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Hampton Green Farm Year in Review 2011
Hampton Green Farm Year in Review 2011 The headlines use expressions like “gathering steam” and “gaining momentum” to describe the gradual improvement of the American economy now at the beginning of 2012. At HGF, our fortunes have followed a similar course as the national economy over the past few years of downturn—with the devastating loss of our Grand Prix rider Courtney King-Dye and the difficult necessity of a herd reduction sale of our prize babies in 2010—to a year of change and good momentum forward in 2011. The highlights of 2011 have been many, and are already well publicized: --Grandioso III leaves for Spain in January to go to rider Jose Daniel Martin Dockx , who introduced the stallion to the Grand Prix level in May. By October, the pair had competed in one CDI and 3 national shows before going on to win the Spanish National Championships in Madrid. Their first year together, and first year at this level, finished with a surprising Fourth Place at both Grand Prix and Grand Prix Kur at CDI4* Salzburg in December. At the end of the year Grandioso was named to the pre-selection team for Spain in preparation for the 2012 London Olympics. --HGF-bred Encanto XI (Evento x Cantora 2002) was also introduced to the Grand Prix in 2011, with a respectable debut at the Sunshine Tour in March with rider Daniel Martin. The pair later traveled to Saumur to represent Spain in the CDIO, and finished Fifth in the Consolation Grand Prix. --Idilio II and Mica Mabragana spent the winter in the highly competitive international small tour classes in Wellington, receiving their qualifying scores for the Pan American Games. Later in the year, they are invited by the National Equestrian Federation of Argentina to represent that country in the Games. Although they did not make the trip to Guadalajara, Idilio completed his best year at international competition and now at 17 is retired from formal dressage competition to enjoy the more relaxing schedule of exhibition work. --HGF-sponsored horse and rider team, Embrujado XI and Rachel Chowanec, take Wellington by storm in 2011 with numerous wins at FEI Junior level. They went on in September to be USEF Reserve National Champion Juniors. --HGF-bred Vaquero (Cuatrero x Encina 2007) qualifies for the National Young Horse Championships in Spain, and from a field of over 60 horses, finishes 9th overall and 5th of all PREs nationally at the Four Year Old level in September with rider Daniel Martin. --HGF-bred Icono, (Idilio x Escapada, 2006), owned by Martin Schaudt and ridden by Jasmin Schaudt, places first or second in three large FEI Five-Year Old competitions near Stuttgart, Germany—a first in Germany for a PRE at the Young Horse levels. --HGF-bred horses around the United States achieve over 70% at their respective levels with their owners and riders, including: Decoroso HGF and Cindy Ramirez Smith Innato HGF and Suzanne O’Brien Icaro HGF and Annie Morris Fiero HGF and Nicholas Fyffe --In 2011, HGF continued its commitment to Dressage4Kids by hosting the first Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest in July, along with the first annual Emerging Dressage Athlete Invitational clinic. Of that event, 5 Midwest riders were among 18 total riders under 21 who were selected to attend the year-end Robert Dover Horsemastership Week and Mega-clinic in Wellington, where HGF had the honor of hosting the final dinner for the young people and their parents. Looking forward to 2012 with great excitement…We have 6 foals on the way and Sandy Talbot and her team are now managing many fields of young horses again… Our two Grand Prix horses are getting ready for the Sunshine Tour in February, along with 5 year old Vaquero...Mica Mabragana is preparing Cuatrero for the International Small Tour this winter in Wellington, while Rachel and Embrujado enter the Young Rider division…Our dates for the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest and EDAP Clinic are set for July…The TEAM70 horses are moving up the levels…and finally, the American economy seems to be back on track…Hang on, its full steam ahead!
