Thursday, June 29, 2006

Hampton Green Farm Debuts Two Spanish Stallions at Grand Prix at Dressage at Lamplight

Pati Pierucci and Hampton Green’s Idilio Debuts in the Grand Prix

Hampton Green’s Idilio has been competing in the States and in Spain at all levels below Grand Prix since he was imported in 2000. For the past two years he has been shown only occasionally as Pierucci and her coach, Kathy Connelly, have been finishing the 16.3 hand pearl-white eleven-year-old for Grand Prix competition.

This weekend marked his first time in the Grand Prix ring and he did not fail to show exceptional promise at this level. Idilio and Pierucci began the weekend with a 71.7% in the Intermediare 2 and finished on Sunday with a 64.1% in the Grand Prix B test. They received a number of marks of 8 in the piaffe and passage tours, as well as 9s in the lateral work and the pirouettes.

“It’s been a waiting game to finally get to this point,” said Pierucci, “but Kathy’s strategy of holding off until he was ready really paid off. In the Intermediare 2, since he has done that test a few times, I was able to really go for it. He’s less familiar with the Grand Prix test itself, and I felt we needed to be more conservative so that he could be confident and enjoy what he was doing.”

photo: judywoodruff.com