The extraordinarily full Grand Prix class at the 2016 CDI-W Wellington had to be eld over two days with 49 pairs competing. Incessant rain storms forced the organisation to move the class to the covered arena, where the competition was strong and impressively consistent, with the top four riders scoring within tenths of points of each other. Belinda Trussell (CAN) won the test with a 72.860% aboard Robyn Eames and Marc Trussell’s Anton.
Trussell remarked that she was surprised with her win on Anton, a 16-year-old Sachsen gelding (by Antaeus out of Shirley) bred by Mirko Glotz. “This was a huge class with good competition! Anton is a professional, and we went out and had a good time together,” she said. “To come out with the blue ribbon was lovely.”
She attributed their success today to their long partnership and her willingness to take more risks in the test and allow Anton to be more expressive, especially in the extended trot. This was their first outing since their second place finish at Dressage at Devon in the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle and the Royal Winter Fair in November in Toronto, where they won the Grand Prix.
She thinks there is even more room for improvement. “He has a very good piaffe and passage, and it is my goal to keep riding the test up to his potential,” she said.
Arlene “Tuny” Page (USA) closely followed Trussell with Woodstock, coming in with a 72.760% for second place. Page was pleased to note, “Overall this was a very solid test; there was nothing that was a glaring mistake or a big highlight. It felt like everything was steady. I look forward to seeing the judges’ scores and comments, of course, but it felt like 7, 7.5, 8. From a trainer’s point of view, I’m very satisfied with that.”
She and her own Woodstock, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding (by Havel out of Mirania), have been working to improve their consistency in different venues. She was pleased to note that he was a consistent partner for her here, as he was over the summer in Rotterdam, despite some of the weather-related stressors. She was also quick to praise the show management for their calm and organized handling of the decisions to move the jog and the Grand Prix into the Van Kampen Covered Arena, noting the consistency of the footing in all of the AGDF arenas.
Kasey Perry-Glass (USA) held on to her top score from competing yesterday in the start of the FEI Grand Prix with Goerklintgaards Doublet, a 13-year-old Danish gelding (by Diamond Hit out of La Costa) owned by Diane Perry and bred by Jorgen Ravn. They finished third with a score of 72.320%. Perry-Glass also finished 11th with Trostruplunds Scarlet, the 17-year-old Danish mare (by Don Schufro out of Ramona) owned by Diane Perry.
She said she is having a terrific time right now, elaborating that she has “great horses, a great husband, and a great coach.” She was especially happy with the efforts of both horses, particularly praising Scarlet’s one-tempis changes, which were larger and more consistent than they have been. “Both horses were really relaxed,” she said.
The top six finishers were all very close together, all scoring within .8 of a point of each other. Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven (SWE) earned fourth place with Benneton Dream, the 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion (by Brentano II) bred by Axel Windeler and owned by Lövsta Stuteri, with a score of 72.240%. Allison Brock (USA) and Rosevelt put in a lovely consistent test to finish fifth with a 72.220%. The 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion (by Rotspon x Lauries Crusador xx) is owned by Fritz and Claudine Kundrun. Shelly Francis and Doktor earned a 72.100% and a big round of applause from their fans. The 13-year-old Oldenburg (by Diamond Hit) gelding is owned by Patricia Stempel.
American Grand Prix champion Laura Graves has quite a few mistakes in her ride and landed seventh place with Verdades (by Florett As) on 71.620%.
In the Prix St Georges, presented by Chesapeake Dressage Institute, with 21 entries representing nine countries. Victory went to Leida Collins-Strijk (NED) and Don Tignanello, who scored 72.456%. Michael Klimke (GER) and Djamba Djokiba finished second with a score of 71.316%. Klimke also took third place on the American owned Depardieu on 71.140%.
Text by Carly Weilminster, edited by Eurodressage
Photos © Sue Stickle
Related Links
Scores 2016 CDI-W Wellington