Naima Moreira Laliberté
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
Canadian talent was out in full force at the Kawartha Spring Classic 1 & 2 in Thornton, ON. Naima Moreira Laliberté of Outremont, QC, set a high standard riding Statesman, a 12-year-old Hanoverian owned by KML Sàrl and sired by Sandro Hit, in the CDI 3* division. On May 3, the duo won the Grand Prix with 67.957%, followed by a win in the Grand Prix Special on May 4 with a score of 71.681%. Laliberté also found success in the CDI-U25 division, capturing first in May 4’s Grand Prix 16-25 on a score of 69.060% with KML Sàrl’s 13-year-old Swedish Warmblood stallion, I Do Kiss (French Kiss x Donnerfly).
Laliberté and I Do Kiss carried their winning ways over to the Ottawa Dressage Festival (ODF), held May 16-19 in Ottawa, ON. There, they captured first in the CDI-U25 Intermediate II on May 17 (71.863%) and in the CDI-U25 Grand Prix on May 18 (70.342%).
Laliberté then closed May out in style at the Caledon Spring Jubilee. On May 31, she and Statesman won the CDI 3* Grand Prix on a score of 69.957%.
Propelled by win after win, Laliberté and Statesman jumped up and incredible 266 spots in the FEI Dressage World Rankings in one short month: the combination moved from position #363 on April 30 to #97 as of May 31.
Camille Carier Bergeron
Photo Credit: Lily Forado
Capturing top honours at the Kawartha Spring Classic 1 & 2 in the CDI-U25 Intermediate II was Camille Carier Bergeron of Mascouche, QC, and M. Wieczorek’s 12-year-old Dutch Sport Horse gelding, Acouer (Acordelli x Ricardo). The pair scored 65.088% for the win on May 3.
Bergeron switched her ride to Gilles Bergeron’s 11-year-old Westphalian gelding, Sound of Silence 4 (San Amour I x Limes), for ODF with similar results. The pair captured first in the CDI-Y Team Competition on May 17 with 68.431%, and then improved on that score in the Individual the next day to win with 71.078%.
Lori Bell
In the Kawartha Spring Classic 1 & 2 CDI 1* division, Lori Bell of Beaverton, ON, posted a score of 70.088% to win the Prix St. Georges on May 3 riding Flirt (Florencio x Donnerhall), the 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding she co-owns with Denis Rodet. The duo returned the next day for the CDI 1* Intermediate I, in which they scored 70.265% to once again claim top honours.
Bell and Flirt improved on their scores at the Caledon Spring Jubilee, where they handily won the CDI 1* Intermediate I Freestyle on June 2 with a high score of 73.405%.
Kiara Williams-Brown
Kiara Williams Brown of Navan, ON, topped the Junior leaderboard at the Kawartha Spring Classic 1 & 2 with Simone William’s Cluseau (Concetto x Calido), a 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding. The pair scored 61.667% in the CDI-J Junior Team Competition on May 3, followed by the next day’s Individual with 62.941%, and ended their three-peat by scoring 67.325% in May 5’s Freestyle.
Jim Ifko
Photo Credit: Anwar Esquivel
Calgary’s Jim Ifko celebrated his 50th birthday one day early by winning the €23,900 1.45m Copa Conade class on May 4 at the CSIO 5* Coapexpan, MEX. Ifko’s partner for the win was Celine LS La Silla, a 10-year-old grey mare (Quintero ASK x San Patrignano Cassini) that was, fittingly, bred by famous Mexican powerhouse, La Silla. The pair was one of 16 entries to jump clear over the first-round course set by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil and advance to an all-deciding jump-off. With the advantage of going late in the order, Ifko posted a time of 40.56 seconds to claim victory over Mexican favourite, Gerardo Pasquel Mendez, who stopped the jump-off clock in 41.31 seconds riding Epicor da Gandarinha.
Robert Gielen
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Robert Gielen
Robert Gielen of Flesherton, ON, and his 10-year-old Arabian gelding, More Bang for Your Buck (Doran x Forty Thieves), perfectly paced the Biltmore Challenge CEI 1* 80km in Asheville, NC, to capture the win on May 4, traveling 13.6km/hr for a final time of six and a half hours.
