Mary Hanna & Ivanhoe win the Australian Dressage Championships Grand Prix

“Unlike Thursday, where there was absolutely perfect Sydney spring weather, today unfortunately was drizzly rain to start with – but that didn’t stop superb performances at the Australian Dressage Championships!” says Roger Fitzhardinge.

It was a big day of competition, with a highlight being the FEI Grand Prix – won by the Olympic reserve combination of Mary Hanna and Ivanhoe on 72.870%.

“Ivanhoe was looking every bit a horse just returning from an Olympic campaign. A highlight was the passage: very active, very balanced, and following exactly the guidelines of how passage should be performed. Very fluid and beautiful. This horse shows a great ability to piaffe with great transitions in and out,” says Roger.

“Ivanhoe has the most beautiful expression throughout the entire test and the submission and harmony are very obvious. The canter zigzag could have lost a mark or two, riding a little too much over to the left of the centreline and therefore not getting back across to the right side of the centreline, but showing the correct strides and clean changes and half passes. It was a very pleasing test and deserved every single mark.”

Watch replays from the main arena at the Australian Dressage Championships today via ClipMyHorse.TV.

Mary Hanna and Ivanhoe, winners of the FEI Grand Prix today. Image by Roger Fitzhardinge.

David Mckinnon followed in second place riding Estupendo, finishing with a score of 69.478%.

“Estupendo is a beautiful-headed horse with very expressive paces, showing great pizazz in the piaffe and passage tour, and the same with the trot tour. Coming to the canter, for whatever reason, he became a little strong and was lacking that little ability to sit and come up off the forehand in some of the half passes and canter pirouettes. The changes were beautifully uphill and expressive, and a really wonderful horse for the future. There’s plenty of petrol in the tank left there,” observes Roger.

Caroline Wagner rounded out the top three with her horse Ibicus on 68.109%, followed by Jodie Dunstan and Hollands Bend Highlander on 66.848%, and Ellyn Parker completing the top five riding My Rosalee on 65.739%.

“Caroline Wagner on the very elegant chestnut gives a very good uphill impression,” says Roger. “Some very worthy marks flowing for his work. Some of the trot work in the passage could show a little bit more activity and push from behind, but the rhythm and tempo are exemplary. Of course, a very harmonious test to watch and super riding from Caro showing the experience she’s gained in past years riding in Germany. Another young Grand Prix horse on the way up.

“Hollands Bend Highlander is a very big bay horse with fabulous piaffe and passage, with all the strength in the world, and beautiful carrying ability and lightness to the ground. This horse is very capable of getting really good marks throughout this test, especially once the canter tour becomes better and better established, and it is always improving, which is really nice to see.”

At this year’s event, the Big Tour Championship was decided based on results in the Inter II and Grand Prix tests. Of the four horses that completed both tests, it was Ellyn Parker and My Rosalee who were crowned Big Tour Champions, with Emily James and Platypus Run Firenz the Reserve Champions.

David Mckinnon and Estupendo were second in the Grand Prix. Image by Roger Fitzhardinge.

Medium Tour

Victoria Luxford and her own rising 11-year-old Hanoverian mare Revelwood Animation (by Ampere out of Richmeed Lara, by Lanthan) won the FEI Intermediate A today with a score of 69.794%.

“The Medium Tour has historically often been a class that has not attracted great competition and good percentages. However, all the horses in this class are really stepping up the mark and looking great for moving up into the Grand Prix ranks, which is very encouraging for the sport indeed.,” observes Roger.

“The winning horse, Revelwood Animation, is really showing the way towards Grand Prix. The mare is very expressive and a really accurately ridden test from Victoria, not throwing away any marks.”

Emma Flavelle-Watts and her own rising 12-year-old gelding Scarlatti Mio VSR (by San Amour out of World Lady O, by World Diamond O) placed second with a score of 67.853%, while Lucinda Nutting and the 15-year-old mare Demerara (by Don Frederico out of La Luna, by Lauries Crusador) took third with a score of 66.353%.

“I’m sure Emma Flavell-Watts is still kicking herself after a stunning test right the way through to the final centreline, when her mind clicked into the Grand Prix test and it should have been ‘trot, passage, trot, halt’ and she went ‘passage, halt’ and therefore had to go back and do the movements again – losing 2%,” explains Roger.

Victoria Luxford and her own rising 11-year-old Hanoverian mare Revelwood Animation won the Intermediate A today. Image by Click Capture.

Emma Flavelle-Watts and her own rising 12-year-old gelding Scarlatti Mio VSR were second in the Intermediate A. Image by Roger Fitzhardinge.

Small Tour

Robbie Mckinnon and nine-year-old SPH Fortino (by Bluefields Floreno out of Donna Carina, by Dormello) continued their Small Tour success today, winning the FEI Intermediate I with a score of 73.676%.

“As in the Prix St Georges, a big field of classy horses met the judges in the Intermediate I today. Another win went to Robbie McKinnon and SPH Fortino, a very light-footed and elegant combination indeed, today showing very good tempi changes and great expression and lightness of foot in the trot work,” says Roger.

Matthew Lord and rising 10-year-old stallion Remi Vigneron (by Viscount out of Remi Love Story, by Lanthan), owned by Cheryl O’Brien, placed second with a score of 71.676%, while Matthew Dowsley took third with a score of 71.618% on Cheryl Smith’s10-year-old gelding TS Firestorm (by Foundation).

“In fourth place from Victoria was Justine Greer on the beautiful Bloomfield Sekuona, by Secret out of a Jazz mare. This very beautiful black horse is really starting to hit his straps and Justine was very pleased with his performances.”

Robbie Mckinnon and SPH Fortino were named Small Tour Champions, with Matthew Dowsley and TS Firestorm the Reserves.

