With one week until our American contingent meets in Aachen for what is considered the greatest horse show in the world, our athletes are all in Europe putting on the final touches before arriving at the venue. I am very excited that we will have the largest group of riders and horses ever sent to Aachen for Dressage. Steffen Peters and Legolas 92 ( GP average of 76%) Shelly Francis (GP average over 70%), Jan Ebeling (GP average of 73%) and Tina Konyot (GP average of 73%) will be representing America in the Nations Cup, while Suzie Dutta and Currency DC (Scored 71.225% at their last CDI in Wellington this season) will be doing the Grand Prix 4* Tour. Caroline Roffman and Sagacious will become our very first on what I hope will be MANY US riders in the U25 Grand Prix classes, having just come off her debut GP performance in France with a score of over 70%! She, Shelly, and Suzie, will also have horses in the Small Tour, giving us 9 horses altogether. I Love It! But understand this- it is not about the “taking part” in this and all the other shows in Europe; it is about going over there to WIN! We want to win medals and classes at all levels and make America proud as a world power in Dressage sport! The American riders have an amazing support system behind them through the combined efforts of our US Equestrian Federation, the USET Foundation, and their owners, sponsors, personal trainers, and all who assist them in their goals! I am personally excited to be there to help them all in any way I can and know they will be great!

GO TEAM USA!!!

RD

Take a look at the very first European Grand Prix of American rider, Caroline Roffman, and Sagacious. Here’s what I think… A Star Is Born!!! How many riders and horses get 70% and look this elegant and composed this early in their career? And she’s under 25! I can’t wait to watch her contend to win the U25 GP in Aachen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFaMia4w4us

GO TEAM USA!!!

RD

Think we are on to something? Then you are right!
American riders and there horses, thanks to funding from the USET Foundation and their own sponsors and self-determination, have begun the first wave of arrival to Europe to compete against the best on their home-turf. The best news is that they are getting great results and showing steady growth already. So far, Suzie Dutta, Tuny Page, Shelly Francis, Tina Konyot, and Caroline Roffman have all competed in Grand Prix and some have also had successful small tour rides on younger horses as well.
Just this weekend alone, Tina Konyot placed 2nd in both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special in Achleiten, Austria, with scores of 72.021 and 73.3 respectively. I Love It! And the best news is that they still have not yet reached their ultimate potential. This combination will, very soon, do nothing for less than an 8… and you know what that adds up to… 80%!
I am also very proud of Caroline Roffman who, this weekend with Sagacious, scored 70% in their very first European Grand Prix with 3 International Judges presiding! Another star in born and she’s under 25!
Meanwhile, Shelly Francis and her two fabulous horses are readying themselves at Johann Hinnemann’s for Aachen and will be joined soon by two other top American Team riders, Kathleen Raine, World Championship Bronze medalist, and the great Steffen Peters, who made history by becoming our first ever individual medalist!
Olympian, Jan Ebeling has also arrived to prepare for our Aachen Team and I am very excited to be starting the largest contingent of Americans ever at this, the biggest and most prestigious show in the world. Steffen, Jan, Tina, and Shelly will make up our Nations Cup Team while Suzie will be competing in the 4* Grand Prix and Caroline will start in the U25 Grand Prix, our first American to do so!
3-time Olympic medalist, the amazing Guenter Seidel will be coming soon as well to join Kathleen and Shelly as well as David Blake on his debut trip to all compete in Lingen, but before that, Tuny Page will be starting her lovely mare, Alina, in the CDI in Rotterdam. Tuny, like Jan Ebeling, both also have new, great horses who will come out in Grand Prix later in the year.
We will be fielding a Nations Cup Team for Hickstead as well as sending other combinations for their CDI Tour and we must not forget our riders who are competing in many of these shows with their up-and-coming Small Tour horses, including those I mentioned above and Jennifer Hoffmann, with her 4 horses, who live here in Germany. Plus, WEG Team rider, Katherine Bateson Chandler has already gotten over 70% in the Small Tour and will be moving up to Grand Prix with the help of Carl Hester, who ain’t too shabby, himself! LOL!
That’s just for the summer. I will be reporting on our superb group coming this fall for the indoor circuit at a later date. For now, I hope you agree that Team America is preparing to strike and strike hard as we push toward the World Equestrian Games in Normandy in 2014 and beyond. One thing is for sure: Americans do not believe in losing at anything. We only like to WIN, WIN, WIN!

