On the final day of the Festival of the Horse CDI 3-star in San Juan Capistrano, competitors vied for top honors in entertaining FEI freestyles. Canada's Rochelle Kilberg claimed the win in the Intermediaire Freestyle on a score of 69.583% with "Rudy", an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (by Rotspon x Werther,) owned by Kilberg and Ben Vermeulen.
"I thought my ride was really good," said Kilberg. "He's a little tired but the electric atmosphere in the arena woke him up a bit. He did a great job for me today."
Finishing second with 68.583% was Heather Oleson (USA) riding her 14-year-old Westfalian gelding Escorial (by Ehrentusch x Fruhlingsrausch), followed by Charlotte Jorst (USA) with Skagen Holding's Tristan, a 2000 born Dutch Warmblood gelding by [Burggraaf x Kaiserstern with 66.292%.
Despite being ill, Mackinzie Pooley (USA) prevailed to win the Young Rider Freestyle with Deena Smith's 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding Brigadier (by Batido x Art Deco) on a score of 69.083%.
"He took care of me because I'm not feeling very well," said Pooley. "We only had a 20-minute warm-up, but it paid off. He's very well trained and I had to trust that today."
A close second with 69.042% was Brandi Roenick (USA) with her own Pretty Lady, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare by Iglesias, followed by Monica Houweling (CAN) on the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Rifradin (by Gribaldi x Formateur) with 66.792%. "I thought the top Young Rider freestyles were very creative with interesting choreography, and the artistic aspect of their tests was very good," noted judge Mary Seefried (5* AUS). For the Juniors, Julia Burke (CAN) earned the winning trophy for her freestyle with her own 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Patrick (by Balhinrobe Pearl x Northern Minuet) with 58.042%.
Steffen Peters Wins Olympic Grand Prix Special
Brisk spring weather made for fresh horses and hot competition on Saturday in San Juan Capistrano. The highlight of the day was the Olympic Grand Prix Special Test, where maintenance of composure amid challenging tests was the name of the day. "This definitely was a very interesting and exciting class," noted Lorraine MacDonald (4* CAN), President of the Ground Jury.
Once again emerging victorious was past Olympian Steffen Peters (USA) with Four Winds Farm's ten-year-old Westfalian gelding Legolas (by Laomedon x Florestan II). Despite some mistakes, the pair's many strengths earned a winning score of 75.933%. Second was fellow Olympian Guenter Seidel (USA) riding Fandango (by Feinbrand x Figaro) on a score of 71.089% for owner Toyon Farm, while Kathleen Raine (USA) earned 68.244% to place third with the Hanoverian mare Breanna (by Brentano II). Raine and Breanna were able to keep their cool when a loose horse stormed towards their show ring during their Special test.
In the small tour, David Blake (USA) built upon his first day's success by riding Willard and Teresa Simmons' Oldenburg stallion Royal Prinz (by Royal Diamond x Dream of Glory) to a second victory in the Intermediaire I Test (70.921%).
"This pair really stood out as the clear winner," noted judge Lorraine MacDonald. "It was an elegant test in which the horse really flowed forward and looked like a happy athlete. There's still room for improvement and even bigger scores, but he's definitely going in the right direction."
Steffen Peters (USA) finished second with the 8-year-old Hanoverian gelding Sundance (by Shakespeare in Love x De Niro) for owner Margaret Koster with a score of 68.421%. Finishing in third was Mette Rosencrantz (USA) riding Anne Solbraekke's Mosegaards Rico, a 12-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding by Robin with 67.588%.
Veteran Young Rider Mackinzie Pooley (USA) rode Deena Smith's 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding Brigadier to top a competitive field in the CDI Young Rider Individual Test with a score of 67.456%, followed by Laura Price (USA) earning 67.281% with Joan Cvengros' Grand Makana and Canada's Monica Houweling on Rifradin with 67.193%.
Meanwhile, placings in the CDI Junior Individual class mirrored those of the previous day's Team Test. Kalynn Harrington (USA) claimed top honors with the 14-year old American warmblood Raison d'Etre (by Regulus x Uzi) to a score of 64.079%. Julia Burke (CAN) placed second on her own 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Patrick with 62.763%, while Cassidy Gallman (USA) was third with 58.860% with Woden (by Weltmeyer x Ankum).
-- Cornerstone press release, edited by Eurodressage
Related Links
Scores 2012 CDI San Juan Capistrano
Peters and Blake in the Lead on Day One at 2012 CDI San Juan Capistrano