Heather Mason’s team may have to avoid weigh bridges on the way home given the number of sashes and blankets they have received at this show. She definitely has the Midas touch: she won all but one of the seven Championship classes that she entered. On the final day, Mason’s six-year-old Schmoky Quartz extended his unbeaten run, landing his fourth title at the show at the US Dressage Finals.

Photo – Schmoky Quartz, ridden by Heather Mason, remained unbeaten and they won their fourth title of the Finals in the Second Level Open Championship. (SusanJStickle.com)

The pair’s 72.54% staked claim to the Second Level Open Championship. A loss of clarity in the rein-back was compensated for by a good number of eights throughout the test, including two for each of the canter serpentines, and unanimous eights for the rider’s seat and position.

Alexandra Krossen’s Superb Show

Mason’s pupil Alexandra Krossen also had a superb show, picking up her second title of the week with Looker SCF. The horse was a custom foal by a gelding Krossen used to ride called Zulft SCF, and when he died from colic, she decided to use Zulft’s frozen semen to custom-breed a replacement.

Looker has stepped into that role admirably, carrying the 37-year-old Krossen to two titles at the 2023 Finals, the last of which was in the First Level Freestyle Championship. Their 70.019% was the only score to pass the 70% marker. Krossen works full-time as a senior manager in a pharmaceutical company and keeps her horses with Mason.

Krossen also finished third in the Prix St. Georges AA riding Heather Mason’s 11-year-old Oldenburg mare Nicene to 68.529%. The class was topped by Amy Swerdlin, who was another AA to add to her winning tally this week on the final day. She rode her own eight-year-old home-bred Fellowship CCW, a horse that is by Follow Me out of Scholastica, by Sir Donnerhall, to the Prix St. Georges title with 71.078%.

Amy Swerdlin

Swerdlin edged out another in-form AA partnership, relegating Bonnie Canter and her petite seven-year-old Vitali to the reserve spot with 70.784%.

Continuing the day’s theme of 2023 champions adding to their winning tally, Taylor Allen added the Fourth Level Jr/YR accolade to her name, scoring 68.75% on her own 13-year-old KWPN Tuschinski mare, Fleur De Lis.

Taiwan Parrish

In the Fourth Level Jr/YR Championship, it was the last rider to go, the 18-year-old Taiwan Parrish, who swept to victory. He rode Saracchi, Lauren Chumley’s 18-year-old bay gelding by Sandro Hit, to 69.637%. He has been helping at his trainer Lauren Chumley’s barn since he was 14, and her offering him the ride on the 17.1-hand Saracchi was the catalyst that prompted Parrish to switch from jumping to dressage, a decision which is paying dividends.

Hannah Catsulis

Just as in the previous day’s Open Training Level Championship, the Jr/YR championship at the level was won by a son of the prolific stallion Secret (by Sezuan x St. Moritz). Florida-based Hannah Catsulis rode Tyra Vernon’s five-year-old Sandor ASH to 72.933% — the unanimous winner from the three judges — besting the field of 14 combinations.

Caroline Colby and My Lorino (Photo: Susan J Stickle)Caroline Colby of New Hampshire now has another winner’s blanket to add to the one she and My Lorino earned at First Level in 2022. This year, the pair contested a total of seven classes across the week and the 17-year-old rider saved the nine-year-old Westfalen gelding’s best test for last. Sunday’s 71.31% victory in the Second Level Jr/YR Championship marked their crowning glory.

Vying with competitors from across the country for bragging rights for their respective USDF Regions, the top four scoring riders in designated divisions competed on regional teams for the Le Mieux/US Dressage Finals Regions Cup.

Congratulations to the top three teams of 2023:

Champions: Region 3, average score 72.002%

Sandor ASH, owned by Tyra Vernon and ridden by Hannah Catsulis in Training Level Junior/Young Rider
Vitali, owned and ridden by Bonnie Canter in Fourth Level Adult Amateur
Sandor ASH, owned by Tyra Vernon and ridden by Hannah Catsulis in Training Level Junior/Young Rider
Fellowship CCW, owned and ridden by Amy Swerdlin in Prix St. Georges Adult Amateur

Reserve Champions: Region 9, average score 68.703%

NTEC Dorian Gray, owned by Kai Handt and ridden by Julia Handt in Training Level Open
Dante Rubin M.R, owned and ridden by Anartz Chanca in Third Level Adult Amateur
Gorm, owned by Ashley Shaw and ridden by Mina Veselinovic in Training Level Junior/Young Rider
Zalando B., owned by ISA-Rosal LLC and ridden by Marta Renilla in Prix St. Georges Open

Third place: Region 1, average score 67.956%

Valor, owned by Jennifer Roth & Kris Harvey and ridden by Jennifer Roth in Training Level Open
No Limit, owned and ridden by Erin Liedle in Second Level Adult Amateur
Shamrok Hit, owned and ridden by Megan DeMichele in First Level Junior/Young Rider
Leeloo Dallas, owned and ridden by Lauren Chumley in Prix St. Georges Open

Full results for the LeMieux/US Dressage Finals Regions Cup can be found HERE.

Sunday’s classes conclude competition in the 2023 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®. Catch up with all the action via the USDF Facebook page, the US Dressage Finals website, and on the USEF Network. To learn more about the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®, view results, and read daily news releases, visit the official US Dressage Finals event website. Next year’s US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® take place November 7-10, 2024. Mark your calendar!