Monday September 11, 2006

It’s a Double at the 2006 USEF/Markel National Young Dressage Horse Championships!

By Amber Heintzberger For DressageDaily.com

The USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage Championships for six-year-olds had a grand finale when two California riders, David Wightman on Brigadier and David Blake on Catapult, tied for first place on two American bred horses with a final score of 7.956.

“This is the best thing that could happen for the sport,” said Wightman of that fact that both horses were bred in the United States. “It gives everybody an inspiration to ride American-bred horses and feel that they can succeed with them.”

Both horses were also awarded the Born in the USA award, sponsored by DreamTime Farm of Lexington, KY.

Wightman was the first to ride, and the Oldenburg gelding Brigadier (Batido – Lady Deco by Art Deco) owned by Deena Smith of Lenexa, KS and bred by Paige Hinds-Athan showed off the exceptional gaits that earned him a trip to the World Breeders Young Horse Championships in Verden, Germany earlier this year.

Judge Jayne Ayers commented, “This is an exciting horse and he was nicely presented.” She and Axel Steiner awarded Brigadier an 8.8 for his trot, which she described as having a “clocklike steady tempo.”

Wightman explained that Brigadier has had a whirlwind summer traveling between Kansas, California and Germany, but that with a little downtime at his owner’s farm before the championship he has held up well under pressure. “The first day here was our best ride ever,” he said. “Today I rode the trot a little more relaxed and improved even more.”

He was sure to mention, “I couldn’t have gone to Verden or come here to Kentucky without the help and support of my wife Kathleen (Raine).”