Beth Underhill
Photo Credit: Pierre Costabadie/Scoopdyga.com
After clearing two rounds to lead Canada to a third-place finish in the La Baule Nations’ Cup, Beth Underhill closed out the CSIO 5* International Jumping of La Baule with a win in the Rolex Grand Prix on May 8. The Mulmer, ON, native and Dieu Merci T&L (Toulon x Corrado I), a 13-year-old Belgian Sport Horse, owned by Rein Family LLC and Torrey Pines Stable Inc., cleared the final rounds to finish with a time of 43.77 ahead of Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and Vitiki (45.00).
Winona Hartvikson
Winona Hartvikson of Langley, BC, and Onyx, sired by Wolkentanz, a 19-year-old Hanoverian gelding she co-owns with Jane MacDonald, competed in the Grade I division in Temecula, CA from May 6 – 8. The duo opened the three-day event with a score of 70.238% in the Team Test, 71.250% in the Individual Test and concluded the weekend with an impressive 73.111%.
Claire Robinson
Claire Robinson of Edmonton, AB, and Glamour Boy (Bojengel x Jazz), a 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, owned by Carol Robinson, danced their way to a score of 68.750% in the CDI U25 Grand Prix Freestyle to Music on April 17 in Ocala, FL.
Ryan Torkkeli
On April 18, Ryan Torkkeli of Thunder Bay, ON, and Sternenwanderer (Lord Loxley I x Ragazzo), a 15-year-old Rheinlander gelding, owned by Ingetraud Bolz and Dieter Laugks, finished with a score of 71.426% in the CDI 4* Grand Prix Special to take home a share of the €12,000 in prize money in Stadl-Paura, AUS. The pair earned the win over Austria’s Renate Voglsang and Fuerst Ferdinand Zur Fasanenhoehe
Sydney Montieth
Photo Credit: Xpress Foto
On April 14, Sydney Montieth of Hillsburgh, ON and Sweet Serendipity, her own 16-year-old Canadian Warmblood gelding, competed in her first Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) event and earned the win in the CCI 1* Intro in Ocala, FL. The pair finished with a score of 36.5 over USA’s Maxine Preston and Cooley Muze, who finished with 38.9.
Roberta Sheffield
Roberta Sheffield, who is based in Lincolnshire, ENG, and Fairuza, her own 13-year-old Gelderlander mare, competed in the Grade III division in the FEI Mannheim three-day event from May 3-5, 2022. Wrapping up a European tour, the pair earned the win on the second day in the Individual test with a score of 71.520% over Germany’s Melanie Wienand and Lemony’s Loverboy (70.490%).
On the final day of the competition, the Canadian duo finished atop of the standings with a score of 74.778% in the Freestyle Test to the song Sun and Stars, arranged by Avery Maude Dressage, over Wienand and Lemony’s Loverboy (73.322%).
Kelly Houtappels-Bruder
Kelly Houtappels-Bruder of Ariss, ON, now a resident of Steensel, NED, and Flip (Fidertanz x Carprilli), a 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding, whom she co-owns with her husband Frank Houtappels, drove their way to a first overall out of 23 competitors representing seven nations in the CAI 3* in Sélestat, France from April 20-24, 2022. The pair recorded a 38.92 for first place in the dressage phase, 82.07 in the marathon stage for seventh and 0.53 in the cones stage for third place, finishing with an overall score of 121.52, ahead of France’s Claire Lefort and Darwin de Feline (123.72).
Lea Rucker
Photo Credit: 1clicphoto
On April 22, Lea Rucker represented the maple leaf with a successful win in the CSIOY in Zduchovice, CZE. The Aurora, ON, native and her own Evita (Kashmir van het Schutterhof x Wolfgang), a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, jumped clear and finished with a score of 72.76 in the CSIOY NC-Y over Germany Johanna Zander-Keil and Cappuccina 18, who finished in second with 76.41
A day later, Rucker switched reins to Dilapalu (Diarado x Caretino 2), an eight-year-old German Oldenburg mare, owned by Rucker Sportpferde GmbH & Co.KG, jumped clear to earn the victory, finishing with 73.88 over Germany’s Michel Brosswitz and Quicktime (74.28).
Chris Sorensen
On May 8, Chris Sorensen of Caledon, ON, proudly represented the maple lead aboard Faithful Sun (Diamant de Semilly x Landjunge), a nine-year-old German Holsteiner mare owned by Lulav Group LLC., in the CSI 1* in Montefalco, ITA. The pair jumped clear and finished with 36.86 over Great Britain’s Arabella Prior and Friso, who finished with 40.07.
Nikolaus Leckebusch-Peters
On April 22, Nikolaus Leckebusch-Peters of Georgetown, ON and Curly Sue (Clinton H x Carry Gold), a 12-year-old German Oldenburg mare owned by Timur Leckebusch, outlasted 22 athlete and horse combinations to earn the win in the CSI U25 A in Stadl Paura, AUT. The duo jumped clear in the second round and finished with a score of 64.18, besting Germany’s Alia Knack and Campari VII (64.42).