Dana Cooke
Photo Credit: Amy Flemming Waters Photography
Dana Cooke, a Canadian who currently resides in Mooresville, NC, earned her first FEI level win at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event CCI 3*-S, held May 8-12, 2019, in Allentown, NJ. She rode double-clear rounds in both the show jumping and cross-country phases to finish on her dressage score of 30.00 penalty points riding FE Mississippi (Cassini II x Legaat), the nine-year-old Dutch Sport Horse mare owned by the FE Mississippi Syndicate LLC, with whom she is aiming for the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, PER.
Mathieu Boisselier
Mathieu Boisselier, who resides in Çame, FRA, danced his way to the top in the CDI-Am Intermediate I on May 10, scoring 63.235% aboard Rescape d’Hulm (Fedor de Seves x Beyssac), a 14-year-old Selle Français gelding owned by S.c.e.a. Elevage d’Hulm.
Mario Deslauriers
Photo Credit: Jump Media
Canadian Olympian Mario Deslauriers of New York, NY, won the $35,700 New York Welcome Stake, presented by Douglas Elliman Real Estate, on May 10, at the CSI 2* Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show I in North Salem, NY. His win with Amsterdam 27 came exactly one year after he added the nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Catoki x Acord II) to his string during last year’s show. Deslauriers, 54, led the way with the first clear round over the track set by course designer Eric Hasbrouck (USA) on Old Salem Farm’s grass grand prix field. Eleven more riders from the starting field of 41 would join him in the jump-off. Returning first, Deslauriers put Amsterdam 27’s ground-covering stride and foot speed to the test and crossed the timers double-clear in 37.45 seconds to take the win for owners Luja LLC and Wishing Well Farm LLC over Israel’s Daniel Bluman, who stopped the clock in 38.55 seconds riding Entano.
Beth Underhill
Photo Credit: Ben Radvanyi Photography
Beth Underhill was unbeatable at the CSI 2* Caledon National held May 15-19 at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Caledon, ON. Having won May 16’s $36,500 CSI 2* Open Welcome, presented by RAM Equestrian, Underhill of Schomberg, ON, returned to the grand prix ring on May 18, to win the $72,000 CSI 2* Grand Prix, presented by CASE IH.
In the $72,000 Grand Prix, 12 riders left all the rails in place over the track set by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil to advance to the jump-off. Erynn Ballard, 38, of Tottenham, ON, set the early pace with a quick time of 36.70 seconds riding Z Diamanty, owned by The Z Group and Looking Back Farm. As the penultimate jump-off contenders, Underhill and Count Me In, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Count Grannus x Sherlock Holmes) owned by Sandy Lupton and Robb Caswell, turned and burned around the short course before galloping home in a time of 35.43 seconds to take the win.
“It’s so exciting!” said the Canadian Olympian. “Count Me In has not put a foot wrong all week. He’s been so efficient and confident in the jump-offs that he’s making my job easy.”
Scarlett Hansen
Scarlett Hansen of Outremont, QC, once again dominated the CDI-P division, this time at ODF. She captured first in the Team Competition on May 17 with Umour de Glatigny (Doppelspiel x Viersen K), her 11-year-old Selle Français Pony gelding, on a score of 66.524%, and then won the Individual the following day, scoring 65.766% with her 14-year-old gelding, Reve de Glatigny. Hansen then returned to the ring with Umour de Glatigny on May 19 for one final win, capturing the Freestyle on a score of 67.042%.
Two weeks later, Hansen traveled to the Caledon Spring Jubilee. There, she and Reve de Glatigny won the CDI-P Team Competition on May 31 (66.714%) and the Individual on June 1 (67.459%). Umour de Glatigny claimed the win with Hansen on June 2, scoring 67.975% in the Freestyle.
Cassandra Jessop
Cassandra Jessop of New Tecumseth, ON, took first place in the ODF CDI-U25 Grand Prix Freestyle, dancing her way to a score of 63.833% on Sandra Ammonn’s 12-year-old Friesian stallion, Xenophon SMF (Goffert 369 x Teunis 332).
