December 2019/January 2020 Issue

Page 8 December 2019/January 2020 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN Alice Tarjan Collects Multiple Championships at the US Dressage Finals By Jennifer M. Keeler, Yellow Horse Marketing for the US Dressage Finals Alice Tarjan of Oldwick, N.J. and her nine-year-old Hanoverian mare Candescent set a whop- ping score of 77.775% to win the Grand Prix Adult Amateur Freestyle Championship at the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®, held November 7-10 in Lexington, KY. It was the third straight victory of this year’s Finals for Tarjan and Candescent (Christ x Farina by Falkenstern II), this time earning the Calav- eras County Perpetual Trophy. Earlier, Tarjan and Can- descent won the Intermediate II Adult Amateur division, then returned to the Alltech Arena to successfully defend yet another 2018 title, this time in the Grand Prix Adult Amateur Champion- ship with a unanimous score of 70.797%. “With this being her second year now at the level, I’m not so worried anymore about trying to get the actual movements done. Now we’re working on con- sistency and harmony,” Tarjan explained. “I used to have to rely on trying to get her a little hot and use some positive tension to get everything done, but now she understands the movements better so I’m able to back off, ride a little quieter and trust the training and that she knows what I’m ask- ing for. It’s a difficult sport and it’s always a work in progress.” Tarjan also trotted down victory lane over a huge field of 35 rivals in the Third Level Adult Amateur Championship. Present- ing two up-and-coming young- sters, Tarjan not only claimed top honors with her six-year-old Old- enburg mare Fairouz (Franziskus x Diva by Don Frederico) with 72.792%, but also Reserve with a score of 72.125% earned aboard stablemate Serenade MF, a six- year old Hanoverian mare (Sir Donnerhall x Duet MF by Don Principe) who was bred in the U.S. by by Maryanna Haymon. "I brought my Third Level horses here for them to get some valuable experience in this type of environment," Tarjan ex- plained. "They've never been to a facility like this, so I thought it would be a good prep for the future. They've both gone through the young horse program and are similar in that they are both solid horses with good gaits, but they're very different to ride. They all have their strengths and weaknesses." Tarjan is quick to emphasize that she's embracing experiences like the Finals to learn how her young mare handles the rigors of big shows for the future. "In the past she might get a little more electric after the first day because of the excitement," Tarjan explained. "But this year it seems like she gets better as she goes through the competition. We're still trying to figure out what works best for her. So I try to work as much as I can on the relaxation in the warm-up, and I ride the horse I have." On Sunday, Tarjan and Candescent were presented with the Lloyd Landkamer Perpetual Trophy for FEI Highest Scoring Mare. Reflecting on her success- ful week, Tarjan was especially appreciative for all of the volun- teers who donated their time so that riders like her could have a chance to compete. "God bless all the volunteers out there. Thank you so much!" she exclaimed. "It was a frigid couple of days, and the crossing guards have a really thankless job but without them you would be run over, so thank you to all of them for standing out there to keep us safe. All of the volunteers have smiles on their faces, and they are my heroes!" Kristin Herzing of Harris- burg, Pa. and her Hanoverian gelding Gentleman (Grusus x Rumpelstilzchen by Raphael, bred in the U.S. by Kathryn and Jeffrey Nesbit) earned their second reserve title of the week with 70.317% in the Grand Prix Adult Amateur Freestyle Cham- pionship. "So I got a new freestyle for Regionals with Paul Simon music that I loved, and Gentleman hated it!" she laughed. "We got in the ring and he wouldn't do it, as if saying 'this is not my jam!' He likes his routine, so for today I said, 'I'll put on your music- whatever makes you happy,' and he said 'thank you!' I just live to make him happy, whatever it takes." For the second year in a row, Herzing and Gentleman were Reserve Champions in the Grand Prix Adult Amateur Champi- onship. The self-described "old married couple" scored 64.022% despite having only a seven-week turnaround from surgery to the Regional Championships. "He had a couple of weeks off after his surgery to remove a hemato- ma in his face, but as soon as he started running around like a nut I knew it was time to put him back to work, and everything just kind of fell into place," she said. Krossen Wins Second Level Adult Amateur Free- style Championship Alexandra Krossen of Basking Ridge, N.J. has a long history with her mount Nicene, a 14-year-old Oldenburg mare (Nimbus x Pamela by Portofi- no), owned and bred in the U.S. by Krossen's longtime trainer Heather Mason. Together since the day the foal was born and through earning two titles at last year's Finals, the pair once again returned to the winner's circle by earning victory in the Second Level Adult Amateur Freestyle with 71.256%. "This year she had great trot work and her canter work was strong too," said Krossen. "She's quite a funny mare. I was there when she was born, and she has scarred me for life with some of her behavior being a little red- head child. She has a firecracker personality behind her, but when you get into the ring she is all business. She's been amazing to ride and train, and I feel very lucky for that opportunity." On a cold, rainy