HAGEN, Germany--The U.S. Dressage Young Rider Team won the bronze medal in the Future Champions CDIOY Hagen Nations Cup among a talented group of European competitors.
Young Rider Dressage team on the podium (Photo by Foto Mhisen)Chef d’Equipe George Williams guided Kat Fuqua on Dreamgirl, Erin Nichols on Elian Royale and Christian Simonson on Son of a Lady to the team bronze medal.
Germany won the gold medal with 216.372%, with Denmark winning silver on 215.196% and the U.S. bronze with 207.255%.
“We are quite pleased with our end results,” said Williams. “All three riders rode extremely well and showed a nice, correct, harmonious way of riding, which I was very proud of because it is a very positive reflection on our programs in our country and all of our private coaches. Christian and Erin both had small bobbles in their test in one line of the series of changes, but they are little mistakes and I know they are going to come back much stronger tomorrow. I think Kat really stood out as probably one of the youngest riders in the division in her first time here. I think she held her own and did a super job.”
FUQUA of Atlanta, Ga., on Dreamgirl was the first to go for the U.S. team on her first trip abroad to Europe.
Fuqua had a consistent test with quality movements in their final canter tour to score 68.382% in the FEI Young Rider Team Test to place ninth in the individual rankings.
The next U.S. to go for the U.S. was Nichols of Yorba Linda, Calif., on Elian Royale.
Nichols made her second consecutive appearance in Hagen and scored 68.922% to stand eighth in the individual rankings.
Simonson of Ventura, Calif., ond Son of a Lady was the anchor rider for theU.S., and was the most seasoned athlete with three consecutive appearances in Hagen, including helping the U.S. team win bronze in 2021.
He scored 69.951% to place seventh in the individual rankings.
“I think it is extremely important experience because of the level of competition and being able to compete against the best in the world in those age brackets,” said Williams of European tour for young riders. “It is very motivational for the riders on several levels. They should feel very confident and proud that they are right in there with everyone else. It shows the strength of our country, but it also really is quite uplifting and confidence-building for them. I always joke that this program is a long-term return. What we are really looking for is down the road as senior riders if and when they are on a team, and most of them will come back. They will already feel that much more comfortable competing in Europe or competing abroad. I think the experience of representing your country in a foreign country brings a lot with it, such as maturing as athletes and understanding the responsibilities and everything that goes with representing your country.”
