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Alice Tarjan Tops Special at the USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship
Friday, August 26, 2022
Posted by Kathleen Landwehr, US Equestrian
US DRESSAGE FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS
Alice Tarjan Tops Special at the USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship
Twelve combinations started the day of competition in the Grand Prix Arena, riding the Grand Prix Special of the USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship. After winning the FEI Grand Prix Test on Wednesday, Alice Tarjan and Serenade MF took the top spot again in the division by winning the Grand Prix Special. Tarjan (Oldwick, N.J.) and her 2013 Hanoverian mare had a strong test to earn a score of 73.467%.
Photo - Alice Tarjan and Serenade MF (SusanJStickle.com)
“I was really pretty pleased with the trot tour,” said Tarjan. “I think it was probably one of the better trot tours we've put in for the Grand Prix Special, so that was nice. I think the piaffes improved over yesterday, so that was good. I missed both sets of [one tempis], and that's a little disappointing, but it's hard to get everything in the same test on the same day, so that's okay.”
Katie Duerrhammer (Greenwood Village, Colo.) and Paxton, Kylee Lourie’s 2011 Westphalian gelding, finished second with a score of 71.680%. Abraham Pugh (Greencastle, Pa.) and Elfenperfekt, Alice Drayer’s 2006 Trakehner stallion, were third with a score of 68.041%.
Results
The FEI Grand Special on Thursday counted for 40 percent of the overall score. Wednesday’s FEI Grand Prix Test counted for 45 percent of the overall score, while Saturday’s FEI Grand Prix Freestyle Test will count for the remaining 15 percent.
Overall championship standings
From the Mixed Zone:
Tell us about your test.
Tarjan: “I was really pretty pleased with the trot tour. I think it was probably one of the better trot tours we've put in for the Grand Prix Special, so that was nice. I think the piaffes improved over yesterday, so that was good. I missed both sets of [one tempis], and that's a little disappointing, but it's hard to get everything in the same test on the same day, so that's okay.”
What are your thoughts heading into the freestyle?
Tarjan: “We'll try to school a little better tomorrow. The horse has some familiarity with the lines of it. She is a good girl and she does what you ask her, but it's easier, of course, if they’re familiar with the lines [in the freestyle], which she is not [due to not having practiced the freestyle recently]. It's okay. We'll just go in there and have fun.”
How has Serenade MF developed since being at Festival of Champions last year?
Tarjan: “I think the horse is drastically different than she was last year. And from where she was the year before. Trying to get the balance, and get her to [sit back] on the hind legs, and get the connection better in the bridle, is now what we're working on. It's way better than it was, but there is still a lot of work to be done to finish it up. I think in another year, it's going to be that much better. We're still losing points everywhere out there, and the horse is pretty competitive.
“I'm lucky in that sense, this horse is really good at horse shows. She's not spooky, she just goes down the centerline, and she does her job every time. You could put a child on this horse and she would do her job. The horse has definitely had more exposure this year. It was her first year doing the CDIs over in Europe, and I think it's been a growing experience for both of us.
“The horse is learning how to ride with better balance, and I'm also learning. I came up doing all of the young horse classes and you try to put the gaits on the horse, and then you try to put the [movements] on the horse. Of course, you learn that it's one thing to be able to do all of the movements in the Grand Prix, and another to be able to string together a cohesive test that's harmonious in its self-carriage and that's for sure where I struggle. The aim with this horse has been trying to understand how to ride a test that's more on the hind legs and more harmonious.”
Competition continues Friday at 8 a.m. CT in the Markel Arena with the FEI Six-Year-Old Preliminary test of the Markel/USEF Young Horse Six-Year-Old Dressage National Championship, while the Grand Prix Arena starts at 8:30 a.m. CT with the FEI Pony Rider Team Test of the USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship.
Watch the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions live stream this week on USEF Network.
