Ottawa’s Sarah McIlwham Wins at Ottawa Dressage Classic

Ottawa’s Sarah McIlwham shined despite the rainy weather on Sunday at the CDI*** Ottawa Spring Classic Dressage Show held May 19-22 at the Nepean National Equestrian Park in Ottawa, ON.

In a competition that sees riders choreograph required movements to the music of their choice, McIlwham, 24, performed to flute music compiled by Applause Dressage to win the Third Level Freestyle with a score of 69.55% riding Karajan. McIlwham, who represented Canada at the 2002 North American Young Riders’ Championship, trains just south of Ottawa in Oxford Mills, ON.

In the Grand Prix Freestyle division, Jacqueline Brooks of Mount Albert, ON, was her own toughest competition as the other Grand Prix level competitors choose to contest the Grand Prix Special. With the pressure off, Brooks was able to relax and earn a score of 71.00% for her performance on Gran Gesto, a 10-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Anne Welch and Brinc Ltd. Brooks claimed $1,000 in prize money and a quarter sheet from sponsor Marismas Sporthorses, as well as product from eload.

“I am very excited to win the Freestyle,” said Brooks, 37, who also plans to compete in the other two internationally-sanctioned events being produced by Equivents, Inc., this year. “The management is top-notch, everyone is very friendly, and the facilities are lovely and well-maintained. You really get the feeling that everything possible is being done to make the experience the best it can be. Now that we have seen the level of professionalism here at this competition, we can look forward to that for the rest of the year. It makes it very exciting to stay in Canada for the summer.”

The Grand Prix Special turned out to be a tight battle with Olympian Evi Strasser of Ste-Adele, QC, coming out on top riding Quantum Tyme, her 10-year-old chestnut Oldenburg gelding. With a score of 69.92%, Strasser narrowly defeated Nancy MacLachlan of Terra Cotta, ON, who earned a score of 69.36% for her performance with Ariston, her nine-year-old Ukrainian Warmblood gelding.

Olympian Tom Dvorak of Hillsburgh, ON, scored a hat trick by winning the Prix St. Georges, Intermediaire I and Intermediaire Freestyle. Dvorak, who performed to a musical compilation from “West Side Story”, earned a score of 72.475% riding West Side Lady, a nine-year-old black Hannoverian mare owned by Susan Platz.

In second place was 24-year-old Tina Busse of Lakefield, ON, who earned a score of 68.425% riding the nine-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Amicelli. Brockville’s Andrea Bresse choose a rock and roll theme for her Freestyle program, mixing music by Dire Straits and Eric Clapton. Bresse rode Raffles, a Swedish Warmblood mare, to a score of 66.650%. Bresse trains at Franklands Farm in Brockville, ON, with 1988 Olympic Bronze Medallist Gina Smith.

Fourth place went to Vincent Carovillano of London, ON, who rode Cancion to a score of 65.900%. Another local competitor, Susanne Dutt-Roth of Merrickville, ON, rode her own Canadian Sport Horse stallion, Rheirattack, to a fifth place finish with a score of 64.55%.

For more information and results from the CDI3*/CDIY/CDIJ Ottawa Spring Classic, Presented by Marismas Sport Horses, please visit www.equivents.com.

CDI*** Ottawa Spring Dressage Classic – CDI*** Grand Prix Freestyle Results
1. Jacqueline Brooks Mount Albert, ON Gran Gesto 71.00%

CDI*** Ottawa Spring Dressage Classic – CDI*** Grand Prix Special Results
1. Evi Strasser Ste-Adele, QC Quantum Tyme 69.92%
2. Nancy MacLachlan Terra Cotta, ON Ariston 69.36%

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