New Jersey riders continued to do the state proud as the Dressage Festival of Champions came to a close at Lamplight Equestrian Center in Illinois today.
It was quite the show, with 168 horses and riders across 15 divisions for seven days. The Festival began as a multi-discipline competition in the 1990s at the U.S. Equestrian Team in Gladstone, N.J., eventually winding down there to include only the dressage championships, but with less divisions than were held in Illinois, where more rings were available at a larger facility.
Cesar Parra, who splits his year between Pittstown, N.J., and Florida, won the Markel/USEF Young Horse Six-Year-Old championship with Møllegårdens Fashion (83.480). The Danish gelding (Florenz 71 X Tailormade L’Espoir) “was very relaxed. I didn’t want to push for much more. He’s a a very powerful horse, we are a little bit new to each other. I know how he can get really, really strong,”
Cesar Parra and Møllegårdens Fashion claim their prizes. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian/Susan Stickle)
Cesar added, “I’m very happy he’s getting so obedient, so supple.” He characterized him as “almost a Grand Prix horse now.
While it is “Important to come here and win,” he added what is more important is that “the education follow parameters we need for Grand Prix.”
Cesar told the story of showing Fashion at the Florida Horse Park last April, when “he ran away from the groom. two miles and almost got hit. That was his warm-up. I think that’s why he’s a beautiful gelding.”
The reserve champion was Lauren Fisher’s Lionell VE (81.800), ridden by Rebecca Rigdon. She said their test had one mistake, but it was hers and “I can fix that.”.
Alice Tarjan, the omnipresent Oldwick, N.J., resident, who took the Grand Prix title with Serenade MF earlier in the week, was third in the six-year-old section with Gjenjanger (80.840).
“I’m really pleased with my horse. She did her job. It’s been a long week,” said Alice.
Fourth place went to another of her horses, Glory Day (79.520), ridden by her trainer, Marcus Orlob of Anandale, N.J.
The Markel/USEF Young Horse Seven-Year-Old title belonged to Endel Ots on King’s Pleasure (Dark Pleasure X Glock’s Johnson TN) with a score of 78.925. Cesar was second on Fanta (76.181), a Hanoverian he owns with Gina Raful.
Endel said the horse’s final test, marked at 78.925 “couldn’t be better” after a day devoted to a hand walk, turnout and a roll.
“He had a lot of power and energy and really stayed with me.”
Endel told his horse’s owner, Heidi Humphries, that he didn’t want to show him in the six-year-old championship last year, because he wasn’t ready. But 2022 would be another story.
Endel Otts and King’s Pleasure. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian/Susan Stickle)
“For her birthday about 10 months ago, I gave her a silver frame and it said `Seven-year-old 2022 national champion Kings Pleasure.’ I said there will be a photo in that frame of your horse with a championship ribbon on there. I see it, I feel it. I know it. It’s there.”
And he was right.
Cesar said he enjoyed his ride on Fanta, even though he was having a hard time keeping him on his aids. “He’s an amazing horse. I really love him. I’ve been riding him for two years.”
In the Markel/USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix section, Claire Darnell earned the championship with the 10-year-old Dutchbred Harrold S (Vivaldi X Fiedermark NRW) on a score of 69.942 percent.
“My horse was super good all week,” said Claire, noting that even when “I made a couple of little rider errors, he kept doing his thing.” She said the best quality of the horse is his reliability.
Judge Janet Foy, left and U.S. dressage development coach Charlotte Bredahl (far right) with Claire Parnell and Harrold S. (Photo courtesy U.S. Equestrian/Susan Stickel)
“My goal for the year was to qualify for this. To have him win was super, super special,” she said, noting he adjusted to everything but “the fake horse in front of the VIP.” They kept putting different decorations on it, so “every time he came by, it was different.”
Reserve champion on Jane was Alice, with a total of 69.325 percent.
As she has said was the case with her other horses, being in Germany much of the summer as an alternate for the U.S. world championships team meant little training for those who stayed at home. Alice called the championships a good experience for Jane, noting now it’s back to work. She’d like the horse to have more exposure, so she’s thinking of going to Show Plus Dressage at Devon next month.
Third place went to Marcus on Jeannette Pinard’s Spirit of Joy (68.966).
He sees “a lot of things to improve,” but noted it was the hose’s first Intermediate II.
Marcus said, next up is “a few weeks of light work, then our homework will start. He’s only eight. I think I have to push to the next level,” which means starting with national Grands Prix in Florida.
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