Competition during the 2024 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions at HITS Chicago’s Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois buzzed with the excitement of the first freestyle competition on Wednesday, August 21. The action-packed week showcases some of the nation’s most elite horse-and-rider dressage combinations. In the featured event of the day, the FEI Para Grand Prix Freestyle Test, it was Eleanor Brimmer and My Moment that strutted to the top of the class.
Brimmer has had the ride on My Moment, a 14-year-old Hanoverian mare (Fuerst Romancier x Hotline) owned by Anette Grant and affectionately known as “Minni,” for just six months, but they have quickly formed a strong partnership. In their time together, Brimmer has been working with the team at Woodard Dressage, but due to Head Trainer Andrea Woodard’s commitment to the U.S. Dressage Paralympic Team, Devon Kane of Diamante Farms in Wellington, Florida, stepped in to help Brimmer for the week, and what a week it was. After winning the first two FEI Para Grand Prix Classes on Monday, August 19, and Tuesday, August 20, Brimmer rode Minni to their best performance in Wednesday’s FEI Para Grand Prix Freestyle Test with a score of 73.133%.
“I was really happy with the week as a whole,” expressed Brimmer. “Every day Minni came out and it was a good day, so we were very consistent. She just tries her heart out for me and gives me such a good feeling of confidence going into the arena. I love her so much. She’s wonderful.”
Judges Adrienne Pot at H, Kristi Wysocki at C, and Joan Williams at B rewarded Brimmer and Minni for their choreography and musical interpretation throughout their freestyle test, which was designed by Marlene Whitaker. The dulcet music complemented Brimmer’s smooth effort, receiving strong scores across the mistake-free ride.
“Minni can tend to get a little tense, so we chose some spa-like, very calming music to help her relax and help me relax too, because I can have some nerves as well,” laughed Brimmer.
While it was a banner competition for Brimmer, it was, in fact, not her first successful trip to the HITS Chicago Lamplight Equestrian Center.
“I grew up in Minnesota, and I think the last time I showed here was maybe twenty years ago when I still showed hunter/jumpers, so this was like a homecoming to me,” she said. “I am just so excited to be back in the Midwest and back showing at HITS, and the facility looks just as beautiful as I remember.”
The day’s excitement also included the start of the Seven Year Old classes with the FEI Seven Year Old Preliminary test. Twelve duos rode down centerline, but after the final halt and salute, it was the legendary Willy Arts that led the lap of honor aboard Makanabria DG. Arts achieved consistent marks throughout his test with the seven-year-old Danish Warmblood mare by Rock Forever owned by DG Bar Ranch for an overall score of 74.432%.
The 2024 U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions continues on Thursday, August 22, with the FEI Intermediate I Freestyle Test to conclude the day on a high note, while the competition runs through Sunday, August 25. For complete results, visit https://equestrian-hub.com/show/192059.
