This month, we celebrate the achievement of two WE United members who recently brought home the final scores needed to earn their Lifetime Rider Medals in Working Equitation.
A Celebration of
Excellence
38 / Sport and Trail Magazine
www.weunited.us
Cari Schwartz
Silver Medal
Cari Schwartz, a resident of Oregon City, Oregon, has the distinct honor of being the first person in the United States to earn their Silver Medal in Working Equitation!
Cari achieved this honor by earning three Intermediate Level Dressage and three Intermediate Level Ease of Handling scores of 62% or higher, as well as one additional Dressage and one additional Ease of Handling score of 65% or higher. In order for these scores to count, she also had to complete the Speed trial without being disqualified.
In the Intermediate Level Working Equitation dressage test, Cari had to demonstrate the ability to correctly perform collected and medium walk, trot, and canter; half pass; ½ pirouette at the walk; leg yield, and flying lead changes. In Ease of Handling, she had to work her way through a variety of obstacles, demonstrating correct gaits and accurate geometry while completing numerous flying lead changes, often in very tight quarters. In the Speed trial, she had to navigate these obstacles in a race against the clock, all while avoiding the many ways one can be rung off the course in this very challenging sport.
Cari earned her scores under three different WE United judges over the course of just two competition seasons (2016 and 2017). All her scores were earned on her grey Trakehner mare Exsarena. Exsarena, born in 2000, is out of Leading Melody and sired by Exsar. She was bred by Kathy Henry and is owned and trained by Cari.
In 2016, Cari was elected to the WE United Board of Directors, where she holds the seat of Region 1 Director. Congratulations, Cari! Your hard work and dedication have paid off!
Jill Hamann-Bannister
Bronze Medal
Not to be outdone, Jill Hamann-Bannister of Milwaukie, Oregon, garnered the final points she needed to earn her Bronze Medal at the February 18-19, 2017 WE United competition hosted by
Working Equitation Oregon. Like Cari, Jill earned her qualifying scores under three different judges over the course of two competition seasons.
Cari Schwartz, Working Equitation USA Silver Medalist
Michael T. Photography