Ottawa, Ontario—Karen Pavicic of Richmond, BC, and Pia Fortmuller of DeWinton, AB, won the team gold medal at the Sydney CDI3*/CDI–Y International Dressage Derby held in Sydney, Australia, May 1– 3, 2008. The event, hosted at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park, site of the 2000 Olympic Games, is the only CDI3* held in Australia each year.
Due to Australian’s strict quarantine requirements and the high cost of air transportation, the organizing committee invited owners to loan their Prix St Georges/Intermediaire I level horses to the visiting international riders. At the competition, all riders started on equal terms, drawing the name of the horse they competed on out of a hat.
In the first class, the Gow Gates International Prix St Geroges, Pavicic rode Rachel Hunter’s 11-year-old Australian Warmblood gelding, Jaybee Archer, to a 12th place. Fortmuller rode Merlin’s Masterpiece, a 14-year-old Percheron cross gelding owned by Vicky Quarterman, to 21st place overall.