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Articles: Press Release
Cabana Boy and Hickey, Grandioso and Canton Win Divisions in the
Markel/USEF National Young Horse Dressage Championships presented by
Collecting Gaits Farm
Contact:
United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.
4047 Iron Works Parkway
Lexington, KY 40511-8483
Tel: (859) 258-2472
Fax (859) 231-6662
Web site: www.usef.org
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 18, 2007
By Stacey Meier
Lexington, KY - With three championships left to go in the final day, it
was Christopher Hickey and U.S. bred Cabana Boy who swept the
five-year-old championship division and Jason Canton and Grandioso who
won the six-year-old championship division of the 2007 Markel/United
States Equestrian Federation (USEF) National Young Horse Dressage
Championship presented by Collecting Gaits Farm.
Beginning with the five-year-old preliminary test on Friday, Hickey and
Cabana Boy dominated their division by placing first for both phases of
the championship, ending with a total score of 8.408. Owned by Hilltop
Farm, Inc., Cabana Boy is a bay Hanoverian gelding (Contucci x Britania
by Bordeaux; bred in the U.S. by Doug and Shannon Langer). Taking
Reserve Champion was Verena Stock and Roccoca WF with a total score of
7.880. Owned and bred in the U.S. by Vanessa Carlson, Roccoca WF is a
dark bay/brown Hanoverian mare (Rienzi x Turtletaubchen by Tin Rocco).
Hickey started riding Cabana Boy this spring and they had a short break
from each other when Hickey was away competing in Brazil. Hickey credits
the staff at Hilltop for being so capable by keeping Cabana Boy going so
well while he was out of the country. Recently, Hickey has had more time
to devote to riding Cabana Boy and to continue the momentum from Friday,
Hickey's strategy was to stay steady with Cabana Boy.
"I knew the judges liked him but of course you need to show that the
horse can be steady," said Hickey. "He wasn't quite as steady in the
contact as he was on Friday but he is able to sit in the canter and show
such good collection and the ability for the collection and extension.
That's what these tests are about, so I've trained a lot on that and I'm
happy that it paid off."
In the six-year-old division of the Markel/USEF National Young Horse
Dressage Championship presented by Collecting Gaits Farm, Canton and
Grandioso came away with the championship title with a total score of
8.368. Owned and ridden by Canton, Grandioso is a dark bay Westfalen
gelding (Grosso Z x Popocatepetel by Palisandergrund; bred in Germany by
Willi Hillebrecht). Reserve Championship went to Elizabeth Poulin and
Donatus with a final score of 7.804. Donatus (Diamond Hit x Grazienna by
Rubinstein I; bred in Germany by Gerd Berges) is a dark brown Oldenburg
stallion owned by Melanie Pai.
"He's very sweet-a big horse," said Canton. "But he's like a volcano
ready to erupt. But you can also ride him around easy out in the
fields. He's got great character- Super to train."
Canton was very pleased with his ride overall, as he came to the show
with tempered expectations and ended up surprising himself.
"I came here really expecting nothing," said Canton. "I was just hoped
for the best and to ride the horse the best that I could. I've always
had a feeling that he was a very special horse and he proved it today."
ENDS
The vision of the United States Equestrian Federation(r) 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. This is based on a
foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare of horses.
Embracing
this vision, the USEF strives to be the best national equestrian
federation in the world.
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