Jacqueline Brooks and Cheryl Meisner Dominate at CDI-W Blainville

Blainville, Quebec – Jacqueline Brooks opened the CDI-W Blainville Summer Classic with a win in the Grand Prix on June 19.

Brooks of Mount Albert, ON, bested a starting field of 11 horses to win the Grand Prix test on her 2008 Olympic mount Gran Gesto, a 14-year-old bay Oldenburg gelding owned by Brinc Ltd. and Anne Welch. The win marked Brooks’ first major outing of 2009 season as Gran Gesto had not been in the show ring since last November’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.

“My horse was fresh, fresh, fresh,” said Brooks after winning the class with a score of 66.894%. “I was shocked by how excited he was, but I’m thrilled that he’s still so enthusiastic to compete.”

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Brooks also placed seventh in the Grand Prix with the Canadian-bred Hannoverian gelding, Balmoral, and noted, “He is just 10, and he had a quiet summer last year while I was at the Olympics. It’s very exciting to have two horses doing well at this level.”

Finishing close behind Brooks for second place was Cheryl Meisner of Blandford, NS, riding Paganini, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion owned by John Risley. Like Brooks, Meisner was also enjoying a return to the show ring after an absence, having given birth to a daughter seven months ago. Meisner received a score of 66.426% for a ride that highlighted the horse’s maturity and power.

“I was really pleased with the tempi changes and passage,” said Meisner, 27, who also placed fourth in the Grand Prix with Tango, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.

Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, earned a score of 64.851% to place third riding another nine-year-old horse, Robyn Eames’ German-bred gelding, Anton.

The Blainville Summer Classic is a qualifying event for the 2009 North American Junior and Young Riders’ Championship to be held this August in Lexington, KY. Jade Deter of Kemptville, ON, won the FEI Young Rider Team test on her 12-year-old Westphalian gelding Mastermind with a score of 64.912%. The FEI Junior Team test was won by Anne-Mylaine Messier of St-Luc, QC, who was awarded a score of 67.027% from the panel of five FEI judges for her ride on Marzipan.

Lee Tubman of Dunnville, ON, won the Prix St. Georges class riding De La Rosa, an eight-year-old Hannoverian mare belonging to Ducat Developments of Calgary, AB. In the FEI Young Horse competition, Neil McIntosh and Rigaudon Tyme won the Five-Year-Old preliminary test on a score of 8.36 while Harma Germs won the Six-Year-Old preliminary test with Whiscalina after receiving a score of 7.38 for their performance.

A total of 280 horses, 70 of which are entered in the CDI division, represent excellent attendance at the first of two back-to-back FEI and Equine Canada national competitions organized by Cara Whitham of Equivents, Inc. The spectator highlight of the competition, the freestyle to music, will take place on Sunday, June 21, during a Gala Brunch beginning at 9:30 a.m.

For more information on the CDI-W Blainville Summer Classic and Equine Canada national show, as well as the Blainville International which begins on June 24, visit www.equivents.com.

CDI-W Grand Prix – Final Results

Rider, Hometown, Horse, Score

1. Jacqueline Brooks Mount Albert, ON Gran Gesto 66.894%

2. Cheryl Meisner Blandford, NS Paganini 66.426%

3. Belinda Trussell Stouffville, ON Anton 64.851%

4. Cheryl Meisner Blandford, NS Tango 63.021%

5. Neil Ishoy Lynden, ON Lonestar 62.979%

6. Simone Williams Navan, ON Wunder Ein 61.064%