Dressage Canada: Winning Streak Continues for Canadian Para-Dressage Riders in Florida; Canadian Para-Dressage Riders Victorious in International Team Competition

Source: News Release

Winning Streak Continues for Canadian Para-Dressage Riders
in Florida

Ottawa, ON --- On the final day of competition, the Canadian Para-Dressage riders once again earned top scores at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival 10 CPEDI3*. The annual FEI competition was held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, March 14-16, in Wellington, FL.

The top score of the day was awarded to Lauren Barwick of Aldergrove, BC, who handily won the Grade II Freestyle, with 76.167%, riding her 15-year-old Oldenburg mare, Ferdonia 2.

"Ferdonia exceeded my expectations today," said Barwick, who is a three-time Paralympian and a 2008 Paralympic gold and silver medalist. "Unfortunately, my second horse, Off to Paris, had a beautiful test at the start; however, I got a spasm in my leg that caused me to keep kicking her. I chose, for the best interest of the horse and my safety, to retire."

Riding M. Kendalyne Overway's 13-year-old Morgan mare, Collegiate Sweet Leilani, Ashley Gowanlock, of Surrey, BC won the Grade Ib Freestyle. The pair, who had their international debut together at this FEI competition, earned a score of 71.417% for their first Freestyle, which was her second win at the competition.

"I am very happy with my results this weekend," said Gowanlock."I am very thankful to my groom, Lina Brandt, for making Leilani look fantastic all weekend. A huge thank you goes out to Mary Longden and my teammate Lauren Barwick for setting Leilani and I up for success in the ring. Kendalyne Overway is amazing for allowing me to compete on her lovely mare. I am really looking forward to heading to Europe."

Steadily increasing her scores with each test, Robyn Andrews of St. Johns, NL, finished the competition with a win in the Freestyle aboard and her mare Fancianna, a 13-year-old Friesian Andalusian cross. The duo received the top Grade Ia score of 71.167%, a personal best at the international level.

"I was really pleased with my horse. She started off on Friday being a bit nervous in the covered arena, but she really improved each day," said Andrews. "I was thrilled with my Freestyle. I gave my best, and Fancy gave me her best."

Also in the Grade Ia Freestyle was Jody Schloss of Toronto, ON. Riding Inspector Rebus, her 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Schloss placed third with 64.667%.

"Today, for the first time in a show, my horse got a little spooked by either the loud music in the corner or the flapping flags," noted Schloss. "I was calm and collected, and that seemed to relax him. I was still very happy with him considering he thought there was something very scary happening. I am very grateful to my assistants for helping me stay focused, and the staff provided by Equine Canada was very supportive. My coach, Jessica Rhinelander, is amazing for helping me especially since she was so sick."

Rounding out the Canadians was Lynne Poole of Schomberg, who finished in second place in the Grade IV Freestyle with 67.083%, riding Vasco E, her 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.

"I had a great time. I made incredible new friends and enjoyed spending time with my old ones," said Poole. "I want to thank everybody that went out of their way to help when my coach was hurt on Thursday. My horses were wonderful. Again, thanks to the organizers, my coach, my sponsors and my old and new friends."

"When I arrived at this competition, I was given a good plan and this team was really working together," remarked Chef d'équipe Elizabeth Quigg. "We now have a strong group going to Europe."

In addition to the Freestyle victories, Canadians Andrews, Barwick, Gowanlock and Schloss also won the team competition with a total of 418.803%, while the host nation, United States, finished second with 410.536%. Team totals were tallied using the combined scores from the Team Test, held March 14, and the Individual Test, on March 15.

"This is the first time that we have had the entire team together this year, so we used this competition as an opportunity to test and review our team strategies before we continue our competition season in Europe," said Amie O'Shaughnessy, Director of Para-Equestrian. "It was a really valuable experience and we are grateful to our performance partners, Own the Podium and Sport Canada, for their continued investment in our high performance program."

The ground jury members for the Adequan Global Dressage Festival 10 CPEDI3* are Kjell Myhre (NOR), Marc Urban (BEL) and Kristi Wysocki (USA). For complete competition results, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

The next stop for the Canadian Para-Equestrian Team is a European tour which will start at CPEDI3* Deauville, FRA, April 4-6, 2014.

Supporting the team at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival 10 CPEDI3* is Elizabeth Quigg, Chef d'équipe; Mary Longden, team coach; Amie O'Shaughnessy, Director of Para-Equestrian; Dr. Jennifer Miller, team veterinarian; and Caroline Archambault, human/horse Registered Massage Therapist.

