Some of Canada's brightest up and coming dressage athletes proved they've got what it takes as many competed for the first time in the CDI ring this past weekend at the CDI-W world cup qualifier that was held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank California. Six Canadian FEI riders came into action in the Burbank equidome.
In a field of nineteen horse and rider combinations entered in the Prix St. Georges, Leslie Reid of Langley, BC, and Fine and Smart, a 10-year-old Westfalian gelding (by Furst Piccolo) owned by Juliet Sears Le Dorze, finished in 8th place. Wendy Christoff of Delta, BC, atop Di Scansano, her own 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding (by De Niro x Rubinstein) placed 12th, and Verena Mahin riding out of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, and Ulliman, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (by Kennedy x Roemer) owned by Beverly Gepfer, rounded out the Canadian performances finishing 13th.
"The show was very organized with many added features like the live streaming," Christoff told Eurodressage. "It gave my family and support group at home a chance to watch the tests live and send me their comments. I felt my tests needed a bit more oomph which I am working on for the next competition in a few weeks." Christoff plans to compete her Hanoverian in the four CDI's in southern California before she heads back to Canada in April. She aims to qualify her horse for the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
In the Intermediaire, Reid riding Fine and Smart took fifth place with a score of 67.281%, followed by Christoff in 14th and Mahin in 15th.
Markus Gribbe's student Monica Houweling of Delta, BC, took first place with a final score of 66.032% in the Under 25 Intermediate B test aboard Rifradin, a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare (by Gribaldi x Formateur) owned by Linda Houweling.
"Rifradin was such a superstar for me bringing home the win for Canada in our first CDI U25 Big Tour," Houweling commented.
Courtenay Fraser of Surrey, BC, and Birkegardens Lukas, Fraser's 14-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (by Leendert x Lucky Light), placed 7th in the Grand Prix Special, while fellow Canadian Lindsey Stroh of Beaumont, AB, and Lancelot, a 14-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding (by Lobster) owned by Vickie Argals, finished 9th.
The judges' panel for the CDI-W consisted of: Ground Jury President Gary Rockwell (5* USA), FEI Foreign Judge Jean-Michel Roudier (5* FRA), FEI Judge Cara Whitham (5* CAN), FEI Judge Magnus Ringmark (4* SWE) and FEI Judge Jayne Ayers (4* USA).
Photo © Terri Miller
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