Jessop also added more wins to her record at the Caledon Spring Jubilee. She and Xenophon SMF captured first in May 31’s CDI-U25 Intermediate II with a score of 64.824%, as well as the CDI-U25 Grand Prix Freestyle on June 2 with 59.100%.
Anna Swackhammer
In the ODF Junior division, Anna Swackhammer of Rockwood, ON, had a strong showing with Melissa Sinclair’s 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Wrazzmatazz (Jazz x Darwin). They won May 17’s Team Competition (65.303%) before topping the Individual leaderboard on May 18 (65.196%).
Ariel Boesener
Ariel Boesener of Canning, NS, piloted Winnepuuh (Weltmeyer x Ludendorff), her 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding, to a score of 68.625% to win the ODF CDI-J Freestyle on May 19.
Allison Youngdale
Allison Youngdale of Aurora, ON, showed off her skills at ODF with her 14-year-old Holsteiner mare, RF Cosima 201 (Conello x Sir Shostakovich XX) in the CDI-Y Freestyle on May 19, winning the class on a score of 68.125%.
Belinda Trussell
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
Belinda Trussell of Stouffville, ON, posted impressive scores for back-to-back ODF small tour wins with Carlucci (Contendro I x Compliment), Barbara Holden Sinclair’s 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding. The pair scored 73.333% in the CDI 1* Intermediate I on May 18, followed by 75.542% in the CDI 1* Intermediate I Freestyle on May 19.
Trussell and Carlucci posted another win at the Caledon Spring Jubilee, scoring 72.059% in the CDI 1* Prix St. Georges on May 31.
Tina Irwin
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
Trussell’s fellow Stouffville native, Tina Irwin, also earned a win in the ODF small tour, scoring 72.892% in May 17’s CDI 1* Prix St. Georges with Laurencio (Laurentio x Donnerhall), the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding that she co-owns with Jaimey Irwin and is aiming towards the 2019 Pan Ams.
Irwin also made it to the top spot in the big tour with Fancy That (Donnerschweg x Frelherr), a 13-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Jaimey Irwin and Rocket One LLC. The pair scored 70.800% in the mare’s first-ever Grand Prix win.
Jill Irving
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
Taking the other two top spots in the ODF big tour was Jill Irving of Moncton, NB, with Windhaven Farm’s 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Arthur (Jazz x Contango). The pair won the CDI 3* Grand Prix on May 17 (72.435%), as well as the CDI 3* Grand Prix Special on May 19 (70.191%).
Kelly Houtappels-Bruder
Photo Credit: Kriszti Horvath
Top Canadian driver, Kelly Houtappels-Bruder of Steensel, NED, topped the CAI 3*-H1 leaderboard in Keispelt, LUX, with her long-time partner, Flip (Fidertanz x Carprilli), an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding that she co-owns with Frank Houtappels. Houtappels-Bruder and the dark bay brilliantly navigated the combined driving event from May 23-26, winning both the dressage phase with a score of 52.62, as well as the final standings on a score of 137.01.
Houtappels-Bruder notched a second win at Keispelt in the CAI-YH1 6yo division. She drove Frank Houtappel’s six-year-old Dutch Warmblood, Ibelllo (Manno x Waterman), to a score of 6.44 in the dressage & cones phase for the bay gelding’s FEI debut on May 23.
Daniel Klotz-Dedora
The 2019 Canada Cup CVI in Chilliwack, BC, held May 24-26, showcased much of Canada’s up-and-coming vaulting talent, including Daniel Klotz-Dedora of Cochrane, AB. With lunger Katie Axani of Cochrane, AB, and Axani’s 15-year-old Dutch Sport Horse gelding, Lausbub (Landzauber x Osterbote), Klotz-Dedora topped the CVI 1* Children’s Men division on May 24 after a score of 5.441 in the Compulsory Test and 6.205 in the Freestyle Test, averaged for a final score of 5.823.
