Canadian Olympian Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON kicked off her 2016 season with two winning performances aboard her veteran partner Anton during week three of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival

© Susan J. Stickle

In her first competition of the 2016 season, veteran Canadian Equestrian Team member Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, dominated competition during the third week of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) in Wellington, FL.

The 2015 Pan American Games Team silver medalist rode to victory not once, but twice, over the course of the week. Aboard her Pan Am Games mount Anton (Antaeus x Shirley), she captured the judges’ attention on Jan. 28 in the CDI-W FEI Grand Prix. She and the 16-year-old Saschen Warmblood gelding owned by her mother, Robyn Eames, and husband, Mark Trussell, earned a score of 72.860% for the win.

“I was in utter shock to come out winning such a huge class with top competitors,” explained Trussell. “I am very happy.”

Just one day later, Trussell and Anton returned to the winner’s circle, this time claiming victory in the CDI-W FEI Grand Prix Freestyle with a final mark of 75.025%, placing them firmly atop the leaderboard.

“Anton is a miracle,” said Trussell of her seasoned partner, who only returned to top level competition shortly before the 2015 Pan Am Games. “He just keeps getting better. He is 16 this year and feels the best he has ever felt in his life. I think the difference between last season and this show was his expression and my confidence to ride to his capability. He loves to compete and is such a good boy in the ring. It’s my job to present him to his best and I feel like we just get stronger as a team.”

As for her plans for the rest of the season, Trussell explained, “I hope to get great scores in Wellington to secure an Olympic spot for Rio. I will compete Anton in the CDI 5* during week five, and hopefully the nations’ cup as well.”

Fellow Canadians earning impressive scores during week three of the AGDF included Karen Pavicic of Surrey, BC. Riding her 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games mount, Don Daiquiri (Don Cardinale x Rubinstein I), a 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding she co-owns with Jayne Essig, Pavicic started out with a score of 70.840% for ninth place in the CDI-W FEI Grand Prix. They followed up with a fifth place finish in the CDI-W FEI Grand Prix Special after scoring 70.157%.

Two of Trussell’s 2015 Pan Am Games teammates also claimed top-10 spots on the leaderboard. Megan Lane of Loretto, ON scored 69.078% for ninth place in the CDI-W Grand Prix Special aboard her long-time partner, Caravella (Contango x Riverman), a 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare she owns with her mother, Cathy Lane. Brittany Fraser from New Glasgow, NS took ninth place (71.625%) in the CDI-W FEI Grand Prix Freestyle with her Pan Am Games mount, All In (Tango x Damiro), an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding she co-owns with Marc-Andre Beaulieu.

Not far behind Fraser in the Freestyle was Canadian Olympian Jacqueline Brooks of Cedar Valley, ON and her veteran partner, D Niro (D-Day x Napoleon 625), a 17-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Mary Brooks and Brookhaven Dressage Inc. Together they scored 70.500% for 10th place.

Media Release

Source: Equine Canada