Dressage at the CWEF
Amber Heintzberger
The Cosequin Winter Equestrian Festival in
Wellington, FL, February 1-4, 2001,offered four days of dressage right in the
midst of the showjumping action.With the generous sponsorship of Zada
Enterprises LLC and Windsome Farms ,there was $21,000 in prize money offered at
the FEI levels and $25,000 inprizes for the dressage-showjumping spectacular,
the show was as rewardingto its competitors as it was for spectators.
Beginning Thursday with lower level rides, the show culminated with the
crowd-pleasing Grand Prix Musical Freestyle, won by German rider
HubertusSchmidt,who was in the sixth place slot for going to Sydney last year.
Winner of the Grand Prix Special was Israeli rider Oded Shimoni, riding
hisDutchgelding Glenstern (by Kaisterstern, out of a Saluut mare.) Their test
showed consistency and fluidity combined with the precision necessary for a
scoreof 68.667%.
Shimoni, who owns Glenstern, said that "This is the beginning of the
seasonand hefeels stronger and more confirmed in the movements than last
year." The pair alsowon the Grand Prix at the Gold Coast Classic, January
19-21.
Patrick Burssens riding Marianne McPhail's Marfil, a
14-year-oldArgentinian-bred gelding, won the Grand Prix Special. Burssens
originally owned the horse,and soldhim to McPhail seven years ago. She rode him
Friday in the Grand PrixSpecial,but gave Saturday's ride to Burssens, who said,
"Each chance I get to ridethis horse,I gladly accept it." Their score
of 69.767% reflects their partnership."He is getting older;" said
Burssens. "He knows his stuff, we just have to keep him happy and healthy
and tuned up. I enjoy giving him a different ride sometimes."A native of
Belgium, Burssens spent 16 years in Mexico and has been based in Wellingtonfor
the past three winters.
Linda Smith won the Mountain Horse high-point award for second level test4,
ridingHelena and Howard Klukofsky's Westphalian gelding Fare Well, a
six-year-oldWestphaliangelding by Florestan, out of Fiorina. Fare Well also won
the regionalfirst level finalsand was second-level horse of the year in 2000.
He is now beginning third level.
Canadian Tom Dvorak took the Mountain Horse third-level high score
ridingDomingo, asix-year old Hanoverian gelding owned by the DGI Syndicate.
High scoreswere awardedwith a Mountain Horse jacket from Miller's Harness
Company and Cosequin.
Young Rider Jacqueline Paxton had a successful weekend with both herhorses,
Flyover(Fruehlingsrausch x Pia/Tollux) and Cinbad (Celbrio x
Duellinde/Seinschnitt 2). Inthe Intermediaire I test she won on Cinbad with
69.5% and was second onFlyover with 64%.Paxton competed with Cinbad at the 2000
North American Young RidersChampionships and with Flyover at the 1999 NAYRC.
Also with Cinbad she won the Young Riders Team,Individual, and Freestyle tests
at Dressage at Devon last year.
Thursday's Prix Saint Georges was won by Sabine Schut, of Texas, and Tinus,(by
Jillis),a 10-year-old Friesian imported from the Netherlands. This was
Tinus'first timecompeting at this level; they scored an impressive 69.125%. If
his background is any indication of his ability, greater things may be expected
still: Tinus was USDF horseof the year at second level in 1999 and at third
level in 2000. He started fourth level last year and moved up with flying
colors on Thursday.
"It was 30-40 degrees in Texas, and I notice a difference in the horses
inthe heat,"said Schut. "The Friesians are big, heavy horses and
their coats areblack, and theyare really affected by the heat. I don't like
cold weather, but it's good for these horses. They perform better when it's
cold."
Schut moved to the US from Germany three years ago with her horse Jorrit,who
was PSG horse of the year last year. He was purchased from her by Jim Mosebrook
and Lany Riggs of Proud Meadows Farm in Cedar Hill, Texas. They also offered
Sabine a job as head trainer at the farm.
Saturday night was the $25,000 Windsome Farms
Dressage/Showjumpingspectacular,in which dressage and showjumping riders paired
up in teams of two andswitched horses,then rode in each other's respective
sport. The jumpers rode third-level test threeand the dressage riders did a
"hit-and-hurry" jumping round. This providedgreatexcitement for
spectators and a lot of laughs for everyone. The winnerswere Anne Kursinski,
who ride for a very respectable 69%, and Bent Jenssen, who was equally talented
in the jumping, though Colombian rider Marco Bernal put in a blazing jumping
round, with the fastest time, that made the crowd go wild.
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