Ottawa, ON—Canadian Olympian, Leslie Reid rode to two top three finishes at Festival of the Horse CDI3* held March 28–30, 2008 in Burbank, California.

As one of the official qualifying events for the U.S. Olympic selection trials, the Burbank CDI 3* had several U.S. Olympic team contenders including former Olympians Stephen Peters, Debbie McDonald, as well as Leslie Morse making the field very competitive.

Reid, from Langley, BC, rode Patricia Hatch’s Orion, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding sired by Jazz, to a third place finish with a score of 67.670% in the Grand Prix class. The pair then moved up the scoreboard with a 70.900%, for a second place finish, in the Grand Prix Freestyle.

“I am just really happy about how things are going and how Orion has stepped up in his first year international competition,” noted Reid of her equine partner of six years. “I was very pleased to place in the top three in the Grand Prix alongside the potential 2008 American Olympic Team riders. It was also very encouraging that German FEI O judge, Dr. Volker Moritz, gave Orion a score of 69.17% in the Grand Prix.”

In the Grand Prix Freestyle, 2008 Dressage Canada Long Listed rider Lorraine Chappell of Aldergrove, BC, and Carpatino, her 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding sired by Carpaccio, finished in third place with a score of 65.250%.

The international judging panel at this FEI competition included Canada’s own Joan Macartney (FEI I), as well as Volker Moritz (FEI O—GER), Maria Schwennesen (FEI C—AUS), Janet Lee Foy (FEI I—USA) and Linda Zang (FEI O—USA).

Reid’s plans for Orion include competing at the CDI 3* in Rancho Murieta, CA, April 3–6, and finishing the month off at the CDI-W competition back in Del Mar, CA, before returning home.

 

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