Blainville, Quebec – Jacqueline Brooks of Mount Albert, ON, won the Grand Prix Freestyle held Saturday night, June 27, at the Blainville Equestrian Park in Blainville, QC.
In front of hundreds of appreciative spectators attending the Freestyle Gala, Brooks and her 2008 Olympic mount, Gran Gesto, powered their way to victory in the Grand Prix Freestyle, which acts as a qualifier for the 2010 World Cup Final. Under the spotlights, Brooks rode to her signature music from the feature film ‘Alexander’. One of the freestyle’s highlights is a full circle of one tempi flying changes, which Gran Gesto performed with ease.
“How great is that!” said Brooks, who was rewarded with a score of 72.55% from the panel of five international judges. “After the Olympics, I’ve been working to get him to the next level, and I’m really proud of him for stepping up.”
Brooks also placed third in the Grand Prix Freestyle with the 10-year-old Canadian-bred gelding, Balmoral. Performing to an ethnic soundtrack, the pair received a mark of 69.700%.
“I’m really excited about his results tonight, too,” added Brooks.
Despite technical difficulties which delayed the start of her music, Cheryl Meisner of Blandford, NS, and the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion Paganini, owned by John Risley, laid down a strong performance to dramatic music by the Croatian pianist, Maksim. Meisner’s score of 71.85% put her into second place.
The Intermediaire Freestyle competition was also held during the Freestyle Gala with Julie Watchorn of Schomberg, ON, riding Quintesse to the win. With difficult choreography which began with two tempi flying changes on centre line followed by a pirouette, Watchorn and her 16-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare performed harmoniously, particularly in the canter tour. Mares swept the top three placings in the class with Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, finishing second on 71.00% with Stephanie Jeffrey’s Brynn and Lee Tubman of Dunnville, ON, placing third with 68.15% with Ducat Developments’ De La Rosa.
The Freestyle Gala, the highlight of the CDI-W Blainville Dressage International, was complemented by entertaining performances by Equine Extremist Tommie Turvey, who dazzled the crowd with displays of comedic stunts on horseback.
Earlier in the day, Ute Busse of Breslau, ON, rode Lindor’s Finest, a 12-year-old gelding by the Thoroughbred sire, Eastern Ruler, to first place in the Grand Prix Special. Courageous extensions and a strong canter tour earned Busse and Lindor’s Finest, co-owned by Busse and Sylvia Carleton, a score of 64.833% from the five-member panel of FEI judges.
Charlemagne, Quebec’s Annie-Pier Venne won the FEI Young Riders’ Freestyle with Step Up, a Westphalian stallion, on a score of 67.45%. Toronto’s Maura O’Sullivan topped the FEI Junior Freestyle on Pik Czar while Tanya Strasser-Shostak of Ste-Adele, QC, made a clean sweep of her division by winning the FEI Pony Freestyle.
The back-to-back CDI-W Blainville Summer Classic and CDI-W Blainville International Classic are Canada’s largest annual international dressage competitions. For more information on the CDI-W and Equine Canada National Dressage Shows, please visit www.equivents.com. Complete results from both competitions can be found at www.foxvillage.com.
CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle – Final Results
Rider Hometown Horse Score
1. Jacqueline Brooks Mount Albert, ON Gran Gesto 72.550%
2. Cheryl Meisner Blandford, NS Paganini 71.850%
3. Jacqueline Brooks Mount Albert, ON Balmoral 69.700%
4. Tina Irwin Lakefield, ON Amicelli 69.350%
5. Simone Williams Navan, ON Wunder Ein 68.350%
CDI-W Intermediaire Freestyle – Final Results
Rider Hometown Horse Score
1. Julie Watchorn Schomberg, ON Quintesse 72.000%
2. Belinda Trussell Stouffville, ON Brynn 71.000%
3. William Lee Tubman Dunnville, ON De La Rosa 68.150%
4. Leah Wilson Orangeville, ON Amusant 67.750%
5. Annie Desranleau St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, QC Maguin 66.500%
6. Lindsay Stroh Camrose, AB Lancelot 65.600%
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