Celebration at the Selection Trials

Morse Wins Fourth National Championship

Tip Top wowed spectators with a terrific freestyle to win the USEF Intermediare I Championship (78.50 for the Freestyle, 74.88 overall). From the first four notes of his music—the theme from the TV show “Dragnet”—everyone was entranced by the stallion's performance.

Morse wanted Tip Top's freestyle to be very different from Kingston's. Karen Robinson of Applause Dressage did the music for both horses.

“That music fit his canter, which is so pure,” said Morse about“Dragnet.” Tip Top's trot work matched the cadence of “Fever.”

Peters and Marlando bounced back from Saturday's too-tight pirouettes to place second in the freestyle (76.30) and overall (72.28). “It happens all the time—you have a tough ride in between,” he said.

“You have to get used to it. He's still a nervous, hot horse, and he still needs confidence in his training.” Marlando's performance Sunday earned 8s on his pirouettes.

Image copyrighted: Terri Miller