Erin Josey to Represent Canada at Sydney CDI3* Invitational
14 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Erin Josey to Represent Canada at Sydney CDI3* Invitational
OTTAWA, Ontario, Apr. 15—Erin Josey will represent Canada at the Sydney CDI3* International Dressage Derby at the end of this month, the only CDI3* held in Australia each year.
Erin of Dartmouth, Novia Scotia, recently took over all the riding and training at Oxford Ridge Stable in Oxford Mills, Ontario. She moved to Ontario six years ago to work and train with Equine Canada Level 3 Dressage coach Ruth Koch, and competed up to Grand Prix riding the Danish Warmblood Handsome Iz.
Riding Leslie Wood’s Regala, a 10-year-old Westphalian mare, Josey rode Prix St. Georges at Blainville International Classic and Beaulieu International Dressage Classic in 2009. With Fabian JS, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Steve Philips, Josey competed at the Intermediaire I in 2009 and the duo will start the 2010 show season in Intermediaire II and finish the season in Grand Prix.
Since the semi-retirement of Koch, Josey started training with Canadian Olympian Gina Smith to pursue her goals of representing Canada in international competition.
“This has been a great year for me,” said Josey. “I am really looking forward to representing Canada in Sydney.”
The international judging panel include Maribel Alonso Quinzanos of Mexico, Cara Whitham of Canada, Midori Furukawa of Japan, Alison King of Hong Kong, Jan Bird of New Zealand and Mary Seefried of Australia.
Due to Australian’s strict quarantine requirements and the high cost of air transportation, the organizing committee invites owners to loan Prix St Georges/Intermediaire I horses to visiting international riders. The International Dressage Derby is the most exciting event of the competition as all riders start on equal terms, drawing out of a hat the name of the horse they will compete on.
Canada has had great results at the Derby. Karen Pavicic of Richmond, British Columbia, and Pia Fortmuller of DeWinton, Alberta, won team gold in 2008 and Pavicic won the title of best foreign rider. In 2009, Rochelle Kilberg of Surrey, British Columbia, and Simone Williams of Navan, Ontario, won the team bronze.