Mica Mabragana Takes First FEI Win of 2012 with Cuatrero
At last weekend's Gold Coast Opener in Wellington, HGF Rider Mica Mabragan debuted 11 year old Cuatrero in the National PSG and Intermediare I. Cuatrero (Cuatrera x Adelante) is the younger brother to Grandioso (Cuatrera is the dam of Grandiosa), 2011 Champion of Spain. He was last competed in early 2008 at 2nd level. Shortly after he went to Courtney King Dye who was preparing him for the small tour at the time of her injury. Cuatrero returned to HGF, but developed a hoof condition that took many months to correct. Thanks to the patience and skills of Dr. Steele and HGF farrier Mike Phillips, Cuatrero returned to work with Mica last summer. On Friday, In his first class in four years and first time at FEI-level, the pair placed in the PSG but were still a bit rusty with a 62%. On Saturday, Cuatrero was more on his game and Mica rode a beautiful Inter-1 to win the close-scoring class with 65.6. A spontaneous round of applause after the ride from the attending Judges' forum topped off the morning. Mica is very pleased with her stallion and we are all looking forward to more good news from this pair. Cuatrero is the sire of Vaquero HGF, trained by Daniel Martin, who placed in the top 5 PREs at the National Young Horse Championships in Spain as a four year old last fall. Cuatrero is also the sire to Diva HGF and Bohemia HGF.
HGF at Global Dressage Florida Classic
HGF at Global Dressage Florida Classic This second CDI of the series of 5 was the official Opening for the new Global Dressage Festival. Not until the very last minute on Wednesday night were all permits issued for occupancy on the shiny new buildings and grounds. 200 horses moved in the next morning for a three day show with close to 400 rides. The international Grand Prix fielded over 30 horses from 5 countries, with several of the judges making their first visit to South Florida. Over 600 people attended a sparkling evening of freestyles and 5 additional show sponsors from the Wellington dressage community signed on to be part of what appears to be a game-changing venue and series for our sport.Wednesday evening was the USPRE kick-off party. Normally held on move-in day, this year people had to make a special trip to come out the night before the show for the event--but the response was overwhelming. The Patron's Club was set for 350 people, and there was overflow of at least another 50 outside of the tent--never before has USPRE seen so much support and enthusiasm! A line-up of promising young PREs with top riders--from established US Team riders to Lendon Gray's hand-picked Emerging Dressage Athlete (EDAP) youth riders--rode to music or to the instruction of their trainers. This year's riders were: Endel Ott, Mica Mabragana, Rachel Chowanec, Emily Copeland, Lily Zilo, Chelsea Reed, Maddy Guthrie, Sophie Hoffman and Kerrigan Gluch. Tina Konyot and Lendon Gray taught demonstration riders and gave testimonials of their experiences and endorsements of PRE Horses.The show commenced on Thursday morning, and our attention turned to our HGF riders and their horses. As is our tradition, HGF horses were beautifully ridden and received top scores in their classes--Rachel Chowanec continued to gain experience in this first year of riding the Young Riders tests, improving her marks as she and Embrujado become more experienced at what is essentially the Prix St. George level. They took first and second in the national Team and Individual tests respectively with scores of 68.28 and 67.1. 15 year old Kerrigan Gluch of Michigan traveled down to Wellington with her parents Tina and Brent to represent the EDAP riders in the USPRE exhibit, and to do her first Wellington show as a bonus. Having only ridden Camaron three times in the EDAP clinic in December, Kerrigan proved what her trainer Laurie Moore says are her particular strengths--showmanship and test-riding! They showed third level all weekend and received three of Camaron's best scores at this level: 67.69, 67.94 and 68.415, just edging out Rachel for the Youth Rider High Point Award for USPRE.Mica Mabragana is continuing to live up to her press with exceptionally high marks on the young mare Infanta HGF (Candela x Idilio). Owner Mary Magee of Chicago was on hand to see the pair as they easily topped their Training Level classes with scores of 71.42, 72.00, and 77.85! The judges praised the mare's three excellent gaits and made special mention of the harmony between horse and rider (for which they received a 9 in collective marks from one judge). Mica and Infanta's score of 77.85 was not only the Open High Point score for USPRE, but was the High Score for the entire Florida Dressage Classic show--a fitting conclusion to a weekend sponsored by the United States PRE Association!
