Local riders place first at Youth Dressage Festival

Portland's Faith Duplinsky (with horse, Maradona, far right), North Yarmouth's Ali Perkins (with O'Doull, second from left) and Falmouth's Katarina Keller (with Lakoda, middle), joined South Berwick's Eileen Stirling (with Joey, second from right) and owner/trainer Amanda Gervais of Durgin Farm in Standish (far left) at the recent Youth Dressage Festival in Saugerties, N.Y. The girls, competing as a team against 251 riders from the United States, Canada, France and Brazil, won the championship with their combined scores in two riding tests and also a written test. Keller was first in Training Level 4 for 16-year-olds and was the champion for Training Level 4. She also won the United States Pony Club award for highest points and the Shavano's Pride award for highest points on a non-solid colored horse. Duplinsky won third place in Third Level dressage for 20-year-olds. Perkins placed fourth in Training Level 4 and was the reserve champion in Prix Caprilli.