Taking home two thirds at the 2014 Werribee National Dressage Festival in Australia on 11 - 14 December 2014, Holly Cutler and her 8-year old Don Schufro x Sevillano xx mare Diva Royale certainly turned heads. With scores of 67.456% and 69.210% in the small tour and two third places Holly is excited for her Grand Prix debut early in 2015.
“In the Prix St Georges on Thursday Diva felt a bit tense because of the atmosphere of the show as we had only just arrived and I was unable to get there earlier due to work commitments, and therefore was unable to familiarise her in the arena," said Australian rising star Holly Cutler. "On Friday for the Intermediaire I Diva was much more relaxed and we were able to pull off a mistake free test for 69.21%."
The promising duo dropped to a 13th place and disappointing score on Saturday in the Kur to Music as major mistakes had crept into their freestyle. Holly said Diva felt sensational, particularly as the test was in the indoor and her mare loves a crowd, but unfortunately she had some mistakes which cost her greatly.
"I did not ride enough straight strides out of my canter pirouettes, so that meant zeros for both pirouettes and it cost me a score of around 70% - massive marks lost and I won't make that mistake again," she said confidently.
Bred by Theo Vagelpohl in Germany, Diva Royale was imported from Germany as a youngster. The bay mare qualified for the 2009 Oldenburg Elite Mare show in Rastede. Coach Mary Hanna and Holly, then known as Holly Stansfield-Smith, discovered Diva Royale at owner Johannes Westendarp's place after covering many miles in Germany and Holland looking at dressage prospects
The bay Oldenburg is known as an extremely trainable, very cuddly mare in the stable, and loves to throw a huge buck in her paddock.
"She loves performing to a crowd and really is a Diva in that respect," said Holly. "We bought her in 2009 as a 3-year old in Germany. I travelled to Europe with my mum and Mary with an intention of purchasing a 5-year old old medium level horse."
Spotting Diva as a green 3-year old old, Holly knew it was not really their fitting criteria, but just couldn't leave for Australia without her.
"She was so expressive and soft and had exceptional movement," she explained. "Buying a horse at that age is a bit like opening a box of chocolates - you never know what you are going to get - until you start training. We are nothing short of thrilled with how she has developed, and how much she seems to love to work.”
Set to debut at Grand Prix level in January 2015 at the Boneo Park CDI, Holly is happy to say the mare has a serious talent for piaffe and passage, so the team is very excited to get her out at the top level.
"As for me, I am probably not the story you are expecting. I am a lawyer and a mum to a little boy. As such I'm an amateur rider with just this one horse which I train and compete on," said Holly frankly, who has been training with Mary Hanna on the Bellarine Peninsula for the past twelve years. "I am, however, very ambitious with this horse and am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us both," she added.
by Sarah Warne
Related Links
Scores 2014 CDN Werribee
Forty-nine Mares Selected for the 2009 Oldenburg Elite Show in Rastede