Thursday, March 14, 2002

Yvonne Barteau and Chimon

Foregoing all the CDI classes at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby, Yvonne Barteau, 39, of Gilberts, Illinois, competed in the Open Division and came up the winner three times in three outings with her FEI horse, Chimon owned by Elite European Sport Horses, Inc. On Friday, March 1, the pair won the Prix St. Georges with a 69.50%. The following day they won the Intermediaire I, scoring 70.00%. And on Sunday, March 3, the duo again took the blue with a win in the Intermediaire I Freestyle, earning a 67.50%. All three classes were ABIG/USDF Qualifiers.

"I skated away from the CDI because I did too many last year and ended up pulling down my average for USET. I'm a little smarter this year," said Barteau. She plans to compete in two upcoming CDIs in order to qualify for the Intermediaire I Championships at Gladstone. Last year Barteau and Chimon qualified for the championships but they were both a little overwhelmed by Gladstone. "I felt I was the biggest nobody there and he was the youngest horse. I kept feeling like I should be taking polos off for somebody instead of riding." She says she would feel more at home at Gladstone this year.

Chimon is a nine-year old Swedish gelding by Amiral, Kyra Kyrkland's stallion. "He got a 10 on his trot last year from Edgar Hotz at the USET Heidelberg Cup, which was really nice and exciting for me because I haven't got that many 10s. You always remember when you get one, and for an extended trot at a big show like that it was really, really good."

In addition, Barteau was awarded the High Point Hanoverian Trophy at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby held in Loxahatchee, Florida, March 1-3. The trophy is awarded in memory of Dr. Walter Hartwig by The Hanoverian Society. Barteau earned the award for her ride on Lex Barker, owned by Elite European Sport Horses, in Training Level Test 2 on Saturday, March 2. The pair earned a 75.417%.