DressageDaily: Lisa Payne Repeats Dual National Championship Victory

Tuesday November 25, 2003

Lisa Payne Repeats Dual National Championship Victory

Lisa Payne and Johnny Robb in a pas de deux In 1996, Lisa Payne gained national recognition after winning two National Dressage Championships riding her Arabian gelding, Fleet Halaaniz. At the recent 2003 Sport Horse National Championships, Payne repeated her dual victory, this time riding two horses to National Championship titles.

Payne won the Intermediare-I National Championship title riding PF Succeeding On, a purebred gelding she trains and exhibits for owner, Penny Turner of Wellington, Florida. “We were so excited to win at the first Sport Horse National Championships,” exclaimed an excited Turner.

The inaugural Sport Horse National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Show was held in Lexington Virginia and attracted over 400 horses from around the United States and Canada. Previously the Arabian and Half-Arabian sport horse classes were held in conjunction with the Arabian National Championship Horse Show. As the sport horse classes grew in popularity the Arabian Horse Association recognized the need to host a separate National Championship Show.

Fleet Halaaniz, Payne’s 19-year old black gelding, proved he still had what it takes to dominate in the Championships. The pair took the National Championship in the purebred show hack class, adding a third National Championship trophy to their collection. “It was nice to bring Fleet back and take the class,” said Payne, “he is a superb showman and he loves to show off for a crowd”.

Fleet may have another chance to strut his stuff. Payne and Fleet have been asked to do a demonstration at the South Florida opening of the new Black Stallion movie in January. In the mean time, Fleet will kick back for some well-earned r and r at Payne’s Oak Hammock Farm in Loxahatchee.