Lexington, KY- The future of U.S. dressage will be on full display this weekend as the Dressage at Flintridge CDI1*Y/J hosts the 2013 Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Western Selection Trial. Many of the top five and six-year-old horses in the nation will be vying for a spot to represent the U.S. at the FEI World Breeding Championships for Dressage Young Horses in Verden, Germany in August as well as a spot on the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Short List.

Photo:  Alice Tarjan (Oldwick, NJ) and her own Somer Hit (Sandro Hit-Rhussia by Rotspun) proved to be at the top of the class in the 2012 Six-Year-Old Championship! (Photo: PhelpsPhotos.com)

Combinations will need to score 8.2 or higher this weekend in Flintridge, California to be eligible to represent the U.S. in Verden, while a score of 7.8 or higher earns a place on the Short List. Selection Trial competition officially gets underway Friday, May 24 as both five and six-year-olds will perform their respective FEI Preliminary Tests which account for 40% of the overall score. The remaining 60% of scores will be earned Saturday, May 26 in their respective FEI Final Tests.Nine entries will go head-to-head in five-year-old competition. Stacee Collier (Reno, NV) brings her own KWPN mare déjà vu (Ijsselmeer Ikepono x Ualani/Rubinstein) to the Selection Trial and the pair will look to showcase the form that has them earned sixth place on the ranking list for the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage National Championships presented by HorseShow.com for the five-year-old division. Kathleen Raine (Murrieta, CA), a familiar face in the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program will also be aiming to earn a top score out of Lisa Bradley’s Oldenburg mare Finesse (Festrausch x Breanna/ Brentano II).In the six-year-old division, a field of six will vie for Verden qualification and a spot on the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Short List. Charlotte Jorst (Reno, NV) will ride Skagen Holding’s Dutch Warmblood stallion Vitalis (Vivaldi x Tolivia/Donnerschwee). The pair currently stands fourth on the ranking list for the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage National Championships presented by HorseShow.com for the six-year-old division. Also competing in the six-year-old division of the Markel/USEF Selection Trial are Craig Stanley (Madera, CA) and Brenda Linman’s Dutch Warmblood mare Caliente DG (00 Seven x Satina/Cantango). The pair are veterans of the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program having competed in last year’s five-year-old championship.To learn more about the Dressage at Flintridge CDI1*Y/J visit here!To learn more about the Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage Program visit here!