Wayne, Ill. - The 2025 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions continued today at HITS Chicago Lamplight Equestrian Center with the conclusion of two national championships and competitive classes across several divisions. The first of two Dressage Seat Medal Finals classes, The Adequan ®/USEF Junior National Championship and the Markel/USEF Young and Developing Horse Championship for 7-Year-Olds wrapped up.
Combinations in the Aspen Leaf Farm/USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship, USEF Young Rider National Championship, the Markel/USEF Young and Developing Horse Championships for 5- and 6-Year-Olds, and the Developing Grand Prix Championship continued their quests for national titles.
Adequan ®/USEF Junior Dressage National Championship
Claire Tucker (Lincoln, Neb.) and Finnur, her own 2016 Hanoverian gelding (For Romance I x Wapi Yo), who is known at the barn as “Finn”, captured the Adequan®?/USEF Junior Dressage National Championship with an average score of 70.395%, becoming the only pair to crack over 70% in the Junior Individual Test today.
“Finn felt amazing out there. He was super soft, with great energy but also incredible relaxation,” Tucker said. “We’ve been working so hard on that at home, and it really paid off. His walk is usually our weakest point, but this week – in both of our tests -- it became a highlight. From the moment I got on in the warm-up, I knew he was going to be good. He just felt soft, supple, and swinging so well, and it carried right into the arena.”
Tucker added that the connection she felt in the warm-up set the tone for the entire test: “He felt electric, but also incredibly relaxed, and that confidence carried through every movement. It’s an amazing feeling to have that kind of partnership with your horse -- when everything clicks, it feels effortless.”
Eila Fisk (Aiken, S.C.) and Quaresma, a 2016 Oldenburg gelding (Quatersprung x Gala), owned by Gina Fisk, finished as Reserve Champions with an average score of 67.985%. “Today [Quaresma] was really with me. When I first went in the ring yesterday, he was a little tense because the Grand Prix ring is elevated. Today, I was able to manage it really well, and that connection was the most rewarding feeling from day one to day two,” Fisk said.
Fisk emphasized her appreciation for the horse’s temperament and learning ability: “He’s the most wonderful horse -- so trusting, willing to work, and forgiving. He’s the best horse to learn on because he keeps improving every year. Next year, we’re hoping to move up to Young Riders, and I really think he has the talent for collection and the upper levels. Today was just a confirmation of everything we’ve been working toward and the amazing partnership we have.”
USEF Dressage Seat Medal Final - 13 & Under
The 2025 Dressage Seat Medal Finals highlighted some of the nation’s top young talent, with Grace Christianson taking home gold with an impressive 90.000% aboard her own FHF Roulee, a 2014 American Warmblood (Routinier x Marelee du Bois). Earlier this summer, the pair earned gold at the 2025 FEI North American Youth Championships in both the Children’s Team and Individual tests, scoring a 9.5 for her position in each, an achievement that underscores the importance of strong Dressage Seat Equitation foundations.
Christianson reflected on today’s Medal Finals class: “Honestly, I kind of thought of it as just getting in the ring with Roulee and having fun with her,” she said, “It’s so fun being here, especially in the seat finals because you’re riding with so many incredible riders and you get such good feedback on your position and everything from the judges. Honestly, it feels really good because all of our hard work is finally starting to pay off—it just feels surreal.”
Katherine Bright (Auburn, Ala.) took silver on Lakota, a 2014 Mustang mare owned by Deborah Bright, finishing with a score of 88.000%. Bright emphasized her mare’s versatile temperament and how her experience in eventing helped her performance: “She’s very sassy, but she loves to do dressage, but we also do eventing. Knowing that we have competed at horse trials together – doing dressage, cross country, and show jumping -- helps me calm down and focus in the ring, and today I was so proud of Lakota for helping me achieve my goal.”
The bronze medal went to Blakely Begonia (McDonald, Penn.) aboard Lomansheide Brent, a 2011 New Forest Pony (Reekamp’s Eclips x Orchid’s Mysta), owned by Rebecca Dryer, scoring 87.000%. “It is truly an honor to compete in the medal finals at the age of 13,” Begonia shared. “Even if you don’t get a medal, I recommend everyone do this -- it’s such a great experience. My favorite thing about being here and competing with Brent is that he’s very sweet, but also has an edge to him. We had so much fun together today.”
These riders highlighted not only their technical skill but also the importance of connection and communication with their mounts, an essential foundation as they progress in competitive dressage.
Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage National Championship for 7-Year-Olds
The entries in the Markel/USEF 7-Year-Old division completed their second of two tests on Friday. The FEI 7-Year-Old Final Test contributes 60% of the overall score with the remaining 40% coming from Thursday’s FEI 7-Year-Old Preliminary Test.
With wins in both tests, Rosebank VH (Revolution x Darling II VH), a 2018 Swedish Warmblood stallion owned by Kylee Lourie and ridden by Katie Duerrhammer (Greenwood Village, Colo.) secured the overall championship. The judging panel gave the young chestnut horse high marks across the board, including a score of 10 for his trot, for a total score of 82.815%.
