New Zealand's Melissa Galloway Wins 2023 Australian Dressage Championships

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2023 Australian Dressage Championships

Melissa Galloway’s dominance of Australasian dressage has continued with big wins at the Australian Championships in the CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle, setting a New Zealand record, and taking out the CDI-W Grand Prix the day before.

The CDI-W Boneo not only counted as a World Cup Qualifier but also as the Australian Dressage Championships. Interesting enough they were dominated by a Kiwi.

The Marlborough rider and the NZL warmblood bred Windermere J’Obei W (by Johnson x Pompeii Court xx) scored an eye-watering 79.865% to convincingly win the freestyle by 3.255% ahead of multi-Olympian Mary Hanna aboard her Paris Olympic hopeful Ivanhoe, a 10-year old KWPN gelding by Desperado x Jazz.

"I'm so thrilled with Ivan’s very first Freestyle at the Australian Championships 76.6% and reserve Champion," Hanna took to Facebook. "I am really excited about his future. At only 10 yrs old he has he has achieved so much in these last few months, even though I haven’t been in top form myself. I have such a great team around me," Hanna added who is back to training with Patrik Kittel after a stint with Henri Ruoste.

Australian shooting start David McKinnon and the 13-year old KWPN gelding Forlan (by Jazz x Highline) in third on a personal best 76.485%.

Melissa’s score was a personal best, surpassing her own New Zealand record of 77.035% set in Taupo in February. She and Joey won the FEI CDI-W Grand Prix the day before on 73.152% with Mary second on 72.413% and Jessica Dertell on Cennin (by Vivaldi x Donnerhall) third on 71.587%. Her week in Boneo would be one she and her family would “treasure” for the rest of their lives. After clinching the 2023 New Zealand Grand Prix Champion's title last March, Galloway continues to reap the fruits of her 10 months in Europe with Anne van Olst in 2022 as leading dressage rider in the Pacific area in 2023.

“I just don’t have words,” she said after the freestyle. “I have about a million people to thank!” But right at the top of that list was Joey. “He just keeps getting better and better and I don’t even know where it comes from,” she said. “He has the biggest heart and I seriously never have a bad ride on him. He is the horse of a lifetime for me and it makes me incredibly emotional thinking about what he has done for me and my life and my career.”

Her parents were there to watch their daughter shine brightly. Melissa is New Zealand’s highest athlete on the Olympic Group G rankings in fifth spot, with Wendi Williamson in eighth.

-- Text by Diana Dobson, edited by Eurodressage

Results - 2023 Australian Dressage Championships - Boneo

Pony Riders

1. 1. Abby Weel. - Reitland's Obama 201.601
2. Bianca Griffiths - Benita PD 191.654
3. Zali Mills - Kizashi 191.334
4. Bianca Griffiths - Envyious Philino 119.658

Junior Riders

1. Tia McKenzie - Phenomenon 205.758
2. Rosemary Heagney - Redgum James 007 202.087
3. Sebastian Fong - Avella Fratellino 196.263
4. Caitlin Griffiths. - Glyndower Brea Galahad 190.331
5. Olivia Jackson - Woodleigh Rockstar 187.629
6. Ella McConachy. - Big Creek Just Ivy 185.573
7. Sophie Gardiner - Arawn 183.333

Young Riders

1. Kate Kyros - Intro K 222.552
2. Jessica Dertell - Gladstone M H 209.529
3. Bridgette Dalmau - Bon Jovi MH 208.433
4. Amy Bachmann - Genuine River 204.856
5. Hannah Rockwell - Baumann's Diorella 202.979
6. Lucy Cochrane - Keystone Fantasy 190.962
7. Lucy Peters - Sahara Storm 122.108
8. Jessica Dertell - Eskara de Jeu 71.029

Under 25

1. Jessica Dertell - Syriana - 214.122
2. Tanisha Ryan - Prequel 203.826
3. Kate Kyros - Chemistry 203.759
4. Charlie Welsh - Horizonte de Jeu 197.340
5. Amy Bachmann - SWS Debutante 196.340
6. Mary Nitschke - Astronomical 192.573
7. Dana Krause. - Taittinger VDS 189.093
8. Jessica Dertell - Zanzibar 66.744

Seniors

1. Melissa Galloway - Windermere J'Obei W 153.017
2. Mary Hanna - Ivanhoe 149.023
3. David McKinnon - Forlan 147.289
4. Jessica Dertell - Cennin 143.622
5. Charlotte Phillips - CP Dresden 140.447
6. Elliot Patterson - del Piero ZF 135.148
7. Pauline Carnovale - Captain Cooks 135.074
8. Alinta Veenvliet - Desperanza 134.867
9. Suzanne Hearn - Galaxy 134.577
10. Breanna Tillitzki - BZ Rafael 132.134
11. Suzanne Hearn - Eminent 130.116
12. Justine Greer - Fonzie II 129.726
13. Alexis Hellyer - Daenarys 67.218
14. Kerry Mack Mayfield - Limelight 55.043