News & Horses: "equestrian"

Grandioso Turns 27 years Old

On March 3, 2026, Grandioso III celebrated his 27th birthday! Born on March 3, 1999, this exceptional horse has not only been a lifelong companion for José Daniel Martin Dockx but also one of the backbones of Dressage SPanish Team ( 2012-2016)  ALong with  José Daniel Martín Dockx, Grandioso III has traveled the world and achieved remarkable personal bests, representing Spain at the highest levels: Olympic Games 2012 – London, UK European Championships 2013 – Herning, Denmark World Equestrian Games 2014 – Caen, Normandy, France European Championships 2015 – Aachen, Germany Olympic Games 2016 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil At Hampton Green Farm, we are proud to celebrate not just his years, but his legacy with our offsprings. 

Justine Boyer successfully defends her title at the Florida Youth Dressage Championships at World Equestrian Center – Ocala

Ocala, FL – World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) hosted the 2024 Florida Youth Dressage Championships and a pair of back-to-back rated shows Dressage I on March 14-15 and Dressage II on March 16-17. Sponsored by Hampton Green Farms and Discover Dressage, the events held classes from Training Level to FEI Grand Prix and served as official qualifying competitions for the 2024 Great American/USDF Regional Championships. The Florida Youth Dressage Championships, which was created in 2013, returned to WEC for the second year in a row. It is designed to be more than just a competition and offers participants — all aspiring young dressage riders — a rounded, enriching experience as well as the chance to show in a championship atmosphere. Events were held throughout the week to boost camaraderie and sportsmanship, including a meet-and-greet with U.S. Dressage Team rider Shelly Francis and former Florida Youth Dressage Championship rider Kerrigan Gluch.  Justine Boyer and Campanero HGF won the junior division and were named overall champions at the Florida Youth Dressage Championships. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography Junior rider Justine Boyer, 17, successfully defended her 2023 champion’s title, securing the 2024 sash with the same horse, Hampton Green Farms’ home-bred 11-year-old PRE gelding, Campanero HGF.  Entrants competed in two straight tests (the team and individual tests), each comprising 40% of the final mark, and then a freestyle to music (20%). Boyer scored 69.167%, 68.75% and then 71.762% in the freestyle for a final mark of 69.519%. The overall reserve champion accolade went to the Young Rider Franki Kesner. She rode her own 11-year-old Glock’s Johnson gelding Il Divo to 66.397%, 67.794% and 70.313% to finish on 67.739%.   With strong scores and a victory in the young rider division, Franki Kesner and Il Divo were the reserve overall champions. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography “It’s quite the honor to be the champion again,” said Boyer, whose mother Kim Van Kampen owns Hampton Green Farms. “It’s been a long journey with this horse. I’ve been riding him since he was seven, going through the different trials of showing together, and he was very spooky in the beginning. I’ve grown up with him leading the way but this show in particular was a game-changer because I got to show him the way.  “We’ve built a better trust, and we’re a team now. He’s not so hesitant toward my ideas and believes in me more. Getting to ride such a nice horse at a young age has been very practical for me,” continued Boyer, who trains with Hampton Green Farms’ head trainer, Maria Lithander.  “This season we decided to work in the double bridle and ask more of the hindlegs than previously, and ride more forward in the movements,” added Boyer. “We play around with his social life as he’s pretty spooky, so we get him out in the paddock with other horses, and he goes out on the track — anything to expose him and to try to get him to focus on what he’s doing rather than where he is.” Boyer rode to a freestyle based on the movie “Moana,” put together by Marlene Whitaker, who also helped devise the floorplan. It included flying changes on a 20-meter circle in the middle of the arena and extended trots straight into shoulder-in, highlighting the horse’s adjustability.  “I had never ridden a freestyle in other classes, and there isn’t one in Children, and I skipped ponies because I didn’t have one,” explained Boyer. “So this was my first inside look at what freestyles are all about, and Marlene was very helpful with finding Campanero’s strengths and weaknesses and complementing his talent. “My hopes for this show were to not surprise him or ask more than at other shows and keep him level-headed and happy,” added Boyer, who is based 10 minutes from WEC. “Riding him when I was 13 was the first glimpse into what a nice horse felt like. I’m very grateful that I get to ride such a magnificent horse.”  In the Pony division, Texas-based Alexandra Garvey was another to defend her title, having also taken the accolade in 2023. She put in three solid performances (65%, 68.716% and 67.1%) to finish on a final score of 66.906%. She was riding Unscripted, who is 19 years old and was a Dressage4Kids donation.  The under-25 rider Eva Farrell rode Yvonne Barteau’s 14-year-old Nadal De Susaeta, a PRE stallion by Cubanon. She logged results at Intermediate II, Grand Prix and Freestyle to top the division with a final score of 62.913%.  In the rated shows, Adult Amateur (AA) Erin Walker rode seven tests on four different horses and won five of them. Her highest score of the weekend, 71.324%, was achieved on Craig McCallum’s 10-year-old Jeune Star Van Kairos, a KWPN gelding by Five Star, in the Intermediate I, where she finished second. The class was won by Bonnie Canter on a score of 72.353%. Canter rode her own eight-year-old 15.2hh Vilancio gelding Vitali, with whom she is the current Fourth Level AA US Dressage Finals champion.  James Koford posted two wins at Grand Prix level, riding Christina Morin-Graham’s 12-year-old Charmeur gelding, Hatsije B, to 67.394% and 68.152%. They began in international grand prix together last year, and have already logged three CDI wins.  Justine Boyer (right), the 2024 Florida Youth Dressage Championships’ overall champion, with Hampton Green Farms’ head trainer Maria Lithander. Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography Dressage competition at World Equestrian Center – Ocala continues with a CPEDI and nationally rated competition on March 28-31, followed by a CDI3* international show and USEF/USDF national competition on April 10-14, 2024, presented by Hampton Green Farm and Discover Dressage. For full horse show results for all World Equestrian Center dressage shows, visit www.foxvillage.com.

