Champions were crowned on Saturday at the Lamplight Equestrian Center as the Developing Horse Grand Prix competition wrapped up. In the 2012 U.S. Developing Horse Grand Prix Championship Lisa Wilcox and Pikko del Cerro HU proved unbeatable as they cruised to victory by a decisive margin.
Wilcox (Loxahatchee, FL) and Pikko del Cerro HU (by Pik L x Rohdiamant) repeated their winning effort from Thursday to clinch top honors in the inaugural championship. Horses Unlimited’s 9-year-old Hanoverian stallion never looked in doubt of claiming his second Developing Horse National Championship title, he was the winner of the 2011 U.S. Developing Horse Prix St. Georges Dressage Championship as he put forth a dominating effort on Saturday to score 71.084%.
Thursday’s inconsistencies appeared a long way off as the stallion appeared much more settled in the U.S. Developing Grand Prix Test, which counted for 60% of the championship total. Throughout the week the U.S. Young Horse Dressage Program graduate and 2009’s Six-Year-Old Champion demonstrated a great aptitude for the Grand Prix movements.
“Today he was relaxed and his head was a comfortable; he was a hundred percent with me,” said Wilcox. “The passage-piaffe-passage was the highlight.”
Wilcox and Horses Unlimited’s Anne Sparks are firm believers in both the Young Horse and Developing Horse programs and their importance in the development of Pikko del Cerro HU.
“Because the programs were out there Anne did what the horse needed to do as a four-year-old and a five-year-old,” said Wilcox. “[These programs] provide a lot of exposure that helps in their development.”
The pair finished on a final score of 70.949% and additionally collected the Top U.S. Bred Horse award.
Earning Reserve Champion honors was Endel Ots (Wellington, FL) and Taunia Reed’s Agastrofos (by Briar x Nocturne) with a championship score of 67.812%. The 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood produced an expressive test highlighted by solid collection Saturday scoring 68.459%.
“He loves the piaffe and passage, the collected work is just so easy for him. He likes to go out and show, it’s great to go in there and have extra gas,” said Ots who believes the Championships are very important in assessing the aptitude of young and developing horses. “It’s really cool to compete horses in the same age group and see how you stack-up.”
Finishing third was Petra Warlimont (Hygiene, CO) and the 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding Rohmero (by Romancero x Walldorf) on an overall score of 63.961%.
Photos © Mary Phelps
Related Links
Scores 2012 U.S. Young Dressage Horse Championships
Wilcox and Pikko del Cerro Win Inter II at 2012 U.S. Developing Horse Championships