Lucienne Bacon Pulls Ahead in the USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship

Lucienne Bacon (Atherton, Calif.) and Bonnaroo lead the USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship following the FEI Pony Team Test. She and her 10-year-old Weser-EMS Pony Mare earned a score of 68.810 percent. “This year, we have been focusing on being a team in the arena and taking what we have in the warm-up into the competition arena, so to go in and feel her with me and to know that she’s trusting what I’m saying is incredible,” said Bacon.

Lucienne Bacon and Bonnaroo (SusanJStickle.com)

Hannah Devine (Bedford Hills, NY.) and Masterpiece, Christina Devine’s 15-year-old Swedish Sport Pony gelding, placed second with a score of 67.476 percent. The 2018 USEF Children Dressage National Champions Miki Yang (Los Altos Hills, Calif.) and Garden’s Sam, Four Winds Farms 12-year-old Welsh Pony gelding, complete the top three with a score of 67.190 percent.

The FEI Pony Team Test counts 50 percent toward their overall score. The USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Champion will be named on Friday following the FEI Pony Individual Test, making up the remaining 50 percent.

Complete division results

On Bonnaroo’s personality:
Bacon: “She’s a lot like me. We both have strong opinions about everything. She can be a mare, but I think she tries to hide her affection sometimes … she loves donuts, so she gets a lot of those.”

On today’s test:
Olivia Brown: “Everything went as planned. It’s the best test I have ridden on her, so it’s a real plus for us.”

Devine: “I thought the canter portion was really good. He’s usually better in the canter. Some things in the trot were not as good. … He started trotting in the walk before I was supposed to. [I would like to get the] half-passes a little better and getting him a little more round [for the next test].”

Jordan Osborne: “I was really happy with my test today. He really improved in the past few weeks with his trot lengthening, so I was really happy with that. His cantor lengthenings are always a highlight for him. We had a couple bobbles, but, overall, I am really proud of how he went for me and behaved being a pony in a big ring.”

Megan Tursi: “Our test was really good. She’s definitely very spicy, but she held it together, and I am really proud of her. The greatest thing was our lateral work and half-passes.”

Yang: “I’m really happy how my test went considering how hot my pony got in the arena. He felt absolutely amazing in the warm-up, but in the arena he got a little tense. … I was really focusing on staying quiet and subtle with him to not overwhelm him.”

On competing at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions:
Devine: “It’s fun that it is a bigger show, so it matters more, which also makes it more stressful, but it is more fun when I do better because you’re competing against a lot more people. In smaller competitions there are not as many ponies [competing].”

On the progression since last year:
Yang: “Last year we were doing FEI Children’s, so from that to the [pony division] is a big step for him and I. There has been a lot of work put into it. My trainer [Hillary Martin] has devoted so much time to me, which is absolutely amazing. My mom always drives me to the barn, helps me ride, and gives me tips, just everybody who has helped me get here, I’m so grateful for that.”

Keep up with the 2019 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions on USA Dressage Facebook where you can find winning rides and daily photo galleries, USEF Network Twitter, and USEF Network Instagram featuring Instagram Stories. Use #USADressage and #FestivalofChampions.