Justine Boyer claims the Florida Youth Dressage Junior Title

World Equestrian Center – Ocala played host to back-to-back rated shows Dressage I (March 8-10) and Dressage II (March 11-12) as well as the 2023 Florida Youth Dressage Championships. Sponsored by Hampton Green Farm and Discover Dressage, the show held classes from Training Level to FEI Grand Prix and served as an official qualifying competition for the 2023 Great American/USDF Regional Championships. After a Covid-induced pause of two years, the Florida Youth Dressage Championships (FYDC) returned in 2023 with healthy entries. This was the first time that the Championships, created in 2013, were held at WEC – Ocala. The show is more than just a competition and gave the 20 participants — all aspiring young dressage riders — a rounded, enriching experience and the chance to show in a championship atmosphere. Events were held throughout the week to boost camaraderie and sportsmanship, including a meet-and-greet with Anna Marek and former Florida Youth Dressage Championship rider Kerrigan Gluch.  Entrants in the Junior and Pony divisions competed in two straight tests (the team and individual tests), each one comprising 40% of the final mark, and then a freestyle to music (20%). For the Young Rider, Children and Under-25 divisions, it was a 50/50 weighting of two straight tests, with no freestyle.  Galloping in a new category, Justine claimed for the second time in her career this title. With our  home-bred 10-year-old Campanero HGF ( Camaron IX out of Quintera XII by Adelante),  her scores were  70.455%, 69.485% and 68.013%.  Justine not only won the junior title, but also the overall youth champion title (highest Score)  “This show is especially fun because I get to compete with other junior riders and get to know them, and maybe in the future we will get to be teammates at North American Youth Championships,” said Boyer, who came out on top of the nine combinations in the Junior division.  “Showing here at WEC is definitely amazing. We’ve worked a lot to get Campanero to not be so spooky, and this is the show where he really outdid himself and wasn’t spooky, so it was really nice. We’ve been together for four years working up toward juniors. It’s been interesting to get to ride an advanced horse at a young age,” added Boyer, who has won all six international tests she has entered with Campanero since they began competing at CDIs in September 2022.  Thank you all the Team of HGF for making this possible, but specially Maria Lithander for endless support, teaching and guidance .

