by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 3, 2023
The show jumping phase of the Defender Burghley 5-star was the decider big-time for the British event, with a reshuffling that left Great Britain’s Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class as the winners, after leader Tim Price had three rails down with Vitali to sink to fourth place with 38.7 penalties on Sunday.
Oliver Townend riding Ballaghmor Class for GBR during the show jumping Defender Burghley Horse Trials, in the parkland of Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK on the 30th August to 3 September 2023.
Oliver wasn’t perfect himself, dropping one rail on the Paul Connor-designed course aboard his Irishbred campaigner, which gave Tim a bit of breathing space he hadn’t had with his Holsteiner going into the final segment.
But as the last to go, he needed more than that to be on the podium when Vitali–after a record-setting dressage performance and 8 time penalties cross-country–struggled with falling poles to topple his chances for the coveted trophy and the first prize payout of 110,000 British pounds. Tim is a previous Burghley winner, having taken the crown in 2018 with Ringwood Sky Boy.
Oliver, who also won Burghley in 2017 with Ballaghmor Class, is a three-time winner of the Land Rover Kentucky 5-star, collecting the title in 2018 and 2019 with Cooley Master Class, and 2021 with Ballaghmor Class. He has quie the resume, on which you can add in his 2009, Burghley victory with Carousel Quest.
Another Brit, David Doel, was just 0.7 penalties behind Oliver’s 33 penalty score to take second on the Dutchbred stallion Galileo Nieuwmoed with a perfect show jumping effort. British mainstay Harry Meade was third with another clear show jumping round on the Irish mare Cavalier Crystal (37.4).
The USA’s best, Boyd Martin, finished ninth and tenth on his Olympic partner Tsetserleg, who had three rails, and with On Cue, who had two. Tseterleg moved down from seventh after cross-country and On Cue moved up from 12th.
Boyd called Tsetserleg “an absolute hero this weekend.”
After mishaps in two other 5-stars this year, he said, “it was a big relief to have a great cross-country round.”
In contrast, show jumping was “a disaster. I jumped fence one and made a turn to fence two, and then we were cross-cantering and then we fell to trot and then we were on a completely impossible distance and plowed fence two.”
He praised On Cue as “absolutely fantastic this weekend.”
Boyd noted she had not done a big 5 star since Maryland in 2021, which she won.
At Burghley, “She was pretty tired and had to dig deep for me on the cross-country day,” observed Boyd, who was happy for a top-10 finish.
In show jumping, “We had two poles down, she sort of gets in there and gets starstruck.”
All the same, he noted, “This horse has been such a fantastic partner.”
Jennie Brannigan Saville of the USA did a very credible job in her first Burghley to wind up 12th with FE Lifestyle after a rail and 0.8 time penalties in the final phase. Three rails moved the only other U.S. rider to finish, Will Faudree, down from 10th to 16th.His compatriot Grace Taylor, 16th after cross-country with Game Changer, did not present her horse on the final day. U.S. rider Tiana Coudray had been eliminated on cross-country with Cancaras Girl.
The demanding Derek DiGrazia cross-country course also was unlucky for Great Britain’s Ros Canter–who won the European championship just three weeks ago in France. She hit the ground when Penco’s Crown Jewel left a leg at a triple bar arrowhead in the 20ABC combination.
Luckily both horse and rider were okay, but that’s just another example of how fast things can change for even the most experienced riders.
Click here for final results from Burghley.
by Nancy Jaffer | Sep 2, 2023
A demanding Derek DiGrazia cross-country course at Burghley couldn’t derail overnight leader Tim Price of New Zealand on Vitali, but Great Britain’s Ros Canter–who won the European championship just three weeks ago in France, hit the ground when Penco’s Crown Jewel left a leg at a triple bar arrowhead in the 20ABC combination.
Luckily both horse and rider were okay, but that’s just another example of how fast things can change for even the most experienced riders.
Tim had a record-setting dressage performance on his Holsteiner with a mark of 18.7, but 8 time penalties cross-country brought his total so far to 26.7.
British riders are lined up close behind him, with Oliver Townend’s faster trip (4.8 time penalties) on the Irish veteran Ballaghmor Class leaving him less than a rail back of Tim on 29 penalties. Oliver had an unlucky break, literally, earlier in the day when a rein snapped while he was at the 17th obstacle with Tregilder and had to retire. He also retired his other mount, Swallow Springs. A total of 13 horses retired, and eight were eliminated from the field of 58 starters.
