August 20, 2004 – Athens, Greece – Following the first of two days of Grand Prix Team competition at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, Leslie Reid of Langley, BC, leads the Canadian Dressage Team.

Riding Mark, Reid earned a score of 66.08% to place 15th in the standings at the end of day one. Twenty-six horse-rider combinations competed at the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Center on Friday while the remaining 26 will compete on Saturday.

“It was a great experience to be able to ride up the centerline,” reflected Reid, 48, who won the Individual Gold and led Canada to the Team Silver at the 2003 Pan American Games riding Mark, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Deryol Andrews. “I would have liked to score closer to 68%, but my horse was good and I was pleased with him. He is young and it is a tough environment for him.”

Reid performed her test at 10:30 a.m. while Canada’s second representative to compete on Friday, Ashley Holzer, 40, of Toronto, ON, rode in the mid-day sun at 12:45 p.m. With Imperioso, her 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion, Holzer earned a score of 64.67% to rank 20th in the standings.

On Saturday, Belinda Trussell, 32, of Stouffville, ON, will perform the Grand Prix test riding Royan II, her 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding, while 1988 Olympic Bronze Medallist Cindy Ishoy, 52, of Jerseyville, ON, will ride her 10-year-old German-bred gelding, Proton, in 50th position from the starting field of 52.

Of the ten countries competing, Canada is currently sitting ninth in the Team standings at the half-way point. Germany leads the way, followed by the United States and Great Britain. Individually, first place currently belongs to Raphael Soto of Spain, who earned a score of 72.79% riding the 15-year-old Andalusian stallion, Invasor. Germany holds down the next two spots with Hurbertus Schmidt riding Wansuela Suerte scoring 72.33% and Heike Kemmer riding Bonaparte earning 71.29%.

At the conclusion of Saturday’s Grand Prix competition, Team Medals will be awarded with the best three out of four team members’ scores being counted towards the final standings. The top 25 individual horse-rider combinations in the team standings, with a maximum of three per nation, move forward to the Grand Prix Speciale competition held Monday, August 23. From there, the top 15 will advance to Wednesday’s Grand Prix Freestyle to Music, used to determine the Individual Medals.

For complete results, please visit www.athens2004.com.