The Canadian riders' participation in the competition in Florida was made possible through the Own the Podium program, a national sport technical initiative designed to help Canada's summer and winter athletes achieve podium success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

PHOTOS --- Lindsay McCall, United States Para-Equestrian Association

Lauren Barwick and Ferdonia 2

Ashley Gowanlock and Collegiate Sweet Leilani

Jody Schloss and Inspector Rebus

Robyn Andrews and Fancianna

Lynne Poole and Vasco E

Canadian Para-Dressage Riders Victorious in International Team Competition

Canadian Para-Dressage riders continued to post top scores during the second day of competition on their way to winning the overall team event at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival 10 CPEDI3*. The annual FEI competition is being held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, March 14-16, in Wellington, FL.

Using the combined scores from the Team Test, held March 14, and the Individual Test, on March 15, Canadians Robyn Andrews, Lauren Barwick, Ashley Gowanlock and Jody Schloss won the team competition with a total of 418.803%, while the host nation, United States, finished second with 410.536%.

The Canadian Para-Equestrian Team, comprised of Ashley Gowanlock, Jody Schloss, chef d'équipe Elizabeth Quigg, Robyn Andrews and Lauren Barwick, won the overall team competition at Adequan Global Dressage Festival 10 CPEDI3*.

For the second day in a row, Barwick of Aldergrove, BC was victorious in Grade II. Riding her own 15-year-old Oldenburg mare, Ferdonia 2, Barwick won the Individual Test, scoring 71.238%. With her second horse, Equine Canada's 13-year-old Oldenburg mare, Off to Paris, Barwick finished in third with 66.762%.

"I was extremely pleased with both my horses today," said Barwick, who is a three-time Paralympian and a 2008 Paralympic gold and silver medalist. "Ferdonia came through for me. She allowed me to push her to the next stage in her training in the competition arena, and it showed in the results. Paris' trot work was phenomenal, but sadly I had too long of a warm-up."

Gowanlock, of Surrey, BC rode the Grade Ib Individual Test on Collegiate Sweet Leilani, M. Kendalyne Overway's 13-year-old Morgan mare, to a score of 70.000%, which placed the pair in second overall.

"Today was a fantastic learning day. We tested everything including warm-up times and energy levels," said Gowanlock, who is forming a new partnership with Collegiate Sweet Leilani as this is their first FEI competition together. "I am really looking forward to the Freestyle tomorrow. I want to turn on the music and just go."

In the Grade Ia Individual Test, Schloss of Toronto, ON finished in second place, with a score of 68.623%, riding Inspector Rebus, her 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.

"I am so proud of my boy, Inspector Rebus," said Schloss. "I rode my test with a lot more confidence than yesterday, and I think my horse felt it too. It's so nice to be supported by the team, my coach Jessica Rhinelander and the team coach Mary Longden. There has also been a lot of support from the speciality staff Equine Canada brought to the competition. Today makes me proud to be Canadian."

Also in the Grade Ia Individual Test was Andrews of St. Johns, NL. With her mare Fancianna, a 13-year-old Friesian Andalusian cross, Andrews was third with 68.551%. "Fancianna listened very well today and was much calmer during her test," said Andrews about her horse. "Our goal tomorrow is to go in the ring with confidence and have another great ride."

Lynne Poole of Schomberg, ON finished in second place with 63.333%, riding Vasco E, her 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, in the Grade IV Individual Test. "I would like to thank the organizers of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival for having a CPEDI competition," said Poole. "I would also like to thank my sponsor, Bucas."

Poole added, "It was great to come down to this Florida weather after having such a nasty winter in Canada. My horses were wonderful, and I am very pleased with them."

"We had a great day today with all riders earning good scores," noted chef d'équipe Elizabeth Quigg. "This was an excellent start to our season."

The competition concludes tomorrow, March 16, with musical Freestyle tests for each Grade, which are always a rider and spectator favourite.

The ground jury members for the Adequan Global Dressage Festival 10 CPEDI3* are Kjell Myhre (NOR), Marc Urban (BEL) and Kristi Wysocki (USA). For complete competition results, please visit www.globaldressagefestival.com.

Supporting the team at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival 10 CPEDI3* is Elizabeth Quigg, chef d'équipe; Mary Longden, team coach; Amie O'Shaughnessy, Director of Para-Equestrian; Dr. Jennifer Miller, team veterinarian; and Caroline Archambault, human/horse Registered Massage Therapist.

The Canadian riders' participation in the competition in Florida was made possible through the Own the Podium program, a national sport technical initiative designed to help Canada's summer and winter athletes achieve podium success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

PHOTOS - Lindsay McCall, United States Para-Equestrian Association