Laura Graves & SenSation HW Win Festival of Champions Int. 1 for 2nd Victory in National Small Tour Championship–Freestyle to Come Thursday

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Laura Graves and SenSation HW competing at Festival of Champions. © 2022 SusanJStickle.com

WAYNE, Illinois, Aug. 23, 2022–Laura Graves and SenSation HW won the U.S. Festival of Champions Intermediate 1 Tuesday, the second victory in the national Small Tour championship with only the Freestyle to come in two days.

Laura of the Orlando area community of Geneva and the nine-year-old Westfalen gelding were awarded 74.793% from the five American judges, a day after capturing the Prix St. Georges on a score of 75.117%. The scores in the two competitions counting for 85% of what will be the final total put the partnership about two percentage points in the lead. The Freestyle counts for 15% of the total.

Emily Miles of La Cygne, Kansas and Daily Show, an eight-year-old Hanoverian stallion, scored 73.440% for runner-up and to take over second  place overall. Nick Wagman of San Diego, California and Heatcliff, a 10-year-old KWPN gelding that placed second in the St. Georges dropped to 10th on 66.528% in the Int. 1.

Rebecca Rigdon of Encinitas, California and Iquem, nine-year-old KWPN mare, were third on 72.234% in Tuesday’s Int. 1.

Laura said the ride “felt pretty good” after Monday’s St. Georges.

“It felt maybe a little bit more tense, just a little bit more difficult.”

A mistake in the two-time tempi changes but otherwise, Laura said, “a clean test.”

“Luckily for me, I think it will be the last time he rides that test. Our plans are to move him up; I think he’s proved he’s ready for that.”

The Freestyle for Laura is the “time to celebrate” but it is still part of the championship that she said she has come to win “I want him to enjoy it, he feel a bit more free.”

The freestyle was created with the Grand Prix in mind for the future.

Results:

Intermediate 1 (for Intermediate Championship).

Judges: Janet Lee Foy William Warren Kristi Wysocki Kari McClain Michael Osinski
Place Score Athlete Horse E H C M B
1. 74.793 Laura Graves SenSation HW 75.588 76.323 72.500 74.264 75.294
2. 73.440 Emily Miles Daily Show 72.794 73.235 76.470 71.911 72.794
3. 72.234 Rebecca Rigdon Iquem 72.647 72.941 69.705 73.529 72.352
4. 71.587 Kathleen Raine Figaro 71.029 73.088 71.764 71.323 70.735
5. 68.940 Ali Potasky Inxs 69.852 70.735 67.794 68.970 67.352
6. 68.705 Kim Yacobucci Ichiban 68.676 70.588 68.088 68.676 67.500
7. 68.558 Ali Potasky Irintha 67.941 70.735 68.382 68.235 67.500
8. 68.499 Sarah Gammie Flash 65.000 68.235 68.382 71.029 69.852
9. 67.705 Lauren Knopp Amadeus de Massa 66.323 67.205 69.558 66.617 68.823
10. 66.528 Nick Wagman Heatcliff 64.411 69.264 65.588 66.911 66.470
11. 66.411 Teri Patton-Rich Belissa SVS 65.882 65.294 66.176 67.794 66.911
12. 65.352 Laura DeCesari Flower-Power 64.117 65.294 64.264 66.470 66.617
13. 65.176 Chloe Fullar Farley 4 65.000 66.470 62.794 68.235 63.382