Dressage-News

DEAUVILLE, France, July 25, 2014–The Olympic partnership of Lyndal Oatley and Sandro Boy won the CDI3* Grand Prix Friday with London team mate Mary Hanna and Sancette second that assured their places on Australia’s World Equestrian Games team but only four combinations remained to fill the four spots.

The German-based Lyndal, 36, and Sandro Boy scored 72.680 per cent, that was a personal best result for the pair in more than two years at Grand Prix and may be a record in international competition for an Australian combination. Their previous Grand Prix high score was 72.277 per cent almost two years ago.

Mary Hanna, 59, who came to Europe as the sole entrant in the World Cup from the Pacific League and remained to vie for a WEG team spot, scored 71.280 per cent for the runner up spot. Mary has been based with Lyndal and was coached by her husband, Patrik Kittel of Sweden.

France’s Jessica Michel on Riwera de Hus was third on 70.740 per cent.

Kristy Oatley, the 36-year-old cousin of Lyndal and who is also based in Germany, was the third placing Australian on Ronan with a score of 68.220 per cent.

The fourth Australian combination, Maree Tomkinson and Diamantina, who were the top placed pair in qualifiers Down Under, scored 67.320 per cent.

“Super happy,” exclaimed Lyndal after the event, the second of two WEG selection trials in Europe. The first was in Fritzens, Austria three weeks ago.

“It was so great to have two stable mates as one and two–and both Sandro Hits. So much fun.”

Sandro Boy gave a sub-par performance in Fritzens after traveling by road for 10 hours and, it was later learned, had sat on a butt bar for much of the trip that caused a muscle cramp during the competition.

The horse, she said, felt so much more in form than in Fritzens after Lyndal adopted a travel program including hydration massage to avoid muscular soreness.

“The hubby (Patrik) had double trouble with Mary and I warming up at the same time–but it worked,” she joked. “Must say a huge thanks to everyone who has sent me well wishes since Fritzens and have helped me get here.”

A search by dressage-news.com of International Equestrian Federation (FEI) records going back more than eight years did not find scores for an Australian combination above Friday’s Grand Prix result for Lyndal.

This competition as a selection trial became an anticlimax earlier Friday when Briana Burgess, the youngest of the Australian riders at age 26 and likely to have made the team, was forced to pull her La Scala who was injured overnight. She trains La Scala with Lyndal.

Whether La Scala would be fit enough in time for the WEG four weeks away and Briana be allowed to rely on her first trial score was unknown. The Australian federation had given a waiver to Hayley Beresford in similar circumstances in the first trial but Jaybee Alabaster remained unfit for the second trial also so was withdraw altogether.

Results of the two Australian selection trials Fritzens/Deauville=average:

1. Mary Hanna, 59, based in Australia and Sancette, 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Sandro Hit x Contender) – 70.420 / 71.280 = 70.850
2. Lyndal Oatley, 34, based in Germany and Sandro Boy, 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Sandro Hit x Argentinus) – 68.420 / 72.680 = 70.550
3. Kristy Oatley, 36, based in Germany and Ronan, 14-year-old Oldenburg stallion (Riccione x Contender) – 69.300 / 68.220 = 68.760
4. Maree Tomkinson, 45, based in Australia and Diamantina 4, 12-year-old Oldenburg mare (Diamond Hit x Campari M) – 67.400 / 67.320 = 67.360
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Briana Burgess, 26, based in Germany and La Scala, 16-year-old Rhinelander gelding (Lancer II x Rembrandt) – 68.820 (one result)

Results:

Deauville GP Results