USEF Network

King Wins the Day but Peters Best Overall in the Grand Prix, Barteau Holds on to Young Rider Lead and Sammis Takes Middle Leg of Pan Am Selection

RELEASE: June 16, 2007
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: Joanie Morris

Gladstone, NJ – It was a busy day at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions on June 16th, the Freestyle – the third and final part of the Grand Prix, the second part of the Intermediaire I Pan American Games Selection Trial and the finale of the Young Riders Championship made for plenty of spectating in unsettled weather at the USET Foundation Headquarters. The finale of the Grand Prix closed out the third day of competition and the Freestyle and the perfect weather attracted large crowds and provided plenty of entertainment. The weather had been beautiful all day until a storm began to roll through as Steffen Peters began his test. The storm held until just before Kristina Harrison-Naness was set to start her test and the competition was then delayed for 60 minutes. The first pair in the ring, Tami Crawford and Markant, went to the lead with a score of 68.15% which held until the winner of the first two Grand Prix classes, Steffen Peters – the first rider of the final rotation – marched into the ring with Lombardi and served notice that his lead was not going to be wrested easily. His test started with passage and piaffe and the Celtic music matched the horse’s animated action beautifully. A unique canter – piaffe – walk combination showed the 12-year-old Holsteiner’s versatility. “I was at the ultimate today with this horse,” said Peters. “After the last two days he felt more honest and more reliable in the changes. I thought the pirouettes were even better – that was the ultimate for Lombardi. This was his third Freestyle. Certainly the girls gave me a run for my money especially today. Because I didn’t know if he would make a Grand Prix horse it’s just a really big thrill.” Idocus and Courtney King had other ideas than to let Lombardi and Peters sweep the division. Idocus, the 17-year-old KWPN stallion had not felt like himself over the first two days of the competition but showed his return to form in the Freestyle for King. Moving to the music from the Wizard of Oz the pair showed off lots of beautiful flying changes and very good pirouettes. Extremely expressive trot work scored well throughout the test. “I was needless to say thrilled,” said King. “I thought Idocus was a little bit better than yesterday. He had a good motor, he was expressive. During the Grand Prix I thought I wouldn’t make it through the end of the competition. But I’m getting more comfortable riding him with more risk and that was our highest score yet in the Freestyle.” Harrison-Naness put on a game face after the storm with Rociero, the 12-year-old Andalusian stallion, and despite looking a little flat footed after warming up twice put forth a stellar effort and finished third with 71.9%. Good changes, and Rociero’s typical workmanlike approach to his test picked up scores for the hard trying duo. The classical music suited the pair who looked very composed and confident throughout the entire test. “I started listening to rap music to get myself psyched up,” said Harrison-Naness. “He was a little tired, I had to warm up twice. He usually has a little bit more engine. In the passage the footing felt so flat it was hard to gauge how much suspension I had. It was definitely a little tricky to ride but. He handled it great.” When it was all over, Peters won his sixth Festival Championship and Lombardi still reigned supreme finishing with three day total of 72.084% to win the Grand Prix Championship in convincing style. King and Idocus rocketed up the rankings on the strength of their Freestyle test to end up second on 70.172% and Harrison-Naness achieved her goal of consistency and ended up third with 69.527%. Sammis Turns Tables on Hickey in Pan Am Selection Trial Two little horses got big scores in the Intermediaire I test, serving as the second leg of the Pan American Games Selection