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SuSanJStickle.com he United States has had a number of world-class dressage horses in its ranks, among them gifted, Brentina, and ravel. But the equine talent pool currently available to top riders in this country tleaves us at a disadvantage on the international stage. Dressage in America has reached a defning moment in the wake of the past two olympic games, in which the US team failed to garner a medal. Te team was disqualifed in Hong Kong 2008 after an illegal substance found in one of the three team horses forced his elimination, and the US placed sixth in London 2012. Following a run of olympic team bronzes—Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, and Athens 2004—the past two games have been a setback. team USA’s performance in London clearly exposed our weakness against such dressage powerhouses as the United Kingdom, the netherlands, and germany. Te sparse avail- ability of horses measuring up to the new international standard was not news to then-United States equestrian Federation national dressage technical advisor Anne grib- bons, Chuluota, FL, who is now a selector for one of the programs she created, the USeF Developing Program, cur- rently helmed by olympian Debbie mcDonald. gribbons eagerly ofers up ideas to improve the future chances of US dressage competitors and how they can get the best horses possible to ride. “From my time as coach, i felt that we had more good riders than good horses available,” says gribbons. “most of MORE LIKE THESE, PLEASE: Te famed dressage duo Brentina and our riders weren’t sitting on horses that could go out and Olympian Debbie McDonald, who trained the mare to Grand Prix be competitive. it took only a couple of years, but europe generally speaking, there are three ways to acquire world- has left us behind. it’s tough at the top; you have to have the class horses: purchase “made” talent (typically from europe), skills, and your horse has to be really awesome.” buy promising youngsters here or abroad, or breed them our- USeF national dressage young-horse coach Scott Has- selves. mcDonald explains the many factors involved. sler, Chesapeake City, mD, says that building equine depth “i have always had to bring my own horses up and had is a complex situation that requires both money and luck. the opportunity to have some amazing horses and mentors “i think you can still buy a good Prix St. georges horse along the way,” she says. “We are losing the great mentors and take it to grand Prix, but we also have to fnd good young of the world! We need to have riders with pipelines full of horses,” Hassler says. “Te word is quality, quality, quality. Af- young horses. Tey also need depth of knowledge to help ter you fnd the horse, you have to fnd the right chemistry them develop these horses, but that also takes money and between horse and rider. Tere are so many variables.” sponsorship, of which there is not as much as we all would love to see. Tere are some riders that have the funds to buy They Don’t Grow on Trees already ‘going and showing’ horses; that takes someone re- With the legendary mare Brentina, Debbie mcDonald rep- ally knowing what to look for and knowing what they can resented the US around the globe, winning the 2005 Fei produce. i do think that we have some lovely horses being World Cup Dressage Final and leading team USA to bronze bred here in the US, but i would love to see more of the at the 2004 Athens olympics and the 2006 Fei World breeders doing what is done in europe and getting those equestrian games. in 2010 mcDonald, of Hailey, iD, was horses to the best possible riders for both their reputation appointed the USeF national dressage developing coach, and the horses.” her role to help identify and nurture future US equine dres- Te well-known US dressage patron Akiko yamazaki, who has purchased mounts for olympian Stefen Peters

SHaRon FiBelkoRn sage stars for the international arena.

USDF ConneCtion • July/August 2013 45 be exposed to more international-level competition, even if it doesn’t mean standing on the podium every time.” in yamazaki’s opinion, the relationship and training ap- proach of Debbie mcDonald and her student Adrienne Lyle represent the ideal model of how the next generation of in- ternational riders could develop in the US. “Tey purchased young, unproven horses and developed them into olympic horses over two generations of riders,” yamazaki says. (Brentina was purchased as a three-year- old, and mcDonald helped Lyle to develop Peggy Tomas’s Wizard, on whom Lyle made the 2012 US olympic team.) “Te key here is that Adrienne has had the beneft of a men- tor in every respect that is required of becoming a world- class rider, from training, to strategy on competitions, to CAREFULLY TAUGHT: Olympian Debbie McDonald (left) mentored having that support team that makes it all possible.” student Adrienne Lyle, who with mount Wizard competed in the 2012 For yamazaki’s thoughts on the challenges and rewards Olympics of dressage sponsorship, see “Funding World-Class Ambi- including ravel and Legolas 92, says: “i personally feel that tions: An owner’s Perspective” on page 50. the best way for the US to obtain world-class horses is for the riders to become world-class. Without world-class Producing Future Champions riders, there are no world-class horses. you may purchase Hassler points out that the world is at breeders’ fngertips: a horse that is already a successful international competi- Tey can go online and see what’s out there and raise their tor, but if the rider has no such experience, it will be a very standards; and thanks to frozen semen, they have access to steep hill to climb. i frmly believe that the riders need to top stallions anywhere in the world.

