Rider, horse look to make a mark in 2009

Dressage rider Elly Schobel is a horseman making a definitive statement and has stood by her convictions while enjoying success riding horses often overlooked by others because of where they're bred.

Schobel is riding and training U.S.-bred horses in a competitive sport known for its imported horses.

The German-born rider, who became a citizen in 1992, moved to Aiken in 1996.

She continues to make horses from scratch, and they've held their own against many of the best imported horses from Europe.

Schobel and Raison d'Etre captured their first Grand Prix in 2008.

The 10-year-old, 17.2-hands gelding and the accomplished dressage rider should be a formidable force on the Grand Prix circuit in 2009.

They won the Intermediare II class at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby.

Schobel described Raison d'Etre, who was bred in Kentucky, as a beacon for American breeders, in a difficult economy when U.S.-based breeders are experiencing the challenges of making ends meet.

"My goal from the beginning has been to ride American-bred horses," said Schobel, who loves to train and ride horses and continues to have success with horses she's trained from scratch.

"We breed awesome horses in this country. There are a lot of people who don't seem to get it. We (Schobel and Raison d'Etre) stopped after Raleigh (N.C.) in May, and we're going to start again in a few weeks in January in Orlando, Fla."

Schobel has her sights set on the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky.

Raison d'Etre is by the Holsteiner stallion Regulus and out of the Thoroughbred broodmare Little Doozie.

"Raison d'Etre is an ambassador for the American Warmblood Registry," said Schobel. "He and I just clicked."

Another horse Schobel has been working with and that bears watching during the next year is an 8-year-old Andalusian named Oyente.

The 16-hands, gray U.S.-bred stallion is by Imperioso, out of the Jardinero broodmare Alhambra VIII.

He is currently training at the Prix St. Georges and Intermediare I level and schooling in Grand Prix.