The Gold Coast Dressage Association Summer Solstice show was held recently at the Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex featuring three top judges.
The recipient of the TheraPlate Peak Performance Award at the event was adult amateur Kathryn Hoog aboard the 18-year-old gelding Tageslicht, better known as Tag.
Hoog, a Loxahatchee local, came to the show with hopes to get a qualifying score for the USDF Regional Championships aboard her longtime partner.
Hoog’s family had saved Tag’s mother from an ASPCA rescue organization and learned a lot from “the stubborn little mare.”
Eventually Hoog decided to breed her to Hilda Gurney’s top stallion Leonidas.
After starting Tag under saddle and showing him successfully in training level, Tag had a 10-year hiatus, before coming back to Hoog three years ago, and for the past two years she has been back in the saddle enjoying him.
The score of 67 percent that Hoog and Tag earned from judge Sue Mandas gave them a qualifying score for regionals at Third Level Freestyle.
“We would like to try Fourth Level before going to regionals, and hopefully from there qualifying to go to nationals,” Hoog said.
Hoog was ecstatic to be the recipient of the TheraPlate award, as she has had the chance to try one in the past and said Tag was a different horse after using it.
“I am really looking forward to trying it again and hopefully getting one,” Hoog said. “Even though he is 18 years old, Tag that acts like a 7-year-old. I am excited because the TheraPlate can help him out in countless ways.”
