Not one to settle for competing at the top of one sport… or two sports… Doug Payne has his sights set on competing in Grand Prix dressage with the fancy-footed Starr Witness (affectionately known as the Ginja Ninja) some time next year (TBD in conjunction with her eventing schedule!)
We’re quite familiar with Doug competing at the 5-star level of eventing as well as his routine ventures into the world of show jumping where he’ll casually jump around a Grand Prix class on a couple of horses. The next logical step is to add a third FEI discipline to his repertoire, of course!
Starr Witness, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood owned by Doug and Jessica Payne in partnership with Catherine Winter, has competed in eventing through the 4*-L level herself and sets hoof in the pure show jumping ring with Doug from time to time too, but with a dressage average of 28.2 throughout her FEI eventing career she’s a shoe-in for having a side hustle in pure dressage as well.
Tempi changes, canter pirouettes, passage and piaffe — they’ve got it all, complete with sassy tail flicks! Enjoy this video of their Grand Prix practice.
