“I really feel like Cabana Boy is the poster child for American breeding,” said Chris Hickey after he and Cabana Boy won the 2009 USEF National Developing Horse Dressage Championship, sponsored by the Dutta Corp. & Performance Sales International, today, Aug. 23 at Lamplight Equestrian Center.
Cabana Boy (Contucci—Britania) and Hickey simply dominated the 15-horse field with their overall score of 73.44 percent.
“Cabana has a fabulous canter,” said Hickey, Colora, Md. “Sometimes his trot can be a little problematic, but it’s starting to come together. He has moments where he can be brilliant and be very uphill and show a lot of self-carriage, but he’s only 7. He can’t go 10 minutes in that degree of carriage yet. But he has it in him.”
While Cabana Boy was not bred at Hilltop Farm, he is by their stallion Contucci and was purchased by Hilltop’s owner, Jane MacElree, three years ago. Under Hickey’s guidance, the Hanoverian gelding went on to win the 5-year-old championship in 2007 and the 6-year-old championship in 2008 in addition to his win today.
“This is once in a lifetime,” Hickey said of their string of national championships. “Without people like Jane from Hilltop and the people who have put in time and years of preparation it wouldn’t be possible. I am honored to work with such an amazing lady. Jane had a big birthday this year and this is icing on the cake for her.
“Cabana is a character,” Hickey continued with a smile. “He’s very strong and confident and that’s what makes him a brilliant show horse. When that horse walks in the ring he says, ‘You, look at me.’ We’re so proud of him, it’s beyond words.”
Don Bailey and George Williams Take Reserve
George Williams had to laugh at Chris Hickey’s comment about Cabana Boy thinking all the spectators were there to watch his performance.
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“Don Bailey would like to correct Cabana Boy and say that all the people are here to see him,” said Williams. “We’re both very fortunate that we have horses that love to show off!”
Don Bailey (Donnerhall—Pirola) certainly strutted his stuff in the Developing Horse Championship today, his big extensions and powerful flying changes lifted him into the reserve championship spot with an overall score of 68.29 percent.
“I love the horse, he has a wonderful personality,” said Williams, Delaware, Ohio. “He has a strong sense of himself, and he’s very athletic. There’s a certain trust he has in me and even when he gets hot or full of himself, I have confidence that he will keep himself contained. I like the spirit he has.”
Williams has been riding the Oldenburg gelding off and on since owner Elizabeth Juliano purchased him in 2007, but began really concentrating on the horse this May.
“It’s all come together quite quickly,” said Williams, 49. “I’ve known all along that he’s a talented horse. He just needs to get stronger; he’s still green in the test. He was a little backed off the first day, but he gave me a wonderful feeling today.”
Chicago and Heidi Gaian finished in a close third with 67.47 percent overall. Rower Be and Jessica Jo Tate scored 66.75 percent for fourth, and Yvonne Barteau on Toscano took home fifth with 66.28 percent.
