Canadian Olympian Belinda Trussell Wins at CDI-W Kaposvar

Ottawa, Ontario— Canadian Olympian Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, won the Intermediaire II test at CDI-W Kaposvar, held October 8–11, 2009, in Kaposvar, Hungary. Trussell, along with fellow Canadians Diane Creech and Cheryl Meisner, is competing in Europe this season with the support of the Own the Podium program, a program aimed at preparing Canadian athletes for the Olympic Games.

Riding her up-and-coming Grand Prix mount Anton (Antaeus x Melit), a nine-year-old German-bred gelding owned by Robyn Eames, Trussell earned a score of 67.579% to win the Intermediaire II test. The pair went on to score 65.830% in the Grand Prix test for sixth place, and finished fifth in the Grand Prix Special with 64.917%.

“I am thrilled with Anton’s first indoor show in Europe. We are starting to ask for more expression and that paid off in the Intermediaire II,” said Trussell, who finished in first place just ahead of the Hungarian favourite, Robert Acs riding Weinzauber. “We had some mistakes in the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special which costs us dearly when competing with such high caliber riders and horses. Anton has so much heart and gives me everything he has in the ring. I am very happy with his performance given he is only nine-year-old years old and this is his first season at the Grand Prix level. My next goal is to keep all the expression and have a mistake free test.”

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Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON, riding Devon L (De Niro x Wolkenstein II), Douglas Leatherdale’s nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding, earned a sixth place score of 64.368% in the Intermediaire II test. The pair went on to finish fourth in the Grand Prix test with 66.255% and second in the Grand Prix Special with 66.583%.

Creech also competed in the Grand Prix test with Wiona (Weltmeyer x Fruhlingsball), Douglas and Louise Leatherdale’s 12-year-old Hanoverian mare, and finished fourth in the Grand Prix Freestyle with a very solid score of 68.650%.

“Kaposvar was a fantastic experience for both of my horses and I am so proud of how they performed in this different environment with all the challenges. Devon L showed his great abilities despite his young age with such expression that he turned many heads,” said Creech. “Although Wiona had a couple of little mistakes in the Grand Prix she went into the Grand Prix Freestyle with such big heart and was able to show what she really is about. I am very thankful to my sponsors and owners Mr. and Mrs. Leatherdale to give me this opportunity to reach one step higher again, and it is great to feel how proud they are of their horses.”

Dressage Canada gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance of Own the Podium (OTP), a national sport technical initiative designed to help Canada’s summer and winter athletes achieve podium success at the Olympic Games, which funded the 2009 European Fall Competition Tour. The next stop on the Tour, which is aimed at providing European competition experience for some of Canada’s up and coming dressage combinations, will be Weikersdorf CDI3*, in Austria, on October 14–18.

“I am also very thankful for the OTP support that helped make this possible. Although we had only worked together for a very short time, Udo Lange and Christilot Boylen prepared us very well for this show. Their support, down to the smallest detail, was invaluable and very helpful,” added Creech.

The international judging panel included Péter Hansághy (FEI I—HUN), Victoire Mandl (FEI I—AUT), Thomas Lang (FEI I—AUT), Uwe Spenlen (FEI I— GER), Jacques Van Daele (FEI I—BEL) and Kinga Szucs-Gáspár (FEI I—HUN).