Tim has little bit of breathing room from third-place Brit David Doel. His score on the Dutchbred stallion Galileo Nieuwmoed is 33.7, so that’s nearly two rails, but not quite. Wills Oakden and the Irish-bred Oughterard Cooley are at 34.9. The top five is completed by Ireland’s Sam Watson, 35.8 with the Irish gelding SAP Talisman.
David and Wills had no time penalties, while Sam accumulated just. 0.4.
The USA’s Boyd Martin is seventh on his Olympic partner, the Trakehner Tsetserleg, with 37.7 penalties, only 0.3 behind Britain’s Harry Meade and the Irish mare, Crystal Cavalier.
Boyd is also 12th with On Cue (42.6). Other U.S. riders and their rankings are Will Faudree, 11th with Mama’s Magic Way (42.2), Grace Taylor on Game Changer, 16th, 46.5, and Jennie Saville, FE Lifestyle, 17th, 46.7. Tiana Coudray was eliminated with Cancaras Girl.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 30, 2023
Ellen DiBella, known for her contributions to western dressage and love of the Morgan horse, passed away Aug. 20 at the age of 79.
Her desire to build an equestrian community combining the Western traditions of horse and rider with classical dressage led to her becoming the founding president of the Western Dressage Association of America, which became a USEF Recognized Affiliate Association in February 2012. Mrs. DiBella served on the USEF board from 2005 to 2015, receiving the federation’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
The Parker, Colo., resident graduated from the University of Denver with a degree in sociology and a sub-specialty in medical social work. She worked with her husband of 58 years, Dr. Nicholas Di Bella, to build a successful medical oncology practice.
Ellen DiBella with USEF President Murray Kessler during the 2019 Pegasus Awards. (Photo © 2019 by Nancy Jaffer)
Mrs. DiBella was known worldwide for her love of Morgan horses over more than a half-century, originating with the purchase of her first Morgan in 1972. She was drawn to Morgans after seeing them used in the rehab program at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Colo., following the Vietnam War. This encounter sparked her passion for horses and led to lifelong dedication as an owner and competitor, initially in Western Pleasure.
Her desire to build an equestrian community combining the Western traditions of horse and rider with classical dressage led to her becoming the founding president of the Western Dressage Association of America, which became a USEF Recognized Affiliate Association in February 2012.
According to Western Dressage Association of America President Cindy Butler, “Ellen devoted her life to service for equestrian sports and honoring horses. She inspired so many people, including me. Ellen DiBella had a way of making everyone she touched believe in themselves more and we are all better advocates for horse welfare and better people for having had her in our lives.”
American Morgan Horse Association President Carrie Mortensen recalled, “She was deeply involved with so many different organizations and gave of her time unselfishly for decades. Her contributions were countless. We will remember her not only for her ambassadorship of the Morgan horse and Western Dressage, but also for her impact on the entire equestrian community.”
Apart from her work for horses and equestrians, Mrs. DiBella helped found the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center Foundation, which provides financial assistance to cancer patients and their families in meeting living expenses while fighting cancer.
In an interview with the Western Dressage Association of America, Mrs. DiBella noted, “Horses offer us an opportunity to be much better people that we could ever be without them. Whether you ride English or Western, you have the opportunity to have a two-way trusting partnership. The tools and principles of classical dressage naturally make for better and healthier horses and make us a better human being. It really is about the journey.”
Upon her acceptance of the Lifetime Achievement Award, she advised, “I would say to everyone love your horses. Listen to your horses. Be partners with your horses. Share your horses with as many people as you can, because those horses will make you better and make everyone else better.”
Survivors include two daughters, Catherine (David) Lindsey and Christine Hamilton.
Donations in Mrs. DiBella’s memory may be made to the Ellen DiBella Western Dressage Scholarship at the American Morgan Horse Educational Charitable Trust. There will be a Celebration of Life held at the Western Dressage Association of America’s World Championship Show Sept. 29 during the exhibitor party.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 27, 2023
Take a look at how British champion gymnast Joe Fraser takes a unique approach to checking out the cross-country course for the Defender Burghley 5-star in England.
His unorthodox approach without a horse may not be within the rules of competition (ya think?) but it certainly is entertaining. Just go ahead and click on this link to see how he did it.
