Friday, February 3, 2006

Michael Barisone and Neruda Claim Victory in USEF Grand Prix High Performance Qualifier at Wellington Dressage

Wellington Dressage qualifying classes for the 2006 World Equestrian Games Selection Trials and the 2006 USEF National Grand Prix Championship kicked off today at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. Michael Barisone of Long Valley, New Jersey, aboard Neruda claimed victory in the USEF Grand Prix over a field of 14 top horse-and-rider combinations. Barisone scored 69.292% for the win. Katherine Bateson-Chandler riding FBW Kennedy placed second, scoring 68.194%. Charlotte Bredahl Baker, a member of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics Bronze Medal Team, claimed third with Komo, receiving 68.056%. The USEF Grand Prix National Championships and World Equestrian Games Selection Trials will be held at the USET Foundation headquarters, June 15-18, in Gladstone, New Jersey.

Barisone has not shown the 11-year-old, 17.2-hand Dutch gelding Neruda for six months – their last outing was at the 2005 Grand Prix Championship at Gladstone where they placed third. Since then, Barisone has worked on his horse’s fitness by implementing an interval plan designed by legendary eventer Jimmy Wofford, trained two to four times a month with six-time Olympian Robert Dover, and also received help from U.S. Dressage Team Coach Klaus Balkenhol. “I’ve been a bridesmaid every time and I don’t want to do that anymore,” said Barisone, who has been the Alternate for the World Equestrian Games, World Cup Finals, and Olympic Games. “I hope I can continue forward with the progress we’ve made.” He added that he “hadn’t slept for a week” and was nervous today because he’d taken six months off from the show ring. “I will definitely sleep tonight. I feel like I’ve got a gravel truck lifted off my back now that I went out and he went really well and everybody said, ‘Great job!’”

Judges Lois Yukins, Marianne Ludwig, and Natalie Lamping all placed Barisone first over the second- and third-placed riders. Barisone was definite about what he thought were the high points of his test. “Without question, piaffe/passage. He’s known for that – that’s the thing he does very well,” Barisone stated. He noted that he had a mistake in the one tempis and needed more work on the canter, but that, “My piaffe/passage speaks for itself – it’s really glued together and strong and nice to ride.” Barisone said that his goal for the test today was 70%, and he was happy about coming close at 69.792%.

Barisone credited Balkenhol and Dover for giving him the keys to his success today. “I’ve been thinking about it for four months – Robert said, ‘I don’t want anyone to say Wow, look at that piaffe! Wow, look at that passage! Wow, look at that pirouette! I want people to say, Wow what a great test!’ There’s a big difference there. That was the goal of the day. I just went out to ride like my two trainers said I need to ride – Klaus was here last week. I thought it went relatively close to that plan and I’m glad the judges liked what happened – very glad!”

Barisone owns Neruda with his sponsors Jane and Salo Suwalsky.