Jessica Dertell, the 2022 Australian triple division champion, is heading to Europe in an focused attempt to qualify on the Australian team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She is bringing one horse for the campaign: Brett and Samantha Thomas' 17-year old Dutch warmblood stallion Cennin (by Vivaldi x Donnerhall x Hemmingway).
Ambitious
The young professional rides for the Thomas couple who own Sabble Farm. They have secured horses for Jessica such as Cennin, Syriana, Eskara De Jeu, Zanzibar and Gladstone MH. Jessica also has Kilimanjaro to ride.
She made her international show debut ub 2018 as a junior aboard Valerius Waltermeyer (by Highhaven Park Welt's Emperor) and as of 2020 began showing Eskara de Jeu and Gladstone MH at young riders level.
At age 18 Dertell achieved a historic feat when she won the 2022 Australian Dressage Championships in the junior, young rider and senior Grand Prix division. At the 2023 Australian Championships Jessica won the U25 division on Syriana and was fourth with Cennin in the senior division.
In Pursuit of Paris
Dertell has been on a roll with Cennin and Syriana this 2024 show season competing at the CDI's at Bawley Point and Werribee. She clocked two 70% Grand Prix scores on Cennin and has flagged him as her Olympic hopeful.
The pair has left Australia on Tuesday 9 April 2024 for The Netherlands, where they will be based at Annemieke Vincourt-Krom's yard for the rest of the spring and early summer. Dertell held a fundraiser via a silent auction to find financial support for her Olympic campaign.
Jessica trains with Mary Hanna in Australia as well as with Krom via online coaching for the past six months. While her trainer Mary will also make her way to Europe to fight for an Australian Olympic team spot aboard Ivanhoe, Hanna will be based in Germany, while Jessica heads to Holland.
"Sabble Farm purchased Cennin through Jeff and Annemieke, as well as other horses, and we have connected through the horses," mom Kate Dertell told Eurodressage. "Jessica is renting an apartment at Stal Krom so she can live and train there and Jess also gets along with Jeff and Annemeikes 2 children so it’s great to have her living and training in a family environment. We also had another one of our staff live and train at Stal Krom last summer and we forged a good family and farm relationship."
Photo © Equisoul Photography
Related Links
Historic Triple Title for Jessica Dertell at 2022 Australian Dressage Championships
Mary Hanna's Syriana Sold to Sabble Farm for Jessica Dertell to Ride
Jessica Dertell Rules the Roost from Juniors to Grand Prix at 2022 CDI Brisbane
Cennin Sold to Australia, Young Riders' Horse for Jessica Dertell
KWPN Stallion Kilimanjaro Sold to Australian Young Rider Jessica Dertell