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Georgetown, KY; September 18, 2008. Christopher Hickey rode Cabana Boy to victory in the USEF/Markel 6 year-old Young Dressage Horse National Championship at the Kentucky Horse Park on September 14, 2008. The Hanoverian gelding by Contucci out of Britania by Bordeaux scored a total of 8.644 to win the championship and highlight the value of the International Jumper & Dressage Futurity program. This followed his win in 2007 when he took the USEF/Markel 5-Year-Old Championships. Cabana Boy was bred by Dr. Douglas & Shannon Langer from Helenville, WI. who sold the gelding as a weanling to Contucci's owners, Hilltop Farm, of Colora, MD.

Rider, Christopher Hickey, noted that Hilltop is very proud of Cabana Boy because he's bred and born in the U.S. and has already had a very successful start to his career. "He did very well on the line as a two year-old at Devon and in 2006 he was selected to represent the U.S. in Verden [Germany]. It's wonderful for U.S. bred horses to be so competitive. It shows that breeding in this country is doing well. The Young Horse program gives the horses a chance to show in their age group on an even playing field," commented Hickey.

Another Contucci gelding finished fifth in the 6 year-old Preliminary Class in the hands of Claire Darnell. Calimar, who was bred in the U.S. by Zada A. Steidl out of Vodka Gimlet by Valhalla Farm's foundation sire Martini, finished with total marks of 37.9 and a score of 7.58.

Joan Darnell has been participating with Calimar in the Young Dressage Horse Championship for the past three years and was satisfied with his 5th place finish this year. "His performance was so much better so we're quite pleased with him," she remarked. "This program steers young horses to the direct scale of training and if you follow the structure you can be very successful at it," she added.

Calimar's future is aimed towards the Developing Young Horse Championship on his way to international competition. "He's very smart and capable," noted Joan, "but we don't want to push him."

Contucci has done well as a sire of Young Dressage Horse Champions. In 2006, his daughter BW Callista, an Oldenburg mare out of Ariane, by A Jungle Prince, won the 4-Year-Old division of the 2006 USEF/Markel National Young Horse Dressage Championship.

BW Callista and Cabana Boy were among the first horses nominated to the International Jumper and Dressage Futurity the year the Futurity expanded to include dressage. BW Callista was bred by Linda Santomenna.

International Jumper & Dressage Futurity nominated stallion Sir Sinclair also qualified for the Championships. Sir Sinclair by Lord Sinclair - Krishna, by Flemmingh and owned by Iron Spring Farm was ridden by Belinda Nairn-Wertman to finish14th (62.333%) in the USEF Developing Horse Qualifying Class Prix St. Georges, and 12th in the USEF Developing Horse Test (63.358%). The first US-born foals by Sir Sinclair will be 4-year-olds in 2009, and that could offer enthusiasts a rare opportunity to see a sire and his offspring competing at the same championship venue.

"We are very pleased with how Sir Sinclair has developed over the years," said owner Mary Alice Malone. "It's really exciting to see how his offspring are following in his footsteps. The Young Horse Championships and Developing Horse Championships have been a very positive step for our sport in this country. They offer a lot of opportunities for stallion and young horse owners to showcase their horses."

In the 4 year-old Young Horse Championship the Hanoverian gelding Rorick by Rienzi - Daalny, by Donnerhall; bred and owned by Marefield Meadows, Inc. finished 10th with total marks of 35.3 and a total score of 7.06 in the hands of Verena Stock. The higher his average, the more prize money Rorick will earn from the International Jumper & Dressage Futurity, which pays up to $1500 based on the average of the horse's two best scores in the 4-Year-Old tests. Rorick's trainer, Vanessa Carlson of Claremore, OK, noted: "This was a goal of the owners to get him to the Young Horse Championship. It's a great program to promote their stallion, Rienzi (Raphael/Bolero), and to have the offspring judged for their talent. It's something that the breeders can participate in and the best thing we have going for us, so I hope it continues."

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USEF YOUNG HORSE & DEVELOPING HORSE DRESSAGE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cabana Boy
Hanoverian gelding by Contucci - Britania, by Bordeaux
Bred in the USA by Douglas and Shannon Langer
Owned by Hilltop Farms
Ridden by Christopher Hickey
6 year-old Championship - Placing 1st
Trot: 9.0; Walk - 9.5; Canter - 8.0; Submission - 8.5; General Impression - 8.5;
Total Marks - 43.5; Error - 0.2; Total Score - 8.50, Percentage Championship -
5.100; Total Score - Preliminary - 8.86; Percentage Preliminary - 3.544; Total -
8.644.
6 year-old Preliminary Class - Placing 1st
Trot - 9.5; Walk - 8.5; Canter - 8.3; Submission - 9; General Impression - 9; Total
Marks - 44.3; Total Score - 8.86
Calimar
Oldenburg gelding by Contucci - Vodka Gimlet, by Martini
Bred in the USA by Zada A. Steidl
Owned by Joan Darnell
Ridden by Claire Darnell
6 year-old Preliminary Class - Placing 5th
Trot - 7.7; Walk - 7.9; Canter - 7.5; Submission - 7.3; General Impression - 7.5;
Total Marks - 37.9; Total Score - 7.58
Rorick
Hanoverian gelding by Rienzi - Daalny, by Donnerhall
Bred in the USA by Marefield Meadows, Inc
Owned by Marefield Meadows, Inc.
Trained by Vanessa Carlson, Claremore, OK
Ridden by Verena Stock
4 year-old Young Horse Championship - Placing 10th
Trot - 7.8; Walk - 5.5; Canter - 7.2; Submission - 7.3; General Impression - 7.5;
Total Marks - 35.3; Total Score - 7.06
Sir Sinclair
KWPN stallion by Lord Sinclair - Krishna, by Flemmingh, represented the IJDF nominated
stallions in the Developing Horse Championship.
Owned by Iron Spring Farm
Ridden by Belinda Nairn-Wertman
USEF Developing Horse Test - Placing 12th
E - 63.939%; C - 65.152%; M-63.030%; Total score - 64.040%; Percentage Championship
- 38.4242%; Total Score Qualifier - 62.333%; Percentage Qualifier - 24.9333%; Total
- 63.358%
USEF Developing Horse Qualifying Class PSG - Placing 14th
E - 61.000%; C - 64.000%; M - 62.000%; Total Marks - 249.333; Total Score - 62.333%.
Sir Sinclair's oldest IDJF foals will be 4-year-olds in 2009.
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The International Jumper Futurity was founded in 1988 in order to identify and encourage the development of the best US-bred prospects for the highest levels international competition. The IJF was expanded in 2006 to include a dressage option in order to increase the benefit to breeders and stallion owners. Each year, the IJDF and its sister program, the Young Jumper Championships, award over $250,000 in prize money and bonuses. For more information, visit the websites at www.breedersfuturity.com or email yjcoffice@youngjumpers.com [mailto:yjcoffice@youngjumpers.com].

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International Jumper &
Dressage Futurity (IJDF)
Young Jumper Championships
www.youngjumpers.com

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IJDF Publicist: Chris Stafford 859-403-0503 (o) 859-552-5705 (c) chris.e.stafford@gmail.com [mailto:chris.e.stafford@gmail.com] Photo Credit: Phelps Photography