Kerri-Lee Ryder and TMH Bogart won the FEI Pony Intermediate I with a score of 66.706% and were named the Small Tour Pony Champions.

Robbie Mckinnon and SPH Fortino, winners of the Inter I and the Small Tour Champions. Image by Roger Fitzhardinge.

Matthew Dowsley and TS Firestorm were third in the Inter II and the Small Tour Reserve Champions. Image by Roger Fitzhardinge.

Under 25 Inter II

Bridgette Dalmau and rising 13-year-old Bon Jovi MH (Bonifatius out of St.Pr.St Welkanje, by Weltmeyer) won the FEI Under 25 Intermediate II with a score of 67.912%.

“I am so happy with our test today,” says Bridgette. “It is only our third time riding at this level, so today’s test and result has been very rewarding. At this show, I wanted to build confidence in the arena and to enjoy riding at the national championships. I feel that today reflected this. While we are both very new to this level, Bon Jovi has been a wonderful horse to learn the Grand Prix work from. I know we have so much more to give, so I am very excited for the future!”

Amy Bachmann and 13-year-old mare SWS Debutante placed second with a score of 64.765%, while Layla Williams and 13-year-old gelding Ampersand (by Ampere out of a Bambine mare) took third with a score of 64.353%.

Bridgette Dalmau and Bon Jovi MH won the Under 25 Intermediate II today. Image by Click Capture.

Advanced

In the Advanced 5.2, Robbie Mckinnon and QS Sierra claimed first place with an impressive score of 73.509%. Tia Rose Mckenzie followed closely behind in second place aboard Revelwood Franzisco, achieving a score of 73.158%, and Deon Stokes rounded out the top three with Axel DC, finishing with a score of 73.026%.

In the 5.3, Tia Rose Mckenzie and Revelwood Franzisco took the top spot with an impressive score of 74.550%. Katina Smith followed in second place riding BC Chilli Pepper, achieving a score of 73.198%. Deon Stokes again secured third place aboard Axel DC, finishing on 72.883%.

Tia Rose Mckenzie and Revelwood Franzisco were crowned Advanced Champions, with Robbie Mckinnon and QS Sierra the Advanced Reserve Champions.

“The Advanced class was full of very good horses and super riding,” says Roger. “A very closely fought battle throughout. QS Sierra (by Stedinger) is a little hot spicy number that Robbie loves to ride. She adores the horse; it’s one of her most favourite, but with this hot, spicy attitude comes a few little mistakes. However, a great horse for the future as all these horses in the Advanced class!

“Tia Rose Mackenzie was on the recently purchased Revelwood Franzisco, and they produced some very nice work. This bay horse has plenty of knee in the trot and expression. He could perhaps cover a little more ground in the canter work but is very uphill and an interesting horse for the future with young rider.

“Axel DC for Deon Stokes is a very elegant, beautifully ridden horse, and then Katrina Smith’s BC Chilli Pepper is one of those fabulous, expressive horses that is either on song or not on song… today, he was super good!”

In the Pony 5.2, Abby Weel and Reitlands Obama topped the competition with a score of 69.386%. Sophie Artup secured second place aboard Charlie Sheen 5, finishing with a score of 65.439%. Caitlyn Porter rounded out the top three with Paradise Valley Cocktail, achieving a score of 64.649%. In the Pony 5.3, it was Sophie and Charlie Sheen 5 who clinched first place on 71.667%. Caitlyn followed in second place aboard Paradise Valley Cocktail, achieving a score of 69.099%, and Abby rounded out the top three with Reitlands Obama, finishing with 68.829%.

Sophie Artup and Charlie Sheen 5 claimed the Advanced Pony Championship, with Abby Weel and Reitlands Obama named Reserve Champions.

Para Equestrian

Para Equestrian competition continued today with the B tests across the levels. Maddison Cooke and her horse Byalee Magic II won the Grade II Grand Prix B with a score of 66.833%; Amylie Hines and EA Exquisite won the Grade III Grand Prix B with a score of 65.056%; and Chelsea De Jonge and Don Dancier won the Grade V Grand Prix B with a score of 66.667%.

Kellie Tinworth and Augustine KT won the Grade I Intermediate B with a score of 58.333%, while Brooke Neville and Checklist D won the Grade IV Intermediate B with a score of 61.075%. Sandi-leigh Norris and her horse Finch Farm Cosmique Cavall won the Grade V Intermediate B with a score of 67.475%, and Heidi Ford placed second with a score of 61.768% aboard Rikaardt H.

Kirsty Van Loon and Nero R won the Grade IV Novice B with a score of 67.167%, and Tracey Crittenden won the Grade V Novice V with Florentyna TLC.

Get ready for the Freestyles!

“Today’s competition, again full of quality through all the classes, had a great atmosphere amongst the riders with a good group of people very enthusiastically watching the competition; it was great,” reflects Roger.

“It was also exciting to see the likes of Lyndal Oatley, home from Germany, watching and helping with the Grand Prix, along with Jayden Brown, who’s returned from basing overseas ahead of the Paris Olympics. Jayden flew down for the day to watch the Grand Prix and show interest in Australian dressage at the National Championships. Some of the overseas riders and competitors are now coming home to roost and, as a consequence, the interest in the sport will grow enormously again.

“We look forward tomorrow’s classes, where a definite highlight will be the Inter I Freestyle; it will be a very exciting class with super horses and riders. Watch and imagine them in a few years’ time at Grand Prix; there’s maybe even an Olympic contender in here. The sport has really come a long way and the percentages, riding and the quality of horses today has also proved that.”

Results and draws from the Australian Dressage Championships can be found here.