Leaving Wellington….and Finding Home in Ocala

It’s been three years since I moved to Ocala to start a new marriage and build a life in a new community. Leaving Wellington was ultimately a decision that took place in increments, and which surprised me as it was happening. I wasn’t leaving the horse world, but I was leaving the familiarity and safety of my beloved bubble (as my friend Ken Braddock likes to refer to it).  I’ve often referred to the Global Dressage Festival as a “13 week cruise with 700 of your closest friends”—hard to imagine unless you’ve lived it as I did. The dressage world in Wellington is easy to mis-categorize—privileged people living an artificial existence in a contrived world where there is always a new season, or a new competition cycle, or a new “pair” to raise the collective heart rate and suspend the unreality for another year. Some aspects of this stereotype are true on the fringe, but not at its heart. The dressage world in Wellington as I knew it for more than 20 years is highly inter-connected and passionately supportive, a fabric consisting of all the roles that make up a community based on sport—from owners, trainers and athletes to credentialed professionals such as the vets and farriers, to the essential grooms, sports therapists and massage miracle-workers, to the men or women who built your barn, to the person who clothes you and your horse, or who supplies the feed and shavings that you rely on, Mosquito Guy and Carrot Man, old and young, saints and scoundrels. All come together into one friendly community where there is no hierarchy—as exhibited by the tables in the tent where a mix of all these groups can be seen enjoying meals together. When one of us does well, the whole family cheers. Leaving Wellington also meant leaving another very important community to me—the PRE (Spanish Horse) lovers who were sprinkled throughout this world that is generally defined by the Northern European sport horse. We, the faithful converts, even have our own week during the season—USPRE Week or Week 3—where the Baroque Horse takes its deserved place in the spot light. I will never forget the finale of the last USPRE party prior to the Covid shutdowns —when more than 30 volunteer riders flooded the International Arena on their beautiful horses,r riding to Cassie Ortiz’ version of “This is Me.” For me, that was my personal Grand Prix Freestyle win! But now, my life is Ocala. Ocala—it even sounds like the beautiful place it is. Rolling pastures and grand oak trees that used to be the playground of the Seminole, and which are now home to thousands of acres of young thoroughbreds. A genteel Southern aesthetic prevails here: rural and old vs. urban and new (per much of coastal Florida); here more native, more authentic, more raw, definitely outside the bubble. County after county of horse and cattle farms, historic cracker architecture and land grant neighborhoods. The stunning new World Equestrian Center and the ambitious generosity of its owners don’t change the landscape, only accentuate it. And to my surprise, Ocala is also home to lots of PREs and Lusitanos! From the first show at WEC, we were amazed at the number of Iberians and knew that there would be a positive response to us and our horses here. When Jim Wolf and I planned the Hampton Green Farm sponsorship of the show series, we made sure to carve out our own week of emphasis on the Iberian or Andalusian horse (expanded now to include all baroque horses originating from the Iberian peninsula). Our first Iberian Young Horse Challenge in March brought out close to 20 competitors in the Prix St. George, won by a Dutch professional with scores over 70% on a young Lusitano. Our opening reception brought together another wonderful group of people and the excitement for the potential that the WEC facility offers for our horses is over the top. Several professionals in this area work with and compete Iberian horses alongside their other breeds, and I’ve recognized many brands on horses in the ring here, some originating from elite breeding farms in Spain. Several American PRE breeders that I’ve known from my USPRE days have relocated here for the benefit of the temperate climate as well as year-round (nonseasonal) equestrian activity. One new relationship is quite special to us. For years I had heard of Tina Veder and her Baroque Games Institute, but had little understanding of the nature of her work with Bruno Gonzalez. Hearing that they had also relocated here from New York, I was anxious to meet them and their group of enthusiastic fans who have formed what might be described as a new discipline, a movement and growing trend for a certain demographic of the equestrian community. Stemming from their combined years of experience in the baroque horse world and the riding traditions of Europe, Tina and Bruno have devised a program of training and showing that emphasizes the classical training scale without demanding the high level of athleticism that is necessary to be competitive in the sport. As a longtime PRE breeder, Tina has seen many riders of baroque horses be left out of the enjoyment of the full potential of their horse for a variety of reasons, mostly that their own riding skills or their horse’s gaits limit them to the lowest levels of dressage. Year after year, they fail to move beyond the basic levels and never have the chance to enjoy the technique of classical riding. The Baroque Institute offers a series of training patterns and tests that take the horse and rider from walk/trot to collection to high school movements in ways that are safe for both horse and rider, and which reflect the classical program but are still accessible to a wider range of riders and horses. A competition, the Baroque Games, gives these riders a chance to compete and be judged, successfully staged in New York, Virginia, and soon hopefully in Ocala. They recently held a clinic at Hampton Green Farm at our Goldmark location, and we were delighted with the exercises and challenges that Bruno presented for each horse and rider. He has a deep understanding of the conformation and mechanics of the Iberian horse and how to develop its strengths to do the work that it was historically bred to do. Hampton Green wholeheartedly supports their philosophy and are happy to have another riding discipline for our clients and friends. HGF Head Trainer Maria Lithander summarized our weekend: ”Bruno’s system is great for riders of any level—the exercises are straightforward and kind to the horse as well as fun to ride.” Watching young riders and young horses develop into internationally relevant competitors has been a great joy in my life, and those memories are rooted in my love for Wellington. But now, I find that I have great expectations for the verdant dressage community in Ocala, and am honored to be a part as it does the same.

OCALA CDI - Dancing Under the Lights in the CDI3*

International dressage returned to World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Ocala, Florida, on Thursday 14 April 2022, with CDI3* competition sponsored by Hampton Green Farm and Discover Dressage. In a Grand Prix field of 26 entries, Kerrigan Gluch and Mejorano HGF started on Thursday gearing up the P.R.E engines in the CDI3* claiming the sixth position in a large class with a Personal Best in the GP with a 70.217% Even if we were full of joy, reasons to be happy were not over. On Friday Under the Lights, Kerrigan danced Grandioso’s Kur with Mejorano HGF. The atmosphere was magic, electrifying and above all mesmerizing. The Spanish melodies echoed in the Grand Arena and Kerrigan delighted the spectators, who roared into applause, shouts and ovations. At the end, the pair was all smiles after scoring a personal best of 73.725% for the yellow ribbon. Gluch was also able to tick off a goal on her list by competing in this freestyle in the Grand Arena. When I saw this facility before I moved here, I said, ‘I want to go down that chute and under the lights. I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but it’s a goal,’” she recalled. “I didn’t know if there would be people in the stands, and it was very full. It was incredible to trot in and see everyone there under the lights. It was a dream come true. To be able to do that tonight in front of a big crowd and representing Kim and Hampton Green Farm well and proud and showing off the breed is really special.” April 15th will be remembered as the night that Mejorano HGF followed the steps of his father.

Iberian Showcase Young Horse Challenge 

February 02, Ocala (Florida)  World Equestrian Center Dressage and Hampton Green Farm announce WEC’s first Iberian Showcase Weekend, March 11-13th. In addition to the national dressage show (Ocala Dressage I), special events have been planned for owners, riders and enthusiasts of Iberian (Spanish and Portuguese) horses.  The weekend will kick off with a cocktail reception on Friday Night for all exhibitors, sponsored by Hampton Green Farm, including special guests and a presentation of training and riding by the HGF staff and horses and others. Throughout the weekend, the show management will host the Iberian Showcase Young Horse Challenge during the following normal USEF classes: FEI 5 Year Old (Preliminary) FEI 5 Year Old (Final) FEI 6 Year Old (Preliminary) FEI 6 Year Old (Final) Prix St. George (combination of two scores) Directives: —The Challenge is open to Iberian horses only, documented by breed association papers. —All classes will take place during the regular open show schedule (see Prizelist), and will be judged by USEF judges. —Preliminary scores and Final scores for the FEI Young Horse classes will be totaled to determine winners. —The Prix St. George Challenge will be open to Iberian breed horses 10 years old and younger. —Winner of the PSG Challenge will be determined by the total of two scores during the weekend. —First three places in each division to be pinned. Awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon. All horses and riders must be present. Prize money will be awarded: $1000.00 Champion 5 Year Old $1000.00 Champion 6 Year Old $1000.00 Champion Prix St. George Mark your calendar and make your plans now for the Iberian Event of the winter season in Ocala, Florida. 

