July 16th Cover

Corey Cushing and Smart Boons, owned by Kevin and Sydney Knight, blew away the competition to win the Open Championship by eight points–a margin of victory almost unheard of in the elite competition of the Derby–and that win was worth the big prize of $45,866.

“Everything fell together. It was very special, because there were really great riders with really great cow horses here,” said Cushing, who is based in Arizona. “It was very tough, and this win means a lot because of it.”

Smart Boons (Peptoboonsmal x Smart Little Easter) began the day with a 219 in the herd work. Their draw position–last in the second set–made Cushing a little leery. “Due to a couple of friends, mainly Shadd Parkinson and Brad Barkemeyer, and I studying the cattle, we were still able to find three fresh ones, and my horse was able to work like he always does,” Cushing said.

The herd work gave them a great start, but the rein work was a cause for concern. Although he still marked a 216.5, Smart Boons was lacking “that spark.” According to his trainer, “He felt a little tired.” Cushing said he knew he had a chance at the title, so his priority was to freshen up his horse before the cow work.

“We took him back to the stalls, rinsed him off real good, and gave him some grain,” Cushing said. “I got on him about four horses before our draw to loosen him up, and he worked great. We had two good turns, and then went right to the circles.”

T.J. Good piloted Stressolena to the Open Derby Reserve Championship, winning $33,796 for owners Douglas and Cynthia Granade. Good and Stressolena (CD Olena x Stressin) began the finals with a 211 in herd work, a 217 in rein work, and finished with a 220.5 in cow work.

Andy Adams wins Intermediate Open, Tyler Merrill claims Limited Open

Andy Adams has referred to Mister Smart Chic as a “hard luck horse,” because he’s been just out of making the finals almost everywhere he’s been entered. But, after winning the Intermediate Open Derby Championship, Adams admits that luck might just have changed. The Goodnight, Texas, trainer rode the 4-year-old to a composite score of 648 and won $7,570.

“He’s really good in the herd work, and he was just solid and cut some really nice cows,” the former World’s Greatest Horseman explained. “He was also good in the rein work. He had a tough cow in the fence work, but he handled it really good. I thought he showed a lot of maturity, especially considering he is only 4. I would like to thank Salt Fork Cattle Company and Crofoot Ranches for letting me show him.”

Shadd Parkinson took Intermediate Open Reserve honors after riding Cash R Rooster (Gallo Del Cielo x Cash R Chex), owned by Allan Kaplan, to a 643 composite and $6,056 payout.

With Tyler Merrill at the reins, Circle Six Spark 205 took the Limited Open Derby Championship, winning $3,825. The pair started off slow in the herd work with a 207, but then came back with good scores–214.5 in rein work and 215.5 in cow work.

Riding Very Smart Colonel for Anne Reynolds, Jaton Lord earned the Limited Open Reserve Championship and $3,188 with a 634 composite. Very Smart Colonel is by Reynold’s stallion, former World’s Greatest Horseman champion Very Smart Remedy, and out of Colonel De Light.

Anne Reynolds and Very Smart Flo Jo win NRCHA Non Pro Derby

Riding her home-grown mare, Very Smart Flo Jo, Anne Reynolds captured the NRCHA Derby Non Pro Championship and won $11,960. The victory adds another entry to the duo’s already impressive resume, which includes a Hackamore Classic Non Pro Championship.

In the first leg of competition–the herd work–the judges awarded the pair a score of 215.5, and Reynolds felt the ride ranked among the mare’s career-best herd works. “We found some really good cows. Our second was soft but the first and third were very challenging, and was one of the best works she’s ever had,” she said.

In the rein work, the 5-year-old mare was “awesome” in the circles, but a scotch on one stop led to a 216.5. Going into the cow work as the second to last horse to work, Reynolds was aware the Michelle Cowan and Wheres My Shine had marked a 219 down the fence–and that a score of 216 or better was needed to take the lead.

Michelle Cowan and her 2007 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Non Pro Champion Wheres My Shine earned the reserve title and $9,360. Cowan rode the Shining Spark mare, out of Boomerita, to a 211 in herd work, 217.5 in rein work, and 219 in fence work.

