Source:  News Release/Julie Cull

Breaking Dawn and Holzer Dance to Victory Two Days in a Row at CDI3* Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

Ottawa, ON — For the second day in a row Ashley Holzer of Toronto, ON and  Breaking Dawn captured first place in the dressage competition at CDI3* Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, presented by Dominion Regalia, November 9 and 10, 2011.

For the second day in a row Ashley Holzer of Toronto, ON and Breaking Dawn captured first place in the Grand Prix Freestyle at CDI3* Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, presented by Dominion Regalia, November 10, 2011.
Photo Credit — Cealy Tetley, www.tetleyphoto.com

With a score of 73.475%, Holzer and Breaking Dawn, a bay 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding sired by Akribori and co-owned by Holzer and P.J. Rizvi, were declared the winners following the Grand Prix Freestyle. Choreographed to the movie soundtrack from “How to Train Your Dragon,” their dynamic, crowd-pleasing freestyle resulted in applause from the audience throughout the test.

“I am over the moon about our performance,” said Holzer. “He was just doing Prix St. Georges just three months ago, and he has really been on the accelerated program to become a Grand Prix horse.

“The fact that he could go in the ring with that kind of atmosphere and just soak it in and love it is fantastic,” she added.

Riding Proton, Cindy and Neil Ishoy’s 17-year-old Baden-Wurttemburger gelding, Victoria Winter of Toronto, ON earned a score of 69.400% for second place for their freestyle which was highlighted one-handed tempi changes and piaffe and passage at the end of their test.

Third place was awarded to Jacqueline Brooks of Mount Albert, ON and her long-time partner Gran Gesto, the 16-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Brinc Ltd and Anne Welch, with 68.925%. Gary Vander Ploeg of King City, ON, rode Degas, Jean Vander Ploeg’s 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding sired by Donnerhall, to fourth spot with a score of 67.575%. 

Evi Strasser of Ste Adele, QC and her 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding Action Tyme, sired by Aktuell finished in fifth with 67.025%.

Simone Williams of Navan, ON rode Wunder Ein, a 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Simone, Margaret and Robert Williams, to a sixth place finish.

The Royal Horse Show is part of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, which runs for ten days every November. It is considered the wrap-up event of the season for the competing disciplines. The CDI3* was presented by Dominion Regalia, a supplier of ribbons to the Royal since the Fair’s inception in 1922.

The officiating judges for the CDI3* Toronto were Ingrid Macaulay (FEI 4* — VEN), Lorraine MacDonald, (FEI 4* — CAN); Joan Macartney, (FEI 4* — CAN); Marian Cunningham (FEI 4* — PER); and Hilda Gurney (FEI 4* — USA).

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Equine Canada is Canada’s national governing body for equestrianism. A member-driven, charitable institution, it is the executive branch of the Canadian Equestrian Team, and the national authority for equestrian competition; the national voice for recreational riders; and the national association for equine welfare, breeding, and industry. Equine Canada is recognised by the Government of Canada, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), and the Canadian Olympic Committee as the national organisation representing equestrian sport and equine interests. For more information about Equine Canada, please visit www.equinecanada.ca.