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Hyperion Farm Inc - Breeding, Training and Showing Dutch Warmbloods (KWPN) For Dressage

Success for America at the Pan American Games

Lauren Sammis is another expert in the Hyperion Farm equation, riding for them in the U.S. A USDF Silver and Bronze medalist, Lauren has been riding all her life. Lauren's first competitions were in eventing but she was happiest in the dressage phase and decided to switch full time to this discipline at age 17. As part of learning the show world, she worked for Olympian Lendon Gray and Tina Konyot, and Ashley Holzer as well as at Tempel Farms in Illinois. Over the years she has built an extensive network of contacts in both the major dressage centers and off the beaten track to find those rare gems in Germany, Holland, Belgium, France and elsewhere in Europe.

Running her sales operation often meant that many of the talented horses she worked with moved on to other owners before she could realize success with them herself in the show arena. With Judy and Al Guden she was given the opportunity of a lifetime which launched her career to the highest level, representing her country as a member of the United States Equestrian Team.

Lauren describes her Pan American partner Sagacious HF (Welt Hit II x Cocktail) as a talented horse that loves to be the center of attention, and he lets everyone know that he should be. The well-mannered, drop-dead gorgeous 1999 gelding loves to be fussed over and is very sweet to people and animals. He made his mark in 2006 finishing second in the Prix St Georges at Dressage at Devon in September 2006 and then won the Region 1 Prix St Georges Championship. He was number five in the USDF All Breeds at PSG and was number one of the KWPN horses at Prix St Georges.

But it was in 2007 Sagacious HF made USET history. He had a rapid rise to the top of a large field of horses all vying for a berth on the USET Pan American Games Team. At the USEF/Collecting Gaits Farm National Championships in June, the pair was victorious in the Intermediaire I, and Reserve National Champions.

This achievement earned them a berth on the USEF Dressage Team to travel to Rio, where they won Team Gold, and Sammis and Sagacious added an Individual Silver Medal in the final. (quote from Lauren needed here). Unable to make the trip to Rio due to intensive chemotherapy sessions, Judy Guden stayed behind with her husband Al. But all the team members and grooms kept them posted daily with text messages and photos, and Al contributed to the overall coverage of the event from behind the scenes on the Hyperion Farm website.

"It has been such a privilege to be able to ride for an owner that got so much joy out of this journey." commented Lauren. "In the long run the relationships in your life are what is truly important. I feel blessed to have the life that I do. Having lost two people this year to breast cancer, it is so important to value everyday and nurture the people your life."

"The whole experience of Brazil was so surreal. I felt so lucky to be there that I walked around in a dream. Having my teammates with me to celebrate, those familiar faces made it a reality. It truly does take a 'team' for one to succeed. We had a GREAT team."