Rebecca Ashton reports from the event… Rebecca and Julie Wilson took the the photos
There were plenty of bells, but fewer whistles, at this year’s Sydney CDI. I had not seen so many horses eliminated due to unevenness which strangely corresponded to Friday night in Deauville at the Para International where four Australian riders, amongst others, experienced a similar phenomenon. The Sydney event kicked off with the final Australian para Rio qualifier and I never stop being amazed at the drive and determination of these riders.
PARA SELECTIONS SHAPE UP…
London gold medal winner Joann Formosa is just an extraordinary human being. Winning all three of her Grade 1b classes on Gary Lung’s GB Winchester, she has an overwhelming list of obstacles with which to deal. Asthma, eczema, allergies, infection problems from her two accidents as her immune system has completely crashed, eight years in hospital, lymphedema, a hip that dislocates constantly, clot in the lung, collapsed lungs, anaphylactic reactions, she’s died a couple of times, has no thigh muscles in her left leg… and she buried her Dad a week ago. Her response at my shock? “I’ve got a lot of patience. No use whingeing about it.”
How do you stay sane?
“I live in the land of denial (Joann has an orange sticker on her medical files that “warns” ’In denial and a danger to herself!’). If you tell me I can’t do something I’ll want to prove you wrong. I’m damaging my body just getting around, but what am I going to do? I’m always plotting and scheming for my next ride. I bought two horses online while I was in hospital. If I can’t be with the horses, I’m watching horse videos. Whenever things get bad, I need to be with my horses; touch, feel, ride. It gets me through.”
Joann and Millie
Are you happy with how this competition has gone for you?
“I would have liked a higher score today. We’re on track. I can’t do any more than what I’m doing. The horse has got beautiful movement but it’s a bit hard when it’s not your horse as well. I’m in the process of looking for a horse for Bromont WEG and then Tokyo. It would be nice to do Rio but Tokyo is the one I really want to get to. Then I’ll go into dressage in harness. I own and breed Welsh ponies.”
“I’m very grateful to Gary (Lung) for lending me Chester. Worldwide is standing at stud at the moment. I would love to do a Prix St George on him against able bodies. I can do it. I just have to get the changes. I get so overwhelmed because they feel so great that I get all giggly and lose count! When you don’t have legs, to get that sensation is just so wonderful. He knows me so well and I need to get that again with my next horse. Worldwide is now 22 and is still really fit but the trip to Rio is so long, and the quarantine is so long, and I couldn’t guarantee that I could get him home so it was too risky.”
“Hopefully I’ll go with Winchester then Gary can go over and train in Europe with him afterwards. I think it was hard for Gary to hand over the reins, and it would be for me as well! I’ve only had about 30 rides on Chester. He had to get used to my legs and walking straight and not piaffing and passaging! God love him, he’s really getting there. Gary’s been really good with it.”
“I’m determined, I love life, I love what I do, I hang around positive people and I’m happy.”
I had to fight off Channel Seven to interview Emma Booth. Well, Channel Seven won, but I came a close second! Emma won both her Grade 2 tests but was unable to compete in the freestyle due to medical complications. Emma, an eventer who was involved in a tragic car accident three years ago causing her to become a paraplegic, found her horse Mogelvangs Zidane just before Christmas and it’s been a meteoric rise since.
“He’s just picked everything up really quickly and he just tries his little heart out all the time and aims to please. He’s a bit of a star. He was imported from Denmark about two years ago and was agisted in Red Hill, which is only about 25 minutes from my place. Lone Jorgensen was coaching his rider at the time, and she thought it would be a good match. After the accident, I still wanted to keep the horse thing going and I’m really competitive, so still wanted to be in the ring. I still get a kick out of it and a little bit of an adrenaline rush from the competitions. Working on a partnership with the horse and getting them to understand what you want is really fulfilling. It’s
obviously different to the eventing, but still similar rewards.”
So better than wheelchair rugby?
“Oh that’s not for me. I tried basketball when I was still in rehab in hospital. I’m not very good at it! I’d try to shoot and I literally couldn’t get the ball a metre off the ground! My hand eye co-ordination is not great.”
Where to from here?
“We head back to Melbourne after this, keep training and working and wait for the team to be announced.”
And the race for the Dressage Team at Rio?
