Mary Hanna and Calanta, winners of the CDI-WLF Grand Prix Freestyle.
© Roger Fitzhardinge
By Roger Fitzhardinge
VIEW THE 2018 BONEO CLASSIC RESULTS HERE
Grand Prix CDI-WLF Freestyle
On the final day of the Boneo Classic the big question was who would win the World Cup Final (Pacific League) in the Grand Prix CDI-WLF Freestyle. The temperature was knocking on the 40-degree notch and was over that by later in afternoon!
With the Grand Prix CDI-WLF proving a win for Brett Parbery and DP Weltmieser on the Saturday, it was up to them to hold their form and take out the prestigious award on Sunday.
Riders had to nominate one horse if they had two in the Grand Prix CDI-WLF; Rozzie Ryan chose Jarrah R (over Adonie) in Mary Hanna chose Calanta over Boogie Woogie 6, which to many may have seemed a strange decision as Calanta had finished mid-field in the Grand Prix and Boogie placing a close second to Brett. They also made mistakes in the ones and the two tempis, and also in the canter zig-zag… so you would think with a clean Freestyle they would be right up there.
With the draw in relation to the Grand Prix results, it was Mary and Calanta who drew first. Not Mary’s favourite spot, but from the moment they entered the arena there was a quiet expectation and a feeling of confidence. This athletic bay mare owned the arena and her athletic and keen way of going was refreshing. The piaffe and passage showed such great tempo and expression. There was only one real glitch in the technical side of the test with a little miscommunication in the two tempis at the beginning — but then big and expressive. The pirouettes were balanced and controlled and it was clear that this was going to take some beating. The only weak area in this young, inexperienced mare in Grand Prix was the walk where she could still let go more and be more free and ground covering, but for sure this is improving at every start. It was a smart test and with a degree of difficulty in keeping with this mare’s experience. At the final halt, it was easy to see it was going to be super hard to beat. A score of 75.390% was not at all unexpected!
Brett Parbery on DP Weltmieser.
© Roger Fitzhardinge
Brett and DP Weltmieser looked in a good way, but the piaffe showed a few resistant steps and not as regular as we have seen —the feeling of winning was fading. Then in the canter pirouette to the left, Rabbit fell into walk for a few steps and this was unfortunately a great loss of marks and with no really strong areas to gain huge marks to compensate for the mistake. The overall score of 71.150% was not good enough to win; however they finished third.
The up and coming stallion to Grand Prix is Bluefields Floreno, who is ridden by Alexis Hellyer. They were great in the Grand Prix the day before to actually win with the Italian judge. The Freestyle was confident and fluent and this horse doesn’t have a weak spot in the technical, but just needs to gain strength to carry more weight and gain confidence. Floreno, (Florencio I x Roy Black x Akzent II), has a great talent for the collected exercises, and the piaffe and passage show great promise with super power and cadence, and good balance and ability in the in-and-out transitions. He has only done four Grand Prix tests and now two Freestyles. A fantastic score of 71.545% put them into second place ahead of Brett.
Alexis Hellyer and Bluefields Floreno.
© Roger Fitzhardinge
In fourth place was Jarrah R on 70.375% with the ever consulate rider Rozzie Ryan who made a super mistake-free test with real highlights in the piaffe and passage. It was a wonderfully choreographed test that seriously suits the horse so well.
In fifth was Rozzie’s husband, Heath Ryan, and Utopian Cardinal who rode to the music of his sire, Regardez Moi. What a super test. A deserved 69.820% — it was a clean and fluent test with a high degree of difficulty and all looking easy and confident.
It was a great hot competition and two new horses in first and second… that’s exciting to say the least, and not only that but they did it easily and only starting, so we have a bright future here!
Also in the young horse classes and the young rider classes, it was also awesome to see the depth of competition. And then look at the Para movement… it’s the start of exciting times up towards the World Equestrian Games.
Para Dressage
In the Para Dressage, it was Joann Formosa OAM who won the Grade II on the stallion Triple Trees Prince Perfect. She was the Grade II champion.
In the Grade III it was Emma Booth who won the Freestyle with a fabulous 74.25% on Mogelvangs Zidane, who is still on the full recovery regime from colic surgery. And that was with three accidental breaks into canter. Wait until they are more fit and the minor errors are eradicated! This combination is simply amazing and above that they are both role models and mentors to all who ride and are the Grade III champions and absolutely fantastic.
With nine great horse and rider combinations in the Grade IV, it was Gondskovlunds Marquis ridden by Katie Umback who came out on top and it was a seriously good competition and the runner up was Sharon Jarvis riding Ceasy. In third place overall was the new girl on the block in Mandy Parsons and a horse she bred, broke in and has ridden throughout — LBA Zhia. At the age of only six, this mare is producing great basic work to be already knocking on the door. This combination show great empathy and harmony and the feeling of ease was obvious and inspiring.
