Madeleine Bendfeldt (GER) and Lindholm’s Quick Step, a 2018 Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Beth Noorthoek, posted a second win in 5-year-old division, clinching the national championship. Alyssa Doverspike Burkett (Murrieta, Calif.) and For Edition, the 2018 Westphalian gelding she co-owns with David Wightman and Kimberly Pribble, finished in third place in the FEI Five-Year-Old Final Test to move into the reserve champion spot. Adam John Steffens (Wellington, Fla.) and Candoit’s Secret Weapon, a 2018 Hanoverian mare owned by Candoit Stables, rounded out the top three.

(Photo:  Madeleine Bendfeldt (GER) and Lindholm’s Quick Step)

The N2 Saddlery Award was introduced last year at the Markel/USEF Young Horse and Developing Horse Championships at Festival of Champions. The top finishers are placed into a lottery for the chance to win a N2 Saddle. Chris Hickey, who rode Saskatoon OMF to a fifth-place overall finish in the 5-year-old division, won this year’s N2 Saddlery Award.

Class Results

Final Results:

1. Madeleine Bendfeldt (GER) and Lindholm’s Quick Step
2. Alyssa Doverspike Burkett and For Edition
3. Adam John Steffens and Candoit’s Secret Weapon

From the Mixed Zone:

How do you feel after winning the championship?

Madeleine Bendfeldt: Great! And I’m so incredibly proud of these young horses. It’s a lot, the entire week, to transport and shipping and everything. It’s a lot. But they did great.

How did they do in the atmosphere at FOC?

MB: Everything is new. There are so many things to see just right up front from the barns to the warmup is a lot to take in. But now I know that he could still perform.

What is your horse’s background?

MB: I rode his father [Quarterhit] a couple of times in Denmark when I worked there. And I loved him. So when I found [Quick Step] he was pretty green still, as a 4-year-old, but he gave me the feeling that there is something there. And every day we’ve gotten a little bit better in the last half of a year, and here we are.

Alyssa Doverspike Burkett: We bought him as a foal. He’s by For Gold out of a ??? mare. We bought him at two weeks on the ground and brought him over when he was 3 years old, and just started training there. He was here last year for the 4-year-old and finished third. I’m so proud of him that he’s moving his little way up.

What were some of the high points from your week?

ADB: I’m happy with his energy level considering the weather changed for us, coming from such a dry climate. But that’s just part of the sport. So I’m really happy that he shows such a motor. Such a willingness to go and just keep trying. I think it’s really for him a fine line between getting the most out of his trot and canter and keeping the walk and relaxing. That can be a challenge, so I’m super happy for sure.

MB: I think the highlight is that me and my boss, we had the idea almost exactly one year ago to start this together, to find good young horses together, and bring them here, maybe. And now being here in our first year as a business together and having a national championship, it’s so good.

Full Schedule and Results

2023 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions Livestream

US Equestrian fans, subscribers, and members can watch the 2023 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions on USEF Network powered by ClipMyHorse.TV. Not a member? Create your free fan account now.