Herning DEN, August 11, 2022 – Para Dressage veteran Roberta Sheffield who is ranked fifth in the Grade III Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Rankings, made her third appearance on the World Championships stage this afternoon. Sporting her red and gold maple leaf cravat pin and Canadian Equestrian Team (CET) patch, she and her 13-year-old Gelderlander mare Fairuza completed their test with a notable score of 70.882 and secured a fifth-place finish.
A dual Canadian/British citizen and resident of Lincolnshire, UK, Sheffield is always very proud to represent Canada in international competition and is an integral part of the CET. Fairuza, who’s barn name is Wonky, according to her partner, has matured a great deal since their appearance at the Tokyo Paralympics last year. She was very happy with their result today.
Roberta Sheffield and Fairuza
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
“I was so pleased with her in that test,” said Sheffield. “She felt fantastic. She had a really nice swing to her. Her demeanor is just so much more grown up, and confirmed. I felt she gave me so much. She just felt like she was trusting me, she was really with me in the partnership. She was a different horse from Tokyo.”
Sheffield had thought that the performance might have landed the pair a better score, but it didn’t affect her experience. “It’s a touch lower than I thought it might be. But, it will be interesting to see what the judges saw. It’s a judged competition, so you get that feedback from the judges and you find out what they saw, what they liked what they were less keen on.”
Chef D’Equipe Clive Milkins agreed and was very encouraged by the combination’s performance. “I was very, very impressed with their performance today from start to finish. As we know, Dressage is a subjective, judged sport and looking at the final score it could be very easy to be disappointed. However, for the first time ever, Canada has qualified two athletes at a world championship in the top eight!”
Milkins continued, “Berts’ fifth place is her highest ever placing in this test at championship level. And sometimes there is more to be looked at than the scores. We look forward to replicating this over the next two days of team competition.”
Courtney Palleson and Oynx
Photo Credit: EC Staff
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Rich Neale prepares to go into the field of play with Wonky as a friendly support horse to Onyx and Winona Hartvikson as they performed their test on August 10.
Photo Credit: EC Staff
Para-Dressage Fun Fact:
For grades I – III, the rules allow a friendly horse to be in the field of play, outside the ring to provide support to the horse performing the test. Like Wonky did for him during his test the previous day, Canadian team mate Winona Hartvikson’s 19 year old Hanoverian gelding Onyx played the role of friendly horse for Wonky.