Belgian Liselot Dupont and her 11-year old Expression rode their third ever international competition at small tour level at the 2016 CDI Nieuw en St Joosland on 6 - 10 April 2016, and in a massive field of professionals the 26-year old stood her ground and finished on a brilliant third place in the Inter I kur at the end of the show.
Dupont was really happy with her success at the first first northern European outdoor competition of the 2016 show season. She finished 6th in the Prix St Georges, 8th in the Intermediaire I, and third in the Intermediate I kur. For her this is hopefully the start of many more successful CDI’s.
“Joosland was just our third international competition at small tour and to finish 8th overall was a great surprise,” Liselot told Eurodressage. “The first day he felt a bit tense because we had to ride in the rain and there was also a lot of wind. Secondly, it was the first outdoor show of the season. Luckily he settled in and on the other two days he was really focused and relaxed.”
Aboard Werner Devrieze's Westfalian gelding Expression (by Ehrentusch x Florestan) she scoring 69.184%, 69.000%, and 71.600%. Liselot says that it’s her horse's personality that makes it special.
"He is always in a good mood, always ready to work," said Dupont. “His owner brought him to me a year ago. At that time he was at the same level as a 5-year old, but we progressed very quickly. Five months after he arrived I started him in competition at the Belgian Championships in the Bronze Cup (M10 level) and he won the first two days. Just one month later we began small tour."
Based in Aaltr, Belgium, and coached by her father, Belgian Grand Prix rider Jan Dupont, Liselot has constant professional supervision.
“My father was two time Belgian champion at Big Tour level and has trained many horses up to Grand Prix," she said. "The next few months I hope to ride some more international competitions with Expression and we are planning to go to Compiegne next month.”
Liselot has been working at the stable with her father since she was 18 and did not really do many competitions before, because she likes the training part the most.
“I Eenjoy riding and training the horses at home and than trying to sell them and start over again with the next one," Liselot admitted. "I have another really nice horse coming up, Coffee Bay (by Christ) but he is only six years old so perhaps at the end of this year I will compete him."
by Sarah Warne - Photos © Digishots
Our photography partner Leanjo de Koster of Digishots is shooting all combinations at the 2016 CDI Nieuw en St. Joosland. Check out his online gallery here.
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