Chrissa Frith-Hoffmann is a Grand Prix rider and trainer, who holds the United States Dressage Federations Bronze, Silver and Gold medals and is capable of training horse and rider through the most advanced level of dressage.  She is trained after the original guidelines and proven principals of classical dressage and is able to apply that competitively into the modern day show ring. Achieving the Grand Prix level as well as receiving multiple high score and year end awards,  in addition with being decorated with all of the award winning medals, is a result of hard work and determination.  This is where Chrissa excels as an equestrian professional in this country. At a young age of 33, Chrissa has trained three horses to the Grand Prix level along with several others over the years, to the FEI levels of Dressage.   Having worked with all kinds of challenges, difficult to not so difficult, Chrissa is now ready  to compete for the United States Equestrian Team.  She will be competing in the USEF High Performace division with her new International Grand Prix horse, "F. Ferrelli."  Look for the duo this summer!  To learn more about Chrissa as a rider and about her start in horses please click on her "Who's-Who" bio on Dressage Daily.        

 
                                                            

 

Below are the three horses Chrissa has trained to Grand Prix!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 


 
 
Chrissa's past and previous instructors:
Chrissa has studied with many dressage greats.  From 1995-2000 she worked for Barbara Silverman, a FEI USET Short Listed rider for the 2000 Olympics.  During that time she helped Barbara with sale horses, teaching, learning how to operate a first class training facility and traveling abroad to Sweden, Germany and Denmark training and selecting horses.  Ms. Silverman was Chrissa's first dressage instructor. Chrissa started riding at age seven and competed in eventing through Preliminary level before meeting Barbara in 1995. She instilled in Chrissa her love of teaching to both horse and rider. Barbara passed away from a long diligent fight of ovarian cancer in May of 2000.
 
 
 
 
After Barbara's passing, Chrissa spent the entire year of 2001 alone,  developing her own style of riding and learning how to problem solve on her own, without the help of her dear  friend and mentor.
 
 
"That year was probably the hardest time for me.  Riding is very much like gymnastics or ice skating, it's dancing with a horse.  Without eyes on the ground from a coach, one can get very lost in the daily training process.  When people ask me the common  question of "haven't you been riding long enough to not need lessons anymore?" Usually I respond by saying, go ask Tiger Woods how many clubs he swings alone without his coach watching, or an Olympic gymnast how many tumbles she does without her trainer looking on.....that usually gets the light bulb flickering.  Dressage is a dance between horse and rider, it's supposed to be beautiful to watch, some  people even refer to it as an "art form." To put it simply, one cannot do this sport alone.
 
During that time I learned to not be so dependent on "feel" from a coach.  I had to learn to feel and listen to the horses myself.  It was a growing experience for sure, and looking back, I now know it has helped me become the rider and trainer I am today.  Although spending that year searching and learning who I was as a rider was beneficial, I also knew it was time to move forward and continue my education."
 
 
In 2002, Chrissa traveled to Florida to compete and work with Dr Cesar Parra.  After returning home from the winter season, she decided that it was time to start bringing in clinicians for monthly help.  In the summer of 2003 she contacted Uwe Steiner. That same winter she set her sights back on Florida and arranged  to work with six time Olympian, Robert Dover for the winter season.  After returning to Kentucky, knowing she could not stay at Robert's, she contacted Tina Konyot for clinics, because once again she would  need monthly help at home. Tina helped Chrissa as much as her schedule allowed during that summer until Chrissa was introduced to Alex Gerding in the fall of 2004, a German trainer who had recently moved to the United States.  She and Alex instantly clicked in thier style of  riding and training, and Chrissa has been working with him ever since. To learn more about Alex Gerding, please visit www.alexgerding.com
 
 
 
 
 
Chrissa's  Training Accomplishments: 
 
 
Chrissa's gift is taking horses from a very young age and bringing them up through the levels herself. She is also very well known for her ability to train all breeds.  Her most notable accomplishment thus far has been training "Harry Callahan", a nine year old American Saddlebred in dressage. She started "Harry" at age four and has taken him up to Prix St Georges.  Since 2004, "Harry" has dominated all of his classes in region 2, from second level to FEI.  He was also just named The Kentucky Dressage Open FEI Champion, beating many top warmbloods in the area. Because of his success, as a "non-traditional" breed, he has become a crowd favorite. He even has his own website, /www.americansaddlebreddressage.com. "Harry"  has also been recognized nationally through the media by landing on the cover of the USDF Connection magazine, being featured in Horse Illustrated and also The Yankee Pedlar.  Chrissa and "Harry" are ranked first in the United States Dressage Federation's 2006 All Breeds Awards division for PSG-Open FEI and overall is ranked in the top third of all horses in the country against all breeds for PSG.
Harry will compete Grand Prix in 2008.
 
