By Grace Christianson
My name is Grace Christianson, and my wonderful mare is FHF ROULEE! We have been partners for the last 18 months, and were so happy to be selected to join the Region 2 FEI Youth Clinic with Lilo Fore. The judges in our sport are so important, and learning from someone as wonderful as Lilo was an honor!
My trainer, Jennifer Kaiser, knew when she saw me ride that Roulee was going to be an awesome partner for me to learn and grow on; I’m so thankful she did, because she couldn’t have been more right! We had ups and downs during our first season together, but over the winter, we found our way and have come out as a team this season! I’m so proud of how hard Roulee works for us.
This past 2024 season, we went to the US Dressage Festival of Champions, winning the 13 and Under Dressage Seat Equitation Final, and finishing as the Reserve FEI Children’s Champion! We also went to the Great American/USDF Region 4 Championships and won our First Level, Second Level, and Dressage Seat Equitation classes, earning us an invite back to the 2024 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® and 2025 Festival of Champions! Also, at Regionals, we came in second in the Junior First Level Freestyle behind the amazing Jenna Upchurch. All of our wins have been amazing, but the love, bond, and friendship Roulee and I have is my greatest accomplishment with her!
We will be working towards Third Level this winter, and reworking our Freestyle to a Second Level test! Andrea Balas rides Roulee and helps train her, so she will have a fun winter helping program a lead change on Roulee for Third level; I’m so excited to see what we can do next season!!!
This was my first experience at an FEI Youth Clinic, and it was awesome! Lilo Fore was kind, helpful, and really worked through some of the questions I had for next season. I had a really nice time getting to know her, and listening to her stories from when she was a kid in Germany. I loved hearing how she became the ‘S’ judge she is today, and getting the time to spend with her was one of my favorite parts of the weekend.
Lilo helped us work on straightness and suppleness, stressing how important it is to use both reins equally and keep Roulee balanced with my seat. Meeting some of the other girls from Region 2 was also very fun; everyone was encouraging and kind!
I hope my riding and love for the sport and horses will encourage other riders to come try dressage. It’s a challenge, it’s hard, but it’s so much fun! Building relationships with the animals and the friends I’ve made through horses and showing has been an amazing experience, and I welcome anyone wanting to try dressage to come be a part of our amazing community!
Thank you, USDF, for putting these events on, and thank you, Midwest Ohio Dressage Association (MODA), for organizing this for all of us! The women who are a part of this organization were kind, thoughtful, and encouraging! Luann Grover, Fritzi Milliron, Amelia Smith, Carol May, Diane Pontia, Angie Tewksbury, Liza Mativi, Krista Kukovek, Vicki Milliron, Mary Waite, who fed the crew the entire weekend, and Lisa Karem for the incredible facility Duncan Run Farm and sponsoring a lovely pizza party for all Saturday night!!!! This would not have been possible without each and every one of these incredible women!
