Ottawa, ON – WEG declared Canadian rider Wendy Christoff of Delta, BC earned a solid score of 67.277% in the Grand Prix test at Dressage Affaire, a CDI3* held March 13-14, 2010 in Del Mar, CA. Riding Pfalstaff, her 16-year-old Hanoverian gelding sired by Paladium, Christoff placed fifth in a class dominated by elite American riders, and won by reigning World Cup Champions Steffen Peters and Ravel.
“It was a solid test. The environment in the arena gave him a bit of extra energy and he was stronger and more confident through the test. The help from Leslie Reid and Robert Dover was invaluable and Pfalstaff improved every day,” said Christoff. “We had a miscommunication in the trot tour and he cantered in the half pass in the special but had some brilliant moments, and we are very much looking forward to Burbank.”
A similar story unfolded in the Prix St. Georges class, where Canadian Ashleigh Luca-Tyson, who is based in Phoenix, AZ, placed fourth in another class won by Peters. Luca-Tyson scored 66.895% riding Uniek (Gribaldi x Haarlem), the nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare she co-owns with Sally Williams.
In the Intermediaire I Freestyle, Joni-Lynn Peters of Armstrong, BC, earned 67.400% for first place with Travolta, her 10-year-old Canadian Warmblood gelding sired by Olympic Ferro.
In the FEI Junior division, Monica Houweling of Delta, BC was second in the Freestyle with 65.700% aboard Stentano (Houston x Havel), her 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. The duo was second in the Individual test and third in the Team test.
Jennifer Wood of Nanoose Bay, BC placed fourth in both the Young Rider Team and Individual tests aboard Mister, her 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Corleone.
The judging panel for CDI3* Del Mar included Gabriel Armando, (FEI I—ARG,) Wim Ernes (FEI O—NED), Lisolette Fore (FEI I—USA) Joan Macartney (FEI I—CAN), and Linda Zang, (FEI O—USA).
The next show on the West Coast CDI circuit will be CDI3* Burbank (CA), March 31-April 3, 2010.