Sunday February 8, 2004

Wellington Dressage Kur Day

Catherine Morelli And BeSe Win USET Intermediaire I Freestyle

In the $1,500 USET Intermediaire Freestyle, a Qualifying Competition for the USET Intermediaire I Championship, Catherine Morelli riding BeSe for owner Diane Rosenberg took the victory . The judges' scores were 13.95 at H, 13.625 at C, and 13.52 at B, for a total of 68.167%.

“Fantastic!” said Morelli, when she heard her score. BeSe is an 11-year-old Dutch gelding by Flemmingh that Morelli has been partnered with for three years.

“I was very happy with my ride, considering that when I went in he was squealing and trying to buck because I had hacked up with his barn mate and all of sudden they got attached,” said Morelli, 60, of Bedminster , NJ , and Wellington , Florida . “I thought it was going to be a disaster, but then when he went in the ring he settled down and listened to me.”

She noted that the only mistakes were a miss in the three's and one pirouette was not as fluid as she would have liked. “Overall I was very happy that he stayed with me and kept his attention on me, despite the crowd. A year or two ago that would have really sent him,” she said with a laugh. “His whole attitude is getting more trusting and more relaxed and he's working harder.”

Morelli and BeSe have scored well throughout the qualifiers for the USET I-I Championship. In the Prix St. Georges on Thursday they placed third with 66.583% and in Friday's I-I, they placed second on 67.833%. Morelli attributed the second place finish to ‘pilot error'. “I was so mad at myself because it felt like it was one of the best tests he's ever done and then I put the Prix St. Georges test on the end. Instead of extended canter I was supposed to trot and do extended trot.” Morelli noted that not only did she lose points for going off course, but also BeSe thought he was finished after the salute. “I had to go back and do it right,” explained Morelli – she picked up the test again from the point of error. “It wasn't that good. I was thrilled that he still got such a good score, which means the judges thought it was as good as I felt it was.”