Roberta (Bert) Sheffield has been on a roll. The para-dressage rider, who lives in the UK, has been riding for Canada since 2013 ‒ which has been very fortuitous for the sport in this country. The 34-year-old did a very commendable job at the 2014 World Equestrian Games aboard Bindro T, putting in two solid tests and then finishing just out of the medals in fourth in the Freestyle. The lone Canadian entry at the CHI Al Shaqab in Doha, QAT, which runs March 2-7, 2015, she is thrilled to have been invited to take part in the first-ever CPEDI3* at the Al Shaqab facility. Bert brought her rising star Double Agent (Darcy), an eight-year-old AES (Anglo European) mare that she had loaned to Ashley Gowanlock in 2013 to compete on the British CPEDI3* circuit.
In the Team test at Al Shaqab, Darcy appeared relaxed and supple in the enormous indoor arena, although Sheffield admitted she would have preferred her going a bit more forward. “I would like her to have more energy, and that would have given her a bit more power and allowed her to push through the movements a bit more,” she said. “She’s a very kind and generous horse, but when she’s tired she likes to switch the motor into second gear.” Bert was, however, quite pleased with the score of 70.132%, explaining that part of her “bucket list” was to achieve a 70-plus score in a Team test at an international competition, as her ranking scores for the Individual and Freestyle are all in the 74-75% range. “It’s off the list now!”
The next day’s Individual test was definitely more to her liking in terms of energy, with some great extensions and good work at all gaits. But an unfortunate misstep in a canter-trot transition near the end of the test caused her to lose precious marks, dropping her into second place with 69.431% behind Sanne Voets of The Netherlands.