March 2-4, Weekend Wrap-Up
Mica Mabragana took both the CDI and National Level High Point Awards for USPRE at last weekend's Palm Beach Derby in Loxahatchee, FL, with Cuatrero at the International Prix St. George--64.8%--and Infanta HGF (owned by Mary Magee of Chicago) with 67.7% at First Level. Cuatrero had a good first day in the international show, but appeared to go slightly irregular in the Intermediare I, with difficulties in the canter work. Will update before their next outing. Daniel Martin Dockx won the Grand Prix with Encanto at Dos Lunas in Sotogrande, Spain. This elegant facility near Marbella, owned by Mrs. Anunciada Torras, serves as a riding club for both Dressage and Polo. For the Spanish report, seewww.topiberian.com .
5* Week at HGF
5* Week at HGF Wrapping up a terrific week of dressage at HGF in Wellington! On Monday, Daniel Martin Dockx took a week away from his work with Grandioso and the other horses in Spain to come to Wellington to work with Mica Mabragana and Cuatrero. During these days, a number of other riders had the opportunity to school with Daniel, including Endel Ots, Robin Lubert, Bruce Miller, Maddy Guthrie, Joli Burrell, and Mica with Infanta HGF. In addition to the training, HGF was part of the Global Dressage Festival's 5* West Palm Beach, with Mica competing Cuatrero in the National Prix St George and Intermediare I. For Mica and Cuatrero, this competition is preparation for the upcoming Nations' Cup in two weeks--the final show in the GDF Series and North America's first Nations Cup featuring 10 teams at the Small Tour. Cuatrero came back strong from his rest following some soreness after the Palm Beach Derby, and with Daniel's help on the ground, the pair won the Open PSG class with 71.4% on Saturday, leading a class of top-ranked horses and riders. Again on Sunday, Mica and Cuatrero received 68% and Second in the Open Intermediare 1 (placing First by one of two judges).At this past weekend's show--which featured the 5* Freestyle extravaganza on Friday night to a full house--the PREs dominated the Open and AA Small Tour classes, posting First or Second Place all weekend. Congratulations to riders Endel Ots, Lily Zilo, Janne Rumbaugh and of course our own Mica, and many thanks to Dani for his help on the sidelines!
Nation's Cup at Global Dressage Festival
Mica Mabragana and Cuatrero IV were part of Team Latin America II at the first North American Nation's Cup (CDIO), held this past weekend as the final show of the 2012 Global Dressage Festival. Team Latin America II finished 5th of 8 teams, and Mica and Cuatrero did their first Freestyle together, also their first time under the lights in the International Arena. The pair performed a clean test in front of close to 800 spectators on a night that was characterized by team camaraderie and the excitement of the close competition. We are proud of this young combination for representing both HGF and Argentina with a beautiful, clean and expressive ride to the music of Ravel's Bolero. Mica's scores of 63.6 and 64.5 contributed to the Team's totals for Fifth Place, along with team members Jessica McTaggart of the Cayman Islands on Ray of Light, and Luis Reteguiz-Denizard of Puerto Rico on Nalando. This show marks the end of the 2012 Florida winter season for HGF, where Cuatrero returned to the show ring with a new rider, after four years of no competing. He and Mica showed consistent improvement throughout the season and handled the pressures of new situations extremely well. We expect that Cuatrero will continue to improve as the routine of competition becomes more familiar, and that Mica and Cuatrero continue to develop their partnership into a very competitive combination for the future. For the summer, however, Cuatrero will take a break and return to HGF Michigan, where he will stand to HGF mares.
HGF-bred Young Horses Compete in Wellington 2012
Two HGF-bred young horses were actively competed in Wellington this past season, and both with stand-out results. Mary Magee's Infanta HGF (Idilio x Candela), ridden by Mica Mabragana, was a multiple First Place winner of her Training Level classes, USPRE High Point winner at the Florida Classic Dressage Show (she was also the High Point winner for the show) and the Palm Beach Derby, and Reserve Champion Training Level High Point for the Global Dressage Festival National Circuit (9 shows). Robert Dover's HGF Fiero (Grandioso x Ibiza), ridden by Nicholas Fyffe, was the USPRE High Point winner for the national show at the Nation's Cup, with a 71.6% and First Place at Training Level. He was also the overall High Point winner for that show. Fiero turns 4 in July. Congratulations to riders and owners!
