Mill Spring, N.C.- September 14, 2019-Team USA dominated at the 2019 Tryon Fall Dressage CPEDI3* Presented by Adequan®. USA scored 439.540 over Canada’s 414.815. The Adequan® U.S. Para-Dressage Team included Roxanne Trunnell with Dolton; Rebecca Hart with El Corona Texel; Kate Shoemaker with Solitaer 40; and Sydney Collier with All in One. The U.S. Team was led by Chef d’Equipe Michel Assouline. Saturday was the second day of para-dressage competition in the Tryon Stadium Arena with riders showcasing their individual test and the conclusion of the Team competition. Sunday, September 15, is the final day of  the Tryon Fall Dressage CPEDI3* Presented by Adequan® and the USEF Para Equestrian Dressage National Champion Award concluding with each duo riding their freestyle tests. The excitement could be felt from the arena on Saturday as the scores were read for Team USA.

Adequan® U.S. Para-Dressage Team wins Tryon CPEDI3* held at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, N.C. September 12-15. The team included Kate Shoemaker, Sydney Collier,  Roxanne Trunnell, and Rebecca Hart.The U.S. Team was led by Chef d’Equipe and USEF Para-Equestrian Dressage Technical Advisor/Head of Coach Development Michel Assouline. Photo by Lindsay Y. McCall

Michel Assouline commented, “I think it was just a dream come true of course following a great progression. Our drop score today was 71% and all three best scores were 73%. I think it’s the best we have ever done historically and the highest team score we have ever earned. We have lots of new combinations including David Botana who earned a 75.298% and Beatrice De Lavalette who is already scoring a 70.”

Assouline continued, “We have been working on two things including performance progression and depth. We are now seeing so much depth. This was one the biggest shows in our U.S. history with almost 30 horse and rider combinations and top scores so the depth is coming. We will continue to monitor and measure as we head to Florida in January.”

Individually the USA riders secured four of the five grade Individual Tests. David Botana and Lord Locksley (USA), owned by Margaret Stevens, topped Grade I with a 75.298%.

Botana began his para-dressage journey with a family move to Maine where he located Carlisle Academy in Maine. Botana brought his pony with him that he had been competing with in Western Pleasure. Botana commented, “I started with Clive Milkins in Maine and when he accepted the position with Canada I began training with Susanne Hamilton. At that time I was riding my pony but knew if we wanted to aim for Tokyo I needed something more. So we tried Lord Locksley.”

Lord Locksley and Botana captured the high score of the day. Botana noted, “My horse was great in the arena.  We went into the warmup ring, practiced our turns, worked on the smoothness of our transitions while staying supple and active and that really made a difference in the score. I am so thankful for my trainer Susanne Hamilton, my mom, my groom, and everyone that has supported me and cheered me on outside the ring.”

Second place in Grade I was Adequan® U.S. Para-Dressage Team rider Roxanne Trunnell and Dolton, owned by Flintewoode Farms LLC. Trunnell is a two-time World Equestrian Games (WEG) athlete (2014,2018) and competed in the 2016 Paralympics. Trunnell said about Saturday’s Individual Test, “It was wonderful. We have been really working on solidifying and it feels like everything is coming together. I loved how he just kept marching during that test.”

On Sunday, Trunnell will show in the same arena where she earned the bronze medal in Grade I freestyle test.

Adequan® U.S. Para-Dressage Team member Sydney Collier took home the third place with All in One, Owned by Going for Gold LLC, with a 71.607%. Collier represented the 2016 Paralympic Equestrian Team and the 2014 WEG Para-Dressage Team for the USA. Just under two months ago Kai Handt found the horse All in One for Collier. This was the pairs first CPEDI3* event together. She explained, “All in one has completely blown away all of my expectations. I have no words for how amazing he is. I have the best horse in the world. I know our future is very bright. I am so thankful that I have so many people in my life that have believed in me to get me to this point. Without Georgina (Bloomberg) joining my team none of this would be possible. All of these chance meetings coming together into this team that continually is growing, spreading positivity, and showing people that if I can do it they can do it too. I feel honored to have these opportunities. I want to thank my family, Georgina Bloomberg for her support, Wes Dunham for training me, and Kai Handt for finding All in One and sending him our way. It’s been quite the adventure since I was 12 years old. I have grown up in this sport. Seeing how much it has developed is special. Through my story I want people to know that they should never give up.”

