Dalmau, Parker and Hanna Win the 2024 Australian Grand Prix Champion's Titles

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2024 Australian Dressage Championships

Under 25 Grand Prix rider Bridgette Dalmau and senior Grand Prix rider Ellyn Parker became the champions in their respective Grand Prix level divisions at the 2024 Australian Dressage Championships in Sydney.

The 2024 Australian Nationals were held at Sydney International Equestrian Centre on 17-20 October 2024. There were three Grand Prix level titles up for grabs: the Under 25 and the senior Big Tour and senior Grand Prix Champion's title.

Ellyn Parker Claims Big Tour Title

At this year’s event, the "Big Tour Championship" was decided based on results in the Intermediaire II and Grand Prix test. There were only four that completed both tests and in the running for an actual title.

It was Ellyn Parker and the 13-year old Cleveland Bay x Friesian cross bred mare My Rosalee who were crowned Big Tour Champions. They were third in the Intermediaire II with 66.000% and fifth in the Grand Prix with 65.739%

Parker is based in Hervey Bay and a professional rider and trainer. She has ventured into all equestrian disciplines from eventing, sporting, tentpegging, equitation show jumping and combined trainings to find her passion in dressage. She has owned My Rosalee since the mare was 1.5 year old and broken her in herself. Parker trains with Emma Flavelle and Robert Harrisson Schmerglatt.

"As I wake up today I’m still in shock, that we’ve done so well in the classes against the quality and experience of riders and horses," Parker said a few days after the Championships. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d be a national champion, I bought Rosalee when she was 1.5, she refused to trot, downhill even, and Esther Ruffo thought for sure I wouldn’t buy her after she did that, she was only little, has “no breeding”, was bred on a cattle farm in widgee and the sire was sold on to breed buck jumpers for rodeos. She only cost me $2,000."

Parker continued, "I was an all rounder pony club rider who had never ridden a school master but had managed to train my own horses from green broken in all pony club disciplines. I broke Rosalee in myself and off we went pony clubbing, where she is a State eventing champion! When I “aged out” I just dabbled around at home with “just” dressage after having 2 kids self preservation kicked in and eventing was now stomach churning, never thinking we’d compete FEI, let alone Grand Prix, let alone at nationals ever!"

Emily James and the 17-year old Platypus Run Firenz (by Furst Piccolo x Rotspon) were the Reserve Champions. They were fourth in the Intermediaire II with 62.294% and ninth in the Grand Prix with 64.761%.

Mary Hanna Wins Grand Prix Championships

The "Grand Prix Championship" was decided by the Grand Prix in combination with either the Grand Prix Special or Freestyle. Mary Hanna secured that title

Mary Hanna is the 2024 Austrian GP Champion

There were 15 pairs competing in the Grand Prix in total and the class was won by Australian Olympic team reserve pair Mary Hanna and the Dutch warmblood gelding Ivanhoe (by Desperado x Jazz). Hanna was the only rider in the field to crack the 70% marker and topped the board with 72.870%. The Grand Prix was judged by Anita Barton, Jobina Kennedy, Jane Ventura, Melinda Hart, and Mary Craine.

"So thrilled to win the Grand Prix at the Australian Championships with Ivanhoe achieving 72.8%," Mary Hanna took to Facebook. "Must have been all that limbering up last night at the riders BBQ," she joked.

David Mckinnon rode the 15-year-old KWPN gelding Estupendo (by Ziësto x Scandic) to a second place in the Grand Prix with 69.48%, while Caroline Wagner and the 11-year old KWPN bred Ibicus (by Apache x Mondriaan) were third with 68.109%.

Hanna continued on winning form in the Grand Prix Special with 70.766% while Alison Gill on her pony Hilkens Denali (by Dreamcatcher x Black Boy) posted 67.830%. Jodie Dunstan and Hollands Bend Highlander (by His Higness x Sunny Boy) were third with 65.383%. McKinnon topped the freestyle with 76.340%.

Dalmau is the 2024 Australian Under 25 Champion

The 18-year old Queensland based Bridgette Dalmau left no doubt about it who was best in the Under 25 filed. Aboard the 13-year old New Zealand bred Hanoverian Bon Jovi MH (by Bonifatius x Weltmeyer) she topped the board in all three classes.

Dalmau and her chestnut won the Intermediaire II with 67.912%, the short Grand Prix with 66.615%, and the Kur to Music with 75.315%. Dalmau has been competing Bon Jovi MH internationally since 2023. He was produced to FEI level by New Zealand's Wendi Williamson and in 2018 he became Level 3 champion. They were members of the NZL Dressage Performance Pathway 2021-2022 at small tour level before the horse sold to Australia. Right after becoming Australian Under 25 Champion, Dalmau flew back home to complete her Year 12 exams.