SUE HEARN TAKES A ROUND…
What a weekend it was for Southern Highland’s based rider Sue Hearn. First in the Pryde’s EasiFeed FEI Grand Prix on 68.42% and the Equestrian NSW FEI Grand Prix Kür on 71.275%, it was a triumph of good, soft, correct riding… and it was enough to rekindle thoughts of Rio.
“I only won by a smidge, but I’ve come second so many times by a smidge, so I was really happy. He was really great. We’re considering Rio. We haven’t discounted it, let’s put it that way. We’re going to go home and discuss it. You just never know what’s going to happen over there, do you? We’d base ourselves with Ton de Ridder if we go. We’re going to give him a flu injection now, just in case. Money’s the biggest issue, because there’s no funding, but you only live once. It might be my last chance.”
Sue and Remington
“I think he’s going well enough. I’d like the scores to be a bit better. We had some really good scores from the European judges this time and the Australian judges had him down. The Judge at C (American Gary Rockwell) was nearly 70% so that encouraged me.”
“Funny story, I put a new freestyle together for this event, but I rode through it this morning and it was a disaster. It was a bit different than at home, and I’m not a freestyle expert so I went back to the one from Werribee, just to be safe.”
Daniella and Solo Feliz
DANIELLA DIERKS
Daniella Dierks is always amongst the ribbons at the big events and this CDI was no exception. The local rider was 2nd and 3rd in the Jilli Cobcroft Prix St George on her own Solo Feliz (70.105%) and Jenny Rapson’s Rosetta (69.132%). Jenny’s horse was also 2nd in the Equine Podiatry and Lameness Centre’s FEI Intermediate I (69.395%) and sixth in the Zilco FEI Intermediate Freestyle (67.175). Daniella also took out the Hanoverian Horse Society of Australia’s Champion Four Year Old title, on Dianne White’s Nureyev.
“It’s Solo’s first CDI. Well, he competed last year and won the six year old young horse and has come back as an FEI horse. He’s only just turned seven and it’s a learning experience so I was really happy with him. Rosetta did an amazing job. She’s developing very well. She’s not a big mare but she’s got a really big heart. If anything, her problem is that she tries too hard, but she’s been holding it together really well.”
“Solo didn’t go through to the Inter 1 because he hadn’t done an Inter 1 when the entries closed. He’s still only done one so far. Rosetta was really consistent. She’s done two tests now with no mistakes. This is her first competition back from colic surgery.”
“We sold Nureyev to Di White this day a year ago exactly. Di’s really excited about the win this weekend. She brings him around to have lessons and occasionally I get on. I’ve done one Clarendon with him and I’ve had him in the lead up to this event. He hasn’t put a foot wrong all show. He’s been a really easy four-year-old.”
You never give a mark away in the arena. Do you practice the test at home?
“I never ride my tests at home. I compete against myself and I have a bit of OCD when it comes to the tests. I know what I feel and I know what the horse can do. It’s so easy to lose marks and I think something that everyone should be aiming to achieve is accuracy. Accuracy, rhythm, smoothness and harmony over all rather than expression and making something so big that you have mistakes. Sometimes it’s better to go small and really be on the ball.”
You don’t look like you suffer show nerves.
“No I don’t really. I’m more nervous when I ride someone else’s horse, but I can only do what I do on the day. There’s no reason to get nervous. I sometimes get little bit nervous for Solo because I know how well he can go at home so I have high expectations. But no, I’m not vomiting or anything like that beforehand!”
I noticed on Facebook you have a movie director with you here? (Who turns out to be Daniella’s partner Mitch Taff)
“He’s getting a little bit bored watching the dressage horses. He was out here last week showing the Arabs. That’s his thing. But yes, we’re all having a great laugh at his movies.”
Daniella was also quick to thank her very supportive sponsors Back on Track, Ceva Nature Vet, Coprice Nutririce, Showstoppers Equestrian Wear, Shadow Horse Floats, Amerigo and Zilco.
