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Saturday, March 1, 2008

25th Anniversary of the Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y

Shawna Harding and Susan Jaccoma Battle Once Again at the 25th Annual Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y
By Lynndee Kemmet for DressageDaily.com

Loxahatchee, Florida – Shawna Harding and Come On III continued their winning ways at the 25th Annual Palm Beach Dressage Derby CDI-W/Y taking the blue in Friday's CDI Prix St. Georges competition with a score of 68.05 percent. And right on their heels again were Sue Jaccoma and Wadamur in second place with a score of 67.60 percent. Third went to Patricia Becker and Sandor with a score of 66.05 percent.
PhelpsPhoto: Sue Jaccoma and Wadamur  

When asked how she felt about being second to Harding, as she has been more often than not during this year's Florida season, Jaccoma joked, "I can't stand it. I'd love to have a ride that would beat her." But seriously, Jacomma said Harding was simply having some beautiful and harmonious rides. Jacomma, nevertheless, has already earned her own blue ribbon at this year's Derby. She and Donatella won Friday's Intermediaire II with a score of 64.146. Second went to Anne Gribbons and Alazan with a score of 62.439 percent.

While Jacomma felt that she and Wadamur, an eight-year-old Hanoverian sired by Weltmeyer, were also having fabulous rides, she said youth may be all that's keeping Wadamur from consistent wins. "Shawna's horse is a year older and maybe he has 365 days of gaining more confidence and 365 days of more strength. By the end of the test my baby horse gets a little tired from holding that collection and he's such a magnanimous mover that he's got to tire. So, maybe that's the difference," Jaccoma said. "I'm basically riding as much horse as I have at this stage."

Jaccoma trains with Robert Dover and has absolute faith in his guidance. "I'm not going to change anything. I'm holding steady to the program that Robert and I have set forth for the next year and we'll see where we are at the end of the year."

Jaccoma was actually quite proud of Wadamur and rightly so. Day two of the Derby was a bit windy and it created problems for a number of horses, but not so Wadamur.

PhelpsPhoto: Sue Jaccoma and Donatella

"It was a little bit of a windy day and a scary day for my horse. But he stayed with me the whole time and basically, I had a mistake free test. So, I was really happy with my boy. There were people laughing in one of the tents and people eating in another tent and I thought, 'oh no'."