It was a memorable weekend for youth rider Autumn Vavrick, who emerged from the Region 2 Championships with not only two winner’s sashes and qualification for Finals with One De La Fazenda (whose barn name is Owen), but also the scores needed for her USDF Gold Medal riding 18-year-old Dante, a De Niro gelding bred in Britain by Judith Davis of Hawtins Stud.

Photo – 16-year-old Autumn Vavrick claimed two winner’s sashes at the Region 2 show on One De La Fazenda (pictured), as well as nailing the scores needed for her USDF Gold Medal on her big tour horse, Dante. (Diana Hadsall Photography.)

“I’m still processing it all, and it hasn’t sunk in yet,” admitted 16-year-old Vavrick. “I’ve dreamed about the Gold Medal for a while, but it came way quicker than I expected.”

Budding Partnership

Her championship double was achieved on her family and Eleonora Frey’s six-year-old gelding. They found the son of Valverde in the Netherlands early in 2025, and he arrived in his new home in February. The budding partnership of Vavrick and Owen was unbeaten across three dressage tests, all with scores over 74% at First and Second Level at the Region 2 Championships, and they also topped the USDF Dressage Seat Medal Semi Finals with 87%.

Heather McCarthy and Material Girl dominated the Open Third Level classes with scores over 70% in both. (Photo: Diana Hadsall Photography)

Vavrick began riding when she was seven and started her competitive career as an eventer until a chance encounter with her current coach, Laurie Moore, when she was still riding her eventing Thoroughbred, Hollis. With Moore’s help, she burst onto the dressage scene.

“My expectations this weekend were for clean tests and to have Owen really focused on me,” said Vavrick, who is part of a hybrid school program, which consists of two days a week in person and the rest online. “Laurie told me to smile and keep him round and loose in the tests. There were lots of high fives when I walked out of my tests. She had 19 other students at the show, so she was very busy, but she’s a superhero with how she made everything happen.”

Keeping On

Vavrick also scooped two reserve champion titles, at Third and Fourth Level, riding Susanne Forsyth’s 12-year-old 13.2hh New Forest gelding, Remington. This year will mark her second time competing at the US Dressage Finals.

“I’ve had a lot of fun bringing Owen along, and I’d love to ride young horses or be a rider for a stable with young horses in the future,” she added. “I love to ride and hope to make it onto a senior team to represent the USA one day.”

Heather McCarthy secured a championship double, picking up both Open Third Level classes on Material Girl, Kimberly Cederlund’s seven-year-old German-bred Morricone x Lauries Crusador mare. McCarthy’s top score of 73.837% was achieved in the freestyle, while in the straight class, their score of 70.438% set them atop the pack of 17 starters.

Click here for full results from the Great American Insurance Group/USDF Region 2 Dressage Championships.

The 2025 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® takes place October 30-November 2 at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, OH. It is a national, head-to-head competition that showcases competitors in Adult Amateur, Open, and Junior/Young Rider divisions. Classes run from Training Level through Grand Prix, plus freestyle to music divisions, with Junior/YR sections at Training Level through Intermediate I. There is more than $125,000 in prize money on offer over the four days.

Learn more about the US Dressage Finals HERE.