DAVID MCKINNON & ROBBIE SOSTER
It’s almost impossible to document all the events in which 27 year olds David McKinnon and Robbie Soster were not only entered, but amongst the ribbons. From ponies to young horses (two of the final three ponies were ridden by Robbie and two of the final three four year old horses were ridden by Robbie and David) to small tour (David and HV Her Highness was 7th in the Jilli Cobcroft Prix St George and 3rd in the Advanced 5.2) to Grand Prix (Robbie and Robali Razzamatazz 3rd and Dave aboard Johnny Depp 8th in the Grand Prix and 3rd and equal 10th respectively in the freestyle). It sounded like a logistical nightmare, but proving themselves to be total professionals, it turned out to be a successful weekend.
David: “We brought seven horses this weekend and I’m not sure why we ever thought that was going to be a good idea! There were six horses and one pony.”
David on Johnny Depp looks happy after his Grand Prix freestyle ride
Not only has there been the CDI to prepare for, but you’ve been organising your wedding haven’t you?
Robbie: “Yes, it’s in three weeks. We’ve got a bit more to do.”
Dave: “We’ve got to do our vows yet.”
Robbie: “I have a dress, my bridesmaids have dresses and we have guests!”
So the CDI obviously had priority!
Dave: “We actually moved the wedding.”
Robbie: “We did. It was supposed to be this weekend! The CDI was early this year so we had to change it. Seven horses had to take priority. We’ll have a honeymoon, but we haven’t planned anything yet.”
Razzamatazz has done so well in the Grand Prix this year.
Robbie: “Yes, the last few months he’s come really good. I’ve had some help from Brett and my regular coach Miguel (Tavora). I think I’ve had a bit of a brain snap more than the horse. He hasn’t been the easiest horse to figure out and I think I’ve just worked out how to ride the Grand Prix. Brett’s been really good with that, telling me how to ride through the test and what to do in the warm up to get into the test. Miguel is more the trainer, but Brett’s been really good with the test riding.”
Robbie and Robali Razzamatazz
How long have you had Johnny Depp for, David?
David: “I think it’s been about 18 months. He’s not difficult. He has the sweetest character, but he can get a little bit strong in his neck. He’s my first Grand Prix horse so its been a steep learning curve. He was trained by Heath Ryan and was doing all the Grand Prix when I got him so he’s basically teaching me and I’m fudging my way through it. He’s big and strong, but straight forward to ride.”
And HV Her Highness has been going well?
David: “Yes, I’ve ridden her for two years now. She’s just started Prix St George. She just needs more time to get stronger and more confident. She almost holds her breath in the test, which makes it hard to get her to do things. She just needs to stay at this level and get her confidence up.”
Neither of you rode in the Special?
Robbie: “That was purely because we had so many horses!”
David: “I would have done it if I could actually do it! I could not even consider the Special. I’ve only just got my head around the Grand Prix! It’s too daunting at the moment!”
How competitive are you with each other? (if you haven’t worked it out by now, David is a bit of a larrikin)
David: “Really competitive. Quiet drives home. It’s awful. I’ve cut her horse’s tail off.”
Robbie: “No, it’s not that bad. It’s good competitive.”
David: “I never tell her where I’m going when I take a horse out. I put a horse on the float and head down to Brett’s.”
Robbie and Dave keep track…
And the important sponsors.
Robbie: “Prydes EasiFeed, Performance SaddleFits and Paula Jeffrey, Elka Fischer of Equine Performance and Well Being, Mel Lowe of Fortissimo Freestyles.”
David: “…and Brett Parbery. He pretty much sponsors me. He helps me out for nothing. He’s been amazing to us recently.”
THE JUDGES VIEW
Hans Christian Matthiesen, a 5* judge out from Denmark was on his second judging trip to Australia. At 46 he’s one of the younger judges out there and also has a successful career as a veterinary surgeon.
“Vet is my full time job and I keep telling people the judging is what I do for fun. I have really, really good colleagues back in Denmark! I do have a background in dressage but when I went to university I had to sell my horses for financial reasons so I took up judging more seriously and it went on from there.”
You’re young!
“Yes at this level I think I am quite young compared to a lot of them! You have to work really, really hard and you have to compromise a lot with your job, family and friends because you are away a lot. I also spent nine years being the Danish team vet. I sat there at all the big events, Worlds and Olympics, all that time watching all the training.”
“Judging is a huge challenge. I’m also on the board of Friends of Dressage and a welfare organisation for horses and been the chairman of the Danish Dressage Committee and been on the FEI Dressage Committee. It’s very interesting being part of this world and coming up with good solutions to problems.”
