Tina Busse-Irwin Dances to Double Victories at CDI Blainville

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.”

Busse-Irwin also earned the top score for during the Grand Prix competition with a score of 64.542%.

In the Advanced Division, the Intermediaire I Freestyle was won by 2004 Olympian Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, with a score of 71.150%. Trussell, who won the same class in last week’s competition, was riding the eight-year-old German-bred gelding Anton (Antaeus x Melit), owned by Robyn Eames, to music from the soundtrack of the Bee Movie.

“I was absolutely thrilled with his performance because he handled the electric environment and the fantastic, enthusiastic Blainville crowd really well,” noted Trussell. “He is in his first year at this level, and I am really pleased with him. I have high hopes for him in the future.”

Gina Smith, of Brockville, ON, also a member of Canada’s Bronze Medal winning 1988 Olympic Dressage Team, finished in second place in the Intermediaire I Freestyle with Frappuccino, a nine-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Smith and Faith Berghuis, with a score of 66.950%. Lee Tubman of Dunnville, ON, followed close behind in third place, with 66.500%, aboard the seven-year-old Hanoverian mare De La Rosa (De Niro x Rohdiamant) owned by Ducat Developments. Fourth place went to Tom Dvorak of Hillsburg, ON, and Corrigan (Cordobes I x Grosso Z), an eight-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Karen Thompson-Harry, with a score of 65.250%.

Julie Watchorn of Schomberg, ON, and her mare Quintesse (Latano x Fernando), a 15-year-old Begian Warmblood, handily won the Intermediaire I class with a score of 66.083%. Second place went to Trussell and Anton with 65.667%, while Smith and Frappuccino earned 64.833%, for third place. Gary Vander Ploeg of King City, ON, and Degas (Donner Hall x Pring Miro), an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Jean Vander Ploeg, placed fourth with 64.250%. Rounding out the top five was Tubman and De La Rosa with a score of 64.167%.

The Prix St. Georges class was won by Trussell and Anton with a score of 67.667%, followed by Watchorn and Quintesse in second place with 65.583%. In third place with 64.750%, was Bonny Bonnello of Calgary, AB, and Pikardi (Point Maker x Daimont), an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Bonnello and Jean Bell. Vander Ploeg and Degas finished in fourth with 64.750%.

The competition also showcased some of Canada’s best young talent, both human and equine. With CDI-W Blainville International Classic being the final opportunity for riders to qualify for the 2008 North American Junior/Young Riders’ Championship (NAJYRC) to be held in The Colorado Horse Park in Parker, CO, this August, the Young Rider division was hotly contested. In the FEI Young Rider Freestyle, Jessica Rhinelander of St. John’s, NL, and Allende, a 13-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding owned by Andrea Rhinelander, won with a score of 66.667%. Second place went to Jamie Holland of Caledon, ON, and her horse Fleurina (Florestan x Nouveau Roi), a 10-year-old Westphalian mare, with 65.750%. Annie-Pier Venne of Charlemagne, QC, and her horse Step Up, a 12-year-old Westphalian stallion picked up third place with 65.500%. Holland won the Young Rider Individual test with Fleurina with a score of 65.417%. Second went to Amy Jager of Puslinch, ON, with Jive, a 17-year-old Dutch Warmblood by Ulft. Third place went to Venne and Step Up. Jager and Jive won the Young Rider Team Test with a score of 67.037%. Venne and Step Up finished in second. Third place went to Rhinelander and Allende.

The results were identical for FEI Junior Freestyle and Individual tests. First place went to Alexandra Dvorak of Hillsburgh, ON, aboard her eight-year-old Westphalian gelding, Fling. Alexandra Dvorak scored 70.083% in the Freestyle test and 66.583% in the Individual test. Ariana Chia of Winnipeg, MB, finished in second place with Marzipan, an 11-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Susan Nash. Chia scored 68.167% in the Freestyle and 65.417% in the Individual test. Megan Lane of Collingwood, ON, and Dolany finished third in both classes, receiving a 66.833% in the Freestyle. Lane and Dolany won the FEI Junior Team test. Second place went to Chia and Marzipan.

In the FEI Pony Division, Vivian Cornell of Kingston, ON, won the Freestyle aboard Faith Berghuis’ Daylight with a score of 66.750%. Noemie Gagnon-Bergeron of Kanata, ON, and Crown Royal finished in second place in all the tests in the FEI Pony Division. Julie Channell of Boucherville, QC, and Ronja won the Individual test and Mathilde Blaise-Tetrault and Miss Honey Church won the Team test.

In the FEI Young Horse Five-Year-Old Division, Harma Germs of Montague, PE, rode her Dutch Warmblood mare, Whiscalina, to a win in the Preliminary class with a score of 76%. Second place went to Neil MacIntosh and Evi Strasser’s Right Tyme with a score of 71.40%. Faberge, a Westphalian gelding owned and ridden by Brittany Fraser finished third with 68.200%. MacIntosh and Right Tyme won the Finale Test with a score of 77%, while Fraser and Faberge finished second with 73.800%. Dark Dandy, Ashley Phipps’ Hanoverian gelding, finished in third with 70%.

Tom Dvorak and Freixenet won FEI Young Horse Six-Year-Old Preliminary class with a score of 71.800%. Royal T and Francine Bell of Vercheres, QC, finished in second with 70.800%. Third place went to Williams and Da Vinci with a score of 66.800%. Williams and Da Vinci won the Finale Test with a score of 72.400%, and Tom Dvorak and Freixenet placed second with 72.200%.

The international judging panel included Trond Asmyr (FEI I—NOR), Jane Weatherwax (FEI I—USA), Bernard Maurel (FEI O— FRA), Marian Cunningham (FEI I—PER), Jacques Van Daele (FEI I—BEL), Lorraine MacDonald (FEI I—CAN) and Peter Engel (FEI I—GER).

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