Photos © Rodney - private

Results - 2024 Australian Dressage Championships - Sydney

Medium Tour - Round 1 - Intermediaire A

1. Victoria Luxford - Revelwood Animation - 69.794
2. Emma Flavelle-watts - Scarlatti Mio Vsr - 67.853
3. Lucinda Nutting - Demerara - 66.353
4. Megan Keir - Revelwood Queens County - 66.324
5. Kaitlin Dooney - Tarrendene Heidi - 66.118
6. Hannah Rockwell - Baumanns Diorella - 65.471
7. Amanda Jakins - Artes Lauries Gift - 64.324
8. Amelia Kristan - Ds Burlington Bertie - 63.647
9. Amy Bachmann - Genuine River - 62.265
10. Pamela Bice - Wealth - 60.941
Alycia Targa - Cp Charmore - DNS

Medium Tour - Round 2 - Intermediaire B

1 Emma Flavelle-watts - Scarlatti Mio Vsr - 69.405
2 Victoria Luxford - Revelwood Animation - 67.865
3 Megan Keir - Revelwood Queens County - 65.973
4 Hannah Rockwell - Baumanns Diorella - 65.486
5 Kaitlin Dooney T - arrendene Heidi - 62.973
6 Amanda Jakins. - Artes Lauries Gift - 61.405
7 Amy Bachmann - Genuine River - 61.135
8 Pamela Bice - Wealth - 61.027
9 Amelia Kristan - Ds Burlington Bertie - 60.108
10 Lucinda Nutting - Demerara - 58.919

Medium Tour - Round 3 - Kur to Music

1. Emma Flavelle-watts - Scarlatti Mio Vsr - 72.370
2. Amanda Jakins - Artes Lauries Gift - 68.450
3. Amy Bachmann - Genuine River - 68.420
4. Pamela Bice - Wealth - 66.915
Alycia Targa - Cp Charmore - DNS

Under 25 - Round 1 - Intermediaire II

1. Bridgette Dalmau - Bon Jovi Mh - 67.912
2. Amy Bachmann - Sws Debutante - 64.765
3. Layla Williams - Ampersand - 64.353
4. Astrid Grov - Bml Silhouette - 62.706
5. Brooke Mance - Callum Park Freya - 61.941
Emily Ballard - Cougar V - ELI

Under 25 - Round 2 - Short Grand Prix

1. Bridgette Dalmau - Bon Jovi Mh - 66.615
2. Amy Bachmann - Sws Debutante - 65.538
3. Astrid Grov - Bml Silhouette - 65.128
4. Layla Williams - Ampersand - 62.410
5. Brooke Mance - Callum Park Freya - 61.231

Under 25 - Round 3 - Kur to Music

1. Bridgette Dalmau - Bon Jovi Mh - 75.315
2. Layla Williams - Ampersand - 68.505
3. Amy Bachmann - Sws Debutante - 67.955
4. Astrid Grov - Bml Silhouette - 67.400
5. Brooke Mance - Callum Park Freya - 65.050

Seniors - Round 1 - Intermediaire II

1. Sharon Potter - Bradgate Park Amadeus - 67.441
2. Matthew Dowsley - Fribaldi - 66.559
3. Ellyn Parker. - My Rosalee - 66.000
4. Emily James - Platypus Run Firenz - 62.294
5. Susan Elekessy. - Callum Park Geneva - 61.206
6. Helen Macaskill - F1 Sonny Bill - 61.059
Justine Greer - Fonzie II - DNS

Seniors - Round 2 - Grand Prix

1. Mary Hanna - Ivanhoe - 72.870
2. David Mckinnon - Estupendo - 69.478
3. Caroline Wagner - Ibicus - 68.109
4. Jodie Dunstan - Hollands Bend Highlander - 66.848
5. Ellyn Parker - My Rosalee - 65.739
6. Alison Gill - Hilkens Denali - 65.239
7. Alinta Veenvliet - Desperanza - 65.022
8. Suzanne Hearn - Eminent - 64.804
9. Emily James - Platypus Run Firenz - 64.761
10. Jessica Robinson - Remi Beelzebub - 62.674
11. Susan Elekessy - Callum Park Geneva - 62.587
12. Alexis Hellyer - Del Piero Zf - 61.739
13. Linda Krogh - Jigsaw R 1217 Australia Flag 61.500
14. Helen Macaskill - F1 Sonny Bill - 60.913
15. Holly Lewis - Heatherton Park Romeo - 58.104
Justine Greer - Fonzie - DNS
David Mckinnon -Forlan - DNS

Seniors - Grand Prix Special

1. Mary Hanna - Ivanhoe - 70.766
2. Alison Gill - Hilkens Denali P - 67.830
3. Jodie Dunstan. - Hollands Bend Highlander - 65.383
4. Alinta Veenvliet - Desperanza - 65.043
5. Susan Elekessy. - Callum Park Geneva - 64.617
6. Suzanne Hearn - Eminent - 63.532
7. Jessica Robinson - Remi Beelzebub - 60.766
Holly Lewis - Heatherton Park Romeo - DNS/RET/ELI

Seniors - Grand Prix Kur to Music

1 David Mckinnon - Estupendo - 76.340
2 Jodie Dunstan. - Hollands Bend Highlander - 72.565
3 Alison Gill - Hilkens Denali P - 72.320
4 Caroline Wagner - Ibicus - 71.440
5 Ellyn Parker - My Rosalee - 70.935
6 Alexis Hellyer - Del Piero Zf - 70.405
7 Emily James - Platypus Run Firenz - 68.905
8 Helen Macaskill - F1 Sonny Bill - 65.945
9 Linda Krogh - Jigsaw R - 65.420
10 Jessica Robinson - Remi Beelzebub - 64.335
Susan Elekessy - Callum Park Geneva - DNS
Alinta Veenvliet - Desperanza - DNS
Mary Hanna - Ivanhoe - DNS
Holly Lewis - Heatherton Park Romeo - DNS