The US Dressage Festival of Champions has moved in and begin a weeklong competition at the Lamplight Equestrian Center, in St. Charles, Illinois. Now expanded into seven days of top-notch competition the best of the best in the United States have converged at this centrally located equestrian venue by invitation of the United States Equestrian Federation.

Dressage coaches Christine Traurig, Allison Brock, Charlotte Bredahl and George Williams congratulate Laura Graves on her sensational Prix St George score of SenSation HW.

Kicking off what is expected to be a week of record-breaking results was the return of Laura Graves into the limelight riding SenSation HW (2013 Westphalian by Sunday NRW x Donata by Dancier) winning the first leg of the Intermediare Championships, in the Prix St Georges test with a 75.529.

SenSation HW is a stunning and successful HW horse, raised by Irene Hoeflich-Wiederhold’s HWfarm and purchased sight unseen to the USA. After being imported, he first claimed the title of Markel/USEF Young Horse Champion as a five-year-old and six-year-old in 2018 and 2019, in the professional hands of Michael Bragdell and Hilltop Farms before Laura Graves took over the ride.

In May of 2020 Olympian Laura Graves took over the reins of Scott and Carol McPhee’s beautiful black gelding, making their debut at The World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida. In December of 2021, Laura and her husband Curt Maes gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, joining the baby book of US Dressage Olympians Allison Brock and Kasey Perry-Glass.

Now back in action and in full swing, Graves the only US Dressage rider ever to hold first place in Dressage World Rankings, is a welcome sight as America’s top riders and trainers converge near Chicago, Illinois where new champions will be crowned.