Watts Makes Unusual U.S. Dressage Finals Preparation Work

Lexington, Ky.—Nov. 12

Riders usually spend the week before a major competition taking some lessons, running through their tests, fine-tuning all the movements. But Ashlee Watts was out of town for work, and she didn’t even get to sit on Hampton the week before the U.S. Dressage Finals.

“I almost didn’t come because I was like, ‘How can I make this happen?’ But I was like, ‘I have to go,’ ” said Watts.

PUBLISHED

November 12, 2016
2:31 pm

WORDS BY

Lisa Slade

Ashlee Watts and Hampton topped the massive adult amateur first level championship class at the U.S. Dressage Finals. Photo by Lisa Slade.

Lexington, Ky.—Nov. 12

“I almost didn’t come because I was like, ‘How can I make this happen?’ But I was like, ‘I have to go,’ ” said Watts.

Watts, who’s an equine orthopedic surgeon at Texas A&M University, flew into Lexington on Wednesday night, and her husband, Chuck Claywell, picked her up at the airport.

“He picked me up after he unloaded the trailer and set up the tack stall and did all the work,” said Watts, of College Station, Texas. “He tacked up my horse while I changed, and I came down and did a walking ride at 9 p.m.—they allowed us to be in [the Alltech arena] until 9:30—just to stretch his legs since he’d been on the trailer for so long and then not ridden for a week. My husband brought him, and then my coach who teaches us at home, Sarah Denham, met us on Thursday.”

Hampton and Watts finished fifth in their adult amateur second level test on Friday with a 68.69 percent.

“He was a little too hot, a little too spooky,” she said. “He always ramps up when we go in the ring, and he ramped up a little too much. I overrode the tempo. Today I just backed off a bit, and he was a little more warmed up and relaxed, and he was absolutely perfect.”

The pair earned a 72.05 percent, good enough to win the massive adult amateur first level test, despite having an error in their test.

“I got distracted,” said Watts. “And then when I got back on course, I was like, ‘Oh, the canter, trot, canter is next. No, I already did that. No, but that was my penalty. Shoot, I’m pretty sure it’s next,’ around the whole corner. Thank goodness he was amazing today. He was like, ‘Come on, we’re going.’ ”

Ashlee Watts and Hampton. Photo by Lisa Slade.

Watts and Hampton have been a team for about three years; she bought the horse when he was 5. The pair also attended the U.S. Dressage Finals last year, and they earned the training level adult amateur championship in addition to the reserve title in the first level adult amateur division. But even qualifying for this year’s competition via the GAIG/USDF Region 9 Championships (Texas) was a challenge.

“For regionals, I red-eyed in, braided him and rode, after a week off. I was super stressed about it, but it still worked,” she said.

“It’s a wonderful end to the show season to come here where it’s such a stage, and there are so many really great riders and so many amazing horses,” Watts added. “The atmosphere is so pleasant and happy and competitive, but everyone is really friendly. It’s a great way to end the year.”

Sagacious HF Earns A Second Championship

Just like in last night’s open Grand Prix championship, Chase Hickok piloted Sagacious to first in her class. Tonight it was in the Grand Prix freestyle, which the pair won with a 74.16 percent. Heather Mason and Warsteiner finished second (72.91%).