The Neue Schule/USEF Intermediaire I Dressage National Championship came to its exciting conclusion with all 12 entries performing their FEI Intermediate I Freestyle Test. Charlotte Jorst (Reno, Nev.) and Zhaplin Langholt earned the highest freestyle score of a 75.610%, bringing the pair to the third place position overall. Christian Simonson (Ventura, Calif.) and Son of a Lady were second in the freestyle with a 74.015%, allowing them to maintain the top spot to win the national champion title. Nora Batchelder (Williston, Fla.) and Nova, Carol Glover’s 2015 Oldenburg mare scored a 73.415, earning them the reserve national champion title.

Photo – Christian Simonson and Son of a Lady (©Leslie Potter/US Equestrian)

Class Results

Final Results:

1. Christian Simonson and Son of a Lady
2. Nora Batchelder and Nova
3. Charlotte Jorst and Zhaplin Langholt

From the Mixed Zone:

Tell us about your freestyle.

Charlotte Jorst: I have only done that freestyle once before because it’s not often you get to do the I-1 freestyle. I actually did it when I was with Christian on a Nations Cup team, and we were just reminiscing about that. I missed my twos back then, but today I got that, so I was very happy. It’s a really nice test. I’ve done that freestyle with another horse a long time ago, so I love that music.

Christian Simonson: The freestyle was funny because it was actually a brand new one. I’d never practiced it before, so we were just kind of going in, with the weather circumstances we just kind of had to wing it. He was tired, he’s been pushing all weekend. We had one little blip that I think was more my fault than anything else. The music, I’m really excited about. I like it a lot. It has some choreography that is more difficult than I’m used to and I think it really caters well to him. It was a good day. It’s been a good week.

Nora Batchelder: This was our first trying this freestyle. We’ve tried one other version at WEC and then we tried this new version, so we were also kind of winging it. But I was pretty happy with it. She was a little nervous about the speakers and the music, but she’ll get better at that. We need more experience.

Talk about your partnership with your horse.

CJ: I have had Zhaplin since he was five, so everything that he knows, I’ve kind of taught him, and it’s been such a fun experience for me. In the beginning when I got him he was so nervous and neurotic and he was spinning and doing all kinds of fun things with me. And now he’s such a sweetheart. Every time he goes in that ring he tries his best, so it’s been a great partnership. I can’t wait to have him for many, many more years and hopefully like Nintendo he’ll go into his twenties. That would be pretty amazing.

CS: I’ve had sonny for a year and a half. This was never his game plan, actually, to do the small tour. He was supposed to be a U25 horse for me, and he’s just kind of become the wonder horse that could and we’ve gone all over the world now and done from the Young Riders now to the small tour up with the adults and he’s just an incredible horse. He’s always going, always ready to give 110%, even on days like today when it’s almost 100 degrees. He feels like gold when you ride him.

NB: We’ve had Nova for about a year and a half. She’s only eight, so we’re excited for the future. We’re playing with the grand prix stuff and I’m just super grateful to her owner Carol Glover for letting me ride her. She’s amazing.

What does it mean to win this championship on top of everything else you’ve done this year?

CS: It means a lot. Adrienne (Lyle, Simonson’s trainer) won this championship back in the day, and so that also makes it really special. But I think this whole week has been really special. It was a Pan-Ams [observation event] and to have the boys do that well—this whole journey [working toward Pan-Am team selection] has been something totally new for me and a whole level of pressure I didn’t know if I was going to be good enough for. I think I’ve learned how to handle pressure through this process. But I really think the biggest part of this weekend was Adrienne and the crew. It was 100 degrees these past few days, and she’s eight months pregnant and she’s here coaching me and willing to support me along with the others. I think that’s kind of what made the weekend be more than the championship title as well. It’s so inspiring to watch her. She’s a true badass in every way.

Full Schedule and Results

2023 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions Livestream

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