Monday August 8, 2005

Evi Strasser Scores Grand Prix Victory at CDI Toronto Dressage Classic

It was a battle of Canadian Olympians on Saturday at the CDI3* Toronto Dressage Classic running August 4-7 at the Royal Canadian Riding Academy in Cedar Valley, ON, just north of Toronto.

While Evi Strasser and Toronto native Ashley Holzer both had strong performances, the five-member panel of international judges decided in Strasser’s favour, awarding her a score of 69.375% over Holzer’s score of 69.333%. Strasser of Ste-Adele, QC, was riding Quantum Tyme, her 10-year-old chestnut Oldenburg gelding, with whom she recently competed at the 2005 World Cup Final.

“He is really getting the hang of all the Grand Prix movements and everything just feels easy for him now, it is effortless and elastic,” noted Strasser who represented Canada at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. “Ashley and I really pushed each other, and I really had to be on the money to win. The weather was fantastic, the organization is super and it was a really exciting competition.”

Holzer, a 1988 Olympic Team Bronze Medalist, was competing with Gambol at the Grand Prix level for the first time in internationally sanctioned competition. The pair helped Canada win the Silver Medal at the 2003 Pan American Games, and Holzer has a bright future ahead with the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion owned by Dr. Diane Fellows. Holzer had enjoyed victory earlier in the day after earning a score of 72.050% in the Intermediaire I riding Pop Art, her eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.

Jacqueline Brooks, who rode on the 2003 Pan Am Silver Medal Team alongside Strasser and Holzer, placed third with Gran Getso, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Anne Welch and Brinc Ltd. Brooks, who lives in Mount Albert, ON, and trains at the Royal Canadian Riding Academy, felt right at home in the Grand Prix ring where she earned a score of 68.542%.

Jon Costin of Puslinch, ON, took fourth place with a score of 66.500% riding Wholio, his nine-year-old Hannoverian gelding. Finishing in fifth position among the nine-horse starting field was Stouffville’s Belinda Trussell who earned a score of 65.708% riding her 2004 Athens Olympic Games partner, Royan II, a 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding.

“We saw the sport at its best in the Grand Prix, Evi and Ashley really gave it their all and helped make it a very exciting competition,” noted competition organizer, Cara Whitham, who became the first North American to judge at the European Championships, held last weekend in Germany, before flying back to Canada to host her own International Equestrian Federation (FEI) competition.