Parra and Woodard Top Leaderboard on Day Two of Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse National Championships

Wayne, Ill. – Aug. 25, 2017 – To begin the second day of competition at the Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse National Championships at the Lamplight Equestrian Center, Cesar Parra of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, came away with a win in the Intermediate II, which was the first test for the Developing Grand Prix division. Parra earned a 69.561 percent aboard his and Martin Sosnoff’s 9-year-old Oldenburg gelding Fashion Designer OLD (Faustinus–Forst-Design, De Niro).

Cesar Parra and Fashion Designer OLD
Cesar Parra and Fashion Designer OLD

Bred by Heike Kind in Germany, the gelding won the 5-Year-Old Young Horse National Championship in 2013 with Nadine Buberl. He returned to Lamplight in 2016 with Parra to earn the reserve championship title in the Developing Prix St. Georges division. This year, the pair excelled in the Intermediate II test with highlights that included the trot half-passes, the canter pirouettes, and the piaffe and passage tour.

Patricia Becker of Wadsworth, Illinois, and Michael Bragdell of Colora, Maryland, tied for second place in the Intermediate II test with a score of 67.325 percent. Becker competed Dr. Anne Ramsay’s 10-year-old Oldenburg stallion Freedom (Feuri–Windjammer, Walk on Top). Bragdell rode Qredit Hilltop (Quarterback–Dream Rubina, Dream of Glory), a 9-year-old Oldenburg stallion owned by Hilltop Farms, Inc.

Patricia Becker and Freedom
Patricia Becker and Freedom

In the 6-year-old division, Andrea Woodard traveled from Wellington, Florida, to top the leaderboard with a score of 7.9 on her Oldenburg mare Ravenna (Sir Donnerhall I–Romanze, Blue Hors Romanov). Ravenna was bred in Germany by Britta Luebbers and Woodard bought her as a 3-year-old. The pair received a trot score of 8.5 from the judges who rewarded the gait’s cadence, and the judges gave an 8.0 for their general impression.

Andrea Woodard and Ravenna

Werner Van Der Brande, who lives in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, followed closely behind in second place during the 6-Year-Old Preliminary test with a 7.8 aboard Flyby FLF (Falsterbo–Whirliegirl, Wonderland), a Hanoverian stallion owned by Linda Sommers. Michael Bragdell earned the yellow ribbon with a 7.6 on Anne Howard’s Oldenburg stallion, Finery (Furstenball–Sonetta, Diamond HIT).

The Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse National Championships continues Saturday, Aug. 26 with three championship titles being crowned: the Developing Prix St. Georges National Championship, and the 4-Year-Old and 5-Year-Old Young Horse National Championships.

Werner Van Der Brande and Flyby FLF
Werner Van Der Brande and Flyby FLF

Markel/USEF Young & Developing Horse National Championship Results:

Intermediate II Developing Grand Prix
1. Cesar Parra / Fashion Designer OLD / 69.561
2. Patricia Becker / Freedom / 67.325
2. Michael Bragdell / Qredit Hilltop / 67.325
4. Dorie Crow / La Belladonna / 67.193
5. James Koford / Adiah HP / 66.842
6. Stacy Hastings / Police / 65.702

6-Year-Old Preliminary Test
1. Andrea Woodard / Ravenna / 7.9
2. Werner Van Der Brande / Flyby FLF / 7.8
3. Michael Bragdell / Finery / 7.6
4. Angela Jackson / Gaston TF / 7.36
5. Bridget Hay / Fauna / 7.28
6. Cyndi Jackson / Sir Amour / 7.12

FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

Cesar Parra – Intermediate II Test winner

On the championships:
“Lamplight has become a place for our team to go every year. I like to come here and it’s an amazing program. It’s amazing that the program has guided us to follow the scale to develop them.”

On Fashion Designer OLD:
“He excels in his quality. He is very compact and easy to ride and it makes the difficult movements we are asked to perform in the Grand Prix test better. It’s easy to collect him and I think that’s what the judges like about him too. He really looks like he belongs in the Grand Prix ring. He is very showy, an eye-catcher and today, he was really nice and said ‘Let’s do it.’ I am so humbled and blessed to get to ride this horse.”

Patricia Becker – Intermediate II Test second place tie

On Freedom:
“Freedom is a horse I’ve had since he was 3 and I rode him as a 5-year-old here. He’s a wonderful horse to ride and is a stallion, and he can sometimes act like a stallion! As he’s developed he puts his game face on more whenever we go in the ring. That’s what he did today, but the mistakes were very small. I was very pleased with him and his effort and focus today. I love Lamplight — it’s super close to me so I love to compete here.”

Michael Bragdell – Intermediate II Test second place tie

On Qredit Hilltop:
“Of all my horses, I think Qredit holds a special place for me and Jane MacElree who owns him and Hilltop Farm. He has grown up on the farm since he was a weanling. I showed him as a yearling at Devon and he won in-hand. Through the years I’ve developed him, so to be here with these fierce competitors, Cesar and Patricia, it’s a nice group to be in. I’m really proud of him.”

Andrea Woodard – 6-Year-Old Preliminary Test winner

On Ravenna:
“It’s quite challenging test requirements for the 6-year-olds. Individually, they all develop differently and some are more finished in their bodies than others, but we all have the same requirements. To be able to get here and have the horses being able to keep them in this level of collection and with obedience, I’m very proud of my horse. I know how hard it was to get her here. I found her as a little tiny baby horse with big eyes popping out of her face and a cute little nose. I fell in love with her. I got her as a 3-year-old and I’ve had her ever since. You never know what they will develop into but she had a beautiful type and that’s what I fell for. Fortunately, she has developed even better than I had dared to imagine. I’m thrilled she delivered a nice test for me today.”

On her background:
“I was born in the United States, but my mom brought me to Denmark so I grew up there. I lived in Denmark most of my life. Since I have the citizenship, I always felt it would be fun to come over and see what it’s like living here. We chose Florida because Denmark has really bad weather. We wanted palm trees, sun, horses and maybe some drinks. That’s what we got and we are really happy. We’ve been here since 2015.”

Werner Van Der Brande — 6-Year-Old Preliminary Test second place

On his test:
“Flyby felt pretty good today. I had a really good feeling in the warm-up but when I came into the ring he died a little on me. I didn’t have a lot of horse, so in the mediums we had some little mistakes because I had to push him a bit. I started riding him in January so I have not had a long time to get to know him. It was special today. Ed Borresen passed away recently and he is supposed to be here with me. This was our goal to get to Chicago and unfortunately, he is not here, but his wife is. It’s very special to the owner as we were all very good friends.”

Michael Bragdell — 6-Year-Old Preliminary Test third place

On his test:
“I was quite thrilled with my horse. He is owned by Ann Howard and she trusted me to train and show him. I got him last spring and I think he is super talented and has progressed well. In the test, he gave his all. I have to give credit to my coach, Morten Thomsen, who has helped us along the way and has really made a big difference in the training.”

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