Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Ottawa Dressage Festival (ODF), presented by National Capital Dressage, witnessed three days of high-level CDI and CPEDI competition from May 19 – 21, 2023 at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Over 100 competitors came, some over considerable distances, to compete at Canada’s largest dressage show, held at one of the premier equestrian facilities in North America. The event provides opportunities for athletes to qualify for international competitions including the Paralympic Games, the Pan American Games, and the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) North American Youth Championships (NAYC).
Blais and Fedor Stake Their Claim
After taking top honours in the same event in 2022, Mathilde Blais Tetreault of Montreal, QC came to defend the title in the 3* Grand Prix with Fedor (by Johnson x Negro), a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Laurence Blais Tetreault. Scoring a personal best of 69.109% on Friday, May 20, the pair secured first place once again at this year’s Festival and staked their claim in the running for the Pan Am team spot.
The 31-year-old continued her success on Sunday, winning the CDI 3* Grand Prix Special with a score of 68.128%.
After placing third place on Friday in the Grand Prix, the duo of Jacqueline Brooks of Cedar Valley, ON, and Te Amo Q O S (by Totilas x Rubinstein 46), a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Mary Brooks, took home the winning ribbon in the 3* Grand Prix Freestyle to Music.
Boucher and Limei Score a Double
Beatrice and Monica Von Glahn's Limei scored 71.128% in the Prix St Georges and 71.422% in the Intermediaire I. Bred in Canada by Claude Ménard and Lynda Tétreault at Ferme Borealis, Limei sold to Monica Von Glahn of the United States when she was trained up to Third Level. . American Heather Blitz competed the horse under the birth name "Limei De Lys" before Beatrice took over the ride.
Small tour riders competed for scores in the race for team selection for the 2023 Pan American Games later this year in Santiago, Chile. Coming second in the Prix St Georges was Lori Bell aboard the 15-year old Oldenburg Flirt (by Florencio x Donnerhall) with 70.539%.
After having to retire the Canadian bred 11-year old Hanoverian Feng De Lys (by Furstenball x Weltmeyer) from the Prix St Georges, former Canadian team rider Belinda Trussell recovered well in the Intermediaire I and placed second with 70.735%. Feng is owned by Linda Jodoin.
The Intermediaire I kur to music saw only four competitors on Sunday and the class was won by Abbe Simbrow aboard the 12-year old Hanoverian Estor (by Estobar x Wolkenstein), bred by Erich Single in Germany and owned by Susan Bresler. The pair won the freestyle with 71.592% and edged out Olympian Jacqueline Brooks aboard her mum Mary's 10-year old Oldenburg Quel Filou (by Quatergold x Furst Heinrich), who is bred in Germany by Anna Mitter and Wilhelm Meiners. Brooks scored 68.325% in the Kur.
Photo © Cealy Tetley
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Scores: 2023 CDI Ottawa