Mill Spring, N.C. – Rebecca Hart (Wellington, Fla.) and Fortune 500, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Rowan O’Riley, currently lead the Adequan/USEF Para Dressage National Championship after recording a competition high 72.108 percent in the FEI Grade III Team Test today. National championship competition will continue tomorrow with the FEI Team Test across all grades. Kate Shoemaker (Wellington, Fla.) and Solitaer 40, in their first competition back since the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, earned a 71.042 percent in the Grade IV Team Test to remain in contention for the national championship honors, while Charlotte Merle-Smith (Ocala, Fla.) and Guata received a 70.392 percent in Grade III competition to remain in the hunt for national championship awards.
Sharon Packer Photography
The Adequan U.S. Para Dressage Team concluded their first day of team competition on Friday, with the team earning impressive scores across each of their grades. Merle-Smith and Guata, a 10-year-old KWPN mare owned by Charlotte Merle-Smith and Susan Merle-Smith, took second place in the Grade III Team Test, while teammate Hart and El Corona Texel, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Rowan O’Riley earned a 69.804 percent in the same class. Shoemaker and Solitaer 40, a 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Kate, Craig, and Deena Shoemaker, recorded a 71.042 percent for the team in Grade IV. Cynthia Screnci (Wellington, Fla.) and Sir Chipoli, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Volado Farms, received a 68.101 percent. Team competition continues tomorrow and will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the Individual Tests in each grade.
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Results
Competition at Tryon International Equestrian Center continue through Sunday, October 31. To learn more about the competition, visit www.tryon.com.
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The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOPC, and USEF sponsors and members.