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Friday, May 18, 2007

Kate Poulin "Warms Up" For Gladstone at the Paxton Farm CDI Cincinnati 2007

A large number of FEI riders took the opportunity to compete in this official Pan Am Qualifier at Prix St George and Intermediaire 1, at the Paxton Farm CDI May 11-13. Repeating her Mother's Day gift for mom and trainer Sharon Poulin for the second year in a row Katherine Poulin-Neff and her diminutive KWPN/TB gelding Brilliant Too "Zuel" topped a field of 35 entries winning the CDI Prix St George (68.8 %), Intermediarie 1 (70.1) and the Intermediarie 1 Freestyle ( 74.1). According to Katie, this was a warm-up show in preparation for the final Pan Am Selection Trial, to be held at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions in Gladstone, NJ, June 15-17. The son of her mother Sharon Poulin’s KWPN Stallion Brilliant, Poulin also competed B’Rookie, Brilliant Too’s brother at the show. He got a 68.8 in Fourth Level 1. Another horse for the future! "Brilliant Too and I are living an American Dream," said Kate. An American bred horse and an American trained rider."

Poulin-Neff has been training Brilliant Too in the Grand Prix which has helped improve his overall engagement and suppleness. "Now that 'Zuel' is more confident at the Intermediarie level I take more risks looking for more expression in each movement." Kate told DressageDaily. "Our scores are much higher then last year which shows me that we are on the right track." Kate also had the opportunity to ride with Debbie McDonald in the USEF Dressage Development Program. "She pays close attention to details and really helped me with our pirouettes." Kate adds that 'Zuel' is a happy horse and she pays close attention to keeping him like that. "Not all my work is done in the arena. Zuel LOVES to go for gallops."

Poulin-Neff lives in Ohio and enjoys showing at Paxton Farm. "Paxton Farm is a horse and rider friendly facility. The stalls are big and safe and the footing is good. Those two factors are very important to me when I choose to show. The show arenas and warm up are large and allow enough room for everyone without it feeling like a zoo. On top of that the Paxton Family is great to work with." With the support of her parents Sharon and Olympian Michael Poulin, Kate also has a growing list of supporters in her ongoing quest for the Selection Trials. Spirig Saddlery and Tack Around Town have recently been added to her growing list of sponsors.

Michael Shondel and his long time partner Silver Label placed second in the CDI Prix St George (66.850%), followed by Canadian Neil Ishoy with Lonestar (66.40), while in the CDI Intermediarie 1 Susan Jaccoma's Wadamur placed second (68.1%) (to Susan's delight, her young mare Donatella also placed in this class), followed by Gillian Sutherland and Great Tyme.

PhelpsPhotos taken at the Paxton Farm CDI 2006