Sisters riders shine in dressage

Sisters trainer Audrey Goldsmith and her students, Emily Christen, 13, and Autumn Saunders, 14, recently returned from two end-of-season dressage shows with several ribbons and championships as testament to their horses' abilities.

The world of dressage contains a dizzying array of terms and movements confounding to the uninitiated. Those who have mastered the art of dressage make it look easy. But they know a different reality. Saunders sums it up: "I like how easy it looks but how hard it is."

She's been riding for just three years and working with Goldsmith for the past year. She's found that dressage suits her personality and temperament. The precision required to perform the required sections of a "test" (a pre-determined series of movements executed by the horse to a set standard and rated by an accredited judge) is a challenge she enjoys.

Christen, who's been riding since she was seven, spent the previous five years learning the sport of eventing. Dressage is one element of that sport, and Christen admits it was her least favorite. When she decided to take a year off eventing and explore dressage on a different level, she expected a low-key, hang-out kind of year.

To her surprise, Goldsmith's coaching gave her a new perspective, with the turning point coming in her second show of the season. Things clicked with Christen and her horse Silver Bells, and she won her class.

"I thought, 'I can't believe this is happening and I love it,'" she said.

She'll stick with dressage but also plans to get back to the adrenaline rush that is eventing.

The Oregon Dressage Society State Championship show was held at Devonwood, in Sherwood, on September 11-12. While Goldsmith brought home a champion and reserve champion ribbon, she said the big news of the weekend was the success of her students.

Christen and Silver Bells brought home the Training Level championship for junior young riders, a division with over a dozen other competitors. Saunders and Oliver Twist finished sixth in the competition.

Goldsmith competes in the open division, and brought home a Training Level championship on Finn Rock, a six-year-old Welsh Cobb/TB cross owned by Mel and Judy Getz of Bend. It was Finn Rock's third outing at a rated show, so his accomplishment thrilled owners and trainer alike.

Goldsmith picked up a reserve champion ribbon with her mule, Heart B Porter, at Second Level.

The following weekend, September 17-19, found Goldsmith, Christen and Saunders at Donida Farms in Auburn, Washington. Two championship shows took place - the Northwest Dressage Championships and the Region 6 Championships.

Christen and Silver Bells again emerged with a championship title at the first show and a credible third place in the latter. Saunders and Oliver Twist picked up a fifth-place ribbon in the latter. Both young women competed in the Training Level junior young riders division, with around 20 competitors in each class.

Goldsmith and Finn Rock earned sixth place in Training Level open at the Northwest Dressage Championship show.

Goldsmith is delighted with her student's success and with the opportunities available to young riders within dressage. And if that encourages more young riders to study dressage, then its positive impact will be felt across equestrian sports. After all, discipline and deportment are good traits just about everywhere.