Tish Wilhite and Just Ask Me Nice take Intermediate Non Pro

Tish Wilhite earned the Intermediate Non Pro Championship on the 4-year-old mare Just Ask Me Nice (Captain Nice x Missy Dual Master); it was their first title together.

“She just keeps getting more solid, and I think she’s getting more confidence,” Wilhite said. “She was good in the herd work, and a little tired in the rein work–but the fence work is her forte. The cows at this show were challenging, but I thought they were great. I drew a really tough one, and everything fell together.”

That high cow work score catapulted Wilhite to the top of the leader board with a 631, along with a check for $5,130.

But the day was bittersweet. While Sunday will always be the day that Wilhite earned the Intermediate Non Pro Championship, she’ll also remember it as her first Father’s day without her father.

“My dad passed away the Wednesday before the show began. He had been having a lot of problems, so I was spending as much time with him as I could. He was asking me when my next show would be, and I told him about the Derby. He made me promise that, no matter what happened to him, I would go show my horse,” Wilhite said. “It was tough because this was Father’s Day, but at the same time, it is so cool to me that I was able to go and win. I know my father would be excited, too.”

Ashley Good earned the Intermediate Non Pro Reserve Championship on Cinnabars Lil Spark (Cinnabars Lil Lena x Shiners Oakie Val) after marking 201 in herd work, 213.5 in rein work, and 213 down the fence, winning $4,104.

Todd Crawford and Uno What Time It Is win Jack and Phoebe Cooke Open Bridle Spectacular
Saturday at the NRCHA Derby ended much like it began. An earthquake rocked the city early in the morning, then the earth shattering stops, turns, and cow works presented a night of excitement for the conclusion of the Jack and Phoebe Cooke $50,000 Added Open Bridle Spectacular.

In his first time to show Uno What Time It Is (A Chic In Time x Uno What Weeno) at an NRCHA premier event, Todd Crawford piloted the stallion to the championship, winning by 4.5 points to earn $30,625 for owner Julie Gibbons.

“He is good minded, and is definitely the kind you’d want to be able to show all the time,” said the Blanchard, Okla., trainer.

Claiming Reserve honors and $24,500 in the Open Bridle Spectacular with a 653 composite was Zane Davis, who rode Bobby Starlight (Grays Starlight x Cats Bobby Sox) for John Semanik.

Christina Allen wins Limited Open Bridle on Smart Madera

In the last show of her career, Smart Madera captured the Limited Open Bridle Championship with Christina Allen at the reins. Smart Madera, owned by Cottonwood Springs Ranch, marked 215.5 in rein work and 221.5 in fence work for a 437 total, winning $1,530.

Casey Branquinho won the Limited Open Bridle Reserve Championship on Just Mr Cool (Mister Dual Pep x Colonels Hot Chic), owned by the Ward Ranch, of Kingsburg, Calif., pocketing $1,275 for the 436 composite.

Patty Ralls, Dana Avila, Kylie Knight win Non Pro Bridle titles at NRCHA Derby

The Non Pro Bridle Spectacular results sheet read like a who’s who among top bridle horses. The top four horses have combined lifetime earnings exceeding a half-million dollars. Bridle Spectacular classes at NRCHA events are structured to showcase the most seasoned cow horses–those that are finished in the bridle.

Patty Ralls grew up in Santa Maria, Calif., just a short distance from Paso Robles, where the NRCHA Derby was held. On June 20, with friends and family watching, the transplanted Texan piloted Chromium Cowboy, to 217 in rein work, and 217.5 in cow work–perfect compliments to the 211 marked earlier for the herd work.

Those high scores translated to the Non Pro Bridle Spectacular Championship, and a $4,760 payday. “I had a really tough first cow in the cow work, and the judges whistled me out. I was a little disappointed, because I was sure we could have handled it and I thought it would have been an exciting cow to work–especially with all my family there to watch it. Luckily, I drew another really good cow, and everything worked great,” Ralls said.

