Brett Parbery and Susan Duddy's DP Weltmieser won the feature event on the card of the 2017 CDI Sydney - the Grand Prix Kur to Music on Saturday night 29 April 2017. According to the show organisation it was standing room only at a sold out Sydney International Equestrian Centre to witness the final class on the final day of a very busy and full 2017 CDI Sydney.
Of the 12 combinations on show for the Grand Prix freestyle seven pairs scored over 70% and as the class got deeper into the batting order the leaderboard got changed four times in a row! "It was edge of your seat stuff and even after the final combination presented, there was no knowing if the current leader would hold there place," said the show hosts.
Brett Parbery and the black Hanoverian gelding DP Weltmieser (by Weltmeyer) posted a score of 74.57% being placed by 4 out of 5 judges. In second place, with a score of 72.00%, was Matthew Dowsley with Diane Jenkyn's 12-yeare old Adloo Richard (by Royal Hit x Aachen) under the saddle.
Judith Dierks and Vicki Newham's 11-year old Bavarian bred Diamond Star (by Diamond Hit) finishe third in the Kur (71.825%) after their Grand prix Special win on Friday. They held out fourth placed Rozzie Ryan and the 11-year old Australian bred Jarrah R (by Jive Magic) on 70.87% and rounding out the top five, Olympian Sue Hearn on board her 15-year old Remmington (by River Dance) with a score of 70.73%.
Earlier in the day the U25 Grand Prix Freestyle took place. This class is always a great chance to have a look at Australia's young riders who have worked hard to be able to compete at the highest level of dressage - the Grand Prix. There are only a handful of riders who get to this level. All horse and rider combinations managed to score above 60 but it was Katherine Farrell on LuxoR, that won the competition with a score of 72.345%. A score that could be envied by experienced Grand Prix riders.
At the end of the day Dowsley was named the winner of the John Lieutenant Memorial Trophy which is awarded to the horse-rider combination obtaining the best three scores in the PSG, Inter 1, Freestyle or GP, GPS or GP Freestyle, Dowsley earned the trophy aboard Denise Ceddia's small tour horseAEA Prestige (by Prestige VDL).
Photo © Stephen Mowbray
Related Links
Scores 2017 CDI Sydney
Matthew Dowsley Off to a Great Start at the 2017 CDI Sydney