Naima Moreira Laliberte of Outremont, QC, and her Paris Olympic mount Statesman danced their way to victory in the $20,000 CDI3* Grand Prix Dressage Freestyle Final on Tuesday, November 5, at the Royal Horse Show, held as part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.
A ’70s disco groove echoed throughout the Coca-Cola Coliseum as Laliberte and her 17-year-old Statesman showed off a rhythmic test to the tune of Michael Jackson melodies and Eric Martin’s “Good Times.” Showcasing balanced pirouettes, expressive half-passes, and one-tempis that inspired the crowd to clap along, Laliberte and Statesman, owned by KML Inc. and Guy Laliberte, posted a score of 75.745% for the win.
“We’ve been all over the world together,” said Laliberte of the Hanoverian gelding (Sandro Hit x Brentano II) that carried her to two Pan American Games medals. “We were traveling reserves in Tokyo and competed in Paris, we did two Pan American Games, as well as Herning, Doha, Aachen and a couple of Nations Cup in Florida. He’s always been a reliable partner and such a fun horse to travel with.”
Laliberte, 28, also won the $15,000 Dressage Grand Prix Qualifier on Monday evening aboard Statesman, a horse she has been partnered with for seven years.
“It’s always challenging even if we’ve been doing this for years,” she said. “It doesn’t get easy; it just gets more fun.”
After several trips around the world and nearly a decade’s worth of experience together, Laliberte says their partnership is as solid as can be, but it required her learning how to interpret what she referred to as her horse’s multiple personalities.
“You can get lazy Statesman, you can get crazy Statesman, and he’s very needy and demanding with food and love,” she joked. “He does this funny thing where he grabs me on the back and pulls me against his chest so I can scratch him. It’s a horse hug!
“When I started with him, every corner, every letter, would be a different personality and a different horse,” continued Laliberte. “I feel like finally at age 17 he’s matured, and he knows what he’s doing. He’s always helping me and trying his heart out.”
Fellow 2024 Olympian Camille Carier Bergeron, 24, of Laval, QC, came down her final centerline riding Finnlanderin in a flamboyant extended trot before halting in front of Canada’s Cara Whitham, President of the Ground Jury. She and the 14-year-old Oldenburg mare (Fidertanz 2 x Donnerhall 11) owned together with Gilles Bergeron, earned a final score of 73.60% for second place riding to crowd-pleasing tunes including The Four Seasons’ “Oh, What A Night.” Rounding out the top three, 24-year-old Vanessa Creech-Terauds of Caistor Centre, ON, scored a 70.68% riding Daniel L (Damsey x Wolkenstein II) for owners Louise Leatherdale and her mother, former Canadian Equestrian Team member, Diane Creech.
Ashley Arnoldt rode Light My Fire to win the $25,000 Knightwood Hunter Derby. (Ben Radvanyi Photography)
Arnoldt and Light My Fire Win Knightwood Hunter Derby
Earlier in the evening, Ashley Arnoldt of Langley, BC, rode Light My Fire, owned by Jennifer Arnoldt, to win the $25,000 Knightwood Hunter Derby, in her sixth appearance at the Royal Horse Show. Arnoldt piloted the 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion to a base score of 87 before 10 high performance and nine handy bonus points were added for a total score of 106. They impressed the judging panel from a field of 21 horses over a beautifully set derby course designed by Meghan Rawlins of Victoria, BC.
The win, coupled with a third-place finish in Sunday’s Braeburn Farms Hunter Derby, secured Arnoldt, 23, and Light My Fire the Lorna Jean Guthrie Challenge Trophy for the Canadian Hunter Derby National Championship. The reserve national title ended in a tie between Knightwood Derby runner-up Kelley Robinson of Russell, ON, riding Twelfth Nite for owner Knightwood Stables, and Kristjan Good of Campbellville, ON, aboard Levi VDL for owner by John Kimmel.
To close the evening’s spotlight on the hunter discipline, Arnoldt was also presented with The Posh Award. The special honour is presented to the highest scoring junior/amateur rider in the Canadian Hunter Derby Championship, generously sponsored by Cawthra Burns in recognition of her beloved hunter, Posh.
Jumper competition kicks into high gear at the Royal Horse Show on Wednesday, November 6, as the world’s best compete for international show jumping glory. Beginning with the Strength & Speed Challenge, anticipation will be building for the the $272,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Toronto taking center stage on Saturday evening. The event will serve as a coveted qualifier for the 2025 FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Basel, Switzerland.
For more information on the Royal Horse Show, including daily schedules and to purchase tickets, visit www.royalfair.org/royalhorseshow.
Results here.
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