Brett Parbery and DP Weltmieser won the Grand Prix Kur at the 2016 CDI Boneo on 20 - 24 January 2016 with a score of 74.375%. The combination climbed from a seventh place in the Grand Prix with 66.860%, to a second in the Special with 68.765% and then victory in the freestyle on the final day of competition.
“I didn't have the best preparation for this, our first CDI of the season,” Brett told Eurodressage. “I was injured pretty badly in a horse fall 10 days before the trot up at Boneo so none of my horses had had a lot of work going in.”
As Brett’s horses had already had a nice break over Christmas, with this added time off he really wasn't expecting big things.
“DP Weltmieser, aka Rabbit, improved from one test to the next and gave me one of his best rides to date in the freestyle. Our new freestyle music was prepared by Karen Robinson of Canada, and just suits the horse so well and is a lot of fun to ride," said Parbery
DP Weltmieser (by Weltmeyer x Dutch Gold) is bred and owned by Brian and Barbara Marheine and their daughter Susie Duddy. They imported dam Catherston Debutante and bred Rabbit in Australia. The black has been in training with Brett since 2008. The pair won the 2015 Australian Grand Prix Championships, the 2015 CDI Sydney and 2015 CDI Boneo.
They are qualified in second position for the Rio selection events to be held later this year in Europe. Brett knows they have a long year in front of them and at this stage they are still uncertain if they will be attending those selection events.
“For us Rio is an incredibly difficult event to attend. We have to you pack up our lives and move to Europe no later than mid April, then attend the selection events through June and July. Then if selected, attend the Games in August, and after all this our horses cannot come back to Australia for six months after leaving South America.”
Basically, Brett is aware that you have to put your life on hold for year or more to possibly do one show and with a lot of other horses in training and a young family this is a decision that he is not taking lightly.
“We had some discussions with the owners and I’m still trying to make our decision as a group. Susie Duddy and her parents Brian and Barbara, have been incredible owners for us and have been wonderful supporters of the sport in Australia. They bred this horse and if anyone deserves to see their horse represent Australia it is these wonderful people.”
by Sarah Warne
Related Links
Scores 2016 CDI Boneo
Maree Tomkinson and Diamantina Win 2016 CDI Boneo Grand Prix