Dean Ryan and Let’s Imagine.
© Roger Fitzhardinge
In the Grade V it was Comtesse and Claire Graham who took the championship and Quebec 51 with Matilda Carnegie runners up.
You can read notes on some of the Para Dressage Freestyle tests at the end of this article.
CDI-J, CDI-Y, CDI-U25, CDI-P and Small Tour classes
In the CDI-J championship it was a win to Miss Fanta and Erin Bullock, with the runner up to Greenoaks Weltmann and Jessica Hivon.
The CDI-Y championship was a very hotly contested, close competition with Sarah Farraway gaining the championship with the young gelding MW Rotsong (IFS Rotspon out of a IFS Jazz mare) — just ahead of Rodrigo III with Tayla Desmet. Sarah rode three great tests and this chestnut gelding shows a great throughness and a generous attitude and liveliness about his work. The harmony and understanding between horse and rider was quite outstanding.
The fabulous Welsh Kamber Pryderi, ridden by Fern Wright, took out the CDI-U25 championship from Carabino and Jamie Mita, with a very interesting NZ import in Magnus Spero now for Abbie O’Brien in third overall.
The CDI-P championship went to Steendieks Champ of Glory, ridden by Jasmine Haynes.
The Small Tour was dominated by Cynthia Bossema and Black Sterling Heike, who scored a 71.792% to win the Inter I Freestyle (CDN) from Jaybee Cavalier and Justine Greer and then the great imported mare Up To Go for South Australian Heather Currie in third.
A great weekend
The Boneo Classic dressage competitions were all quite fantastic and there are some great stories to come out of this competition. Again Boneo Park continues to gain momentum and as far as new construction there is a huge restaurant and associated meeting room being built as the competition continues to grow in numbers and quality.
There was also an extensive showjumping programme on at the same time on the outdoor turf arena, and what a great competition that was as well with Steven Hill and Yalambi’s Bellini Star winning the Grand Prix class on the Sunday.
STEVEN HILL WINS THE BONEO CLASSIC GRAND PRIX SHOWJUMPING
Congratulations must also go to the live streaming that was produced by EQ Life and sponsored by Horseland, as it entertained so many who were unable to get to the competition. A great show yet again for Boneo Park and now only a few weeks away until another CDI at Willinga Park!
Para Dressage – Freestyle test notes
Grade II – Joann Formosa OAM and Triple Trees Prince Perfect (64.778%)
A little on and off the contact today — it’s a little spooky in the indoor with a lot going on. Finished just before her music, she might not be super happy but overall it was a good test.
Grade III – Emma Booth and Mogelvangs Zidane (74.200%)
Such a pleasure to watch with lovely music. Beautiful leg yielding and fabulous cadence in the trot. Super transitions from walk to trot that were very clean. Behind her music, but otherwise a super test.
Grade IV – Phoebe Roche and Power of Attorney (66.425%)
The music really suits the horse. Power of Attorney is powerful and quite big, and could be ridden a little rounder. Good balance in the canter and a fantastic medium canter!
Grade IV – Dean Ryan and Let’s Imagine (65.542%)
The music was done by Rozzie Ryan, and it’s just great. A spunky little horse with spunky music! Great shoulder in, interesting lines and a lovely canter. Waiting for his music, but wow — a really fantastic test!
Grade IV – Mandy Parsons and LBA Zhia (67.092%)
Fantastic music, with a dead square halt to start. This music makes you really want to dance, and Mandy makes it look so easy. She is clearly having fun. Wow! A wonderful combination.
Grace IV – Zoe Vorenas and Little Brave (66.375%)
Beautiful music, and Zoe rides a very smart test. Really good balance in the canter and a very good frame. This test will score very well!
Grace IV – Sharon Jarvis and Ceasy (69.358%)
Very nice lines and easy to follow; very calming music. Great half passes. Can do flying changes, wow were they great changes. Pretty fancy test! Good to see the relaxation throughout.
Grade IV – Katie Umback and Gondskovlunds Marquis (69.958%)
Dramatic music with very nice rhythm. Really good half passes and this horse’s frame has gotten rounder and more uphill. Really nice patterns ridden and I think this test is going to take quite a bit of beating. Very fluent and easy!
Grade V – Matilda Carnegie and Quebec 51 (63.792%)
Very beautiful, expressive horse. Having a good look around the arena today! Matilda is doing a really great job riding, with good flexion and bending in the half passes. Really good job!
Grade V – Claire Graham and Comtesse (63.242%)
Judy Smith used to campaign Comtesse. I would like to see this horse a little rounder, but a very nice and symmetrical test both ways with fantastic music. Good quality canter and changes; this combination does everything so well. Needs ideally to be rounder for the bigger marks, but a really lovely mare and well ridden.
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