Lexington, KY - The Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Selection Trials concluded the 2008 qualifying season with competitions held across the country in Illinois, California and North Carolina to select the U.S. representatives for the 2008 FEI World Breeding Championships to be held in Verden, Germany, July 31 – August 3, 2008.

The first Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Selection Trial was held at CDI 3*/Y/J Wayne & Dressage at Lamplight in Wayne, IL, May 16 – 18, 2008. Champion Five-Year-Old was Whirlpool (Widmark x Glimmer by Grunstein, bred in the United States by Maurine Swanson) a chestnut Hanoverian gelding owned by Julia Greifeld of Westfield, NJ and ridden to an overall score of 7.708 by Sara Schmitt. In the Six-Year-Old division, Stephen Burtell’s bay Dutch Warmblood gelding Valentino (Kennedy x Funera by Samber, bred in the Netherlands by GEBR Van Halen) was ridden to an overall score of 6.812 by Anna Burtell.

Next was the Western Selection Trial held at Dressage at Flintridge, May 23 – 25, 2008 in La Canada-Flintridge, CA. Sweeping the Five-Year-Old division was Holly Reimers’ dark brown Oldenburg stallion Sandomere (Sandro Hit x Romina by Ramiro’s Match, bred in Germany by Marion Menck), ridden by Merrie Velden to an overall score of 8.064. Reserve Champion with 7.796 was Willy Arts and Woodwind (Contester x Muziek by Uniform, bred in the United States by Natalie Bryant), a bay Dutch Warmblood mare owned by DG Bar Ranch & Natalie Bryant. For the Six-Year-Olds, DG Bar Ranch again found success with Valeska DG (Krack C x Polimbria by Farrington, bred in the United States by DG Bar Breeders, Inc.), the chestnut Dutch Warmblood mare earning an overall score of 8.312 with rider Willy Arts. Reserve Champion was Sandra Burns-Gardner riding her own bay Rheinlander stallion Hit Parade SFS (Showstar – Esprina by Ehrentusch, bred in Germany by Johann & Willi Lenzen) to an overall score of 7.904.

The final Selection Trial was held at CDI-W/Y/J Raleigh & Capital Dressage Classic in Raleigh, NC, May 30 – June 1, 2008. Champion of the Five-Year-Old division with an overall two-test score of 7.944 was Ronatella S (Rotspon x Ronja by Raphael; bred in Germany by Dieter Loch). The black Hanoverian mare was ridden by Joe Sandven for owner Helen Wiest. Reserve Champion was Robbie Rice’s River Side Lady (Royal Diamond x Déjà Vu by Donnerhall; bred in Germany by BG Schroeder & Hanken), a roan Hanoverian mare ridden by Debbie Hill to an overall score of 7.728. Winning both the Preliminary and Final Tests with an overall score of 8.160 secured the Six-Year-Old Selection Trial Championship for Cabana Boy (Contucci x Britania by Bordeaux; bred in the United States by Doug and Shannon Langer), a bay Hanoverian gelding ridden by Christopher Hickey for Hilltop Farm, Inc., of Colora, MD. The reserve championship was awarded to Froelich (Festrausch x Light Music by Landadel; bred in the United States by Suellen Myers), a chestnut Oldenburg gelding ridden by Teresa Butta for owner Dorie Forte of Woodbine, MD, to an overall score of 7.632.

The official Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Short List has now been ranked (including international results and qualifications) and will be posted on the USEF website. From this list, invitations for U.S. representatives to the FEI World Breeding Championships, to be held July 30 – August 3 in Verden, Germany, will be determined. For complete selection trial results and short list information, please visit the USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage Program page at http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsDisciplines/discipline/allDressage/2004yhProgram.aspx.

ENDS

For more information please contact Director of Dressage - National Programs, Jennifer Keeler at [email protected].