Beatrice De Lavalette is also a story of never giving up. On March 22, 2016, de Lavalette was standing only a few feet away from a suicide bomber when he detonated an explosive in the Brussels’ Zaventem International Airport. The blast of the explosion left her on the brink of death with severe burns covering 35 percent of her body, internal injuries caused by the shrapnel and damaged vertebrae.

Beatrice De Lavalette (USA) has come quite far in the international ranks in a short amount of time. Beatrice De Lavalette (USA) and Duna, owned by Beatrice and her parents Elizabeth and Nicolas, topped Grade II on both days of competition. Lavalette noted, “I was still very happy with how we did despite it not being our very best ride. I have really enjoyed showing at Tryon it’s an exceptional facility for international competition.”

The Tryon International Equestrian Center has created a five-star venue that not only hosted the 2018 WEG but has created a desirable location for para-dressage. For Grade III rider Rebecca Hart (USA), a three-time Paralympian (2008, 2012, 2016) and three-time WEG athlete (2010, 2014, 2018), Tryon was the location of her bronze medal in the individual test and silver medal in the Grade III freestyle at WEG with horse El Corona Texel, owned by Rowan O’Riley.

“This arena has so many emotions for me,” expressed Hart. “I had so many monumental moments here. To step back in that arena made all of the emotions come back. It reminded me of my parents watching and the memories I experienced last year. I remember waiting in the shoot for the final rides and realized I had gotten the bronze for the United States. To have Tex here with me again was quite special.”

Hart continued, “Over this year we have worked on a few plans and one of them is where I now do all of the warmup myself and that has made a huge difference. It has made a more symbiotic relationship. Before when I had may trainer warm him up there was always a translation period where the able-bodied rider would get off and I  would get on. I would basically have to warm him back up. Handling him from the start makes him my own ride. I was really happy with our individual test. We have been using a technique I call flower games where it involves circling the flower and building his confidence so he can trust me in the ring. In the warm-up ring his back felt nice and he was really soft, so we went on our tour and played flower games, when we were ready he was off and was super happy and consistent.”

Hart is a veteran to being a part of the U.S. Team. “I love being part of the team and watch it grow over these years,” remembered Hart. “To still be in this sport and be able to represent the United States and to see how far this sport has come in the last 20 years is amazing. I have really enjoyed working with Michel and have him bring structure and be a liaison between the athlete and the federation. Michel has very quantifiable goals and guides you to meeting them. To have that systematic structure and the development of the coaching program is helping to push the sport forward in the United States.”

Grade IV Adequan® U.S. Para-Dressage Team member Kate Shoemaker and Solitaer 40, Owned by Kate, Craig & Deena Shoemaker, was also no stranger to the Tryon arena. The pair earned a bronze medal in Grade IV freestyle WEG 2018. Shoemaker has had outstanding results in the arena this weekend earning a 73.083% in the team test and a 73.049% in the individual test. Shoemaker noted, “This was the best work we have gotten in the arena. Soli and I have been together for five years now so every show has been a step in the right direction. You get what you want at home, you get it in the warmup, and then you get it in the ring. We had some really amazing moments in the arena this week and I am really excited about it. Regardless of the score these were personal best tests. I want to keep adding more cadence, self-carriage, and balance into the work so we can really show the expression that Soli has in there.”

Grade V winner of the individual test was Lee Garrod of Canada on Question.

U.S. National riders competed on Saturday including Erika Wager and her horse Clifton Zander and Emma Jameson with her horse Cortesana La.

The 2019 Tryon Fall Dressage CPEDI3* Presented by Adequan® and the USEF Para Equestrian Dressage National Champion Awards will be presented on Sunday following the Freestyle Test competition.

Results of the 2019 Tryon Fall Dressage CPEDI3* Presented by Adequan® and the USEF Para Equestrian Dressage National Champion Award Results September 13-15, held at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, N.C.

