Mikula, Probst, Polic, Ljolje and Lukicic First at 2018 Croatian Dressage Championships

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2018 Croatian Dressage Championships

Gita Susic Mikulan, Kaya Probst, Paula Polic, Vanda Ljolje and Iva Jurak Lukicic became the winners of the 2018 Croatian Dressage Championships held on 30 June - 1 July 2018.

With dressage in Croatia in full development and its only Grand Prix level rider based in the U.S.A., the National Championships only featured three divisions ridden at FEI level.

The country lacks advanced level horses, so the age divisions for pony, children, junior, young riders and senior riders do not correspond with the typical FEI level standard. Pony and children aged riders compete at A-level, whereas junior riders compete at L-level (comparable to Children's level). The "Young Rider" level is the actual FEI Pony division, whereas the senior title is decided at M-level.

The pony division was won by Gita Susic Mikulan aboard the 17-year old gelding Money Maker. She scored 60.700% and 62.150%in the A-level tests for the victory. The children rode the same A6 and A-level freestyle and Kaya Probst topped the board on the 8-year old Precious (by Parco) in a field of five competitors. She posted 64.500% and 65.950% for the title.

The junior riders competed at Children's L-level and Payla Polic bested a field of four combinations. Aboard the 8-year old Ferrero (by Casacabel IV x Quimico) she scored 65.037% and 67.487%.

Croatia's sole FEI pony level rider, Vanda Ljolje and the 13-year old Belgian SBS pony Ashen Dew Drop (by Dornik B x Pavarotti), competed in the "young riders" division as only rider, competing in an L-level and L-freestyle. Ljolje got 68.629% and 74.047% from the judges.

In the senior division, riders from different levels were grouped together. The majority rode at M-level, yet two pairs did the small tour and one rode at Inter 2 level. Eight combinations battled it out and Iva Jurak Lukicic and the 20-year old Hanoverian bred Lancaster (by Longchamp x Wagner) got the gold with 60.559%, 63.150% and 61.855% at Inter 2 level. The silver medalist Milja Brnic and her 14-year old Lilly of the Valley (by Lensen x Cashmere) posted 61.177%, 66.800% and 63.989% at Inter I level. The bronze went to M-level rider Katarina Coric on the 7-year old Lippizaner bred Siglavy Zenta XIII-5 (by Siglavy Raluca I x Conversano Gaetana XV)

Complete results here.