United States Eventing Association

Dorian Gray Paints A Perfect Portrait At The 2011 IDHNSA/USEA Future Event Horse East Coast Championships

The IDHSNA/USEA Future Event Horse East Coast Championships returned to Morven Park for a very successful 2011 competition. Thirty-five yearlings, two-year-olds, and three-year-olds entered the arena to try and earn the chance to be named the Future Event Horse East Coast Champion with Susan Graham-White, Carter Bass, and Phyllis Dawson presiding as judges.

Erin Freedman’s Dorian Gray was the very last FEH horse to be shown at Friday’s five hour long competition, but he made the saying “saving the best for last” come true as he wowed the judges and swept the competition. The three-year-old 17-hand Dutch Warmblood gelding by Sydney was handled by his five foot tall owner, Erin Freedman, to take the top place in the three-year-old colts/gelding class before returning to the ring to win the three-year-old title. Dorian Gray then finished his day off by taking home the tri-color and being named the overall FEH East Coast Champion.

“Dorian Gray was a two-year-old stallion when I found him in a yard in Holland,” explained Erin Freedman. “I was working for Ingrid Klimke for a year and found him on my off-time and Ingrid approved so I kept him with me while finishing my time in Germany and then flew home with him in November 2010. The Waredaca Future Event Horse competition was his first show this summer and he finished second there. I recently took him to Devon where he was second in the three-year-old colts/geldings class with a 77 and then moved on to be Grand Champion in the USDF Colts and Gelding Breeding Final. We got back Wednesday night and now we are here!”

“After spending a year in Germany and seeing all of their young horse programs, it really makes me very interested in the young event horses and the breeding of them so when I decided to get a young horse I thought the FEH would be a great experience to get him out there and exposed to everything and to get the judges interpretation of what they think he can do,” said Erin. “Dorian was just started under tack this spring, but he is very big so I am going to take my time with him, although I do want to do the Young Event Horse competitions next year as well as some dressage and jumpers to make him well rounded and see where he flourishes.”

Since returning from Germany, Erin now runs her own business, EBF Sport Horses out of Northern Virginia.

The elegant yearling filly, Sentimental Baby, wooed the crowd with her amazing over tracking walk, lofty elastic trot, and athletic type and the judges agreed by awarding her the overall Reserve East Coast Champion. The Hanoverian filly (Sinatra Song x MS Susanna) also won the yearling filly class and took home the top placed yearling title. Owned and bred by Valerie Fox and handled by Brandi Smith, Sentimental Baby who was recently named the Champion at the FEH Qualifier at the Maryland Horse Trials surely has a bright future ahead of her.

The two-year-old age group was won by the top placed two-year-old colt/gelding J. Mackenzie (Legaczy x Spoiled Straight) owned by Lauren Oyavzo, bred by Karen Severns, and handled by Ralph Johnston.

Winners at this year’s IDHSNA/USEA Future Event Horse East Coast Championships took home trophies from Hands on Pottery and gift certificates from VTO Saddlery. The Future Event Horse Series would not be possible without the contribution of its title sponsor, the Irish Draught Horse Society of North America.

Final Results:

Overall Grand Champion: Dorian Gray
Overall Reserve Champion: Sentimental Baby
Yearling Champion: Sentimental Baby
Two-year-old Champion: J. Mackenzie
Three-year-old Champion: Dorian Gray

Yearling Fillies

1. Sentimental Baby - 74.76
2. Karissa Herself - 74.23
3. Riverman's New Moon - 72.4
4. Kaiya - 69.06
5. Ready or Not - 67.2
6. Savin Puchis FX - 63.23
7. CLF's Foreign Currency - 62.7

Yearling Colts/Gelding

1. Dacaprioso von Merkel's Hof - 71
2. Riptide - 70.46
3. Cartman LF - 69.6
4. Fusilier - 67.56
5. Snow Effect - 67.53
6. Mistral - 62.56
7. Starbuck's Pilot - 62

Two-year-old Colts/Geldings

1. J. Mackenzie - 75.8
2. Comet Royal - 71
3. Grafton - 68.56
4. Ensign On Deck RGS - 68.06
5. Copperfield - 67.4
6. Javyn - 66.76

Three-year-old Fillies

1. The African Queen - 71.26
2. Rifka - 70.7
3. Rural Princess - 69.7
4. Alexandria - 68.93
5. Invitation Only - 67.43
6. Something To Talk About - 65.66
7. Regnbue - 64.66

Three-year-old Colts/Geldings

1. Dorian Gray - 77.7
2. Esccord RGS - 72.9
3. Heliodoris - 70.83
4. Salute The Captain - 70.53
5. Hippie Joe - 69.35
6. Fire Power - 67.86
7. One Loyal Pal - 67.7
8. Royal Alyance - 66