Ryan Bracken
In the Canada Cup CVI 1* Children’s Women division, it was Ryan Bracken of Caroline, AB, who took the top spot on Wagner PR (Justice x Flemmingh), a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned and lunged by Angelique Vick of Olds, AB, on May 24. She scored 6.282 in the Compulsory Test and 6.644 in the Freestyle Test, ending on a final score of 6.463 to top the field of 11 entries.
The winning threesome returned for the CVI 2* Children’s Women division on May 25, in which they once again led with a final score of 6.358 after scoring 5.885 in the Compulsory Test and 6.830 in the Freestyle Test.
Abigale Wynberg
Abigale Wynberg of Maple Ridge, BC, claimed victory in the Canada Cup CVI 1* Senior Women’s competition on May 24. Jessica Bentzen of Parksville, BC, lunged Gheorghe Sorin’s 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood, Hugo (V. Cartier VD Heffinck x V. Burggraaf), and together, the trio earned 6.640 in the Compulsory Test and 6.934 in the Freestyle Test for a final score of 6.787.
Talmage Conrad
Talmage Conrad of Lethbridge, AB, performed his CVI 2* Junior Men’s routine at the Canada Cup CVI to capture the division on May 25-26. With Megan Leeper’s 14-year-old Canadian Sport Horse mare, Astraea, he scored 6.001 in the Compulsory Test and 5.793 in the Freestyle Test – combined with lunger Axani’s score of 6.573, Conrad earned a final score of 6.235 for the win.
Charlotte Axani
Photo Credit: www.divineequine.ca
Charlotte Axani of Cochrane, AB, rounded out Canada’s winning weekend at the Canada Cup CVI in the CVI 3* Senior Women’s division. Her scores of 6.616 in the Compulsory Test on May 25 and 5.149 in the Freestyle Test on May 26, plus lunger Katie Axani’s score of 6.407, resulted in a final score of 6.057 for the win.
William Makai Greasley
On May 25, William Makai Greasley, a Canadian residing in Chicureo, CHI, nabbed his first-ever FEI win just two months after his international debut, riding 20.1km/hr to finish the CEI-YJ 1* 80km endurance race in Llay Llay, CHI, in just over four hours aboard Patricio Camilla Peñaloza’s grey 10-year-old, Zeus.
Tiffany Foster
Photo Credit: Tbird/Cealy Tetley
Tiffany Foster claimed a hometown win in the $36,000 CSIO 5* Artisan Farms Nations Welcome at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, BC, on May 30. The two-time Canadian Olympian topped the opening international class of the 2019 Odlum Brown BC Open tournament riding Brighton, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Contender II x Quick Star) owned by Artisan Farms LLC and Torrey Pines Stable. One of 12 combinations from the 35-horse starting field to advance to the jump-off over the course set by Canada’s Peter Holmes, Foster and Brighton’s time of 32.74 seconds would prove unbeatable. Finishing in second place with a time of 33.59 seconds was Mexico’s Arturo Parada Vallejo riding Tarzan d’Ivraie, while Canada’s Nicole Walker finished in third in a time of 34.59 seconds with Excellent B. Foster was joined in the winner’s circle by her mom, Lynn Foster, Thunderbird president Jane Tidball, and Thunderbird chief operating officer Chris Pack (pictured left to right).
Sheri Doornekamp
Sheri Doornekamp of Odessa, ON, and her 17-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Libero (Levisto x Silvester) welcomed the change of seasons by winning all their CDI-Am classes at the Caledon Spring Jubilee: the Prix St. Georges on May 31 (61.353%), the Intermediate I on June 1 (62.059%), and the Intermediate I Freestyle on June 2 (60.975%).
Tanya Strasser-Shostak
Photo Credit: Koen Gomes
2019 Brosda Olympic Bursary recipient, Tanya Strasser Shostak of Sainte-Adèle, QC, danced with Evi Strasser’s 16-year-old gelding, Renaissance Tyme (Royal Diamond x Dream of Heidelberg I) to the tune of 63.897% to win the CDI-U25 Grand Prix at the Caledon Spring Jubilee on June 1.
