Colleen Loach
Canadian Olympian Colleen Loach of Dunham, QC, made a strong statement in her first international appearance of 2020 at the Will O’Wind Horse Trials, held from July 3-5 in Orangeville, ON. Riding her tried and tested major games partner, Peter Barry’s Selle Français gelding, Qorry Blue D’Argouges (sired by Mr. Blue), she topped the CCI 3* division on a final score of 34.9 penalty points. Loach secured additional CCI 3* top-five spots, coming in second with FE Golden Eye on 36.2 penalties and nabbing fourth riding Vermont to a score of 38.4 penalties.
Jessica Phoenix
In the Will O’Wind Horse Trials CCI 2* division, it was Canadian Olympian Jessica Phoenix of Cannington, ON, who swarmed the leaderboard. She rode Freedom GS, Charlotte Schickedanz’s eight-year-old mare, to an impressive FEI level debut, securing the red ribbon on a dressage score of 26.8 penalty points. Incredibly, Phoenix rode five more horses to top-10 finishes: Mighty Mouse (second place with 28.3 penalties); Virginia GS (fourth place with 33.0 penalties); Isla GS (fifth place with 33.6 penalties); Eric GS (sixth place with 34.7 penalties); and Tugce (eighth place with 40.4 penalties).
Karina Frederiks
Karina Frederiks of Hamilton, ON, represented the maple leaf with Ujade Ste Hermelle (Diamant de Semilly x Paladin des Ifs), a 12-year-old Selle Français mare owned by Iron Horse Farm, in Bonheiden, BEL. In the CSI 2* competition on July 10, the duo crossed the finish line clear in 50.71 seconds to best a strong field of over 70 entries.
Anne Claire Breton
A second Canadian combination made it to the winner’s circle on July 10 in Bonheiden: Anne Claire Breton and Ecurie Fabien Schreiber’s Secret of Love du Toultia Z (Sandro Boy x HH Copin van de Broy). The Saint-Jean-Chrysostome, QC, native and seven-year-old Zangersheide mare topped the two-phase CSI-YH 1* competition with back-to-back clear rounds, the second of which was completed in just 30.96 seconds.