Dressage-News

By KENNETH J. BRADDICK

Lyndal Oatley and Elvive completed qualifying scores at Compiègne, France for consideration for selection to Australia’s Olympic team while fellow Aussie Simone Pearce rode Amandori to a personal best score to win the Achleiten, Austria, CDI4* Grand Prix Friday with less than two months to the Tokyo Games.

Lyndal and Elvive, a 12-year-old KWPN mare, scored 71.457% in the Compiègne CDI3*, three weeks after posting their first qualifying Grand prix result of 73.087%.

“Happy with my second score on the board,” she told dressage-news.com of the large and competitive Grand Prix that is a key Olympic qualifier for some nations. “She offered me so much. She felt amazing.”

Elvive, owned by her parents Carol and Andrew Oatley, had what Lyndal described as a “couple of expensive hiccups” in the first extended trot and half-pass when she got tense at the sight of black plastic.

“But the reinback, extensions, zig zag and changes felt fantastic,” she said.

“Totally focused on Ellie and her development and everything I do is to make sure she is developing in a confident and good way.

Lyndal has also earned qualifying scores on Eros, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding.

The winning score of 73.478% for Simone and Amandori, a 10-year-old German Sport Horse stallion, bested their previous high score of 72.956%. Simone and the horse owned by the German stud Gestüt Sprehe GmbH where Simone is a stable rider began Big Tour three months ago.

Amandori is Simone’s second Grand Prix mount to have earned qualifying scores for Australia’s Olympic team. She is top ranked on Destano, a 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion, on which she holds the Australian Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special records. She competed Destano earlier this month.

“I was very happy with Amandori,” she said. “He’s just 10 years old and this was only his fourth ever Grand Prix so I’m incredibly happy with him.

“He was a little bit flat today after yesterday’s long trip so we weren’t able to show the test at full capacity but nonetheless I was very happy to be able to produce a relatively mistake-free harmonious round so I can’t complain.

“It’s extra fun with Amandori because I have trained him through the levels and been able to enjoy the journey as he has developed into such a special and consistent horse.”

Australian combinations to have fulfilled the Australian Olympic team requirement of two Grand Prix scores above 69% for consideration for the team of three and a reserve are:
–Simone Pearce/Destano
–Simone Pearce/Amandori
–Mary Hanna/Calanta
–Mary Hanna/Syriana
–Lyndal Oatley/Elvive
–Lyndal Oatley/Eros
–Kristy Oatley/Du Soleil
–Kelly Layne/Samhitas
–Lone Jorgenson/Corinna