Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

WAYNE, Illinois, July 25–Elizabeth Ball rode Selten HW, the American-bred Sandro Hit black stallion, to win the U.S. 6-year-old championships Sunday and complete an historic first for a horse to hold all three national young horse titles from four to six years old.

Elizabeth of Carlsbad, California, had passed up the chance to compete Selten at the World Young Horse Championships in Verden, Germany next month to attempt capping the sweep of the four, five and six-year-old championships.

Selten, bred by Irene Hoeflich-Wiederhold of Cape Coral, Florida, scored 8.66 in the championship test that combined with a preliminary score of 8.74 for a final result of 8.692.

Stacy Parvey-Larsson of Reddick, Florida, on Benidetto was reserve champion with a score of 8.208 while fellow Reddick resident Alex Robertson on Zefier were third with 8.00.

Selten won the four-year-old title while training with Hilltop Farm in Colora, Maryland, but Elizabeth took over the ride just over a year ago and won the five-year-old championship at this same Lamplight Equestrian Center in suburban Chicago. The stress of flooding of the stables during heavy rainstorms last Thursday and a large tree falling on the stabling Saturday night–no horses were hurt–did not appear to affect the horses in Sunday’s championships.

The panel of three judges gave Selten 9s for the canter and general impression for “a talented, young and beautiful horse” and a “wonderful” combination. Other elements received from 8 to 8.8.

Selten, Elizabeth said, “felt much more self-motivated and in balance” in the championship class.

She said she did not ride the horse Saturday between the preliminary and championship classes –“he’s trained”– and at his age and stage of development he needs to be properly managed.

To have the first winner of the triple crown of young horse classes, she said, is exciting.