Steffen Peters and Marlando Win Prix St. Georges in USEF Intermediaire I Championship at the Bayer/USET Festival of Champions

Leslie Morse and Tip Top 962 To the Top

Leslie Morse may well have taken home the blue ribbon on her Tip Top 962, a Swedish Warmblood,  if it hadn't been for a rocky transition just after the salute and a missed canter lead later in the test. “He was really happy when he went in and I think it's just a little bit of lack of experience,” she observed.  “He's a 10 year old young stallion and in front of such a big crowd, the flags waving and stuff, it's hard to keep his attention sometimes, and that's why all these big venues are really good for him. He's got a bright future and he needs to get in these big venues and see all the exciting things the world has to offer.  At the same time, it gets to be a little delicate.”  She explained the transition error, “When I halted and went to do the trot-off  I probably kind of sat a little differently, I also practiced my freestyle yesterday which is cantering on the center line, and today he just cantered into it.  Those things happen.  I was ecstatic with how he went, when I came into this I knew it would be hard to keep up with Steffen.”

The Intermediaire I Championship consists of three competitions with a varying value of each test determining the winner.  The Prix St. George comprises 40% of the total score, the Intermediaire I test 40%, and the Intermediaire Freestyle comprises 20%.  The Intermediaire I test begins tomorrow morning at 9:30 and the Freestyle competition starts at 9:30 Sunday morning.