DressageDaily: Brentina: Grand Prix USDF Horse of the Year

USDF Horse of the Year - Grand Prix - Brentina

Debbie McDonald and Brentina, USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year The beautiful Hannoverian mare Brentina, owned by Peggy Thomas (Idaho) and ridden by Debbie McDonald (Idaho) is the 2001 USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year with a 72.320%. Brentina is by Brentano II, out of Liselotte and was bred by Wilhelm Rethorst.

After winning the USET Grand Prix Championship at The Festival of Champions in June, McDonald received a grant to train and compete in Europe where she and her family have been stabled and training with USET coach Klaus Balkenhol in Germany. Their hard work was reflected in her strong results at Stuttgart where they finished a fourth in the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Freestyle.

Roberta Williams who with her daughter Nicole joined her husband George, also on a training grant with Balkenhol, traveled 6 hours to the show to be a part of the small American audience including owners Peggy and Perry Thomas with daughter Jane, there to cheer her on. "When Debbie entered the arena for her Freestyle, the announcer made a reference to the recent terrorist attacks." reports Williams.

"When she came out, not only the small group of Americans made noise, but she had the European crowd cheering and rallying for her. Debbie told me that it was overwhelming to hear the crowd. We all were so proud!" Roberta reports. ""I can't say enough good things about the McDonald crew. When we each return to the US to our respective homes, we are going to miss each other. With everything that happened as a result of Sept 11, we all agreed that having family over here was extremely important."

Second Place
Grandeur: KWPN Dutch Warmblood by John Up To Berry out of Cisca, GJ Aufderharr, breeder/ Ridden by Steffan Peters (CA) Lila Kommerstad (CA) owner.
Third Place
Korona: KWPN Dutch Warmblood by El Corona out of Esprit, J. Paes, breeder. Owned and ridden by Shannon Oldham Dueck