HITS Chicago at Lamplight Equestrian Center
Sunday, August 25, marked the conclusion of the 2024 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions at HITS Chicago’s Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois. This prestigious event showcases the nation’s top dressage talent, with champions crowned over an exhilarating week of competition. In the FEI Young Rider Individual test, Alicia Berger and Aqua Marin emerged victorious, while Nora Batchelder and Nova claimed victory in the USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix.
Berger and Aqua Marin were the final pair to compete among the 11 entries in the FEI Young Rider Individual test. Their steady scores from judges Janet Lee Foy at E, Kristi Wysocki at C, and Sarah Geikie at M catapulted them to the top of the leaderboard with an impressive score of 69.559%. For Berger, this performance marked a memorable final halt and salute as she concluded her time in the Young Riders classes.
“I’ve had a really great experience in the Young Riders classes, so to have it all culminate in this competition and this test, today I just really wanted to enjoy it, and I had a really good time,” she expressed. “Especially in my extended trot, I just felt like I was flying. To me that’s the coolest part of riding is I was just flying with my best friend, and we were having a great time.”
For Berger, training alongside U.S. Olympic rider Jan Ebeling, her partnership with “Aqua” has flourished since their initial meeting in Denmark in October 2023. This past summer, they were selected to represent the U.S. on the U.S. Dressage European Young Rider Tour, where they achieved remarkable results at the prestigious CDIY competition during the CHIO Aachen. Now, they have proudly added the title of 2024 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions FEI Young Rider champion to their growing list of accomplishments.
“I fell in love with him right away,” said Berger of the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Ampere x Stedinger) she owns with Marianne Berger. “He tries so hard, and he has such a puppy-dog personality. Through the experience of training and showing in Europe, we really got to build our relationship. He just trusts me, and he’s one of the most fun horses I’ve had the chance to ride. When we step into the ring, he just thinks we’re playing in there.”
Sophia Forsyth and her 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Dimagico (Dimaggio x Jazz Time), earned the reserve championship by securing second place in the individual test with an impressive score of 69.167%.
The USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix combinations were the next to enter the arena. Among the ten starting entries, U.S. Pan American Games team silver medalist Nora Batchelder claimed the blue ribbon and the overall championship title with her horse, Nova.
The whole test felt really easy and smooth,” noted Batchelder of her ride, which resulted in a score of 69.259%. “Maybe we could’ve powered up more, but it just felt like we were on the same page. The harmony aspect felt really amazing.”
The seamless partnership between Batchelder and the nine-year-old Oldenburg mare, a cross of Grand Galaxy Win T and Romanov Blue Hors, owned by Carol Glover, has been three and a half years in the making. During a shopping trip to Europe with Glover, Batchelder tried numerous horses, but it was Nova who immediately captured her attention.
“It was love at first sight,” enthused Batchelder. “I sat on her, and it was like, ‘This is the one!’ She is a super cool mare. I feel like we really love each other. She’s the most talented horse I’ve ever ridden, so I feel so lucky I get to ride her.”
Batchelder enjoyed another successful week, adding to an impressive collection of U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions titles accumulated over the years.
“Oh my gosh, we love HITS Chicago and Lamplight Equestrian Center!” she said. “We come every year. In the last decade I feel like I might have missed maybe just one Festival of Champions. We love coming here. The grounds are awesome. The footing is awesome. The overall atmosphere is so nice and peaceful.”
Hannah Bressler Jaques and her ten-year-old KWPN gelding, Jim (Ferdeaux x Spielberg), secured a commendable second place in the USEF Horse Developing Grand Prix, earning the title of reserve champions in their division. They achieved an impressive score of 68.425% in the Grand Prix test, showcasing both remarkable extensions and collections throughout their performance.
Back from the recent 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Adrienne Lyle showcased her remarkable talent on home ground by kicking off Sunday’s competition with a victory in the FEI Six-Year-Old Final test. Lyle expertly guided Zaunkonig, a six-year-old Westphalian stallion (Zack x De Niro) owned by Heidi Humphries, to an impressive score of 87.600%, achieving multiple 9s and surpassing a field of 15 starting combinations to claim the championship title. Dutch rider Charell Garcia and MW Mercury, Jennifer Vanover’s six-year-old Oldenburg stallion (Morricone I x Sir Donnerhall I), secured the reserve championship after finishing second in the Final with a score of 85.800%..
The FEI Children’s Individual test wrapped up the 2024 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions, showcasing impressive talent. Miriam Bacon and her mount, Drambuie—a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Damsie x Laurie’s Crusador xx)—captured the championship cooler with an outstanding score of 79.912%, leading the final lap of honor. Close behind, Grace Christianson and her own FHF Roulee, a 10-year-old American Warmblood mare (Routinier x Cottonwood Flame), secured second place in this competitive field of 12 entries, finishing with a commendable score of 77.783% to earn the reserve championship.
The U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions will make its return to HITS Chicago’s Lamplight Equestrian Center in 2025, showcasing unparalleled excellence and premier competition. To view the complete results from the 2024 event, please visit https://equestrian-hub.com/show/192059.
