Shawna Harding and Come On III are this year’s reserve champions in the National Developing Horse Dressage Championships, sponsored by the Dutta Corporation and Performance Sales International. Harding owns Come On III (Comeback II – Canna by Lantaan), an eight-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding bred in Denmark by Kiove-Morgensen.

Harding bought Come On III in Denmark when he was five. While there, she qualified him for the Six-Year-Old championship. And because she owns him, she has no pressure to move him along quickly. “He’s still very young in his mind. He just needs more time to keep himself composed on a consistent basis. But, there are no time constraints and no pressure. I just love him and will take my time,” Harding said.

A nearby hunter/jumper show, along with plants in the ring, distracted Come On III a bit in the first day of competition, which impacted Harding’s overall placing in the competition. But she didn’t mind the reserve championship in the least. Ahead of her were the champions Michelle Gibson and Don Angelo. “Being second to Michelle is an honor,” Harding said. “We’re good friends and we work together in Florida so she’s been a really good support for me.”

Finishing in third overall was another Young Horse graduate, the 8-year-old dark bay Hanoverian stallion Don Principe (Donnerhall – Papagena by Prince Thatch, bred in Germany by Adelheid Bruenig). Don Principe is owned by Maryanna Haymon and was ridden to an overall score of 66.919% by James Koford.