Ebeling, Rafalca to World Cup

By Kelly Sanchez April 1, 2011

Jan Ebeling and Rafalca secured their spot at the 2011 Reem Acra–FEI World Cup Dressage Finals in Leipzig, Germany. The Moorpark-based rider and the 14-year-old Oldenburg mare punched their ticket with a score of 73.025 percent in the Grand Prix Freestyle at the Festival of the Horse CDI-W/Y/J at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on April 3.

The duo elegantly performed their difficult routine to music from the film The Mission. Kathleen Raine of Murrieta and Breanna were second, with 69.975 percent, and Alisa Wilson of Chino Hills and Weltclassiker were third, with 66.550 percent.

Rafalca, who is owned by Amy Roberts Ebeling and Ann Romney (wife of former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential hopeful Mitt), has steadily improved under Jan Ebeling’s skilled guidance. “She’s become very seasoned and very strong,” Ebeling said after the Dressage Affaire CDI-W in March, where they won the FEI Grand Prix with a personal best score of 69.596 percent. “Her piaffe and passage are very strong,” he added, “and the pirouettes are also very easy for her.” Ebeling will head to Germany at the end of the month to join his World Cup teammates, Catherine Haddad, who is currently based in Germany, and Shawna Harding of South Carolina. He said he plans to stay on in Europe for an additional week so that he can show Rafalca at the 2011 CDI in Hagen, Germany.

Pan American Fever

Steffen Peters of San Diego was another big winner in Burbank. Riding the 9-year-old Westfalen gelding Weltino’s Magic, he made a clean sweep of the Pan American–qualifying classes, earning 75.395 percent in the Prix St. Georges, 77.237 percent in the Intermediaire 1 and 79.417 percent in their first Intermediaire Freestyle. The Pan American Games, where the dressage competition is at the small tour, will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, in October.

Shannon Peters also gave Team Peters reason to celebrate. Riding Akiko Yamazaki’s 15-year-old Dutch gelding Odyssey, she won the Grand Prix Special with a score of 64.208 percent and was third in the Grand Prix, with 65.766 percent.

Guenter Seidel, in his second show since fracturing his pelvis last June (see sidebar), also had a solid outing. He rode Jane and Richard Brown’s 12-year-old Dutch gelding Sundayboy to scores of 73.596 percent in the Prix St. Georges and 75.000 percent in the I1. With the Browns’ brilliant, but sometimes spooky Dutch gelding U II, Seidel earned 65.830 percent in the Grand Prix and 62.500 percent in the Special. He acknowledged that he’s still “pretty sore,” but glad to be back in the show ring. Though she was busy judging the FEI Grand Prix and the Young and Junior Riders classes, 3* dressage judge Charlotte Bredahl-Baker said she watched some of the Pan Am–qualifying classes when she could. Of Seidel and Sundayboy, she said, “I was personally very, very happy to see

Guenter back, and on a really good horse. I’m excited for him for the future with him and that horse.”

Junior and Young Riders

Rison Naness’s win in the FEI Junior Riders Individual Test brought whoops from the sidelines, where her mother and trainer, FEI rider Kristina Harrison, watched proudly. Riding Harrison’s Lusitano gelding Kingsley, Naness, of Burbank, scored 61.228 percent. They were second in the Team Test, with 58.288 percent. Riding her own Oldenburg mare Jonkara, Mackinzie Pooley of Coto de Caza continued the winning streak she started at the Dressage Affaire in March with her score in Burbank of 66.053 percent in the FEI Young Riders Individual Test. She was second in the Team Test, with a 66.579 percent. Livermore’s Jamie Pestana and her Hanoverian gelding Winzalot won the FEI Young Riders Freestyle, with 67.250 percent.

 

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