Hampton Green Farm 2012 Year In Review
Its been more years than we can count that we’ve been doing the annual Year in Review at HGF—but this one, hands down, tops them all. HGF was founded with a purpose—to promote the breeding, training and development of one breed, the PRE horse, for one sport, dressage. Our claim from the first was that a well-bred, well-trained PRE could compete among the best warmbloods in the world. This year we proved it beyond question. HGF’s Grandioso, as a green Grand Prix horse, finished 29th out of 50 at the London Olympic Games amongst, by all accounts, the best field of dressage horses in history. The past twelve months following his progress were some of the most exciting in our equestrian lives, and to be there in London was an experience that we still find hard to put into words. There is simply nothing left to prove, and we continue to thank our rider, Daniel Martin Dockx, the Spanish Federation and Jan Bemelmans for their faith in our horse and their support all along the way. In 2012, we also had success with our other horses here at home and in Spain. Encanto began his first full year at Grand Prix and quickly achieved his own qualifying scores for London, although with the emphasis on Grandioso we did not compete him as much as we plan to this coming year. Vaquero HGF finished 2012 as the top-ranked Five Year Old PRE in Spain, not an easy task considering the quality of the young horses in the National Young Horse Championships in Zaragoza in October. Mica Mabragana brought Cuatrero back to the show ring after several years without a trainer following Courtney King-Dye’s accident. Mica and Cuatrero competed during the winter season at the international small tour levels at the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington.Also in 2012, we said good-bye to our first generation of competitors. Beautiful Idilio II was retired, and has been enjoying his relaxing schedule, long days of turn-out and light work with young rider Rachel Chowanec. Cosaco IX passed away last spring in Michigan, but left us many top quality sons as his legacy. Camaron remains at HGF as a breeding stallion and a mount for the owner, and also appreciates a lighter riding routine without the stress of competition. This past summer was a busy one for HGF in Fruitport where we hosted a series of events for local charities and enjoyed the musical routines of our working students and various local riders. Our work with Dressage4Kids continued with a second Emerging Dressage Athlete Clinic and Lendon Youth Dressage Festival in July. This year Endel Ots flew in to speak to the youth riders and give his advice and experiences as a young man making his way up in the equestrian world.Our breeding program, managed by Sandy Talbot, produced 5 foals in 2012 and saw 9 mares in foal for 2013. Our young horses continue to attract top professional riders who will be coming out on their own HGF-bred PREs in a few years. Throughout the country, HGF-bred PREs have been making a name for their owners and riders, and we had 5 Team 70 riders again this year. Looking forward, we have much work to do in 2013. Lendon Gray’s Winter Intensive Training program starts this month at HGF in Wellington. The WIT riders, all 21 and younger, have just arrived last week with much excitement for their winter in Florida. HGF is also a sponsor of the new Florida Youth Championship at Global Dressage Festival, and everyone is excited about the young talent that is coming out for this season. Our own sponsored youth riders are busy getting their horses ready to show. This year, Kerrigan Gluch will be showing Cuatrero at the FEI Junior level with sites on the National Championships at Gladstone and the North American Championships. Idolo Americano has returned from 2 years of finishing school in Spain and has just begun his new relationship with Rachel Chowanec as a U25 prospect for this top-ranked young rider. Bolero CXLVIII has returned to HGF and is currently in training with Nicholas Fyffe, Robert Dover’s rider for Fiero HGF. And Dani Martin will be coming to Florida this spring to look at Baroco HGF, (Bolero x Escapada) a four year old future prospect for Spain. And later this year we will start the run-up to the European Championships in Denmark…the next challenge in Grandioso’s international career. We thank all of our clients and friends for their support and well-wishes this year. Now is the time to look forward. Young horses grow up, improve, get stronger, get smarter, develop abilities for collection and produce movement that we could only imagine to be possible. This is our wish for all of you for 2013!