Ralls has owned Chromium Cowboy since he was a 3-year-old, shortly before he earned the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Reserve Championship with her husband, Ron. Since then, Patty and Chromium Cowboy have won NRCHA World Championships, qualified numerous times for both NRCHA and AQHA World Shows, and won many other titles. “He’s the greatest horse. I always said everyone should have one great horse in their lifetime–he is definitely mine,” she said.

Kylie Knight earned the Non Pro Bridle Spectacular Reserve Championship, and the Provisional Intermediate Non Pro Bridle title on Reminic Moon Shine. “This is my first big NRCHA show back since I hurt my back the last time. It feels great to be able to ride this horse again and compete,” she said.

The college Junior took home $1,032 for the Intermediate Non Pro Bridle title, and an additional $3,808 for the reserve.

Dana Avila rode another cow horse veteran with an illustrious career–Brother White–to the Novice Non Pro Bridle Championship, the Intermediate Non Pro Bridle Reserve Championship, and fourth place in the Non Pro Bridle Spectacular. Those three places equated to earnings of $5,215.

Avila showed Brother White for a year in the NRCHA Non Pro Limited, going un-defeated and winning the 2004 Non Pro Limited World Championship. “I went to showing at AQHA events, because I wanted to get my feet wet before coming back to NRCHA events. I have to say that this Non Pro Bridle class was probably the toughest I’ve ever seen. I’m very glad I took time to get more experience,” she said.

Chris Mathews took home the Novice Non Pro Bridle Reserve Championship on Ima Chic Please (Chic Please x Smokum Chex Mint) with a 429 total, pocketing $1,656.

For complete results, visit: www.nrcha.com/pdf/news/prod/ShowResults.asp

DEAR CHRISTINA: It sounds to me that your gelding is very pushy. He also sounds like horses that I have had that were the bossy ones in the pasture — he is used to pushing people or horses around and getting his way.

I also wonder if he was recently gelded because what you describe sounds like a stud colt. When you say that he tries to put your arm in his mouth or throws a front foot forward, I am concerned for your safety. I’m sure you know the risks, but keep in mind that he weighs a lot more than you do. Your safety is number one, and he just can’t get away with that. He needs to learn respect for you.

I would recommend you seek the advice of a professional. Without me being there, I cannot guess how far he will go, or whether he is just threatening…or is really serious. I would assume he is serious.
One important tip I can give you is to define your space and to not let him into your space. You can do this by leading him next to you and when you stop and turn toward him, he needs to be ready to back up, not push forward. If you walk a step toward him, he needs to back up. You need to demand this respect by backing him up as you turn toward him. If he won’t back off, then take your lead rope or something like a PVC pipe that makes noise without hurting him. Smack him until he backs away from you. He needs to respect you, and you can demand this without hurting him if you give a clear message and are consistent. If you pick at him, he will just get irritated with you.

I have had some horses that I just can’t pat and love on because they have so much trouble controlling themselves. Just when you think they are harmless is when you lower your guard and get bit or struck. For awhile, I would be all business with him. I would make him stay out of my space and also teach him to watch my body position. If I turn to face him, he is not allowed to move forward. In fact, if I face him and stand still, he is not to move, but if I walk a step toward him, he is to back off. This can be difficult if he was to challenge you and it is important to watch his body language so that you know what is coming next.

If you feel you are not getting anywhere, then stop and seek the advice of a professional. Also, some horses push back against pressure, so if you put your hand on his face to pet him, he may try to push back, and that is aggressive behavior. The next step is he will try to bite or grab you. As soon as you feel him push back on you, get after him and don’t let it go any further.

Good luck with him, Christina. I hope this helps you!

Dana

Have your own question for Dana? If so, click here! If your question is used in “Dear Dana…”, you will be entered into a monthly drawing for a FREE “Winning Strides” DVD!

Courtesy of Ride & Tie

Michelle Andreotti and Susanne Rowland, with the horse Over Amile, win the Ride & Tie World Championship on June 20 and are also the first all-female team to win the event.

