Dressage-News

VIERZON, France, July 10–Katherine Bateson-Chandler rode Nartan to their required second score Saturday that will qualify the pair for the U.S. World Equestrian Games selection trials in Gladstone in four weeks.

In the Grand Prix the pair came second to Great Britain’s Judy Harvey on Fitzcerraldo who scored 68.638 per cent while Katherine and Nartan were on 67.574 per cent and Germany’s Ellen Bodenkamp and Donner Hit third on 67.404 per cent.

The British-based American Kenneth Dyrby on Rholex was fourth on 67.149 per cent in the Grand Prix with a score of 67.60 and Nanette 65.319 per cent per cent for 7th place, while other non-Europeans included Australians Chantal Wigans on Ferero 66.213 per cent for 6th place and Fiona MacNaught and Ostra on 59.489 per cent for 21st place and Brazilians Marcelo da Silva Alexandre on Signo dos Pinhais with 63.787 per cent for 8th place and Thaisa Tavares de Almeida on Rio Pele with 59.915 per cent for 19th place.

In the Grand Prix Special Ellen Bodenkamp and Donner Hit were first on 70.333 per cent, Judy Harvey and Fitzcerraldo second on 69.250 per cent, Great Britain’s Amy Stovold and Macbrian third on 67.708 per cent and Katherine Bateson-Chandler and Nartan fourth on 66.875 per cent. and  second on

The Australian pair Chantal Wigans and Ferero won the Grand Prix Freestyle on 69.550 per cent, Kenneth Dyrby and Nanette second on 67.500 per cent and Switzerland’s Patricia Sarasin and Charleston III third on 66.550 per cent.

Katherine Bateson-Chandler said in a text message to dressage-news.com their Grand Prix included three “very expensive mstakes.”

In their first competition at Vidauban, France four weeks ago, Katherine and Nartan scored 68.359 per cent that for her first of the two scores she needed to qualify.

Vierzon was the second international show since the 15-year-old Dutch gelding by Jazz was acquired by Jane F. Clark just two months ago to give Katherine the opportunity to qualify for the U.S. selection trials at Gladstone, New Jersey in August.

Katherine, 34, is a British-born naturalized American citizen who took over training and competing Jane Clark’s dressage horses when six-time Olympian Robert Dover retired.

She has worked with Jeanette full-time since taking over the ride on Nartan.

Jeanette competed successfully with Nartan but was vying with the current top level of Dutch dressage that includes Moorlands Totilas, Jerich Parzival and Hunter Douglas Sunrise for a place on a team from The Netherlands.

Some European riders have privately expressed admiration for Katherine’s success on Nartan in the short time she has been competing the horse.