The Saddlefitter Brisbane CDI once again promises four days of world-class dressage, featuring Olympic riders and rising stars. For CDI3* competitors, there is also the opportunity to secure an MER for the 2026 FEI World Championships.
CDI3* Grand Prix
The highly anticipated Julie Bland Consulting CDI3* Grand Prix commences at 12:30pm AEST on Friday. The star-studded field includes Olympian Jayden Brown with both WillingaPark Quincy B and D’Esperanza, World Championship rider John Thompson on his up-and-coming Grand Prix star MSJ Gatsby, 2024 Sydney CDI-U25 Grand Prix winners Tanisha Ryan and Prequel, 2025 Boneo CDI3* Grand Prix runners-up Caroline Wagner and Ibicus, and 2025 Willinga CDI3* Grand Prix Special winners Breanna Tillitzki and BZ Rafael.
Draws will not be finalised for the CDI classes until the day before following the trot-up, but with the 2026 FEI World Championship selection criteria published all eyes are on who will be campaigning to make the team for Aachen.
Competition begins Thursday
The action is set to kick off on Thursday, 18 September with the Remi Stud Open Prix St Georges. With many established Grand Prix riders showcasing the next generation coming through – including Emma Flavelle-Watts with Davrol Dexter, Jayden Brown with Leopold, Matthew Lord with Denira, Katharine Farrell with MI Aber Sienna, Julie Bland with Prominence, John Thompson with Aston MI, and Emma Weinert with Bloomfield Valan, it is sure to be a competitive class.
Friday sees the start of the CDI classes. The Remi Stud CDI Childrens is the first class of the day on the Prydes Easifeed Main Arena, with the Unicorn Videos Intermediate I CDN to follow – again boasting to be another competitive class.
Saturday brings the crowd favourite Cavaleira CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle and the International Horse Breeders CDN Grand Prix – with the latter featuring Olympian Mary Hanna riding CJP Sir Dragonfire II.
Sunday will see the Freestyles for all other CDI classes and the CDI3* Grand Prix Special. For those aiming to secure a World Championship team spot, this class will be on their radar as part of the Equestrian Australia selection criteria.
CDI-U25 Big Tour
The CDI-U25 Big Tour may only have two competitors, but both bring a wealth of talent. No stranger to the Brisbane CDI, Queenslander Danielle McMahon will saddle up Remi Lauries Joy – a mare she has trained from the very beginning.
“Joy is my absolute best friend! I got her when I was ten years old, and she was just three. We’ve learnt and grown together all the way to the top,” said Danielle in the September issue of Equestrian Life. “It’s been challenging training a horse through the levels at such a young age, but it’s the most rewarding thing to be able to say you did it yourself. She definitely has her quirks — it doesn’t help that she’s a chestnut mare — but she’s the best teammate I could ask for.”
Danielle is joined in the class by Jessica Dertell and Kilimanjaro, a 10-year-old stallion who debuted at FEI level with Jess in the CDI-J at Brisbane in 2022. Jess has since trained Kilimanjaro through to Grand Prix, with this year’s Brisbane CDI marking a CDI-U25 debut for the pair.
The CDI-U25 Intermediate II takes place on Friday, followed by the CDI-U25 Grand Prix on Saturday and the CDI-U25 Grand Prix Freestyle on Sunday.
Watch the action with CMH.TV
For those unable to be there in person, ClipMyHorse.TV will be streaming all the action from the main arena on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
You can watch the action live and free via Equestrian Life’s Live TV page, or watch in full-screen and on-demand with CMH.TV.
The broadcast timetable is as follows:
Friday, 19 September:
8:00am Remi Stud CDI-Children Preliminary B Test
8:30am Vet Align CDI-Pony Team Test
9:10am WestVETS AOR Intermediate I
9:40am PRARG Pony Intermediate I
10:05am Unicorn Videos Open Intermediate I
11:33am Break
12:30pm Julie Bland Consulting CDI3* Grand Prix
2:00pm West Peak Warmbloods CDI-Young Rider Team Test
2:50pm International Horse Breeders CDN Grand Prix
3:40pm Open Intermediate B
4:10pm Fuel Tax Advisors AOR Intermediate B
4:45pm Kohnke’s Own CDI-Under 25 Intermediate II
5:01pm Finish
Saturday, 20 September:
8:00am Kohnke’s Own CDI-Under 25 Grand Prix
8:20am Vet Align CDI-Pony Individual Test
9:00am West Peak Warmbloods CDI-Young Rider Individual Test
9:40am Break
11:00am County Saddlery CDI-Junior Individual Test
12:10pm Saddle fit presentation with Kathryn Sullivan-Butt
12:30pm Masterclass with Jenny Gehrke and Jayden Brown
1:30pm Remi Stud Scholarship presentation
2:00pm Break
2:30pm International Horse Breeders CDN Grand Prix Freestyle
3:10pm Equestrian Queensland Intermediate I Freestyle
5:10pm Break
6:00pm Equestrian Queensland Intermediate A/B Freestyle
6:45pm Break
7:30pm Cavaleira CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle
8:51pm Finish
Sunday, 21 September:
8:00am Waden Park CDI-Pony Freestyle
8:45am West Peak Warmbloods CDI-Young Rider Freestyle
9:45am CDI-Under 25 Grand Prix Freestyle
10:30am Cavaleira CDI3* Grand Prix Special
12:15pm County Saddlery CDI-Junior Freestyle
1:30pm KC Equestrian Advanced Freestyle
2:26pm Finish