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46 July/August 2013 • USDF ConneCtion mcDonald believes that American sport-horse breed- ers can and possibly already have bred world-class horses. often riders and owners concern themselves with how to track down the best horses in europe and then convince the owners to sell, but mcDonald believes that this is not neces- sarily the best approach. “We need to be much more self-sufcient and not think we need to rely on europe for it all,” mcDonald says. “We can do this, but it is going to take a greater communication between the American breeders and top riders. Breeders need to realize that not every horse they breed is world- class; and when a top rider tries to be honest with them, they cannot take that as a personal attack. We have great riders that need great young horses, and this is what we need to keep fghting for.” gribbons would like to see elite auctions developed here in the US so that breeders can sell prequalifed and selected young stock to serious buyers. “in europe, there are at least thirty [elite sport-horse] auctions every year,” gribbons says. “it’s just pathetic that we don’t even have one selected, elite auction with vetted horses, where it’s a big party for people to buy great horses.” DREAM HORSES: Every sport-horse breeder hopes to produce a world- Assessing a young horse’s potential for future stardom class foal. Richelieu MF (Rotspon – Divine Dream MF, Don Principe) is a talent, says gribbons, not necessarily a skill that can be enjoys the sunshine at Marydell Farm (NC).

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USDF ConneCtion • July/August 2013 47 learned. “Some people just see a young horse and can tell “Money Makes Medals” whether it could make a star later. Some of our riders have fter the 2012 London Olympic Games, British an exquisite eye; others, while excellent riders, don’t have a Prime Minister David Cameron gave a wrap- clue,” she says. “if you have the talent to train a good horse, Aup interview during which he reviewed the it is worth paying someone who can tell you what you are success of the British athletes and the effect of the looking at before you hand over the money. We can’t all be UK lottery money that supported them. Of the £164 good at everything; realizing what you’re good at and where million raised in the four years leading up to the you need help is what makes people successful.” 2012 Games, about £30 million went to the eques- gribbons, who is an Fei 5* dressage judge, a Pan Ameri- trian sports. can games team silver medalist, and a dressage trainer and “Money makes medals,” said Mr. Cameron, and coach, says that she has observed several young horses in it sure proved true for all the British Olympic riders! the US that are already looking very promising. She also The money was used to scout out talent and support points out that there are some extremely talented riders in it, as long as it produced results. Riders who were America who specialize in riding young horses. if US breed- selected could spend their time training horses and perfecting their performance rather than teaching, ers had a means of fnding these riders, such as a database traveling to give clinics, trading horses, and worrying or an advisory board to get them organized, gribbons feels about supporting the horses they were riding. many young horses would get a better start in life. This concept, on a less grand scale, is also offered “many breeders don’t actually ride, and they need by some other governments of countries that con- guidance and a clear path to fnd good riders,” she says. sider their Olympic athletes worth an investment of “Horses need the opportunity to be trained correctly and public money. Naturally, this gives the athletes from not hang out in the pasture until they’re seven years old such countries a huge leg up. Although the United and it’s too late.” States Equestrian Federation and the United States Acknowledging that some breeders lack the funds to Equestrian Team Foundation make giant efforts to send their young stock out for endless years of training, help our riders, they cannot compete with lottery gribbons suggests that breeders and riders develop con- money or government support. tracts to make training and sales mutually benefcial. —Anne Gribbons (to that end, the newly established USDF Sport Horse Prospect Development Program and its accompanying fo-

