An almost all inclusive field of Australia dressage elite rider have filled the placings in the World Cup qualifying Grand Prix Freestyle at the 2014 Australian Dressage Championships in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday 25 October 2014. The CDI-W Kur to Music and national Grand Prix championship were won by Heath Ryan and his 19-year old ever green Regardez Moi, who is nearing the end of his competitive career.
On their way to victory the duo scored 72.38 to narrowly defeat World Equestrian Games 2014 representative Mary Hanna who partnered with her 13-year old KWPN gelding Umbro to achieve a score of 72.23. Brett Parbery and DP Weltmieser rounded out the top three scoring 70.90.
Addressing the crowd after the competition Ryan said he suspected this would be Regardez Moi’s final Freestyle appearance at the Nationals.
“Regardez Moi is 19 years of age. He knows his way through the test so well, he’s doing wonderfully well but I can’t imagine that we’ll manage to make it to the Nationals again next year. I do think this will be one of our last performances," said Ryan. “By the time we have finished (the test) he is huffing and puffing but he just loves it.”
A prelude to Saturday’s main event was a quadrille competition (an artistic ride created by a team of four horses and riders) between a team comprising members of Australia’s Dressage Committee (Kerry Mack, Roger Fitzhardinge, Elizabeth Owens and Julia Battams) and a team of Young Rider Development Squad members (consisting of Courtney Barbera, Morgan Duell, Victoria Stuckey and Libby Hulin). In the inaugural competition it was the young riders who triumphed with their performance to popular Australian songs ‘Down Under’ and ‘You’re the Voice’ voted more popular by the enthusiastic audience which were asked to judge the performances.
Earlier in the day Elloise Devlin continued her winning streak at the Championships adding victory in the Young Rider Individual Test CDI-Y to her win in Friday’s team test. Devlin won the class with a score of 67.84 and was followed closely by fellow Queenslander Annie Simmons and Florett on 67.61. Young Riders will contest their Freestyle on Sunday.
Photo © Venhaus
Related Links
Scores 2014 Australian Dressage Championships
Heath Ryan On His Way to Win 2014 Australian Dressage Championships
Riders Make Manoeuvres of Epic Proportions to Compete at 2014 Australian Dressage Championships