GO TEAM USA!!!

RD

On their first outing in Europe, Tina Konyot and Calecto V performed a gorgeous Grand Prix, placing 2nd with 72.021%! I could not have been more proud of them and the best Jes is that there are still way more points to be had by this combination. Their movements and expression are world-class and elegant and surely would have been over 74% but for a mistake in the zig-zags which really was just a momentary lapse of concentration. I have not seen Calecto looking more fit or Tina more confident and I am excited to see them perform the Grand Prix Special tomorrow! They then travel back to train with Jan Bemelmanns and on to Aachen with our Team and the largest American contingent ever to compete there in Dressage. I will report tomorrow night on her Special but I am very proud of the two of them and Tina’s assistant, Dana, is doing a wonderful job making them look beautiful as well!

Go Team USA!

RD

Tina Konyot just had another super warm-up day with Calecto V here at the beautiful show of Sissy Theurer at her Schloss Achleiten. I could not be more proud of both horse and rider as the improvement is clear to everyone watching. Now on to the Grand Prix tomorrow afternoon. Let’s hope it stays nice and sunny as it is today.

Go Team. USA!

RD

Our American riders and horses have begun their push to compete and gain exposure and experience in Europe this summer/fall. Although, with temperatures hovering around the low 40’s to the low 50’s throughout much of the region this week, it is hard to call it anything less than a mild winter!

Shelly Francis rode her wonderful two horses, Danilo in the Small Tour and Doktor in the Grand Prix. It has been a long time since Shelly has competed in Europe but she looks better than ever and rode tests that showed the great potential of each horse, even with the difficulties brought on by tension from the horses never having been in such an electric atmosphere. Doktor placed 7th in the Grand Prix and showed an even better Kur and Danilo is going to be a super-star Grand Prix horse. I feel confident that, with a couple more shows, Shelly will be up in the top group of the leader-boards!

I am extremely proud of Caroline Roffman who was second in both the Prix St. Georges and Intermediare 1 Freestyle with Her Highness in their first ever international outing! Caroline will also ride Sagacious today in a national Grand Prix and I know she will do a great job! America has a true “Under 25″ rising star and there will be many more following in her footsteps soon!

Today, I am driving from Arnhem to Krefeld, Germany, to watch Tuny Page perform her first Grand Prix in Europe on her mare, Alina. We will be seeing more of Tuny as well on her brilliant new horse, Woodstock as the season progresses and both horses are looking great under the training of Tuny and Jurgen Koschel, just as is Suzie Dutta and her horses, who we will see next in Aachen.

Tina Konyot is on her way this week to Achleiten, Austria, and I will meet her there on Wednesday in time to watch her do what I know will be a super Grand Prix! They will meet up later this month with Jan Ebeling, who has just arrived with Rafalca and Steffen Peters and Shelly Francis to round out our Aachen Team. We will also have Caroline Roffman there for both the U25 GP and the Small Tour along with Shelly’s, Danilo.

That takes us through Aachen and only the beginning of our American “Push”! I will report on the second wave in my next installment of “The American Push”!

Cheers!

RD

Here’s some news we American Dressage enthusiasts can be very scripted about!

Equestrian Sport Productions and Wellington Classic Dressage Reach Agreement on Dates for the Future
of Dressage in Wellington
For Immediate Release

Wellington, FL - May 29, 2013 - Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) and Wellington Classic Dressage are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement on the structure of the Dressage calendar for 2014 and beyond and will submit this to the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). Working together with the USEF and the other CDI Dressage show organizers, including IHS Palm Beach and Gold Coast Dressage, a very balanced Winter Dressage circuit has been developed that reduces the overall number of CDIs in Palm Beach County, but creates a series that will be very attractive to international riders from all over the world.

