the day at 9:42 p.m. JST / 8:42 a.m. EDT.
Stella Wasserman and Princeton. Photo by Grand Prix Photography/Courtesy United States Equestrian Federation
The 2021 edition of the Adequan/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Junior Hunter National Championships – West closed out Wednesday, July 21, at the Sonoma Horse Park with two new grand champions crowned along with seven section champions across the 3’6” and 3’3” fence heights.
In the 3’6” section, Stella Wasserman, of Beverly Hills, Calif., and Princeton claimed the Overall Grand Champion tricolor and The Monarch International Perpetual Trophy thanks to two spectacular over fences rounds—the pair won both the Classic and Handy rounds for the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under section.
Wasserman, who trains with Jamie Sailor at Meadow Grove Farm, is a veteran of past Junior Hunter National Championships, and she guided the Selle Français gelding through his first-ever trip to the finals.
“He’s super sweet in the barn. He’s lovely,” said Wasserman. “He’s actually only been doing the hunters for a couple of months now, but I think he’s found his calling! After the classic round yesterday, I was feeling good. Coming into today, I just wanted to go out there and have fun and do what I came here to do.”
Elle Moreno and Cascavel. Photo by Grand Prix Photography/Courtesy United States Equestrian Federation
In the 3’3” section, it was Elle Moreno of Dallas, Texas, riding Elvenstar Farm’s Cascavel to the Overall Grand Champion title and winning the Montserrat Perpetual Trophy after their win in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 section. Moreno trains with David and Stacy Sanderson at Hunter Lane in Texas and was also coached by Elvenstar Farm at the finals.
“Cascavel did a good job today. He jumped amazing, and I’m really happy with him,” said Moreno. “I was for sure excited [after the classic round yesterday], but I was a little nervous coming back today, hoping to ride as well as I did yesterday. But I pulled through, and I’m really happy.”
The Small Collection Perpetual Trophy is awarded annually to the top-placing mare across all sections at Junior Hunter Finals West. This year, it was Fleur de Lis ridden by Avery Glynn from the 3’6” Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under won the title.
Keep up with the competition by following USEF Junior Hunter National Championship on Facebook. Follow US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
U.S. Dressage Team First Horse Inspection. Courtesy United States Equestrian Federation.
All three team combinations of the U.S. Dressage Team passed the First Horse Inspection this morning at Equestrian Park in Tokyo, Japan, before the Olympic Ground Jury of Susan Hoevenaars (AUS), Francis Verbeek (NED), Janet Foy (USA), Andrew Gardner (GBR), Hans-Christian Matthiesen (DEN), Magnus Ringmark (SWE), and President of the Ground Jury Katrina Wuest (GER).
Sabine Schut-Kery, of Napa, Calif., and Sanceo will lead with the first ride for the team on Saturday, July 24, at 9:15 p.m. JST/8:15 a.m. EDT. Adrienne Lyle, of Wellington, Fla., and Salvino will follow in the first group on Sunday, July 25, with their ride at 6:21 p.m. JST/5:21 a.m. EDT, and Steffen Peters, of San Diego, Calif., and Suppenkasper will enter the ring at the end of Group F at 9:42 p.m. JST/8:42 a.m. EDT. Traveling reserves Nick Wagman and Don John were withdrawn before the dressage team First Horse Inspection at the Olympic Games.
Stay up to date with USA Dressage in Tokyo, follow the team on Facebook and Instagram and US Equestrian on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Use #USADressage. Also, visit our Tokyo 2020 Hub for Olympic-specific content and information.
Nick Wagman and Don John (aka, DJ). Photo Courtesy United States Equestrian Federation
After arriving safely at the venue in Tokyo, Don John, who was named to the team with Nick Wagman as the traveling reserve, sustained a minor injury. He has continued to show improvement, but after further evaluation with the team veterinarian, the decision was made to withdraw him before the start of competition out of extraordinary precaution, and though it is believed he would have passed the horse inspection if presented, the team felt that he should not be considered to compete to ensure he has the proper time to fully heal. The team will present the three selected team combinations of Adrienne Lyle and Salvino, Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper, and Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo.
Stay up to date with USA Dressage in Tokyo, follow the team on Facebook and Instagram and US Equestrian on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Use #USADressage. Also, visit our Tokyo 2020 Hub for Olympic-specific content and information.
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My Right Horse is the online adoption platform of The Right Horse Initiative, a collection of equine industry and welfare professionals and advocates working together to improve the lives of horses in transition. A program of the ASPCA, their goal is to massively increase horse adoption in the United States. To find more adoptable horses and foster horses, visit www.myrighthorse.org. To learn more about The Right Horse, a program of the ASPCA, visit www.therighthorse.org.
