Porsche and Sadis Win on Final Day of 2017 CDI 5* in Wellington

Shows

2017 CDI Wellington

Week five of the 2017 Global Dressage Festival concluded competition on Sunday, February 12, with a win for Diana Porsche (AUT) in the Under 25 Grand Prix Freestyle, presented by Diamante Farms. Porsche and Di Sandro, a 2003 Oldenburg gelding (by De Niro x Sandro) rose to the top of the leaderboard with a score of 74.875%.

“Di Sandro was really good today; I think we had a lot of highlights in today’s ride,” said Porsche. “It was a difficult freestyle and we are not used to the warm weather, but I am super happy about the points and about the results.”

Porsche and Di Sandro are currently ranked at number one on the FEI Youth Dressage World Ranking List – U25.Of her goals, Porsche noted, “I would like to finish my season here at GDF with good results, and I hope to qualify for the European Championships in the U25 tour for Austria. After that, we will see what the future brings!”

Coming in second to Porsche was Mathilde Blais Tetreault (CAN) and Utah, a 2001 KWPN gelding (by Jazz) with 70.850%. Third place was captured by Kaitlin Blythe (USA), who rode Don Principe, a 1999 Hanoverian stallion (by Donnerhall x Prince Thatch xx) owned by Maryanna Haymon, to a 68.925%.

Katrina Sadis on Zepelim Earlier in the day, Katrina Sadis (USA) and Zepelim, a 2004 Lusitano gelding (by Ribamar out of Sereia) were the champions of the Young Rider Freestyle CDIY earning a score of 71.875%.

“He was surprisingly hot today!” revealed Sadis. “Usually he’s a really cool dude, but luckily I had some time to get him settled in the ring and then he was right there with me for the whole test. We have a really difficult freestyle; my coach Nicholas Fyffe made it for me. We tried to make it more challenging because I don’t have the biggest moving horse, so you really have to ride to get the points.”

Sadis began competing in Wellington in 2014, where she moved up the levels from the Pony to the Juniors and then to Young Riders classes. Regarding her future goals with Zepelim, Sadis commented, “I think I’m going to do Young Riders again this year with him. My end goal with this horse is to get him to the U25 Grand Prix, so I’m going to continue to work towards that.”

Codi Harrison (USA) and Katholts Bossco, a 2007 Danish Warmblood gelding (by Don Schufro x Michellino) owned by Harrison, placed second with a 67.725%. Third place was given to Camille Carier Bergeron (CAN) and Expression, a Westfalian gelding owned by Bergeron, with 67.625%.