Ottawa, Ontario — Evi Strasser of St. Adele, QC came out on top of the CDI3* Blainville Dressage International, held June 28 – July 1 in Blainville, QC.
Hot off her double sweep of the Grand Prix level at the Ottawa CDI3*, Strasser repeated her feat at the Blainville Equestrian Park, winning both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Kur.
With her 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding Quantum Tyme, who has been with her through a World Breeders Championships, a Pan American Games and a World Cup Final, Strasser scored 67.333% in the Grand Prix. They closed out the competition in the Grand Prix Kur, where their performance not only thrilled a full house of spectators, but the judging panel as well, earning them a score of 73.675%.
The competition was Strasser’s last in Canada before she headed to Aachen, Germany on July 5, along with her three teammates, to represent Canada at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) taking place August 20 – September 3, 2006.
Multiple Canadian League World Cup finalist Jonathon Costin of Puslinch, ON was the runner-up in the Grand Prix, scoring 66.167% aboard his 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Wholio.
“Blainville proved to me again this year how much more confident Wholio is in the Grand Prix at 10 years old. The judges loved his piaffe/passage and I’m so excited about this season with him,” commented Costin.
Claiming third place with a score of 62.833% was Terra Cotta, ON native Nancy MacLachlan, a former WEG competitor, and her 10-year-old Ukrainian Warmblood gelding Ariston.
Finishing a close second in the Grand Prix Kur was Julia Vysniauskas, who currently resides in Guelph, ON, but rides to represent her home country of Lithuania. She scored 70.875% with her 14-year-old Slovenian Warmblood gelding Syntax. Third place was awarded to Costin and Wholio, who received 70.600%.
The Grand Prix Special saw just two entries perform, with Vysniauskas scoring 60.840% for the win, this time aboard her 9-year-old German Sport Horse gelding Papillon. Halifax, NS native Cheryl Meisner rode Lobster Point Farms’ 12-year-old Trakehner gelding Hesperos to a score of 57.000%.
In the Intermediaire I, which fielded 22 entries, Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON earned the red ribbon, scoring 68.250% with Wiona, the nine-year-old Hanoverian mare owned by Douglas & Louise Leatherdale. Andrea Bresee was hot on her heels, earning 67.350%, and second place with Raffles, the 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare, owned by Gina Smith and Faith Berghuis. Jacqueline Brooks of King City, ON, who will also be part of Canada’s 2006 Dressage WEG Team, rounded out the top three, scoring 66.900% with Balmoral, the seven-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Anne and John Welch, Nick and Jean Vinios and Brinc Ltd.
Bresee and Raffles topped the Intermediaire Kur after scoring of 71.350%.
“Raffles was quite good, especially in the Freestyle. She can be wild, especially at Blainville, but she was quite calm,” commented Bresee. “It helps that she really likes her music. She was super and performed really well for me.”
Gillian Sutherland of Unionville, ON claimed second, earning a score of 69.475% with her 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding Great Tyme. Meisner was awarded third place, receiving a score of 68.975%, this time with John Risley’s 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Lucky Strike.
The Prix St. Georges also saw a high number of entries, with Sutherland and Great Tyme topping the 25 entry field after scoring 66.100%. Creech and Wiona received second, scoring 65.700%. Third place was earned by Lyne Joly of Fleurimont, QC, who rode her 13-year-old Oldenburg stallion Flower King to a score of 65.60%.
“Overall it was quite a good competition. The rings are groomed really nicely and it’s always a good show to go to,” stated Bresee.
The international judging panel included two judges who will also be on the panel at WEG, Stephen Clarke of Great Britain (FEI O) and France’s Bernard Maurel (FEI O). Rounding out the panel were Canada’s Cara Whitham (FEI O), Germany’s Peter Engell (FEI I) and Lisette Vega de Purcell from the Dominican Republic (FEI I).
The CDI3* Blainville Dressage International also featured FEI Young Riders and Young Horse classes, as well as a host of National classes. For more info, please go to http://www.classiqueblainville.com.
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