2019 Tryon Fall Dressage CPEDI3* Presented by Adequan®  Team Overall:

USA 439.540
Roxanne Trunnell 148.452
Kate Shoemaker 146.087
Rebecca Hart 145.001
Sydney Collier 142.607

Canada 414.815
Lauren Barwick 139.755
Lee Garrod 138.645
Winona Hartvikson 137.679
Jody Schloss 137.381

2019 Tryon Fall Dressage CPEDI3* Presented by Adequan® and the USEF Para Equestrian Dressage National Champion Award Results September 14, 2019, Individual Test:

Grade I
1. David Botana and Lord Locksley (USA) 75.298
2. Roxanne Trunnell and Dolton (USA) 73.571
3. Sydney Collier and All in One (USA) 71.607
4. Winona Hartvikson and Onyx (CAN) 71.191
5. Jody Schloss and Lieutenant Lobin (CAN) 69.226
6. Deborah Stanitski and Skovlunds de Nice (USA) 66.071
7. Marie Vanderheyden and London Swing (USA) 65.952
8. Marie Vanderheyden and Rubicon 75 (USA) 59.821

Grade II
1. Beatrice de Lavalette and Duna (USA) 70.049
2. Erika Baitenmann Haakh and Leonora (MEX) 68.578
3. Jason Surnoski and Phoenix (CAN) 68.48
4. Sharon Buffitt and Elektra II (CAN) 66.275
5. Alanna Flax-Clark and El Paso (USA) 63.775
6. Erika Baitenmann Haakh and Fite (MEX) 63.569

Grade III
1. Rebecca Hart and El Corona Texel (USA) 73.775
2. Lauren Barwick and Engelbrecht (CAN) 69.657
3. Meghan Benge and Worth the Trip (USA) 68.284
4. Ignacio Trevino Fuerte and Solemne Mor (MEX) 65.196
5. Sara Cummings and LDorado (CAN) 64.314
6. Meghan Benge and Zoey (USA) 63.628

Grade IV
1. Kate Shoemaker and Solitaire 40 (USA) 73.049

Grade V
1. Lee Garrod and Question (CAN) 69.42
2. Cayla Van Der Walt and Daturo II (RSA) 64.881
3. Cythia Screnci and Eragon VF (USA) 64.524
4. Holly Bergay and David Bowie MF (USA) 57.857

National Results September 14, 2019

Erika Wager and Clifton Zander 67.609

Emma Jameson and Cortesana La  55.190

2019 Tryon Fall Dressage CPEDI3* Presented by Adequan® and the USEF Para Equestrian Dressage National Champion Award Results September 13, 2019, Team Test:

Grade I
1. Roxanne Trunnell and Dolton (USA) 74.881
2. David Botana and Lord Locksley (USA) 73.274
3. Sydney Collier and All in One (USA) 71
4. Jody Schloss and Lieutenant Lobin (CAN) 68.155
5. Marie Vanderheyden and London Swing (USA) 67.893
6. Winona Hartvikson and Onyx (CAN) 66.488
7. Deborah Stanitski and Skovlunds de Nice (USA) 66.012
8. Marie Vanderheyden and Rubicon 75 (USA) 62.56

Grade II
1. Beatrice de Lavalette and Duna (USA) 69.495
2. Jason Surnoski and Phoenix (CAN) 69.192
3. Alanna Flax-Clark and El Paso (USA) 67.778
4. Erika Baitenmann Haakh and Fite (MEX) 63.147
5. Sharon Buffitt and Elektra II (CAN) 60.455
Elim. Erika Baitenmann Haakh and Leonora (MEX)

Grade III
1.Rebecca Hart and El Corona Texel (USA) 71.226
2. Lauren Barwick and Engelbrecht (CAN) 70.098
3. Meghan Benge and Worth the Trip (USA) 68.137
4. Meghan Benge and Zoey (USA) 63.431
5. Sara Cummings and LDorado (CAN) 62.686
6. Ignacio Trevino Fuerte and Solemne Mor (MEX) 62.059

Grade IV
1. Kate Shoemaker and Solitaire 40 (USA) 73.083

Grade V
1. Lee Garrod and Question (CAN) 69.225
2. Cayla Van Der Walt and Daturo II (RSA) 68.217
3. Cythia Screnci and Eragon VF (USA) 63.101
4. Holly Bergay and David Bowie MF (USA) 59.341

CPEDI1* Results September 13, 2019:

Grade IV
Emma Jameson and Cortesana La (USA) 50.052

National Results September 13, 2019

Erika Wager and Clifton Zander 64.565