E-Mail This Page

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions

Lauren Sammis and Sagacious Rapid Rise to the Top

A Matter of Trust

Sammis, of South Orange, New Jersey, clearly knew what she had and Guden decided to trust her. “She knew what she had under her and she’s done a marvelous job training him, bringing him along,” he said.

A wonderful job indeed! Sammis and Sagacious really gave Hickey a run for his money in the three days of competition that encompassed the Pan Am Selection Trials. Day one consisted of the Prix St. Georges competition, which counted for 45 percent of the final score in the Selection Trials. Hickey and Regent, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Flemmingh out of Jenny and owned by Brenna Kucinski, won that class with a score of 71.15 percent. Sammis and Sagacious finished second with 70.15 percent.

The places were reversed in the Intermediaire I competition on the second day with Sammis taking the win with a 72.30 percent. Hickey earned a 71.40 percent. The Intermediaire counted for 30 percent of the total score. The remaining competitive event was the Intermediaire Freestyle on the final day. Hickey and Regent won that with a score of 74.50 for a final total score of 72.063 percent. Sammis and Sagacious earned a 73.45 percent in the Freestyle and had a final score of 71.725 percent.
PhelpsPhoto: Team Coach Klaus Balkenhol congratulates Lauren Sammis

Third place in the Selection Trials went to Katherine Poulin-Neff and the very popular Brilliant Too, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood/Thoroughbred cross by Brilliant out of Blue Brigetta. As usual, the Poulin family was on hand to offer their support, which consisted of handing out Brilliant Too t-shirts and buttons to supporters.