Meet Mica Mabragana
Mica Mabragana, 24 years old from Buenos Aires, Argentina, is our resident rider this winter in Wellington. Mica has spent the last five years in New Yord as a working student for Lendon Gray and has accomplished quite a bit in those five years. She is a USDF Certified instructor (Training through 4th level), and a USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold medalist. She represented Argentina at the NAJYRC 2007 on Ballywhim Ardan Mor and at the Young Rider World Cup 2007 in Germany on Granada, Oded Shimoni's recent mount for Israel at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. Mica has won several CDI classes as a Young Rider and in 2010 made her Grand Prix debut. At the Region 8 Championships, Mica was the Grand Prix Reserve Champion on Nexus. This winter Mica will be riding HGF's Idilio II, with sites on qualification for the Pan American Games next year, and along with Lendon Gray will continue the schooling of Cuatrero, Grandioso's younger brother who had been in training with Courtney until last spring. We welcome Mica and her clients to HGF
HGF Year in Review 2010
HGF Year in Review 2010 It’s been a year of unexpected changes at Hampton Green Farm since our last Year-in-Review. At the beginning of 2010 we were very pleased with the course we were on, and could not have imagined the events that would take place throughout the year to alter the direction of the farm and business. And yet, looking back over what has been a challenging year, we can see new doors open to us, new relationships and new roads to explore. Hampton Green Farm will continue to breed and campaign top-quality PRE horses for Dressage, while we welcome the new challenges that come with change. On a number of levels, 2010 was a year of loss for HGF. We lost two beloved horses to colic—Cantora, mother of Encanto and Ibiza; and Mejorano, a promising small tour horse for HGF prior to an irreparable suspensory ligament tear in 2007. However, the event that shook our world, as well as the entire Dressage world, was the injury to US Olympian Courtney King-Dye, who sustained head trauma in early March in a fall on a client’s young horse. Courtney had been training HGF’s Grandioso III for the past two years, hoping to qualify him in 2010 for the Team Selection Trials for the World Equestrian Games. She was preparing him for his first Grand Prix at the Palm Beach Derby the weekend of her accident. Courtney remained unconscious for close to a month and then, beating all expectations, awoke with full mental capacities. Within a few months, she was able to help the US Team as they prepared for the WEG in Kentucky and to teach her assistant rider Jen Marchand and HGF’s Maria Lithander on their horses. Her physical healing, however, has taken more time and she is hoping to begin to ride competitive horses by the end of next year. Grandioso remained in condition and light work at HGF while we waited and hoped for Courtney’s full recovery. Now that 2011 is approaching, Grandioso will need to go to a rider who will campaign him with sites on the London Olympic Games. Courtney is involved in the decision of who should ride Grandioso for the next 18 months, and HGF expects to announce his new rider in early 2011. Another circumstance that shaped the direction of HGF this year was the continued recession and its impact on horse sales, particularly sales of horses younger than 4 years old. Continued economic uncertainty prompted our decision to hold a “Top Ten” Herd Reduction Sale in August, where 10 of our best young horses under 3--with excellent bloodlines, movement, temperament and radiographs--were sold at auction for bargain prices. The sale brought in buyers from all sectors of the horse community—from young riders and amateurs to professionals—and we ended up selling 14 horses during the month of August. What appeared to be a bust for the bottom line actually turned into a highly successful marketing event for HGF. Since the sale, our phones have been ringing regularly for young horses, we ended the year with over 20 sales and we’ve been able to return to prices of former years. Additionally, Olympian Robert Dover’s purchase of HGF Fiero has resulted in a new level of interest in our young horses from professional riders (the performance of Spain’s Fuego before an American audience also played a part…), and we are excited to hear of Robert’s progress with Fiero on his doversworld.com blog. (See also www.hamptongreenauctions.com.) We’ve also made changes to our riding staff, and this has widened our horizons now to Spain and eventually Europe, we hope. The young horses, who had been competed by Maria Lithander at the lower levels with notable success in Wellington and Michigan, have