Dressage-News

WAYNE, Illinois, Aug. 22, 2018–Heather Blitz and Quatero began their campaign for the Intermediate 1 United States championship by winning the Prix St. Georges Wednesday at a bigger than ever Festival of Champions. The imminent World Equestrian Games, however, has depleted the headline Grand Prix lineup.

Heather, based in Loxahatchee, Florida, and the nine-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding came into these championships as the top ranked small tour combination. with 10 victories in 12 starts in CDIs in the past 16 months.

The pair were awarded 72.853 per cent for the win with scores from the Intermediate 1 and the Freestyle to come to count to decide the title.

Jennifer Baumert returning for the second year with Handsome in the Intermediate 1 Championship placed second on 71.735 per cent. The CDI record for Jennifer, of Wellington, Florida and the 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding, ranked second in U.S. qualifying, was eight wins in 11 starts on the Florida winter circuit.

Nora Batchelder of Ocala, Florida and Faro SQF were third on 69.971 per cent.

Codi Harrison of Augusta, Kansas on Katholt’s Bossco won the Brentina Cup Intermediate II on a score of 71.941 per cent in the first year in the Under-25 division for the pair. Codi and the 11-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion competed in the 2016 and 2017 North American Young Rider Championships.

Molly Paris of Charlotte, North Carolina and Countess were second on 69.147 per cent with Kerrigan Gluch of Wellington, Florida on HGF Brio third on 68.147 per cent.

The championships for the first time combine seven competition divisions ranging from children to Grand Prix and five young and developing horse events from four-year-olds to developing Grand Prix.

The national championships come less than three weeks before the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina with America’s top five combinations on the team and a reserve and following a lengthy qualifying schedule in California and Florida then Europe. The 13 highest ranked U.S. combinations on the world standings are not competing in the Grand Prix.

This event also falls during the opening of the school year in many states and after the North American Youth Championships at the beginning of August.

Results: