The Kentucky Horse Park played host to the fourth and final day of action on Sunday, November 12, 2023, in the 10th anniversary edition of the US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan®. The remaining nine champions of the year were crowned at a show where competitors representing 40 states traveled from far and wide to vie for the more than $120,000 of prize money.

Photo – Bridgid Browne rode Karina Sandra TF, her horse of a lifetime, to the Fourth Level Open Freestyle Championship title on her first trip to Finals. (SusanJStickle.com)

When 19-year-old Bridgid Browne bought a foal — having never even handled a weanling in her life — little did she know that seven years later she would lift the Fourth Level Open Freestyle Championship title on her horse of a lifetime on her first trip to Finals.

Whole Hearted Love

“I love this mare with my whole heart,” enthused the 26-year-old of the 15.2-hand Karina Sandra TF, unable to contain the smile on her face. “I was refreshing the results over and over again because there were a lot of really competitive, good riders in there. It’s super special because I’ve done everything with her myself. It’s super rewarding.”

“We’ve been really polishing things up the last weeks with Angela [Jackson]. I take video lessons with her as she’s in Kentucky and I’m in Tennessee,” said Browne, who scored 72.492% to music from Mamma Mia! put together by Kristin Wasemiller-Knutson. “‘Shrimpy’ really let me ride her through the test and push her. It felt so flowing, and she trusted me in this huge atmosphere. She’s never seen anything like this before.”

As a teenager, Browne was at a clinic and heard Jackson talking about a filly foal by Fiderbach she’d seen.

Spicy

“Angela said she was a super awesome little filly but a spicy, tiny spitfire who needed just the right person,” Browne related. “She said, ‘I’m telling you, this is going to be a Grand Prix horse one day.’ I thought that if Angela was saying that, she must be good. I only had a little bit of money, but Angela convinced the breeder and next thing I knew I was buying my first baby horse.”

A former professional rider, Browne now works in medical device sales and keeps Shrimpy at a farm across the road, where the eight-year-old lives with a mini pony companion, Chocolate.

“I lead her over to my farm to ride her, and I do everything with her myself,” added the rider, who is just five feet, one inches tall. “I really think she might be my first Grand Prix horse because the changes and the passage are super easy for her, and we’ve just started half steps. I just have to be smart about the pressure I put on her, because if mares aren’t working for you, they’re going to work against you.”

Conclusion

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!