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USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships

Aug 24, 2012

The Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships will once again host the best up-and-coming dressage horses from throughout the United States. Now in its 11th year the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Program has continually produced horses that go on to excel on the world stage. These annual championships serve as a coronation for young horses as they take their next step towards representing the U.S. in international competition.

Four-Year-Old Division: The top two horses on the ranking list, Ballerina DMV and Rohan, will both travel to Lamplight from the Northwest. Leroy Fuller’s Hanoverian mare, Ballerina DMV (Ballet Master-Dreaming DMV by Dimaggio) topped the ranking list by earning an average of 8.78 at qualifying competitions with rider John Dingle. Rohan (Rock Forever-Florin by Fidermark) will look to showcase the form that propelled him to an average of 8.51 during qualifying. The Westphalian stallion will be ridden by Sabine Schut-Kery for owner Alice Womble.

Five-Year-Old Division: The second and third place finishers from last year’s Four-Year-Old Championship return in 2012 to display their progress over the last year. Reserve Champion from 2011, the Oldenburg mare Horizon (Hotline-Revue by Don Schufro) will be aiming to go one better this year for owner Betsy Juliano and rider George Williams. Pinky Roberts’ Regalo (Rosario-Dandiell by Nandino) collected third-place honors in 2011 ridden by Lientje Schueler and has been on a tear in his five-year-old year. In 2012, the Oldenburg gelding won the 2012 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Western Selection Trials on his way to earning the top spot on the ranking list.

Six-Year-Old Division: Six-year-olds Biscaya and Somer Hit are no strangers to the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships. Biscaya (Johnson-Audrey by Argentinus) competed in 2011 as a five-year-old cruising to fifth place honors. The Oldenburg mare, who stands second on the Ranking List, will once again be ridden by Ulla Parker for owner Nancy Holowesko. Somer Hit (Sandro Hit-Rhussia by Rotspon) is making his third appearance at the Championships after competing as a four and five-year-old. The Hanoverian stallion ridden and owned by Alice Tarjan finished the qualifying period as the third ranked six-year-old on the ranking list.

Source worlddressagenews.com