It takes more than a little rain to discourage dressage riders from participating in a competition they have anticipated all season long. Actually, even a whole lot of rain Saturday couldn’t dampen spirits during the Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association Championships.
There were only a handful of scratches from the starting list of 60 in the show at the U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation in Gladstone, N.J., and some were due to a shoeing issue or illness, rather than those deciding to duck the downpour.
Kathleen Young of Tewksbury, N.J., said she didn’t consider scratching.
“This is a very important show and I want to be supportive of ESDCTA,” declared Kathleen, who participated with a group of friends.
“We’re tough,” she smiled. “I had a great time.”
Mardi Gras understandably wasn’t a fan of the weather at the ESDCTA Championships, but he and owner Kathleen Young persisted through the raindrops. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
She and her thoroughbred-cross mount, Mardi Gras, were left more than damp during a downpour, but he was a good sport and the duo finished as reserve champions in the Division Two/First Level Championship behind Ashley Mucha and Ruby On Rails.
Persistence was the name of the game under the circumstances.
When asked why she didn’t stay dry at home in Pipersville, Pa., trainer Kendra Clarke said “We have been planning all season for this.”
She was pleased with her Andalusian mare, Giselle, who had been 600 pounds overweight when she arrived at Kendra’s barn, and “couldn’t walk without trying to come unglued.”
Kendra Clarke and Giselle. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Giselle has come a long way and despite the downpour during her Division Three Training Level Championship ride, “she cantered when I asked and stopped cantering when I asked,” said Kendra, so that’s a good day.
Show manager Lisa Toaldo, a former ESDCTA president, explained that calling off the competition was not a consideration.
“The riders work all season long to get their qualifying scores,” said Lisa, noting she didn’t want to make a decision that would mean “they weren’t able to get their day.”
While she observed that people “were thrilled” to be at the foundation’s historic headquarters, Lisa added, “unfortunately, they couldn’t do their victory lap in the pouring rain.”
That meant the horseless celebration for winners involved taking photos in the stable’s picturesque rotunda, as riders draped championship ribbons meant for their horses’ necks over their own shoulders.
Barn mates Susan Kozlowski and Kathleen Young display their ribbons sans horses. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
It was particularly special for 80-year-old Mary Anne Gerrity of Tewksbury and her 20-year-old Hanoverian, Fuerst in Line.
She had been looking into doing a ride to join the U.S. Dressage Federation’s Centurion Club, for horses and riders whose age totals 100 and can complete a dressage test at any level.
Mary Anne, who turned 80 Sept. 8, thought she might wait a bit before trying it. But there was another idea from Wendy Garfinkel, winner of the Division 3 Training Level Championship on Charmed as Well, who trains Mary Anne in conjunction with Elissa Schlotterbeck.
After Mary Anne’s successful ride in the Intro C/Training Level I Championship, she was saluted with celebratory flowers, a prize from ESDCTA and a bottle of wine by friends congratulating her.
“I was totally flabbergasted,” said Mary Anne, a retired Exxon export logistics employee who lives at Kathleen’s farm in Tewksbury.
She wasn’t sure three years ago whether at age 77 she needed another horse, but Welly, as he is known, convinced her that she did after she tried him. What decided her on the former Pony Club mount?
“His eye. It’s something you can see, a kindness,” she mentioned.
“At my age, I need a horse that’s going to take care of me. And he does.”
Mary Anne Gerrity and Fuerst In Line. (Photo courtesy Wendy Garfinkel)
An interesting sidenote: The first “Centurion Class” ride, held in 1996, featured Lazelle Knocke of Readington, N.J., a founder of ESDCTA, on Don Perignon.
Heart-warming stories abounded at the championships.
Becky Graham of Ringoes, N.J., who rode Change of Heart, said she thought about scratching. But when it looked as if the weather wouldn’t be dangerous, she decided, “We’ve already been practicing, we might as well keep going. It was fine.”
Her Morgan-cross mare got her name because she was purchased with a bucket of change from the kill pen at the Camelot auction. The buy was made by the mare’s previous owner, but Becky estimated that even with quarters, the horse’s price was “probably a few hundred bucks.”
For Natasha Worthington, winning the Division One/Intro A/B Championship with Jayde was everything a dream come true should be. Her average score of 70.469 percent would have been unimaginable in August 22, when her paint mare got hurt. Just being able to compete again was gratifying after the horse was diagnosed with two broken vertebrae in her neck.
“We think it possibly was a field injury,” said Natasha, a Doylestown, Pa., resident.
They knew something was wrong, even though the mare walked and trotted normally, because “Every time I tried to canter her, she would almost fall over. We thought it was a strain.”
Then the veterinarian did an ultrasound and the news wasn’t good.
Natasha said, “Let’s take six months and do what we can.”
That involved lots of hand-walking, MagnaWave, laser and other therapy, including ProSix equine body wrap. She started tack walking in November and did not show until April with the mare she bought four years ago off a Facebook ad.
Natasha Worthington and Jayde. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“She has made a really amazing recovery,” said Natasha, a physician’s assistant who also won at Lehigh Valley Dressage Championships last weekend.
Originally, she and Jayde competed at a low level in the hunters, but “dressage has been fantastic for her,” said Natasha, who trains with Kendra Clarke.
Natasha is very careful with 19-year-old Jayde and admitted after looking at the weather reports for Saturday, “I was very nervous about the rain” and it occurred to her Thursday not to come.
“But she was fine and here we are.”
Although Jayde just walks and trots in her current tests, moving up and doing a canter test next year is not outside the range of possibility.
But Natasha emphasized, “I’m thrilled if this is all we do. She’s my girl. Whatever she can do, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Click on the chart to read an enlarged version of championship results:
