Selena O’Hanlon Leads Canadian Eventing Team at WEG

Selena O’Hanlon of Elgin, ON is currently the top-ranked member of the Canadian Eventing Team following the opening day of dressage at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) Eventing Championships held in Lexington, KY September29th to October 3rd.

At the conclusion of the first day, O’Hanlon was the highest placed Canadian, sitting in 17th position with a score of 50.8 penalty points riding Colombo, a 15-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Elaine and Michael Davies. Hawley Bennett-Awad of Langley, BC, is currently ranked 22nd, with a score of 52.5, riding Gin & Juice, 10-year-old bay mare owned by Bennett-Awad and Linda Paine, and Jessica Phoenix, Uxbridge ON, who is currently in 32nd place with a score of 60.2 riding Exponential, her own 12-year-old bay Canadian Thoroughbred gelding.

“We are very proud of what our riders accomplished today. It is a significant improvement from where we were after of first day of team competition two years ago,” said the Canadian Eventing Team Chef d’équipe, Graeme Thom. “It is exactly where International Technical Advisor, David O’Connor, had expected us to be.”

The remaining three members of the Canadian Eventing Team, Rebecca Howard of Salmon Arm, BC, Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch of Summerland, BC, and Kyle Carter of Calgary, AB will compete on Friday, October 1, 2010.

Following the first day of dressage, Canada’s combined team score of 103.30 places it sixth overall among the 14 nations fielding teams. Teams are comprised of four horse-rider combinations and the best three scores are counted towards the team result. Germany currently leads the way with a score of 83.80 penalty points followed by Australia in second with 91.00. Sweden sits third with 91.70.

In the Individual standings, Simone Deitermann of Germany is at the top of the leader board with 36 penalty points riding Free Easy NRW. Following her teammate in second is Ingrid Klimke with a score of 41.30 with FRH Butts Abraxxas. Great Britian’s William Fox-Pitt is third with 42 riding Cool Mountain.

2010 World Equestrian Games – Provisional Individual Eventing Standings Following Dressage Day 1

Rider – Country – Horse – Score
1. S. Deitermann – Germany – Free Easy – 36.0
2. I. Klimke – Germany – FRH Butts Abraxxas – 41.3
3. W. Fox-Pitt – Great Britain – Cool Mountain – 42.0
4. D. Schrade – Germany – Gadget de la Cere – 42.5
5. P. Tapner – Australia – Inonothing – 43.8
6. J. Paget – Australia – Clifton Promise – 44.0
7. S. Bordone – Italy – Carrera – 45.2
8. P. Funnell – Great Britain – Redesigned – 45.5
8. L. Algotsson – Sweden – Stand By Me – 45.5
9. N. Jonsson – Sweden – First Lady – 46.2
17. Selena O’Hanlon – Elgin, ON – Colombo – 50.8
22. Hawley Bennett-Awad Langley, BC – Gin & Juice – 52.5
32. Jessica Phoenix – Uxbridge, ON – Calgary, AB – 60.2