Last Updated on March 11, 2023 by adminahb
The Perrigo CPEDI3* of para dressage action during week nine of the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) kicked off on Friday. Partnering with her own 12-year-old Ghandi (Bojengel x Tuschinski) in international competition for the very first time, the decorated Grade IV US Paralympian Kate Shoemaker, 35, topped the grade with 71.759%.
“This weekend has been a little different for me as this is the first time in five years that I haven’t been named to a team while competing,” she explained. “It took the pressure off having a new horse and just being able to go in there with him and give him the best showing I could. To get the experience in this stadium was wonderful.”
Shoemaker played a huge part in the success of yet another winner, Grade V victor Cynthia Screnci (USA). The 55-year-old rode her own and Volado Farms’ 16-year-old Sir Donnerhall gelding Sir Chipoli to 70.427% — with a high score of 71.923% from the judge at C Adrienne Pot, who awarded 10 eights. Shoemaker found ‘Chip’ for Screnci and they have won their last 15 international starts together over the past two years.
“Kate has an amazing ability of looking at a rider and being able to pair them with a horse,” said Screnci. “This is the second horse she’s helped me with using Facebook ads. Within a day somebody responded, sent videos, and she met them for breakfast. The next thing I knew I was on a plane going to Germany to try Chip. I rode him for five days, took him to a show, and said, ‘Find him a flight and get him home.’ The credit goes to Kate; she’s such a supporter of the program and the growth of the team.”
For more information and results, visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.