now begun their FEI training in Spain with Daniel Martin Dockx. The original plan was for Courtney and her team to take over the training of these horses once they were ready for the work of the Prix St. George. With all factors considered, we chose Daniel to train them for the upper levels, which also will allow these horses to begin their international careers in Spain. HGF’s name in Spain is well recognized, thanks to Dani’s work with HGF’s Encanto, which has brought him national titles and top accolades, and we felt that the environment there would be more conducive to train and compete Idolo Americano and Adelante. Additionally, this past fall we welcomed Mica Mabragana to our riding staff. Mica is a talented young trainer and long-time student of Lendon Gray who rides for Argentina. She will be stabled with her clients at HGF in Wellington this winter and campaigning Idilio II for qualification for the Pan Am Games next October. She also will be continuing Cuatrero’s training for the time being. Looking forward, we will continue our monthly clinic series with Lendon Gray, who will be based at Hampton Green Farm all winter, as we also maintain our close relationship with Courtney during her rehabilitation. We will be reporting on our horses who are showing at the upper levels this year with hopes of international championship competition, and we will continue to bring along the best PREs in the United States for Dressage—both at home and in Europe. 2010 Highlights and Awards: Wellington Season: First Level through Intermediare II— 11 First Places, 4 Second Places FEI in 2010: 6 First Places, 2 Second Places Region Two Championships: Reserve Champion, Second Level, Idolo Americano Fifth Place, First Level, Bolero CXLVIII Fifth Place, Prix St. George, Idilio II Sixth Place, Intermediare I, Idilio II USDF All Breeds Awards: Champion, Prix St. George, Open--Idilio II, median score 67.105 Champion, First Level, Open--Bolero CXLVIII, median score 70.00 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Leading Dressage Owners for 2010: National Ranking #34 (out of 7677) Many thanks to all of our staff and riders who helped make these successes possible for us, and best wishes to all for a safe and happy 2011!
2011 Off and Running with JR Wins at Gold Coast Opener CDI
HGF is fielding 3 riders this year on HGF-owned or originated PRE horses--Junior Riders Rachel Chowanec and Chelsea Reed, and former Young Rider Champion/World Cup Rider Mica Mabragana. Sixteen year old Rachel Chowanec made her Florida International debut with double victories in the Junior Team and Individual tests at the Gold Coast Opener CDI last weekend on Lendon Gray's Embrujado XI. Scores of 63.063 and 65.395 were enough to top another very competitive and promising Junior Rider, Paula Matute, and her lovely Spanish stallion, owned by Deborah Williams. The two Junior riders, on their almost-matched gray PREs, were the talk of the show and their closely contested classes were the highlight of the weekend for many. Keep an eye this pair in the future! Embrujado XI is a 12 year old PRE gelding from Malaga, Spain, that HGF initially located for a client. A series of circumstances resulted in HGF's ownership of the horse in 2007 and the following year, Lendon Gray purchased him with her young student Rachel Chowanec in mind. The two have been together for a little over two years and have begun to bring home the rewards. In 2010, Rachel and "Mouse" were USEF Reserve National Dressage Seat Champions, finished in the top 15 at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships in Lexington, and were Regional Champions at Junior Level for Region 8. In addition, Rachel was awarded Best Seat for the JR/YR Division this past weekend, an award hosted by Trilogy Saddles and determined by vote of the judges. In other news, Mica Mabragana did her first show with Idilio at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge on Jan. 15-16. They finished 6th in large Open national classes both days at the PSG and Inter I, with scores of 65.658 and 66.579. Mica has been training Idilio since the beginning of December and was delighted with this first time out together and a career-high Inter I score for Idilio in Florida. Their next show is the Wellington Classic Spring Challenge CDI, where they plan to do the international classes. HGF's third sponsored rider, Chelsea Reed, is the 15 year old daughter of Medieval Times' Tom and Megan Reed. She will make her first Wellington appearance also at the Classic Spring Challenge with HGF's chestnut dynamo Lentisco. Chelsea is a student of Lendon Gray's and at Lendon's Youth Festival in 2010, Chelsea and Lenny took First in two of their three classes. Stay tuned as the season progresses...
