Peyton Zumbro, 16, of Clarksville rides his Friesian cross King at the US Dressage Finals in Wilmington, Ohio, on Oct. 31 after a Region 4 reserve title.

A 16-year-old Clarksville rider will compete against some of the most qualified dressage riders in the country on Saturday, Oct. 31, when Peyton Zumbro and his horse King ride at the US Dressage Finals at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio.

The family says the trip is the culmination of a run of local and regional qualifying competitions that carried Peyton to the national stage. At the finals he will be representing Clarksville and Tennessee.

How he qualified

Peyton earned his place at the finals at the United States Dressage Federation Region 4 championships in Lake St. Louis, Missouri, where he finished Reserve Champion. His family says he rode there against young riders from Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, and the result secured his spot at the US Dressage Finals.

“This is a culmination of rigorous local and regional equestrian qualifications to reach the national stage,” his family wrote to the Clarksville Journal.

Five years with King

King is a Friesian cross, and he and Peyton have trained extensively together for more than five years, according to the family.

Peyton trains daily at Serendipity Stables on Bagwell Lane in Sango. His mother, Morgan Zumbro, is the stable’s full-time operator and trainer. He is the son of Jesse and Morgan Zumbro.

About dressage

“Dressage is one of the few equestrian disciplines that is showcased both nationally and internationally, even on the Olympic stage,” the family said.

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