Thursday September 16, 2004

Revolution’s Consistency Pays Off at the 2004 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage National Championships

Ashley Fornell and Rykaard Reserve Champions

Second placed Ashley Fornell was just behind him with 7.46, having had a lovely ride but losing some points for an unclear canter rhythm on her Dutch gelding Rykaard (Kimberley out of Milonia by Caruso), a horse that was a gift to her from her father Richard.

Fornell, from Chadds Ford, PA, also competed Rykaard as a five-year-old in the World Championships in Verden, Germany last summer and then stayed on to train with the Theodorescu’s until October, also taking Kerido, her Grand Prix horse, with her.

Rachmaninoff, (Rubinstein I out of Gloriette by Glorieux), owned and ridden by Joseph Sandven of Fletcher, NC was a perfect example of how the Young Horse tests are judged differently than a normal dressage tests – and how judges might see things differently.  Though he won on Saturday in front of a different panel of judges, the enormous, almost black gelding’s flamboyant gaits and moments of brilliance did not overcome some inconsistencies that brought disapproval from Sunday’s judges and resulted in a less than brilliant score of 6.88.