Harding continues to assert her dominance

There's no place like home - just ask Shawna Harding.

Since returning to the United States from Europe in 2006, the dressage rider has 76 wins to her credit and continues to amass an amazing record against the world's best competitors.

Her average winning score has been 70.3 percent on four different horses. She has nine international CDI wins, with an average score in the CDI classes of 70.1 percent.

Harding is an eight-time United States Dressage Federation Region Champion on three different horses. Harding and Come On III, her 9-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, also won the 2007 United States Equestrian Federation National Developing Horse Reserve Championship and is the 2008 USEF National Intermediare I Champion.

Harding has enjoyed success with several horses this year including Tonya Rowe's Rigo, a 7-year-old Hanoverian gelding, who won the Region 3 second level championship with a score of 71.78 percent.

The tandem is in first place in the USDF Dressage Horse of the Year second level standings with a score of 71.722 percent and first in the American Hanoverian Society Open Second Level with the same score.

Harding and Come On III are in first place in seven different categories including the USDF 2008 Dressage Horse of the Year for Prix St. Georges, 71.250 percent; Dressage Horse of the Year for Intermediare I, 71 percent; Musical Freestyle Intermediare I, 73.775; Musical Freestyle Challenge Intermediare I, 72.110; the North American Danish Warmblood Association Open Prix St. Georges, 71.250 percent; North American Danish Warmblood Open Intermediare I, 71 percent and the North American Danish Warmblood Association Intermediare Musical Freestyle, 73.775 percent.

"Come On is Reserve Horse in the Prix St. Georges division, and Rigo nationally is Reserve Horse for second level," said Harding. "Come On started his first small Grand Prix, the Intermediare II and received a score of 67.5 percent, winning the class."

Harding also won with Kathleen Broughan's Richman in his debut in Conyers, Ga., at fourth level, registering a score of 69 percent. Richman is a fully-licensed Danish Warmblood breeding stallion.

"He's (Richman) on the right road, and getting ready for the upcoming breeding season," said Harding. "We're heading to Florida the day after Thanksgiving, and we'll be there for the season, where Come On will start the Grand Prix. Richman will be doing Small Tour, and Rigo will be doing third and fourth level and hopefully the Developing Horse and Prix St. Georges. I'd love to thank all of my local Aiken sponsors including Black Forest and Charlie Herrick and Banks Mill Feeds and EquiSpirit Trailers. They've been a huge help, and we can always use more sponsors."

Harding's main objective for 2009 is to get Come On III qualified for the Festival of Champions in Gladstone, N.J., for the Grand Prix Championship.

"This will be Come On III's first season doing Grand Prix, so it's a big step up from Intermediare to the Grand Prix," said Harding. "He's doing fantastic and all of the horses are happy and healthy."

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