Toronto, Ontario – Jacqueline Brooks claimed the inaugural Canadian National Dressage Freestyle Championship on Thursday, November 8, at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.

Held over two nights, Wednesday and Thursday, Canada’s top dressage athletes performed two Grand Prix Freestyles featuring required movements choreographed to the music of their choice. Having won on Wednesday evening with a score of 69.25%, Jacqueline Brooks of Mount Albert, ON, returned to the Ricoh Coliseum on Thursday night to mesmerize the crowd with a rousing performance set to music from the Disney blockbuster, Pirates of the Caribbean. Riding Gran Gesto, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Brinc Ltd. and Anne Welch, Brooks danced to the music and ultimately to victory, earning a score of 69.997% from the panel of international judges.

“Gran Gesto was awesome. He was settled in the ring and was very rideable,” said Brooks, a crowd favourite who has competed at the Royal Horse Show on multiple occasions. “The freestyle is the future of our sport, and having this event at the Royal could be the jump-start the riders need to develop better freestyles and attract the crowds.”

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