October 24, 2021 – Ocala, FL – Naima Moreira Laliberté of Outremont, QC, represented Canada in the CDI-W Ocala international dressage competition held at the World Equestrian Center – Ocala in Florida from October 21 to 24, 2021.

Laliberté, 24, earned scores of 69.289% and 73.30% respectively in the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle riding Statesman, a 14-year-old bay Hanoverian gelding (Sandro Hit x Brentano II) owned by KML Inc.  The CDI-W Ocala served as a qualifying event for the 2022 World Cup Final to be held in Leipzig, Germany, from April 6 to 10, 2022.

In Friday evening’s Grand Prix competition, Laliberté placed third overall behind her coach, Ashley Holzer, a former Olympic team bronze medalist for Canada who now represents the United States in international competition.  Holzer earned the winning score of 71.132% riding Havana 145 followed by Codi Harrison, also of the U.S., who finished runner-up with 70.974% riding Katholt’s Bossco in the 10-horse starting field.

Returning to the CaptiveOne Advisors Arena on Saturday night, Laliberté had creative license to showcase her horse’s abilities in the $12,000 CDI-W Grand Prix Freestyle.  Riding the grand prix movements choreographed to the music of her choice, Laliberté earned a score of 73.30% for fourth place.  Holzer once again led the victory gallop with a score of 76.48% followed by Harrison in second with 75.04%.  Third place went to Cristina Danguillecourt of the U.S. who rode Ulises de Ymas to 73.605%.  Laliberté was the only other competitor to break the 70% barrier with all five members of the judges’ panel rewarding her with scores above 70%.

Last month, Laliberté was a member of the Canadian Dressage Team that placed seventh overall in Nations’ Cup team competition at CHIO Aachen, GER, from September 17 to 19, 2021.

For more information on the World Equestrian Center – Ocala, visit worldequestriancenter.com/.  For full results, go to www.horseshowoffice.com/events.asp.