Victoria Davies and Celere.

Image supplied.

Victoria Davies and her stunning stallion Celere have been named the inaugural series Champions of the EQ Life Para-Dressage Leader Board.

EA High Performance, in consultation with rider feedback, last year introduced a new Para-Dressage initiative to recognise and support Australian athletes throughout the competition season.

“I think it is brilliant. It really gives riders the incentive to go out there and chase the clubs that are doing Para-Equestrian events, and to go out there and support the sport, get the competition experience, and to get the horses out before the major competitions and qualifiers,” said Davies.

Impressively, Davies led the competition from the very beginning. When asked how it felt to have dominated the Leader Board for the duration, Davies exclaimed, “I think it’s fantastic!”

Victoria Davies and Celere.

© Amy-Sue Alston

“I started off strong but then Celere needed to have a few months off after Brisbane because he just wasn’t feeling his best, so we decided we would look after him now and that we would come out in 2020 and give it our all for the last two qualifiers. He is a Lusitano too so I am really proud, really proud, that we have still come out on top.”

What makes this achievement even more incredible is that even with her daily pain management, Davies does all of the work with the horses herself: “I ride the horses myself. Celere, he is very one on one and he only likes me riding him, we have a really strong connection but I also have the eyes of my coach Alycia (Targa) on us and it has really upped our game a bit.”

The Equestrian Life Para-Dressage Leader Board was created to recognise and encourage participation in both National and FEI Para-Dressage categories.

“I think these types of leader boards are helpful. It also gives the riders the chance to go to clubs and say would you mind having our Para-Equestrian tests, some clubs are really supportive of that, every one that I have come across - whether it be Shoalhaven Dressage, Sydney Dressage, Hawkesbury, Clarendon… they have all been very supportive of the Paras.”

However, it isn’t only the Para-Dressage world that Davies and her stunning stallion Celere have taken on, they also compete in Open Dressage competition. “To get the horses out for experience there is a lot more Open competitions so I do compete Open. With Celere I was pretty much going out every weekend, which really helped with his relaxation and we were competing up to Medium, we even competed at Willinga Park last year and Wallaby Hill which was really fun. Before major qualifier events though I have to focus on the walk and the trot, so I don’t like interfering with my training by going out and doing Medium level during qualification periods,” explains Davies.

Victoria Davies and Celere, with husband Michael.

© Amy-Sue Alston

In addition to Davies taking out the overall EQ Life Para-Dressage Leader Board title, there have also been other awards presented with the new initiative as follows:

Overall Winner (Across All Grades): Victoria Davies
Overall Placings to 6th: Kaye Hannan (2nd & 4th), Sharon Jarvis (3rd), Victoria Davies (5th) and Amelia White (6th)
Highest Placed Combination from Each Grade: Ryan McNeil (Grade 1), Victoria Davies (Grade 2), Amylie Hines (Grade 3), Kaye Hannan (Grade 4), Amelia White (Grade 5)
Highest Placed Combination from Each State: Victoria Davies (NSW), Sharon Jarvis (WA), Zoe Vorenas (VIC), Sarah Sherwood (QLD)
Highest Placed Combination Competing Internationally: Victoria Davies

Congratulations to all winners, placegetters and participants in the EQ Life Para-Dressage Leader Board.

Source: Equestrian Australia (EA) press release

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