It was the final horse down centerline after 13 hours of solid dressage across seven arenas that scooped the day’s richest prize on Friday, November 8, at the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®. Ali Potasky and Inxs soared to the top of the leaderboard in the Open Grand Prix Championship with an unassailable 72.391%. The US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® runs through Sunday, November 10.

Photo – Ali Potasky and the 11-year-old Inxs were crowned the Open Grand Prix Champions with over 72% on the 11-year-old gelding’s debut at Finals. (SusanJStickle.com)

Whoops and cheers rang out as Potasky on her own and her boss Kathy Priest’s 11-year-old gelding Inxs (by Everdale x Rousseau) nailed their final halt. The pair are based locally in Versailles, KY, so a small army of fans turned out to watch them claim Friday’s marquee class in their first season at grand prix level and the horse’s debut at Finals. The win garnered them the Veronica Holt Perpetual Trophy, presented by USDF Region 5 and Friends, for their light-footed, harmonious test. Kristin Wasemiller-Knutson and Vashti staked second place with 70.471%, while Nora Batchelder rounded out the top three with a 67.283% test on Faro SQF.

Good Feeling

“I had a good feeling in there,” said Potasky. “He’s really a sensitive horse but when he listens — and he usually does — he’s super reliable. He’s the first horse I’ve really ridden at grand prix. I’ve trained the movements with other horses but putting it all together is a different monster. It was exciting to be able to make it all happen tonight.”

Being based just 30 minutes from the Kentucky Horse Park, Inxs has shown at the venue before, but this was his first-ever test in an indoor arena, as all his previous classes have been held outdoors.

“He’s unbelievably reliable in any kind of ring which is funny because he’s super reactive to some things, but I can trust him to not get over faced; when I go down centerline, he’s the same horse everywhere, which is amazing.”

A Gift

Potasky’s position as last to go in the class was a gift for Inxs as he is afraid of other horses, something Potasky has been working on for the past five years of riding him.

“It was a really lucky draw because the warm-up cleared out. But I schooled in the Alltech Arena yesterday with 12 horses and he was good, so it’s coming together, but it’s been a labor of love,” added Potasky, who will spend the winter in Wellington, FL. “He’s quirky, but 100% honest and loving.”

Competition resumes on Saturday, November 9, with 14 championship titles up for grabs from First Level to Grand Prix. Follow the action via the USDF Facebook page and the US Dressage Finals website, plus live online streaming of all the action from the Alltech Arena on USEF Network. To learn more about the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® and read daily news, visit the official US Dressage Finals event website. Start times and results can be found on www.horseshowoffice.com.