Dressage-News

CAMBRIDGE, New Zealand, Nov. 24, 2023–Melissa Galloway and the New Zealand-bred Windermere J’Obei W won the Pacific League World Cup Saturday and moved a step closer to earning a start at the Paris Olympics next year.

Melissa and the 13-year-old gelding scored 79.240%, slightly off her previous best of 79.865%. The musical performance result came after winning the Grand Prix a day earlier with a personal best score.

Fellow New Zealander Wendi Williamson on Don Vito MH, 11-year-old gelding also bred in New Zealand, was the only other combination in the league final, and was awarded 73.630%.

The Pacific League is the only one of the four geographic divisions that holds a final to determine the single representative among the starting lineup of 18 riders and horses to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia next April.

The 30-year-old Melissa, the highest ranked dressage rider in the Pacific League nations of Australia and New Zealand at No. 33 in the world, spent most of the spring and summer of 2022 in Europe leading to the world championships in Herning, Denmark in August last year and resumed competing at home in March this year. Since then, the partnership has won all 13 starts in Australia and New Zealand.

Results:

Pacific League Final – World Cup Grand Prix Freestyle

Rank	Competitor	Score	E	H	C	M	B
1.	Melissa Galloway (NZL) Windermere J’Obei W	79.240%	80.475	77.250	79.125	80.100	79.250
2.	Wendi Williamson (NZL) Don Vito MH	73.630%	73.000	75.425	73.300	73.950	72.475
Find details on Equestrian Hub

World Cup Grand Prix

Rank	Competitor	Score	E	H	C	M	B
1.	Melissa Galloway (NZL) Windermere J’Obei W	74.218%	74.457	75.435	73.913	73.913	73.370
2.	Wendi Williamson (NZL) Don Vito MH	68.935%	67.391	68.370	71.413	68.804	68.696
Find details on Equestrian Hub