The proposal is subject to approval by the USEF, but both organizations are confident that it is in line with recent discussions between all the parties.

The proposal will utilize the Adequan Global Dressage Festival venue (The Stadium) as the main base for the international events except for the iconic Palm Beach Derby CDI-W, while other shows would continue at the Loxahatchee venue or Jim Brandon Equestrian Center.

Noreen O’Sullivan, the Manager of Wellington Classic Dressage, stated, “I am very pleased that an agreement has been reached to work together and I know that the sport of Dressage can really grow and reach the level it deserves by utilizing the fantastic facilities at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival.”

Mark Bellissimo, CEO of ESP, agreed, “I am delighted with the outcome; this is a great step forward and is proof that groups working together despite prior differences are much more powerful than continued opposition. We can now give Wellington a world-class circuit at a world-class venue and that is only to the benefit of both the Dressage and non-equestrian communities in our great Village.”

Michael Stone, President of ESP, stressed that the agreement was subject to USEF approval, but following recent meetings with the USEF and the various CDI organizers, he stated, “I am confident that our proposal will be well received and is in the best interest of the sport. However, out of respect to the decision-making process of the USEF, the full details of the proposal cannot be released until we have received the formal approval.”

Please visit www.equestriansport.com or call 561-793-5867 for more information.

Cheers!

RD

I am at JFK getting ready to depart for Amsterdam and on to De Steeg CDI where Shelly Francis will be competing both her horses. Very exciting as she and so many other American riders are on their way to show in Europe this summer an fall. I will hope to see Tuny Page and Suzie Dutta as well while there and then will be attending Achleiten in Austria to see Tina Konyot compete in preparation for Aachen. This is, as I said, just our first wave of horses and riders representing America in our push toward the World Equestrian Games next year in Normandy. Many great combinations, both well known and brand new, will be hitting the shows and I foresee great success from our athletes. So, watch out Europe - HERE WE COME!

Cheers!

RD

My heart goes out to everyone affected by the tornados yesterday in Oklahoma. Such devastation is so hard to conceive of, but here is a video that will at least bring a happy tear to your eye and remind you that miracles happen every single day!
http://gawker.com/oklahoma-tornado-survivor-finds-missing-dog-during-live-509025167?utm_campaign=socialflow_gawker_facebook&utm_source=gawker_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Cheers!

RD

Our American riders are leaving en-mass for Europe over the next weeks. Shelly Francis will be competing in the end of May in De Steeg on both her wonderful horses. Tina Konyot will begin her summer tour at Achleiten in Austria in the beginning of June. Our biggest contingent ever will be starting in Aachen with our Nations Cup Team consisting of Steffen Peters, Tina Konyot, Jan Ebeling, and Shelly Francis. Plus, Caroline Roffman will be representing America in the Under 25 Grand Prix as well as the Small Tour for her first time doing a European tour. Guenter Seidel, Kathleen Raine, David Blake, and Shelly Francis will all start in Lingen, thanks to Kasper Funke for taking in so many Americans! We will also start a Nations Cup Team in Hickstead and will name that team in the beginning of July since not only these athletes but also Tuny Page, Suzie Dutta, Todd Flettrich and others are all competing in various shows around Europe and will be considered as their scores come out.
Lisa Wilcox, Catherine Haddad-Staller, and Adrienne Lyle are all planning to compete in the fall indoor shows, including Stuttgart, Odense, Oldenburg and Salzburg. All in all, Americans are making a strong push to ramp up our efforts to produce a medal-winning Team for Normandy in 2014. I will be flying back and forth to support our riders at the key competitions and wish all of them the very best of luck and safe travels!

Cheers!

RD