Brandi Works Magic in Freestyle for 6th NAJ/YR Championship Gold,
12 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Brandi Works Magic in Freestyle for 6th NAJ/YR Championship Gold,
LEXINGTON, Kentucky, July 21–Brandi Roenick and Weltino’s Magic captured the dressage Young Rider Freestyle title Saturday to collect her sixth gold medal in three appearances at the North American championships. Canadian rider Laurence Blais Tetreault and Pissaro won gold in the junior division.
Brandi, 17, of San Diego, California, was unbeatable this year in taking the team, individual and freestyle golds with Weltino’s Magic, a 10-year-old Westfalen gelding. Their freestyle score was 72.000 per cent, with Monica Houweling, 17, of Delta, British Columbia, and Rifradin winning silver on 70.825 per cent and fellow Canadian Mathilde Blais Tetreault, 20, of Montreal, and Michelangelo took the bronze with a score of 69.325 per cent.
The NAJYRC, Brandi said, “is always a top goal. It’s always a very fun competition to come to and coming here every year and medaling has been an honor and more than I’ve ever dreamed of. It’s just an amazing feeling.”
Brandi, who has been riding Magic for only three months, performed the same freestyle routine as the horse’s previous rider, Steffen Peters, who is also Brandi’s trainer.
Since Peters is in London preparing for his third Olympic Games, Brandi’s mother were the “eyes on the ground.”
“My mom has been helping me,” she said. “Steffen has taught me to not be dependent on his training because he can’t always be here. I like having eyes on the ground, so mom is the perfect fit for me. She knows me better than anybody does.”
It was a great day for the Tetreault family as both sisters received freestyle medals.
“It’s really nice because I’m so proud of her,” said Mathilde who was in the Young Rider division while her sister, Laurence Blais won gold in the junior freestyle. “She’s working really hard. I would really like to be on the same team with her next year. We’ll have to see if she can make it because she’s only 15.”
Laurence scored 73.575 per cent in the freestyle after collecting team gold and individual bronze.
Mariah Sutton, 16, of Kitchener, Ontario, on Renoir scored 71.050 per cent for silver while Ayden Uhlir of Arlington, Texas on Sjapoer won bronze on 70.125 per cent.
