They’re not competing for dressage world champion, but six lucky riders got the chance to compete before a World Cup crowd Friday afternoon in Vegas. The Invitational FEI Grand Prix featured five competitors and one test rider, who got the chance to ride through the Grand Prix test without the stress of competition.

“It’s a phenomenal opportunity,” said Mette Rosencrantz. “Everybody is trying to move on and go to bigger shows but it’s hard to get the experience in an environment of pressure and big shows. Especially in this ring, everybody is so close. If we go to Europe, this is what it will look like.”

“I didn’t know how my horse would deal with this environment,” said Kristina Harrison-Naness. “I think this experience much better prepares all of us for the future.”

The lucky test rider was Californian Jan Ebeling, who did the test ride with the 10-year-old Oldenburg mare, Rafalca (Rohdiamant), owned by Ebeling’s wife Amy and Ann Romney, wife of Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney. While Ebeling rode through the test, FEI ‘O’ judge Axel Steiner explained the movements to spectators.

Prior to Ebeling’s ride, spectators were treated to the usual Vegas-style entertainment. Friday’s dressage competition was launched with laser shows and a performance by the Red Men of “Le Reve.” And, as has become typical of Las Vegas Dressage World Cup competition, a rather rowdy crowd of thousands was on hand to watch. It was hard to tell who was having more fun dancing to the music between breaks – spectators in the stands or announcer Nico Meredith.

The five competitors were riding for $10,000 in prize money and the first to go was Jennifer Hoffman with the 10-year-old Dutch gelding Petit Danseur, owned by Georgia Griffiths. Without a doubt, the close proximity of California gave its riders a big advantage when it came to the Invitational Grand Prix. First off, four of the five competitors were from California and it was an easy drive for them. Second, it seemed that their students and fans made the drive as well because they sure had fans in the stands. Petit Danseur made it clear that the indoor ring surrounded by the mass of spectators was a bit stressful, which showed itself in a rear in the piaffe. The pair finished with a score of 58.333 percent.

They were followed by fellow Californian Rosencrantz. One of California’s top riders, Rosencrantz had no shortage of fans in the arena. When she hit that final salute, calls of “Yea Mette” came from all directions. She credits the background music with helping her through the ride. Not just for Rosencrantz, but for all the rides, the background music fit as well as a choreographed freestyle. When Rosencrantz and Basquewille (Woernitz x Loewenbrau), a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, hit the diagonal with their tempi changes, the background music was right on target.

Rosencrantz and Basquewille finished on a final score of 63.542, sitting the bar rather high for the following three riders. She was certainly proud of her horse. “My horse is strong. He’s fun to ride and I enjoyed every minute of it.”

The first attempt to pass the score set by Rosencrantz was made by Californian Jo Moran riding the 12-year-old Swedish mare Minna (Bernstein x Marco). It proved to be quite a challenge for Moran to settle Minna in the electrified atmosphere of the Thomas and Mack Arena. Particularly in the passage-piaffe transitions, the mare’s tension came through as she hollowed and tossed her head.

Their final score of 57.583 reflected Minna’s tension. But this was one sympathetic crowd filled with amateur and professional dressage competitors who know the embarrassment of having things go wrong in the middle of a dressage test. And no doubt, they felt for Moran as she sorted out the mare under the watchful eyes of thousands. To her credit, she managed to recover and finish out with a nice, though rather conservative, ride. With her final salute, the crowd gave her a resounding round of applause. The difficult moments of her ride were not enough to dampen Moran’s enthusiasm over getting to compete at the World Cup venue. She left the ring with a brilliant smile.