Local equestrians in Santa Barbara

By Susan Banks

Local riders did well at the Southern California Dressage DASC show in Santa Barbara held Sept. 12-14 at the Earl Warren Showgrounds.

Students of Olympic medalist and long-time Moorpark resident and dressage trainer Hilda Gurney "performed brilliantly", according to judges, in the show. Jody Cressman of Camarillo won the Third Level Open Division riding Preethi and they were the Reserve Champions at Second Level Open.

Kim Turner of Camarillo won the Training Level Amateur Champion riding Trakehner Hayden GS. Melonie Kessler on La Salle won the Second Level Open Champion.

Cynthia Collins of Victorville was a double champion, winning the First Level Amateur Championship and the First Level Freestyle Championship on her five-year-old mare Larisa, bred by Gurney. Collins had the High Score Amateur for the show and the highest score in any championship class and was presented with the Ann Safchik Memorial Trophy.

Two horses tied for Reserve Champion. Judge Gary Rockwell broke the tie and gave the plus Riverdance ridden by Jutta Heinsohn of Moorpark. The other horse, Caruso, was ridden by Pamela Wangenheim, also of Moorpark.

Wangenheim’s student, Kristen Hansen, 11, of Moorpark, made the Honor Rounds on her Appaloosa pony, Cute As A Button, winning the Champion First Level Junior and Reserve Champion Training Level Junior titles.

Moorpark trainer Julie Willet’s student Sara Ellsworth won the Amateur Third Level Champion.