I found your comments during the young horse judging quite interesting. You said you thought the breeding was moving back from the big moving horses.
“Maybe someone might disagree, but that is my feeling. I know in the Danish Warmblood horses, we went a little bit that way to have these super hot horses with huge movements. I think the Danish breeders thought no, we need to stick with the rideability and the Danish Warmbloods are known for that, being very rideable. I think that was very clever of the breeders. You can have the most talented horse but if he can’t deal with the pressure like this, then it doesn’t take you anywhere.”
Any general comments about the horses at this competition?
“What I really like to see is that there’s a lot of potential here. It’s one of the most interesting aspects of this job, that you get to travel around and see a lot of people who care for the sport and are really trying hard. Me coming from a small country like Denmark, which is like 300km from one border to the other, to come here and see you have completely different challenges. We had one in the young horse class that travelled four days and more than 2000km just to get here. The United States and Russia have these problems too. That is something you need to work on somehow. A lot of your top riders are in Europe and you still have potential. The world is getting smaller and it gets easier, like the breeding, you can just order the semen online and flying with the horses is a little cheaper. There are lots of challenges like quarantine but you should be able to develop and improve.”
And the test riding?
“In the young horse, I thought Melanie (Schmerglatt, the test rider) was a super rider and she did a really great job. I like the small final with the test riding. In my experience, this format is what people like. We have it at home at our huge championships. The last two years we had Charlotte Dujardin and it was so popular it sold out. I think that is a little bit of the way we have to look. It makes our sport interesting along with us judges giving comments. We have to look more to this and I think in the future this will be the case for more conventional dressage, that we give more comments and try to explain to the spectators.”
How was your time here?
Maribel: “Fantastic! I love it here. I think I came the first time in 2000 just before the Olympics and I was also chef d’equipe at the Olympics. Ever since I’ve been coming every two to three years.”
So you’ve probably seen changes?
Maribel: “A lot. You have more and more riders coming up the levels. In 2000 there were six or seven riders in the Grand Prix. Friday there were 21 plus you have riders competing in Europe.”
Gary: The top riders that I’ve known weren’t here so it was a whole new field for me for the most part.”
Two of the judges, Maribel Alonso-Quinzanos and Gary Rockwell
Does that make it harder not knowing the combinations?
Gary: “No.”
Maribel: “Actually, I think it makes it even more interesting in many ways. To sit down and judge a horse you’ve never seen. It can be a lot of fun.”
There is still room for improvement and you both touched on riding correct lines and pirouettes for instance. Could you expand on that?
Maribel: “I would say in general that one of the things that we feel that some of your riders are losing points unnecessarily because they do not ride clear transitions or ride them too early or too late, they don’t ride into the corners.”
Gary: “They don’t ride the flying changes, they don’t ride the extensions to the wall. Preparation for pirouettes. Really, sometimes I thought, ‘This isn’t going to happen!’”
Maribel: “Or we’re just hoping it will happen. We are sitting back holding our breath! I think if the riders became aware of how many little marks they can pick up instead of throwing them away. Precision. Building up the test. Sometimes they are chasing the horse and coming back. Rhythm! It’s the metronome. It can be shorter, it can be bigger, but it’s always the same rhythm.”
Another win for Sue and Remington
Looking forward to Rio?
Maribel: “Yes. We keep our fingers crossed! I know the whole organisation of the equestrian part is working really hard. They are very dedicated people down there trying their best. Of course, the Olympics is a huge organisation and is not dependant on one federation. Unfortunately at the moment Brazil is facing huge problems. They have health issues, political issues, social issues, financial issues.”
Gary: “When they signed up for the Games the economy was doing great. Now it has tanked.”
You both still ride?
Gary: “I don’t ride anymore but I wish I did. I travel too much.”
Maribel: “Yes, I ride but the travelling involved with judging is very time consuming.”
Train people as well?
Maribel: “I help mostly eventing riders. I love it. It’s really fun.”
Gary: “Yes. I love it. You can get instant gratification with training, not with judging. With judging we’re lucky if one person goes home happy!”
There were some big names missing from this year’s CDI but to the organisers’ and riders’ credit, they still attracted big crowds and a full house for the final Saturday night competition. There’s still work to be done to get the marks higher, but I think dressage’s popularity with the public is looking in fine shape. Bravo!