Diane Creech Earns Spot at Exquis World Dressage Masters

Ottawa, ON – Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON, and Devon L (De Niro x Wolkenstein II), Douglas Leatherdale’s 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, will represent Canada at the $145,000 Exquis World Dressage Masters, scheduled for February 4–6, 2010 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, in Wellington, FL, USA.

The pair qualified for a starting position in the Masters, by achieving a minimum of 64% in a Grand Prix at two different CDI3*–5*/CDIO competitions, and was awarded an invitation to the competition by the Exquis World Dressage Masters (WDM) organizing committee. Creech will join Ashley Holzer of Toronto, ON, and Pop Art; Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, and Anton; and Cheryl Meisner of Blandford, NS, and Paganini, as the Canadian representatives at the prestigious CDI5* competition in Florida.

A maximum of 20 rider/horse combinations, including Steffen Peters (USA) on Ravel, Isabell Werth (GER) on Satchmo and Anky van Grunsven (NED) on Salinero, will compete in the Grand Prix test with prize money of $14,500. Riders then advance to either the Grand Prix Special test with a purse of $43,500 or the $87,000 Grand Prix Freestyle.

The international judging panel will include Dr. Wojtek Markowski (FEI O—POL), Gary Rockwell (FEI O—USA), Axel Steiner (FEI O—USA), Victoire Mandl (FEI I—AUT) and Freddy Leyman (FEI I—BEL).

In addition to this competition in Florida, Exquis World Dressage Masters (WDM) CDI5* will also have events in Munich, Germany and Hickstead, England each with €100,000 (US$145,000) in prize money for 2010 and 2011.