Brett Parbery and the twelve-year-old gelding Victory Salute have been crowned Grand Prix Champions at Australia’s premiere Dressage competition the Sydney CDI 3-star.
The pair happily add the title to their impressive resume which also includes winning the Grand Prix at Dressage with the Stars (Vic) in March. The two wins doing no harm to Parbery’s campaign for team selection to the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky 2010.
Parbery and the 17hh brown gelding Victory Salute who is owned by Carolyn Lieutenant, thrilled the capacity crowd on Saturday night at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre as they danced to the music during their Freestyle test.
“Brett’s test was of an exceptionally high standard,” commented Judge Virginia Creed, “overall it was a very high standard of competition but Brett presented a test which was technically very correct and also of an extremely high artistic level which was very entertaining and was well appreciated by the crowd.”
“He was great,” said Parbery of the 12-year-old gelding “he tries so hard and his work is improving all the time.”
The plan now for Sam (aka Victory Salute) is “to back off a little bit until the State championships in September where we hope for a really good performance. The big goal is selection for the World Games in Kentucky next year,” said Parbery who narrowly missed Olympic selection last year.
“We peaked too late last year but the time we spent in Europe during the selection process has really helped our performances now.”
Rachael Sanna and Jaybee Alabaster put the pressure on Parbery all the way. Finishing in second place the nine-year-old stallion showed that he is an emerging star. Sanna’s entertaining freestyle was ridden to “Love and Marriage”.
In third place was the showman Heath Ryan aboard Byalee Magic. Ryan’s top horse Regardez Moi was absent from the competition as he is in quarantine after competing in Las Vegas at the World Cup Finals in April.
FRIDAY 08 MAY
Carolyn Lieutenant's 12-year-old gelding was too good for the opposition today in the Equestrian NSW Grand Prix finishing on 70.340%. "He was great," commented a happy Brett Parbery "it is good to ge a score like that from international judges and know that there is still room for improvement." In comparison to how the horse was working last year when Brett was trying to earn a place on our Olympic Team Brett says "he feels much better now, the work I did with Hubertus has helped to develop the horse and it is paying off now."
Rachael Sanna and Bev Edward's Jaybee Alabaster finished second with 67.957%. " I was a little disappointed," said Rachael "he made mistakes that he didn't need to make."
Another disappointed rider was Heath Ryan. "The horse was fantastic," said Heath of Byalee Magic "but I lost my head, I finished [the canter zigzs] early then got confused and went the wrong way, the judge thought I missed one of the six stride half passes and asked me to do the whole movement again. I did it again and I thought 'this is exactly what I just' did and I got confused again! In actual fact I was right the first time but I just finished them really early so that blew the whole test which is such a shame because it felt great!" One error of course for Heath and 63.915% for seventh place.
Kate Taylor-Wheat and her lovely Zeoleit gelding Oscar B finished in third place on 67.277%.
The Riders Shoppe Young Rider Freestyle CDI-Y was won by yesterday's CDI-Y winner Robbie Soster and Viviano 67.500%. Alexis Hellyer better yesterday's result by one place finishing in second place today on Waca W with 66.083%. Victoria Welsh switched places from yesterday with Alexis and finished in third place on BJ Kaneto Casablanca 63.833%. There were just four competitors in the class with Sancha Butler rounding off the placings on Gaucho II 62.417%.
The Needs for Steeds Intermediate 1 winner was Rozzie Ryan and the powerhouse Jive Magic on 68.895%. "Rozzie was really happy," said Heath "Jive is really ready for Grand Prix but to be honest I am not looking forward to him getting there!!" Ann Serrao rode her expressive mare Silvery to second place on 64.842%. Brett Parbery finished third on Beth Turner's Welt Hill. "That was the ride of the day for me, he really started to show what he can do," said Brett. Best of the internationals was again Daniel Watson (GBR) on Neversfeled Kudu in fourth place 64.263%.
All the judges of the IRT Advanced Tournament 5.4 were in agreement that the winner was Heath Ryan aboard Susan Duddy's DP Wedonna (Weltmeyer) 67.222%. Second to Victorian Clare Porz on her 9-year-old mare Candi Ka (Cajus) 65.556%. Third to Cheryl-Lea Williams on her own 7-year-old gelding King's Legend (Cildara Conquest) 63.986%.
Heather Currie and the 7-year-old stallion Donnablitz won the IRT Advanced Tournament 5.3 with a score of 65.366%. Heath Ryan and Susan Duddy's DP Wedonna second for 64.878% and third to Claire Seidl and BP Worldwide who won yesterday's Prix St Georges (CDN), today they scored 64.065%.
