Dressage-News

OTTAWA, Ontario, May 21, 2016–Belinda Trussell and Anton won the Ottawa Dressage Festival CDI3* Grand Prix Special Saturday that pretty much assured the pair a start at the summer Olympics Games but the best Special score of the year for Megan Lane on Caravella might have put the pair into contention for the second slot.

Belinda and the 16-year-old Sachs gelding scored 74.882 per cent following their personal best Grand Prix result of 73.780 per cent Friday.

The duo that has competed at Grand Prix for seven years, including the 2010 and 2014 World Games, earned an individual start for Canada at the summer Olympics as the highest placed Big Tour pair at the Pan American Games after the United States that took gold and the single team slot.

Megan Lane on Caravella, also on Canada’s 2014 World Games, placed second on a score of 72.412 per cent that was their highest Grand Prix Special result in the Olympic qualifying period that began Jan. 1 and runs through July 4. Megan and the 15-year-old KWPN mare gained the country’s second individual start by finishing atop the rankings for the geographic group that includes Canada.

Chris von Martels and Divertimento, the 14-year-old Westfalen gelding that he began competing just four months ago scored 70.392 per cent for third place.

With just over five weeks to go to the deadline to qualify for one of the two individual Olympic spots available to Canada, the race has tightened up. Opportunities in Canada to raise overall scores are limited and some riders–Chris von Martels has indicated he is one–will go to Europe to compete.

Results: