Main image: Lisa Martin and Vilaggio, by Click Capture Photography.
Sunday report: Final Day of Paralympic Qualifying Scores
Saturday report: Qualifying Scores continue at Hawkesbury Dressage Festival CPEDI
The final day of action at Hawkesbury Dressage Festival CPEDI took place on Monday at Sydney International Equestrian Centre, and with the Paralympic qualifiers complete it was time for competitors to let their hair down and enjoy their Freestyle tests.
Not that it meant any lesser performances or scores… there was certainly no shortage of impressive results across the grades!
The biggest score of the day went to Lisa Martin and her seven-year-old Vilaggio in the CPEDI3* Grade V Grand Prix Freestyle. The pair were awarded 74.792% to finished ahead of Georgina Bills and Chapplehurst Wynter on 69.6%, Stuart Drysdale and Blueberry 20 on 68.267%, and Chelsea de Jonge and Don Dancier on 67.017%.
Lisa and Vilaggio were named CPEDI3* Grade V Champions, with Chelsea de Jonge and Don Dancier the Reserve Champions. It’s only Vilaggio’s third international-level competition, and he’s certainly an exciting one for the future.
Stella Barton posted another impressive score on Lord Larmarque, winning the CPEDI3* Grade I Grand Prix Freestyle on 72.522% to be named overall CPEDI3* Grade I Champion.
Stella Barton and Lord Larmarque. Image by Click Capture.
Bridget Murphy was another stand-out today, scoring a big 72.334% to win the CPEDI3* Grade II Grand Prix Freestyle and also claim the CPEDI3* Grade II Championship. It was a PB Freestyle score for the pair.
Kate Nipperess was second in the Grade II Grand Prix Freestyle on 69.445% with SW Cruiser and was named Reserve Champion. Maddison Cooke and Byalee Magic II were third on 64.889%, and Rebecca Webber was fourth with Glenayre Skyline on 61.334%.
An off-the-track Thoroughbred, Glenayre Skyline is also a 1.20m show jumper and Hawkesbury marks he and Rebecca’s first CPEDI3*-level competition together. You can read more about this combination in the November 2023 issue of Equestrian Life.
In the CPEDI3* Grade IV Grand Prix Freestyle, it was a big win for Claire Graham and stallion Furst Olli 3. The pair scored 71.175% to finish just ahead of Di Barnes and Sorena on 70.458%, and Zoe Vorenas with Salmour on 69.717%. Di was named overall CPEDI3* Grade IV Champion, with Claire the Reserve Champion.
By stallion Fürstenball, Furst Olli 3 is owned by Claire in conjunction with Jade Woodhead-Butler and Kylie Kisby, who have been instrumental in running these Paralympic qualifiers.
Amylie Hines won the CPEDI3* Grade III Freestyle, scoring 68.111% with EA Exquisite. Felicity Weal and Bloomfield Shameless scored 64.556% for second place. These combinations were named CPEDI3* Grade III Champion and Reservice Champion respectively.
CPEDI2*
In the CPEDI2* classes, Kellie Tinworth and Augustine KT won the Grade I Intermediate Freestyle on 61.478% and were named CPEDI2* Grade I Champions.
Samantha Hawes and Gotico Park Estralo won the Grade III Intermediate Freestyle, scoring 60.911%, and were crowned CPEDI2* Grade III Champions.
In the Grade IV Intermediate Freestyle, Darcy Macaulay and mare Parklands Faltango scored 65.375% to win the class. They were also named CPEDI2* Grade IV Champions.
The Grade V Intermediate Freestyle saw Heidi Ford and Rikaardt H score 63.183% to finish first, with Amy Blackwood and Royal Delight PE second on 55.091%. These two combinations were named CPEDI2* Grade V Champion and Reserve Champion respectively.
Virtus Equestrian
Our Virtus riders were once again in action today, with many riding their first Freestyle tests.
The Virtus II2 Freestyle went to Sui Watts and Gem Park Guess on 58.834%, with Sui also named the Virtus II2 Champion.
In the Grade II1 Freestyle it was Sarah Sherwood who claimed another win on the lovely Dicavalli Royal Guess, scoring 68.5%. Kyle Chapman scored 61.45% for second, Catherine Viney and Jackabite were third on 61%, and Chloe Karsten scored 59.825% for fourth on Lavuka Mistaken ID. Sarah was named Virtus II1 Champion, with Chloe, Kyle and Catherine tying for Reserve Champion.
Sui, Sarah, Chloe and Catherine are entered to compete at the Virtus Open European Equestrian Championships in July. You can read more about the team in the June issue of Equestrian Life here.
In addition, Tracey Crittenden took the opportunity to ride an EA-level Grade V Freestyle test, scoring a credible 64.163%.
Results are available: HERE.
And so that caps off a fabulous first weekend of action at Hawkesbury Dressage Festival and concludes the final Australian-based Paralympic qualifier. Congratulations to Jade Woodhead-Butler and the team at Carlton Performance Horses for running another great Para Dressage event. We now eagerly await Equestrian Australia’s Paris team nomination announcement!
In the meantime, you can re-watch all the action from the event via ClipMyHorse.TV.
