Sep 23, 2022

Kuhn, Coltrin, Novotny Pasker, and Burgess Claim Area IV Championship Titles at Otter Creek

By Meagan DeLisle - USEA Staff

The 2022 Area IV Championships took place in Wheeler, Wisconsin at the Otter Creek Fall Horse Trials on September 16-18. Four new champions were crowned in four divisions: Preliminary, Training, Novice, and Beginner Novice. Meet your newest USEA Area IV Champions below.

Preliminary Champions: Ali Kuhn & Little Hail | 33.9

Ali Kuhn and Little Hail. Derith Vogt photo.


Rising to the top of the field in the Preliminary Championship was Ali Kuhn riding John Crowell’s 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding Little Hail (Malibu Moon x The Legend Grows). The win was the cherry on top of a challenging year.

“I’m absolutely elated with the win. We have worked hard this year and it’s certainly paid off. John Crowell so kindly handed me the reins last season after my Preliminary horse suddenly passed away. I love this quirky little bay and he’s just an absolute blast to show in every phase. I wish I had mapped out doing a two-star this fall, but it’s on the roster for next season instead!”

The duo started out in second with a dressage score of 29.1, a score which would prove influential in the later phases. Following a double-clear cross-country effort, the pair moved up to first with a six-point lead - giving them enough wiggle room to have a rail in hand and still claim the champion title. While they did add just one rail to their score and 0.8 time penalties in show jumping to finish on a 33.9, their low score in the first phase gave them the edge to cling tightly to their lead.

“Otter Creek has been a staple show facility in Area IV for many years,” shared Kuhn. “They constantly bring new challenges in terrain and build new fences for all of us to appreciate every year. They did a super job hosting the Championships this year and we so appreciate them sharing their stunning farm with us a few weekends each year! Area IV is such a tight-knit and supportive group of eventers. I love that we can cheer each other on and there is never a lack of kind words passed between competitors.”

Training Champions: Sarah Coltrin & Madam Dragon | 29.4

Sarah Coltrin and Madam Dragon. GRC Photography.


Area IV Traning Champion Sarah Coltrin describes her 8-year-old Welsh mare Madam Dragon (Smoke Tree Dragon Tail x Crazy Madam), aka “Penelope” as a once-in-a-lifetime pony.

“I am still walking on a cloud after championships! I was so proud of her for bringing her A-game to the Otter Creek Fall Horse Trials and Area IV Championships,” shared Coltrin. The pair kicked off their weekend seated in second following dressage, an effort that Coltrin is especially proud of.

“Penelope has a lot of personality and heart which she has a hard time keeping under wraps during dressage. After a couple of months of working to really take the edge off, all the pieces came together this weekend for a personal best dressage score of 25. She was super rideable and correct and it felt so good to put down a test I have always known she was capable of and what perfect timing it was!”

Even with adding 4.4 time penalties to their score in cross-country, their low dressage score and double-clear show jumping effort helped move the pair up from second to first to bring home the win this past weekend.

The Area IV and Otter Creek community joined together to celebrate Coltrin at the end of her final phase of competition. “Otter Creek Farm is my favorite place we show all year so it was extra special to win the Championships there,” reflected Coltrin. “Penelope has worked up quite the fan club up at Otter so crossing the finish flags after a double clear show jump to a huge round of applause was really special.”

Novice Champions: Alexandria Novotny Pasker & Soft Spoken 307 | 30.9

Alexandra Novotny Pasker and Soft Spoken 307. Derith Vogt photo


Winning the Novice Championship from start to finish was Alexanrai Novotny Pasker and her 5-year-old Hanoverian mare Soft Spoken 307 (Sir Wanabi x Simone Signoret). Making the win even more special is that Novotny Pasker has been a part of “Zelda’s” life since she purchased her sight unseen from Canada as a 2-year-old.

“I joke that Zelda was the best random internet purchase my friend ever talked me into,” joked Novotny Pasker. “She had just been hanging out in a pasture and was a bit of a diamond in the rough. She came from a breeder I trusted, was a lovely mover, well-bred, and I thought I could get along with most any horse, so I took the gamble.”

After having a friend lightly back Zelda as a 3-year-old, the young mare had a lighter workload through her 4-year-old year and gave her first Starter level a try. This summer, however, Novotny Pasker made the trek to Aiken, South Carolina with Zelda in town for a few months, which is where she saw the young horse really blossom.