Lots Happening in Welly World...
The World Dressage Masters just wrapped up, at the same time as the season's fourth CDI. One more to go--the inaugural International Horse Sports Champions Cup later this month. Steffen Peters, champion of the Masters, continues his monthly clinic series here, in which Mica has been fortunate to ride with a number of her horses, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Renee Isler. The Challenge of the Americas, benefiting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, is a highlight of the Charity circuit, and last weekend's event was won by the Team Purina USA, featuring riders Betsy Steiner, George Williams, Pam Goodrich, John Zopatti, Bill Warren and Jim Koford. The other favorite event of the Wellington Dressage community is Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, and last month's event, spearheaded by Tuny Page, brought much-needed funding for the center which is now serving injured Olympian Courtney King-Dye in her quest to fully recover from her brain injury of last year. Every weekend in Wellington during the months of January through March brings an opportunity to support a worthwhile cause, and the equestrian community here steps up to the plate--from a $1,000,000 Charity Challenge at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, to the Equestrian Aid Foundation Auction at the Palm Beach Derby, and many more. Last week the management of the Winter Equestrian Festival announced plans for the development of its most valuable piece of property next to the main PBIEC showgrounds--the former Polo Stadium of the Palm Beach Polo Club, at the corner of Pierson and South Shore. The plans include the construction of a new events arena and rings, with the primary purpose to be the home to a new series of International Dressage shows beginning in 2011. Robert Dover, who has served as coach for Team Canada all season, will be the "Front Man" for the promotion of this new series of CDIs, which will provide prize winnings similar to those of the Jumper circuit for the first time in the United States. Read more about it on Robert'sdoversworld.com site, or listen to his radio program live on Tuesday nights at 6pm. HGF riders Mica Mabragana, Rachel Chowanec and Molly Reynolds continue to train and prepare for the final few shows of the season. Mica has completed two successful CDIs with Idilio, obtaining qualifying scores at both shows for representation at the Pan Am Games for Argentina. Rachel Chowanec and Embrujado continue to improve their scores in the FEI Juniors tests, proving at the Palm Beach Derby that they are in a league of their own. Rachel will be one of four riders competing in the Dressage Under the Stars on Wednesday evening with HGF's Camaron at the Player's Club. This week's competition is an "Iberian Challenge" and will feature two PREs and two Lusitanos doing "fun and cultural" freestyles. On March 22, HGF will host a reception for 80 friends of D4K (Dressage4Kids), with Lendon Gray and her many successful students of our sport, including CKD, Liz Austin, Isabelle Leibler, Jocelyn Wiese, Meagan Davis, Mica Mabragana, and now Chelsea, Molly, and Rachel! More news and scores to come...
Mica Mabragana and Idilio II: Great Start on the Road to Pan Ams
Last weekend was the third and final CDI for Mica and Idilio this season. For both horse and rider, this was their first season in the International ring. Mica, a native of Argentina, is a 24 year old long-time student of Lendon Gray who has come up successfully through the ranks of Young Riders in the United States. This is her first year as an independent professional and her first season in Wellington. Idilio II is one of HGF's seasoned foundation stallions, who has competed through Grand Prix at the national levels in past years. Now at 16, he is helping Mica achieve her dream of competing for Argentina at the Pan American Games in Mexico this October. To say the least, the big news of the winter in Florida has been the highly-competitive group of Pan American hopefuls, filling classes of over 40 horses at each of this winter's 6 CDIs. Over the past three months, Mica and Idilio have faced almost all of the contenders for the American and Canadian teams as well as those from several other countries. And their results have been respectable: the pair maintained a high 63% average for the season, and finished yesterday at the IHS Champions Cup CDI 3* with their best score of the season at 64.2% for the Inter I. Mica started riding Idilio in December of last year, and has proven this winter that she belongs in the international arena, holding her own against horses and riders who have been showing at that level for many years, including several International Grand Prix horses who've been dropped down to the PSG/Inter I in order to qualify for Pan Ams. For this young professional and her PRE mount, we could not be more proud and pleased! Mica, Idilio, and Head Groom Molly Reynolds will head to New York next month, where Mica plans to continue to train and compete Idilio for the summer. The final selection for Team Argentina will be announced at the end of August. Footnote: Many thanks to "Staff" Photographer Alexander Zilo--Super Fan of the PRE Horses at the Wellington Shows...for more of his photos seewww.usprea.com .
