Canadians Place First & Second at CDI 3* in West Palm Beach

Ottawa, ON – Canadian Olympians Ashley Holzer, of Toronto, ON, and Belinda Trussell, of Stouffville, ON, topped the scoreboard this weekend at the Wellington Spring Classic CDI3*, in West Palm Beach, FL. Holzer, on her Olympic mount, Pop Art, won Saturday’s Grand Prix for Special with 72.170%, while Belinda Trussell, on Anton, came second, with 67.574%. The riders then went onto the Special on Sunday, placing first and second again, with Holzer scoring 72.708% and Trussell following with 68.00%.

“I saw great improvement in all of our Canadian riders and was especially proud of our first and second place in both the Grand Prix and the Special with Ashley and Belinda,” said Robert Dover, Dressage Canada’s Technical/Coach Advisor. “I feel confident that we will see scores moving up on all of our combinations as the season continues.”

Holzer and Pop Art (Amsterdam x Cabochon) have been placing consistently above 70% this season, amongst world-class competition. The duo recently placed fourth in both the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Freestyle at the CDI5* Exquis World Dressage Masters, behind World and Olympic champions. Holzer also won both classes at the CDI-W Gold Coast Opener January 21-24, their first show of the season.

“I’m thrilled with Poppy’s and Canada’s results at this CDI,” said Holzer.

Belinda Trussell and Anton (Antaeous x Melit) a 10-year-old German-bred gelding owned by Robyn Eames, have also been a stellar combination this season. The pair has been very consistent in the Grand Prix Special, most recently placing second at the CDI5* Exquis World Dressage Masters on February 6, and winning the GPS at the CDI-W Gold Coast Opener in January.

Fellow Canadian Victoria Winter, on Proton, secured fifth place with 66.426% in Saturday’s Grand Prix and fourth place in Sunday’s Special with 67.708%. Winter and Proton, a 16-year-old Baden-Wurttemburger gelding (Patriarch x Rosenkavalier) owned by Cindy Ishoy, have also been doing well in their quest for a WEG team berth. They were second behind Trussell in the Grand Prix Special at the CDI-W Gold Coast Opener.

Canadians have been performing well in Florida this season, and this CDI3* was no exception. Shannon Dueck, who resides in Loxahatachee, FL, was the highest placed Canadian in the Grand Prix for Freestyle on Friday, February 12. She and her nine- year-old Oldenburg mare Ayscha (Welt Hit II x Rouletto) placed sixth with 66.170%. They went on to score 67.975% in Saturday evening’s Freestyle for seventh place. Just behind them were Jacqueline Brooks of Cedar Valley, ON and Balmoral with 67.70%. Balmoral is an 11-year old Canadian-bred Hanoverian gelding (Belcanto x Consul) owned by Brinc Ltd and Anne and John Welch. Simone Williams of Navan, ON and Wunder Ein, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Wolkenstein x Matt), owned by Williams and her parents, Robert and Marg, earned 64.900% in the Freestyle.

This year’s World Equestrian Games has brought many team hopefuls down to Florida to train with Technical Advisor/Coach Robert Dover. Bonny Bonnello of Calgary, AB and 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding Picardi (Point Maker x Diamont) owned by Bonnello and Jean Bell, were seventh in the Grand Prix Special with 65.750%, improving upon their ninth place in the Grand Prix where they earned 64.553%. Ute Busse of Breslau, ON, and Lindor’s Finest (by Eastern Ruler), a 13-year-old Dutch-bred gelding owned by Busse and Sylvia Carlton earned 64.083% in the Special for 11th place. Behind them in 12th with 64.0442% was Gary VanderPloeg of King City, ON, riding Cezanne, a 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Jeannie VanderPloeg.

The next CDI for Canadian WEG Team hopefuls takes place in Florida March 4-7, 2010, at the CDI-W Palm Beach Dressage Derby.

For full results, visit www.wellingtonclassicdressage.com.