For the second week in a row, the Canadian para-equestrian riders were at the top of their game at Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CPEDI 3*, held at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Centre in West Palm Beach, FLA, January 25-29.
Jody Schloss of Toronto, ON, riding Inspector Rebus, her 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding finished second in of her Grade 1a Team test with 67.255% and Individual test with 66.167%. The pair won their Freestyle with a score of 71.667%, which was over six per cent higher than her nearest competitor. Also competing in Grade 1a was Robyn Andrews of St. Johns, NL, riding her horse Fancianna, an 11-year-old Warmblood mare. In the Team test Andrews and Fancianna placed third. In the Individual test Andrews was fifth with Fancianna, and in the Freestyle the pair finished in fourth place.
Lauren Barwick generously offered Ashley Gowanlock the ride on her 2008 Paralympic gold medal winning horse, Maile, for a new partnership. Gowanlock, of Surrey, BC, earned a third place finish in the Grade 1b Team Test riding the18-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare with a score of 67.576 %. The pair then went on to finish second in the Individual Championship test with a score of 70.072%. Gowanlock and Maile then wowed the judges during their Freestyle, scoring 75.333%, which was six per cent higher than her closest competitor, for the win.
Riding Equine Canada’s nine-year-old Oldenburg mare, Off to Paris, Barwick of Aldergrove, BC, handily won the Grade II Teat test, scoring 75.000%. The pair was second in the Individual test with a score of 71.349%., but returned to their winning form for the Freestyle, earning the top score of the CPEDI competition with 77.167%.
In Grade VI Team test, Lynne Poole of Schomberg, ON, finished in third riding Vasco E, her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, and fourth riding Frisbee, her 20-year-old Welsh gelding. Madison Lawson of Bonfield, ON, rode her horse McGuire, her 17-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding to eighth place. In the Individual Championship test, Lawson and McGuire were fourth. Poole and Vasco E placed sixth, while riding her second horse, Frisbee, Poole was seventh. Poole and Vasco E were second in the Grade VI Freestyle with 68.500%, while Lawson and McGuire placed fourth with 67.667%. With Frisbee, Poole rounded out the Canadian entries for six place with 64.417%.
Using the top three combined scores from the Team test and Individual test, Canadians Lauren Barwick, Ashley Gowanlock, Lynne Poole and Jody Schloss finished second in the team competition.
“I am so proud of how everyone from the athletes to the support staff, came together for these two shows,” said Para-Equestrian Team coach, Andrea Taylor. “The bonus of having two back-to-back CPEDI competitions is that it gave us all a great opportunity to make adjustments and try different things from one show to the next. We are learning more and more what each combination needs going forward into the Games.
“Whether it’s more integrated support team support, different feed or changes to a warm up routine, it is all getting narrowed down so that the athletes have a solid base from which to compete. Thanks to everyone who was there. We had a fabulous time,” added Taylor.
Chef d’équipe Quigg-Robinson, team coaches Andrea Taylor and Mary Longden, veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Miller, sport psychologist April Clay, and team manager Amie O’Shaughnessy provided support to the Canadian para-equestrian riders for the duration of the competition in Florida.
In addition to the national team coaches Taylor and Longden, Robyn Andrews is coached by Sue McTavish, Madison Lawson coached by Gary Vander Ploeg, Lynne Poole is coached by Karin Davis and Jody Schloss is coached by Jessica Rhinelander.
This competition in Florida was 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.
The Canadian Para-Equestrian Team finished fourth in the world at the end of the Paralympic qualification period earning Canada a team berth to compete at the 2012 London Paralympic Games.
More from Horse Sport:
