Leatherdale Horses Step Up at NEDA Fall Festival CDI-W
/Saugerties, NY – September 27, 2015 – Leatherdale Farms horses gave a preview of great things to come at the NEDA Fall Festival CDI-W and national show Sept. 17-20 in Saugerties, New York. Robbie W, Chrevis Christo and Diana C all made important strides forward in their careers and handled those transitions with ease, earning strong scores and impressive placings with rider Diane Creech.
Robbie W, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Rubin Royal-Rolling Home, Inschallah), made a winning debut at Grand Prix. He took top honors in two large FEI Test of Choice national classes, earning scores of 67.6 percent and 67.9 percent.
“He did extremely well, and I was very happy with him,” Creech said. “He is such an honest horse with a big heart, that he will try anything. The Grand Prix level is another big step up in a horse's learning curve. I am lucky, ‘Perfect Robbie’ tries very, very hard. I am not aiming for brilliance in the beginning; I only go for a mistake free test, so he becomes confident and comfortable in the ring. I want him to go into the ring thinking, ‘We got this one!’”
The NEDA Fall Festival was the first CDI at Grand Prix level for Chrevis Christo, and the 11-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (Lavallo-Chrevi’s La Vi, Matador) showed he belonged, scoring 68.216 percent for second place in the Grand Prix Special.
“He was really great,” Creech said. “I was happy he tried for me and stayed focused, which was one of the major things I wanted to achieve this weekend. I am very excited about him. He is turning into a very nice up-and-coming Grand Prix horse.”
The promising young Diana C, an 8-year-old Hanoverian mare (Damsey FRH-Belinda, Brentano II), successfully completed her first Intermediaire A and Intermediaire B tests in competition with solid efforts on both days.
“I was so happy with her since it was her first time,” Creech said. “Diana is such an exciting mare; she is incredible. I think once she gets a little more routine in showing, the talent she has is unreal. Her piaffe and passage are unbelievable. I don’t want to show her at Grand Prix yet, since I want to give her more time to help her get more confident. I really like the medium tour for her.”
Creech added, “The facility, stalls, footing and organization at Saugerties are great, and it has a nice atmosphere. I am really excited about all the horses. They are progressing well, and Doug and Louise [Leatherdale] have been so supportive. It is really wonderful to be working with owners who are so in tune with the horses’ development.”
Joining the Leatherdale team at the NEDA Fall Festival CDI-W was Creech’s 15-year-old daughter, Vanessa Creech-Terauds, who rode Leatherdale Farms’ Rob Roy to two victories in the Junior division of the CDI. Creech-Terauds and the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Rubin Royal-SPS Glory Dream, Glorieux) scored 69.66 percent in Friday’s Junior Team test and 69.254 percent in Saturday’s Junior Individual test.
“The judges were so complimentary, giving her even some 8s for her rider score,” Creech said. “Rob Roy is very rideable and really listens to her and stays focused in the ring. They are so in harmony with each other, which is nice to see.”
Both Creech and Creech-Terauds now have their sights set on the winter season in Wellington, Florida. Creech will come down for the season in mid-December, while Creech-Terauds will come down from their home in Caistor Centre, Ontario, when she can fit the travel in with her busy school schedule.
“Vanessa will compete a few times,” Creech said. “She is so excited about that and grateful to Doug and Louise for giving her this opportunity so she can follow her dreams. They have the biggest hearts and are so supportive. Along with our groom Chris Bacher, who has been with us for 18 years, we have such a great team. Going to the show with our team makes for a wonderful weekend together. The horses were spectacular.”
