Articles: Horse News
Todd Flettrich and Otto Win Gold Coast Opener FEI Grand Prix de Dressage
Todd Flettrich rode Cherry Knoll Farm's Otto to victory in the FEI Grand
Prix de Dressage CDIW at the Gold Coast Opener in Wellington, FL. Photo
© 2010 Susan J. Stickle.
Contact:
Lauren Fisher for
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Wellington, FL - January 23, 2010 - Dressage trainer Todd Flettrich and his
mount Otto, owned by Cherry Knoll Farm, had an exciting victory in Friday
afternoon's FEI Grand Prix de Dressage at the Gold Coast Opener Festival in
Wellington, FL. Competing in the main arena at the Jim Brandon Equestrian
Center, Flettrich and Otto completed their Grand Prix test with a score of
67.8% for the overall victory, and qualified to compete in Saturday's Grand
Prix Special following the win.
Otto, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood, was purchased by Cherry Knoll Farm in
2009, and Flettrich has worked on forming a good partnership with the horse
over the last year. Flettrich was very pleased with his test and thought
that Otto was great for his first show back since Devon. "My goal truly was
not to make any mistakes and I was a bit nervous myself because I haven't
shown since Devon and I didn't have any kind of practice run," Flettrich
noted. "I felt a little bit ill prepared, but I really was very happy with
him. Otto definitely has more in him than I did today, but he did everything
that I asked and I achieved my goal."
Flettrich and Otto will compete in the Grand Prix Special Saturday afternoon
and Flettrich explained that he would like to work out the little kinks and
be more confident in the test. "I thought that Otto was a bit conservative
himself actually in that indoor today. The weather kind of changed and he
certainly kept pressing on and performing, but I thought that he wasn't
quite as good as he is at home, so that is my goal for tomorrow," Flettrich
stated.
"The Special is a very nice test for him. The test is difficult. It's a
longer, busier test with many more transitions and lots of forward and back
and piaffe transitions, but Otto's talent is definitely his piaffe and
passage, so I feel very confident going into tomorrow's competition. Otto is
a great horse, I love him, and I am grateful to have him," Flettrich
concluded with a smile.
Todd Flettrich is based in Wellington, FL, has earned his USDF Silver and
Gold Medals, and is a graduate of the USDF 'L' Judge Program. Flettrich
competed at the North American Young Riders Championships (NAYRC) four times
and won the Individual Gold Medal and Team Silver in 1991. Flettrich served
as Region 1 Coach and Chef d'Equipe at NAYRC from 1988 through 1994. His
student Catherine Malone won the Individual Gold in 2005. Flettrich's
current mounts are owned by Cherry Knoll Farm. For more information, call
Todd Flettrich at 484-459-2749.
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