2002 World Equestrian Games

McDonald In For the Win

Debbie McDonald and Brentina were next. This powerful looking, confident mare had already exhibited her potential to top this field of horses, and with the two favorites having preceded her with mistakes, the possibility for a win was strong. But to the surprise of all, in her first trot extension across the diagonal, Brentina stumbled and broke to canter, an error that cost her the win. Throughout the rest of her mistake-free test, Brentina showed enthusiastic transitions, fairly jumping into extended trot from passage, and exhibiting an exact, on-the-spot piaffe. She showed a slight hesitancy in the ones, but her last extended trot was full of energy and she was all power down the final centerline in piaffe and passage. The pair earned 76.120% for 2nd place. The judging varied rather widely, with Volker Moritz of Germany at E putting her in first place with 80.00% while across from him at B, Ernst Holtz of the Republic of South Africa giving her the lowest mark of 71.80%.

After the mistake in the trot extension, McDonald said, "I just gritted my teeth and went on. I don't really know what happened." She said that she was still surprised and excited "to have come this far." McDonald called her second place finish in the Special a gift for owners Peggy and Parry Thomas who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. McDonald has been partnered with the 11-year-old Hanoverian mare since was a three-year-old and describes her as "a special horse" that never says "no" and never comes into season at the wrong time. Based in Sun Valley, Idaho, McDonald has been training with Klaus Balkenhol for five years, long before he became the US team coach. McDonald pointed out that the US team is still very young as compared to the Germans, but through Balkenhol's help, "We've tried to change the training system. We've got great horses and riders as well."