Sunday February 9, 2003

George Williams And Rocher Reign In Grand Prix Qualifiers

In the USET Grand Prix qualifiers at the Wellington Dressage show in Florida, January 30-February 2, George Williams and Rocher put in two spectacular tests, winning the Grand Prix on Thursday with 73.889% and the Grand Prix Special on Saturday, scoring 73.400% from judges Janet Brown, Natalie Lamping, and Jessica Ransehousen.

“Obviously I was thrilled with her,” said Williams after the Grand Prix. Rocher earned her highest scores, 9s, for her piaffe and her extended walk. Williams showed the mare at last year’s Winter Equestrian Festival and noted how much she had changed in 12 months “She’s much stronger, more muscled, and with that comes a great deal more energy. The biggest improvement has been in the passage. Now the passage is a lot more energetic and a lot more engaged. She stays a lot more elevated as she gets more and more comfortable and secure in the test.”

Only two other riders contested the Grand Prix qualifiers, and each took a turn at second and third place — in the Grand Prix, Lynda Alicki on her Impressario earned 65.625% and Jan Brons on his Fernando scored 64.236%. In the Special, Brons took second with 68.933% and Alicki scored 64.733% for third. In the USET Grand Prix Freestyle on Sunday, the sole competitor was Kamilla Du Pont on Reveille who took the blue ribbon with 59.583%.