Lexington, KY -- An outstanding field of five- and six-year-old dressage horses, including a record 16 horses bred in the United States, came together to vie for the nation's most prestigious FEI young horse title this weekend, the Dr. Edgar Hotz Memorial Trophy--during the 2005 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage National Championships, hosted by MSEDA Dressage at the Park in Lexington, KY, September 9-11.

Winning the Six-Year-Old National Championship with an overall score of 8.452 was Sir Sinclair (Lord Sinclair I - Krishna by Flemmingh). This bay Dutch Warmblood stallion, bred in The Netherlands, was ridden by Belinda Nairn-Wertman and is owned by Iron Spring Farm, Inc. of Coatesville, PA.

Reserve National Champion in the Six-Year-Old Division was Fino (Fidermark - Wachtel by Worldchamp), a chestnut Rhinelander gelding bred in Germany, ridden by Jan Brons for Joli Burrell of Wellington, FL, with an overall score of 8.236.

Winning the Silver cup for highest-placed U.S.-bred horse in the Six-Year-Old Division was Saint Simmon (Rafurstinels by Katouchels by Goodtimes), owned and ridden by Lisa Blackmon of Valley View, TX. This bay Dutch Warmblood gelding was bred by Kim Jackson & Hunters Run Stables of Ohio, finishing in the Top Ten with an overall score of 7.032.

In the Five-Year-Old division, Currency DC (Clintino - Cinderella by Classiker) captured the National Championship honors with an overall score of 8.356. Ridden to victory by Susan Dutta, the German-bred dark bay Oldenburg gelding is owned by Tim Dutta, Inc. of Thornwood, NY. In July, Currency DC represented the United States in the FEI World Breeding Championships in Verden, Germany.

Winning the Five-Year-Old Reserve National Championship with a score of 7.832 was Grand Makana (Goodman - Waidwerk by Werther). This chestnut Hanoverian gelding, bred in Germany, was ridden by Laurie Doyle and is owned by Joan Cvengros of San Juan Capistrano, California.

The highest-placed U.S.-bred horse award for the Six-Year-Old Division went to Brigadier (Batido - Lady Deco by Art Deco), ridden by David Wightman to score of 7.624 and third place overall. This dark bay Oldenburg gelding was bred by Page Hinds-Athan of Kansas and owned by Deena Smith of Olathe, KS.

Dr. Katie Stanton of Carmel, IN, earned the award for highest-placed amateur rider, riding her own bay Dutch Warmblood mare Savanna (Jazz - Wanna by Doruto, bred in the Netherlands) to a score of 7.58 and an overall sixth place finish in the Six-Year-Old Division.

Now in its fifth year, the Young Horse Dressage National Championships was again sponsored by Markel Insurance, and hosted by the scenic Kentucky Horse Park. Judges were Linda Zang (O-USA), Cara Whitham (O-CAN), Anne Gribbons (I-USA), and Marianne Ludwig (I-USA).

Complete results from the 2005 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage National Championships will be posted on the Federation website: www.usef.org/content/equestrianSports/disciplines/international/2004-YH-Program.php. For more information about the USEF/Markel Young Horse program, please contact Jennifer Keeler, Sport Manager - Dressage, (859) 225-2024 or [email protected].

~~~For more information, please contact Sarah Lane, Public Relations Manager at (859) 225-6974 or via email at [email protected]. USEF press releases are available on our web site - www.usef.org.