Canada’s Nicole Shinton Wins Amateur Dressage Championship Title in Florida
15 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Canada’s Nicole Shinton Wins Amateur Dressage Championship Title in Florida
JACKSONVILLE, Florida, June 11– Canada’s Nicole Shinton won the FEI Level of the 2009 Amateur Winter Dressage Championships in Florida, presented by The Paddock Saddlery.
The 2009 Amateur Winter Dressage Championships, developed to recognize the accomplishments of amateur dressage competitors, encompassed all competitions held in Florida during the winter season, concluding on April 24. Counting Shinton’s three highest scores, her average score of 68.334 per cent gave Shinton the FEI-level championship title with GB Classic.
“GB Classic just keeps getting better and better!” said Shinton of her 15-year-old bay Rheinlander gelding. “I am very proud of our achievements this winter, especially considering that I only began competing with him one year ago. Back then, we were scoring in the mid-50’s at Fourth Level, so we have come a long way.”
Shinton was also named the Second Level Reserve Champion with Pamela, her 16-year-old English Thoroughbred mare, having earned an average score of 62.91 per cent. With O-Topia, her 13-year-old English thoroughbred gelding, Shinton finished the 2009 season in fifth position in the Third Level standings with an average score of 60.359 per cent. Both Pamela and O-Topia competed at the intermediate level of eventing with Shinton before she turned her focus strictly to dressage in 2008.
“Many thanks to The Paddock Saddlery for presenting these awards,” Shinton said. “As an amateur competitor, it is fantastic to be recognized on the tough competitive circuit that we have in Florida.”
While traveling back home to Greenbrier Farm in Uxbridge, Ontario from her winter base in Florida, Shinton competed at the Georgia Horse Park in Conyers from May 29-31. Riding GB Classic, Shinton won the overall FEI Championship title after winning the Prix St. Georges with a score of 69.70 per cent.
“In addition to winning the Prix St. Georges and FEI Championship, I was given an ‘8’ for my riding which earned me a beautiful cooler,” noted Shinton of her Georgia experience.
As an eventing athlete, Shinton was named the 2004 Adult Amateur Intermediate Rider of the Year by the U.S. Eventing Association, a remarkable feat for a Canadian rider in such a highly competitive division. Shinton was also named to the 2005 Canadian Eventing Team Long List with two horses, Pamela and The Grey Pony, before a rotational fall in 2007 forced Shinton to change her focus from eventing to dressage.
