Osborne and Pair-Kavitz Are Stylish on Final Day of World Equestrian Center September Dressage CDI3*

The WEC September Dressage CDI3* sponsored by Hampton Green Farm and Discover Dressage closed out competition on Sunday, September 17, 2023, with freestyle tests from Charlotte Osborne (GBR) and her own Korano and Stephanie Pair-Kavitz (USA) with her own I Crack de la Vigne. Ellesse Gundersen (PHI) and Quintessential 4, a horse she owns with Marcia Radosevich of Unicorn Landing LLC, competed in the Intermediate II CDI2*.

Osborne and Korano, an eight-year-old KWPN gelding by Well Done x Zeoliet, scored 64.792% in the Intermediate I Freestyle CDIAM Bronze Tour class to music and freestyle designed by Karen Robinson. It was Korano’s first CDI competition and Osborne’s second, but they leaned on their five-year relationship to put in a solid performance.

While working at a horse auction in the Netherlands, Osborne rode Korano and realized that she wanted him for herself, so she and a friend purchased him from the auction and brought him to the U.S. Osborne moved to the U.S. six years ago and is based in Alpharetta, GA, where she imports horses for sale. Osborne started out as an eventing rider, but after graduating from university with an equine degree, she moved to the Netherlands to improve her dressage skills. After sitting on grand prix dressage horses, she changed her focus.

“I thought, ‘I know what I want to do for rest of my life,’ and I never went back to eventing,” said Osborne.

As she improved in dressage and found Korano, she made the decision to aim for CDI competitions. “It’s really something that I want to start being a part of,” she remarked. “It’s the next level, and it’s amazing being around the lovely riders here.”

In Korano, Osborne has found the perfect partner both in and out of the saddle.

“In the barn, he’s got no vices,” she described. “He will come up to you and rest his lip on your shoulder. My kids sit on him bareback. He’s not silly or unsafe at all. He’s one of those that’s a pet and an athlete. It’s not too often you get those. Usually, athletes are more on the edge. He’s like an overgrown poodle and is so lovely. You get on him and warmup and he’s like, ‘Okay, showtime!’”

Pair-Kavitz Prepares for Large Tour

After winning Friday’s Intermediate 1 CDI1*, Pair-Kavitz and I Crack de la Vigne, her 10-year-old KWPN gelding by Bon Bravour x Jazz, returned to the show ring for their freestyle, which was designed by Kristin Scott-Crocker, featured music from the Harry Potter movies and scored a 66.458%.

Due to a technological issue with the sound of her music causing tension with “Vinnie,” Pair-Kavitz did not reach the score she had been hoping for, but she still found highlights in the test and in Vinnie’s demeanor.

“I had such high hopes for a big score well over 70,” said Pair-Kavitz. “His warmup was awesome. I was a little disappointed, but a year ago that would have really scared the horse. He was such a good boy, with a great attitude and try. It happens; that’s horse showing for you.”

Pair-Kavitz felt that Vinnie excelled in the pirouettes, as well as the power in the canter tour and the loft in the trot sections. Improvement for horse and rider has been assisted by trainer and top dressage rider Shelly Francis.

“I’m so grateful to Shelly for working with us,” said Pair-Kavitz, who plans to move Vinnie up to the grand prix level. “She is always in my ear in the ring, and I hear her voice all the time. She’s so good for little tips in freestyle because she’s so good at them herself. Up until last year, I had done one CDI and that’s it. I love doing them, and they are so much fun. We had a lot of things that were really good that make me excited to move up to the next level.”

In the Intermediate II CDI2*, Gundersen and Quintessential 4, a nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Quaterback x Cordoba scored 69.167%, an improvement of almost five points above their previous I2 CDI test.

Intermediate 1 Freestyle CDIAM Bronze Tour Results

Intermediate 1 Freestyle CDI1* Results

Full Show Results and Ride Times

Dressage competition at World Equestrian Center – Ocala, presented by Hampton Green Farm and Discover Dressage, returns on October 21-22, 2023, for USEF/USDF national competition. Two more international competitions with accompanying national classes will be held this year, with a CDI3* on November 16-19 and a CDI-W on December 7-10, where riders can earn qualifying scores for the 2024 FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final.

For full horse show results for all World Equestrian Center dressage shows, visit www.foxvillage.com. See full information, schedule and prize lists for dressage in 2023 at World Equestrian Center – Ocala here.