Meisner Awarded Wildcard Spot at Exquis World Dressage Masters

Ottawa, ON – Cheryl Meisner of Blandford, NS, and Paganini, John Risley’s 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion (Havidoff x Statuar), will also represent Canada at the $145,000 Exquis World Dressage Masters, scheduled for February 4–6, 2010 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, in Wellington, FL, USA.

The pair, who had a very successful 2009 competition season, was awarded a wildcard invitation to the competition by the Exquis World Dressage Masters (WDM) organizing committee based on their FEI Rider Ranking. Meisner will join Canadian Olympians Ashley Holzer of Toronto, ON, and Pop Art, and Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, and Anton as the Canadian representatives at the prestigious CDI5* competition in Florida.

A maximum of 20 rider/horse combinations, including Steffen Peters (USA) on Ravel, Isabell Werth (GER) on Satchmo and Anky van Grunsven (NED) on Salinero, will compete in the Grand Prix test with prize money of $14,500. The top eight riders will advance to the $87,000 Grand Prix Freestyle with the remaining riders performing the Grand Prix Special test with a purse of $43,500.

The international judging panel will include Dr. Wojtek Markowski (FEI O—POL), Gary Rockwell (FEI O—USA), Axel Steiner (FEI O—USA), Victoire Mandl (FEI I—AUT) and Freddy Leyman (FEI I—BEL).

In addition to this competition in Florida, Exquis World Dressage Masters (WDM) CDI5* will also have events in Munich, Germany and Hickstead, England each with €100,000 (US$145,000) in prize money for 2010 and 2011.