Denielle Gallagher-Legriffon Wins Grand Prix Special at CDI-W Saugerties

Lakeside, NB native Denielle Gallagher-Legriffon led the Canadian riders to victory at the NEDA Fall Festival CDI-W Y/J Saugerties, held in Saugerties, NY, September 16–19, 2010.

Gallagher-Legriffon and Abrikos, her 19-year-old Russian Warmblood stallion, earned the pair’s first Grand Prix victory of their career when they captured first place in the Grand Prix Special. Gallagher-Legriffon and Abrikos also finished fourth in the Grand Prix.

“Earlier in the week, our Grand Prix test went really well, but during the Special, Abrikos was really focused and on my aids. He performed all the movements very well during the test,” said Gallagher-Legriffon, who is the first rider hailing from New Brunswick to win a CDI Grand Prix Special test. “I am very excited and happy with him. We are now focusing on Dressage at Devon.”

Jaimey Irwin of Stouffville, ON was the leading Canadian in the Grand Prix test, placing third riding Dover, his 13–year-old Oldenburg gelding (De Niro x Castro). Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON, and Devon L (De Niro x Walkenstein II), Douglas Leatherdale’s 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding finished behind Gallgher-Legriffon in fifth. Rounding out the top six was Tina Irwin of Stouffville, ON, and her long-time partner Amicelli (Amigo x Calypso III), a 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Ute Busse and Wendy Beresford.

In the Advanced division, Julie Watchorn of Schomberg, ON finished second in the Prix St. Georges test with a score of 65.684% riding Quintesse (Latano x Fernando), her 17-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare. Lee Tubman of Dunnville, ON, secured third place after scoring 65.211% with De La Rosa, Ducat Developments Ltd’s nine-year-old Hanoverian mare sired by De Niro. In the Intermediaire I test, Annaliese Farber of Peterborough, ON finished in second with 65.789% aboard Sandro’s Heir (Sandro Hit x Castro), an eight-year-old Oldenburg stallion she co-owns with John Grills.

Tubman and De La Rosa were third again in the Intermediaire I Freestyle scoring 68.650%, while Farber and Sandro’s Heir finished in fifth with 66.750%. Earning 66.250% for sixth place was Watchorn and Quintesse, and rounding out the Canadian entries in seventh place was Andrea Bresee of Uxbridge, ON riding Di Scansano, Stephanie Beauregard’s nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding sired by De Niro, with 65.450%.

CDI Saugerties a favourite of Canadians on the US East Coast Fall Circuit, allowing them to gear up for Dressage at Devon, held September 28-October 3, 2010 in Devon, Pennsylvania.

The international judging panel included Peter Holler (GER — FEI 4*), Bo Jena (SWE — FEI 4*), Jeanne McDonald (USA — FEI 4*), Mary Seefried (AUS — FEI 5*), Axel Steiner (USA — FEI 5*), Mariette Withages (BEL — FEI 5*) and Lois Yukins (USA — FEI 4*).

For complete results, visit www.neda.org/FallFestival-Results.html.