“My coach, Meaghan Marinovich-Burdick, was instrumental in helping me get her consistent as initially, she was quite spooky and opinionated. We did a few Beginner Novices and then moved up to Novice this summer, culminating with this show where all the pieces came together quite well.”

Leading the way on their dressage score of 26.9, Novotny Pasker and Zelda had a six-point lead going into show jumping following their double-clear cross-country round. One rail adjusted their score to 30.9, but the pair held onto the Championship title for their division.

Beginner Novice Champions: Lianne Burgess & Marisol | 32.5

Lianne Burgess and Marisol. Derith Vogt photo.


Lianne Burgess shares her beloved 6-year-old Trakehner mare Marisol with her daughter, Kristine, who found the mare in early 2021 and put some of the earlier training rides on her. “Marisol is such a sweet horse & I am so lucky to have her. She’s fairly straightforward to ride but can be sassy as well, so she’s always keeping on my toes,” shared Burgess.

A dressage score of 32.5 would put the pair, who has won four out of five events they have completed together this year so far, in eighth place, but they would creep up to fourth after putting in a great double-clear cross-country round. Going into show jumping, Burgess had no expectations, so finding out that she had moved up to the first place position thanks to their addition of no faults in the final phase was a sweet surprise.

“I was really shocked to win the Championships in Area IV. We didn’t start with our best dressage score, but I never gave up,” Burgess reflected. “She really took care of me as I didn’t ride her great in show jumping either – just a bit too nervous. However, in the end, the ‘eventing’ stars aligned for us on this show.”

Jul 02, 2024 Educational Activities

USEA Educational Activity Highlight: Sherwood Forest Hunter Pace | Sherwood Oregon | July 13, 2024

What’s a Hunter Pace? The Sherwood Forest Equestrian Center's Hunter Pace is a cross-country-style course around Sherwood Forest over various natural obstacles/terrain. The course ends with a final treat for riders to take in stunning views of Mt. Hood with a loop through the old Far Hill Farms field. The beginning of the course will first start with a warm-up loop around show jumping obstacles in the outdoor ring at Sherwood Forest and then riders will continue directly onto the course. Sign up as a solo rider, pair, or team.

Jul 02, 2024 Profile

No Longer Dreaming: Claire Allen's Goal of Qualifying for USEF Eventing Young Rider Championship is Now Reality

Claire Allen remembers when she was 11 years old, having just made the switch from the hunter/jumper ring to three-day eventing. She told her new eventing trainer that her goal was to one day compete in the United States Equestrian Federation’s Eventing Young Rider Championships.

Jul 01, 2024 Competitions

Alliston’s Busy Weekend, Braitling’s Reuniting with Five-Star Mount, & Kalkman’s Advanced Victory Highlight Twin Rivers Summer H.T.

As he was finishing tacking up his horse in preparation to navigate the cross-country course at the 2024 Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials, James Alliston expressed concern about navigating the 101 Freeway. That’s because as soon as he crossed the finish line aboard Intermediate level winner Addyson (Ampere x Nickerbocker) at 10:38 a.m. on Saturday—his fifth cross-country round of the morning with three at Preliminary and two at Intermediate—the West Coast-based five-star rider had to drive 185 miles on the 101 Freeway from Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, to San Francisco International Airport to catch a 4:35 p.m. flight to Frankfurt, Germany.

Jul 01, 2024 Education

USEA Podcast #364: All Your Grooming Questions Answered

There is so much more to proper grooming than keeping your horse picture-perfect for the horse inspection. Good grooming practices are critical to proper horse management, no matter if you are planning for your next FEI appearance or your Starter level debut. To help you maximize your knowledge of grooming practices, we opened up the opportunity for USEA members to submit any questions they might have on our Instagram and Facebook stories. In this week's episode, Host Nicole Brown sits down with three of the highest-regarded grooms in this industry, Max Corcoran, Emma Ford, and Stephanie Simpson, and asks them all of your questions and more to help you perfect the art of grooming.

Official Corporate Sponsors of the USEA

Official Joint Therapy Treatment of the USEA

Official Feed of the USEA

Official Saddle of the USEA

Official Equine Insurance of the USEA

Official Forage of the USEA

Official Supplement Feeding System of the USEA

Official Competition & Training Apparel of the USEA

Official Horse Boot of the USEA

Official Shockwave of the USEA

Official Horse Wear of the USEA