It was by the slimmest of margins — just 0.036% — but last year’s Grand Prix AA champion Anartz Chanca successfully defended his title on his loyal partner Dazzle, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Danone I x Londonderry at the the 10th anniversary edition of the US Dressage Finals. The pair edged out the previous day’s Intermediate II AA champions Rebecca Lord and Demetrius.

Photo – Last year’s Grand Prix AA champion Anartz Chanca successfully defended his title on his loyal partner Dazzle (SusanJStickle.com)

“It was a very clean test,” said Chanca, who is based with his wife Marta Renilla at her family’s Woodlands Equestrian Club in Tomball, Texas. “I think the piaffe/passage can be a lot better still. I have it in the warm-up and at home, but it’s so hard to put all that together in the test. It was mistake-free, and he was with me every single stride, but there’s more in there. He was excited to see everything [in the Alltech Arena], but that’s a good thing as you get that extra energy.”

Buy Back

Dazzle was originally bought for Chanca’s wife to ride but was then sold to a junior rider. Chanca always missed him, and when the opportunity arose to buy him back a few years later, he didn’t hesitate.

Chanca is the president of the American subsidiary of an Italian company that manufactures truck parts, and he juggles his job with three children and three horses that he exclusively rides. 2023 marks a decade since Chanca took up dressage, having previously ridden endurance horses in his native Spain, and dabbled in jumping before honing his focus.

“It’s a long trip from Texas but we did everything possible to make it happen,” said Chanca. “It was challenging with the logistics, but we love this show. The horses love it too, especially with the cooler weather. They seem to know that it’s Finals, and they really go for it.”

Back in the Lab

Chanca and Dazzle will contest Saturday’s AA Grand Prix Freestyle before “going back in the lab” over the winter to develop and strengthen the horse further. He has also completed a Championship ride with Dante Rubin MR, a horse he will compete again on Saturday.

Competition resumes on Saturday with 13 championship titles up for grabs from First Level to the evening’s Open Grand Prix Freestyle. Follow the action via the USDF Facebook page and the US Dressage Finals website, plus live online streaming on the USEF Network. To learn more about the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®, view results and start lists, and read daily news releases, visit the official US Dressage Finals event website.