Victoria Stewart
In the CDI-J division of the Caledon Spring Jubilee, Victoria Stewart of Coburg, ON, scored a hat trick riding Danaka (Daidalos x Wenzel I), her 12-year-old Hanoverian/Oldenburg-cross mare. They started by scoring 62.091% in the Team Competition on May 31. The next day, they scored 62.765% in the Individual, and wrapped things up on June 2 by scoring 64.500% in the Freestyle.
Vanessa Creech-Terauds
Vanessa Creech-Terauds of Caistor Centre, ON, and Fleur de Lis L (First Dance x De Niro), the 10-year-old Hanoverian mare owned by Diane Creech and Louise Leatherdale, topped both their CDI-Y classes at the Caledon Spring Jubilee. In the Team Competition on May 31, they scored a notable 70.971%. Their scores improved even further in the Individual on June 1, rising to an impressive 72.353%
Jody Schloss
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
Canadian Paralympian Jody Schloss of Toronto, ON, and her 15-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding, Lieutenant Lobin (Lobster x Fanal Prydsholm), swept the CPEDI 3* Grade I division at the Caledon Spring Jubilee. They scored 66.071% in the Team Competition on June 1 for their first win. An action-packed day on June 2 led to a score of 67.083% in the Individual and 73.333% in the Freestyle to add two more wins to their collection.
Lauren Barwick
Another Canadian Paralympian showed her prowess at the Caledon Spring Jubilee: Lauren Barwick of Reddick, FL, captured all three CPEDI 3* Grade III classes. Riding her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Engelbrecht (Vivaldi x Rimini 41), she won the Team Competition on June 1 with a score of 67.353%. The next day, she topped both the Individual (67.059%) and the Freestyle (70.944%).
Lee Garrod
Lee Garrod, a Canadian residing in Kensington, NH, continued her successful first year of FEI competition at the Caledon Spring Jubilee CPEDI 3*. She and Question (Quaterback x Le Figaro), her 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding, earned 63.922% for first in the Grade V Team Competition on June 1. They followed that up with a 64.921% in the Grade V Individual and 64.417% in the Grade V Freestyle on June 2.
Sharon Buffitt
Sharon Buffitt of Pointe Claire, QC, scored 70.333% in the Caledon Spring Jubilee CPEDI 3* Grade II Freestyle for the win on June 2 riding her 14-year-old Canadian Warmblood mare, Elektra II (Radjah Z x Rastar).
Alexandra Hibberd
Alexandra Hibberd of Calgary, AB, slid into victory at the CRI-Y 3* competition in Cochrane, AB, on June 1. She successfully navigated the pattern with her 11-year-old Quarter Horse mare, That Chics Flashy (Magnum Chic Dream x Boogies Flashy Jac), to a score of 71.50 for the win.
The Canadian Show Jumping Team
Photo Credit: Cealy Tetley
The Canadian Show Jumping Team decisively won the $400,000 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Canada held June 2 during the CSIO 5* Odlum Brown BC Open tournament at Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, BC. Lisa Carlsen of Okotoks, AB; Mario Deslauriers of New York, NY; Tiffany Foster of North Vancouver, BC; and Nicole Walker of Aurora, ON, comprised the home side’s formidable four-member team.
On the strength of three clear performances in the opening round from Carlsen, Walker, and Deslauriers, Canada led the way with a score of zero at the half-way point. The clear rounds kept on coming for Canada in the second round, with lead-off rider Carlsen, 54, again jumping clear with Parette, her 13-year-old bay Brandenburg mare (Passoa VDL x Barinello).
Walker followed suit, jumping double-clear with Falco van Spieveld, her 14-year-old bay Belgian Warmblood gelding (Toulon x Lys de Darmen). Foster, 34, repeated her first-round performance, dropping a single rail for four faults riding Figor, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (VDL Groep Zagreb x C-Indoctro) owned by Artisan Farms LLC. With only four faults to count on its scoresheet, Canada had victory all sewn up without anchor rider Deslauriers and Bardolina 2, a 10-year-old Holsteiner mare (Clarimo x Landos) owned by Wishing Well Farm LLC, needing to return.
Ireland added nothing to its team total in the second round, finishing as runner-up with a score of eight faults. The United States placed third on 12 faults.