September 17, 2004 – Allentown, New Jersey – Julia Vysniauskas of Cochrane, AB, celebrated her first Grand Prix Freestyle victory at an International Equestrian Federation (FEI) sanctioned event, the CDI*** Allentown, held September 3-5 in Allentown, NJ.

In a dramatic evening setting under the lights, the 23-year-old athlete performed her lively Freestyle performance to rave reviews, earning a score of 69.78% from the five-member panel of international judges. Choreographed by her coach, Lorraine Stubbs, and set to ABBA music compiled by Applause Dressage of Vancouver, BC, Vysniauskas’ Freestyle is a crowd favourite whenever it is performed.

“Our Freestyle had a lot of spark, Syntax was feeling good,” noted Vysniauskas, who had placed second to Susan Dutta in Friday’s Grand Prix test. “It was the first FEI Grand Prix Freestyle that I have won, and it was amazing to hear the Canadian national anthem played.”

Vysniauskas and Syntax, her 12-year-old Czechoslovakian Warmblood gelding, have had limited Grand Prix exposure this year, competing on the Florida circuit over the winter, then taking time off when Syntax was diagnosed and treated for unusual thyroid problem. They returned to competition in July at the CDI***-W Blainville, QC, where they placed third in the Grand Prix Freestyle with a score of 69.50% among a field of 2004 Canadian Olympic Dressage Team members. The pair’s next competitive appearance will be at CDI*** Devon, PA, from September 30 to October 3, 2004.

In addition to claiming her first Grand Prix Freestyle victory, Vysniauskas was thrilled with the competition debut of her new horse, Papillion, at Fourth Level. Winning two of the three tests offered, the pair earned the Fourth Level Championship title.

“We weren’t too sure what to expect from Papillion in his first show, but he was a superstar,” praised Vysniauskas, who found the seven-year-old German Riding Horse gelding in Belgium with the help of her coach. “He has an amazing walk, he can just stretch right out, and his half-pass and his tempi changes got high marks. He can do everything. Although he is still young, we are hoping he will be my next Grand Prix horse. He is showing so much talent now, and we are looking forward to what he will show us in the future.”

Bred in Belgium, Papillion was imported to Canada in June after being purchased from his breeders.

“It felt like we looked at 40 or 50 horses that week, but one stood out,” recalls Vysniauskas of her European buying trip. “He looked kind of plain, but when I got on him and tried him out, he was so easy to ride. We threw in some passage and one tempis, and he was more than willing to offer it. He showed us that he had a good work ethic and was willing to learn. I was so impressed by how much he could do at such a young age. Of all the horses I tried in Europe, he just made me say ‘wow’! He is also a very friendly horse and just loves people. And I must give credit to my coach, Lorraine, who had an influence on finding the right horse, yet again.”

Vysniauskas, who also holds citizenship in her family’s native Lithuania, first found success on the international stage when she placed fourth individually at the 2001 North American Young Riders’ Championship riding Freuden Tanzer. She made her Grand Prix debut in 2003 and was invited to contest the FEI World Cup Dressage League Final at the 2003 Royal Horse Show in Toronto, ON, where she placed third overall.

Originally from Cochrane, AB, where her mother operates Kestrel Ridge Farm, Vysniauskas is now based in Guelph, ON, where she trains with Stubbs at her Rockeden Farms in Rockwood, ON. A veteran of Olympic, World Championship and Pan American Games, Stubbs is also an FEI ‘I’ judge.

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PHOTOGRAPH
“Julia Vysniauskas and Syntax are congratulated on their first FEI Grand Prix Freestyle victory at CDI*** Allentown, USA, by FEI 'O' judge Elizabeth McMullen of Canada.”
Photo Credit – SusanJStickle.com