Charlotte Jorst Takes Top Honors in the Festival of Champion's Grand Prix

Charlotte Jorst and Kastel's Nintendo (Photo: Annan Hepner/PS Dressage)

Wayne, IL. - Competition for the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions continued at the Lamplight Equestrian Center on Thursday afternoon, seeing Grand Prix and Intermediaire I competitors gather to vie for the championships top honors. Charlotte Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo, her own 15-year-old KWPN stallion, claimed first place in the Grand Prix for the USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship with a score of 70.217 percent.

Jorst and Kastel’s Nintendo have garnered an impressive resume together over the years, even representing the U.S. at the 2016 FEI World Cup Finals in Gothenburg, Sweden. More recently, the pair competed at the inaugural 2018 Adequan West Coast Dressage Festival in Del Mar, California, but have not gone down centerline since April.

Nick Wagman and Don John (Photo: Annan Hepner/PS Dressage)

Nick Wagner and Don John, a 10-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Beverly Gepfer, finished in second place just behind Jorst with a score of 69.5 percent. Wagner has been riding Don John since he was five and expressed his excitement to debut the gelding at the championships during his first season competing in the Grand Prix.

Rounding out the top three was Jennifer Schrader-Williams and Millione, a 15-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Millione Partners LLC. Schrader-Williams has been partnered with Millione since early 2017 and is riding him in the Grand Prix for the first time this season. The pair from Washington earned a score of 69.217 percent.

Jennifer Schrader-Williams and Millione (Photo: Annan Hepner/PS Dressage)

Athletes and horses will compete in three tests for this division: the Grand Prix Test, the Grand Prix Special and the Grand Prix Freestyle Test. Placings will be determined by overall average: Grand Prix (45 percent), Grand Prix Special (40 percent), and Grand Prix Freestyle (15 percent). The Grand Prix Special will take place Friday, Aug. 24, at 1:30 p.m., and the Grand Prix Freestyle will take place Sunday, Aug. 26, at 11 a.m.

Click photo to watch a video of the winning ride

For results and starting times, visit Foxvillage.

Live streaming is available on the USEF Network

For more information about the Lamplight Equestrian Center, click here.

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Charlotte Jorst and Kastel's Nintendo (Photo: Annan Hepner/PS Dressage)

Charlotte Jorst – Grand Prix winner
On Her Test:
“Nintendo has just had three months off so he is very fresh and he was really excited to be back in the ring. He was really forward and nice. I think my piaffe and passage were really balanced and nice. Because he was a little fresher than usual, I had some mistakes but overall he was on fire. We had a lot of fun — it was a great day.”

On Competing at Lamplight with Many Different Levels:
“The best part of riding is really the journey. I think that journey for all of us and seeing others succeed and develop at all the levels is wonderful to share with all of these wonderful people.”

On Her Plan for the Next Test:
“My goal is to get a clean test. My goal is to get 75 percent consistently so I am going to work towards that. I will continue riding, having fun, and sharing the journey.”

On Future Plans with Kastel’s Nintendo:
“My goal is to get back to Florida and see if I can get on the Pan-American Games team and FEI World Cup again. My overall goal, though, is to be more consistent and not have mistakes. Winning is less important.”

Nick Wagman and Don John (Photo: Annan Hepner/PS Dressage)

Nick Wagman – Grand Prix Second Place
On His Test:
“I’m still so new at Grand Prix with him so I was thrilled to get through the test cleanly. I felt that some of the highlights today were the trot extensions. My right trot half-pass was really good. Our pirouettes were some of the best we’ve done. I also thought that his piaffe is getting more secure so I felt comfortable keeping him on the spot.”

On Preparing for the Next Test:
“I think as I start to get more and more trust in his ability, the more I can ask him to do. He is such a brilliant horse and there is so much more in there that we’re not tapping into yet because I don’t want to overdo him. We’re just going to go in tomorrow and have some fun and show off a little bit.”

On Competing at Lamplight Equestrian Center:
“This is my first time here and I think it’s great. It’s great to have all of the divisions in one place. It’s inspiring for everyone to see the different levels.”

Jennifer Schrader-Williams and Millione (Photo: Annan Hepner/PS Dressage)

Jennifer Schrader-Williams – Grand Prix Third Place
On Her Test:
“He was very confident today. This is a horse that is new to the Grand Prix. He has come a long way in the last two years and this is his first season in Grand Prix. Our goal has just been to get him confident and calm in the ring with steady and consistent tests. Today was the first time that he was really consistent and relaxed and showed his brilliance. I was really thrilled with that.”

On Improvements for Her Next Test:
“I think the piaffe and passage are generally quite strong for him and the extended gaits. I wanted to add a little more power while also keeping him relaxed would be a win for me.”

On her Partnership with Millione:
“He came to us as a sales horse and I just fell in love with him. He was already 13 so I just took a chance on pursuing our partnership together and it’s worked out really well. He was showing at Fourth Level when I got him so it was a big jump with him. He did his first Grand Prix in February of this year.”

On Competing at Lamplight in the Championship:
“It feels so good to be back. I’ve had two kids and now I have a couple of horses that are coming up. I have a really good team now with Christophe Theallet as my trainer and everyone else. This horse just got accepted into the developing program so now I’m starting to see Debbie monthly. That’s been a big help.”

Results: Grand Prix for the USEF Grand Prix Dressage National Championship
Rider / Horse / Owner / Total Score
1. Charlotte Jorst / Kastel’s Nintendo / Kastel Denmark / 70.217
2. Nick Wagman / Don John / Beverly Gepfer / 69.500
3. Jennifer Williams-Schrader / Millione / Jennifer Williams-Schrader / 69.217
4. Mette Rosencrantz / Marron / Mette Rosencrantz / 68.391
5. Bianca Tota / Cadento / Bianca Tota / 66.870
6. Patricia Becker / Freedom / Anne Ramsay / 65.043