Ashley Holzer of Toronto, ON debuted a new freestyle at the CDI3* Royal Agricultural Winter Fair November 11, to the surprise of the audience, and perhaps a little to her horse, Pop Art. While the music began with the soundtrack of National Treasure, it was quickly interrupted by the sound of a ring and an answering machine. Holzer’s voice asked the caller to leave a message, or send her a text, as she was riding at the Royal. The caller on the other end was Holzer’s daughter Emma, explaining to her mother that she had changed her freestyle music up a bit, as the Royal was all about having fun. With that, Holzer and Pop Art began their dance to the Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling.” And what a night it was!
Pop Art did seem a bit nervous at first, but being the consummate professional, Holzer pulled him together to win the class with a combined score of 75.15%. Holzer explained after the performance, “My horse was still pretty scared in there so it was a little tricky to ride at times but it didn’t take away from the fun I had! My daughter Emma came up with the idea to have some fun at the Royal and do a special freestyle. I realize it was not your typical freestyle but it’s nice to sometimes do something different for one night.”
Holzer and Pop Art are Canada’s leading dressage combination, placing eighth in the Freestyle at the 2010 FEI Alltech World Equestrian Games (WEG). The 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding is owned by her mother, Moreen Nicoll, and her husband Rusty Holzer. The duo also won Wednesday’s Grand Prix test with a score of 69.55%.
After the Freestyle, Holzer was presented with the Ian Nicoll Memorial Trophy, which is given by The Royal Horse Show to the leading Canadian rider in attendance.
Jacqueline Brooks of Newmarket, ON rode her long-time partner, Gran Gesto, the 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Brinc Ltd. and Anne Welch. Her music built momentum and showed off the quality of his gaits. The duo placed second with a combined score of 71%. They had also placed second in Wednesday’s Grand Prix test with 65.489%.
“It’s always such an amazing event when we get to compete in Toronto and friends and relatives that can’t normally see us compete are able to come watch us,” remarked Brooks. “Anytime Ashley and I are able to compete in the same show, both have great rides, and then are able to celebrate with all our closest friends is such a highlight for me. I thank Sam (Gran Gesto) for that every time!”
Victoria Winter of Toronto, ON finished third, scoring 69.55% with Proton, the 16-year-old Baden-Wurttemburger gelding owned by Cindy and Neil Ishoy. Proton had given Winter some trouble in Wednesday’s Grand Prix, where they placed 4th, but there was no sign of that in the Freestyle. Winter took up the reins on Proton just last fall, and the pair was part of Canada’s Dressage team at WEG in Kentucky.
Simone Williams of Navan, ON rode Wunder Ein, her twelve-year-old Hanoverian gelding, to music with a Latin beat. They had placed third in the Grand Prix, but the improvement of Winter and Proton left them in fourth with 65.55%. Still, Williams seemed pleased with her horse’s clean performance.
Liz Steacie of Brockville, ON was the first rider in the Freestyle with Spotless, her Trakehner-cross gelding, after placing fifth in the Grand Prix test. The 15.2hh gelding is in his first year at Grand Prix, and had some tension in Wednesday’s test. The pair seemed much more relaxed in the Freestyle, and improved their score significantly, earning less than one percent less than Williams.
The Royal Horse Show is part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, which runs for ten days every November. It is considered the wrap-up event of the season for the competing disciplines. The CDI3* was presented by Dominion Regalia, a supplier of ribbons to the Royal since the Fair’s inception in 1922.
The officiating judges for the CDI3* Toronto were Axel Steiner (FEI 5* — USA), Mercedes Campdera Alatorre, (FEI 4* — MEX); Joan Macartney, (FEI 4* — CAN); Parajeet Chopra (FEI4* — IND); and Brenda Minor (FEI3* — CAN).