 
 
 
"Harry's" success in the dressage world has touched many people all over the country. His success not only reflects good training, but that dressage is not breed specific.  Dressage  means "training" and with proper training and dedication, any horse can learn dressage and dreams can come true!
 
 
 
 

 

Chrissa's Career Highlights:

 

 

USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medalist

1996 Reserve Champion USDF, Region 2 Championships 3rd level (horse, Sedona)

1998 Decorated with the Bronze medal from USDF

1998 Reserve Champion USDF, Region 2 Championships PSG. (horse Wolero)

1998 8th place at the National Devon Horse show, PSG (horse, Wolero)

1999 1st place PSG Kentucky Dressage (horse, Gilo)

2000 1st place PSG, Dressage at Delaware (horse, Wolero)

2001 Decorated with the Silver medal from USDF

2001 1st place and Champion of Fourth level at Jubilee Morgan Regional Dressage show

(horse, Dancity Savoir Faire)

2002 1st place PSG, Dressage at Delaware (horse, Chiral)

2003 1st place PSG, Dressage at Delaware (horse, Arabella)

2003 FEI highpoint Champion at Dressage at Delaware (horse, Arabella)

2004 1st place Intermediare 1, Paxton Farm (horse, Chiral)

2004 1st place and 4th Place Intermediare 1, Kentucky Dressage Spring Classic (horse, Chiral)

2004 two wins on Chiral at the Indiana Dressage Classic at Intermediare 1, and highpoint award for the

entire show at I1.

2004 First place on Harry Callahan  in second level test 4 with a 65.8%, awarded second level champion

of entire show.

2004 USDF ALL BREEDS AWARDS - Harry Callahan, 1st in the U.S., American Saddlebred Association

2004 USDF All BREEDS AWARDS - Chiral, 5th in the U.S. for Intermediare 1, Swedish Warmblood Association

2004 Kentucky Dressage Association overall Second Level Open Champion,  horse, Harry Callahan, owned by Linda Cawthon

2004 Kentucky Dressage Association overall FEI Champion, horse, Chiral

2005 Decorated with the Gold medal from USDF

2005 Finished in the top 100 Grand Prix horse and rider combinations in America, USDF.

2005 Debuted on the front cover of USDF's Connection magazine

2005 Featured in Horse Illustrated's April Edition, horse- Harry Callahan

2005 Kentucky Dressage Association's Open Third Level Champion, horse, Harry Callahan

2005 Kentucky Dressage Association's Open FEI Reserve Champion, horse, Kalman Kahilie

2006 Invited to ride in the National Dressage Symposium, featuring Mr. Robert Dover and FEI "O" judge, Mr. Axel Steiner, The Kentucky Horse Park, April 2006, Lexington Ky.

2006 Featured in Yankee Pedlar Magazine in the August and September issue, horse, Harry Callahan

2006 Kentucky Dressage, 1st place, PSG, Horse Harry Callahan. Also awarded Reserve

Highpoint Champion

2006 Indy Dressage Classic, 2 wins on Harry Callahan in the open PSG, with scores

up to 68.7%, also awarded FEI Highpoint Champion of the entire show.

2006 Featured in "Hunter and Sport Horse" magazine. Interviewed to write an article about

"low and deep" riding.  May issue.

2007 Asked to be a part of a new online website, www.dressagetrainingonline.com featuring

top trainers from America and Europe riding and training.

2007 (February) Chrissa was named the Kentucky Dressage Association's 2006

Open FEI Champion, with horse,  "Harry Callahan." The pair won with an average of 67.25%!

2007 Chrissa was interviewed by Pferdborse, a top selling German magazine in regards to training the "off-breed" to Grand Prix. Horse, "Harry Callahan" is featured!

2008 Chrissa is sponsored by "Saddlery Solutions" formery known as JRD Saddlery, of Petaluma, California!

www.jrd-tack

2008 Leather Therapy signs on as a new Sponsor!

www.leathertherapy.com

 

 

     

 

               


                                                                  

 

                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                
 
                   
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 


                                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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