Sunday February 9, 2003

Tara Stegen and New Tango Make an Impression

The judges were also enthusiastic about Stegan’s horse, New Tango. “That horse is extremely talented,” said Ransehousen. “Very, very nice moving horse, wonderful extensions.”

New Tango was America's first entry in 2000, at the World Champonships for Young Horses, where he made the top 12, ridden by Stegen's long time trainer, Robert Dover.

Brown was impressed with New Tango’s collection: “The collection and the connection out to the bit. That’s what we want to see.” Lamping also complimented the contact: “The horse was good in the mouth. Happy.”

George Williams and the flashy bay Marnix owned by Chuck and JoAnn Smith also made an impression on the judges as a new pair showing promise in the upper levels. “It’s a work in progress,” said Ransehousen. “The canter can be very, very nice as long as the horse doesn’t get curled up and drop the poll too low.”

Brown observed, “We saw him in the warm-up and we were going, ‘Ooh, ah, ooh, ah!’ and then he looked tired in the ring. Then the next day I think George felt, ‘Oh he was a little tired so I won’t warm up as much’, and then he was a little more tense.”

Overall, for this first Selection Trial in Florida, the judges unanimously agreed on one perspective: as far as horses, the playing field is a lot more level. “Now the quality of the horses is getting more equal,” said Lamping. It’s who rides the better test and presents the horse. The days of ‘Oh, one horse is so much better and the other one isn’t’ — that isn’t there. They have to ride.”

Brown added, “They’re all good horses. They all can get eights on gaits. It’s a lot more up to the rider.” Brown also offered a bit of advice, “Preparation. All the riders need a little more preparation and better use of the corners.”

Though the USET I-I Freestyle is also a qualifier and was offered on Sunday, the riders elected to forego that class and it was not held. The final Selection Trials will take place at the Festival of Champions, June 19-23, in Gladstone, New Jersey. The Pan Am Games take place August 1-17 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.