Sue Hearn, Rozzie Ryan and Fiona Selby became the winners of the three big tour classes at the 2019 CDI Bawley Point on 21 - 24 February 2019.
Terry Snow hosted the first ever CDI 4* dressage competition on the souther hemisphere at his state of the art Wlllinga Park, making the CDI Bawley Point an attractive competition.
Hearn Bests Grand Prix
On the opening day of the 2019 Willinga Park Dressage By The Sea CDI4* and in a thrilling conclusion to the 4* Grand Prix, the Rio Olympian combination of Sue Hearn and Remmington (by Riverdance) were last into the arena with just one goal in mind–to beat the combinations before them. The leading test score before them was posted by Mary Warren and her home bred and trained Mindarah Park Raphael (by Mindarah Park Ramadan) with 67.196%.
In an electric atmosphere, with a strong and enthusiastic crowd gathered to watch, the pressure was extreme, but this team was up for the challenge. In a beautifully-ridden test, with smooth and gathered paces that allowed the judges to award solid marks across the board, Mary Warren and Mindarah Park Raphael delivered a final tally of 68.391% to secure the inaugural Australian CDI4* title.
In another Australian first, the event at this world-class Bawley Point venue is using paperless scoring allowing the five elite judges, with a minimum of two 5* international judges on the judging panel, to enter their scores on iPads for real-time scoring.
Winner Sue Hearn says the paperless scoring was a unique experience in her career. “By the time I left the arena and had ridden to ‘A’ I heard the call, looked at the screen and knew we had won!!”
Sue and the 16-year-old Remmington are no strangers to victory at the highest level, having won National Grand Prix and Kur titles, the same titles at Equitana and Sydney CDI and had a strong campaign together at Rio finishing just outside of the medals. Bred by Mark Dowling, Remmington was affectionately nicknamed ‘Lloyd’ after Mark’s father, who passed away shortly after he was born. Sue purchased him as a yearling, and together they have gone through the grades to enjoy significant success.
Rozzie Ryan In Front in the GP Special
Rozzie and Heath Ryan, the dynamic, Newcastle-based hubby and wife team are Olympians, Australian title holders, trainers, breakers, teachers, coaches, breeders, and mentors across Dressage and Eventing in Australia and there’s practically nothing that these two haven’t achieved. But this latest win belongs to Rozzie who said, “Heath is at home working to pay the bills.”
On board Jarrah R, Rozzie set a strong score that would go on to challenge the other combinations and would go right down to the wire to see if they would be able to hold on and claim the win in the Grand Prix Special.
At the presentation ceremony, Roz said, “I hadn’t even thought about the significance of the title (victory). Yes, what a thrill for us to add such an honour to our record!”
First CDI Victory for Fiona Selby
Fiona owns and runs the Boneo Park equestrian facility on the Mornington Peninsula. Between the development of her business and the injuries that have kept Tacita in and out of competition in the last five years, today was a career highlight and their biggest win together.
“I just can believe it,” Fiona said. “I’ve never had a ride like that in my life. It felt amazing. She was just with me all the way.”
Fiona’s husband Edward noted that Tacita was a bit like a 1978 Ferrari with only 10,000 kms. She would be in work, looking great and there would be an injury that required time out again. Tacita was put back into work just last September with a focus on conditioning. She is now lighter and stronger and had a successful buildup to this win with titles at the State Championships. The Selby's purchased Tacita in Germany from Ira Denkhaus at Gestut Kempke Hof.
Text Willinga Park PR, edited by Eurodressage - Photos © Willinga Park
Related Links
Scores: 2019 CDI Bawley Point
Australia's First CDI 4* to be Hosted at Bawley Point