FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Mary Hilton for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

Michelle Gibson and Lex Barker Win Collecting Gaits Farm / USEF National Intermediaire I Championship at USET Foundation Dressage Festival of Champions presented by Paul Miller, Inc. at Gladstone

GLADSTONE, NJ – June 18, 2006 – Michelle Gibson, 37, of Wellington, Florida, riding Lex Barker, a nine-year-old chestnut Hanoverian gelding (Longchamp x Wilhelmine) owned by Elite European Sport Horses won the USEF Intermediaire I Freestyle today with a score of 78.700%, making a clean sweep of three rounds of competition in the Collecting Gaits Farm / USEF National Intermediaire I Championship to undisputedly earn the title. Gibson won the Prix St. Georges (71.550%) and the Intermediaire I (72.550%), which were weighted 35% and 45% respectively. The kur counted for 20%, which resulted in a total score of 73.431%.

Gibson chose music from the movie soundtrack of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Marlene Whitaker created the track for Gibson and helped with the choreography. Gibson had two criterion for her musical selection, “I just was desperately looking for music that hasn’t been done a million times over and I wanted to find music to fit him.”  The big orchestral tones of the track suited the huge 17.2-hand chestnut’s expressive and expansive gaits.

Riding the kur in today’s class was only the third time for Gibson to perform it in the ring. Gibson characterized her freestyle as a technically challenging pattern. “I have steep half-passes in there. I’ve got pirouettes on the centerline into two tempis,” she pointed out. “I’ve got the trot zig-zags that are pretty step. I haven’t looked at my test, I don’t know what the judges thought about it, but I didn’t exactly think it was easy!” she laughed.

Both the soundtrack and music flowed with smooth transitions both in the audio and the video presentation of the freestyle. The elegant duo used the entire arena to advantage in a bobble-free ride. Gibson said she rode the kur as planned and did not have to improvise in the ring. “Much to my surprise it went along really smoothly,” she quipped, noting that only at one point did she get slightly ahead of her music. “I was very close to being on the music. It worked out just fine. It’s a miracle. I’m sure Marlene was biting her nails!”

Gibson noted that Lex Barker is not affected either way about music playing or not while he performs. “He’s good in the ring, so whether there’s music playing or not he comes up and has a little bit of spark to him,” she explained.

Gibson noted that the Collecting Gaits Farm / USEF National Intermediaire I Championship was Lex Barker’s last competition at the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire level.  “We’ll spend the summer working on the Grand Prix and see when that takes us to,” she emphasized.

Gibson is not currently training with a specific coach but credits Grand Prix rider Nancy Later of Wellington as her eyes on the ground.  

Poulin-Neff Earns Reserve Champion Title

Kate Poulin-Neff, 26, of Newbury, Ohio, riding Brilliant Too (Brilliant x Blue Brigetta) placed second in the USEF Intermediaire Freestyle today with a score of 75.500%.  In the USEF Prix St. Georges, Poulin-Neff earned 69.100% for third place and in the USEF Intermediaire I, she garnered 69.00% for fourth place.  Her overall total was 70.268%, making her the Reserve Champion in the 2006 Collecting Gaits Farm / USEF National Intermediaire I Championship.

Terry Gallo of Klassic Kur created Poulin-Neff’s musical track. The trot music is entitled “Winner’s Circle,” the walk tour music is from “Annie,” and the canter music is “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.”  The upbeat, energetic and clever track suited the pair to a T.  “It’s the first time I had a professional freestyle done for me,” noted Poulin-Neff, and complimented Gallo, “She was wonderful.”

Brilliant Too is a 10-year-old Dutch warmblood/Thoroughbred gelding owned by Sharon Poulin that was bred at the family farm and has been Poulin-Neff’s mount since she first began his under-saddle training as a three-year-old. The diminutive Brilliant Too is 15.1 hands, and suits the 5’ 5” Poulin-Neff.  “He’s the perfect size for me,” she said. “He has a lot of substance. My leg doesn’t go below his stomach. He has nice gaits and impulsion. I have never had a comment from a judge that his size is a problem.”

Though Poulin-Neff has competed at Gladstone numerous times as a young rider, the 2006 USET Foundation Dressage Festival of Champions presented by Paul Miller, Inc. is her first competition at this level at Gladstone and only her fifth Prix St. Georges/I-I competition. “I had to come here with no expectations whatsoever,” Poulin-Neff said.  “Just to make it here was an accomplishment. I was just wanted to come out and not make big mistakes and do the job.”

Poulin-Neff is the daughter of 1992 Olympic Team Bronze Medalist Michael Poulin and Grand Prix rider/trainer Sharon Poulin, who are based in DeLeon Springs, Florida. Poulin-Neff is a full-time professional and trains on her own in Ohio, but with Brilliant Too, she credits her mother for having put in the lion’s share of help. “My mom coaches me 95% of the time. She comes up to Ohio once a month because I show once a month.” Her husband, Matthew Neff, a builder/developer (and non-horseman), has learned to help her as well and she uses videotapes to study her riding. 

Poulin-Neff is considering moving Brilliant Too up to Grand Prix. “It would be nice to show him Grand Prix some day and if that happens that’s wonderful,” said Poulin-Neff.  “We’ll just see what happens. He does all the Grand Prix movements. I don’t have plans any time soon to show the Grand Prix. I would only do it if I felt like he was confident to go out there and keep scoring well.”

Competition Highlights

FEI Junior Freestyle Test

As the sole competitor in the FEI Junior Freestyle Test, Julie McKean, 18, of Camden, Maine, riding her Trahkener gelding Stavinsky earned 67.95% today and claimed her third blue ribbon at Gladstone during the USET Foundation Festival of Champions. 

Officiating today were the four USA “I” judges: Hilda Gurney (E), Anne Gribbons (C), Janet Foy (M), and Jessica Ransehousen (B). The foreign judge and president of the ground jury, Uwe Mechlem “O” of Germany officiated at H.

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PHOTO CAPTION: Michelle Gibson and Lex Barker Won the Collecting Gaits Farm /USEF National Intermediaire I Championship at USET Dressage Festival of Champions presented by Paul Miller, Inc. at Gladstone. PHOTO CREDIT: SusanJStickle.com

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