Wellington, FL – At the WEF Dressage Classic, the FEI Grand Prix Freestyle CDI 3* ran under the lights in the International Arena. It was Canada’s Belinda Trussell and Anton, owned by Robyn Eames, who took their second victory of the show with a score of 73.900% in their very first freestyle together. Todd Flettrich (USA) and Otto, owned by Cherry Knoll Farm, were second with a solid score of 73.000%, while Jacqueline Brooks (CAN) and Balmoral, owned by Mary and Eric Brooks and John and Anne Welch, were third with a score of 71.550%.
Trussell, who is from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, rode Anton for the first time under the lights and in their first freestyle tonight. She beamed afterwards, “Considering all of that, I’m thrilled. I’m thrilled with the score and the placing; it’s fantastic.”
Trussell and Anton, a 10-year-old Saxony gelding by Antaeus xx Melit, performed to a freestyle choreographed by Tamara Williamson to the music of “Riverdance.” She commented, “It’s fun and I like it. It’s really upbeat, and I want to get the crowd involved in the kur, so that it’s exciting and you can’t wait for the next movement. I hope that that’s what it portrayed. It is really fun to ride to the music.”
With her two wins this week and strong scores, Trussell is a solid competitor for Canada’s dressage team. She said of her wins, “It’s a huge accomplishment for me personally, to be in Florida for the first time and on this young horse. It’s so exciting. It’s something that you work so hard for, for so long. It’s a wonderful feeling, like you’re on a cloud.”
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Final Results: WEF Dressage Classic, CDI 3* – Grand Prix Freestyle
Judge E – Fore, Judge H – Christensen, Judge C – Clarke, Judge M – Foy, Judge B – Van Daele
Place. Horse, Rider (Rider NF): Judge E%, Judge H%, Judge C%, Judge M%, Judge B%, Score, Final %
1. Anton, Belinda Trussell (CAN): 73.750, 75.250, 76.000, 73.500, 71.000, 1478, 73.900
2. Otto, Todd Flettrich (USA): 72.500, 72.000, 74.750, 72.000, 73.750, 1460, 73.000
3. Balmoral, Jacqueline Brooks (CAN): 70.500, 71.250, 73.500, 70.000, 72.500, 1431, 71.550
4. Don Angelo, Michelle Gibson (USA): 68.250, 67.500, 69.500, 70.500, 68.750, 1378, 68.900
5. Ayscha, Shannon Dueck (CAN): 69.000, 68.000, 69.500, 70.750, 67.000, 1377, 68.850
6. Proton, Victoria Winters (CAN): 67.000, 66.250, 70.250, 69.250, 70.250, 1372, 68.600
7. Pikardi, Bonny Bonnello, (CAN): 67.500, 68.250, 69.000, 69.000, 67.500, 1365, 68.250
7. Dover, Jaimey Irwin (CAN): 67.250, 69.250, 70.750, 67.000, 67.000, 1365, 68.250
9. Juli Sherif, Sharon McCusker (USA): 68.500, 69.000, 67.500, 67.500, 67.250, 1359, 67.950
10. Naomi, Chris Von Martels (CAN): 67.500, 69.750, 69.250, 67.250, 65.000, 1355, 67.750