The 39th annual Ride & Tie World Championship took place June 20 at Cuneo Creek, in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, adjacent to the Avenue of the Giants. Andreotti and Rowland’s winning time was 3 hours, 57 minutes to complete the 34-mile course.

Ride & Tie is an endurance race, run on trails and cross-country, involving teams of one horse/two humans and competing against 10 to 50 other like teams. The humans alternate riding the horse a mile or so, tying it to a tree, and taking off running, while the other human catches up to the horse, unties it and rides past the other human, and so on.

“There have been so many remarkable women who have been competitive in the sport since the start that it was inevitable that the right two would team up to win the whole shebang,” Johns said. “Women can be excellent runners at distances, can be superb horsemen and often are lighter on the horse which helps the equine member of the team.”

Most recently competing at the World Championship level in the mid-1990s, the sisters had drifted away from the sport. Then, last year, the family was asked to attend the 2008 Ride & Tie World Championship event to witness the induction of their father Dave Andreotti’s horse, Scooter, into the Ride & Tie Hall of Fame. They were re-bitten by the bug: by July they bought the horse Over Amile and were training for this year’s race. The sisters live about 10 minutes apart, and the horse is stabled between the two.

Rowland said she is pretty competitive and it was her idea to try the championship race this year. They hoped to finish in the top five. “The course worked to our advantage; I like to run the uphills.”

Simultaneously, Andreotti would ride up the hill catching Rowland at or near the top, where they would switch. Converse to her sister, Andreotti likes to run the downhills. They let the horse pick its own pace, which on this course was usually a canter.

Defending champions Jim Howard and daughter Sara Howard of Applegate, Calif., finished in second place overall on the horse Voltaire, with a time of 4 hours, only 3 minutes behind the winning team. The Howards were also the top-placing man/woman team.

The highest placement by a man/man team was overall 7th place finishers Ben Volk of Pasco, Wash., and Lucas King of Trout Lake, Wash., with the horse Mondart. They had a time of 5 hours, 16 minutes. The 15-year-old King was also the youngest competitor this year.

The sport of Ride & Tie combines trail running, endurance riding, and strategy. The goal is to get all three team members, two humans and one horse, across a 20 to 100 mile cross-country course by alternating riding and running. Everyone starts out together. The rider, being faster, rides ahead and ties the horse to a tree, and then continues down the trail on foot. The team member who started out on foot gets to the horse, unties, mounts up and rides past the runner, ties the horse, and this leapfrog continues the entire course. When, where, and how a team exchanges riding for running is almost entirely up to each team to develop their own strategy.

The Ride and Tie Association will be celebrating 40 years of riding and tying throughout the week of June 12-20, 2010 at Mount Adams, Wash. The 40th Annual World Championship Ride & Tie, open to all comers, will be raced on location Saturday June 19, 2010.

For complete results and information about Ride & Tie, visit: www.rideandtie.org

Sheri Scott Photography

Helen McNaught and Ocean Cat win the $10,000 Woodside Jumper Classic.

“She is careful and wants to jump clean,” McNaught said of Ocean Cat, a dark-brown 10-year-old mare. Julie White brought the mare up through the jumper ranks, and McNaught recently took over the reins. “She wants to go and jump,” added McNaught. “She always has the fastest first round, and then in the jump-off I just turn tighter.”

McNaught is new to Northern California, and the British native really likes her new home. “This area reminds me of home and the weather is great. Woodside is quiet and filled with horse people, and I love the area shops. I’ve wanted to come up here for years and there is more competition than I expected. The Horse Park at Woodside is lovely and the big fields give you lots of riding area. What is there not to like?”

Over in the hunter rings, Katharina Coleman piloted Olympic, owned by Grace McLaughlin, owner to the championship in the First Year Green Hunters. McLaughlin took over the ride in the Junior Hunters and finished third in the Junior/Amateur Owner Hunter Classic, and she trains under Beverly Jovais. Amateur rider Andrea R. Oneto made a clean sweep of the Amateur Owner Hunter section aboard Craig 2, and then they also clinched the Junior/Amateur Owner Hunter Classic under trainers Hope and Ned Glynn. Sarah Ryan and Deal Me In won the $500 Pony Hunter Classic, under trainer Jamie Thatcher.