In the Hanoverian Horse Society of Australia NSW Young Dressage Horse Championships 4-year-old qualifier belonged to the Jazz and Jive Magics (who is by Jazz). Rochelle King-Andrews was the best performed on Challenger Jacaranda (Jive Magic) followed by Jive Time (Jive Magic) ridden by owner Roger Fitzhardinge and in third was the mare Jaybee Jaffa (Jazz) ridden by Anita Scampton.
The Hanoverian Horse Society of Australia NSW Young Dressage Horse Championships 5-year-old qualifier was won by Matthew Dowsley's amazing Sandro Hit stallion San Jose. Gary Lung's gelding GB Winchester (Weltmeyer) ridden by Gary was a well deserved second and Leilah Nieuwland's mare Wajama also by Weltmeyer finished third.
The Hanoverian Horse Society of Australia NSW Young Dressage Horse Championships 6-year-old qualifier went to Lauren and Dairia Vella's elegant mare Sunglow (Sunny Boy) ridden beautifully by Maree Tomkinson. Catherine Chittenden rode her own gelding Solletico (Domingo) to second place and Neversfelde Weltsong (Weltmeyer) and whose mother Neversfelde Kudu placed 4th in the Intermediate 1 with international rider Daniel Watson, owned by Maurie and Jane Bruce was well ridden into third place by Brett Parbery .
THURSDAY 07 MAY
Rachael Sanna and Jaybee Alabaster set the standard on day one of the Sydney CDI......
It was a perfect clear sunny day for the start of competition at the CDI. Rachael Sanna and Jaybee Alabaster were clear winners of the Australian Sports Commission Intermediate II (CDN) on a score of 70%. "He has been working really well, the best he has ever gone," said Rachael before her test "I hope he can hold it together for the right six minutes!" Alabaster certainly managed to do keep it together and all judges had him unanimously in 1st place. In second was Kate Taylor Wheat and Oscar B on 65.789%, third to Heath Ryan (freshly back and super inspired by his trip to Las Vegas) and Byalee Magic 65.263%. In total there was a field of 17 combinations in the class.
Robbie Soster and Regina Brandt's Viviano were the winners of the Riders Shoppe Young Rider Individual (CDI-Y) on 64.123%. " I was really pleased with him," said Robbie. Victoria Welsh finished second on 61.404% aboard the 8-year-old gelding BJ Kaneto Casablanca. Alexis Hellyer also scored 61.404% on Waca W.
The stallions stole ths show in the Gow-Gates FEI Prix St Georges. Rozzie Ryan and Jive Magic were the most impressive winning the class ahead of the large field of 31 combinations. Rozzie scored 69.947% to beat another impresive stallion, 8-year old Rodrigo III ridden by Maree Tomkinson 68.000%. Anne Serrao's lovey mare Silvery took third place with 67.105%. This class included the international riders who were riding borrowed horses. The best placed visiting rider was Daniel Watson (GBR) in 10th place on Maurie and Jane Bruce's Neversfelde Kudu. "I am really enjoying being here, the faciliies are fantastic and everyone has been very nice, " said Daniel. Next best of the visitors was 11th placed Lisa Blackbourne (NZL) who brought her own horse Prestige VDL across the Tasman to compete. Fellow Kiwis 16th placed Otillie Upshall and Grand Prix competitior Karen Anderson also brought their horses over for the event. "It is good to get out of our comfort zone and compete against a bigger more competitive field," said Otillie. "We have much smaller fields at the higher levels," added Karen "It is great to be here and get this experience." Karen brought the same horse Komplete Kaos over two years ago but to her frustration he went lame before the first trot up. "It was nice to actually compete this time," laughed Karen who finished today's Intermedite II in 12th place.
The Wagners Saddlery Prix St Georges (CDN) was won by Claire Seidl on ther beautiful stallion Worldwide PB 65.175% followed by Brett Parbery on the Welmeyer gelding Welt Hill 64.737%. "He was great," said Brett, "but he gave me some grief in the warm-up!" Victorian Clare Porz and her 9-year-old mare Candi Ka finished third on 64.123%.
WEDNESDAY 06 MAY
With Heath Ryan's top horse Regardez-Moi resting after his World Cup campaign in the USA, the Grand Prix field is wide open with the Sydney CDI Grand Prix Champion title up for grabs. One of the challengers will be Jaybee Alabaster, who has been improving with each competition and former Olympic rider Rachael Sanna will have the big powerful chestnut stallion “spot on” for this event. In the Southern Highland’s, Brett Parbery has been quietly preparing Victory Salute for his CDI return after their 2008 European campaign and their recent win at Dressage with the Stars, whilst Mary Hanna and Tango V, coming off their success at the Australian Championships are not making the long trip from Victoria for nothing!
Related Links
Scores 2009 CDI Sydney
Uproar Over Australian Olympic Team Selection