The 30-year old Grand Prix rider Dominique Filion let the orange flag fly at the 2015 CDIO Vidauban on 5 - 8 March 2015 as the leader for the Dutch Team in the CDIO Nations' Cup and the winner of the 6-year old division. Aboard her top horse Wenicienta, Filion spearheaded the Dutch campaign in France by winning the CDIO Grand Prix and placing second in the Special and Kur to Music.
Scoring 70.020% in the Grand Prix, Filion led a field of 17 riders which had been called to arms to defend their country in the Nations' Cup. Her partner in crime is the 12-year old Dutch bred mare Wenicienta (by Rosario x El Corano) with whom she made her international Grand Prix debut in January 2015.
“I am very happy about the show because we are only very new to the Grand Prix and thus still have a lot to learn,” says Dominique, who trains with Anne van Olst. “I want to ride a few more International competitions with her. However we are not in a hurry because she has already proven she has got a lot of talent. We just need time."
Wenicienta is bred by her owner Marlies van der Erve and the mare certainly showed off that talent in Vidauban, backing up her initial win with a double second; 72.235% in the Grand Prix Special, and 75.675% in the Grand Prix for Kur.
"I have been riding her since she was 6 years old," says Dominique. "I taught her everything she knows." According to Dominique Wenicienta loves to work, and has a lot of power. "She is a big mare. I love to work with her and I have a lot of faith in her. She is growing into a very fine Grand Prix horse."
Filion also brought along the exciting Hanoverian mare Donna Lisa (by Dancier x Wolkentanz) for the young horse tests. She won the preliminary test for 6-year olds with 8.14 and was the sole competitor in the Finals' class in which she scored a winning 8.38.
"She gets high marks for her trot because it's very expressive, but her canter is also really nice," said Dominique. "I ride her for her owner Laura Quint. The plan is to train her further and then see what the future brings."
Text by Sarah Warne - Photos © Astrid Appels
Eurodressage's Astrid Appels took photos of all riders competing in the CDIO Vidauban. If you are interested in photos, contact us by email with your name and the name of the horse
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Eurodressage On the Scene at the 2015 Vidauban Dressage Festival