Dressage show is good opportunity for advanced rider

WAGENER -- It was a great opportunity for advanced level event rider Tiffani Loudon-Meetze to prepare for the upcoming eventing season.

The Winnsboro resident competed Saturday at the Quintynne Hill dressage show. Loudon-Meetze was short-listed for the 1998 Pan American Games and the 2000 Olympic games.

The rider collected a fair amount of hardware in 1998, capturing the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event Concours Complet International Three Star on Makabi and winning the United States Equestrian Team's Challenge Trophy and was the leading owner/rider. At the 1999 Kentucky Rolex, Loudon-Meetze would win the Bank One Trophy, for highest placed owner/rider, while riding Makabi.

"I won two Three Stars with Makabi, so winning those two Three Stars," said Loudon-Meetze, when describing her career highlights.

She saw Saturday's dressage show as the perfect vehicle to get the horses she'll be competing this winter into the arena prior to the Aiken Eventing Series. The eventer brought three horses to the show.

"This is kind of a warm-up show to kick off the season," said Loudon-Meetze. "This is the first time I've competed here (Quintynne Hill)."

Loudon-Meetze enjoys the challenges eventing presents and the fact the horse and rider have to perform optimally in three different disciplines. She teamed with Lo Fino to win the preliminary open level division at the Tryon Riding and Hunt Club Horse Trials on Oct. 4 and was third at the Five Points Horse Trials while doing advanced level on Paul Meetze's Canadian gelding Above N' Beyond last September.

"Eventing is one of the sports that really solidifies the partnership with your horse, more so than the other equine disciplines," said Loudon-Meetze.

Above N' Beyond is returning from an injury and is hoping to build on his success from last fall and regain his old form. The two competed at the 2005 Rolex Kentucky CCI 4 Star.

"We're going to crank it up again this spring and try to get to Rolex," said Loudon-Meetze, who has also competed at Burghley. "Hopefully, with this next guy (Above N' Beyond), we can get to Burghley or Badminton on him."