Second Annual 'Linking the Steps' Dressage Symposium

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Costin Makes Clean Sweep at CDI3* Ottawa Fall Dressage Classic

Ottawa, Ontario --- Jonathon Costin of Puslinch, ON made a clean sweep of the Grand Prix division at the CDI3* Ottawa Fall Classic, held August 24 – 27 at the Nepean National Equestrian Park in Ottawa, ON.

After taking top place in both the CDI Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special, Costin earned his highest score of the competition in the CDI Grand Prix Freestyle, receiving 68.200% with his 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding Wholio.

“I used an old freestyle with disco music that the judges really liked, but I am still working on a new one,” explained Costin.

Jessica Costello of King City , ON was just behind Costin, scoring second place in the CDI Grand Prix riding Judy Elliott’s 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Litmanen.. The duo’s also received second in the Grand Prix Freestyle, after performing to a music medley of Billy Joel songs.

Karin Davis a resident of Uxbridge , ON who was representing her home country of Australia finished the CDI Grand Prix and Freestyle in third position aboard Mighty Heights , her 21-year-old veteran Australian Thoroughbred gelding.

Gillian Sutherland of Unionville , ON also made a division sweep, winning the Prix St. Georges, Intermediate I and Intermediate I Freestyle with scores of 68.083%, 67.500%, and 69.050% respectively, aboard her seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding Great Tyme. Local competitor, Susanne Dutt-Roth of Merrickville , ON claimed second in each of the classes with her 10-year-old Canadian Sport Horse stallion Rheirattack.

Analiese Farber of Peterborough , ON took third place in both the Prix St. Georges and Intermediate I aboard Harvard, while another local competitor, Joan Johnston of Kars , ON finished third in the Intermediate 1 Freestyle with KRS Wessel.

The Fall Classic also featured classes for the ‘younger generation’, both human and equine. In the FEI Young Horse 6-Year-Old division, Lee Tubman of Smithville , ON claimed the FEI Young Horse 6-Year-Old Division, riding the Dutch Warmblood gelding Tygo B, owned by Sunrise Greenhouses Ltd., to scores of 73.200% in the Preliminary, followed by 79.600% in the Final. Tubman also claimed the 5-Year-Old Preliminary with a score of 70.600%, this time riding the Hanoverian mare De La Rosa, owned by Ducat Developments Ltd. Caroline Pepin of Mont St-Hilaire won the final, scoring 83.600% with her Oldenburg gelding HG San Classic.

The FEI Young Rider division saw Amy McIlwham of Orleans , ON win all three classes with her North American Junior/Young Riders’ Championships (NAJYRC) mount, the nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Marzipan, owned by Susan Nash. The duo scored 66.667% in the Team, 62.500% in the Individual and ending with a 66.300% in the Freestyle. The runner up for all three classes was Whitney Fairty of Markham, ON, riding Rocky Rudyard.

In the FEI Junior division, NAJYRC Team Silver Medalist Danielle McKinnon of Porters Lake , NS captured both the Team and Individual classes aboard her 15-year-old Polish Warmblood gelding Noma Tender. Fellow NAJYRC teammate, Jessica Rhinelander of St. John’s, NF was right behind in second place in each of the classes, before moving on to win the Freestyle with Andrea Rhinelander’s 11-year-old gelding Allende.

“I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have and support CDI's in Canada . The Ottawa Fall Classic is a perfect example, it has a super location, close to everything you want as a competitor, and the host hotel even played coverage of the World Equestrian Games in the restaurant,” commented Costin, who was amused when a local paper, The Ottawa Sun, featured coverage of his results directly below the ‘Sunshine Girl’. “There were great awards, gifts, ribbons, and prize money. Even the weather was ideal to the last day, when we all rode in rain.”

The CDI3* Ottawa Fall Dressage Classic also featured the Dressage Canada Youth Championships, as well as the Eastern Regional Championships. For full results, visit Equine Canada’s results database, http://results.equinecanada.ca.

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