Heather Mason achieved her goal of winning the triple crown on RTF Lincoln, adding the Open Grand Prix Freestyle title — and with it the Jazzman Perpetual Trophy — to the Intermediate II and Grand Prix classes she and the 17-year-old gelding claimed earlier in the week at the 2022 US Dressage Finals.

A spectacular test featuring a line of 25 lofty one-time changes as well as pirouettes and piaffe/passage work performed one-handed was richly rewarded with 76.2% by the judges — and whooping from the spectators.

Photo – Heather Mason lands a triple with RTF Lincoln at the 2022 Finals, topping the Open Grand Prix Freestyle with 76.2%. (SusanJStickle.com)

In a high-scoring Saturday night finale, Lauren Sprieser on the Elvis Syndicate LLC’s Guernsey Elvis finished second (74.517%), with Shelley Van Den Neste on her own Eyecatcher just behind on 74.067%.

Going for It

“I’m glad Lincoln is mature now because the crowd doing that during the freestyle would have set him off in the past,” said the rider from Lebanon, NJ. “He actually got into it though. I think 25 ones is the most we’ve ever done, but he just felt so solid. I was very happy when I saw my score because I knew there was a 74 in there already. That’s why I did more one-handed than I had intended to. I really wanted this particular class — it’s the one I didn’t get last year [they finished fifth].”

Mason has the management of the quirky gelding down to a fine art. He lives out at night at home, is lunged before rides, and doesn’t show too much.

“I didn’t show him a ton this year but he’s still getting better, and we’ll keep going as long as he’s getting better and stronger and he wants to do it,” said Mason. “It’s great to be in the Grand Prix ring, and it teaches you a lot. CDIs would be stressful for a horse like him, so this is where I want to be. This show is great to make you push yourself because the competition is strong.”

Risk Taker

Judge at C, Mike Osinski, agreed that Mason had taken risks: “The judges agreed it was an exciting performance and a pleasure to judge,” he said. “There were so many highlights that the crowd saw, and we saw too. Heather took so many risks, and they paid off — we love to give the big marks.”

Mason’s day was replete with championship accolades as she also topped the Open Second Level Freestyle on her five-year-old Manuskript SCF (Jazz x Krack C) with 73.822%.

Competition concludes on Sunday, November 13, with 11 championship titles to play for. 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 day sheets, and read daily news releases, visit the official US Dressage Finals event website.

See more about the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® experience with Reese Koffler-Stanfield, the host of the Dressage Radio Show on Horse Radio Network, which is the official podcast of USDF. 

About USDF

Founded in 1973, the United States Dressage Federation is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of dressage. For more information about USDF membership or programs, visit www.usdf.org