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48 July/August 2013 • USDF ConneCtion rum aims to help create those breeder-rider/trainer con- you also have to be crazy about horses and have a very clear nections. See last month’s issue and page 50 in this issue for plan. it’s not easy, and it’s also about living it, not just playing more on this program.) at it.” Hassler similarly comments that when breeders get Speaking of education, gribbons brings up an oft-ne- their young horses into the right hands, the horses are much glected segment of the dressage world that she would like more likely to develop properly. “A lot of luck goes into to see added to the growing list of USDF training programs: producing a top horse, and there’s no magic formula,” he ponies. “Ponies are where riders get their start and where says. “Te hardest part is making really good choices after parents get educated,” she points out. “i went to one show a horse is born. i understand that the economics are tough, in France and there were at least forty ponies entered, all but there’s not time for horses to get behind schedule.” doing dressage. Lendon gray has been advocating ponies forever in this country, and i would love to see her involved Teach Your Children Well in a program.” yamazaki brings up ponies, as well. “in europe, pony Where do top riders and trainers come from? Tey’re tal- riders have nations Cups,” she says. “At a very early age, ented, for sure, but they’re also the product of excellent in- they are part of a team representing their country, compet- struction. ing against other nations. Tey learn very early in life to be gribbons, for one, would like to see certifcation for international competitors. i am very encouraged to see the dressage instructors made mandatory, so that instructors developments in Florida with creative nations Cups.” are more of a known quantity. emphasizing that a good, solid foundation in the basics “Te USDF instructor Certifcation Program has been will set young horses on the right track for the future, mc- around for years now, but it’s not as successful as it could be Donald says, “As the developing coach, i honestly feel that we because it’s not mandatory,” she reasons. are lacking education. i see many lovely horses that have been She adds: “if you fnd the right teacher and stick with started in such a way that they are mostly beyond repair. it them, you can get a very good education. to be successful, seems that people think that the sooner they can put ‘tricks’

USDF ConneCtion • July/August 2013 49 Funding World-Class Ambitions: An Owner’s Perspective

learly, owners with deep pockets are an invaluable asset when it comes to purchasing world-class horses for US riders. One such sponsor is Californian Akiko Yamazaki, owner of Steffen Peters’ mounts Ravel and CLegolas 92. Yamazaki purchased the KWPN stallion Ravel (Contango x Democraat) in 2006 through the well-known Dutch dealer Eugene Reesink. Later gelded, Ravel went on to become the top-fnishing US horse at the 2008 Olympic Games, the second American combination ever to win an FEI World Cup Dressage Final (in 2009), and the frst American duo to sweep the CDIO Aachen, Germany (2009). In 2010 they captured two indi- vidual bronze medals at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. Today Peters is making headlines again with Legolas 92 (Laomedon x Florestan II). Anne Gribbons frst showed Peters a video of Legolas, and Yamazaki purchased the Westfalen gelding as a 2012 Olympic backup mount for Peters. The seller was Ulrich Kasselman, who trained the horse up to Grand Prix and who with Paul Schockemöhle co-owns Performance Sales International of Hagen, Germany. USDF Connection asked Yamazaki to share her thoughts on the sponsor’s role. “The owner/sponsor relationship is not built overnight,” Yamazaki says. “As much as a rider needs time to develop to be- come a professional and a world-class competitor, owners also ESSENTIAL: Sponsors help mount top riders on top horses. need time to develop into a world-class horse owner…. In addi- Akiko Yamazaki (back to camera), owner of Ravel, talks with tion to the fnancial commitment that an owner makes to sup- rider Steen Peters after the Grand Prix Special at the 2012 port a horse-and-rider combination, there is a huge emotional London Olympics. and time commitment that also comes with it. In addition, for a horse and rider to be successful, a whole team needs to be behind the effort. Everyone on the team needs to be on the same page and understand what it takes and share the same professionalism, maturity, and commitment. An owner needs to be a credible leader of this team. If a rider does not understand and respect the emotional and time commitment an owner invests in addition to the fnancial support, it will not be a long-lasting relationship. The highs and the lows that you experience together require a very close relationship among all team members.” Yamazaki’s commitment to American dressage extends beyond her sponsorship of Peters. With DG Bar Ranch (CA), she owns Ravel’s frst foal, Gaspard de la Nuit, who was judged the top KWPN North America foal in 2011. A 2011 grant through Yamazaki’s Red Husky Foundation to the US Equestrian Team Foundation enabled a major expansion of the USEF Dressage Developing Program. On a personal level, she is a successful adult-amateur dres- sage rider at the FEI levels.

on a horse, the higher the price or the better they will do in and go crazy,” he says. “A lot of countries lack depth; when the arena. Tis is not the way we should be thinking, and the one top combination is out, there isn’t always another to horses are paying the price. my goal is to keep working to get take its place. We need to get better in every area: breeding, the education out there. in saying that, this year i have seen training, being inclusive, and bringing new people into the some amazing horses and riders hungry for the education.” sport. We have the programs and they are working; now we As a last word of caution, Hassler warns that the US need to build ourselves up.” s dressage community should not shoot itself in the foot by Amber Heintzberger is a freelance writer, photographer, and trying to overhaul every aspect of breeding and training in award-winning author. She is the co-author of the new book this country. modern eventing with Phillip Dutton, released this spring. “We have to be careful not to think we are in crisis mode She lives in New York City with her husband and two children. JenniFeR BRYant

50 July/August 2013 • USDF ConneCtion