Canadian Olympians Shine at CDIO Rotterdam

Ottawa, ON – Following their bronze medal finish in the Nations’ Cup Team competition earlier in the week, Canadian Olympians Ashley Holzer, Belinda Trussell and Bonny Bonnello once again earned top scores on their European Tour stop at CDIO 5* Rotterdam, NED, held June 16 – 20 in Rotterdam, NED.

Ashley Holzer of Toronto, ON, and Pop Art (Amsterdam x Cabochon), a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Rusty Holzer and Moreen Nicoll, finished seventh in the Grand Prix Freestyle with 75.571%.

“Pop Art felt energetic and confident in the Freestyle, and it was a lot of fun to ride,” said Holzer, whose freestyle music is from Disney Epcot Center’s fireworks display and from the motion picture National Treasure. “I was so proud to have done well in front of all the people that are his fans. His former rider and his breeder both drove hours to come and see him go.”

Newmarket, ON native Belinda Trussell received a score of 72.536% (for 11th place) riding Anton, a 10-year old German-bred gelding (Antaeous x Saxony) owned by Robyn Eames.

“I was thrilled with both Freestyles from Ashley and Belinda,” said Dressage Canada Technical Coach/Advisor, Robert Dover. “They rode lovely, clean rides and I could not have been more proud of them and their horses.”

Bonny Bonnello of Calgary, AB rode Pikardi (Point Maker x Daimont) in the Grand Prix Special, earning 65.149% for third place. Bonnello co-owns the 13-year-old Canadian Warmblood gelding with Jean Bell.

The international judging panel included Evi Eisenhardt (FEI 5*—GER), Ghislain Fouarge (FEI 5*—NED), Linda Zang (FEI 5*—USA), Gustav Svalling (FEI 4*—SWE), Jacques Van Daele (FEI 4*—BEL), Maribel Alonso (FEI 5*—MEX) and Mary Seefried (FEI 5*—AUS)

Canadians riders will make their last stop of the European Tour at CDIO Aachen, GER, July 13 – 18, 2010. WEG-declared riders remaining in North America will have the opportunity to earn WEG qualifying scores at Edmonton Gold Rush CDI3*, to be held July 15 – 19, 2010, in Edmonton, AB.

The European Tour has been made possible through the Own the Podium program, a national sport technical initiative designed to help Canada’s summer and winter athletes achieve podium success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

For a current listing of WEG standings, please visit the Dressage Canada website at the following link:

http://www.equinecanada.ca/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=833&Itemid=371&lang=en-GB.