2015 Saddleworld Dressage Festival | Mary Hanna takes the CDI-W Pacific LF Grand Prix
Like it is often the case in Melbourne, yesterday's beautiful sunny weather wasn't followed by quite the same day and all the riders competing on the outdoor arenas found the strong wind very challenging.
Taking place in the indoor arena, the CDI-W Pacific League Final Grand Prix wasn't exposed to the weather forcast and all went very smoothly for our four time Olympian Mary Hanna and her 14 yo KWPN Umbro, taking first place with 69.260%. Mary is the back-to-back reigning Pacific League Champion. In 2013, she shared victory with her Olympic and World Championship mount Sancette and in 2014 she won with her current horse Umbro with over 70 percent in the GP. "The horse had plenty of energy and he had a fairly mistake-free test. I would like the connection to be a little bit better tomorrow so that is what I will be working on. It was a good solid test. He was very energized all the way and that is a nice thing and how I want him to feel before a Freestyle. Now we have to make sure we do no mistakes tomorrow. Tomorrow is the important day !"
Australian Grand Prix Champion Brett Parbery and DP Weltmieser, who have had numerous wins together this year took second place with 68.340% and Caroline Wagner took third place with her athletic 15yo Tango V in 65.700%.
Maree Tomkinson, taking 4th place in the Grand Prix with Diamantina IV was very pleased of her day here in Werribee : "it was an excellent day. Donna Elena won the 6 yo with outstanding scores, so that was fantastic and then my 7 yo, Saddle Up Romper Stomper, won the Medium, so we won both the Medium tests and the Championship and he was amazing. Diamantina had one almighty stuff-up in the middle of the Grand Prix which was extremely expensive but the rest of it was really good. In the warm-up she is really starting to find energy from within instead of founding her energy from the atmosphere. She is essentially a lazy horse and we know she is not good indoors, she is a little afraid, she gets a little bit behind you but we have no choice, she has to go. But it's ok, she's been an amazing horse, we have had an amazing journey with her and whatever she does now it doesn't matter".
Abbie OBrien won the Intermediate 1 with 66.097% on her mount Rajahs Rave. Marvin Smink, winner of yesterday's PSG finished second with VIP and Stephanie Dijkstra took third place with Kennedy WE.
Edwina Hutton-Potts riding Heathmont Echo took the first place in the Aachen Challenge qualifying event with 68.241%, followed by Amy Reilly and her mount Michar in second place. Madison Tristram and Hamag W Strona completed the podium.
Discover the NEWS dedicated to the Para-equestrian Individual Test results of the day HERE.
TOMORROW'S PROGRAM
- The Intermediate 1 Freestyle will start at 10am in the Indoor Arena
- The CDN Grand Prix will be over lunch time at12.45pm in the Indoor Arena
- The Aachen Challenge Final will start at 3.45pm in the Indoor Arena
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The CDI-W Pacific League Final Grand Prix Freestyle starts at 6.30pm in the Indoor Arena
- The Advanced and Elementary classes will take place all day in all the outdoor arenas.
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