Marcus Orlob Rides Spirit of Joy to USA Champion 6-Year-Old, First American Title for German-Born & Trained Rider

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Marcus Orlob riding Spirit of Joy in celebration of USA champion 6-year-old. © 2020 SusanJStickle.com

WAYNE, Illinois, Aug. 23, 2020–Marcus Orlob rode Spirit of Joy to United States champion six-year-old Sunday, the first American title for the German who began riding under the Stars & Stripes five years ago.

Marcus and the Westfalen gelding by Sir Calypso won both the final with a score of 8.68 and the preliminary on 8.96 at the U.S. Festival of Champions at Lamplight Equestrian Center.

The victory for Marcus, 38, of Annandale, New Jersey about an hour from New York City and Loxahatchee, Florida, and Spirit was his first at the festival. He competed Spirit in the five-year-old division in 2019.

Marcus had other successes at this year’s festival of 14 national championships. He was reserve champion on Glory Day in the four-year-old division.

He was reserve champion in the developing Grand Prix in 2015, and competed in the five-year-old division that year.

Originally from Dusseldorf and a German federation bereiter who studied under Olympic team gold medalist Hubertus Schmidt, he has competed extensively throughout the eastern United States since 2009.

Jennifer Schrader-Williams of Roy, Washington and Joppe K were reserve six-year-old champion, placing second in both competitions to decide the title.

Spain’s Pablo Gomez Molina on Baltasar de Ymas was third in both the final and the preliminary.

Results:

6-Year-Old Final

                Michael Osinski, William Warren,
Kristi Wysocki, Jodi Lees		  
Pl.   Score %   Nat. Athlete Horse   C  
1.   86.800   USA Marcus Orlob Spirit of Joy   86.8  
2.   79.400   USA Jennifer Schrader-Williams Joppe K   79.4  
3.   78.400   ESP Pablo Gomez Molina Baltasar De Ymas   78.4  
4.   78.200   USA Rebecca Rigdon Jagger   78.2  
5.   75.400   USA Hillary Martin Fortunata   75.4  
6.   74.600   USA Meredith Kaplan Kenyon Julinda M   74.6  
7.   74.400   USA Heather Salden Kurtz Jjaguar B   74.4  
8.   74.400   USA Kaitlin Blythe Justice OF   74.4  
9.   72.600   USA Jennifer Truett Absolute Dream   72.6  
10.   72.200   USA Stacey Hastings Hermes BRH   72.2  
11.   71.000   USA Nicole Levy Dark Knight   71  
12.   70.400   USA Nichole Suzanne Smith Sijam   70.4  
13.   67.400   USA Judy Ethell Jackpot Royal   67.4  
RT.       USA Jason Canton Felicita