Defending champion Judy Dierks and Vicki Newman's 11-year old Bavarian bred Diamond Star won the Grand Prix at the 2017 Australian Dressage Championships in Boneo, Australia, on Friday 20 October 2017. Competitors from three countries, including British Olympic team rider Spencer Wilton on a ride for four days, spiced the Grand Prix class.
The 2017 Australian Dressage Championships are held at Fiona Selby's Boneo Park equestrian centre. In Australia titles are given to the winners of both the Grand Prix and the freestyle and at the end of the event an overall champion is proclaimed as well.
The Grand Prix turned out to be a very close competition for the coveted Grand Prix title. Dierks and her Diamond Hit x Pour Plaisir offspring ended up with the bragging rights for another 12 months after winning the class on 69.300%. She had Brett Parbery and Susan Duddy's 15-year old DP Weltmieser (by Weltmeyer x Dutch Courage) on her heels, but the pair finished second on 69.060%. Initially Parbery was announced as winner as Dierks got a penalty for entering the arena before the bell had rung, but that penalty was lifted after the class as the gate keeper had opened the gate too early before the bell signal.
After more than one year break from CDI competition New Zealand's Julie Brougham and her Olympic ride Vom Feinsten, a 14-year old Rhinelander by Fidermark x Weltmeyer, have returned to the international stage and placed third in Boneo with 68.460%. Brougham made her come back in Boneo after having last shown internationally at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
With only four days of saddle time on Mary Hanna and Carola Haynes' 16-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Umbro (by Jazz x Juventus), British Olympian Spencer Wilton steered the bay gelding to a fourth place with 67.70%. Hanna last competed Umbro at the CDI-W Melbourne in November 2016. Wilton has loaned the routinier for the weekend as he is the keynote speaker at the Master Class on Saturday.
Photos © Stephen Mowbray
Related Links
Scores 2017 CDI-W Boneo
2017 Australian Dressage Championships, a Battle for Titles and WEG Qualification Scores
2017 Australian Dressage Championships Allocated to Boneo Park