Wellington, FL (April 14, 2015)— Twenty-five-year-old Chase Hickok and the KWPN gelding Sagacious HF proved themselves to be an unstoppable force from the first time they went down centerline at the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival. The pair finished the winter show season just as strongly as they started it, concluding a string of ten victories with an FEI Young Rider Grand Prix win on March 13. Hickok, who is trained by Kevin Kohmann based out of Diamante Farms, competed Sagacious in five competitive CDI weekends in the Under 25 division — and won all classes that she entered in the Wellington, Florida show series. The Under 25 division was sponsored by Diamante Farms, a founding sponsor of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival and active supporter of the youth dressage community.
“I’m certainly proud of our winning streak and the scores we received. Our rides continued to improve all season, and I am very happy with the work we put in and the consistency of our results,” said Hickok, who has been working with Sagacious since April of last year, when she leased him from Al Guden of Hyperion Farm. “Even more than that, I’m so proud of the partnership we’ve created and the harmony we’ve developed, both in and out of the arena. Nothing makes me more proud or excited than when people comment on the bond we’ve created or on how happy Sagacious is. That’s what is most important to me and what I love most about this sport.”
Al Guden of Hyperion Farm, who owns Sagacious, said, “I think their success is pretty amazing. For the entire year, Chase has been at the top of the Brentina Cup standings.” Hickok and Sagacious are currently ranked No. 2 in the FEI Youth Dressage World Ranking List – U25. Such lofty ranking is not commonly seen from a U.S. horse and rider combination. Sagacious was awarded Crown Predicat from the KWPN for being among the top 100 dressage horses in 2009, and last year finished as the top KWPN horse at Grand Prix.
Hickok’s winnings this season were particularly meaningful because her home stable, Diamante Farms, sponsored the Under-25 Grand Prix division throughout the show series. “The Kanes are such generous supporters of our sport, and I can’t thank them enough for their sponsorship of the U25 Division, and the entire 5-star competition in February,” said Hickok about Diamante Farms’s mother-and-daughter team Terri and Devon Kane. “I feel so fortunate to be a part of the amazing family they have created at the barn.”
In addition to her ten blue ribbons, Hickok was awarded a Diamante Farms duffel bag and saddle pad for her impressive performances this season. Terri Kane, owner of Diamante Farms, said, “These are our up-and-coming professionals. I think it is important to support them and to show our support by sponsoring the U-25 division.”
Diamante Farms, which has been an integral part of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival since its inception four years ago, was a constant presence in the show series, having also acted as presenting sponsor of the prestigious 5* competition, including hosting a beautiful Olympian Salute. The farm’s ten-acre estate — complete with an indoor and an outdoor arena with world-class footing — houses twenty-one horses, half of which are currently competing. The facility offers top-quality training, clinics, boarding, and sales, and Head Trainer Devon Kane and Co-Trainer Kevin Kohmann (who trains Hickok and Sagacious) are dedicated to achieving the best performance possible in their horses.
“Devon has had so much success, starting in the Young Riders and working her way up the levels, and is a fabulous role model for all up and coming riders in the sport,” enthused Hickok. “It’s been so much fun to watch and be a part of her success in the open Grand Prix this season. Terri and Devon are just the nicest people you could hope to meet and do so much for us all— we truly owe so much to them!”
Now that the winter dressage season has ended, Hickok says Sagacious will get a well-deserved break, with plenty of hack days and time out of the arena before returning to competition. “We are hoping to spend some time training and competing in Europe during the early part of the summer, returning in time to compete at the National Championships in the Brentina Cup division at Lamplight,” she said.
For more information about Diamante Farms, visit www.DiamanteFarms.com or call 561-307-2831.
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Photo 1: Chase Hickok and Sagacious HF dominate the Under 25 division, sponsored by Diamante Farms, at the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival. From left to right, with Sagacious HF: Chase Hickok, Terri Kane of Diamante Farms, and Sagacious HF’s owner Al Guden. (Photo courtesy of JRPR— no photo credit necessary)
Photo 2: Chase Hickok and Sagacious HF rake in the ribbons in the Under 25 division, sponsored by Diamante Farms at the 2015 Adequan Global Dressage Festival. (Photo courtesy of JRPR— no photo credit necessary) (Click on picture for high res. copy of photo)
(Copy and paste or click on link for high resolution photo): http://www.jrprweb.com/Photos/index.php/Diamante-Farms/Chasegroup
