Wednesday August 14, 2002

FEI Dressage Championhsip of the Americas
Blainville Equestrian Park, Quebec, Canada

FEI Pony Division Class, a First for North America

The CDI-W offered classes at all FEI levels, including another first for North America - an FEI pony division. Roz Farber, Dressage Canada's program leader for domestic development, was the driving force behind the inclusion of ponies in the CDI-W. The biggest challenge was to get enough entries to hold the class; its inclusion in the CDI was based on a guarantee that there would be at least six ponies. Farber got in touch with Lendon Gray. Gray told Farber that she would make sure there were ponies representing the US at the CDI-W. She was good on her word: two of the eight ponies at the show came from the US. The winner of the team test was Canadian Andrea Martin on Dale Donar's pony Eastlands Glendearg, and the individual test and kur to music were won by American Meagan Davis on Van Gogh.

The CDI-W small tour saw an impressive number of entries. In all, twenty horses competed in the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire classes. Canadian riders dominated the division: Jo Anne Mintz and Koriedon won the Prix St. Georges; in the Intermediaire class, Jon Costin and Rebel Kartoon improved on their second place finish in the Prix St. Georges to take top honours. The Intermediaire freestyle was ridden on Saturday evening to a sold out crowd of several thousand spectators. Thirty-four year old Jacqueline Brooks of Cedar Valley, Ontario, rode the seven year old Oldenburg Gran Gesto to a win in his first ever freestyle performance.

The Grand Prix division of the CDI-W had just five entries. Neil Ishoy won the Grand Prix with Andiamo Tyme and a score of 67.1%, but did not compete in the freestyle on Saturday night. Shannon Dueck and Korona put on an electrifying performance with their new "Classical with a twist" freestyle, and won the class with a score of 69.13%.