Daniel K. Lew / Horsetrader photo

Helen McNaught

Alicia Jovais, who has had a break from the show ring while attending college, made a successful appearance in the show ring. As the daughter of trainer Beverly Jovais, Alicia started in the pony hunters and worked her way up the junior ranks. At the Woodside Circuit Opener, Patrick Seaton had a jumper that he felt would make a nice equitation horse. Jovais just graduated from college a few weeks ago and her mother called and asked if she wanted to show. Aboard Caruso 329, owned by Lisa Ghilotti, she won both the Foxfield and the USEF Adult classes. The chestnut gelding seemed to like his new job.

Helen McEvoy, who trains under Ned and Hope Glynn, continued her winning ways by earning the blue in both the WCE and the Pickwick, and then finished second in the USEF Talent Search on the heels of Alison Fithian, who trains under Dick Widger. Fithian also won the jumper phase of the Washington International. Fithian’s younger sister, Madeline won the CPHA Child/Adult Medal. She, too, trains under Dick Widger’s watchful eye.

For complete show results, visit: http://www.leghorseshows.com/woodside.php

Leslie Morse

This meant Californian Leslie Morse was crowned USEF National Grand Prix Champion for the fifth time. Morse and her beloved 15-year-old Swedish Warmblood stallion Tip Top 962 put on a dominating performance in the Grand Prix on June 19 on a score of 72.00 percent to win the first leg. The pair tried out a new Freestyle on June 20 and scored 74.250 percent for second place. The Grand Prix Championship was scheduled to be decided June 21 with the Grand Prix Special, but Mother Nature had other plans.

“It feels great to be National Champion,” said Morse, who traveled from Beverly Hills to compete in Gladstone. “Tip Top did a fabulous job. I’m very excited. I leave here and go to England to train with Kyra (Kyrklund) we have a great tour planned and the timing is excellent to help us move forward.”

The final ranking was determined after the two legs of the competition, as only two of the three legs were completed. Morse was the only rider to score over 70 percent in both tests.

“I was a bit disappointed,” Morse said about not riding the third test. “I was looking forward to the Special and to doing better today than yesterday. But the decision was extremely wise.”

Daniel K. Lew / Horsetrader photo

Leslie Morse and Tip Top 962 are named National Grand Prix Champions at the USEF Dressage Festival of Champions.

Pierre St. Jacques and Lucky Tiger were second on the strength of their Grand Prix score of 68.596 percent, and were named Reserve Champions. St. Jacques has taken his time producing the 14-year-old Danish gelding at the Grand Prix level, and his patience was vindicated this weekend.

“I don’t have a sponsor,” St Jacques said. “This is a one man show, so I’m not going to Europe. My goal is Devon, it has been all year. I am going to work on getting Tiger stronger–there is a lot more horse in there, so that’s my goal. Europe isn’t a big part of my plan right now.”

St. Jacques was disappointed to not ride the final leg of the competition but felt the Ground Jury had a tough choice to make. “I’m a competitor,” St Jacques said. “I go out there to compete, it’s not my decision–but I think it was a wise decision.”

The Intermediaire I Championship was also decided by two classes instead of three as originally scheduled. This group of up-and-coming horses put on a great effort in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I test. They didn’t get a chance to perform their Freestyle, but Katherine Bateson-Chandler made it pretty clear she wasn’t going to easily relinquish her top spot with Dea II.

“I would have liked to have done it,” Bateson-Chandler said. “I was really excited and I love my music. So I’m disappointed but I trust the management. I believe she would have been good.”

Her winning scores of 73.105 percent in the Prix St. Georges and 74.579 percent in the Intermediaire I meant that Bateson-Chandler claimed her first National Championship. She was also third with Rutherford. Both exciting small tour horses are owned by Jane Forbes Clark.

