The consistency of Ellesse Gundersen and her homebred Quintessential 4 was the good news at the U.S. Equestrian Federation Grand Prix Dressage National Championship, as they moved up from second place in Wednesday’s Grand Prix to first in Friday’s Grand Prix Special.
“I think now he’s showing that he’s very consistent and we know what we’re going to have when we go in the ring. And today, I had the same feeling as I did Wednesday, which was a great feeling,” said Ellesse, whose ride at the World Equestrian Center Ocala was marked at 70.042 percent.
And now for the bad news: the championship is being held to select eight or so riders who will go to Europe for competition in Germany prior to August’s world championships at Aachen. But while Ellesse may well be selected to make the trip abroad, it will only be for mileage. She didn’t apply to be a candidate for the world championships themselves, so she can’t be selected for the U.S. team, no matter how good her scores are when she competes abroad.
Explaining why she didn’t apply, Ellesse noted that she and the horse are both young (age 34 and 12 respectively) saying, “I know we have some very strong combinations that are a little bit more mature than both myself and the horse together. They have a lot of experience, and I think it would be unfair a little bit to throw myself and the horse into such a big event for our first tour in Europe. We have not toured Europe yet together. I think it’s right to let him have a year of touring, without such a big goal, and then continue on to have a very successful horse in the future. He’s only 12, and I’m still young. I hope that we will be a part of the team in the future and be a very strong part of the team.”
It should be noted, however, that she was the only competitor to break 70 percent in the Special, while she was one of three who hit that mark in the Grand Prix.
Here’s more bad news. Christian Simonson, the top-ranked American in the international standings, dropped from first in the Grand Prix to sixth in the special after several mishaps with Indian Rock.
Rocky appeared to be in a mood, bucking once before entering the arena. Then he kicked out in his first piaffe, earning four scores of 4 and one 2. Ouch.
And instead of going into the canter half-pass, Christian started tempi changes as someone in the audience yelled out to him and the bell rang, so he circled, went into the half-pass and was charged with a deduction for the error by the four foreign judges and one U.S. official.
The mistakes were costly, putting Rocky on 68.532 percent.
Discussing the situation, Christian cited “miscommunication” between himself and his horse, though he noted of the mistake in the half-passes ,”that was just me.”
He added, “Throughout the whole test, I could have done more to get him in better balance.”
He had only done one Special with Rocky, and that was last year. Christian lacked the required Special in order to qualify for the championship, so he was added as a wild card.
He elaborated about the mistakes, “You can have off days. I think there were moments where I probably could have done better as a rider to like prep Rocky in certain positions. I think Rocky also just didn’t have the over-the-topline, pushing power and balance in certain spots that are pretty normal.
“That’s why we had the mistake in the ones today. Upon reflection, it’s a score and it’s lower than normal, but is it bad? I don’t know, because I’ve learned a lot already. That for me is like a huge win, and I’m actually very, very grateful for it. So that’s kind of my rumination and thoughts of today so far. And I think I’ll go back and watch more and understand how I can improve.”
He added, “Throughout the whole test, I could have done more to get him in better balance.” He had only done one Special with Rocky, and that was last year. He lacked the required Special in order to qualify for the championship, so he was added as a wild card.
Christian did finish second with his other mount, Fleau de Baian (like Rocky, a Dutch warmblood owned by Zen Elite Equestrian), nudging 70 percent with a mark of 69.808.
Christian Simonson and Felix.
Saying he was “super proud of him,” Christian noted about Felix, “Throughout the whole test today, he was unbelievably honest. Every step, I felt like he was with me today. The extensions were super fun. I saw his whole front leg during the extensions, and I was like, ‘Oh, cool!’ I’m really proud of him today. He was a super, super good horse.”
Third place went to Jodie Kelly-Baxley on another Dutch warmblood, Grayton Beach, who is by Negro. She was thrilled with her mark of 69.234 on the horse she has trained since he was three, putting in 11 years with him.
“I’ve been blessed that I brought a couple of young horses all the way through the Grand Prix,” she said.
“I have a little more experience under my belt now. I get them as young horses because, well, I own him myself and it’s what I could afford. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I really love that. He and I are our best friends also.
Grayton Beach and Jody Kelly-Baxley.
“I drag him around with me everywhere. If he’s on the trailer, I’m driving the truck, and that’s the only way it’s ever been. He goes for trail rides once a week and I always trailer him, and we go for the gallops in the fields. We do all the things together. I think that brings the trust down centerline.”
Click here for results