“Usually his canter is the higher scoring gait,” said Duerrhammer. “We’ve been tweaking some things over the summer with his trot, and I feel like he’s gotten a lot stronger. What I think really sells him in all of his gaits is his overwhelming harmony. Hearing a 10 and hearing that he’s improved that much and that everybody is seeing him for the potential I know he has, is really exciting.”
Duerrhammer has worked with “Ross” since owner Kylee Lourie purchased him during the summer of his 5-year-old year, and it’s been a rewarding partnership.
“He is just the most incredible character you could possibly want. He just tries his heart out all day long,” she said. “I haven’t ridden the preliminary test very much, and so I was a little nervous going into it because he’s a younger horse, and usually they like to really know where they’re going. But he stuck with me the whole time and tried really hard and had no mistakes. What I’ve been learning about him is he really wants to do the right thing. He’s shown me, especially this year, that if I do my job right and ride him like our plan and don’t override and get in his way, he’ll do the rest. That was exactly what my coach Adrienne Lyle and I planned going in today, was to keep it the same and turn up the heat on the trot a little bit, and then just let him do his job at the canter. He took me the whole way through, and it’s one of those rides I’ll remember for a long time.”
Second place in the final test went to Saskatoon OMF (San Amour I x Dolce Nera), a 2018 Hanoverian gelding owned by Cecelia Stewart and ridden by Christopher Hickey (Wellington, Fla.). Their final test score of 78.200% moved them into reserve champion position overall. This year marked the third consecutive Festival of Champions outing for Saskatoon and Hickey, and the talented young gelding has made notable progress in that time.
“He’s always a very good, well-behaved horse at home, but we have a very quiet, private place,” Hickey explained. “In the beginning, he’d get to horse shows and he’d become undone and was very overstimulated, which took me by surprise because he was such a good boy at home. Each year that he’s been here, he’s been more and more calm and relaxed. He is quite a sensitive horse, and sometimes that hurt us in the early years, but now we can appreciate that sensitivity—he can be sensible and trained and still sensitive. It's special for me and Cece, his owner. We bought him when he was a foal, so we’re very excited and proud to have him from foal though FEI levels.”
Hickey and Saskatoon are part of the USEF Dressage Emerging Young Horse Program, which he says has been an asset to his development.
“Through that I get help from Christine Traurig, and it’s really great to have her in my corner as well,” he said. “I’ve had wonderful lessons with her this week, and I get virtual lessons with her at home as well. I’m also very thankful to Markel who have sponsored [the young and developing horse national championships] for so many years.”
With two third place finishes in the 7-year-old tests, Velantis N, a 2018 U.S.-bred Hanoverian stallion owned by Christiane Noelting and ridden by Christian Hartung (Vacaville, Calif.) secured the third spot overall. This year was the first time the stars aligned for Velantis and Hartung to make the trip to Festival of Champions.
“This was his first trip away from the West Coast,” said Hartung. “I was a little bit worried about the humidity and how he’d cope with that, but he was perfectly fine.”
The judges awarded high marks to Velantis for all three gaits in both tests, including a 9.0 for his walk in the preliminary.
“I really appreciated that [the judges] enjoyed his canter,” said Hartung. “The walk was a lot better than I’ve had in the past. He really started loosening up here on the second one.”
“I was there when he was born; we’ve had him since he was a baby and I have been riding him since he was three, so it’s just amazing to see the journey that he has taken,” he added. “He’s really relaxed—that’s just his character. He’s not fazed by this environment. It’s just amazing to see.”
Markel/USEF Young Horse Dressage National Championship for 6-Year-Olds
In the Markel/USEF Young Horse Championship – 6-Year-Old Preliminary Test, Petra Warlimont rode Deambulo PWD to an impressive win with an 88.200%. Charell Garcia and MW Mastermind placed second with 85.800%, while Mary Bahniuk Lauritsen and Oliver R Tambo SV earned third with 82.600%.
The FEI Intermediate II (Developing Grand Prix) class featured strong performances, with Quinn Iverson and Gremlin 41 taking first place on a score of 70.098%. Sarah Mason-Beaty and Kanjer TC finished close behind in second with 68.775%, and Kelly Layne and Living Diamond secured third with 68.431%.
USEF Young Rider National Championship
The FEI Young Rider Team Test saw a tightly contested class, with Averi Allen and Silhouette taking the top spot on 68.333%. Lexie Kment and Gatino van Hof Olympia secured second place with 67.892%, just ahead of Sophia Forsyth and Dimagico, who rounded out the top three with 67.745%.
Aspen Leaf Farm/USEF Pony Rider Dressage National Championship
In the FEI Pony Rider Team Test, Samantha MacDonald and Candy Crush claimed victory with a score of 66.048%. Ava Hobbs and Der Kleine Prinz G earned second place on 60.524%, while Maverick Wright rode Windstar Flash to third with 56.095%.
View full results from all of the Friday classes here.
2025 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions Live Stream
The 2025 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions is streaming live on USEF Network, brought to you by Adequan®. US Equestrian fans, subscribers, and members can access the live stream, and subscribers and members will be able to watch replays on demand. Learn more here.
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