Over 100 competitors came, some over considerable distances, to compete at Canada’s largest dressage show, held at one of the premier equestrian facilities in North America. The event provides opportunities for athletes to qualify for international competitions including the Paralympic Games, the Pan American Games, and the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) North American Youth Championships (NAYC).
Mathilde Blais Tetreault defends her title in the CDI3* at ODF
After taking top honours in the same event in 2022, Mathilde Blais Tetreault of Montreal, QC came to defend the title in the CDI 3* Grand Prix with Fedor (Johnson TN x Negro), a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Laurence Blais Tetreault. Scoring a personal best of 69.109% on Friday, May 20, the pair secured first place once again at this year’s Festival.
The 31-year-old continued her success on Sunday, winning the CDI 3* Grand Prix Special with a score of 68.128%.
Blais Tetreault and Fedor
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
After placing third place on Friday in the Grand Prix, the duo of Jacqueline Brooks of Cedar Valley, ON, and Te Amo Q O S (Totilas x Rubinstein 46), a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Mary Brooks, took home the winning ribbon in the CDI 3* Grand Prix Freestyle to Music. The two-time Olympian Brooks was able to guide Te Amo Q O S to an impressive score of 72.580%.
Jacqueline Brooks and Te Amo Q O S
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
A Paralympic team effort in CPEDI 3* – FEI Para Dressage qualifying event
Jody Schloss of Toronto, ON, earned wins in all three tests in the CPEDI 3* – FEI Para Grade I Para-Dressage competition. The two-time Paralympian began her weekend scoring 72.014% in the Grand Prix A, while riding her own El Colorado, a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.
A day later in the Grand Prix B, Schloss and El Colorado set the bar high with a score of 73.264%. She concluded the weekend aboard her own Lieutenant Lobin (Lobster x Fanal Prydsholm), a 19-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, recording a 72.401% in the Grand Prix Freestyle.
Jody Schloss with El Colorado and Clive Milkins on the left and Lieutenant Lobin on the right
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
In the Grade III competition, Roberta Sheffield borrowed Delilah, an 11-year-old Hanoverian mare owned by Sophie Levasseur to compete in the ODF. In the Grand Prix A on Friday, the two-time Paralympian, who resides in Lincolnshire, ENG, posted a score of 71.667%.
A day later, the duo finished on top again, with a score of 71.945% in the Grand Prix B. She went on to conclude the weekend in the Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 74.356%.
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Roberta Sheffield, her groom Émilie Lizotte and Delilah’s owner Sophie Levasseur
Photo Credit: EC Staff Member
Other notable performances in Para-Dressage include:
In her first appearance in FEI competition since Tokyo 2020, Lauren Barwick of Aldergrove, BC traveled north from Florida to compete with borrowed mount Le Ferro MTA, a seven-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Danielle Landreville. The five-time Paralympian competed in the Grade III Grand Prix A earning a score of 67.333%.
Lauren Barwick and Le Ferro MTA
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
Joelle Trudeau of Hudson, QC, set personal bests across the three-day competition. Aboard her own Sinclair, a 15-year-old Canadian Warmblood gelding, she began the weekend with a score of 66.620% in the Grade IV Grand Prix A. On Saturday, she guided Sinclair to a score of 65.901% in the Grand Prix B and a day later finished with 70.292% in the Grand Prix Freestyle.
Eleonore Elstone of Langley, BC, competed in the Grade V division. Riding Linden Ein (Lux x Wendekreis), a 19-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Margaret and Simone Williams, the pair started on Friday with a score of 66.197% in the Grand Prix A. On Saturday, the duo recorded a score of 67.675% in the Grand Prix B and concluded the weekend in the Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 71.858%.
With the results from the Para-Dressage competition, the Canadians earned a team score of 416.189%, the first of two team scores towards qualification for the Paralympic Games in Paris. “We are very proud of our athletes,” said Christine Peters Senior Manager, Dressage Olympic/Paralympic Program at EC. “They not only supported the show here in Ottawa but stepped up and supported our efforts to qualify for the Paralympic Games. Also,” she continued. “a big thank you to the owners and coaches for assisting and supplying our athletes with borrowed horses. It was a genuine team effort all around.”
For more information and results about the ODF, please click here.