Bateson-Chandler had Jan Brons hot on her heels with Teutobod. The pair of Wellington-based riders are great friends and their rivalry was fierce. “I was all geared up; it was that close,” Brons said. Bateson-Chandler agreed and said: “Jan was in fighting form.”

Kassandra Barteau was invincible–the 21-year-old Young Rider claimed her third consecutive National Championship in impressive fashion. Despite the downpour, the gutsy Young Riders completed their competition as they were the only class to go on the morning of June 21.

Riding GP Raymeister, Barteau left no question that her title defense was not negotiable, as her score of 72.368 percent in the Young Rider Individual Test was almost three marks better than Caroline Roffman and Accent Aigu FRH.

“I’m really, really proud of him,” Barteau said about the 9-year-old stallion owned by Ginna Frantz. “He was super today, super steady and was with me. I thought it flowed together nicely. He was a little timid with the puddles.”

The novelty hasn’t worn off–Barteau was very emotional about her win. “I was crying during the national anthem; it means a lot,” she said.

Meagan Davis was third in the Individual Test with a score of 69.984 percent, but her overall percentage was high enough to land her in the reserve champion honors with Bentley.

“I’m so excited to be here after only riding Bentley for seven months,” Davis said about her relationship with the 16-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding. “He was such a good boy and I am so proud of him. Bentley is a really incredible horse.”

For complete show results, visit: http://www.usef.org/contentPage2.aspx?id=dressagefestival

Waltenberry photo

Shawn Flarida and RC Fancy Step win the NRHA Level 4 Open Derby Finals June 27 at Oklahoma State Fairgrounds.

Marco Ricotta and Hollywoodstinseltown (Hollywood Dun It x Miss Tinseltown) marked a 230.5 in the finals to earn the Level 3 Intermediate Open division championship, Level 4 Open division reserve championship and $44,840. David Silva, Sr. of Tolland, Conn., owns the 4-year-old stallion.

Flarida, aboard Wimpys Little Chic (Wimpys Little Step x Collena Chic Olena), also placed third in the Level 4 Open division for owner Arcese Quarter Horses USA. The 4-year-old mare now has NRHA earnings in excess of $438,000.

In the Level 2 Limited Open division, Whizs Bronze Star (West Coast Whiz x The Bronze Star) and Pete Kyle marked a 220.5 to take the win in the division. Kaitlin Townsend of Argyle, Texas, owns the 3-year-old gelding.

Talmage Smedley of Ogden, Utah, riding Jerrys Fine Wine scored a 218 and earned championship honors in the Level 1 Open division. Smedley owns the five-year-old Jerrys Fine Wine stallion.

The Prime Time division championship was determined in the go early this week. Check Your Gun Lady (Dun Gotta Gun x Cee Blair lady) and Tim McQuay took top honors for owner Jerry Kimmel of Granbury, Texas.

Skeets Little Annie (Skeets Peppy x Oaks Little Annie) and Frederick Christen cruised to the win in both the Level 4 Non Pro, Level 3 Intermediate Non Pro and Prime Time Derby divisions. Christen of Whitehouse, Ohio, rode his 5-year-old mare to a score of 220.5 for a total paycheck of $17,616. Christen also won the use of a three-horse Cimarron Trailer, two Pard’s trophy saddles, two Montana Silversmiths trophy buckles, two Rios of Mercedes/Anderson Bean gift certificates, two Platinum Performance gift certificates, two Arenus gift certificates, two Purina gift certificates, two sets of Classic Equine Pro Tech boots, two Quarter Horse News jackets and two NRHA Lawson bronze trophies.

In the Level 2 Limited Non Pro and Level 1 Non Pro divisions, Kickit In The Bud (Nic It In The Bud x Peppys Little Orphan) and Marcia Cole Walker won the championship title with a score of 219.50. That score also earned them reserve honors in both the Level 4 Non Pro and Level 3 Intermediate Non Pro divisions. Walker earned two sets of prizes from NRHA Corporate Partners plus a total of $19,685 in prize money. Walker of Dandridge, Tenn. owns the 6-year-old gelding.

