By Stacey Meier

Lexington, KY – With three championships left to go in the final day, it was Christopher Hickey and U.S. bred Cabana Boy who swept the five-year-old championship division and Jason Canton and Grandioso who won the six-year-old championship division of the 2007 Markel/United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Young Horse Dressage Championship presented by Collecting Gaits Farm.

Beginning with the five-year-old preliminary test on Friday, Hickey and Cabana Boy dominated their division by placing first for both phases of the championship, ending with a total score of 8.408. Owned by Hilltop Farm, Inc., Cabana Boy is a bay Hanoverian gelding (Contucci x Britania by Bordeaux; bred in the U.S. by Doug and Shannon Langer). Taking Reserve Champion was Verena Stock and Roccoca WF with a total score of 7.880. Owned and bred in the U.S. by Vanessa Carlson, Roccoca WF is a dark bay/brown Hanoverian mare (Rienzi x Turtletaubchen by Tin Rocco).

Hickey started riding Cabana Boy this spring and they had a short break from each other when Hickey was away competing in Brazil. Hickey credits the staff at Hilltop for being so capable by keeping Cabana Boy going so well while he was out of the country. Recently, Hickey has had more time to devote to riding Cabana Boy and to continue the momentum from Friday, Hickey’s strategy was to stay steady with Cabana Boy.

“I knew the judges liked him but of course you need to show that the horse can be steady,” said Hickey. “He wasn’t quite as steady in the contact as he was on Friday but he is able to sit in the canter and show such good collection and the ability for the collection and extension. That’s what these tests are about, so I’ve trained a lot on that and I’m happy that it paid off.”

In the six-year-old division of the Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championship presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, Canton and Grandioso came away with the championship title with a total score of 8.368. Owned and ridden by Canton, Grandioso is a dark bay Westfalen gelding (Grosso Z x Popocatepetel by Palisandergrund; bred in Germany by Willi Hillebrecht). Reserve Championship went to Elizabeth Poulin and Donatus with a final score of 7.804. Donatus (Diamond Hit x Grazienna by Rubinstein I; bred in Germany by Gerd Berges) is a dark brown Oldenburg stallion owned by Melanie Pai.

“He’s very sweet—a big horse,” said Canton. “But he’s like a volcano ready to erupt. But you can also ride him around easy out in the fields. He’s got great character— Super to train.”

Canton was very pleased with his ride overall, as he came to the show with tempered expectations and ended up surprising himself.

“I came here really expecting nothing,” said Canton. “I was just hoped for the best and to ride the horse the best that I could. I’ve always had a feeling that he was a very special horse and he proved it today.”

For more information, contact Jennifer Keeler at (859) 225-2024, or e-mail [email protected].