There was yet one more win for Alice Tarjan at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions today, as she took the Markel/USEF Developing Grand Prix Championship (Intermediate II) with Jane (Desperado NOP X Metall) marked at 71.813 percent.
Alice, from Oldwick, N.J., didn’t mince words when she assessed Jane, bought as a two-year-old.
“I think she’s probably the stupidest horse I’ve ever trained,” stated Alice, then quickly noted that once Jane learns a movement, “she’s so honest, that’s what she does every time and she doesn’t question it. Once she understands it, it’s completely solid.”
Assessing her test, Alice said proudly, “We got the twos and the ones,” referring to the two- and one-tempi lead changes.
She called it “kind of a miracle, given what the warm-ups have been. This horse hasn’t been basically been ridden for 2 ½ months.”
Alice was training in Germany this summer with the U.S. world championships team, for which she was the alternate.
Jane was shown just a bit in Florida, where Alice also has a stable, but the championships at Lamplight Equestrian Center in Illinois was her first real “away” show.
Alice Tarjan and Jane.. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian/Susan Stickle)
“The horse just needs exposure and experience,” said Alice, comparing being in the saddle of the eight-year-old to riding a four-year-old.
“The concentration has been on having her trying to feel confident in the arena. She’s the sweetest horse everybody loves her.”
Alice characterized Jane as “super hot.” That made her so strong when she was young that Alice thought she might be a man’s ride. But it’s all worked out.
“She’s so willing, she has no attitude at all,” Alice reported.
Another New Jersey competitor, Cesar Parra, was wildly enthusiastic about his win on Møllegårdens Fashion in the FEI Six-Year-Old Preliminary Test with a stellar mark of 84.200 percent.
“I’m very excited. I love this horse. I connected with him very well,” said the trainer, who has stables in Pittstown, N.J., and Wellington, Fla.
The Danish gelding (Florenz 71 X Tailormade L’Espoir) was bought by Cesar as a two-year-old as a present for his wife and previously trained by others at Parra’s farm.
Looking toward the championships, Cesar said, “I took the ride on him in late March. He’s very strong, but I think he’s a horse built for Grand Prix. He has amazing hind legs, he’s very honest and he’s very powerful. Hopefully, we can be part of the (U.S.) team in the future. I think we have a wonderful horse. It’s up to God.”
Cesar characterized the horse as “a goofball. He’s the dude in the barn, like Mr. Sexy. When you get on him, it’s like you are going on a jet. I think he’ll be a better horse as he develops.” The horse was third last year in the five-year-old championship.
The FEI Seven-Year-Old Preliminary Test went to King’s Ransom, ridden by Endel Ots to a score of 78.543 percent.
“I gave more gas in that ring than in the warm-up. I just really wanted to go for it and show everybody how great a mover he is. He is such an honest, really-with-you horse,” said Endel.
He called the stallion (Glock’s Pleasure X Glock’s Johnson TN) “a puppy dog. You can have a five-year-old lead him, but then he fights for you in the ring that way.”
Endel has had the horse for a year, but he wasn’t ready for the six-year-old championships in 2021.
He told the horse’s owner, Heidi Humphries, that the seven-year-old competition would be “a really good plan for him.”
The owner agreed and “has been a dream. That kind of support…gives you a lot of confidence. I never felt any pressure. She said, `I want what’s right for the horse.’ It’s been wonderful.”
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