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Thursday, March 8, 2007

Mid Winter Dressage Fair at Los Angeles Equestrian Center

Young Horse Talent Emerges in California
By Lita Dove for DressageDaily

The Markel Adult Amateur High Point proved to be Sandy Harper riding her own Walking On Sunshine, a young Hanoverian mare recently bought at the Verden Auction in 2006. "She will be 4 years old on March 16," says a very proud Sandy Harper. " She came out of quarantine in November, and we took her to the LAEC show in February--so Mid-Winter is her second show."

Harper has worked with FEI trainers David Wightman and Kathleen Raine since the early 1990's. (Raine represented the US at the Olympics and World Cup, David has been to World Young Horse Championships and just started the Grand Prix with his promising horse, Partous). Walking on Sunshine is related to Raine's mare, Breanna--which means she is also related to Brentina. "We're not really ready to show," confides harper, "but she is just so easy--she just gets out there and does the job."

McCool Photo of Sandra harper with Markel's John Seger

Harper has several horses, almost all of them bought as youngsters and trained up the levels by herself--and she says this is the best part of dressage. " Feeling the improvement as the schooling goes on--knowing that, wow!, a month ago we couldn't do this!--that's the best reward."

Maria Lind Dickerson and the well-named Superman won the Open High Point. Superman is a 5 year old Oldenburg (Sunny Box x Landfrieden) owned by Dickerson friend and client, Glenn Lajewski. Dickerson's coach, FEI trainer Marie Meyers, found the horse in Holland. "When he arrived here," says Dickerson, he had no name--just a tag reading 'Sunny Boy gelding'. "

The more Meyers and Dickerson saw of the horse, the more they made up their minds to call him Superman. "Indoors, outdoors, on the freeway," laughs Dickerson, " he doesn't care. he has the best mind ever. Last year, he was 2nd in the nation USDF Training Level. He arrived in May, started showing in June, stays happy."

The plans for this year are to do the FEI 5 Year old Classes, starting with Dressage Affaire next week, then there Scott Hassler Young Horse Clinic as preparation for the Festival of the Horse. The clinic is at LAEC, Dickerson points out, so Superman will not have to travel too much, and in between can have nice hacks around the facility.

Dickerson, who has her USDF Bronze and Silver medals and is working on final score for Gold, bases her business at Equine Performance Center (EPC) a barn away from that of coach Marie Meyers, in Moorpark, California-- a small horsy town that has an entire roster of top dressage trainers .

ScoreSource - Results on Line for LA Mid Winter Dressage
Markel Equine Insurance