Articles: Horse News
Konyot Delivers in Third Selection Trial at the 2012 USEF Dressage Festival
of Champions
Tina Konyot and Calecto V (Susan J. Stickle)
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NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2013
By Joanie Morris
Tina Konyot and Calecto V (Susan J. Stickle)
Gladstone, NJ - Tina Konyot and Calecto V picked a good day to have their
test of a lifetime. They stormed to the win in Friday's FEI Grand Prix test
with a very determined performance to top the Grand Prix National
Championship's third test of four.
The 14-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion and Konyot scored above 80% for
the first time in their career together. Live scores are available here.
Konyot (Palm City, FL) and Calecto V won the 2010 USEF National Grand Prix
Dressage Championship and represented the U.S. at the 2010 Alltech FEI World
Equestrian Games. Today's performance at the 2012 USEF Dressage Festival of
Champions marked their personal best and Konyot thinks there is even more to
come despite scoring 80.149% today.
"I was just so concentrated and focused as I'm trying to be right now," said
Konyot. "I was just so happy, he felt so good - I know I can still improve
an awful lot on my piaffe and passage transitions and I can make them
better. I look forward to doing that, I can get it in the warm-up. He did
feel great, I'm so happy."
Konyot received tremendous marks for her entry (the scoreboard showed 92% at
one point) to the test and continued to ride for every point, the judging
panel of Janet Foy, Lois Yukins, Linda Zang, Jane Weatherwax and Hilda
Gurney rewarded her brave and accurate effort. Beautiful flying changes
highlighted exceptional canter work.
"I think my entrances have been really good in all three tests," said
Konyot. "He just does a beautiful halt. Like a feather landing, so soft and
square."
It didn't, however, change the overall leader of the championships: Steffen
Peters lock on the 2012 title remained unchanged as he rode Legolas 92 to
the second place on a score of 78.466%. A mistake in the one-tempi changes
marred an otherwise clean test - with scores hovering around the 80% mark
for the majority of it. Four Winds Farm's 10-year-old Westphalian gelding
was imported to the U.S. in December and he and Peters have been quick to
forge a partnership.
"The picture was a bit more uphill than last week," said Peters. "Overall
I'm very happy with the improvement from last weekend," said Peters.
The Grand Prix National Championship also serves as the Selection Trial for
the U.S. Dressage Team, and Peters feels that Legolas has secured his
position as a back-up for his veteran Ravel, who was given a bye from this
event. Ravel was fourth at the 2008 Olympic Games and also won the 2009
Rolex/FEI World Cup Final.
Jan Ebeling (Moorpark, CA) and Amy Ebeling and Ann Romney's Rafalca put in
an improved effort from last week and reinforced their third place standing
with a score of 75.255%. Ebeling and the 15-year-old Oldenburg mare chalked
up their best score to date and took one step closer to their Olympic
dreams.
"I try to ride the way I ride at home," said Ebeling. "I try my best at home
so that way when I come to the horse show it's just another day at the
office. I think that over the years that has become our strength, the horse
has gotten really consistent and really dependable we had a little bobble
there on the diagonal with the one-tempis and I guess that was me losing my
balance a little bit, it wasn't the horse making a mistake, it was just her
responding to what I was doing. But I'm very happy - it was my best score
yet."
The fourth and final portion of the National Championship and Selection
Trial gets underway Saturday morning at 8:30 AM with the second FEI Olympic
Grand Prix Special test, followed by the first half of the Young Adult
"Brentina Cup" National Championship and the second part of the
Intermediaire I National Dressage Championship.
ENDS
All of the performances are available on the USEF Network presented by
SmartPak.
The vision of the United States Equestrian Federation is to provide
leadership
for equestrian sport in the United States of America by promoting the
pursuit
of excellence from the grassroots to the Olympic Games, based on a
foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare
of its human and equine athletes.
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