Allida Jantz Taylor (Aptos, CA) and Global Equestrian Imports, Quarter Fox
Burbank, CA: The first California Dressage Society Grand Champions, sponsored by Halter Ego, were awarded tonight at this 55th Annual Championship Show. Allida Jantz Taylor (Aptos, CA) and Global Equestrian Imports, Quarter Fox won the overall Intermediaire I title. The 2009 German Sporthorse was third in the Intermediaire class earlier in the weekend. But just over a percentage point separated “The King”, as he is known in the barn, with the first-place horse. A solid 72.100% in the I-1 Freestyle, sponsored by Equine Discounts cemented the Grand Champion Title and the Doug Downing Memorial Trophy. Taylor explained that the horse was originally purchased for a client about three years ago. It wasn’t a match and when she picked up the ride she said, “It felt like we were just meant to be together.” Taylor plans to debut him at Grand Prix next year.
The Grand Prix Level Grand Champion, again sponsored by Halter Ego, also moved up in standings to take top honors and the Keen Perpetual Trophy. Christian Hartung (Vacaville, CA) rode Christiane Noelting’s, Oldenburg gelding, Desario to a 71.304% second place finish in the Grand Prix but rocketed up to an impressive 76.675% in tonight’s Grand Prix Freestyle sponsored by Parker Equine Insurance. Riding to a freestyle created by Karen Robinson, Hartung was especially pleased with the “try” in his horse. He also felt the horse “…really responded to the crowd.”
Riding as he said, “the full spectrum of Dressage”, Hartung won the CDS Training Level Championship aboard another Noelting owned horse, Velantis N. The four-year-old Hanoverian stallion was bred by Noelting. He placed first in all three of his classes with scores over 76% with today’s high score of 78.793%.
Another shining young horse was Maebria DG. The Cal-Bred Winner and highest scoring Futurity horse, bred by Willy Arts and DG Bar Ranch in Hanford, CA was ridden to CDS Championship honors at First Level by Ashlyn Elisabeth Dodge.
Amateur rider Jocelyn Towne (Beverly Hills, CA) had a great day. She won the CDS Amateur Intermediaire I Championships on her own Hanoverian gelding, Bandini – 70.294%, while her coach Kristina Harrison-Antell won the GAIG/USDF Prix St. Georges on Towne’s KWPN gelding, I Felix – 72.941%.
Other FEI level winners included Ari Lopez (Pleasant Hill) on Lynn Radkowski’s Ravenna. The diminutive (15.1) mare received a 70.662% in the CDS Intermediaire I Championship class. Stephen Adler Birchall rode Joyce Ryder’s Dutch mare, D’Amore for the win in Intermediaire II with a 69.853%.
One of the largest divisions of the show this year was the Third Level. Seventeen riders vied for the top place in the open division. In the end it was 22-year-old Carla Schulz on another Noelting owned horse, Qunique N taking home the CDS Jacket. In the Third Level Amateur Division, Kimberly Ann Kederick rode her own Hanoverian mare, Fantastica CS to a 68.000% GAIG/USDF Region 7 Championship victory.
For full results of today’s classes and tomorrow’s schedule, go to our website at www.california-dressage.org.