HGF culminates the 2021 season with multiple ribbons

This past weekend, all eyes turned to the World Equestrian Center for another CDI and National Dressage show. Hampton Green Farm horses competed in several levels in both the national and international rings.  The MVP of the HGF TEAM was clearly Kerrigan Gluch with Mejorano HGF (By Grandioso III), who claimed another GP international podium at the CDI3*. Mejorano HGF is a talented 10-year-old gray gelding whose path in the Big Tour has just started. On Friday, they were performing their second international GP. Rookie mistakes dropped the score to 66.609%. But, on Saturday, the bitter taste turned into a sweet one: the duo climbed up to the second position with a new personal best of 70.106%. Judges were mesmerized with the collected exercises, such as passage and piaffe, rewarding them with multiples 7,5 and 8s.  Additionally, Kerrigan completed the show with a third and a win in the national GP with Vaquero HGF.   The effort and discipline of Sophia Schults are endless, and this weekend her work has paid-off.  Over the years she has built up the training of her own Conocido HGF. As she prepares for the Young Rider levels, Sophia competed in two PSGs last weekend at WEC. Both days she won her competitive classes with scores close to 69%. Both Sophia and Kerrigan were trained by Charlotte Bredahl, who commented: “It has been a great week at the CDI at the WEC in Ocala. I came up here to coach the riders from Hampton Green Farm. They all did great. Sophia Schults won both of her FEI test of Choice classes riding the Young Rider tests. Maria Lithander does her daily training and I do weekly virtual lessons. Maria herself finished 4th in the open Grand Prix on her own HGF Barbara.  Kerrigan Gluch ended up second in the CDI Grand Special with a 70% on Hampton Green Farms talented Mejorano. I am so proud of them for doing so well in only their second CDI together. The test had many highlights. Kerrigan also finished 3rd in the open Grand Prix on HGF Vaquero. I have been coaching Kerrigan for over three years now and it is exciting to see her move into the Senior ranks and do so well.”  In other news, Sam Stenger and Olivia Stille continue to confirm themselves at Third Level with respectable scores and placements in last weekend’s large classes. Hampton Green Farms culminates the 2021 season with multiple ribbons and on top of the boards.  But more important: with the engines ready for the new upcoming season 2022 at WEC Ocala. 

World Equestrian Center – Ocala welcomes Discover Dressage and Hampton Green Farm as official founding partners

Ocala, Fla. – December 13, 2021– World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) welcomes Hampton Green Farm and Discover Dressage as Founding Partners of the new multidisciplinary and equestrian sports venue. As part of the multiyear agreement, Hampton Green Farm will be the title sponsor of the World Equestrian Center – Ocala 2022-2023 Dressage competition series. In addition, World Equestrian Center – Ocala will be home to the innovative Discover Dressage educational programs and events. “The new World Equestrian Center has to be seen to be believed,” said Kimberly Van Kampen of Hampton Green Farm and Discover Dressage. “There is no other equestrian show facility like it, in both philosophy and facilities. Both Hampton Green Farm and Discover Dressage, in their own rights, focus their efforts on young horses and youth riders in order to create a solid foundation for future success. We are honored to partner with World Equestrian Center to see dressage grow in this amazing place!” World Equestrian Center – Ocala features facilities for year-round, multidisciplinary equestrian and sports events. The venue also offers indoor arenas and multipurpose buildings for vendor displays, while the expo centers are perfect for tradeshows and conventions, as well as automobile, art and antique shows and weddings. The expansive facility sits on 378 acres with another 300 in reserve for future expansion. “We are grateful for the support of Discover Dressage and Hampton Green Farm,” said Roby Roberts, WEC CEO. “Kimberly Van Kampen has been beyond generous in sharing with us her enthusiasm and expertise in the world of dressage. Her guidance has been instrumental in helping us to create a world-class dressage environment at World Equestrian Center – Ocala.” About Hampton Green Farm and Discover Dressage Hampton Green Farms is dedicated to the development of the PRE horse in America, through breeding, training, sales and competition. Learn more at hamptongreenfarm.com/en. Discover Dressage is a 501(c)(3) Florida nonprofit organization. Its mission is to inspire and encourage American youth to discover dressage, to inspire lifelong learning and success, to promote healthy competition and advance the accessibility of the sport of dressage to all areas of the U.S. Learn more at discoverdressage.com. About World Equestrian Center World Equestrian Center features two premier equestrian and multidisciplinary venues in Ocala, Florida, and Wilmington, Ohio. These exclusive facilities comprise state-of-the-art arenas, expansive stadiums, versatile outdoor space, sporting fields and well-appointed exposition centers. An abundance of lodging options and luxury accommodations are conveniently located on-site, along with shopping and dining throughout each property. Dedicated to offering great sport and fun in a family-friendly environment, World Equestrian Center promises an unparalleled experience for exhibitors, spectators, vendors, sponsors and retailers built on three core values: Quality. Class. Distinction. Learn more at wec.net.

