Leslie Reid Leads Canada Into Olympic Dressage

Canada's Leslie Reid & Mark

Leslie Reid of Langley BC rode Deryol Andrews’ ten year old Dutch gelding Mark to a fifteenth place finish in the first day of team competition today at the Olympic Games. Reid was the first to go for Canada, and was the thirteenth competitor in the two day team contest. Mark’s high quality gaits helped him to earn a score of 66.083% from the panel of judges which is headed by jury president Stephen Clarke of Great Britain. The other judges are Dieter Schuele (GER), Mariette Withages (BEL), Vincenzo Truppa (ITA) and Francis VerBeek (NED).

Reid was very pleased with her performance for the team. “I’m happy with my score to start the team off. I think he gives a good impression for Canada.” Although she has competed for her country many times internationally, this was Reid’s first time in the Olympic arena.  “It’s scary – your nerves are pretty jangled. It’s like nothing else.” Reid’s coach, German-based Canadian Olympian Christilot Boylen, said that this was a good first Olympic outing for both horse and rider. “He’s young and she’s getting her feet wet too. It’s a big ball game and it’s a big step up from small tour to big tour.”

Also competing for Canada later in the morning was New York-based Ashley Holzer on Imperioso. Holzer has a great deal of international experience and is known for her consistent performances on the fourteen year old stallion. The test was predictably mistake free, and received a score of 64.667%.

The star of today’s competition was Spain’s Rafael Soto on the stallion Invasor. The sixth placed individuals at the 2002 World Equestrian Games, Soto and Invasor demonstrated outstanding piaffe and passage, and nearly flawless canter pirouettes, which reflected in their score of 72.792%. They currently sit in first position individually. Spain is in fourth place as a team.

In the team standings, Germany has taken an early lead as expected with their two first competitors; Hubertus Schmidt on Wansela Suerte and Heike Kemmer on Bonaparte finished the day second (72.333%) and third (71.292%), respectively. After her test, Kemmer said, “There is a gold medal waiting for us [Germany].”

Behind Germany in second place is the United States, with Great Britain close behind in third. Canada lies currently in ninth position, close behind Austria. Many countries’ best horses have yet to compete tomorrow, and  the sixth-placed Dutch team is sure to improve its position after reigning Olympic champion Anky van Grunsven rides her World Cup winner Salinero.

Belinda Trussell on Royan II and Cindy Ishoy on Proton will complete Canada’s team performance tomorrow. Trussell, who like Reid is riding at the Olympics for the first time, is looking forward to tomorrow. “My plan is to go for it. We have been working all year for more brilliance, and today I did a lighter school to keep him fresh.”

The team medals, which will be awarded tomorrow,  are determined by taking the top three scores of each country’s four horses. The best twenty-five individuals will then move on to the first part of the individual competition, the Grand Prix Speciale, on August 23rd.

Individual Results – Grand Prix Test Day 1(26 out of 52 rides)

1. Raphael Soto/Invasor (Spain) – 72.792%
2. Hubertus Schmidt/Wansuela Suerte (Germany) – 72.333%
3. Heike Kemmer/Bonaparte (Germany) – 71.292%
4. Carl Hester/Escapado (Great Britain) – 70.667%
5. Per Sandgaard/Zancor (Denmark) – 70.667%
15.   Leslie Reid/Mark (Canada) – 66.083%
20. Ashley Holzer/Imperioso (Canada) – 64.667%

Team Results (after two of four riders) – Day 1

1. Germany – 71.813%
2. United States – 69.146%
3. Great Britain – 69.084%
9.   Canada – 65.375%