Lexington, Ky. – Nov. 10, 2017 – After clinching the Intermediate II Adult Amateur Championship at the US Dressage Finals on Thursday, Kristy Truebenbach Lund of Wellington, Florida, and Blue Marlin Farms LLC’s Akvavit returned to the Alltech ring to win another tricolor ribbon. The small animal veterinarian rode the 14-year-old Spanish Warmblood gelding to a total score of 64.800 percent to top the Grand Prix Adult Amateur Championship.
The pair was on the waitlist for the finals after their placement at the GAIG/USDF Region 3 Championships and was granted an invitation after their fellow Region 3 rider, Janne Rumbough, had to scratch. Lund trains with Bent Jensen.
Heather Boo, a neuroradiologist from Loxahatchee, Florida, piloted her 15-year-old Westphalian gelding, Divertimento, to secure the reserve championship with a 63.600 percent. It was the pair’s first time competing at the finals in Lexington.
Kristin Herzing of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, finished in third place with a score of 63.000 percent aboard Gentleman, her 19-year-old Hanoverian gelding.
Results: Grand Prix Adult Amateur Championship
Rider / Horse / Total Score
1. Kristy Truebenbach Lund / Akvavit / 64.800
2. Heather Boo / Divertimento / 63.600
3. Kristin Herzing / Gentleman / 63.000
4. Michelle Freels/ Wynnona / 62.767
5. Stephanie Mussman / Siglavy Aga / 58.733
6. Jennifer Drescher / Blue and White R
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Kristy Truebenbach Lund – US Dressage Finals Grand Prix Adult Amateur Championship
On her ride:
“He was very hot! I got up really early and rode him this morning, even before I had my coffee. That seemed to help take him down a notch where I could finally get him to focus. I feel like I now finally have that connection where I can let him go but I couldn’t get that yesterday because he was so hot in the indoor. Today I got that during the ride so he was listening and he was doing everything he was supposed to. We had a couple rider errors but otherwise he was phenomenal today.”
On her plans with Akvavit:
“He’ll go back to the amateur CDIs in Wellington, and my bucket list is to do the open CDI with him and eventually find the right person. I always like to give my horse to people that maybe couldn’t have a horse that talented. If I can find a young rider or amateur that matches with him who wants to get to Grand Prix and get their gold medal that would be my goal for him, but he won’t leave the farm!”
On balancing her career:
“I’m very lucky to have a wonderful husband [who is also a vet] that fills in for me so he goes to work early when I go ride and then I do the late shift. I’ve gotten really used to technology to view x-rays and videos, so a lot of it can be done long distance. I stay very connected to my clients. I give them my email address and I’ve been taking calls all through the championships as I did at regionals. It takes a huge support team; it takes a really good staff. It takes really good grooms, good trainers and a great husband.
Heather Boo – US Dressage Finals Grand Prix Adult Amateur reserve champion
On her test:
“Today I was lacking a lot of consistency and he is a lot of horse, so by the time I get to the canter work if I’ve lost any bit of his focus i’m going to feel it every stride. I have a lot of work ahead of me to establish a more consistent effort on both of our parts especially in a venue like this where I’ve never been before. It was a great experience for us. I established some better passage/piaffe work today because that’s always been so strong for us in the warm-up and then I’m easily distracted when I’m in the test. I think that was a highlight for us to be able to pull that off. I’ve worked on a lot of quality in the pirouette so some of the quality definitely improved in many of the movements that I didn’t have before.”
On Divertimento:
“I wanted to come [to the finals] because I think that Divertimento is such a beautiful horse to present so I feel the positive wind in my sails from his fan club that just loves to see him go. I hear from people all over the world how beautiful they find that horse and I’m very proud to be able to present a horse like that!”