HGF rocks at WEC

Last Weekend (October 21-24) HGF horses were on fire at the World Equestrian Center.  Justine Boyer  and Campanero HGF  (by Camaron IX) captured a double victory in the Third Level Test 1 with scores above 68%. Justine is ready for a smooth transition to juniors level next year.  More over, Kerrigan Gluch & Mejorano HGF, a son of two-time Olympian Grandioso II, made their American debut in CDI 3* competition, following a successful early career in Spain with José Daniel Martin Dockx that included participation on the Spanish Team at the  Young Horse World Championships in Ermelo in 2018. Kerrigan and Mejorano HGF, the new combination, received a score of 67.283% in the Grand Prix On Saturday, they performed the Grand Prix Special and finished third  (68.723) . The pair impressed the judges with their piaffe earning high marks (for their skillful rhythm).   They took third place both days.  Very excited about the future, Kerrigan said:  “I am very proud of Mejorano in his debut in the Grand Prix Arena. It has been a dream of mine to compete at thus level and I’m so grateful to be able to do it with such a special horse. Thank you Kim Van Kampen for all of the love and support. We are eager to continue training as we prepare for the next competition”.  Sophia Schults competed one of the youngest prospects, Cartujano FSR  and showcased the wonderful gaits  he has.  Last but not least,  Samantha Stenger and Alivia Stille  showed Diva HGF (By Cuatrero IV)  and Cuarzo HGF (By Cuatrero IV) respectively. They performed new exercises in order to move the horses into new levels for the upcoming season.  We are so proud of everyone for their great rides, dedication, and hard work! HGF P.R.E horses were once again in the scene and they did not disappoint

A successful Week for the HGF horses at the 2020 US Dressage Festival of Champions

At the premises of Lamplight Equestrian Center, hosting 175 combinations, the fourteenth national championship for the 2020 US Dressage Festival of Champions was held August 18th through the 23rd.  The Festival of Champions also known as the United States Youth Championship, brought together the best riders in the country to fight for the coveted national title. On Monday afternoon, the week kicked off with all horses passing the initial veterinary inspection for the Intermediate I USEF Young Adult ‘Brentina Cup’ Dressage National Championship. The competition requires the riders to run three tests in their quest for the national championship: Intermediate II (40 percent), Grand Prix 16-25 (45 percent), and Freestyle U25 (15 percent). Seven horse-and-rider combinations completed their FEI Intermediate II including Kerrigan Gluch and Hampton Green Farm’s 13-year-old P.R.E stallion, Vaquero HGF (Cuatrero IV x Encina HGF), finished in second place with a score of 68.147%. A day later, Kerrigan on her mount Vaquero HGF turned in a clean and polished ride to finish first in the class with a 68.744%. Gluch and Vaquero HGF were currently second in the Brentina Cup overall standings. Everything seemed favorable to fight for the gold position, but on the freestyle, Vaquero felt very fresh.  In the end, Kerrigan Gluch and Vaquero HGF took home the reserve championship. They earned third place for their freestyle performance, with a score of 68.425%. Partners for five years, Kerrigan Gluch and Vaquero HGF have been an unbreakable combination with a resume full of podiums. Since 2015, both have ridden in American and European shows with very competitive scores and placed in top positions. Children’sDivision Twelve combinations took the Grand Prix Arena for the FEI Children Team Test and Individual Test of the USEF Children Dressage National Championship. Lentisco XVIII (Zafiro XIV x Estupenda II) under the reins of Justine Boyer went from less to more. With an average of 69.500%, Justine and Lentisco  XVIII closed in the top 5, while in the individual test,  they earned the third position with a remarkable 72.810%. Skimming the podium, the American rider placed fourth overall.

Grandioso III of Hampton Green Farm Named to Spanish Team for Rio Olympics

Last Monday, the RFHE announced the names of the horses and riders who will make up the Spanish Team for Rio. Grandioso and his rider Jose Daniel Martin Dockx were on the list, following their showing of current form at CHIO Aachen. Grandioso and Dani have been a constant pair for the Spanish National Dressage Team beginning in 2012 when they represented Spain at the London Olympics. Since then, they have competed in three Nations Cups, two European Championships, and the World Equestrian Games in Normandy. Grandioso is the only horse in Spain to have done all of these events and to remain a current team member for five years without interruption. Additionally, Grandioso is one of only seven horses (out of 60) scheduled to compete in Rio who are going down the centerline for their second Olympic Games. He will be in elite company —Valegro, Donnperignon, Don Aurelio, Parzival, Desperados, Sandro Boy, and our own Grandioso. At this time, the team is located in Aachen, Germany, for preparations prior to travel to Brazil on the 2nd of August. They will arrive in Rio with a week to acclimate and be ready for competition, commencing August 10 with the Grand Prix. For regular updates, follow us at the Hampton Green Forum on Facebook.

