18-Year-Old Regardez Moi Ridden by Heath Ryan to Best Ever Score to Win Sydney CDI3* Freestyle

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Heath Ryan and Regardez Moi celebrating victory at the Sydney CDI. © 2014 Franz Venhaus
Heath Ryan and Regardez Moi celebrating victory at the Sydney CDI. © 2014 Franz Venhaus

SYDNEY, May 3, 2014–Regardez Moi, 18 years old and in the eoghth year of his Grand Prix career, was ridden by Heath Ryan to their best ever result to capture the Sydney CDI3* Freestyle on a chilly Saturday night at the Sydney Equestrian Center.

Heath and the back stallion scored 73.775 per cent for the win and eclipsed their previous best of 73.250 per cent at this same venue back in 2009. All five judges had the pair above 70 per cent, with Great Britain’s Stephen Clarke awarding them the highest total, 75.25 per cent.

Caroline Wagner and Tango V, who had come into this competition as the favorites, were second on 69.675 per cent and Brett Parbery on DP Weltmieser third on 69.425 per cent.

Heath’s second ride, Utopian Cardinal, the nine-year-old son of Regardez Moi, placed fourth on 68.500 per cent exactly one year since starting Grand Prix.

However, it was the ride by Regardez Moi that captured the support of the near-capacity crowd.

Since beginning his Grand Prix career in 2007, Regardez Moi has been competed at the World Cup Final in Las Vegas in 2009 and in Southern California in their only swing outside Europe.

Heath describes the Oldenburg stallion (Rubinstein x Consul) as in “the evening” of his competition career that has so far totaled 83 starts at CDI Grand Prix, with 25 victories.

“He’s been the most amazing horse,” he said. “I was involved with breeding him so I’ve had him since he was conceived and he’s 18 now.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever have a horse as magnificent as this ever again in my life, the odds are I won’t.

“If I was sensible we’d retire while he’s doing so well but we’re not going to because he just loves it and I love riding him.

“We started off together as a bit of an embarrassment to everyone but we’ve grown and it’s been a wonderful journey. I do suspect that in years to come we’ll be an embarrassment as we go over the hill, because we are going to continue to come back.”

Heath, a veteran international dressage and eventing rider, is aged 54 and includes Olympics, world championships and World Cup appearances on his resume. He suffered a stroke in 2009 but was back in the saddle shortly after.

Results:
SydneyCDI_GPFreestyle