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Monday, March 26, 2007

California Dressage in the Spotlight - A Dressage Affaire to Remember
By Lita Dove for DressageDaily.com

Akiko Yamazaki - An Owner's Chance in the Spotlight

Akiko Yamazaki is the owner of Lombardi II and Ravel, both shown by Olympic rider Steffen Peters. But she is also a serious competitior, and won the Adult Amateur Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire One with Lautenspieler, her 15 year old Hanoverian gelding. ‘Legie’, as he is known at the barn, “is like the good-looking, talented teenager who sits at the back of the class, making mischief,” laughs Yamazaki.. “He was so talented at spinning, I used to call him my cutting horse. But I would not trade his lightness and suppleness for anything else. And when it really counts, he always comes through!”

Photo: Amy McCool

Asked what she likes best about dressage, she thinks for a moment, and says, “The fact that in the end, it is about how smart you are as a rider. I love the fact that I can be a 130-pound woman and can coax my 1400-pound partner to move beautifully and willingly.” Yamazaki juggles time with horses with equally precious time (maybe even more precious) with family—her daughter is now 2 ½, “a very active age.”

Prix St George A/A Jr/Yr
(E) Gribbons, (C) Moritz, (M) Macartney,

• 1/Akiko Yamazaki/ Lautenspieler/66.333%
• 2/ Jane Thomas/ Wishfull/ 62.667%
• 3/ Melanie Cornwell/ Westermann/60.833%
• 4/ Donna Wannop/ Pikard / 58.167%
• 5/ Yvette Pickrell/ Prestiche/ 56.750%
• 6/ Shelly Lynott/Jamelone/55.833%
• 7/ Dianne McKerrell/ Atlas/ 51.750%
• 8/ Brittany Barr/ Luxor/ 51.667%

Intermediare I A/A Jr/Yr
(E) Macartney, (C) Gribbons, (M) Moritz,

• 1/Akiko Yamazaki/ Lautenspieler /69.333%
• 2/ Cynthia Collins/ Larisa//59.167%
• 3/Donna Wannop/ Pikard/ 55.333%