Riders Unite In First Under 25 Dressage Nations Cup Team Competition Held In U.S.

Up until recently the only place you could compete in an Under 25 dressage competition was across the pond over in Europe. These classes are designed to allow young riders out of their junior years to compete against their peers in advanced level competition. It's a great way to give young riders experience in upper levels of competition. 

The first competition of it's kind to be held in the United States will be offered during the final week of competition in Wellington Fl. at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. Two teams will be represented the United States teams from Canada and Spain also competed in the CDIO Dressage Nations Cup for U25 riders. 

The USA Teams dominated the podium at the end of the day .Team A won the gold with riders Anna Buffini on Sundayboy of Del Mar, California; Sean Sierra Keasler,  of Wellington on Lux Stensvang & Kerrigan Gluch, 20, also of Wellington riding HGF Brio. 

Team B snatched the silver with local rider Kaitlin Blythe riding Don Principe owned by Maryanna & Wendell Haymon of Columbus, N.C. Kaitlin & Don Principe were the highest scoring combination on the USA B team.   Molly Paris of Charlotte, North Carolina riding Countess, and Genay Vaughn of Elk Grove, California and Donarweiss GGF.

A total of 9 riders successfully competed in the competitions inaugural season, Global Dressage Director Thomas Baur quoted as being very pleased with good start of the competition and plans to put in on the 2018 calendar. 

The riders will compete again on Thursday evening in the U25 Grand Prix, which will count toward the individual medals. Best of luck to all of the riders competing, I expect we will see all of these riders as rising professionals in the very near future.  
Photo Credit: Maryanna Haymon