Ottawa, Ontario — Evi Strasser of Ste. Adele, Quebec and Jacqueline Brooks of Mt. Albert, Ontario gave thousands of spectators something to cheer about at the Rolex FEI World Cup Final of Dressage on April 20th. After somewhat disappointing results on Thursday in the qualifier class, the Grand Prix test, Strasser and Brooks came back to improve on their results in the B Final freestyle on Friday afternoon. Both riders have represented Canada internationally on numerous occasions, including a silver team medal at the 2003 Pan American Games.

The competitors entered Las Vegas’ Thomas & Mack stadium in reverse order of standing from the Grand Prix test, which meant that Brooks and Gran Gesto, a twelve year old Oldenburg gelding (Grannox x Goldstern) owned by Brinc Ltd. and Anne Welch, were first to go. Brooks’ choreography features considerable elements of difficulty, with four piaffes in the opening trot and passage tour, and a full circle of flying changes every stride. The music, created for Brooks by Kurboom, is a dramatic selection from the soundtrack to the film Alexander.  It is a relatively new program for Brooks, and she was eager to show the freestyle in front of the biggest crowd of her life.  The audience showed their appreciation for her performance with cheers, and Brooks left the arena having improved on Wednesday’s score with 64.05% and fourth place. This was Brooks’ debut in a World Cup Final, and she came away from the experience with a building block for what she hopes will be a return to the World Cup again. “Historically Canadians only come to the final once. It would be great to come again, and be able to improve.” Brooks now turns her focus to qualifying for the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro this July with her eight year old Canadian-bred Hanoverian Balmoral, owned by Nick and Jean Vinios, Anne and John Welch, and Brinc Ltd..

Strasser and her twelve year old Oldenburg gelding Quantum Tyme (Quattro x Argentinius) were the third pair in the arena. Riding the same Disney-inspired music that she has used successfully over the past several years, Strasser showed off Quantum Tyme’s expressive half passes and flying changes.  The crowd got behind her performance as well, and a smiling Strasser finished her fourth World Cup Final experience (the most appearances for any Canadian rider) on a high note and a score of 67.75% – a result that put her in third place.  Going into the World Cup, Strasser felt a bit underprepared, having not been in the show ring since the Canadian League Final in Toronto in early November. “I would like to have prepared a bit differently, and I don’t like to put any pressure on this horse. He is such a great guy. But I don’t look back, I always look forward.”

The B Final of this World Cup competition was won by Portugal’s Daniel Pinto on the Lusitano stallion Galopin de la Font (Espanto x Zorro). Second was Great Britain’s Wayne Channon on Lorenzo (Ferro x Wolfgang), a Dutch stallion that showed much better composure in the stimulating atmosphere of the Thomas & Mack than he had in the Grand Prix. Three of the four competitors in the B final (Strasser being the exception) had earned their ticket to Las Vegas through wild card slots given to them by the FEI.

The World Cup dressage freestyle A final turned out to be no contest for Germany’s Isabell Werth and Warum Nicht (Weltmeyer x Wenzel I). With a score of 84.25%, she took the World Cup title for the second time in her career. Clustered less than half a point apart in the next three spots were Imke Schellekens-Bartels of the Netherlands on Sunrise (Singular Joter x Werther), home crowd favourite from the US Steffen Peters on Floriano (Florestan I x Weinberg), and Finnish legend Kyra Kyrkland on Max (Master 850 x Alpen Fürst) . The 2007 Rolex FEI World Cup Dressage Final has made history as the richest dressage competition in history, with more than US $300,000 in prize money.

Results Grand Prix Freestyle A Final

April 21, 2007

Las Vegas, NV

1.      Warum Nicht – Isabell Werth (GER) – 84.25%

2.      Sunrise – Imke – Schellekens-Bartels (NED) – 77.95%

3.      Floriano – Steffen Peters (USA) – 77.8%

4.      Max – Kyra Kyrklund (FIN) – 77.5%

5.      Briar 899 – Jan Brink (SWE) – 76.45%

Results Grand Prix Freestyle B Final

April 20, 2007

Las Vegas, NV

1.      Galopin de la Font – Daniel Pinto (POR) – 71.65%

2.      Lorenzo – Wayne Channon (GBR) – 68.5%

3.      Quantum Tyme – Evi Strasser (CAN) – 67.75%

4.      Gran Gesto – Jacqueline Brooks (CAN) – 64.05%

For complete results of the 2007 Rolex FEI World Cup Dressage Finals, please visit www.worldcuplasvegas.com

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