Joe’s effort provides a whole new perspective on the route designed by Derek di Grazia that will be a test for horse and rider combinations attempting what many consider the world’s toughest 5-star. However, we don’t want to see them doing any handstands (hoofstands?), right?
The event runs Aug. 31-Sept. 3. For more info, click here.
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 27, 2023
How is the U.S. pipeline working to supply top dressage horses for future international competition?
A good barometer could be found during the USEF National Dressage Championships at the Lamplight Equestrian Center over the last seven days, where a wide range of talent–much of it on the rise–was showcased.
Look at our cover story on I-1 champion Christian Simonson and Son of a Lady (or click on this link) to see someone who’s just waiting in the wings to eventually make a senior team.
And in the Markel/USEF Developing Horse Prix St. Georges Dressage National Championship, the title went to Sonnenberg’s Jersey, guided by the best finisher in the 2021 Olympics, Sabine Schut Kery. She is bringing along this 9-year-old Dutch warmblood now that her Games campaigner, Sanceo, is retired.
“It’s a really young, new partnership,” said Sabine, who has only been working with the gelding for three months.
“Just doing this, coming here, speaks volumes. I would rate him a 15 for his character, and rideability, too. He obviously had good training before, and he’s super talented.”
Sabine also had the seven-year-old champion, Sandi Mancini’s Dutch warmblood, Gorgeous Latino.
Sabine Schut Kery and Sonnenberg’s Jersey. (Photo by Leslie Potter/U.S. Equestrian)
“I’m just thrilled with my two stallions, having them come here and do so well. I don’t know what more I could ask,” Sabine said.
Talking about Jersey, she noted, “He’s super fun to ride. I love his gaits, and I look forward to the future.”
And what will that be?
“I want to give him a good break on our beautiful grass pastures, and then see and go to the next step,” she said.
So many riders at the show in Illinois demonstrated potential with their horses that will be realized not too far down the road.
To name just one more, the Adequan®/USEF Young Adult Brentina Cup Dressage National Championship went for the second year in a row to Quinn Iverson with Bille Davidson’s 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Beckham 19.
Brentina, the namesake of the award, was the storied mount of Debbie McDonald, a former U.S. dressage technical advisor. She is the mentor of Olympic medalist Adrienne Lyle, who in turn has coached Christian and Quinn. That’s quite a family tree!
Quinn and Beckham keep improving.
“In the past,” Quinn said, “We’ve had lots of bobbles here and there, and we’re finally starting to smooth it out, and I’m glad that we could show things that we’ve learned since last year.”
In the Neue Schule/USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship, it wasn’t quite a sweep for Codi Harrison and her own Katholt’s Bossco, but she wound up with the tricolor anyway.
National Grand Prix champs Codi Harrison and Katholt’s Bossco. (Photo by Leslie Potter /U.S. Equestrian)
After Codi took the Grand Prix and the Special earlier in the week, the Saturday freestyle went to Lehua Custer and Wendy Sasser’s F.J. Ramzes on 76.350 percent, with World Championships veteran Katie Duerhammer and Kylee Lourie’s Paxton taking the runner-up spot in their dance to music on 75.775.
But a mark of 75.675 percent for third place was good enough to boost Codi and Bossco, a 16-year-old Danish warmblood, to the overall honors when added to their previous scores.
“He was great,” said Codi.
“I had a mistake in the twos, but other than that, he was right with me the whole way. The ones felt great. This drop in temperature helped him. He did great in the heat, but it was nice today to just be able to kind of sit back and relax and he took me around.”
Click here for full results
by Nancy Jaffer | Aug 23, 2023
The U.S. eventing team for this autumn’s Pan American Games in Chile includes a mixture of experience and rising stars.
Named to the squad are Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire; 2022 world championships veteran Liz Halliday and Miks Master C, third at Land Rover Kentucky last spring; Caroline Pamukcu with HSH Blake and
Sharon White and Claus 63. Liz’s direct reserve is Cooley Nutcracker, in case Miks Master C is unable to compete.
Tamie Smith, also a 2022 world championships team member, and Kynan are the traveling reserves.
The U.S. qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics last year with a silver medal at the world championships. So a bit of the pressure is off for the Pan Ams, enabling several combinations to get their first international championship mileage without having to worry about qualifying for Paris.
