Sanna Crowned 2011 Pacific League World Cup Winner

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2011 Pacific League World Cup Finals

Rachael Sanna and Jaybee Alabaster, owned by Bev Edwards of Lockyer Valley (QLD) have been crowned the 2011 Pacific League FEI World Cup™ Dressage Champions following their victory at the Saddleworld Dressage Festival, Werribee, over the weekend. Held at the National Equestrian Centre, Werribee (Vic) 8-11 December, the Saddleworld Dressage Festival hosted the prestigious CDI-W Pacific League FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final.

Reminiscent of the Australian Championships in October, Sanna dominated the competition with a clean sweep of the three Grand Prix events. She and Jaybee Alabaster won Friday’s Grand Prix with a score of 71.128%, Saturday night’s Freestyle (which determined the Pacific League winner) on 75.125% and finally the special on 71.000%.

“He was very good and felt so confident and established in the ring,” said Sanna of Jaybee Alabaster. “This year he has felt more and more confirmed in the ring and he is really handling the atmosphere.”

As the winner of the Pacific League Final, Sanna and Jaybee Alabaster have earned the right to represent the Pacific League at the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Final in 's Hertogenbosch (NED) next April. This will be Sanna’s second time at the FEI World Cup Final, having represented Australia in 1999 at Dortmund (GER) aboard Charisma.

Ahead of London Olympic Games the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Final in the Netherlands is the perfect opportunity for Sanna to test her mettle against the world’s best.

Sanna plans to travel Jaybee Alabaster to Europe early in 2012 to compete in the FEI World Cup Final™ and the Olympic nomination events.

Jaybee Alabaster’s owner Bev Edward’s is a proud of her boy. “I am ecstatic,” commented Alabaster’s owner Bev Edwards. “I have owned Alabaster since he opened his eyes. I bought his mother in Germany from the Schockemöhles when she was in foal with him. He was born at our place in Australia.”

Edward’s enjoyed great success at the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in 2010 watching her stallion Vivant finish 7th - whom she co-owned at the time with son and daughter-in-law Chris and Helen Chugg. “I can’t wait to go to another World Cup Final. Having owned Alabaster as a foal makes this very special.

“This has been Alabaster’s very best year and we look forward to 2012 with great excitement,” added Edwards who plans to travel to Europe to watch the combination compete.

Nine combinations, including one rider from New Zealand, contested in the CDI-W. Olympian and three-time World Championships representative Rachael Sanna was always a favourite to take the title after dominating domestic competition throughout the year. The five international judges, Katrina Wuest (GER), Alison King (HKG), Helen Hughes - Keen (NZL), Mary Seefried (AUS) and Susie Hoevenaars (AUS) were unanimous that Sanna was the top performer in the all-important Grand Prix Freestyle.

National Dressage Performance Director, Deb MacNicol, was thrilled with Sanna’s performance. “The performance was equal to anything we have had at the Pacific League Final competition in the past. Rachael knew that the competition would be strong and she was determined to achieve her goal.

“Their performance showed how much they have developed as a combination. The horse has matured and what is fabulous is that he has room for more improvement. Alabaster is established at this level now and steps-up every time he is out. This bodes very well for 2012 and beyond. Rachael is a professional and always prepares the horse very well.”

Runners-up in the Grand Prix Freestyle were 2008 Olympian Heath and the experienced black stallion Regardez Moi scoring 71.525% for their new freestyle routine.

Athens Olympic Games representative, Louisa Hill, was the sole New Zealand representative. Together with her young horse Bates Antonello she finished a close third in the Grand Prix Freestyle, only 1.15 percentage points behind Ryan.