Hampton Green Farm's IDILIO II and Mica Mabragana Invited to Represent Argentina at the Pan American Games
We have just received word that the Federacion Ecuestre Argentina has invited Mica Mabragana and Idilio II to represent Argentina at the upcoming Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Mica took over the training of Idilio last December, and competed him for qualifying scores in the International Pan Am qualifiers in Wellington this past winter. The pair maintained a consistent and respectable average against a high standard of performance among American and Canadian contenders. Long-time protegee of Lendon Gray, 25 year old Mica has represented Argentina as a young rider in both the NAJYRCs and in the Young Rider World Cup in Germany in 2007. This was Mica's first year to show at the international levels in Wellington, and she has begun to be noticed for her quiet, correct and effective riding. Idilio II is a foundation breeding stallion for Hampton Green Farm. At sixteen years old, Idilio was one of the first PRE stallions to compete successfully in Wellington at the FEI levels, which he has done for the past 8 years. He is also a highly successful breeding stallion, sire to many winning young dressage horses in the United States including Idolo Americano (2003), Champion US Bred Stallion, Devon 2007, Region II Second Level Champion 2010 and Icono HGF (2006), owned by Martin Schaudt, who has earned top placings and winnings in several large FEI Five-Year Old classes in Germany this summer. All of us at HGF are very proud of Mica, and happy to see our beloved stallion achieve this distinction at this point in his long career.
November News and Pan American Update:
November is a transition month at HGF. For the Michigan farm, the stallions have left for Florida and it's time to wean the foals. Sandy Talbot and her team prepare the facility for the long winter. In Florida, the horses have settled in and the first of the seasonal renters are arriving. Maria Lithander has started all the horses while we wait for Mica Mabragana to arrive later in the month with her clients and horses from New York. Some important dates for this month: November 22-26 SICAB, Sevilla Spain November 30-December 4 CDI 4* Salzburg (Grandioso) *Don't forget Tuesday evenings, 6-8 pm, with Robert Dover atwww.DoversWorld.com . Pan American Update: We've had a number of people inquire as to Idilio's participation in the Pan Americans. Following the invitation from the Argentine Equestrian Federation, we decided not to send Idilio to Guadalajara. It was our opinion that the stress of the trip on an older stallion was prohibitive and as we were responsible for our own travel and importation process, we were concerned about other risks to the horse. Idilio is 100% sound and in work at HGF Wellington at this time.
Season of Change
Hampton Green Farm would like to thank Maria Lithander for over two years of training and competing for Hampton Green. When Maria came on in 2008, she took on the responsibility of starting three young stallions and also the job of reworking parts of Idilio's training to make him competitive again at the FEI levels. All of this Maria accomplished beautifully, bringing Adelante, Idolo Americano and Bolero up to third level with consistent scores above 70% in Wellington, a Region II Reserve Championship (Idolo), several USDF All Breeds awards, and scores up to 72% for Idilio in the Small Tour. Last March, she agreed to take on Olympian Courtney Dye's mount Grandioso III while Courtney recovered from a head injury in a fall, a task she approached with great care. Last month Courtney visited Grandioso for the first time and was thrilled with his condition, attitude and the freshness of his work, all thanks to Maria's careful schooling over the past six months. Now the young horses are moving on to the next phase in their training. Spanish rider Daniel Martin will take over the reins of Idolo Americano and Adelante beginning in November, and long-time Lendon Gray student Mica Mabragana will begin to work with the others once they are settled in Wellington for the winter. Our thanks to Maria for everything and we continue to consider Maria part of the HGF family for her outstanding work with PRE horses.