Youth Non Pro rider Jordan Donnelly rode her 5-year-old gelding Chexable (Inwhizable x Megarita Chex) to the win in the Youth Non Pro Derby division with a 218. Donnelly of Aubrey, Texas, earned $716 for the win. Reserve honors went to another Aubrey, Texas, resident Emily Winegar and Green Valley Ranch’s Lil Ruf Sarah. The pair marked a 216 in the finals.

For complete results from the NRHA Derby and ancillary classes, visit: www.nrhaderby.com

Ken Braddick photo / Courtesy of USEF

Steffen Peters and Ravel win all three dressage classes in the 2009 World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen: the Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and Grand Prix Freestyle

The sweep was a first for an American combination, and they did it in classic style, representing California and the United States. Peters and Ravel’s score in the July 5 finale Grand Prix Freestyle was 85.6 percent–more than a point clear of multi-Olympic Gold medalist and FEI World Cup champion Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands riding IPS Salinero.

Peters picked up 30,000 EURO for their efforts on July 5, pushing their three-day prize money total to more than 45,000 EURO. With this win, Peters (who was born in Germany, but became a U.S. citizen years ago) more than realized a lifelong dream of finishing in the top three at Aachen. He achieved it, to standing ovations, with family, friends and fans in attendance to celebrate his tremendous accomplishment.

“It was almost like riding in front of a home crowd. The competition went even better than at the World Cup Finale in Las Vegas,” said Peters, the 44-year-old rider who emigrated to California as a 20-year-old after growing up in Rhineland, Germany. “You only get a horse like Ravel once in a lifetime. He is very sensitive, is always on my side and ready to fight for me, but at the same time he is extremely relaxed and totally reliable, which means I can ride into the tests without being nervous.”

Aachen seems to bond the two, because Peters discovered Ravel during the FEI World Equestrian Games at the Soers in 2006. “It seems to be a good omen, my sponsors bought him for me back then. We took our time with him, he was my secret weapon, and his first international tournament was the Olympic Games in Hong Kong in 2008,” Peters said.

The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games next September in Lexington, Ky., are the pair’s next big goal. “We are going to take things easy now, perhaps we will compete at the World Dressage Masters in the autumn,” Peters said. “Otherwise, we are going to wrap Ravel up in cotton wool, to make sure that he remains fit.”

After winning the Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special and the Grand Prix Freestyle at the 2009 World Equestrian Festival, Peters and Ravel also secured the title of Dressage Champions Aachen 2009.

As Dressage Champion Aachen 2009, the special prize for the owner of the horse that collected the most points in the Grand Prix CDIO Tour was awarded to Ravel’s owner, Akiko Yamazaki. Peters and Ravel’s total score after all three competitions was 240.347, ahead of Anky van Grunsven on IPS Salinero. The successful Dutch duo collected an overall score of 232.445. Hans Peter Minderhoud of the Netherlands ranked third with Exquis Nadine and a total score of 226.9689.

“I am pleased that Ravel is now one of the top horses in the world, that does mean a lot of extra pressure, but it is also a great feeling,” Peters said.

In the Grand Prix, Peters and Ravel put in an amazing test, scoring 77.830 percent against many of the best horses and riders in the world. The five judges unanimously placed the pair first, and their average was more than 5 points clear of second place finisher, Hans Peter Minderhoud and Exquis Nadine. Among those left in their wake were Anky van Grunsven and IPS Salinero, who finished fifth on a score of 71.362 percent.

The 2009 World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen ran from June 26-July 5. About 450 horses and 300 equestrian athletes from 24 nations competed in Aachen, Germany, in the five disciplines of show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving and vaulting.

For complete results, visit the Web site: www.chioaachen.com

Ashlee Bond and Cadett 7 win Warsteiner Prize at CHIO Aachen

Ken Braddick photo / Courtesy of USEF

Ashlee Bond and Cadett 7 win the Warsteiner Prize at World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen

The Hidden Hills, Calif., rider flew to the win on Little Valley Farm’s fleet-footed Cadett 7. The talented duo bested 50 of Europe’s best horses and riders in an impressive effort, which involved the fastest round of 14 in the jump-off.

