At the International Dressage Tournament CDI 3* Cedar Valley, held June 19-22, 2014 in Cedar Valley, ON, Canada’s young dressage talent, Megan Lane, won both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special.
Lane of Collingwood, ON, rode her long-time partner Caravella (Contango x Riverman), a 13-year-old Canadian-bred Dutch Warmblood mare, to first place in the Grand Prix test with a score of 70.960, earning the pair an automatic qualification to the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, FRA, in August.
“This weekend was certainly a milestone for me in both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special,” said Lane who also rode Caravella during her years as a Young Rider. “I am far beyond words, and I feel like I accomplished what I came for and more. She was extremely confident in both tests. It’s exactly the kind of place you want to be in going to a major championships.”
“The best part of this journey is that Caravella keeps giving me more and more every time we go down the centre line,” added Lane. “She has so much expression and power, yet she still gives me the feeling that there is another gear in her. I could not be more proud to own and ride such an incredible horse.”
Second place was awarded to Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON riding Anton (Antaeus x Melit), a 14-year-old German-bred gelding owned by Robyn Eames. The pair also earned their final qualifying score, of 69.980%, to automatically qualify them for the Canadian Dressage Team at WEG. Diane Creech of Caistor Centre, ON was fourth with Devon L, a 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding (De Niro x Wolkenstein II) owned by D.W. Leatherdale and Leatherdale Farms, while Jacqueline Brooks of Cedar Valley, ON rode her 2012 Olympic mount, D Niro, a 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Mary Brooks of Brookhaven Dressage Inc., to fifth place with 67.600%. Riding Julia Fogel’s 16-year-old Oldenburg gelding, Deniros Tyme (Denio x Grunstein I), Nancy MacLachlan of Terra Cotta, ON, was sixth with 66.640%. Rounding out the top six placings was Jill Irving of Moncton, NB and Degas 12, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding, sired by De Niro, earning a final score of 66.540%.
Lane and Caravella also dazzled the crowd and judges during their Grand Prix Special test and scored 72.980% for their second win of the show.
“My rides this weekend were also a credit to all of the support behind me to make it possible,” continued Lane. “Having an amazing team behind you is so powerful, and I have so many people to thank including my family, Canadian Team Coach Dr. Volker Moritz, and the gracious Canadian equestrian community.”
“It was exciting to see the many supporters who came to watch the Special and the Freestyles this weekend; alongside the sponsorship and venue, it created a wonderful atmosphere. For Canada to keep building on this momentum is definitely the way forward,” said Lane.
Second in the Grand Prix Special went to Trussell and Anton with 71.235%, while in third place was Brooks and D Niro scoring 68.058%. Irving and Degas 12 were fourth (66.235%) and MacLachlan and Deniros Tyme were fifth (66.235%).
For the second show in a row Creech and Devon L won the Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 72.050%, Second went to Brittany Fraser of New Glasgow, NS and Countess, her own 11-year-old Danish Warmblood (Don X Solos) earning a final score of 69.725%. Fourth went to Irving and Pop Art (Amsterdam x Cabochon), Moreen Nicoll and Rusty Holzer’s 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, with a score of 67.775%. Canadian Olympian Evi Strasser of Sainte Adele, QC rode her own Renaissance Tyme, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding sired by Royal Diamond, to fifth place in the Freestyle with 67.175%.
Lane finished in first place, riding San d’Or (Sandro Hit x Cocktail), Deer Ridge Equestrian’s eight-year-old Westphalian gelding, with a score of 68.651% in the U25 Grand Prix with a score of 68.651%. She also came second with 67.372% riding another one of Deer Ridge Equestrian’s horses, Lucky Lemon (Lemon Park x Bergkristall), a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, scoring 67.372%.
Fraser and All In (Tango x Damiro), her nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, won the Intermediate A test with a score of 69.33. Seven-time Canadian Olympian Christilot Boylen was second (68.905%) riding her own Drentano (De Niro x Bretano), an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding. The top three included Creech and Chrevis Christo (Lavallo x Matador), an 11-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Douglas Leatherdale, scoring 67.283%.
In the Intermdiate B test, Creech and Chrevis Christo took home top spot with 69.087%, while second went to Lane and San d’Or, scoring 68.849. Third was awarded to Boylen and Drentano with 68.413%, and Fraser and All In were fourth (68.373%).
Partnered with Ribot (Reno x Cor Noir), a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Carla Bahr, Tom Dvorak of Hillsburgh ON, earned 70.650% for first place in the Intermediate I Freestyle. In second was Strasser and Rigaudon Tyme (Rosario x Calypso II), her 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding, with 68.725%. Simone Williams of Navan, ON, was fourth with Farley (Hans Gruber x Rubirando), a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Simone, Margaret and Bob Williams, scoring 67.425%.
Dvorak and Ribot also won the Intermediate I test with 69.430%, while Williams and Farley were second (68.421%). With Florencia 22 (Florencio I x Weltmeyer), an eight-year-old Hanoverian mare owned by Windhaven Farm/Jill Irving, Boylen was third scoring 66.447%.
The Prix St Georges test was also won by Dvorak and Ribot with a score of 69.167%. Strasser and Rigaudon Tyme were second with 68.289%, and Elizabeth Steacie of Brockville, ON, rode Callahan (Cordoba x Matcho AA), her nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding, to third place with 67.632%. In fourth place was Maya Markowski of St Clements, ON, riding Peter Trainor’s nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Diego (Der Lord x Wolkenstein II) with 67.156%. With Biasini (Bellissimo x Davignon), Robyn Eames’ nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Trussell was fifth in the Prix St Georges test, scoring 66.974%. Williams and Farley placed six (66.886%), while Markowski was seventh (66.842%) with her own 11-year-old Canadian Warmblood mare, Lumiere, sired by Lynx. Rounding out the top eight was Boylen with Florencia 22 with a score of 66.447%.
In the Young Rider division, Naima Moreira LaLiberte won all three tests, scoring 66.150% in the Young Rider Freestyle.
The ground jury for the event consisted of Francis Verbeek-Von Rooy NED 5*, Elizabeth McMullen CAN 5*, Liselotte Fore USA 5*, Stephen Clarke GBR 5*, Lorraine MacDonald CAN 4*, Cesar Torrente COL 3*, and Chief Steward Karen Ashby CAN FEI 2* with Lynne Milford CAN FEI 1* and Jane Holbrook CAN FEI 1*.
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