It is no small achievement to become the Official Dressage Saddle of the U.S. Equestrian Federation, which fields the nation’s Olympic, Pan American and World Equestrian Games squads. The ongoing respect for what goes into attaining and maintaining equestrian excellence spurred N2 Saddlery to again underwrite and present the Peak Performance Awards during the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington.
“Dressage is a mentally and physically taxing sport. N2 Saddlery’s Peak Performance Award recognizes riders for doing their best and, like every other athlete, going into the arena and giving it their all,” said Sue Newell, N2 Saddlery founder, managing director and master saddle fitter.
Seven horse-and-rider combinations were recognized during AGDF with N2 Saddlery Peak Performance Awards, beginning Week 1 with Taryn Hartnett of Wellington, whose Grand Prix ride and score on Der Prinz 3 earned the season’s first award and clinched her USDF Gold Medal.
Weeks 3 and 5 underscored the power of good coaching, with N2 Saddlery Peak Performance Awards going to Ashley Rand-Torres on her Danish Warmblood Heimdals Champ, with coach Scott Hassler alongside, and to former USEF I-I Adult Amateur Champion Jackie Beasley on Liberty VE, with coach Kathy Priest.
University of Kentucky alum Olivia Torres and DNalia HVH earned the AGDF 7 N2 Saddlery Peak Performance Award and a First Level Test 3 win for horse owner Anetta Coleman of High Valley Hanoverians. During AGDF 8, former NAYRC individual silver medalist and Wellington resident Tara Stegen and Cacique XXXVII, owned by Lourdes Miranda, collected the N2 Saddlery Peak Performance Award and victory in their Open USEF Third Level Test.
At AGDF 10, adult amateur Caitlin Fernambucq rode Bahia for coach and horse owner Nora Batchelder to win the Intermediare-2 AA Test and N2 Saddlery Peak Performance Award, and Wellington local Kyle McIver of Dakin Farm South and Gigi closed Week 12 with a victory in the AA Grand Prix and the final N2 Saddlery Peak Performance Award of the festival.
“Nothing gives me more pleasure than to see the immediate and positive effect of a proper fit,” Newell said. “Knowing that I can help both horse and rider achieve better harmony and peak performance is a great and fulfilling feeling.”
N2 saddles allow a horse to perform freely and comfortably while positioning the rider to effectively communicate. Each saddle is custom-fit and crafted from the finest European-sourced materials, with an uncompromising attention to detail and quality. Learn more at www.n2saddlery.com.