Two HGF Horses Medal at NAJYRC 2015

This year, two Michigan-bred Hampton Green PREs competed in the NAJYRCs, the FEI Youth Dressage Championships for North America held annually in Lexington, KY. Alexandra Meghi with Iliado represented Team Ontario on Iliado II in the Junior Division, and Kerrigan Gluch with Vaquero HGF represented Region 2 in the Young Riders Division. Both pairs finished in the Top 5 of their division and both horses brought home a medal! One the first day, Alexandra and Iliado were the highest scoring pair for Team Ontario, which won the Gold Medal in the Junior Team Competition. The following day they finished 4thin the Individual Test. In the Young Rider Division, Kerrigan with Vaquero improved her standings every day—moving from 8th in the Team Competition, to 5th in the Individual, and finally taking her place on the podium with a Bronze Medal in the Freestyle. Alexandra is in her second year of Juniors with Iliado—a 2005 gray gelding by Idilio out of Ibiza. Trained by Tina Irwin of Ontario, the pair are ranked in the top 35 horses worldwide by the FEI world rankings for Juniors, having completed a very successful season in Wellington. Kerrigan, a long-time Working Student for HGF, is in her first year at Young Riders, as is 8 year old Vaquero, a gray stallion by Cuatrero IV out of Encina HGF (Idilio). Kerrigan is trained by Oded Shimoni of Wellington. Next stop for Kerrigan is the USEF Festival of Champions at Lamplight Equestrian Center in Chicago in August.

HGF and WEG 2014: New Records, New Standards

The rain and wind of Normandy did not dampen the thrill of being part of the World Equestrian Games 2014. For our team, Spain, and for our horse and rider, Jose Daniel Martin Dockx and Grandioso, the World Championships in France were a highly successful and unforgettable experience. The 2014 WEG hosted the strongest field of dressage horses in history. The top 15 horses scored a full 5 percentage points higher (in final individual score) than the top 15 in 2010. As our sport grows in popularity, our horses and riders are growing in skills and capability, and the 2014 WEG was a celebration of new levels of achievement. In the Team Competition, the top three teams were clearly defined prior to the games, and their final point tallies left them virtually untouchable. The only question was the order among themselves. The real drama—at least behind the scenes—was the placings for the next four positions: Spain, US, Denmark and Sweden were in a heated race. Predictions in the press put Spain and the United States behind the other two, and in most cases Spain coming in last, in spite of the results at Aachen where the Spanish took the bronze. When the first two days of team competition were done, 98 riders had entered the arena in Caen, representing the best pairs from 47 nations. In the end, it was Germany, Great Britain, and the Netherlands in the medals, with US taking fourth and close behind Spain in fifth, followed by Sweden and Denmark—with the fourth through sixth place teams scoring less than a point and a half apart. Strong rides from the three top riders for Spain boosted the team above many well-known combinations for the other countries, with a finish that seemed to take many by surprise. Jose Daniel Martin Dockx and Grandioso finished13th in the Grand Prix with 74.23, setting a World Games record for the highest Grand Prix score by a PRE. A 75.1 for Morgan Barbancon and Painted Black, and 72.4 for Jose Antonio Garcia Mena and Norte ensured that all three would move on to the Individual finals in the Grand Prix Special. In the Individual competition, Dani and Grandioso achieved a personal best in the Special, breaking the 74% mark for the first time in their career (74.09). An excellent score, just missing the top 15 for the Kur, the cut-off for which was 74.9. Individually, Dani and Grandioso finished 18th among the best 100 dressage horses from all the nations in the world—an exhilarating feeling for all of us at HGF, the fulfillment of many years of dreams. By all accounts, 2014 WEG was quite different from 2010 in Kentucky. While there was no Fuego Moment at this World Games—no "underdog" who enchanted the audience, causing them to leap to their feet in thunderous applause—there was also no disagreement with the scoring or final placements, nor was there booing from the specatators this year, which must have been a relief for the FEI management. It was all very orderly, but with many high points and stellar performances by veterans and newcomers alike. For PRE horses, the elite results gave even more credibility to the benefit of having these horses make up part of an international team, and we predict that very few countries will turn away a horse based on breed if that horse is capable of scoring over 72%. Following the Games, Grandioso returned home to Malaga, Spain for rest and time off. Soon he and Dani will begin to start preparing for the next big thing…..winter in sunny Florida. Photo Credits: Susan Stickle and Bob Langrish

