Thursday September 15, 2005

USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage Championships Final Presents the Horses For the Future

Jan Brons and the Fabulous Fino

For Jan Brons, and Joli Burrell’s striking Rhinelander chestnut gelding Fino, it came down to the wire, and very close to topping Sir Sinclair’s winning score. The young gelding (by Fidermark out of Wachtel by Worldchamp) bred in Germany by Eberhard Schulte-Bocker, had gone through a big growth spurt in the spring, and Brons, who was training in Franklin, Tennessee for the summer, had to back off and give him a break. Still it was all he could do to lasso the power he had beneath him to hold together the tough test in front of the judges, clearly impressed with his ability.

While Fino demonstrated his tremendous talent in all three gaits, he was also somewhat explosive and nervous, jumping away from the rail as the footing hit the PVC fence, and eyeballing the banners around the arena.

“We have just witnessed an attractive and amazing horse,” commented Cara Whitham after their ride. "With a horse of this ability, the rider may be encouraged to ask more of the horse to show his talents, this is not quite so.” Brons, an extremely talented trainer and rider with a barn full of talented young horses, more than understood such a comment, knowing his horse’s insecurities. Clearly impressed with the overall performance the judges gave the pair a 9.2 for an “expressive and elastic trot, an 8.5 for a ground covering walk, and a 7.9 for his canter work where Brons had some difficulty with the changes (as they were going towards the banners). Brons plans of giving the future superstar plenty of time over the winter months at his training headquarters in Wellington, Florida, taking his time before moving up to Prix St George.