Clean sweep for Australia at Deauville

Australia dominates at Deauville
left to right: Mary Hanna and Sancette, Kristy Oatley and Ronan 2, Lyndal Oatley and Sandro Boy
Photograph:Jan Smith

Olympian Kristy Oatley has shared in the spoils at Deauville CDI3* winning the Grand Prix Freestyle overnight.

On her way to victory Kristy and her imposing 14 year old Oldenburg gelding, Ronan 2 achieved a new personal best Freestlye score of 75.325. The three-time Olympian shared the podium with fellow Australians Mary Hanna (Sancette) who was second with a score of 74.775 and cousin Lyndal Oatley (Sandro Boy) who was third with a score of 73.475.

Hanna and Sancette’s score in the Freestyle is the second personal best recorded by the pair at this event. Earlier the combination eclipsed their previous best Grand Prix score when they were awarded 71.28 in the Grand Prix.

Australians have dominated the big tour at Deauville with Lyndal Oatley and Mary Hanna finishing first and second in Friday’s Grand Prix.

Maree Tomkinson and Diamantina will take to the arena on Sunday to contest the Grand Prix Special. For results and start lists please visit the event website:http://www.deauville-a-cheval.com/concours-de-dressage-international

27 July 2014

Mixed Fortunes for Aussies in France

Riders vying for positions on Australia's dressage team for the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games have experienced mixed fortunes in France overnight.

For Olympians Lyndal Oatley and Mary Hanna the second and final nomination event brought jubilation and podium places, with Lyndal and her London Olympic mount Sandro Boy riding a mistake free test to take out the Grand Prix with a score of 72.68.

Hanna was also paired with her London Olympic mount, Sancette, and finished just behind Lyndal in second position after performing an elegant test which was awarded a score of 71.28. The score was another PB for this team which is going from strength to strength ahead of the World Equestrian Games which are now just 28 days away.   

Sadly for one of Australia’s riders the event was over before it began.

26 year old Briana Burgess, who is the youngest member of Australia’s dressage long list, withdrew from the Grand Prix shortly before it was due to start after her 16 year old Rheinlander gelding La Scala was deemed unfit to compete. (La Scala will undergo further veterinary assessments in the coming days).

For the remaining Australian combinations the event brought to an end a two round nomination series which began with the Fritzens CDI4* (AUT) earlier in July.

Kristy Oatley and Ronan 2 were the first Australian combination into the arena scoring 68.22 (they finished =11th). Next followed Maree Tomkinson and Diamantina 4 which were awarded a score of 67.32 (they finished 21st).  Australia’s best results came at the end of the class with Lyndal and Mary amongst the last to go. View full results HERE

With the two-round nomination series now over, results are as follows:

Combinations are listed below in alphabetical order:

A rider’s ranking has been created by averaging the results for each combination from the Grand Prix class of each nomination event.

In accordance with the policy the top four (4) ranked combinations from the two round series will be nominated to compete as part of Australia’s WEG team.