Lexington, Ky. – Every year the nation’s top dressage horse-and-rider combinations head east to the picturesque Kentucky Horse Park for the United States Dressage Federation’s (USDF) US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®. Held November 9 through 12, the 2017 event hosted over 390 entries representing nine USDF regions from 38 states.

Vying for 30 titles, competitors riding horses of various breeds competed in Training Level through Prix St. Georges and Grand Prix Freestyle open and amateur classes. Highlights of the competition included Kristy Truebenbach Lund’s (Wellington, Fla.) win in the Intermediate II Adult Amateur Championship aboard Blue Marlin Farms, Inc.’s 14-year-old Spanish Warmblood gelding Akvavit (Silvester x Onni by Jazz) and the winning performance by Michael Bragdell (Colora, Md.) and Hilltop Farm, Inc.’s nine-year-old Oldenburg stallion Qredit Hilltop (Quaterback x Dream Rubina by Dream of Glory) in the Intermediate II Open Championship. Read more about Lund and Bragdell’s journey to the 2017 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan here.

Lehua Custer (North Hollywood, Calif.) and F.J. Ramzes (Juventus x J. Rambiance by Rampal), the seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding she owns with Wendy Sasser, traveled nearly 2,000 miles for just one class. Scoring a 72.991%, Custer and F.J. Ramzes claimed the championship title in the Third Level Open Championship after Custer’s USDF region and friends rallied around the combination, fundraising so they would have the chance to compete. Read more about Custer’s fairy-tale ending and winning ride.

After placing third in the Markel/USEF Young and Developing Horse Grand Prix National Championship in August, James Koford (Lexington, N.C.) and Sherry Koella’s Friesian Sporthorse mare, Adiah HP (Nico x Marije Ant by Anton), left their mark on the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan, winning the Open Grand Prix Freestyle Championship with a score of 71.133%. Watch their winning ride.

Full US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan results.

Additionally, riders cheered on their fellow competitors from their own regions as they competed for the Third Annual Regions Cup Team Competition title. With a regional team of three athlete/horse combinations representing each USDF region, the winning region held top-scoring eligible athlete/horse combinations from Training/First Level and FEI-level Regional Championship classes, and the highest-scoring eligible adult amateur athlete/horse combination from the Second through Fourth Level Regional Championship.

Region 3 was named the champion with a score of 70.425%, while reserve honors went to Region 8 with a 70.314%, and third to Region 9 with 69.939%. Full results of the Regions Cup can be found here.

More information on the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan Perpetual Trophies recipients and the High Score Breed Awards recipients can be found in the 2017 Recap and Results document. The 2018 event will take place November 8 through 11 at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Follow USDF on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for live updates all year long. Plus, find out more about dressage and all of US Equestrian’s 29 recognized breeds and disciplines in this Learning Center video. Follow US Equestrian on Facebook (@USequestrian and @USADressage), Instagram (@USequestrian), and Twitter (@USequestrian).

 

^{Photo Credit: SusanJStickle Photography}