After Four-Year CDI Break Eliane Van Reesema's Codiak Finds Winning Form at 2022 CDI-W Wellington

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2022 CDI-W Wellington - Global Dressage Festival / Week 5

On the final day of competition during week 5 of the 2022 Global Dressage Festival, persistent rain depleted the classes from competitors, but some riders braved the elements and were rewarded in return. Dutch born Eliane Cordia-van Reesema won the Intermediaire II, while Jennifer Williams bested the Intermediaire I Kur to Music.

Cordia and Codiak Win Inter II

It has been six years since Dutch born American Eliane Cordia-van Reesema rode a big tour level test in a CDI ring. After the retirement of her career starting Jewel's Adelante (by Don Schufro x Phaeton), the Milton, CT based Van Reesema has been focusing on bringing your horses up the levels and has extensively competed three horses - Codiak, Flynn, and Fellow - at international small tour level.

However on Sunday 13 February 2022 the day had come for her to return to an (almost) Grand Prix level test with her ride in the Intermediaire II on long-time partner Codiak, a 13-year old Rhinelander gelding by Cristallo x Carabas, which she sourced at Daniel Ramseier's yard in Germany in 2015 after the dark bay had been competed in the 2013 Bundeschampionate with Danica Duen.

Between 2017 and 2018, Eliane and Codiak tackled the small tour but until yesterday it had been four years since Codiak had set foot in a CDI ring. The American rider made a triumphant return with Jewel Court Stud’s jumping-bred gelding. Last to go in the Intermediate II 2*, they delivered a 70.265% to clinch the class.

They edged out Portugal’s Tiago Ernesto and the Lusitano stallion Hobbit Interagro, whose 70.077% marked a new personal best. Barbara Bertschinger (SUI) finished third, riding her home-bred Sonnenbergs Solisco CH to 67.441%.

Williams and Joppe K Win Inter I Kur

Jennifer Williams sheltering from the rain after the
prize giving ceremony

Jennifer Williams (USA) saved her best performance with Joppe K for the end of the week. The pair laid down a new personal best of 73.865% to top the Intermediate I Freestyle CDI2*. At just eight years old, The Joppe Partners’s gelding was the youngest in the class.

Williams showed Joppe K, who is by Harmony’s Rousseau, very successfully in young horse six- and seven-year-old FEI classes, but this was their first senior CDI win. Fellow American riders joined Williams on the podium. Ali Potasky finished second with Inxs on 72.570%, with Bianca Berktold just a whisker behind in third, riding Imperial to 72.430%.