Grandioso III and Daniel Martin Dockx 2014 Champions of Spain

For the second time in their career, Grandioso and Daniel Martin Dockx have taken the National Title for Dressage in Spain. It’s been three years since the last time they’ve attended the National Championships for Dressage-- when they won the title in 2011, not long after Grandioso returned to Spain to be trained by Dani. This year, the Championship was required for all pairs aspiring for the Spanish Team for the World Equestrian Games, and the competition level was very high. As there was no clear favorite going into the show, the final results were a toss-up, only to be determined in the end by the sum of scores over three days. Everyone knew from the start that it would be a horse race between Dani with Grandioso, and his good friend Jose Mena with Norte, who has been enjoying a second career with Norte since his return last year to the show ring after a long period off. In the end, it was Dani and Grandioso that garnered slightly more points to win the Championship, but that’s not the whole story... In the Grand Prix, Grandioso was the clear favorite, topping the class with 73.9 and far in front of the other competitors. Dani rode a clean test with the expression, power, and confidence of a seasoned pair at this level. The Grand Prix Special was more of a challenge. Dani and Grandioso have only performed this test once before, in Herning last summer for the European Championships. (Prior to that, the Olympic GP Special was the official test.) Dani was very pleased with Grandioso who navigated the test with ease, with the exception of one miscommunication between horse and rider in which the horse cantered just before the trot half-pass. The score reflected their good ride—73.725—but was not enough to overtake last year's Champions, Jose and Norte, who dominated with a stronger, more confident ride, earning a spectacular 75.08%. In Spain, all three tests have equal weight toward the final point tally (unlike the US, where the Freestyle counts for only 15% of the overall totals), so the scores on the last day, and not necessarily the placement, would determine the outcome of the weekend. Jose and Norte had the ride of their career and posted a high score of 77.464. Dani and Grandioso, however, have achieved higher scores regularly in the international shows outside of Spain and so went into the Kur with confidence of a win. But it wasn’t their day. Grandioso was a little too fresh, cantering twice in the trot tour--errors that were very costly, and the pair took home the lowest score they’ve ever had with this Freestyle—75.179. A disappointing way to finish a weekend of top riding, but all part of the game. In the end, Dani and Grandioso’s totals edged out Jose and Norte by .05%--the strength of their Grand Prix carrying them to overall victory for the Championship. Jose and Norte took the Silver, with Morgan Barnbancon and her warmblood mare Vitana taking home the Bronze. Jose, displaying the very best of Spanish sportsmanship and graciousness, was the first to congratulate Dani and both friends rode the victory lap with smiles. Looking back on the weekend, one can only say that Spain has 2 National Champions this year—both high-level Spanish-bred PREs, ridden by riders who exemplify the top-quality horsemanship that Spain produces, with scores that will make them highly competitive on the world stage. Now that this is behind them, all of the Spanish riders and horses can focus on working together to represent Spain in the World Championship, coming up in two months. The next challenge for Dani and Jose is Aachen in July, one step further on the road to Normandy! Our thanks to the photographers: Ecuestreonline.com, TopIberian.com, Celeste Ribo

Dressage4Kids' Emerging Dressage Athlete Program and Hampton Green Farm Announce Inaugural Winter Training Program

Dressage4Kids’ Emerging Dressage Athlete Program and Hampton Green Farm are pleased to announce their inaugural winter training opportunity for youth riders. It will be held in Wellington, Florida, during the months of January through March, 2013. The program will be overseen by Lendon Gray who will be doing the majority of the riding instruction. Guest instructors and lecturers will also participate. Riders of any age (21 and under) and any riding level will be considered for participation. “Since I gave up having my own stable three years ago I have been frustrated that I could not give the opportunities to learn that I was able to provide for many working students over the years, “Lendon stated. “This is a different program but something I have dreamed about for a long time – a truly intensive training camp for serious dressage riders who are willing to put in the efforts that we see from the young Olympians from other sports now competing in London.” Lendon who was voted into eth USDF Hall of Fame, was the long time teacher for international riders Courtney King-Dye, Chris Hickey, Mica Mabragana, Meagan Davis, Jocelyn Wiese, Rachel Chowanec, and Isabelle Liebler at the beginning of their dressage careers. Participants during a lecture The goal of this program is to give an opportunity for youth riders to participate in consistent and extensive training not only in riding, but in all areas of horse care, riding and training theory, and competition skills. The program will include instruction in fitness of horse and rider, sports psychology, equestrian business management, and other pertinent subjects. There will be guest speakers, trips to watch top riders teach and train, auditing of clinics, viewing of riding at horse shows, discussions with judges, farriers, vets, etc.According to Lendon, “This will not be a program for the casual rider, but for young riders determined to be the best they can be. The age and level of the rider is not important; the determination, discipline, and drive are. The high standards that will be taken for granted of the riders while on their horses will also be expected in the care of their horses and their presentation of themselves at all times.” Team spirit The program will run from January 4 to March 28. Riders may come for the entire three months, or for shorter periods if stabling permits. There are a few horses and ponies available for riders who cannot bring their own. The fee for the program, will cover lessons, lectures, stall with hay, grain, and bedding, coaching at shows, and stable management supervision. The fee will not cover rider housing, meals, transportation, horse supplements, show fees, farrier, vet, etc. There will be time each day for riders who are homeschooled or being tutored.“I couldn't be more excited to have Dressage4Kids host their winter training camp at Hampton Green Farm in Wellington,” said Hampton Green Farm’s owner Kimberley Boyer from London where she is watching her PRE stallion Grandioso represent Spain in the Olympics. “This program corresponds so much to what HGF is involved with: the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival, the Emerging Dressage Athlete Program, and the Global Dressage Festival. A number of the riders have been working students in the past at HGF and they, and the others, are an important generation for the future of dressage in the US.” Endel Ots coaching participant Renee Isler, a long time supporter of youth in Dressage is spearheading a sponsorship program to provide scholarships for the program. Renee said that she, too, has felt a need for this type of program, as this group could very well be our future riders, trainers, judges, and even owners/sponsors. Her willingness to work for this effort is, as she states, “because, I believe in this program; it’s an amazing opportunity, and could only happen because of the generosity of someone like Lendon.” She added, “Florida is the ideal location because of the concentration of talent that will only enhance the education of this group of young people.”Anyone interested should contact Lendon Gray – lendongray@gmail.com 914-234-4158 Posted on 08/13/2012 atDressagedaily.com

