Canadians to Compete in Exquis World Dressage Masters

Ottawa, ON – Canadian Olympians Ashley Holzer of Toronto, ON, and Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, will represent Canada at the at the $145,000 Exquis World Dressage Masters, to be held February 4–6, 2010 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, in Wellington, FL, USA.

Holzer and Trussell were selected to represent Canada based on the average of their last three CDI Grand Prix scores from 2009–2010. Holzer will ride her Olympic partner Pop Art (Amsterdam x Cabochon), a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Rusty Holzer and Moreen Nicoll. The duo earned 71.830% at the CDI3* Toronto at The Royal Horse Show; 73.191% at CDI 5* Exquis World Masters (Dressage at Hickstead); and 72.510% in the Grand Prix test at the 2009 World Cup Final in Las Vegas for an average score of 72.510%. Trussell will ride Anton (Antaeus x Melit), a 10-year-old German-bred gelding owned by Robyn Eames. The pair received a 67.064% at CDI3* Weikersdorf, 65.830% at the CDI3* Kaposvar and 66.681% at CDI3* Saugerties for an average Grand Prix score of 66.525%.

Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON, and Jacqueline Brooks of Cedar Valley, ON have been named as reserve riders. If selected, Creech would partner with Devon L (De Niro x Wolkenstein II), Douglas Leatherdale’s 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, and Brooks would be aboard Balmoral (Belcanto x Consul), a 10-year-old Canadian-bred Hanoverian owned by John & Anne Welch and Brinc Ltd.

The Exquis World Dressage Masters will showcase the world’s top dressage talent, including Steffen Peters (USA) on Ravel, Isabell Werth (GER) on Satchmo and Anky van Grunsven (NED) on Salinero. A maximum of 20 riders will compete in the Grand Prix with prize money of $14,500. The top eight of these riders will advance to the $87,000 Grand Prix Freestyle, with the remaining riders performing the Grand Prix Special test with a purse of $43,500.

The international judging panel will include Dr. Wojtek Markowski (FEI O—POL), Gary Rockwell (FEI O—USA), Axel Steiner (FEI O—USA), Victoire Mandl (FEI I—AUT) and Freddy Leyman (FEI I—BEL).

In addition to this competition in Florida, Exquis World Dressage Masters (WDM) CDI5* will also have events in Munich, Germany and Hickstead, England each with €100,000 (US$145,000) in prize money for 2010 and 2011.