Ottawa, ON—Tina Busse-Irwin of Lakefield, ON, earned a double victory in Quebec, winning the Grand Prix on June 26, and the Grand Prix Freestyle on June 28, at the CDI-W Blainville International Classic, held at the Blainville Equestrian Park in Blainville, QC, June 25 to 28, 2008.

During the grand finale of the competition, Busse-Irwin, riding Amicelli, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by her mother, Ute Busse, and Wendy Beresford, danced to victory with a her Freestyle choreographed to hit music from Tina Turner and Lionel Richie. The pair received a score of 68.900%. Second place went to Simone Williams of Navan, ON, and Wunder Ein (Wolkenstein II x Maat), William’s 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Cindy Ishoy, 1988 Olympic Bronze Medalist, of Lynden, ON, finished in third place, with a score of 65.200%, in the Freestyle with Dread Response (Donnerschlag x Rosenkavalier), an 11-year-old Rheinlander gelding by owned by Joseph Saul.

“I was thrilled with Amicelli. He was really attentive during the freestyle,” noted Busse-Irwin, who has ridden and trained Amicelli since he was a four-year-old. “He really showed off his piaffe and passage.”

Advertisement