USA Young Rider Team Ready for Future Champions Nations Cup in Germany

Lauren Asher competing De Noir in Europe. © 2016 Lily Forado for dressage-news.com

HAGEN, Germany, June 8, 2016–An American Young Rider team of three combinations is ready for the Future Champions Nations Cup Thursday, the second appearance by the United States at the prestigious event.

Lauren Asher, based in San Diego, California will compete her De Noir, Kerrigan Gluch will show Vaquero HGF that is owned by Hampton Green Farm in Wellington where she is based and Barbara “Bebe” Davis will ride Don Antonio, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding. She was loaned the horse after her Feivel Mouskewitz on which she is ranked No. 4 Young Rider in the world was withdrawn still recovering from being footsore from an earlier competition.

The United States is one of seven teams in the Young Rider division with the others the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Russia, Italy and Belarus. The Future Champions also includes Nations Cups for Children, Ponies and Juniors at Hagen, that will host the inaugural European Under-25 Championships next week.

The United States entered a team of two combinations for the first time last year as part of a program expanding American participation in European shows. Teams can have a maximum of three with two scores counting.

All three American riders have competed multiple times at the North American Junior & Young Rider Championships that has provided them with valuable team experience but are rookies competing in Europe.

And all are pursuing business studies at college–Lauren, 19, at the University of San Diego in California, Kerrigan, also 19, at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton near Wellington and Bebe, 18, who starts at Lynn University in Boca Raton in the fall.

Lauren has used her proficiency in Dutch where she has been based at Haastrecht and French when competing at Compiègne last month will improve her German and Danish at Hagen this week. Being able to apply her language skills “has really enriched my experiences and helped my learning in all facets in my time here.

“I feel that my experiences at NAJYRC prepared me well for this competition,” she said, “but I also realize that there will be new elements at this show such as increased competition and a true international feel since we are here in Europe now rather than at another show in North America.”

Based in Europe with De Noir, a 16-year-old black Hanoverian gelding, “has been an incredible learning experience” that Lauren said has “allowed De Noir and I to grow together.”

Kerrigan Gluch riding Vaquero HGF. © 2016 Lily Forado for dressage-news.com

Kerrigan, originally from Mount Pleasant, Michigan but now at Hampton Green Farm in Wellington whose Vaquero HGF she rides along with other HGF horses.

In Europe, she has been based with Jean Bemelmans, the French team coach, at his training center in Germany.

“When you see such amazing horses and incredible riding it makes you want to work much harder to reach your particular goal,” she said.

“Going into Compiègne I didn't really know what to expect. It felt really good to have the whole U.S. team at the same competition and experience it like they would.

“Compiègne was such a learning experience for me. I had to deal with issues in the ring that I have never had to deal with before. I was grateful for that because everyone must learn to live with the ups and downs eventually. Overall, the environment, horses and riding was so inspirational.”

Now, Kerrigan said, she feels more confident in her riding and what she can achieve.