“I’m ecstatic,” Bond said after the class. “I’m so excited, it’s awesome–I didn’t come here to just be a person to go in the ring and say that I did it. I came to play with the big boys.”

The pair went first in the jump-off, but no one was able to get close to their time of 45.93 seconds, the margin of victory was nearly 1.5 seconds.

Cadett 7 has jumped double-clear in three consecutive Meydan FEI Nations Cup classes in Europe and both he and his 24-year-old rider have excelled in the big European venues.

“He was perfect,” said Bond about the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “He is amazing, I’m so blessed, he just so awesome.”

Next on the dynamo’s calendar is the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen, one of the most coveted titles in the sport of show jumping. Only two Americans, Anne Kursinski and Beezie Madden have taken top honors in the Grand Prix before.

“I will let him rest him up for three days and gear up for Sunday,” said Bond. “I’m alarmingly calm competing in Europe. I love it. For some reason it is very calming in the ring for me over here.”

For complete results, visit the Web site: www.chioaachen.com

Richard Spooner clinches second consecutive Meydan FEI Nations Cup win for U.S.

Remco Veurink photo / Courtesy of FEI & USEF

Richard Spooner and Cristallo help secure a U.S. win in Switzerland as part of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup.

“It doesn’t happen often back-to back to win in a top league like this,” said U.S. Chef d’Equipe George Morris. “This is a great group; we have five great riders and a bunch of wonderful horses.”

Morris selected Spooner of Agua Dulce, Calif., to jump-off to break the tie. The seasoned veteran carried the weight of the win back into the ring for the third time.

“I could have used any of the three in the jump off,” said Morris of Spooner, Kraut or Bond. “Richard’s horse was very, very fast in Rome, but I didn’t want to get him any more strong, he was very strong today. I thought maybe Ashlee’s horse as he was a bit more backed up, Richard helps Ashlee, Ashlee was leaning to Richard, so I said we can flip a coin. Ashlee would have done a great job. Richard is a master craftsman, a master jump-off rider.”

Spooner, known across the U.S. jumping community for his uncanny ability to shave seconds off seemingly unbeatable times, put the Europeans on notice that his accelerator was good on both sides of the Atlantic. Riding Cristallo, an 11-year-old gelding owned by Half Moon Bay, Inc., Spooner went head-to-head with German rider Marcus Ehning after the two teams were tied on four faults after the two Nations Cup rounds.

Spooner had the disadvantage of going first in the jump-off, he put up a lightning fast time on the headstrong Cristallo but had the fourth fence down, a tall vertical, meaning that all Ehning had to do was jump clear. Riding Plot Blue, the German rider hunted around the course in textbook style, but had the very last fence down with the lightest of rubs. Spooner was more than 10 seconds faster, so his time prevailed.

“Richard’s strategy was he had to really lay it on him,” Morris said. “Marcus is a very fast and smooth rider. If he hadn’t, Marcus could have gone very fast, Richard had a little bad luck at one fence. Marcus played it right and carefully but just hit the last fence.”

Bond of Hidden Hills, Calif., continued to defy her age for the United States as the 24-year-old rider jumped two clear rounds on Cadett 7 for the third consecutive Nations Cup–an unprecedented achievement.

Olympic veterans Kraut and Cedric had one rail in the second round after a first round clear, continuing their consistent roll through Europe. McCrea riding Vegas struggled in the second round and retired, but they served as valuable substitutions for Lauren Hough riding Quick Study.

“I’m very pleased, it is very, very important to stay in this league,” said Morris of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup standings. “This league is our preparation for championships. This gives us a leg up for the summer. Not that we can coast but it will give everyone confidence.”

A Meydan FEI Nations Cup event is organized as a five-star Nations Cup, a competition in which official teams representing nations compare their merit. At each event, the teams gain points according to their placing. At the end of the season the team with the highest points wins the Meydan FEI Nations Cup.

For complete results, visit the Web site: www.meydanfeinationscup.org