By Lynndee Kemmet -

Saugerties, NY – Two multi-talented young riders went home with wins in Dressage Seat Medal competition at the New England Dressage Association’s Fall Festival, held September 13-16 at the HITS-on-the-Hudson show grounds.

The winner in the 13 and under division was Asia Ondaatje Rupert, who also went home with both the blue and the red ribbon in FEI Pony competition – blue with her nine-year-old Welch Cobb pony gelding name SSP Shazam and red with the 14-year-old gelding Otinio. Asia, a 12-year-old rider from Greenwich, Conn., rode Shazam in the Dressage Seat Medal competition in which the pair scored a 69.00 to win.

“I didn’t go into the competition thinking that I was going to win,” she said of her Dressage Seat Medal victory. “But I did go in there thinking that I could be better than the other people if I worked at it. I knew going in that I had to work to win.”

Shazam was also Asia’s partner in this year’s national FEI Pony Rider championships that were held this summer in Gladstone, New Jersey. She has been training the past several years with both Lendon Gray and Mica Mabragana. In addition to riding, Asia also plays lacrosse. Her other love is the saxophone. “I take lessons and I’m hoping to be in the school orchestra this year,” Asia said.

Placing second in the 13 and under division was Julia Milks riding Faedra. Third place went to Caroline McConnell and Toblerone.

In the Dressage Seat Medal competition for ages 14-18, the winner was 14-year-old Callie O’Connell and she was quite surprised at her win. “I was certainly not planning on winning. I was very nervous before I went into that class because I knew most of the riders were older. This is unbelievable,” she said.

Callie scored a 79.00 percent to win. Coming in second was Giulia Cohen who rode Lasserre to a score of 75.00. Third place went to Jannike Gray riding My Blew Angel to a score of 74.00.

Callie had never competed in a Dressage Seat Medal class before and she did it because her trainer, Nicole Graf Ussher, has been helping her work on her seat and position. “My focus this year has been on my position. I’d really like to perfect it,” said Callie, of Wilmington, Mass.

She has been riding for about eight years and started dressage training six years ago but this is one of her first years out competing. And she’s been quite successful this year with Umbra van der El, an 11-year-old Dutch gelding owned by Kathy Gallagher, of Medfield, Mass.

“Our goal next year is to compete at Second Level,” Callie said. “I am really enjoying dressage because it’s so beautiful and I love the connection between horse and rider.” In addition to being a successful rider, Callie is also third degree junior black belt in karate. And she’s a member of her high school varsity cross country team. She definitely has a full schedule but has already decided that she’ll make time to attend the NEDA Fall Festival again next year. “This was my first time at the NEDA Fall show and I loved it.”

Photo Courtesy of Asia Ondaatje Rupert – Asia Ondaatje Rupert on Shazam