Earning high marks across the board, including a 9.0 for the trot, MW Virtuous (Valverda x MW El. Sp. Pr. Rheporter), a 2020 U.S.-bred Oldenburg stallion owned by Jennifer Vanover and ridden by Charell Garcia (Middletown, N.Y.) won Saturday’s Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage National Championship for 5-Year-Olds.

Photo – MW Virtuous and Charell Garcia

“He was bred by Jennifer Vanover and Maplewood Warmbloods, and he grew up on the farm. She’s done everything with him,” said Garcia. “I started working with him last year, and he was here (at Festival of Champions) last year as a 4-year-old, and I had a really fun time with him. He grew up a lot over the last year with strength and everything. He really showed up this week.”

Fall-like temperatures and breezes picking up at Lamplight on Saturday afternoon may have affected some of the young horses, but MW Virtuous showed his maturity.

“I thought that would be a little challenging at the beginning,” said Garcia. “But he was like, ‘You know what? If you help me, then I’ll help you.’ And we just went through the test together and he stayed with me. I was really proud of him.”

Garcia said her ride in the 5-year-old preliminary test was good but knew there was more to give.

“Today he did it. It was really fun to see him stepping it up and giving it that other little bit that I know he has,” she said. “I really love this horse. He’s playful. I call him my little clown because he just has fun. He makes a joke out of everything. When you walk him around, he is curious about things and always wants to explore what’s around him. That’s also what you feel under saddle in training him. He’s really curious when we try something new. He’s like, ‘I’m game; let’s do this.’ And then once he gets it, he’s like, ‘Gotcha. Just sit there and I’ll take care of you.’ So, it’s really fun working with him.”

First Trip

After earning second place in both tests, Templeton’s Milano (Morricone I x Florenciana), a U.S.-bred Westphalian gelding owned and ridden by Justin Giles (Heber City, Utah) was named reserve national champion for the 5-year-olds. This year was the pair’s first trip to Festival of Champions, and “Cookie” handled the travel from Utah and the atmosphere at Lamplight with ease.

“I bought him as a 3-year-old and started him myself,” said Giles. “From the first day I got on his back to today, he’s been the same horse day in and day out. He gives me the best feeling in the ring, and I couldn’t ask for a better horse to partnership within this journey. He handles my nerves like a champ. It’s a true pleasure to perform with him and to be on a stage like this with a horse that I started.”

The judges awarded Cookie scores of 8.0 or higher for all collective marks in the preliminary test and high scores in the final test, including a 9.0 for the walk.

“I feel like we are headed in the right direction,” said Giles. “I think an increase in balance and constantly building up our partnership and harmony is first and foremost in my mind in our training.”

Results

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