Kayley Knollman and JP Zeppelin Take the USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals 14-18 Title

Kayley Knollman and JP Zeppelin Take the USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals 14-18 Title

Nine youth athletes demonstrated their equitation in front of the judges in the USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals 14-18 division. The combinations performed rail work and a pattern to show off their riding skills. Kayley Knollman was declared the winner after an excellent ride on JP Zeppelin. Knollman (Maineville, Ohio), trained by her mother Rebecca Stromatt, and JP Zeppelin, Stromatt’s 2012 Andalusian gelding, won the class on a score of 87.000%.

Photo - Kayley Knollman and JP Zeppelin (SusanJStickle.com)

“I was really happy with how it went,” Knollman said of her pattern. “He came in very nicely. It was hard coming in because I was the last to go. So we were sitting around waiting for a long time, but he really promptly picked up the trot, and then we did the leg yield zigzag and did the canter. I was a little worried he would walk in the canter-trot-canter transitions. So maybe a little forward in those because I didn't want him to walk. But he was really good. He listened to everything that I asked and I'm really proud of him.”

Watch the full class.

Marin Roth, trained by Tae Erickson and Annie Cizaldo, rode Erin Meadows Jägermeister to Reserve Champion honors on a score of 85.000%. Lucy Sheldon, trained Molly Maloney, rode Porsche’s Florencia to third place to 83.000%.

Results

From the Mixed Zone:

Tell us about your pattern.

Roth: “I thought my pattern went pretty well. Our leg yields were a little bit sticky, but we recovered and improved after that. And I thought he picked up the right lead canter really nicely and the trot through canter changes were really clean and smooth, so I'm really happy.”

Sheldon: “I was really proud of it. I was really happy with the leg yields. And then when we did the canter-trot-canter. I think I did wish it flowed a little bit better. But we recovered and we continued, and I was proud of how it ended."

Why you think this division is important?

Knollman: “I think it's so important to have a good seat and control of your aids and be able to direct your horse in a not-so-simple test. These tests, they seem really simple, but when you do them, it's very hard. I was so fortunate to have a good ride today and in the individual [pattern] with those tricky trot-canter portions."

Roth: “I think it's important because [equitation] is the basis of our riding. If you have good [equitation], then usually things will flow a little bit better. I also like it because, even if you don't have a spectacular horse, and because it's solely on the rider, you can do really well.”

Sheldon: “Just to echo that, I fully agree with what they said, and I also think it's just so nice to have the opportunity to come to such an amazing venue at a really accessible class that anybody can really have the opportunity to do. You don't necessarily need a really nice horse. You can just focus on yourself and what is at the core of dressage.

Watch the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions on demand on USEF Network.

Complete Results