Rochelle Kilberg of Surrey, BC, and Simone Williams of Navan, ON, will represent Canada at the Sydney CDI 3*/CDI–Y International Dressage Derby being held in Sydney, Australia, May 7–9, 2009.
The event, hosted at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park, site of the 2000 Olympic Games, is the only CDI3* held in Australia each year.
Williams, a Level 3 dressage coach, and Wunder Ein, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Wolkenstein II owned by Williams and her parents Robert and Margaret Williams, have competed successfully throughout North America together since 2004. In 2008, Williams and Wunder Ein had their breakout-year and successfully moved up to the Grand Prix level. They won the Grand Prix Freestyle at the CDI-W CNE Classic, in Toronto, ON, with a score of 67.550%, and finished second in both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Freestyle (66.250%) at CDI-W Blainville International Classic, at the Blainville Equestrian Park, in Blainville, QC. Based on their success in 2008, Williams and Wunder Ein have been named to the Dressage Canada Long List for 2009.
“I am looking forward to representing Canada at the upcoming Sydney CDI 3*; riding an unfamiliar horse at the international levels is always a fun and rewarding experience,” said Williams. “I really appreciate the owners in Australia who make this possible.”
Riding Martell, Ben Vermeulen’s 16-year-old Russian Trakehner gelding, Kilberg was the 2008 British Columbia and Pacific Regional Grand Prix Champion. From 2003 to 2007, Kilberg also competed at all the CDI competitions in California riding Lanzar, a Canadian Warmblood gelding by Florian also owned by Vermeulen, and West-Bay, her own Oldenburg gelding sired by Walldorf. Kilberg and West-Bay were 2003 Canadian Dressage Team Pan-Am Games trials finalists.
“I am so excited to have been given the opportunity to represent Canada and am looking very forward to the Australian dressage experience,” said Kilberg.
The international judging panel at the Sydney CDI 3* will include President of the Ground Jury, Maribel Alonso Quinzanos (MEX) and Members Andrew Gardner (GBR), Janine Rohr-Cicurel (ARG), Chang-Kyoo Yang (KOR), Alison King (HKG), Helen Hughes-Keen (NZL), Mary Seefried (AUS), Susan Hoevenaars (AUS), Jill Cobcroft (AUS), Virginia Creed (AUS), Maria Schwennesen (AUS), Ricky McMillan (AUS)
Due to Australian's strict quarantine requirements and the high cost of air transportation, the organizing committee invited owners to loan their Prix St Georges/Intermediaire I level horses to the visiting international riders. The International Dressage Derby is the most exciting event of the competition. All riders will start on equal terms, drawing the name of the horse they will compete on out of a hat.
Canada has had great results in the past at the Derby where many up-and-coming elite athletes can get a taste of international competition abroad while showing their versatility riding unfamiliar horses. In 2008, Canadian Dressage riders Karen Pavicic of Richmond, BC, and Pia Fortmuller of DeWinton, AB, claimed the team gold medal in the Derby, and Pavicic won the title of best foreign rider.
Related Links
Coverage of the 2008 CDI Sydney
Coverage of the 2007 CDI Sydney