Robert Dover and Dr. Hilary Clayton to Headline the Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest in Michigan

Hampton Green Farm in Fruitport, Michigan, is pleased to announce that Robert Dover will be the speaker at the LYDFM Exhibitor's Dinner on Wednesday, July 11. Robert Dover is the most honored dressage athlete in the United States--a multiple-Olympic and World Equestrian Games medalist for the United States Dressage Team, former Team Trainer for Canada, and founder of the Equestrian Aid Society. His latest passion is the Emerging Dressage Athlete Program, which he founded in early 2011 with Olympic riders Lendon Gray and Courtney King-Dye as a venue to identify and develop potential international talent among America's youth riders. Robert is based in Wellington, Florida, and operates a training business that takes him around the world, in addition to hosting a weekly radio program and daily blog dedicated to issues pertinent to equestrians. HGF is honored also to have Dr. Hilary Clayton as the Educational Lecturer on Thursday afternoon of the LYDFM. Dr. Clayton is the first incumbent of the Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Clayton is a faculty member in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and holds academic appointments in the Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and the Department of Materials Science and Mechanics in the College of Engineering. As a veterinarian and researcher, Dr. Clayton's studies on the biomechanics of equine gait have focused on sport horses, including dressage and jumping horses. Some recent work has included videographic studies of Olympic dressage and jumping events and kinematic and kinetic research with some of the world's top dressage riders and horses in the Netherlands. The Lendon Youth Dressage Festival Midwest is a one-day version of the LYDF held every summer in New York--a three-phase competition encompassing a Written Test, a group Equitation class and an individual Dressage test--for youth riders 21 years old and younger. LYDFM Exhibitor's Dinner is open to the public and will function as a fund-raiser for Dressage4Kids. Date: Wednesday, July 11 Time: 6.30 PM Place: Hampton Green Farm, 5440 E. Farr Road, Fruitport, MI 49415 Cost: $20.00 RSVP: 231-865-6000

SICAB 2009: Another Great Show!

Image gallery

The USPRE Annual Meeting is Here!

Daily Schedule: TUESDAY, Feb. 8 at 6 PM Kim Boyer, Alex Zilo, Katha Braren of TopIberian.com, and Lendon Gray Join Host Robert Dover for his weekly 2 HOUR Radio Program. Tune in LIVE at www.doversworld.com. WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9, 7.00 PM Meet and Greet at Player's Club Restaurant(13410 South Shore Blvd). Meet with other member attendees, your Board, and special guests in the private room next to the Bar for a presentation of Memories of WEG, followed by Dressage Under the Stars Freestyle Competition. Dinner on your own. THURSDAY, Feb. 10, 10.00-12.00Noo USPRE Seminars at Windsor Stables(5595 South Shore Blvd.) 10.00 AM Mini-Clinic with Pan American Medalist Yvonne Losos de Muniz. Yvonne Losos, born in Nigeria, is a twice Bronze Medalist at the Pan American Games who represents the Dominican Republic, where she lives with her family and breeds, among other things, PRE horses. She has trained with Jan Bemelmens alongside the Spanish Team in Germany and has campaigned PRE Gorrion successfully this winter at the Small Tour. She will give a one hour clinic teaching two PREs and discussing the training issues and methods unique to these horses that she learned in Germany and in her own riding experiences. 11.00 AM Young Horse and Stallion Handling Clinic with Tom Reed, Head Trainer for Medieval Times, Orlando Tom Reed will speak to Stallion Management, particularly for women. He will demonstrate the correct way to teach your horse of any age proper manners on the ground at home and at shows. He will demonstrate the correct way to train a young horse to go on the lunge in the Spanish method, developing obedience, forward and back, and the extended gaits prior to introducing the horse to weight on its back. 12.30 PM Guided Tour of the Wellington Equestrian Festival Showgrounds--Lunch and Shopping(3426 Equestrian Club Road) USPRE Member/Breeder Maureen Sharpe will take members into the newly renovated World-Class Showgrounds of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, the epicenter of horse sports in Wellington and the site of international show jumping. Wander the grounds where there are many choices for lunch and shopping for all things from equestrian purchases to home decor, fashion and jewelry, art galleries, and more! 4.00 PM --8.00 PM Annual Meeting and PRE-Show Party at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center (Okeeheelee Park South, 7500 Forest Hill Blvd., in the covered arena) 4.00PM Breeder's Committee Meeting, chaired by Alexander Zilo, US Delegate to ANCCE, and representatives from ANCCE and the LG (Studbook). Open to all members for questions on all topics related to the registration process, activities of ANCCE, studbook services, etc. 5.00PM Annual Meeting of the Membership of USPRE, chaired by USPRE President Kimberly Boyer, including the presentation of the USPRE Annual Awards. 6.00 PM--8.00PM Membership Dinner and PRE-Show Party. USPRE Members are invited to stay on for a very special dinner in the VIP Tent at the Covered Arena, featuring Spanish dishes, music and a special presentation of our horses with special guests Olympians Robert Dover and Lendon Gray, Yvonne Losos, Wellington riders and horses, Breeder's Booths, and more! Good horses, fine food, and plenty of PRE Passion to go around! See you there!

The Spanish Royal Federation Responds to Grandioso's Arrival in Spain

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