Two years after winning his first Australian Grand Prix champion's title in 2024, David McKinnon claimed his second at the 2026 National Dressage Championships at Boneo Park on 15 - 17 October 2026.
While his first title turned into a nightmare two-year journey for his horse owner who delivered the fight to become etched in stone, his second title left no doubt about it as he led the final Grand Prix ranking with a total of 70,01%, almost a full three percent ahead of solver medal winning Denise Rogan (67,009) and bronze medallist Emma Flavelle-Watts (65,008%).
An Oatley Affair
In the absence of Australia's elite squad riders (all based in Europe and Mary Hanna not competing), McKinnon breezed to victory aboard the 10-year old KWPN gelding Lea Rian.
The partnership is a big "Oatley affair" as the horse is sire by Kristy Oatley's Grand Prix stallion Furst Jazz out of Arilena (by Jazz x Flemmingh). The horse was previously owned by breeder J. Vos, Jan Greve and Patrik Kittel before selling to Kittel's in-laws, Carol and Andrew Oatley. Between 2021 and 2025 the horse was shown seven times in Germany by Jennifer Lindvall and Malin Nilsson, before moving to Australia. The owners' daughter, Australian Olympian Lyndal Oatley, has been coaching McKinnon via live stream.
McKinnon and Lea Rian never competed internationally before and the Australian Championships, ridden in the CDI-W format at Boneo, was their first. The pair won the Grand Prix with 69.435% and the Kur to Music with 72.675%
Podium
Joining him on the podium were Denise Rogan and Emma Flavelle-Watts.
Rogan piloted her own and Liz Carver's cross-bred PRE Greco. He is by Carver's imported PRE stallion Grandioso MG out of Callum Park Freya (by Falsterbo), who competed at CDI Young Rider level. Rogan and Greco were second in the Grand Prix with 65.457% and third in the kur with 70.690% to finish second overall.
The bronze medal step of the podium was taken by Emma Flavelle-Watts aboard the 14-year old Hanoverian Scarlatti Mio VSR (by San Amour x World Diamond). They were third in the Grand Prix with 65,109% and fourth in the Kur with 69,565%.
The Small tour Championships was won by Jayden Brown on Karin Gordon's Leopold (by Livaldon x Fidertanz), ahead of Jordan Smith on PHP Francesca (by Foundation x Quaterback) and Jessica Dertell on Highfields Bella Vita (by Beltano x Scolari).
Photo © Boneo Park / Equisoul Photography
Results - 2026 Australian Grand Prix Championship - Boneo
Overall Ranking
- 1) David McKinnon, New South Wales – Lea Rian 70.0
- 2) Denise Rogan, New South Wales – Greco 67.0
- 3) Emma Flavelle-Watts, Queensland – Scarlatti Mio VSR 65.0
- 4) Jessica Dertell, Victoria – Kilimanjaro 65.0
- 5) Hannah Rockwell, New South Wales – Baumanns Diorella 62.
- 6) Caroline Wagner, Victoria – Ibicus 61.0
- 7) Ruth Schneeberger, South Australia – Miramar Serene 29.0
- 8) Jodie Dunstan, New South Wales – Hollands Bend Highlander 28.0
- 9) Fiona Guthrie-Smith, South Australia – Verondina Artomous 27.0
- 10) Fiona Guthrie-Smith, South Australia – Bluefields Denoir 26.0
Related Links
Scores: 2026 CDI-W Boneo
Tribunal Decided: David McKinnon is the 2024 Australian Grand Prix Champion