Canada: Cornerstone Farm’s CDI3* Spring Into Dressage

 

The Cornerstone Farms’ Spring into Dressage Show is one of the largest Gold shows in Canada. This year, in order to meet the needs of Grand Prix riders vying for a spot on the World Equestrian Games Team, organizers John Taylor and Barbara Mitchell combined it with a CDI3*.  Ten FEI judges officiated, five at the 5* level. Grand Prix riders were able to show in front of a different set of judges for each of the three tests, something that is not often seen in Canada. The Caledon Equestrian Park, site of the equestrian venue for the 2015 Pan American Games, and host to all three of Cornerstone’s dressage competitions, offers no fewer than seven dressage rings with accompanying warm up areas.  It easily accommodated the 255 entries, 63 of which participated in the CDI3*. 

 

A long-time student of Neil and Cindy Ishoy, Winter picked up the ride on Cindy Ishoy’s 16-year-old Baden-Wurttemburger gelding sired by Patriarch last fall, and competed him very successfully in Florida this past winter. The duo earned a combined score of 68.750% from the five officiating FEI judges. Winter was selected to participate in Dressage Canada’s European Tour, having earned her four qualifying scores prior to this CDI; however, she opted to stay at home with her family and busy law practice. 

 

Canadian Olympian Jacqueline Brooks of Mount Albert, ON, and Gran Gesto (Grannox x  Goldstern) were second behind Winters in the Grand Prix Special with a score of  66.667%. Brooks has been competing the 15-year old Hanoverian gelding, owned by Brinc Ltd and Anne Welch, since he was a five-year-old, and has shown him at Pan American Games and the FEI World Cup, in addition to the 2008 Athens Olympics.

 

Winter and Proton placed second in Friday’s Grand Prix test, earning an average score of 65.872%. Sue Blinks, one of four American Grand Prix riders who made the trip north, won the test with Robin Hood.  Jaimey Irwin, of Stouffville, ON, finished in third, scoring 65.660% riding Dover, his 13–year-old Oldenburg gelding (Deniro x Castro). Brooks and Gran Gesto were fourth with 65.277%. Both Irwin and Brooks chose to don safety helmets instead of the usual top hat, a growing trend since the head injury of US Grand Prix rider Courtney King in March.

 

“I was so pleased with my rides on Proton this past weekend.  It is our first season together and I now really feel us coming together as a team,” said Winter.  “I was especially proud of our personal best score in the Grand Prix Special which included two judges' scores of over 70%.”

 

“A big thank you must go to Barb Mitchell and John Taylor for organizing the CDI3* Cornerstone Spring into Dressage.  It is a huge undertaking but one that benefits not only the competing riders but also the local dressage community,” added Winter.

 

(Source: Dressage Canada)