Debbie McDonald and Brentina Top It Off With The USET Grand Prix Championship

 

It was touch and go on Thursday, when the top scoring qualified horse for America's most important Dressage competition broke out in a mysterious case of the hives, almost causing her rider to scratch from the entire competition. But, as is usually the case, USET Dressage team vet and overall hero and caretaker Dr. Midge Leech came to the rescue during the warm up, using the simplest of remedies, cool water.

By the time her Grand Prix ride was done, the large bumps had subsided, and Debbie McDonald and Brentina were on their way to capturing their second USET Championship, becoming the only competitor to win both the Intermediaire Championship, and the Grand Prix in two consecutive years.

Debbie McDonald from Hailey, Idaho, and Peggy Thomas's magnificent Hannoverian mare, Brentina (by Brentano II out of Lisselott), were just one of a strong class of horses that entertained the impressive crowd which gathered at the USET Headquarters in Gladstone New Jersey for the final class on Sunday, June 17, 2001, The Grand Prix Freestyle. The rain that had poured on the entire Intermediaire division miraculously subsided, and clear cool air with bright blue skies shined on the last class of the event.

With Guenter Seidel on his new partner, Dick and Jane Brown's Nickolaus 7, second and Steffan Peters on Lila Kommerstad's Grandeur, third, the top three placed in the 70's confirming America's healthy position as one of the top international countries in Dressage.

Results
Judges
E: Evi Eisenhardt
H: Linda Zang
C: Lorraine McDonnald
M: Jessica Ransehousen
B: Mary Anne McPhail

Rider: Deborah McDonald of Hailey, ID
Horse: Brentina (Hannoverian mare by Brentano II out of Lisselott)
Owner: Peggy Thomas
Tech E:1/7.400 H:2/7.150 C:1/7.350 M:1/7.250 B:1/7.500
Arti E:7.900 H:7.725 C:7.475 M:7.800 B:7.800 % 75.350

Rider: Guenter Seidel of Del Mar, CA
Horse: Nikolaus 7 (Westfalian Gelding by Weinberg out of Elise)
Owner: Dick & Jane Brown
Tech E:2/6.800 H:1/7.250 C:3/6.800 M:3/6.700 B:2/7.050
Arti E:7.750 H:7.975 C:7.575 M:7.725 B:7.900 % 73.525

Rider: Steffen Peters of Escondido, CA
Horse: Grandeur (KWPN Dutch WB Gelding by John U to Berry out of Cisca)
Owner: Lila Kommerstad
Tech E:3/6.750 H:3/7.050 C:2/7.050 M:2/6.850 B:3/7.100
Arti E:7.225 H:7.225 C:7.475 M:7.725 B:6.900 % 71.350

Rider: Cherri Reiber of Toronto, ON
Horse: G Tudor (KWPN Dutch Warmblood Gelding )
Owner: Cherri Reiber
Tech E:4/6.750 H:4/6.750 C:4/6.850 M:4/6.550 B:4/6.850
Arti E:6.975 H:6.925 C:6.900 M:7.000 B:6.900 % 68.450

Rider: George Williams of Delaware, OH
Horse: Westphalian Mare by Rocher by Rolls Royce out of Fraenzi
Owner: Joann Smith
Tech E:5/6.200 H:5/6.350 C:8/6.300 M:5/6.250 B:5/6.850
Arti E:6.725 H:6.725 C:6.725 M:6.625 B:6.850 % 65.600

Rider: Pamela Goodrich of Boscawen, NH
Horse: Melville (Danish Gelding by May Sherif out of Optical
Owner: Pamela Goodrich
Tech E:6/6.100 H:T6/6.200 C:T5/6.300 M:8/6.000 6/6.400
Arti E:6.600 H:6.725 C:6.900 M:6.750 B:6.800 % 64.775

Rider: Susan Dutta of Thornwood, NY
Horse: Gum Shoes-DC (KWPN Dutch Gelding by Joost out of Suzan/Nimmedor
Owner: Susan Dutta
Tech E:8/5.950 H:9/6.250 C:10/5.950 M:T6/6.100 B:10/6.050
Arti E:6.550 H:6.625 C:6.875 M:6.725 B:6.600 % 63.675

Rider: Susan Dutta of Thornwood, NY
Horse: Xandarius Fernando (Danish gelding by Ragtime out of Amelia)
Owner: Xandarius LLC
Tech E:7/5.950 H:10/5.850 C:9/6.100 M:T6/6.100 B:7/6.250
Arti E:6.575 H:6.650 C:6.800 M:6.725 B:6.675 % 63.675

Rider: James Armstrong of Glyndon, MD
Horse: Gustaaf (KWPN Dutch Gelding by Flamingo out of Citrona/Noortgedacht
Owner: Patsy Ward
Tech E:9/6.000 H:T6/6.350 C:T5/6.300 M:9/5.950 B:9/6.150
Arti E:6.400 H:6.575 C:6.900 M:6.325 B:6.600 % 63.550

Rider: Sherry Van't Riet
Horse: Sudan
Owner: Sherry Van't Riet
Tech E:10/6.000 H:T6/6.200 C:7/6.200 M:11/5.700 B:8/6.100
Arti E:6.350 H:6.725 C:6.975 M:6.175 B:6.800 % 63.225

Rider: Nancy Polozker of Wellington, FL
Horse: Dutch Indy (KWPN Dutch Gelding by Le Mexico out of a Calvados dam)
Owner: Nancy Sullivan
Tech E:11/5.700 H:11/5.700 C:11/5.600 M:10/5.550 B:11/5.850
Arti E:6.275 H:6.475 C:6.475 M:6.400 B:6.425 % 60.450

Visit us "On the Scene" for coverage of the 2001 USET Festival of Champions.