2004 Dressage at Devon

Local Riders Dance with their Horses

A singular Swan Lake with a little snorting and plenty of high stepping at Dressage at Devon, October 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Devon, PA (September 12, 2004) --This is not your ordinary pas de deux (ballet-speak for dance of two). The stage is cinders and shredded rubber. The eight legs are long, and covered with hair. And a whinny or snort might just interrupt the music of Swan Lake. This pas de deux, at the 30th annual Dressage at Devon Horse Show, will be performed by Oz and Helium, under the guidance of local equestrians Deb Tsang of Avondale and Anne Moss of Coatesville.

The pas de deux is a dressage pattern performed by the two horses, in mirror image, to the classical ballet, Swan Lake. Moss and Tsang prepared the routine, in part, to represent DVCTA (Delaware Valley Combined Training Association) in competition. Riding it is, according to Tsang, “a blast. The minute I get on and we move off together, I am laughing. Helium squeals and it just such fun. You have to concentrate on the ride itself, not your individual horse. I don’t think anyone realizes how difficult it is to ride a canter serpentine, side by side, with flying changes.” Moss adds, “It takes accuracy plus coordination. It’s a fun challenge. The music really sets the ride off.”

Both Moss and Tsang are active dressage competitors who have earned their United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Silver Medals. Tsang is also a Dressage “L” judge USDF silver medalist.

Moss says the horses seem to enjoy the dance as much as the riders. “As soon as the music starts, it’s as if they begin to smile.” Oz, says Tsang of her large, black Thoroughbred/Hanoverian cross, loves to work with Helium. “The minute we stand the horses side by side, Oz is on the bit and ready to go. He wants to be in step with Helium.” Dressage, the ancient, classical equestrian art, is often performed to music. The Grand Prix Freestyle, with each ride individually choreographed for horse and rider, is a highlight of the equestrian competition at the Olympic Games.

Keeping it a hometown thing, Moss and Tsang chose a recording of Swan Lake performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Hank Fisher of Kennett Square helped to mix the music. Moss and Tsang will ride the pas de deux in costume. So far, the pair has been very successful with the routine. They won Pas de Deux class at two important dressage shows this summer. They plan to ride it again this fall, in Leesburg, Virginia, representing the DVCTA Adult Team.

Tsang is a research coordinator at New Bolton Center, and runs a small training operation at her Magnolia View Farm. Moss works in her husband’s veterinary clinic and enjoys a diversity of equestrian activities that include Civil War reenactments and side saddle competitions.

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