Thursday, a field of 10 riders from across the country battled it out in the Intermediate II Open Cham- pionship. It was New Jersey’s Heather Mason who rode her 14-year-old Oldenburg/Holstein- er gelding RTF Lincoln to the win with 72.157%. As the only combination to score above 70 percent, they were also awarded the unanimous victory under all three judges. “I’ve known Lincoln since he was a foal and sold him to a client, who then kept him in training with me. But he can be a tricky horse, so after his owner had double hip surgery she gave him back to me because she unfortunately knew she wouldn’t ever ride him again,” said Mason of her mount, which she pre- sented in a snaffle bridle for the FEI-level test. “He was fantastic today and very rideable – a little more than usual. He’s usually very hot, but he actually let me use my leg today, which was nice! I like riding him in a snaffle even at this level because he’s always been light in the hand and I encourage more contact this way.” Bragdell and SenSation HW Claim Third Level Open Championship Carol McPhee’s six-year-old Westfalen gelding SenSation HW (Sunday x Donata by Dancier) has been a rising star from the very beginning. A champion in the Young Horse ranks as well as last year’s First Level Open Champion at the Finals, SenSa- tion HW returned to the Ken- tucky Horse Park to jump up the levels in the experienced hands of Michael Bradgell of Colora, Md. and claim the Third Level Open title with an impressive score of 73.083%. “It was a little challenging with the conditions outside – I took him out for a hack this morning and he was a bit tense with the cold and the rain,” said Bragdell. “But as soon as I put my foot in the stirrup this after- noon to get on, it was the horse I wanted to have for the class. He felt great and the test flowed really well. I couldn’t ask for any more from him, and I was very happy with him.” Two years ago, Bragdell rode Hilltop Farm, Inc.’s now 11-year-old Oldenburg stallion Qredit Hilltop (Quaterback x Dream Rubina by Dream of Glory, bred in the U.S. by Judy Yancey) to win the Intermediate II Open title at the Finals. On Friday night the pair earned Reserve honors in the Grand Prix Open Championship with a score of 68.370%. “We go back quite a bit,” said Bragdell of his mount. “I started him under sad- dle and showed him at Devon as a yearling where he was Grand Champion. It’s been a fun jour- ney and an interesting one – you learn as you go.” Despite battling the flu all week, Bragdell captured one last title Sunday riding Hilltop Farm Inc.’s nine-year-old Hanoverian stallion Sternlicht Hilltop (So- liman de Hus x Rhapsody GGF by Rascalino, bred in the U.S. by Rachel Ehrlich) to victory in the Prix St. Georges Open Champi- onship with 72.500%. “He felt good the first day in the Intermediate I and each day he's gotten better and better,” Bragdell said of his partner. “Everything came together today – the weather was beautiful this morning and he felt great! We purchased him as a three-year-old stallion and it's been an interest- ing journey to bring him through the levels.” Also from Region 8, Brid- get Hay of Flemington, N.J. was pleased with the Reserve Championship performance of 70.833% aboard her homebred eight-year-old Oldenburg mare Fauna (Freestyle x Guinevere by Governeur) owned by Amy Price. “Fauna is only eight so she's just gaining experience, but for a young horse she has a crazy work ethic and I'm very happy with her,” said Hay. “She was a little backed off in the other tests in the Alltech Arena, but today I felt she was more comfortable riding outside. She felt fantastic and I am absolutely thrilled.” Gimbel Claims Intermediate I Adult Amateur Championship Five years ago, Amy Gimbel of Oldwick, N.J. and her young KWPN mare Eye Candy (UB- 40 x Wednesday by Weltmeyer, bred in the U.S. by Judy Barrett) came to the US Dressage Finals for the very first time and went home with the Training Level Adult Amateur Championship title. Now jumping up into the FEI levels, Gimbel and her mount found the winner's circle again in the Intermediate I Adult Amateur Championship with a top score of 72.794%. "From the time I got on today, everything just worked," said Gimbel. "We longed her a little bit today to get some of the sass out, and despite some adjust- ments with ring and time changes and the very cold conditions, it all just melded together quite well. The test had a very nice flow to it and I feel really lucky to be here and to have a great ride on a day like today." Gimbel and Eye Candy on Sunday topped 25 rivals in the Prix St. Georges Adult Amateur Championship with a score of 71.373%. "Candy has been super all weekend and I'm very fortunate – it will take some time to digest the fact that I won two national championship titles this weekend,” said Gimbel. “I'm going right back to work tomor- row – that’s one of the realities of being an adult amateur! – but soon all of this will set in and I can't wait to reflect on my time here at the Finals." Region 2 Claims 2019 US Dressage Finals Regions Cup Adding to the excitement of the final day, the top-scoring rid- ers in various divisions from each of the Great American/USDF Regional Championships com- peted on regional teams in the US Dressage Finals Regions Cup. Coming out on top after four days of championship competition was the Region 2 team com- prised of Angela Jackson with Royal Heiress, Elisabeth Ritz and Fairmount, and Angela Jackson aboard Figaro H. Their winning average score of 72.007% just edged out reserve champions Region 8 with 71.343% and third-placed Region 4 finishing on 71.244%.